Classic Hilton's

Crazy. Sometimes life is just crazy.  For example, yesterday Madi and Grayson came downstairs where I was making lunch to inform me that they had beans up their noses.  See, we have a sensory bin. It's a large, flat tub that I keep filled with things like dried beans, corn, or rice. We pull it out when we need a little extra fun and the kids can dig around and play. It's obnoxious to clean up, but otherwise a great activity. We have had it in our home for the last two years and have NEVER had an issue with it. I guess we were due.  So Grayson plugged up his nostril and blew his bean out, no problem. However, Madi, who is only three, did not quite understand the concept of "blow" being different from "suck". Even so, it almost came out, but then she sucked it back up into her nose. We called the doctor, packed up Brooklyn's school work and headed out. (I very nearly left the house with the stove on and my grilled cheese sandwich cooking, but remembe...

It has been two years since I last published something, though certainly not since I've had something to say!  My brain is simply brimming over with thoughts that I want to get out, but for the moment I want to reflect on where we are versus where we have been. My hope in the coming months is to write more regularly and to capture our homeschooling journey on these pages. Perhaps they will be a comfort to a mom in similar circumstances or an inspiration to someone who wants to homeschool but doesn't know where to start. Or maybe they will just be a personal record of who we are and what we're up to at any given point in history and someday my great grandchildren will find it and get a better sense of who they are!  We moved to Pennsylvania about 15 months ago so that Ray could work as an actor in Moses  at Sight and Sound Theaters. It was an incredible experience that has led to many wonderful changes for our family. He was blessed with a second contract to be in the ...

Parenting is a huge commitment. Whether you want it not, whether you try or not, it is a lifetime of loving and teaching and influencing the little person who has irreversibly changed you forever. Today we stood up with our family, before our church, our friends and community of fellow believers, and declared our intentions to raise Madi to love the Lord. It's not a traditional christening or infant baptism. Someday she will have to make that choice to follow the Lord in obedience. It is simply us, celebrating the gift God has given to us, and committing to provide her with a home where she can learn and grow and be loved as God intends for her to be. Our community stands with us and says, we will be with you on this journey. We will love you and your children and we will help when you need it. Our children will never not know the name of the Lord. They will never not know His love. They will be surrounded by people who Will show them what love looks like, encourage them to fol...

Can you believe it has been two months? Look at this beautiful, happy girl!!  Sweet little Madikins, you are a wonderful addition to our family! You are so laid back and peaceful and generally very content with whatever life gives you. But you are no pushover! You can make your presence known if need be and you will not settle for less than you deserve! You enjoy watching your mobile. I don't think I remember your brother or sister ever being so interested in them, but you love it.  At two months you are full of grins and coos and cuddles, and, though some accuse you of being a mommy's girl, you share them freely with everyone in the house. At your last check up  you weighed 8 lbs, 15 oz, and measured 22 inches long, so you're still a tiny little thing. You are eating well, sleeping well (sometimes even eight hours at a stretch!), and meeting all the major milestones most two month olds meet. If conditions are right you can even roll over from your tummy...

Madilyn Rae Hilton. Born at 8:05 am on Friday June 22nd. 18 inches long, 7 lbs 11 oz. Absolutely beautiful. Absolutely perfect.  I just knew we were going to go into labor early. I was ready, pretty much once June hit. We had so many contractions each night, and every day it seemed that I was in more and more pain from the pressure. I was also convinced that her head must be huge and that she was at least 8 lbs because she felt so much heavier than I remember the other two feeling!  Thursday, 6/21, we had our pre-op appointments. I registered at the hospital and had the doctors and nurses all guess how big she was going to be. (Points to Dr. Alarcon who guessed mid-7's!) I did my best the remainder of the day to rest and soak up as much of Grayson and Brooklyn as I could. Isn't it amazing how knowing you have to stop eating at a certain point makes you that much more hungry? ;0) Funny.  Four am came as early as it usually does. Ray and I gathered everything we n...

Once I had a secret love, that lived within the heart of me. All too soon my secret love became impatient to be free. Now I shout it from the highest hill. Even told the golden daffodill. At last my heart's an open door, and my secret love's no secret anymore!   Our secret little love, Madilyn Rae, is one month old today. Time certainly does fly! Actually, looking back over the last few weeks it's hard to believe it's only been a month -- so much has happened!  Of course there was the birth (that wonderful event that started it all!) followed by visits from Mamaw, Aunt Judith, and Justin. Mommy has been busy with a very difficult recovery that included extra surgery and lots of trips to the doctor. Last week was your first VBX, and I'm pretty sure you loved it!  At one month old you are approximately 8 lbs, 19 inches and growing steadily. You are a very polite, efficient eater. You can smile a little bit and you can roll from your back to your tummy when ...

It's 3:45 AM. The house is quiet. Everyone, including the newborn, is asleep. But my mind is racing and won't settle down, so...I blog ;0)  I've tried on multiple occasions to put down everything that has happened in these last two weeks, but the task has proved a little difficult. It's been a bit of wild ride - meeting Madi, coming home from the hospital, dealing with the wound and the internal fluid pockets - I am only just now starting to feel like normal is a possibility.  I have three holes in my stomach. Actual, literal, open holes. Two are very small, the result of the doctors draining two pockets of fluid that were putting some very painful pressure on the rest of my body. Together they were only about 100 cc's, which is less than 4 oz. Not very much to be causing so much pain, but that is the beauty of the human body. We are so perfectly created that it only takes a little thing in the wrong place to throw us off. The other hole, which we call my wound,...