and...We're Back!!

Hello Parrott fans!!!

We have become Mac fans, and so we had abandon the blogspot world, and established a new web page using our mac.  It was great and easy, and now is gone.

We have decided to revive the original blog and merge it with the Mac blog that we maintained in Germany and during the beginning of our time here in DC.  Please be patient as I combine the sites, and begin anew with the Parroting Parrott!

Here you will find all things Morgan and Madison.  You can also be linked to a photography blog that I began just for kicks.  Just go to "view my profile" and you will see the link to Pictures from the Perch.

I'm looking forward to getting back on track and using Blogging as my form of free therapy!

In the meantime, feel free to venture a few years back in time and see what we were doing 3 yrs ago.  Goodness the girls were so stinking cute!

Thanks for your patience and joining me for the ride.

Hello to our Fans!

We are here! We are here! We are here!
Okay, so I have been reading "Horton Hears a Who" lately. But thought I would let you all know that we are still here and doing well. Thanks for all your emails and encouragements.

After arriving our computer decided that it was tired. I read a joke this morning that says this...
Q. How do you know a computer is old?
A. It looses it's memory.
Well our computer didn't loose it's memory, it just got a mind of it's own. So it is good for very little and we had to embark on the road of new computers. I hate buying new gadgets. Okay - except the cricut. I guess I am to lazy to take the time to figure out how to make them work. Something that is supposed to make my life easier - makes it harder. Well we decided that with all the Vista junk and upgrades and $$ spent with virus protection, memory, blah blah blah - we would leave the world of PC and cross over to the land of MAC. It is a happy place. We plugged in our Mac and that is all we needed to do - instantly we were on our way to do whatever we wanted. Didn't have to load internet / email and didn't have to deal with all the excess junk that comes on a PC.

I told you all that so you will understand that I have been learning all the fun stuff in Mac land and have neglected this blog. I am in the process of starting a new website throug Mac. This will be better for many reasons. I can have a link that will take you directly to photo albums and not have to wait insane amounts of time to load them on Blogspot.

So please continue to stand by. We love hearing from you and would hate for you to give up on us.

hugs & misses to all!
jen

They CHANGED THE BIBLE!!!!

Last Wednesday the girls started AWANA on base. Morgan is now a Spark and Madison is in the Hiker book. On the way home we were helping Morgan with the Sparks song and a few of the basics. As Madison was reading out of her book and talking about how she was going to do ALL of section one the first night she paused, gasped and said - oh no. I asked what was wrong and she said "What is 'begotten" mean?" Then before I could answer she was frantically reading out loud and said "Mom, THEY CHANGED THE BIBLE!!" I assured her that they didn'tchange the Bible but that she must have a different version than her last AWANA book. When we got home we saw that she has a New King James version and hers from last year was a NIV. Poor baby! I know she will do fine learning a new version. But had to share her first observation and experience with translation change.

Saturday I had the privilege to join a group of ladies to begin the process of adapting boxer shorts for our soldiers who are injured down range. Some of their injuries leave them wearing large braces or prosthetics that make it difficult for them to wear normal clothing. Sew Much Comfort is a organization that has begun to adapt clothing to help our Soldiers have more options other than hospital gowns. The website is www.sewmuchcomfort.org. There you can learn about the organization and the different ways you can help.

This was a great way to serve "on the home front" and know that my few hours will mean that someone needing these garments will save time getting dressed. The Officers Spouses Club here did a donation drive of Boxer Shorts - over 200 were donated. Now the process of sewing and altering the shorts has begun.

What a great way for any group who is looking for a service project. The website has all the details and contact information. You don't have to sew. There are plenty of steps that require NO sewing - cutting, ironing, pinning are all critical parts. All important because of the accuracy needed. The items are inspected before they are distributed.

I intended to take some pictures but forgot the camera and was to busy sewing anyway. Maybe next time. It was humbling to be a part of this project. Thinking of all I personally know who have been or are currently serving our country down range. It could be Mark. I was reminded to be in prayer for our troops and their families. I would like to encourage you to do the same.

Kindergarten...Already?

Today is the day!! Morgan is officially a Kindergartner. She has been counting the days - especially after her home visit with Mr. Watts.

The visit went well. He sat on the floor with Morgan and they talked about numbers and letters on a pad of paper he brought. She was so quiet and studious!! We spoke with the assistant - Mrs. Correa. Morgan is in good hands and God has answered our prayers for the perfect teacher for Morgan. Mr. Watts, seeing Morgan's CEO qualities, asked Morgan to be his personal helper and line leader the first day of school. I thought, "Morgan, in charge, boy did he win her over!" So then the count down began.

I wish I could say that Morgan had a peaceful morning, rising with the sun ready to embrace the day. but I can't. All she was ready for was more sleep. Good thing Mom was driving to school - we would have never made the bus. First was the debate of waking up, then the debate about what to wear. We did pick out an outfit that we could agree on last night - but she wasn't feeling it this morning, so we switched to one of the first things we picked out last night. How female is that? Then the hair - then breakfast - shoes - and I skipped the teeth - it was time to go!

Pictures taken outside the front door - our tradition for the first day of school. Then we loaded up in the van - and we were on our way! We are on the road and I ask what music they would like to listen to. I expected Morgan to blurt out HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL but instead I hear - "Can we praise Jesus?" You bet!! We threw in our Travis Cottrell CD and sang the Sanctuary song- whew! What a song to get your morning going - after that we listened to Toby Mac until we pulled into the school.

Morgan was such a big girl. The last 5 years flashed before me like a bad dream sequence. I saw her face the first time I held her. I saw her running around the house naked laughing at me trying to catch her. I saw her waddling to me for a 'nuggle. Thought about her holding my hand. Her face singing praise songs. Then it hit me - Kindergarten isn't just the beginning of something, it's the end of a time never to be captured again. This was my baby girl, a big girl now. SO independent. Hanging up her jacket, Mr. Watts called her in and showed her where he wanted her on the carpet. Shoulders back and head held high she sat criss cross - apple sauce. (We used to call it Indian style, but I guess that's offensive now). I wanted to stay. Will she mind her manners? Will she make a friend? What will she learn? Will she be okay on the bus? Mr. Watts gave the parents a 1 minute warning. Okay - I'll take it! As we were leaving Morgan asked if she could give us one more kiss. My heart lept! YEAH! Hold it together mom!

I left and decided to go get some coffee. I cried the entire way there. I prayed that God would watch over my baby - that the teacher would see Morgan for the sweet girl she is. Then as I pulled into the parking lot was the most special rainbow I have seen. The colors were vibrant. I smiled and chuckled out loud. When we see a rainbow we always talk about Noah and how God promised that he wouldn't flood the earth again. But today when I saw that rainbow, I thought not only about God's promise with Noah, but all the promises he gives to us. And how he keeps each one of them. Would Morgan be okay in kindergarten? YES! I know she will. God is with her. I know He is because I asked Him to.

As I write this I am listening to KLOVE radio (http://www.klove.com/) and playing is Nicole C. Mullen singing My Redeemer Lives. Love this song. Especially loved when Kristen Pratt sang it at our church in LA. She is a Fabulous singer - only out done by Mike Ogletree lip syncing to the song! I miss them! Sorry - mind went on a tangent there.

Hope you enjoy the pictures! Hugs to all!

Madison P. ... First Grader at last

Today was the first day of school for Madison. At 6am I softly walked into Madison's room. I watched her sleeping, precious, and so innocent. Is she ready for First Grade? Am I ready for First Grade. Her teacher, Mrs. Pittman, is nice. She has a class of 20 students and is the only first grade class that is a multi-age class mixed with 2nd grade. We are excited about that but a little apprehensive. there are a lot of positives - but some legitimate concerns. We prayed for the right teacher and the right class, so all we have to do now is trust. I need to wake her, but I can't. Why? i have to pull myself together first! This is harder than when she went to Kindergarten! Will the other kids be nice to her? Will she make plenty of friends. Will she thrive or will she get lost in the shuffle of 1&2 graders in the same class.


When we were in Italy Madison's nursery was in Paddington Bear Nighty Night. We found a wall lamp in the shape of a crescent moon. Since we are back in Europe we can use it again. It is hanging high in her room. The light sends me back to the many nights I spent rocking her, trying to figure out what in the world I was doing with a baby! Now here we are 6 years later getting ready for 1st grade.

I rubbed her back and said softly, "good morning my first grader". Expecting her usual "please mom, just 2 more minutes" imagine my surprise when she jumps up and shouts "Today I go to first grade...Wahooo! Let's go!!!" In about 3 minutes she was dressed and eating breakfast!

I drove her to school, don't remember the drive because I was listening to her sing and catching a glance of her in the mirror looking so grown up.

She rode the bus home. Morgan and I walked to the bus stop and wouldn't you know the bus was about 10-15 min early!!! She was all alone. The others from her stop had walked home, but she stayed. Good girl. She told me that she thought about walking, but remembered that there was a road to cross and she shouldn't do that without me. Good girl!!!

I missed the picture opportunity of her getting off the bus, but took a picture of the bus and the German driver anyway.

Morgan starts school on the 4th. She is thrilled!!! We met her teacher Mr. Watts today. He will be perfect for her! !

Yes we are alive....

Sorry it has been so long since blogging - please keep the "where's the next blog" mail away. Things have been a bit crazed... time is not in abundance... so, here are the highlights

VBS finished up - and was FABULOUS!

Our things arrived in Germany, but we could not get a delivery date until the 20th. Bummer huh? They told us to call on the 13th to see if we could move up the date. They did! To the 14th!!!!! Great right? Well, in a way - FMO (those incharge of our loaner furniture) could not come until friday, so Mark and I were up till the wee hours of the morning lugging it down 3 flights of stairs.

So we are swimming in boxes!!!

Morgan is ill - dr says nothing wrong - so I guess it's okay that she hacks all the time - no one is sleeping and we are all miserable and tired.

Commander wife stuff is becoming a reality - obligations and such - that's a novel blog for later.

Found a church - lots of scrappers - all wanna be my friend b/c of the cricut :-) nice church - more to come there...

Computer is dying a slow steady death - we are trying to get a new one.

Movers dropped TV - mover dude got cut & bloddy nose - picture is distorted - learning to file claim - looking for new TV ;-(

Saturday is our Squarden picnic - looking forward to it!

School starts the 27th!! LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT too!!!

Morgan starts 4 September.

FMO (loaner peeps) will be here in about 10 minutes (7:30)

More to come later! Miss you all!

Ciao!