History Fair....

Well, finally, I am posting a long overdue update. Our summer was great...hot, but great. This fall has already been busy with homeschooling, ballet lessons, football, horseback riding and traveling. We've also had the opportunity to open our home to many of our famiy members! This morning we enjoyed a history fair downtown. A re-enactment of a southern encampment during the Civil war. Here are a few shots from our outing. Enjoy!

Somalia

*UPDATE: Since posting this, news has spread that the terrorists have pulled out of the capital city and borders are now opening for aid to come in! Keep those prayers coming! God is at work!


We pulled into Starbucks for our weekly stop. I ordered a half pound of coffee and waters for the kids. Knowing that 2 year olds don't fair so well with cups brimming to the top, I stopped by a trashcan to dump some of hers out. As I was pouring that clear, fresh water into the trash I thought about this picture

Children in Somalia searching for water amidst a drought and famine torn country. I thought about how I drive around in my nice, air conditioned car to my brand new, large, carpeted home and enjoy many of the foods, refreshments and luxuries our country has to offer. I do this without a thought of what is going on in the rest of the world. Oblivious. Selfish. Thoughtless. I read yesterday that the first accurate death toll from the Somalian famine has come out. Within the last 90 days more than 29,000 children under the age of 5 have died. Stories are emerging about families that have walked 20 miles for food, losing children along the way, only to find that the camp they were searching for is full and they are forced further out into the rural desert. There in the country the risk of violence, especially towards women, sky rockets. Al-Queda linked rebels are controlling things and refuse to allow international aid in to help their people. So, not only is it difficult to get aid over to Somalia but when it arrives it is, almost always, stolen or destroyed. Some organizations such as Samaritan's Purse and WorldVision have been able to get some help to these people...but it is very little. As someone recently said, these rebels would rather see the death of their people than the death of their pride. In fact, they refuse to even acknowledge the famine for fear of being overthrown. Daily, thousands of people are dying..husbands...fathers....mothers...
grandmothers...newborns...young girls...little boys. Do I think about them while I'm dishing up dinner to my family? Do I think about them while I am taking a hot shower before slipping into clean, warm sheets? Do I think about them when I laugh with my children or during family movie night? I didn't....but I will now. I hope you will too.

Will you pray for them?

First Impressions...

Tonight, not long after dinner, the doorbell rang. The three girls barreled through the house to answer the door, Annabelle wearing only a diaper. Seconds later, McKayla came into where I was nursing the baby and said “Mom, some stranger wants to talk to you.” So, I got myself and Madison together and headed towards the front. As I rounded the corner the cheery smile of the older woman standing in my doorway, faded to a look of bewilderment as she looked at all of the children and commented “My, you have your hands full.” If only she knew there was another one inside! She introduced herself as Carrie from the county Welcoming Committee, quickly snatches a business card from McKayla’s hand and handed it to me. By this time, the three older girls have spilled out onto the front porch and Annabelle, giggling, is running circles around the legs of the Welcome Wagon. “I just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood and go over a few things in this welcoming package that the county sent to you.” (You must be joking, I quietly think to myself) However, I smile and was just about to accept when Savannah says “Annabelle!!” I looked over only to see a two-year old backside running around the front porch and a diaper flapping wildly in her chubby little hand. I quickly apologize to our guest which should have put an end to the Francis Shenanigans had the diaper not flung a special little present at Carrie’s feet. Really, was there any way to recover from this? Slightly horrified, Carrie looked up and said “I think I’ll just come back another time, when would be good for you?” Wondering if she really believed that there actually was a good time for her to come back, I mumbled something about when the babies nap and hoped that she wouldn’t send out emails to our neighbors warning them about the crazy rednecks at the end of the block. Finally, Carrie said her goodbyes and we all shuffled back inside bursting into laughter. My only hope is that things like this happen to other families as well. If not, at least we can say we’re unique!

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted but life in the Francis house is busy! We've started back with school since taking "baby break," as the kids called it. So that, coupled with getting settled into the new house and keeping up with daily life hasn't left much time for blog updates =) However, as things settle back in, there will be more updates coming. In the meantime, here are a few more pictures from Madison's 3 week photo shoot. (Thanks Holly =)

Blessings,
The Francis 7

That's my King!

This video was shown in our church yesterday. It's very powerful! If you have 3 minutes I encourage you to watch it. Be sure to pause the blog music on the player. Just scroll down a little and click on the pause button.

Be Blessed!

He is Risen!

We hope that you all have been having a blessed Easter Sunday. Here are a few pictures of the kids from this morning. Love you all so much!

A sweet and very talented friend of ours took some pictures of our sweet Madison. Here are just a few to begin with...enjoy. Ahhh, I love babies =)

Madison Emigh (3 1/2 weeks old)

Sweet Madison

Another picture update...

As you can see, Madison is a pretty grouchy baby.

Blessing....

Please Rejoice with us as we have welcomed:

Madison Emigh Francis
(middle name pronounced "Amy")
born Feb. 25, 2010 at 3 p.m.
8lbs. 20 in.

"Behold,children are a gift of the LORD,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one's youth.
How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them;
They will not be ashamed
When they speak with their enemies in the gate." Psalm 127:3-5

We are so thankful for this sweet little girl. She is so precious! We can't wait to share her birth story with you. (I'll post it soon). For now, enjoy a few pictures.

Love, Dan and JJ
Savannah, McKayla, Daniel, Annabelle and Madison

Baby Update #2

Hi all. Just wanted to post a quick update. I have an induction scheduled for this coming Friday, if I don't deliver sooner. However, if anything happens between now and then we will let everyone know. Your continued prayers are greatly appreciated, especially for baby girl's safe arrival. Much love to you all.

Love, The Francis 7

Baby Update...

Hi all. Well, many of you have been asking what's going on with Francis baby #5 so we thought we'd put out a quick update. My original due date (Feb. 18) has come and gone with no sign of baby. This is pretty typical for us since I always go past my due date. There is some talk of an induction at some point but we are trying to hold off on this for as long as possible. However and whenever it happens we know that the Lord is in control. He has had baby girl's birthdate set since before the foundations of the Earth were made! Please keep checking back here on the blog and we will keep posting updates and pictures when she arrives. Love to you all!!!

The Francis 7 xoxxo

Well, we didn't end up with a Valentine baby...so we're still waiting. However, that didn't keep us from getting out and enjoying the beautiful weather this afternoon. We had a great time on a long hike out in Brentwood. The kids loved wading through the creek and finding all kinds of critters. Secretly, I was hoping that the long hike would send me into labor but it's 8pm and no sign of baby anytime soon. We promise to keep you all posted, so check back soon.

Love, The Francis 7 xoxxo

Greetings from the Snowy State....

Hello All! Well, we don't know about your little corner of the world but here in Nashville it's cold, cold, cold! Not to mention snowy!!! We got about 2 inches of snow last night which made Dan's drive home pretty difficult.

In other news, we're winding down with school as we are all on "Baby Watch 2011." She's due this coming week but, of course, we're anticipating her arrival anytime now. It's hard to believe in just a few short days we'll be holding our new little girl in our arms...we can't wait! McKayla, the family coordinator, has been helping me get everything in it's place...like baby clothes, bedding, bassinet. I'm sure glad she's around to keep us all organized =). As some of you may already know, we're moving...again! This time, just to the other side of town though. We will do the final walk-through on our new house mid-March and move in closer to the end of that month. We will miss our first little house here but we're excited to see what God has in store for our family in our new neighborhood. One of the major blessings of our new home is that it has a guest room...so come visit us! We'd love to have you.

Well, every one's ready to start school so I'd better get going. Here are a couple of pictures of our backyard from this morning. Enjoy!

Love The Francis 7 xoxxo

An oldie but a goodie...

Obviously, this picture was taken a little while back. However, it's so cute I had to post it!

Update

It's definitely winter here in Nashville and we've been enjoying all of the great snow! Family snowball fights, hiking in the snow and we even built a "snow-hobbit." It's been a blast (as you'll see from the pictures!)

Baby continues to grow strong and healthy each day. Towards the end of the post is a "belly-shot" of she and I at 35 weeks. We can't to hold her in our arms...it's hard to believe that she'll be here in just 5 weeks!!

We pray that your New Year has already been blessed. Take care and much love from the 7 of us!!