Mattox Family Update

Merry Christmas!

I hope you all enjoyed the holidays and felt the love of our Saviour, the newborn King, like we did at our house.


I should change my user name to Blessed Mom of 5. Since October, we've added Ellie and Brandon to our home. We are always busy, one 19 year old, two 16 year olds, one 5 year old, and one 2 year old!


Ellie has been to the doctor several times, with many more visits to come. The pediatric orthopedist said, "She will walk." We'll try a hip brace at night for several months. If that doesn't train the hip to stay in place, then she'll have surgery sometime late next year. We have many tests of the bladder and an appt with a urologist scheduled for late in February. I'm also waiting for a call from the neurologist.


In the meantime, Ellie is using a walker to increase mobility. She loves it! It's the first time she could really be independent in public. She also attracts much attention. On Christmas Eve, my parents took her to visit a local nursing home. The residents who used walkers were impressed!


She amazes us everyday at her ability to adapt and make her own way to do the things she wants to do.

Ellie was so proud of her new Christmas dress. She had to show off to every member of the family and say, "Piao le," (Beautiful!). She went into church with her walker and stopped for anyone who would tell her how pretty she was.

My Photogenic Girl

Josie-Tatum knows how to turn on a smile for the camera!

The girls behave like typical siblings, only 2 years apart in age. Ellie always wants to hold the toy Josie-Tatum is playing with. Josie-Tatum loves to tell on her baby sister. But, they are also the best of friends, playing together, laughing together. Josie-Tatum loves to help her sister do the things Ellie can't do because of her disability. Josie-Tatum jumps rope, then hands the rope to Ellie. Ellie swings the rope back and forth while JT stand behind her and helps her jump. She thinks she's jumping rope, and that's all that matters.

Forget the house full of toys, we'll play in the laundry basket!

Hmmm, not sure about the look on JT's face, but here's Caleb, Josie-Tatum, and Ellie.

Since we've come home from China, Josie-Tatum turned 5 years old--on Thanksgiving Day. What a blessed Thanksgiving, five children in the house, so hard to believe Josie-Tatum is 5!

The boys are always trying to make people laugh, and they love to pose for the camera.

Caleb and Ellie

Making cookies is an annual Christmas tradition at our house. You wonder what teenagers think of such things, but when they ask what day you're baking cookies, you realize they expect it. These pictures are from our all day cookie factory day on Saturday.

I never know what to expect with 2 teenagers in the house, but when Brandon grabbed the camera to take a picture of Caleb and me, I knew something was "up."

Ellie made the biggest mess, flour from the top of head to her feet, literally. She got into this cookie making. I'm not sure how much dough she ate. :)

I think Josie-Tatum had the most fun, not just making cookies, but having everybody home all day.

All of the teenagers were involved, including my nephew Joshua. I must take a good picture of Whitney. Here you'll only see the back of her head.

The boys are always good for a laugh, even decorating Christmas cookies.

Life is never dull at our house!!