I have wanted to blog several things lately and haven't found the time. So here are some out of order and very random thoughts and happenings from our house.
Hope started walking about 10 days ago!! She has been taking 10-20 steps for a couple of months now BUT 10 days ago her main method of getting from point A to B is on foot. She is cute and clumsy and I love it!
Benjamin's affection for me has greatly increased. He wants and initiates sitting in my lap and he lives to play with my hair. He looks into my eye for more than an second, he gazes into them now and I love it.
We dropped out of Boy Scouts for the time being. So much to do and time is so valuable that we decided that Rusty and the boys would take 1 night a week and work in the shop together. Great bonding and lots of learning... will post completed projects when they are well, complete!
Benjamin turns 4 on the 27th. We are having a party with family and our friends who are like family. I wanted to CELEBRATE Benjamin's life BIG but decided to keep it smaller. When we have had a large crowd here he ends up in the garage, separated from others and quietly playing alone... so smaller it is. His life has not been celebrated before so we can't wait to show him what a birthday looks like!
The boys got 4-wheelers. One day Andrew had tied Benjamin's Power Wheel Jeep to the 4-wheeler and was going FULL SPEED through the backyard. Immediately it was shut down. Not 10 minutes later Andrew was pushing Benjamin (front wheels to back wheels) through the yard FULL SPEED AHEAD! Again, shutdown! Benjamin loves speed. He loves to do everything we do, EVERYTHING! Hope loves to go for rides on the 4-wheeler too!
Hope has this new scream... LOUD and SHRILL... when she doesn't get her way! When ignored it stops within a minute. Did I mention it is ear piercing??
Benjamin talks ALL DAY LONG, literally ALL DAY LONG unless he is sleeping! He asks questions and repeats everything you say. He is learning to speak through this but some days it drives me NUTS! I want to plug my ears and go to a quite place. And Hope is loud on top of it!
Both Hope and Benjamin are still napping/sleeping well.
Hope is cutting 2 maybe 3 molars, a few restless nights with that.
We went to a dinner with the couples we went on our spring marriage retreat with this past Friday night. It was the first time we left Hope and Benjamin alone without either of us there. My parents came, they all did great!
I read Passport Through Darkness recently. Loved it. Lost sleep over it. Quilt, anger, question... so many things rushing though my mind. Reminded of how COMFORTABLE we are here in America. If you have any interest in orphans/human trafficking- READ IT! Just started Generous Justice, only 2 chapters in and I love it. Challenged already.
Realizing that my "stuff" drives me nuts and brings about more frustrations many times that pleasure!
Repenting of anger/lack of gentleness... how I respond to the kids (all 5). The words... "let your gentleness be evident all" ring in my mind. Lately it is more "evident" to strangers that my family. This means I need to lay that at the feet of the Lord in a new and fresh way because deep down I struggle with it.
My cousin, Peter, has co-authored a children's book on adoption that several people are raising funds for. PLEASE... at least go read about the project and then pray and ask if the Lord would have you support this work...
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1730501360/mommys-heart-went-pop/backers
and you can check out Peter's blog to know more about him...
http://www.peterkgreer.com/
Rusty has been working on his own now for over 2 years. The day he lost his job he began working for himself. The Lord has blessed us. His schedule is more flexible. We have more time together. We make less money than we have in years and still we feel "rich". We have not saved any money during that time but have adopted 2 children... but I must say at least 80% of those funds were raised or given as gifts. It is amazing, the peace that comes when you turn it all over to the Lord... even if you were "forced" to do so. So freeing!
Hope is talking more and more. And even says poo poo right before she fills up her diaper... this has been going on for about 5 days now. She is 16 months old as of Sunday.
Carter is back at piano and loving it! Benjamin sings along to Better Is One Day... sweet!
Aubrey is about to begin sewing.
The 4 oldest have been dressing up like army men/women and staying busy with adventures in the backyard!
The laundry is piled on my bed. The school room looks like a bomb went off. Guess I better get to work!
Hope started walking about 10 days ago!! She has been taking 10-20 steps for a couple of months now BUT 10 days ago her main method of getting from point A to B is on foot. She is cute and clumsy and I love it!
Benjamin's affection for me has greatly increased. He wants and initiates sitting in my lap and he lives to play with my hair. He looks into my eye for more than an second, he gazes into them now and I love it.
We dropped out of Boy Scouts for the time being. So much to do and time is so valuable that we decided that Rusty and the boys would take 1 night a week and work in the shop together. Great bonding and lots of learning... will post completed projects when they are well, complete!
Benjamin turns 4 on the 27th. We are having a party with family and our friends who are like family. I wanted to CELEBRATE Benjamin's life BIG but decided to keep it smaller. When we have had a large crowd here he ends up in the garage, separated from others and quietly playing alone... so smaller it is. His life has not been celebrated before so we can't wait to show him what a birthday looks like!
The boys got 4-wheelers. One day Andrew had tied Benjamin's Power Wheel Jeep to the 4-wheeler and was going FULL SPEED through the backyard. Immediately it was shut down. Not 10 minutes later Andrew was pushing Benjamin (front wheels to back wheels) through the yard FULL SPEED AHEAD! Again, shutdown! Benjamin loves speed. He loves to do everything we do, EVERYTHING! Hope loves to go for rides on the 4-wheeler too!
Hope has this new scream... LOUD and SHRILL... when she doesn't get her way! When ignored it stops within a minute. Did I mention it is ear piercing??
Benjamin talks ALL DAY LONG, literally ALL DAY LONG unless he is sleeping! He asks questions and repeats everything you say. He is learning to speak through this but some days it drives me NUTS! I want to plug my ears and go to a quite place. And Hope is loud on top of it!
Both Hope and Benjamin are still napping/sleeping well.
Hope is cutting 2 maybe 3 molars, a few restless nights with that.
We went to a dinner with the couples we went on our spring marriage retreat with this past Friday night. It was the first time we left Hope and Benjamin alone without either of us there. My parents came, they all did great!
I read Passport Through Darkness recently. Loved it. Lost sleep over it. Quilt, anger, question... so many things rushing though my mind. Reminded of how COMFORTABLE we are here in America. If you have any interest in orphans/human trafficking- READ IT! Just started Generous Justice, only 2 chapters in and I love it. Challenged already.
Realizing that my "stuff" drives me nuts and brings about more frustrations many times that pleasure!
Repenting of anger/lack of gentleness... how I respond to the kids (all 5). The words... "let your gentleness be evident all" ring in my mind. Lately it is more "evident" to strangers that my family. This means I need to lay that at the feet of the Lord in a new and fresh way because deep down I struggle with it.
My cousin, Peter, has co-authored a children's book on adoption that several people are raising funds for. PLEASE... at least go read about the project and then pray and ask if the Lord would have you support this work...
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1730501360/mommys-heart-went-pop/backers
and you can check out Peter's blog to know more about him...
http://www.peterkgreer.com/
Rusty has been working on his own now for over 2 years. The day he lost his job he began working for himself. The Lord has blessed us. His schedule is more flexible. We have more time together. We make less money than we have in years and still we feel "rich". We have not saved any money during that time but have adopted 2 children... but I must say at least 80% of those funds were raised or given as gifts. It is amazing, the peace that comes when you turn it all over to the Lord... even if you were "forced" to do so. So freeing!
Hope is talking more and more. And even says poo poo right before she fills up her diaper... this has been going on for about 5 days now. She is 16 months old as of Sunday.
Carter is back at piano and loving it! Benjamin sings along to Better Is One Day... sweet!
Aubrey is about to begin sewing.
The 4 oldest have been dressing up like army men/women and staying busy with adventures in the backyard!
The laundry is piled on my bed. The school room looks like a bomb went off. Guess I better get to work!
2 comments:
may I please please please have a copy of this picture?!
Missing you all. Thinking of you often. Don't quit smiling.
Blessings Abound! Annah
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