1+2+1=4

Surprise!  In April we are going to have another baby!

He tends His flock like a shepherd:

He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart;

He gently leads those that have young.

Isaiah 40:11

Remembering These Days

Alternately Titled:  Some of the Reasons I Have Not been Blogging

 We have been having some sweet days around here.  Well, some sweet and some not so.  I have been sick off and on lately.  Right now I have a nasty cold among other things.  I went the the doctor yesterday and she said I am developing an ear infection.  So it's antibiotics for me.  Hopefully it's all healed up soon.

With the changing weather, I am trying to take advantage of nice days outside like this one sometime last week.  It was gorgeous and nice to not have to worry about jackets.

Recently it has been pretty rainy here, which coupled with not feeling well has just made me want to lay down for a nap most afternoons. That's actually not the only reason I'm wanting a nap, but I have a few more calls to make before we talk about that on the blog.

We started women's Bible Study last week.  Never have I been more excited to get going.  It has been way too long since I have had the full time and energy to invest in a study and I was more than ready to dive in.  We are doing Beth Moore's Esther:  It's Tough Being a Woman.  I don't think a study ever fit better and I am eating it up.  I also get to lead one of the small groups and have been so blessed by the ladies I am getting to spend time with every week.  Their transparency about life and desire to walk with the Lord is a gift.  We are certain to never forget this season together!

I was struck by something the night I went for the leader's training meeting.  I drove up to this little church where we have our study (one of the interesting things about being part of a church with no building) and realized I had not been there for almost a year.  Last year my mom and I did go for the weekly women's study, but I didn't get to go every week and was exhausted just coming off a move and living with a toddler and 3-4 month old twins.  So you can imagine I didn't have the energy to fully invest.  But as I parked a few weeks ago, I realized what a difference a year has made.  The Lord is so faithful.  I am sleeping.  The children are growing.  Our home is filled more with joy and spirit than with survival.  Praise the Lord!  He is good and His faithfulness endures forever.  I woke the other day singing, "Oh, how I love Jesus..."  Never more than now!

We have been busy with all kinds of family activities, too.  A couple weeks ago one of the car dealerships in town had a big open house.  They had dinner for all and bouncies for the kids and they have a lighthouse that Silas has wanted to go up in for the longest time.  We drive by it almost every time we go somewhere, so he was thrilled to finally get the chance.  He got a snow cone as we left and when we got home, we realized it had dripped and soaked through his double layer of shirts down to his skin...

But it was well worth it, and the stains all came out!

Then last week was the Pumpkin Festival in our little town.  My camera battery didn't last long, but we had a great time at the carnival on Thursday night...

Can you see Shane and Silas in the blur below...

We also had a birthday party for one of our youth leaders on Friday night (at which I ate one of the yummiest steaks I have had in ages), the festival parade on Saturday morning, and then a cookout with more youth leaders on Saturday evening.

So we've been busy.  But not too busy to recognize that most of the fun in our activities has been the relationships.  Enjoying chatting and watching each other's children soak in the festival lights and sounds, spending "adult time" and celebrating with the people we minister alongside, making new friends and catching up with others as our children delight all that a parade entails, and realizing that after a year we have built a community here.  These are our friends.  This is our church.  It is becoming home.

Hints of Fall

We have been enjoying the sweet gift of sleep in our home lately.  If you had told me just 4 months ago that all our children would sleep until 8 in the morning most days (and till 9 last Saturday), I would never have believed it.  But I am most grateful.  After the first 12 months of having 3 children, I will never take sleep for granted again.

Shane's birthday was yesterday.  But we celebrated by going out to lunch on Monday and staying out for the afternoon.  We were exhausted when we got home but tiredly laughed as we drove up that all the children would just be waking from naps, rested and ready to play.  It was a gorgeous day, though, so when friends asked if we wanted to meet for an evening ice cream, we didn't hesitate.

It was fun to pull out some fall things to wear that day...

Silas, Sim, and Lieren all packed up after a quick dinner, heading out for ice cream...

These two were more than excited for a treat...

I love these pictures of Simeon.  Partly because I can never capture that smile of his and partly because it reminded me so much of the day Silas wore those shoes for the first time...a rite of passage from baby to toddler...

Before I sign off, Lieren wanted to tell you what she sees outside her window most mornings in the neighbor's backyard...



It's How We Roll

We finally got a new carseat last weekend.  Lieren is just about to outgrow her baby seat so it was time to transition everyone.  We got Simeon a seat that matches Silas' and put both boys in the back of the van.  Lieren inherited the seat Sim has been in and is still rear-facing in the middle section of the van so all the kids can interact.  Somehow I didn't get a picture of her in her new-to-her big-girl carseat...

I got all the seats moved around this afternoon and it was fun to head out to a football game this evening with all three in new spots.  I knew it would be a better set-up but didn't know just how much better!  It was way easier to get everyone in and out.  I love it.  Simeon was so funny about being in his new seat (new place in the van and forward-facing, too) and kept taking it all in.  He looks like such a little munchkin back there...