Returning...

I'm aware through emails and inquiries that many have wondered what happened to our little family. Sorry...the only excuse is the reality of a working mom with young kids and a desire to spend more time with them than at the computer. Alas...I return {who knows for how long} to affirm that we are alive and well. Above is the most recent {decent} pic of the three together on Christmas morning before heading to worship and celebrate our Savior. We decided that we want to always find a church service to attend on Christmas morning. It was a great way to truly celebrate Jesus' birth and show our children WHY we celebrate on that day each year.

I laugh at myself when I say we are "busy," because we honestly don't do much outside of ordinary life. Our kids are still young enough to be content at home most days and we have yet to join the world of sports practices, music lessons and extra activities. Despite that, by the time the sun sets each evening I am exhausted and feel as though I've run a marathon {which should evoke even more laughter since I can't run to our mailbox}.

We traveled to NY for Thanksgiving, seeing only my immediate and extended family. It was a quick trip and we knew we could not fit the various visitations we would have liked, so we kept it simple. It was PERFECT, except too short and too quick. Hoping to return this summer.

You may not recognize Samantha since it's been so long between posts. She has grown and changed SO much in the past few months. She insists on doing whatever the "bigs" are doing, be it eating, reading, playing, coloring, fighting...she MUST be in on the action and she sees to it.

I realized this week how quickly her development is moving along, almost without noticing. For the others, I could have quoted weight and height percentages, number of words she says, how many teeth and at which month they popped. I can't tell you any of those things for this poor baby. She has quite a few teeth, says quite a few recognizable words {and HUNDREDS we don't understand} and is a healthy size. Part of not knowing is that she is our third and my memory escapes me frequently. The other part is, I've learned that they all do things in their own time. Whether it be physical, intellectual or any other form of developing or learning, they each have their own approach and timeline. I discovered last week that she has enough hair for piggies...and I could eat her up when she has them in...

Paige is plugging along in second grade. The easy transition at the start has brought us to a unique place in the middle of the year, but we are working through it. Her huge heart and sensitive spirit are proving to make for painful situations once in a while, but she is able to verbalize it all and has begun to mature in so many ways. She has always been a spunky girl, which helps her keep fighting. We are looking into some new experiences for her as we seek to find an outlet and a niche for her gifts and talents.

Nathan loves preschool! He is much like his daddy, laid back and carefree. Nothing phases him too much and he can roll with the punches. His teachers tell us he is well loved by classmates. Now if we could just stay one step ahead in keeping clothes and shoes that fit him, we'd be great! We don't get to the ocean often enough this time of year, but cherish the rare January evenings that lend themselves to a beach night. The only bad side is getting us to leave...we all go kicking and screaming from our peaceful spot.

I've become very aware that in my attempt to guarantee Samantha has pictures of herself alone as a child, I have overcompensated and not done so well with pics of the "bigs" lately. So many third borns have complained about not having any pictures of themselves, so I am trying to not let Samantha fall into that category. This year, I will aim for more equal representation. It may be another 6+ months before those pics hit this blog, but my efforts will be there.