Bits and Pieces

A couple of weeks ago we visited our family in WA and had SUCH a great vacation! We all stayed healthy and the kids traveled extremely well. I packed lighter, getting the hang of this! We went to the Puyallup fair, where we ATE scones, saw a huge pumpkin, ATE BBQ, petted lots of animals, ATE ice cream, saw dogs do crazy tricks, ATE crusty pups, watched a great juggler, ATE more scones, rode the carousel...as you can tell, going to the fair involves eating a lot of amazing fair food! We played at the park and spent great time not only with the grandparents but with Todd's brothers Scott, and Mike and wife Julann, and new baby Nora - our first neice! She and Jack are just a month apart. I have a ton of pictures from our trip on facebook if you want to see more!


The kids are always changing, always doing or saying so many great things! This stage of life, as well as being somewhat tiring, is so amazing and fun and precious. Sometimes it hits me how fast it is going, and I want to hold on! Eleanor is truly a little girl - no baby left in her! She is a perfect big sister. I love hearing her talk to her brothers, sometimes using the same phrases/voices I use...a little mother! She and Will are such playmates...pretty inseperable. It is fun as Will's vocabulary expands and the two actually converse! Eleanor is also quite dramatic these days! And she can debate like no tomorrow! She asks some wonderful questions about Jesus and salvation. I pray that God is working in her heart!

William will be two in just over a week! His love of trash cans and orange cones continues. He thinks Todd can fix ANYTHING! "Daddy fix it" is a phrase he says often. He loves yellow, loves to jump with extreme athleticism, loves to tackle and hug his sister, wants both to hold and kiss Jack and also poke his eyes and squeeze his head! Loves "I spy" books and trying to find things faster than Eleanor. He is a great talker. He loves nicknames. He refers to his grandparents both as "Papa and Mimi" and "Grandpa and Grandma." In fact, in WA one day he pulled out "Grampy"! Very funny, he came up with it himself. Jack he also calls "Jacky", and Eleanor is "Ellie-boo-boo" and "Sister" as well as "Eleanor." A few days ago he even asked me for a "nanny" instead of a "banana"! We continue to have bloodtests for his blood disorder, and things are looking very good, praise God!

Jack will be three months this coming week! He smiles all the time - more and more lately at his siblings. He has started to laugh, enjoys baths, and sleeps throught the night . I recently discovered he loves books! He smiles and coos at the pages and has begun trying to touch the book and bring it to his mouth. He came to our church's women's retreat last weekend and was the perfect little snuggle buddy for me. God has blessed us greatly with all three of our children!

I have thought more and more lately about the culture we are raising our children in, praying for God's wisdom. I read recently that in 2008, almost 50% of children in our country were born out of wedlock! Society is changing in so many ways. And just yesterday, I was heartbroken in learning that in cases of pre-natal diagnoses of downs syndrome, 92% of babies are aborted. I am horrified at the "culture of death" around us. I wonder what the world will hold for our children, and I just pray and pray for God's saving power in their lives!

My to-do list is so elusive these days, but I keep learning that that is okay! Trying to figure out daily how to best "redeem the time."

This week we are looking forward to a visit to the pumpkin patch, and family in town for Will's BD. Should get some good pictures!

There's a tiny taste of my world. And now I'll finish the laundry, pack a bag for church tomorrow, feed my sweet baby, and hit the sack! Hopefully all THREE kids will sleep through the night, and the toy chiauaua in our neighborhood won't be making any nose in the wee hours of the morning!