we made it.

at the end of the spring (and, especially, the pre-school year), I had my doubts as to whether or not we would make it through the summer . . .

we had a good summer, and all-in-all, this summer of ours was quite full--some things were very hard this summer, but many things were very fun . . .

We ended the preschool year with a very sick Nana, but we started the summer by spending lots of time with her and even more time with our extended family.  I was able to be with my Nana and care for her in ways that felt like such a privilege and honor.  I was able to clearly see the abundant love that she has for my little ones—more than once, and even on her very last day here with us, she asked to see my little Anna . . . to see her cheeks, to feel her soft, curly ringlets.  Thanks to the generosity and selflessness of friends and family, I was able to be right beside my Nana as she went to be with Jesus.  It was so very sweet and so deeply sad, but such precious time all at once.  I cannot seem to find the right words to describe how gracefully and peacefully and sweetly our Nana left us to enter into the arms of Jesus, who she loved so dearly.  Nana went to be with Jesus on a Friday, and the following Monday I had the incredible blessing of being there to welcome our precious baby nephew and cousin, Jake, into the world.  His life and his sweet entrance into our family (wildly stacked with toddler boys!) was such a gift during a bittersweet time for us.  Saying goodbye to our Nana and hello to our Jakey has felt so tender and rich and full.  And, in only the way that our Nana can do, she paved the way for us to go on vacation—a vacation that Nana would have been with us on—for a week together as an extended family.  It was such a fun time together . . . and, of course, our Baby Jakey came, too.

The summer was full of fun activities like swimming school and impromptu trips to the beach to see friends and some family vacations.  We also endured a broken collar bone on a baby girl, many days filled with hunting for lost pairs of glasses, many days scrambling to clean the house for a showing with 3 kids under foot, we logged many hours at the pool, we had a wonderful time enjoying one another’s company, and we sent Uncle Judah off for his first day of high school! 

We entered into the summer with a low-ball offer on our house that, for some reason, we were unable to negotiate.  In hindsight, if we had taken that offer, we would have closed on our home the very same day that our Nana went to be with Jesus.  He was protecting us, and we didn’t know it.  We started a new listing agreement and showed our house all summer long.  No offers.  Lots of showings.  Less and less patience from me, and more and more bitterness and frustration growing inside of me.  We decided to let our listing expire while we were out of town for Labor Day weekend—I needed a break and our kids needed a break, too.  After 8 months on the market, and several failed attempts to pursue purchasing other homes, our house sold while it was OFF the market and while we were out of town!  Isn't that wild?  And, after seeing about 20+ homes last week that did not work for our family, we feel that God graciously led us to a house that is a great fit for us on Saturday afternoon.  We made a low offer and they agreed to work with us—we have a contract on a great house!  We are just thrilled and cannot believe God's graciousness and generosity towards us.  While this house is just a thing, it feels like a tremendous way that God has blessed us beyond what we had imagined.  We are thankful to Jesus for His goodness and abundant provision for us . . . and we are so excited!  Inspections are yet to come, so it’s not over until it’s over, but for now, we are hopeful!  . . . AND, we have a creek in our new backyard.  I cannot wait to see my boys (and their sister) out there with their dad.     

We accepted an offer on our house, put an offer on another house, had one inspection last night, and wouldn’t you know it that today our big, little boys started preschool!? 

WE MADE IT.

No more Mother’s Morning out for these two . . . they are big ole Preschoolers, and Mr. William had his debut as the class line leader.  And, yes, he even got to dress the class weather frog today.  It just doesn’t get any better than that!

(I have to confess that I had to HUNT for my camera to even take these pictures.  Having a house on the market, in my world, lends towards stuff being stashed everywhere!)  Grab a seat, because you know I can’t decide which ones to post so you are getting them ALL!  (And, you guessed it:  William’s glasses are LOST.  again!)

HOW ARE THESE BIG, LITTLE PEOPLE, MINE?  WHAT HAPPENED?  Their Murphy smiles at their best!

smooches!

I accidentally had the camera on a weird setting here, but I thought these were too cute not to share!

I was messing around on my computer trying to fix the weird lighting (I am clueless about these things) and I came across this setting.  If anyone ever wants to melt my heart, please have this drawn for me:

I cannot look at this picture without crying.  My baby is so big.  So sweet, so full of life and energy, and so very big!

and, this one.  so big.  so sweet, so thoughtful, and full of never-ending conversation and questions. 

he could not stand still and smile . . . too many questions, too strong of a desire to hold the camera himself. rascal

    

love for the sister . . .

this is hysterical to me!

and, my boys.  my sweet tiny boys who are the best of friends and the biggest rascals I know!  precious and double trouble all at once!  they both have Mrs. Allin this year, and while they are in the same class, their teacher has twin boys in high school . . . she is well prepared for this duo!

I love these two!

     

this is my life . . . look at those faces!

Oh my heart!

OH MY HEART!

And, William got his chance to play photographer, too . . .

And, so did Hudsey . . . but guess who was being a rascal?  Or, a pirate, maybe?

I got him!

And, when we got to school, guess who we saw!?

Sister wanted today to be her day for school.  “My Turn, Mommy.  ME GO.  ANNA TURN, MOMMY!”  Fear not, much to my dismay, Sister will start her big debut in Mother’s Morning Out tomorrow morning.  What will I do with my two spare hours tomorrow?  Work the preschool class . . . and after that, the sky’s the limit!  (Who am I kidding?  We all know I will be packing this house every day until we move!!)

and, breathe.  we made it.

up next:  sending sister to school, and moving this family.  whoo!

inventory

so, I have a problem where I cram things into my purse and keep on with my life . . . today, for the second time in 24 hours, I could not find my check book . . . so, I did the unthinkable and dumped out my purse.  I did not find the checkbook in my purse—which is not that big in the first place, but this is {some of} what I did find: 

• 2 small boxes of crayons
• 1 bottle and 2 packages of Advil
• 3 bottles of hand sanitizer
• 6 hair bows
• 2 white hats for Anna, 1 pair of little boy undies, 2 pairs of socks, and 1 bib
• 1/2 of a plastic pizza
• a tiny blue police officer
• 1 small bible
• a pack of tissues
• 2 tape measures
• 4 tubes of lip gloss
• 1 tube of diaper cream
• 1 diaper
• 4 glasses cases (1 empty) and 3 pairs of glasses without cases (!!!)
• 3 pens, 3 sharpies and 4 lollipops
• camera
• 2 raisin boxes
• 1 fish shaped nametag necklace
• 1 box of Busytown cars & trucks playing cards
• scotch tape
• 3 granola bars, smooshed
• 3 bobby pins
• 1 puzzle piece

I mean, what would I do with myself if I only had a purse with keys, a phone, and a wallet in it!?

 

and, because I know you are on the edge of your seat waiting for this, school starts on tuesday!  we had a parent meeting tonight and I will take the boys in the morning to meet the teacher . . . look what I spied on the bulletin board!  I am pretty sure that being the line leader on the first day of preschool is William’s dream come true!  Let the fall fun begin!

 

Technorati Tags: William,life as a mama

on the move!

so, after 8 months of our house being on the market, we decided to let our listing expire (ie: keep our house off of the market for a while).  our listing agreement ended on saturday, and wouldn’t you know it that someone wanted to see our house on monday?  and, they made us an offer!?  we negotiated and are set to be out of our house in november! 

so, yes, that’s right:  after 8 months of showing our house, it sold while it was OFF THE MARKET. 

despite the fact that Hudson announced that he will not be moving because he wikes our house and he doesn’t want to leave or move, he was jumping with joy out in front of our sign!

 

And, where will we go?  We do not know!   Please pray for wisdom and direction (literally!) for our family!  We are on the hunt for a new home!  Exciting!  (and crazy, all at once!)

the latest and greatest

well, it seems that I have a quite a bit of catching up to do!  last week, we tried to meet a friend for a free movie at the theater, and anna screamed “NO SCAW-WEE!” the entire time . . . and, when William burst into tears because the penguin’s mom wasn’t there to rescue him from the bird who might eat him, I decided to pack up our sad circus and leave.  Off to the museum we went, and it’s a good thing, too, because there was YOTS of work to be done!

   

the surgeon was pulling double-duty and driving the ambulance . . .

while the sad nurse took care of the baby in the back!

    

cousin charles met us at the museum and joined us for lunch!  where’s anna?  can you find her?

mama did some crafting on wednesday . . . and shipped off 20 burp cloths to NYC!

and on thursday, we packed up and headed back to the beach!  this summer has taught me two things:  1.  when your house is on the market, it is best for all to get out of the house . . . or out of town, especially if that means beach time!  and 2.  while I do love being a mama, it comes with it’s share of surprises:  motherhood doesn’t always go the way I thought it might, but summers spent at the beach are exactly what I had imagined and hoped for.  I just love it!

sugie and her boy and his shovel

lolly-gagging beach babes

while this girl loves the beach, her first few minutes in the sand are met with a bit of hysteria about how her toes feel . . .

beach babies {I adore these pictures!}

 

shovels all ready!

    

and our littlest babe and his mama

sandy boys!

the big boys (sam and judah) with the littles—so much fun!  (and, sam and judah may have gotten their fill of work, too!)

sandy girl . . . she laid down in the sand and said “ni night!”  perhaps we stayed out on the beach a tad too late the first night!

but day two on the beach provided some good ole naps!  {below are some pretend naps . . . }

sister and charlie eventually took a good ole snooze!

and, someone was a happy little beach bug!

and, aunt brookie and I dressed up like twinsies!

Daddy met up with us that night, and we headed over to stay with our sweet friends, Daniel and Lindsey.  After a quick morning swim followed by a downpour of rain, we put the little ones in front of the tv for some zombie time!

we had a great ole lunch

played with a BiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiG ole WOOO WOOOOOOOOOOOOO

And just like Erik and Ariel, Hatch and I took advantage of our nap time and went on a romantic rowboat ride!  He rowed us out, and I rowed back, which was quite hilarious!

we made it home on Saturday night for some good sleep and just in time to resume normal life, like sitting in laundry baskets, on Sunday morning!

And, finally, on Monday, Sister and I headed back into the doctor’s office for the check up on her broken collarbone.  It was a memorable visit.  We waited and waited and waited.  {Below is a picture of Sister and her baby.  She brought “him” with us.  “His” name is Baby Jake, and “he” is her baby.}  Once again, when Mama had to put on her special jacket during the x-ray, Anna burst into tears.  “No pic-ture, Mommy.”  And, when the doctor came in the room she looked at me and said “no doctor, mommy.  bye bye!” and then she covered her eyes for the next TEN MINUTES.  She wouldn’t look at the doctors all!  It was hilarious!  The doctors said that she is healing well and that she needs to “take it easy” for the next few weeks.  He smiled while telling me that—good luck with that!  Little Miss does walk around saying “Doc-ter say, no cwimbin’!”  We continue to pray for God to heal our little lady!