Firsts!

Seriously, we have experienced a lot of firsts lately. I'm not quite sure if this is usual life stuff or just because there are many new things in our world lately. However it may be, i'm just aware of how we are venturing into new territory many times over. I like it! As I've grown older, I've discovered how I have an adventurous spirit. I like to try new foods and recipes, take on new challenges, and explore new paths. On the flip side, I've also discovered the battle that wages in me when I encounter new opportunities. Maybe you can relate. For example, I when I want to try a new thing, I have this tendency to only want to try it if I can do it right. It's like the all-or-none principle. If I can't be perfect, it is too easy to avoid doing it at all. Yes, I confess, I fight the fear of failure constantly.

But I was writing about firsts, first. The last 6 months...yeah, lots of those. First move as a family. Abby's first birthday. First time owning chickens. First time living in the country with more than just a town lot of property to maintain. First time being a stay-at-home-mom-with-no-expectation-to-go-back-to-work-in-the-foreseeable-future. And the list goes on.

The most recent and significant first was Allana's first day of Kindergarten yesterday. I've worked with her at home for preschool, and so this was a first for Mommy, too...dropping her off with someone else to guide her education. This was a process to get here. Throughout the course of the last year, I had decided at least not to send her to the public elementary schools in town. But I wasn't sure where to go from there. Homeschooling? I was prepared to take that on (but, once again, encountered the above mentioned fear.) So, when we moved out of town, (to make a long story short), we decided to send her to a small, community-supported charter school, just a few miles down the road. A nice compromise.

Believe me, Allana was so excited. All in all, I was so impressed and PROUD of her. She was nonplussed and confident. Both when I dropped her off and picked her up. She is so ready to participate in a class...and I guess I'm ready to let her fly...



Here, Allana is unloading her school supplies into her cubby at her classroom (with Alex watching).


I had to get a pic of the first moments with her sweet new teacher. A first for both of them!

Hope you are enjoying encounters with firsts in your world...they will surely keep coming! I'll keep you posted on our firsts, too.

New Seasons

I'm writing again! You may notice the time lapse between this note and the last...I suppose this may be symbolizing my coming full circle to the blogging season in life. I enjoy writing. I enjoy sharing my thoughts. And I'm becoming more disillusioned with Facebook. So, here I am again.

Can I just mention here that I love my life? I have been so incredibly blessed. We are in the midst of a season of abundance, richness and blessing. And I am aware that seasons change--can change instantly--so, for now, I am going to rejoice in this blessed season. There are challenges, yes. And there will be challenges, yes. But I don't want to lose perspective on recognizing that it is only through God's provision that we are where we are.

The breeze is blowing through the window on me. It's a good reminder that things do not stay the same. The winds of change are a-blowin'. But God does not change. Even in suffering. Even in blessing.

Mater

I love how little girls play with babies and dollies. It is fascinating to watch how they interact and just become little mommies without any instruction. (Not to say it hasn't been modeled, however.)
Allana got a new baby given to her for her birthday by her best friend, Madi. Of course, it became her favorite. The best part of all was that this one came with a PACI. And her eyes opened and closed. And it came with a stroller and hat and extra clothes. OK, this was the baby of all babies.
She carried the baby around, and over the last couple of months, her baby has become her constant companion. Whether in the store or visiting Mommy's work, people would inevitably ask her, "What's your baby's name?" Allana didn't always know what to say and act a little shy about the question. Finally, one day in answer to the recurring question, she popped out with "Mater." This took the woman who asked her a little by surprise, and then said, "Oh, like in the movie Cars?" And to that Allana replies "yeah!"
OK, I must interject here. Allana has seen "Cars" maybe 2 times, was not interested all that much, and it has been quite awhile. However, the kids do have a Mater the Tow Truck toy from Alex's birthday last year. I had no idea it had made this much of an impression!
So, now Allana has a [girl] baby named Mater. And Mater goes with Allana everywhere. I still giggle sometimes when she says things like "Oh no! Mater is crying! She wants you to nurse her." Or "Where's Mater?" I don't know...it can't get any better than that. Trying to imagine this sweet little baby with a character like Mater as her namesake.
The icing on the cake was when I was joking with Allana and quoted "Mater...as in tow-mater without the tow???" And her astonished reply was, "No, don't take her toes off!!"

Active day

Yesterday was a fun, yet busy day for the kids and myself. We had planned on going with our MOPS group to visit the Gilbert House in Salem, and so I started early with packing lunches, getting everyone up and ready (including making coffee and lunch for my sweet husband before he was off to work), and then finally getting myself a shower. That's how mommy business goes, I suppose...everyone else gets taken care of before yourself. But that works the best for me...(several kids/parents together to Left:)
We knew there would be a few groups there along with us, but somehow the staff neglected to tell us that FIVE schools would be bringing buses of kids to this one location. It was over 300 kids!! And school-age...bigger kids than our little pre-school aged ones. There were fun things for the kids to see and interact with, but by lunch time, the place was packed, the kids were tired, and it was not worth staying any longer to "get our money's worth." (Me & Alex in the "bubble room" to right:)
So my friend and I, with our total of 5 kids, left and took another couple of excursions to visit our Daddies. First, we stopped by Dan's work, where we got to take our friends on a tour to the top of the building and see the "golden man" up close. Then we all went and visited Allana and Alex's friends' daddy at the fire station. They got to sit in the fire truck and even wear the firemen's headsets! Great fun...got to take home a complimentary fireman hat, too. Allana was also very interested in the ambulance. She asked what the stretcher was for inside, and we explained that it was where the sick people lay while they get taken care of. (Inside the ambulance:)
Later on at home that evening, Allana had her pen a paper...she was "making a list". Of what, I asked. "A list of sick people, so I can take care of them." Wow. She is so nurturing, and bright. This isn't the first instance that has made me think she may follow in my footsteps one day and become a nurse! I would be so proud! I promise, I haven't even pushed it on her at all...it is all on her own! :-)
For all the busy activities in the day, despite good naps later, they were still pretty tired and a bit grumpy, actually. I had a meeting later in the evening, and Dan stayed home with the kids. I must confess, I did a very poor job in discussing my plans with him ahead of time, and it was one of those times where just about the worst case scenario for bad plans happened. I left with a friend, and walked to another friend's house (a block and a half away), and forgot my cell phone. Then I didn't call to check in with him. And he didn't know where I was at. And then my meeting went much later than I hoped it would (wasn't watching the clock). I was hoping for the best case scenario (=kids going to bed quietly and easily since they're tired) and discovered to my shame (for not providing more support) that he had a very tough evening. Alex screamed for hours...and got his hand slammed in the door...all while I was chatting with ladies and eating crumpets .(or at least truffle dessert things). Poor guy...poor kids. I felt really bad.
So, now I"m tired today...and I think I will go find a book to read, and pray that the kids sleep awhile longer and catch up from yesterday.

Time flies

Time really does fly. I cannot believe that Allana has turned 3 just over a week ago! And in that week, I could swear that she has become a little girl! Her phrases, her body language, her sweetness...are much more grown up girl like! I'm just loving it! Just the other day, while we were in the car, I had made a comment about my cell phone not working, when I heard her in the back seat saying, "God...(pronounced "dod")...God, please help us. Help Mommy and Daddy and Alex." Isn't that just precious? I don't think it had anything to do with the cell phone, but whatever prompted her to pray, I'll take it! I'll take any and all of it! I was just blessed with her little prayer. The latest is that she comes to me and asks, "Mommy, how you doing? Good?" (once again, pronounced "dood") Ha! I'm glad she assumes good!!

Our stylish girl

Lately, Allana has decided that she likes to dress herself. She is often quite obedient to put on the clothes I get out for her in the morning, but come the afternoon, who knows how that will change! Yesterday, since we were going to a place where I didn't know the people I would be interacting with, I was just relieved that she at least picked out clothes that sorta matched. That is, at least the sweatshirt and pants were both pink. And the blue polka dotted shirt underneath did have some pink dots on it.

Today, however, I must confess that I am not as confident in her fashionable talent.
She pulls these clothes out of the "grown out of" box, and peruses through hats (doesn't matter if they are hers or her brother's).

Last week, she really wanted to keep her pretty dress on...and insisted that she go with Daniel and I on our date...I don't know...............

The socks really make the outfit.
:-)

February day

So, here I am again, just trying to keep caught up!

The kids had a great time making Valentines cookies last week...Allana loves cooking and being Mommy's little helper in the kitchen, so this was the day for her to shine!

She cut.......................................she sprinkled....

she ate the sprinkles...


and Alex just wanted to help....!!