Next week in school we are learning about I-i-insects and will be observing ants. Our ants came yesterday, so we set up our ant hill and dumped them in our habitat.
Pretty much ever since then the kids have been staring at the ant hill. I don't really like bugs and ants creep me out, but they are fascinating. I was amazed at how delicate their bodies are yet how strong they are, that the sections of their bodies connect through sections that are so small they are difficult to see.
This morning they started to tunnel and I was trying to tell the kids how much work it is for the ants, that those ants are carrying pieces of sand nearly as big as them.
This was their application.
After they used their mandibles to toss all of the pillows and couch cushions down the stairs they brought them all back up and put them away, then they asked if it was rest time because they were tired from being hard working ants.
Anthony dresses Zinnia & Esther many mornings, but the mornings I get to do it are a treasure, one of my favorite things to do.
After I get one dressed, I pick her up.Give her a kiss and a hug.She is still small.She cradles my hip and holds on tight.
As I carry her out of their room, down the hall and into the sunshiney living room, I am happy and so is she.She is clutched to my side, smiling, peaceful, and at rest.
We get into the kitchen and I strap her into her seat and she eats.And then I get go back and do it again.
I plan to carry them to breakfast as long as I can because the dailyness of this task is such a gift.
Today I walked into Zinnia & Esther's room and saw something a little strange...do you see it?
I thought, "What the...", so I went in for a closer look:
Umm, is that a pacifier hanging out of the curtain?!
How did it get there?
Are there more?
We have owned exactly 893 pacifiers and as of this morning I knew the location of a total of 4. With this discovery, we now have 7. The location of the other 886 are probably King Soopers, the Council Tree Library, the street, Wal-Mart, and partying it up with all the missing socks.
Are you missing pacifiers? Next time, look in the curtain, I mean that's where I always look!
For now, Esther is happy to have her pacifiers back and I'm going to have to work on my sewing skills!
Tonight we went for a walk after dinner. I LOVE taking walks after dinner, it is my favorite time to go for a stroll. There is something peaceful, relaxing, and unifying about sharing a meal and then a little exercise.
For Christmas Frannie & Lydia got bikes. Aunt Lexi and Uncle Booie also got Frannie the perfect gift, a pink scooter! Just a few weeks ago Anthony took them each on a one-on-one date to get helmets.
The weather is finally getting warmer, so with Rourke and Lydia on their bikes and Frannie on her all to perfect scooter, the babies in our stroller, and Anthony as the bike steerer and boost provider we took a walk through our incredibly hilly neighborhood.
I've been teaching Rourke perseverance by making him ride his bike up and down the hills while I push the girls in our quad stroller. His reward for not fussing is getting to push the garage door opener button when we get home. His sisters are missing out on the treat more and more because I'm pretty sure with all of this bike riding, Rourke may be able to squat 500lbs! He is certainly getting better and growing in perseverance.
Lydia has been a natural at riding a bike. It started with a vintage red tricycle and she would ride around for hours. Her frame was so adorable as she rode. Her back would be straight up and she held firmly to the handlebars. As she petaled her tush would wiggle back and forth with her motion of her legs. The expression on her face was delight. She has eyes that smile and they, along with her cheeks, lips and teeth would be exuding joy. I miss that wiggle on the tricycle, but the smile is the same as she rides her bike. This is a picture from the day she got her helmet. She had NO problems pedaling!
When Bill & Lex drew Frannie's name for a Christmas gift exchange they called to ask what she would like. It was a hard question for me to answer because she really is unique in her interests. She is happy to join in on whatever thing her brother or sister is doing and she really enjoys it, but there isn't much that I could define as something that she just loves. I think that is because we are learning that Frannie's interests are much more abstract than the other kids'. She is incredibly compassionate and has a very tender heart. The things that bring her joy involve the enjoyment of someone else's interests. So, I told them that she might appreciate something that is different than what her brother & sisters have. They saw the scooter in the store and knew...that was perfect for Francesca Elizabeth. It's a sweet, little, spunky thing, just like her! She does really well on it and is barely tall enough to see over the handle bars. Here's a little video (sorry, it might make you sick...I'm not good at video and pushing a stroller...).
Esther and Zinnia are movers. Zinnia's walk is just about as adorable as her craw. When Zinnia first learned to crawl, she did this speed butterfly stroke thing. Quickly swinging her little arms around, grasping for the floor ahead of her. She would hold her head up, looking straight ahead and her body would remain fairly still, quietly following her arms as she would pound them down on the floor to drag herself along. When she began to use her legs to crawl, she sort of gracefully, pranced. Her motions were very up and down and quick, like she was crawling on hot coals, not wanting to let her hands or knees touch the ground for very long. Now that she is beginning to walk, she still has this little springy prance. Zinnia is really vocal and says: Hi, Bye, More, Please, Mom, Here, Moo, and she tries to say many other words. Whenever she sees Anthony, she squeals, saying, "eeeeee." She loves lights and consistently calls them, "hhhhaaaaaa" and to cuddle. She even sighs and delighted hum when you give her a hug.
Esther is still as sweet as ever. At this point, she is into throwing food off her tray, smiling, not taking naps, screeching, throwing her pacifier out of her crib, and running away from Lydia's overwhelming bodyslams...err hugs. She loves to splash in the bath (while Zinnia screams in sheer terror), swing, and just wander around. Her favorite place is still standing at the front door looking out the window on the screen door. She is a really observant baby. When she first learned to stand up against things, she would turn around and watch the craziness around her. She's been walking for at least a full month and was balanced from her first steps.
This evenings walk was a gift and a great way to kick off the weekend.
P.S. When we got home I watered the flowers the kids and I planted last fall. Hyacinths are my FAVORITE, they smell so good and are beautiful! Springtime flowers bring joy to my soul, they are such a gift from my Creator who knows that my heart rejoices in the beauty of springtime after a cold, colorless winter.
The kids picked up some sidewalk chalk as I watered. This is what Rourke did:
A through I
J (it's backwards) through T
Q through Z
Yep, folks. This is the first time he's written the entire alphabet. It was totally unprompted. I knew he knows how to write each letter, but I've never asked him to write the ABCs as a whole.
I was most impressed with his placement of the letter M. He is a SMART little guy!
My sister just updated her blog and I wanted to second her post. Please pray for this family and if you can, consider helping this family by joining us for spaghetti or making a financial contribution.
Junior is my nephew Connor's cousin. Robin and I were in my brother and his wife, Alexis' wedding with Junior's mom, Marie. They are like family to us and we love them!
Ok, so I know I am a lame blogger...I just don't keep up. Really it's because I'm working through my perfectionism. Seriously, I don't do it because I can't put the text and the pictures in the arrangement I want. Do I sound much like a whiny little kid? I think so...maybe it's time for some personal growth!
Rourke is HUGE! Really, he is a big dude. He is learning to ride his bike and is a gentle, loving big brother. He's a big help to me and I am so blessed by the way he really loves his sisters! Amazingly, you can't take the boy out of him. He has a good buddy, Jay, and every time they get together they immediately pull out the noodles and just wale on each other!
Lydia is all girl! She loves shoes, princess dresses, shoes, crowns, jewelery, and shoes. She is so sweet. She is a good little mommy too. Lydia is so nurturning toward her baby doll, she coos at her, tucks her into bed, comforts baby when she is sad, it's really cute. She also loves to play with Zinnia & Esther.
Francesca "Funny Face" keeps us on our toes. She is so silly, has the cutest little voice, and is a joy! She isn't really into anything particular except swinging. She could swing the entire day and the smile on her face is priceless, you can see that she is really enjoying herself. She is a pretty good playmate for both Rourke & Lydia as she happily jumps in on what they are doing.
Zinnia is hilarious! She loves to dance and has this speed crawl. For a long time she just dragged herself around like a butterfly stroke in the pool. She may very well be a fast swimmer! Now she does this half gallop where her body stays still, but her arms and legs are moving at the speed of light. She HATES getting her nose cleaned...which is a problem because it's always full. We are in love with her blonde hair & blue eyes, she is a charmer for sure!
Esther is well, sweet. She has a precious smile combined with her dark hair & big blue eyes she just melts you! She too likes to dance and is a fan of making noises & screaches. She was quick to learn a few signs and waves her whole body when she tells us, "all done." Today she copied me when I said, "uh oh." It was cute to hear her "talk." She is a good eater, really, really loves momma, and doesn't like to sleep. Both Esther & Zinnia are still pretty small, so it's fun to have babies that are still cradle & snuggle size!
Anthony is a gift to all of us. His love for Jesus propels our family toward things that are good, right & healthy. He is truly my best friend and my mate. He loves, encourages, & cares for me with intention and in all of the ways I need him. Just last week he surprised me with a candlelight dinner, complete with delicious wine, chocolate cake, and dancing. Our kids ADORE their dad. Zinnia especially is a little daddy's girl. He is an example of strength and integrity toward our son. He is a charming prince for our daughters and Lydia is so proud to tell everyone that she is daddy's princess. He is a really awesome horse and lion. He is a hard worker and provides for our family with integrity and God has blessed him in his job where he is respected and continues to succeed.
Over the last year he has spent many hours coaching (sort of a discipleship/mentorship relationship) other discipleship team leaders in our church and it has been a joy for him to spend time praying for and seeing these men grow as they together are striving to learn more about what it means to trust & follow Christ, love their wives & be dads that are winning the hearts of their kids. It has been mutually encouraging for him to build these relationships with men from our church who love Jesus! I am overwhelmed with gratitude for my husband!
I have heard this analogy that there is a season in life as a mother when you are in a submarine. Where from the surface it doesn't look like much is going on, but really, deep under the water there is an intense amount of activity. I am tempted to sit here and write about all the great parts of my life (and there are many), but that's just not completely honest. Daily life for me is not always easy and not always fun. I often find myself struggling to control the fit welling up within me and just striving to make the next right choice...because it is hard...of course it is, God has given me, along with Anthony, the privilege of shepherding 5 precious souls and they are young and needy.
I am learning what is actually restful for me, how to ask for help when I need it, and that for a season, life in a submarine is a good, right thing. I am learning that I can still absolutely love my friends if I don't get to really connect with them for weeks at a time. I am learning that a washcloth, awkwardly folded in the linen closet, is a gift from a 3 year old girl who wants to help. I am learning that I don't need to make every meal from scratch. I am learning that I love to teach my children, doing their little preschool lessons a few times a week is fun! I am learning to seek Jesus throughout my day. I am learning to forgo the household tasks and read a book, I've read 5 since the 4th of July & it has been so much fun! I am learning to scrape away and peel off protective fig leaves of pride and comparison and allow Christ to be my only...to give him the glory for his working in my life rather than cling to my own self-sufficiency and good ideas. I'm learning to fight against Satan's ploys to steal & destroy my view of who God is and what He says about me (and you too!). I'm learning that "having it all together" is lame and just puts so much pressure on me to perform and sometimes I fall apart and that's okay as long as I am falling into the ever open arms of Jesus. I do love Jesus and have been recently refreshed in the amazing way he was fully man, able to sympathize with my weaknesses in every way; and amazed that he is also fully God, able to draw me to his throne of grace and mercy! I am not alone and when it is hard, that's okay because Jesus promises to help me! (Hebrews 4:15-16) I am thankful that Jesus laid down his life for my sins and there are no righteous, good, noble works I could ever do to earn that freedom from sin. It is such a relief to know that I don't have to worry about anyone's opinion of me, I don't have to live up any one else's standards for my life because the only measurement of my life that matters was already calculated at the cross. Thank you, Jesus for meeting all of my needs!
Here's a bunch of photos...8 months of photos. Enjoy them!! I did put captions on a lot of them, so it's sort of like blogging...right? Let me know if you want any of these and I'll send them to you in a higher quality file.
