One Cute Who

I know, I know, still haven't finished my last post.  I will get back to it.  But in the meantime, I believe there's a Who missing from Whoville!

Persistence and Victories (Part 1)

I'm certain I won't finish this post all in one sitting.  It's been stirring in my head since last week, but I haven't had the time to sit and write it out.  I need to though, even if it takes multiple posts.  I want to remember this time.  It hasn't been the most fun, parts are, but other parts have been more trying than fun.  But....it's the persistence part I want to remember.  Persistence in parenting.  Never easy.  Never.  To keep on "keepin' on" when the going gets tough and you see no evidence of your hard work feels wearing, heavy, and just a tad exhausting.  The seed (one of many) you were trying so hard to plant.  Deep in your heart, you know you planted it, but with no evidence of root.....

Finally, one day, randomly, you see it!  And my, it looks even better than you imagined.

*Being beckoned already by an unhappy toddler!  Be back....*

2

Happy 2nd Birthday, Gaby Girl!

Pigtails!

Gaby's first pigtails!

It was so fun to do her hair!

Wild Weather

We have had some crazy weather lately.  Seriously, crazy.  This was our backyard after a 15 minute storm on Sunday.  Intense rain, STRONG wind, and just a little hail.

These next two are from today.  It started raining early this morning.  Not sure what time.  (Looking at the clock doesn't usually bode well for me returning to sleep!)  The roads were awful for the school runs this morning.  This is the main street just around the corner from Clay's bus stop.  Good thing he only rides the bus home!

This is the intersection just outside our neighborhood.

I was praying just a little bit while toting all my babes around in this this morning.  That whole "don't drive through standing water thing"....yeah....there weren't any roads that didn't have standing water!  I've never seen the roads this badly flooded in six years of living here.

5 Months

My sweet Lane is five months old today!  Five. Months.

I'm not going to get the couple photos I was able to grab today uploaded tonight.  Too tired.  The day started out rough, but turned out very well.  VERY thankful.

Elena is awesome.  Just awesome.  By FAR, my most adaptable kiddo.  Today was one of those days when she kept falling asleep at all the "wrong" times; 10 minutes before we got home from dropping the boys off, in the Baby Ergo at the grocery store (had to wake her to get her in the car seat), five minutes before we made it through the pick-up line to get T....and she never wakes and screams.  Just seems to pretend that was a real nap and carries on with her joyful self, smiling and cooing at anyone who looks her direction.  She's a doll.  I know this is her lot in life as #4, but I still feel bad that it seems she's never prioritized.

Any who....love you, sweet Elena Grace, more than I will ever be able to tell you.  Truly, you have changed my life for the better in unpredictable ways and given me insight into things I never would have otherwise known.  (I'll share with you one day when you're much much older.)  For now, I'm cherishing today and the very vivid memories of you gripping my heart with full-force powerful love, five months ago today.  Love, love, love you.

Way Too Late

I think my 5 1/2 year old, who never went through the terrible two's, is going through them at 5 1/2.  I would go back and redo his second/third year all over again with full-on terrible two-ness to avoid doing this now, at this age.  Way too smart to make this anything but extremely challenging and emotionally exhausting.

If you're so inclined, please pray for us. :)