kiddo update

will: is a talking fool! most of the time you can't make out what he is saying...BUT...he is talking! two-three-four words at a time. he was singing happy birthday today for some awesome reason. i loved it! he totally knows what he wants and doesn't want. "no, no, no...'k" he'll look at his options in front of him, say no a bunch of times till he gets to what he wants, then says sort of pittifully, "okay" or "'k". it's hilarious! he's into growling, mud, jumping onto-off from-into-on anything, rolling on anything, hugging his sister, singing songs...i just love this stage he's in.

em: is still soooo inquisitive. she asks questions all the time about anything, "mom, when was the last time you hurt your knee?" "mom, when was the last time you cried"? where does she come up with this? she's sooo compassionate. her heart is so kind and loving, it's beautiful. then, she can be a total little diva and not share and not be kind. but...90% of the time, she is just dreamy. they both are! she is into singing ariel a LOT, anything princess still is her favorite, she loves to pretend anything (cook, re-inact a disney princess scene with her dad who is the beast, prince eric, prince phillip, alladin...), paint, draw, jump, run, walk, talk...learn...listen to stories her dad makes up at night, sing songs at the top of her lungs (there really is no volume control to her-it's either loud or she's asleep!), she is just in love with life. it's contageous.

i'll post pics soon. need to download some and edit a bit. any thoughts on digital cameras? (i'd love a cheap one that is small, i have a great SLR camera i LOVE, but would love a little digital one...thoughts?

missing it...

do you ever feel like sometimes you are missing life? i have been so busy this past month trying to stay above water in a New Testament class...now school just started again and i feel like i can't catch up, things just keep happening...my dad has knee surgery tomorrow, my mom is sick, my sister just started a new job and i've not even called her to ask her how it was going this week, the kids are amazing but i feel like i'm missing them. i miss them because i have to get the laundry done, go grocery shopping, keep the house in order somehow...at some point see my husband...oh and study! so, besides feeling like i'm missing it, i feel like i am missing myself in all of it. how am i? fine? good? obfuscated (to quote our christmas letter)...how are you all? is anyone reading little blog? (i do need to put more blogs on here...)
anyway...those are my thoughts as i begin to assemble all my school work and get it in order so i have an idea of what the heck is going on this semester. don't get me wrong, i'm soooooo excited for this semester and the prospect of all i have ahead of me. this time last year i had no desire to work on anything, i just wanted to be with my grandma. now that she is no longer in pain and with our dear lord and great healer (and not to say waves of grief overwhelm me still, almost a year later), i am in a different place that last year. i look forward to learning more about myself and the Lord and all that is in between. anyway...thanks for reading my venting. it helped to get it out.

friends...

the children that are in this photo belong to three different couples (us included). two of the couples i would consider my 'life-ers'. meaning...we want to do life with them. live near them, have our children grow up together, do family meals together...do life together. the past few years we have been doing this, but this year has held some transitions. this photo is a constant reminder to me of the prayer in my heart that we can still do life together even though we are far apart. now, as of tomorrow morning, this photo is in need of an update. one baby is now walking that needs to be in the photo and one will be born tomorrow. i love that! i love that we are all experiencing our lives together. that is a gift. becky, michele, you are a gift to me and i pray i can be a comfort and safety net to you as you are to me. dan and greg, you both are men that i treasure are in my husband's life. he could not do life without you both. you effect me because of your care and friendship of ryan. thank you dear friends for your friendships.