Loves and Letters

It is so interesting to see boy, girl differences.  I love the variety it brings.  Peter loves all things mechanical.  And Lily loves all things arts and crafts.  Peter is working on a lego set at the table (I'm working on cutting material to recover a couch), and Lily is writing letters to everyone.

 Lily got envelopes for Christmas (she's used up most of mine) and is writing letters to Daddy, Mommy, Peter, Goo, Pop, Maw and Paw.  She also drew everyone beautiful drawings on Christmas Eve morning.

 And here they are all done :)

Christmas 2013

We stuck with our usual tradition of Christmas Eve at Mike's parents.  

The kids opened their gifts... Lily was excited about her rain coat and rain boots.
I always appreciate that they are quick to give "practical" but still fun gifts!  :) 

 Peter got a wood working kit but then was found reading his new book after the gift wrap settled.

"The kids" all gave Goo and Pop pictures we'd had taken of the grandkids/cousins. :) 

 Our kids got each of the grandparents a small gift.... Pop's gift from Lily was radishes.  :)

 And a little story book watching and snuggling...

We love having them come with us to our 4pm "Family Service" each year.  It is really one of my favorite services of the year.  Love the simplicity and profoundness of it.

And it has to be noted that Kathy and Ski were VERY generous to host us and our Moroccan friends (parents & 3 boys!) for dinner after church.  I didn't take a single pic but it was lovely. 

I feel convicted about how little I really share with them about the profound and life changing thing we celebrate at Christmas. 

And I couldn't help but also be overcome with the gift of another baby this Advent.  I so distinctly remember thinking on Advent the year after our first miscarriage (2011) and the anticipation, wonder, wait, and uncertainty, but HOPE (not certain hope that He'd give us another one, but knowing that either way, our HOPE is certain because He came).  And last year, the sense of acceptance of His good will for us.

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Christmas morning at our house was fun!  Peter had a couple mornings in a row this past week that he slept until 7:15 or 7:30.  WRITE IT DOWN!  He is our early bird no matter what we've tried.  His usual time is 5:30 or 6.  He stays in his room but he is up early.  So I think Christmas morning (of all days!) was one that he slept in.  But Mike and I had to make coffee so we had them stay upstairs til 7:30.  

 Peter is easy to please in the gift department.  

He shouted a teenage "awwesome!" at every little gift.

 Lily got the "pink bunny" that she requested and named her "Rose Jewelry".

Peter got his requested "Jake & the Neverland Pirate Ship".  He and Lily have spent hours and hours pretending with it.  And as I've said, I think this may be one of my most favorite aspects of kids in the house.  Their little voices of pretend play and imagination makes me happy!

 We had "bun rolls" and fruit for breakfast.

 Mike's parents stopped for coffee and a visit before heading to church.

Hugs for Daddy.  

Another happiness pic... Lily's tutu/hairbow (such fun & joy for her) and Peter's "belt" (he nearly always has one on "to hold a sword").

 We went to my parents and opened our "3rd grandparent" set of gifts from NeeNee.  Nearly every gift opening session this year, I hardly knew what they got b/c they are so fast at plowing through it!

 Yes, fake fingernails from Nee Nee!  :)

 Fun with Grace!

 And finally, gifts from Maw and Paw.  (At this point, I'm in a daze!)

 Some reading time with Uncle Henry

 Peter was so exhausted he feel asleep like this the day after Christmas and then napped for 3 hours!!

Merry Christmas!

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law (hallelujah!), so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Galatians 4: 4-5

First Day of Break

Peter was out of commission through yesterday.  But still some good snuggles.

And note the Peter Pan costume.  I love it.

We could tell he was coming around last night so there was time for the start of a last minute craft.  I have been thinking I really miss doing things at the dining room table (or little black table) with them.  I really loved going thru the alphabet with them.  It felt like a reasonable "curriculum" that gave us something easy and structured to do without having to come up with something regularly.

So these few minutes were a good refill for me.  Hopefully, there will be more "school" or crafting over break.  I really just want to sit and hang out with them over crafts and "school" and hope they are agreeable.... that's the tricky part.  ;)

Peter was feeling like his normal self today, so after baths to wash away the germs and crusties, he just wanted to play with Lily in his room.  I looked in from the hallway and saw this... oh, my heart.  Their two little heads peeking out... & now big bodies packed into the little tent together to play a game and read a book.  

And note that Lily set the tent up on top of her pink blanket.  Details.

These are the moments that I am in love with this joy of little kids.

The Pop UP Puzzle game and a Berenstain Bears book inside.  :)

 Peter had speech and then we went for a quick little trip to the grocery store.  

Lily had to sit in the cart with Peter.  I think they've missed each other so much, that they were both thrilled with the closeness.  :)  And I thoroughly enjoyed it too.

Oh, I love them and I'm glad they like each other.

Peter had his yellow belt testing later today.  Mike had the idea for us to go out to eat afterwards to celebrate (which we never do).  Sounded fun.  Peter wanted cheese pizza in front of the TV (like father, like son) but I convinced him we should go to Johnny Rockets (beside TKD) to get milkshakes with dinner.  It was a bit of a flop.  Everyone was tired.  The kids didn't really eat their food.  We were all just done.

But still a fun day to spend with the kids!

Abundance!

So much wonderful going on!

*  Our oldest little man has been sick since Wed.  He came home early from school.

He's sad looking but its been nice to have the extra time with him.  

We have the best grandparents though!  My mom was here on Wed to help so I could continue the normal schedule of running around for various pick ups and last minute Christmas errands for teachers, etc.

*  We had our 20 WEEK ULTRASOUND yesterday!  

I was SO giddy and excited beforehand (with a little sobriety mixed in occasionally).

Everything looked good.  We saw boy parts for the first time on U/S.  And how fun and real to see him moving around and all of those individual bones... vertebrae, little pigs, arm and leg bones.  :)  In the room waiting, I said to Mike that I am still shocked that we are sitting here, doing this.  I just didn't see it or think it was our story.  Thank you, Lord!  I am so thrilled.  We also talked about talks we'll be able to have with our kids when they are teenagers.  :)

So that Mike and I could be there together, Goo took Lily to dance and Pop stayed at home with sick Peter.  We are so so blessed with & thankful for awesome grandparents!

*  Lily has been such a sweet little helper with Peter being sick. She gets tissues, draws pics for him, adds random things to his stocking, and offers Peter candy from her preschool party.

Goo came over to stay with him so that I could go in for her party today.  Which was really sweet since it'll be our last preschool *Christmas* party for a few years.

She was also excited to see "pictures" of her little brother this week.

{She was so meticulous and *neat* in decorating her gingerbread house... ah, boys and girls!}

*  Its the start of Christmas break!  Woohoo!  In a few days, I'm sure I'll be sick of being home.  But I am looking forward to some slower days of being together with the kids (& Mike!) to connect more & get my finger a little more on the pulse of how everyone is doing.

Handsome

This picture of Peter came home from school for my "Holiday" gift.  

The quality/white balance (like I really know what that is... but it sounds right) is off.

But the picture of Peter is just so great.  I love those tightly closed lips.  And the confidence, maturity, and friendliness in him.  We've come so far!

First Appointment & Details

We had our first appointment with this baby pregnancy in early Oct.  I was 9 weeks along.

I'd delayed our appointment a little because there was a big anniversary weekend at church.  I really wanted to attend and celebrate.  And I didn't want the possibility of it being marked by grief.  Mentally, there were also three "fun" things to do in the days after my appointment, that I was really looking forward to and would be so sad to miss... a YL banquet- then we always go out with friends afterwards, a dinner update with a missionary OB-GYN from our church who works in Kenya, and (less exciting) Lily's class trip to the pumpkin patch (I think they asked me to go after I was trying to avoid it?).  

Another fortunate thing is that I ended up going to a different hospital than the one I've always gone to, and worked at.  My usual office didn't have an appointment time that worked.  So they offered that I go to their other location.  And it hit me that that would be a wonderful thing to not have to walk into that same room I'd walked into twice before.  

So Mike obviously came with me to the appointment.  I told him that he was walking every.single.step with me into that office, not meeting me there, not dropping me off, etc.

We ended up waiting a loooooong time (to the tune of 1.5 hours maybe) to go back.  

I was nervous but ready to know.  And mostly that morning, I felt fairly relaxed or maybe just happy to spend some extra time sitting with Mike.

Immediately at the start of the ultrasound, the tech was very gracious and quickly said 

"Good News!  The heartbeat is great!"

WOW!  Tears of joy and relief and astonishment!

The heart rate (160) was so significantly high that it was wonderful & didn't leave much room for worry.  A few other findings that has been concerning in the last pregnancy were not true this time around, which gave reassurance.

We met with the doctor & I had some lab work.  It ended up being a long morning and Mike got to go pick Lily up from preschool (maybe first time ever so a treat for her!).  It was a warm, gorgeous, sunny 70 degree day!  The three of us went to lunch to celebrate and ate outside.  It doesn't sounds so exciting to write it out, but it just stands out to me as a wonderful day of such JOY and SHOCK and AMAZEMENT!  The bright sunshine, a lunch date outside with my sweet family, and good news to celebrate!

The next few days were such joy.  It felt like such a gift to be able to go to those events, with the idea of a little one growing well.  :)