Gimme some girl.

She is the only girl among our neighborhood friends, so far. 

She is rambunctious & loves to be active (love this about her!).

She is thoughtful & sweet (a nice touch among the wild boys).  

Last week, lots of friends were hanging out on our cul de sac.  She asked to bring out our loaf of banana bread and serve it to the friends (she is a little Brenda & shows me the generosity of my mom).  Then she asked to go inside and make a gift for each of the kids.

She has thrived in Kindergarten this year.  She has an amazing teacher who she adores.

She enjoys playing school & loves learning.

She has some sass too.  

I hope she will keep this confidence & continue to excel at all she does. 

 * Peter was off playing the boys during the taking of these sunny pictures.

In the Sunshine & Date Night Conversations

* These pics are deceptive.  It still isn't warm enough for me.  But the sunshine is nice.

The kids, however, really are this good looking.

Mike & I had an at home date night last night.  With a glass of wine & conversation.

We talked about lots of things and then I was telling him that I wish I could have our kids do a personality test so I could really figure them out, and by knowing more of who they are, I could let them be and have more reasonable expectations for them.

In talking about that, we were refreshing our memories on who we test out to be.

I am an ESTJ.  Mike is an INFP.  I had sorta forgotten that we really are perfect opposites.  We talked through each of those, him trying to explain to me the difference in an S & N ;).  Today I read more online about each of us & again, my jaw is on the floor at how spot on it is.  

And this brings to the front of my mind: God's faithfulness to us.  

 We could have stayed perfect opposites.  When we got married, I would have thought of myself as superior.  I think I've mentioned this before.  And a lot of it would have been because I didn't really understand Mike.  I think I would have continued on with that assumption (my greatness, isn't that the nature of an ESTJ), but this thing called STINT happened.  We lived in another country (something I didn't really want to do) and we were removed from so much that year and this great couple came over and counselled us and our team that year.  And they helped us to see each other.  I think that helped me to put words to our differences.  And, further living and parenting with Mike has taken it a step further to cause me to love our differences.  To love and appreciate all of the qualities about Mike that are so opposite me.

* Pics below courtesy of Lily.

The Gospel takes it even a step further.  Mike doesn't just get frustrated with me, he loves me (romans 5:8).  And his love calms me and helps me to not be so fixated on my way.  He helps me to let go of my determination and trust his love.  In the same way, I can trust my Heavenly Father, trust Jesus because I know He loves me and acts in my best interest (romans 8:32).

But he doesn't demand my submission, he earns it.  

Jesus does that too. 

{Lily's first word was "kee" for kitty.  Following suit, Ben's first word is "ta" for cat. He likes her a lot.}

Now, I don't do any of this perfectly.  We would both tell you that.  But it made me smile to think on this through our conversations last night.  And it encourages me to know God's faithfulness to us to bring about His will, despite my determination to bring about my will.  (Although I think my will is much less than it used to be.)

You can pray for Mike.  Because I now realize I am the harder one to live with.  

It also encourages me to think about parenting.  Because I am still VERY MUCH at the beginning phase of that process, not knowing what is going on & most of the time sure my sin is screwing it all up.  I am thankful for a partner who loves and seeks God, knows what Jesus has done for him, what it cost, and is iNtuitive in attempting to understand these kids.

I am thankful that God sanctifies us and is stronger, calls us to follow Him over our personality types and leads us to live in ways that are different than our natural tendencies because He is most trustworthy.

I also think my husband is pretty great.

Ben in the Bath!

Benny enjoys his {weekly- shhhh!} bathtime after the big kids are off to school.
He is enjoying freedom from the baby bathtub & is crazy about the water.

 I see you, sweet boy.

 He has quite a few forehead bruises in these pics.  I think one was from an ordinary fall & one was from a collision between our heads when I was holding him up above me at his hips and he crashed down. I felt horrible.

 Its been fun to see him grow into a more physically capable boy and be on the cusp of feeling like a little boy, and less like a baby.  

Although, you'll always be my baby, sweet Jammy.  I love all of the moments I get to hold you and have you in my arms, baby boy!  God is good. You are my reminder of that.

And here are a few more.  

I think he is pretty scrumptious.

snow week 2015

 Thankfully, our back deck has been a "snow box" for the big kids & provided hours of entertainment, along with neighbor friends (hooray for independent play!).

Suma- baby!

 And remembering that last year this guy was in my belly.
It has been so so great to have proper snow clothes this year, a bigger, warmer house, & more independent kids!

I think I need a new hat.

 We've gotten out and around our neighborhood a fair amount!

(But still, the cabin fever is setting in.)  

Isn't the area behind our house pretty in the snow?!

 Their imagination takes them through the day. They are carrying around the wooden spoons from the deck play as their Wild Kratts "creature power" sticks. 

This guy is so precious.

 There is some "mmmm" babbling coming out of this mouth.

 Here they are sledding in our front yard (not an overly exciting slope but its worked).

Ben: 8 months

This boy is so sweet, squishy & huggable!  It's been a big month!  He is almost 9 months old (say it isn't so!).  His little brain is in overdrive figuring things out in the last month.  Biggest milestone... he began crawling at 8 1/2 months!  Not that this mama is counting (its my PTSD coming out- parenting will do that to you).  

The other big news is that he's learned to eat.  At 6 & 7 months, he wasn't really interested.

 He's gotten 3 little teeth- can you see them?

 He's started lots more babbling.  It had been mostly 'g' sounds- guh, goo.  We went to visit Maw & Paw & he started mimicking the sound of the dogs barking- a wah, wah.  And overnight, 'b' & 'd' sounds & an occasional 'ma ma'.  We'll watch Daddy & the big kids leave for school/work and he'll say "go bye, bye, dada".  Its often a sweet little whisper of a voice, as he is processing out loud.  I can tell his little mind is thinking & figuring it all out.

 He loves sitting and playing with all of his toys.  I can see his mind spinning to investigate and think about everything as he plays.  He loves spinning some wheels, like his big bro. :)  When I build towers with his blocks, he has to knock them over asap.  :)

He is such a sweet little joy of a man.  We love him so much!

"Neighbor" Friends!

Altho no longer our neighbors, we continue to love our Friday pizza nights with this crew.  It really is amazing how well our kids get along. And I am loving the history that we now have.  In keeping with the even boy:girl ratio, we've added an extra girl and and extra boy in the last year & a half.  

Here is the littlest girl's fan club!

She is at that CUTE parrot stage of repeating words that the big girls asked her to say and then all of them giggling!  And they enjoyed teaching & hearing her say their names. :)  
So sweet! 

 And gazing at her- that motherly instinct.  I love boy-girl differences. :)

Here are the boys, immersed in the Legos.  One of these boys shares Peter's love of "big cats" too.

 So nice to all sit and chat and play after dinner.  It made me happy to have them all here!

A Little about Each

Ben is days away from crawling.  Go man!  

I am sure we are the rare set of parents who are excited to have our "baby" move through motor skills. 

 She is our fashion designer.  She and some friends from class make paper jewelry & accessories for each other.  She came home with this.  It was quite cute.  She is pretty pumped that her favorite holiday is coming up.

 She also exhausts me lately.  I am not even sure how to pinpoint the reason except that she is just more of her own person and we Dennis-blooded women have strong wills & opinions & lots of determination.  And just sin too (call it what it is, speaking for myself) that we war with to not just think of ourself & want our own way.

 On the snow ice day last week, we made a heart banner (once again, getting ready for Valentines Day).  (We can love the idea of love, without really being able to do it well- speaking for myself again.)  She had mentioned wanting to sew, so this what our first step in developing that skill. :)

It was really, really fun to create together, even something so simple.  We also made one to hang over the kitchen sink and it makes me happy.

 Here it is in her room, along with the flags that were already up from her 4th birthday. 

I think it may be fun to add to over time. 

 With the extra days off recently, there has been lots of pretending, which does my heart good.  For the record, their recent favorite ones are "baby love you more than anything", "animal school", & "the marry" (wedding- "We have to get ready for the marry!  Jip and Cherry are going to marry!")

She got a Doc McStuffins kit for Christmas and she LOVES it.

Peter... I don't have many good pics to add of him.  But he has been surprisingly, shockingly, a fairly easy child lately.  He has been home more than he has been at school the last two weeks.  He had a fever the first week back.  Last week, there were snow days and a very short lived fever.  He has been surprisingly so pleasant and even mature at times.  And not be missed, after 6 years of waking up in the 5's, he can now sleep in til 7 or later.  Now that he has to go to school.  But no complaints.  It still benefits us on the weekends.  Having him home has given me the chance to read more books with him and see the strides he's making in reading.  I felt a little concerned at the start of the year, but feel like things are clicking more over the last few weeks. 

I think this pic is "baby love you more than anything".  But I guess that's obvious.

And we didn't really hit the window to have three in the bath at the same time (that's OK, God is good all the time), but we did it one night last week just to say we had.  They all thought it was a hoot.

 Storytime with Daddy.  Everyone (& cat) had to be there.

 I love everyone's intent faces. 

 And I had to zoom out a little to get all of Peter's books in the pic, that are often scattered in his room (a good problem).

And if there was an update, a critique of me, like all of the kids, it would be that laundry and housework & maintaining everything exhausts me, & I am sure that shows to them.  I am so glad I get to do it, but it is no less exhausting.  I am hoping that this little creative outlet will somehow make it feel more charming, and less humdrum.  And dare I say it except that it reminds me that we will never be satisfied this side of heaven, I love my little man to death and he is as good as a little man can be, but this caring for a baby, family life, parenting, dwelling-maintaining gig is no joke. Whew. 
And the bickering after school.  Kills me.

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Romans 8:32