Happy Birthday Noah......

Eight years ago on this very day, God graciously blessed us with our first born, Noah Robert.  We celebrated his life today, and I wanted to dedicate this post to my oldest little lovie.

.....you have been counting down the days to your 8th birthday for quite some time now

.....you give the best hugs

.....your breakfast of choice is peanut butter and cinnamon sugar toast

.....you would much rather climb a tree than do math

.....you drink mass quantities of milk every day

.....you try to make up annoying sounding laughs and pick one to use for the day

.....every time I turn around you are going through a growth spurt

.....you are totally into legos and are quite talented and creative, Nate is your lego buddy

.....you are such an enormous help with the little ones

.....you love to ride your bike and have been riding without training wheels since age 41/2

.....your favorite ice cream is peanut butter panic

.....you are never at a loss for words and you love to talk on the phone

..you are a member of "The Dangerous Boys Club" and really look forward to going each week

.....you absolutely love spending time with your cousins during our visits back in PA

.....you are excited to pick out a hamster tomorrow

.....you make the best sound effects when you play with your action figures

.....you still love to snuggle

.....you melt my heart when I see you read to Lauren and Luke

.....you have awesome hair

.....you read your Bible every morning

.....you have treated our family to ice cream, and graciously paid using your own money

.....you make your bed every morning

.....your favorite pieces of clothing are your muscle shirts

.....you are always trying to convince Daddy and I to let you stay up late

.....you have a great sense of humor and are always making us laugh

.....you like to lay and read in your bed at night

.....you love to get together with our friends

.....you sometimes call Lauren "sweetheart"

.....you love to play music and dance with Luke

.....you love to write stories, and I love to read them

.....you love to do anything that your Daddy is doing

.....you love to wrestle

.....you have a heart for God, we can see your faith growing. Daddy and I feel so blessed to have you for our son.  We are always telling you what a big responsibility it is in being the oldest child, and we know that God chose you to set an example for your younger brothers and sister. I hope that some day Nate, Lauren and Luke will realize what an amazing privilege it is to have you for a brother.

I love you more than their are stars in the sky.....

Love,

Mommy 

An Afternoon with 4 little lovies.....

I was hoping to be posting on my blog more often through the week....but the time is literally whizzing by.  We have just finished our second week of school, and the preparation is very time consuming for me.....but I am hoping to get into a groove in the near future, and I am looking forward to sharing more about our life here in Indiana. 

I realized that I had not even shared photos of our back yard! For those of you who would like to know where our lovies romp around during their days....I included some photos I took this afternoon....hope it gives you an idea.

Luke loves his new surroundings....lots of room for him to explore....and I love the fact that our yard is completely fenced in. The previous owner left their play-gym behind and it was just perfect for our lovies....it gave them something to play on since their play-gym was in pieces on the side of the house begging to be put together.  The plan is to put up our play-gym tomorrow. In the photo below is a part of the deck.

We've decided not to take down the play-gym that was already here. It is much older, but the kids have a blast on it....so we'll leave it as is and let them enjoy!

Here is another angle....that little house looking thing was here as well...not quite sure what it was used for, but the kids sure enjoy playing in it.

And next we have a little nosy curious and very friendly neighbor girl. Lauren is so cute....she is always saying "Hello" to everyone she sees, and has a list of neighbors that she prays for everyday.....and we can't just say "neighbors"...she has to say each of their names!

Luke's new love is "the slide"......and of course he has to climb up it instead of using the ladder....wonder where he gets that from...(cough-Noah-cough)....I am so subtle.

It is so nice that they can run and play and that the fence marks their boundaries, and I don't have to worry about anyone going onto the road or wandering off. It is not the private seclusion that we were used to and loved....however, having a fenced in back yard does have it's perks....that's for sure, especially for where we are in this season of our life.

I know Lauren's  face looks like she is mighty nervous to be on the swing....but I can assure you, there are no ill nerves there.....she keeps saying, "Higher Mama...higher!" And I tell her that I am not ready to push her higher....I have finally recovered from the emotional trauma of her legs being broken! (On a quick side note...Lauren legs are healing and she is walking and running! Her posture and walk are still a bit awkward, but she is continuing to improve. She is seeing the orthopedic specialist on Monday to check on her progress....Thank you Lord for her recovery!)

And the newly turned six-year-old who is in desperate need of a haircut....in his defense Nate really was having a bad hair day today!  He and Noah try to see who can swing the highest....then they jump off....of course. I have just learned to look the other way.....Jared has assured me that they will be fine.....is it a coincidence that I have found a few new gray hairs recently?

And of course the tree climber. Noah climbs, then relaxes for a bit on his favorite limb. I am an avid encourager of exploration, playing in dirt and good ol' fashioned tree climbing. And I am happy to say that Noah is an expert in each one of these activities.

Of course Nate is not too far behind his big brother.

So there you have it....a little bit of our yard and a little bit of our life here in these parts. When we are not in the back yard you will find us taking walks around the neighborhood....actually I push the "Littles" in the stroller and Noah and Nate ride along side on their bikes.

I love being with my kids.....I really truly love the moments I have been blessed to share with each of them.....trying to savor all of the little moments that make up our life together...even just the simple playing in the back yard moments.  Moments that I hope to never take for granted....but hope to cherish in my heart knowing that my lovies are an immeasurable blessing from God.

Happy Birthday Nate.....

Six years ago today, God blessed us with our second son, Nathan John. This post is dedicated to one of my most favorite people in my life.

.....when you woke up this morning, you expected to be taller

.....you also thought that your front teeth would be loose

.....you are constantly making me smile

.....you are the only one of my lovies who has freckles

.....you eat peanut butter Capt'n Crunch every morning for breakfast

.....you are usually the first lovie up in the morning

.....you are addicted to building lego houses

.....you get so excited when your Daddy comes home from work

.....you love to wrestle with Noah

.....you have made so many friends since we have moved to Indiana

.....you love it when someone chases you

.....you like to jump off of your swing like Noah (which makes me nervous)

.....you are emotional...just like your mama

.....you tell me that you love me more than anyone else

.....you still love to cuddle

.....you play your V-reader every day

.....you are very good with computers

.....you can't wait to plant a garden

.....you love to ride your bike

.....your favorite color is green

.....you and Lauren play cars and blocks together

.....you think the music at church is too loud....but you like the songs

..... our family's  homemade strawberry jam is the only jam you will eat

.....you have never eaten a hot dog or hamburger in your life

.....you kiss Luke at least 400 times a day

.....you are a chocolate lover

.....you get so excited every time we go back to PA to visit family

.....you love our daily reading time

.....your favorite book is "How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food" by Jane Yolen

.....you get annoyed when Noah whistles around you

.....you are a very visual person

.....your laugh is one of the most wonderful sounds

.....you love to swim

.....you no longer have a phobia of dogs

.....you have a sweet sense of humor and are a literal thinker

.....you are the most ticklish person I know, as well as the only person who can tickle himself

.....the first verse you have ever memorized is 1John4:19

.....you have taught me more than I could have ever imagined

.....you are an intense and beautiful soul.....and I am truly honored and blessed to have the privilege of calling you my son. By God's grace your Daddy and I hope to succeed in the   immense responsibility of raising you up to be a godly man. 

I love you more than you will ever know....

Love,

Mommy

11 Years Strong....Thank You God.

I still remember having a crush on a certain boy when I was 16 yrs. old.....and now that boy is a man.....and that man is my husband. 

I'm still smiling, still laughing, still holding on tight.....praising God for this blessing of a man in my life.  A man who takes his role as head of his household very seriously, loving me more than I could have ever imagined.  Loving his children in a way that brings constant joy to my heart.

There are still days when I look at my husband and am overwhelmed with the fact that God chose me to be this man's wife. I love being his wife. I love being the mother to his children. I highly respect my husband and am in awe of the mighty work that God is doing in him. 

The two of us became one on September 16, 2000....I can look back and see how God's sovereign hand has been at work in our marriage leading us to chose a path to live a life for Him....not perfectly by any means....but a life together with the same goal in mind.  11 years strong....only by God's beautiful grace.

Happy Anniversary Jared....I Love You.

Email Us......

I have recently opened a new email account and am going to share it with all of you. If you are uncomfortable leaving comments on my blog, or simply don't have a google account, but want to say Hi....I would be more than happy to hear from you. 

I try to limit my time on the computer, especially during the day while my lovies are awake. I find that in the evening after they have gone to sleep and Jared is settled doing work on his lap top, is a nice time to catch up with others via email.

I have lost touch with some folks during our move and I hope this will be helpful in reconnecting. Phone calls are wonderful, but I know in reality I cannot talk to every person I would like to on a regular basis. I am known to send a piece or two of snail mail....which I would love to do more often (something that has been lost in the world of technology...there's just something wonderful about reading someone's handwriting.....I always appreciate my Grandma for this...she inspires me.)

You all hear what we are up to....but a one sided conversation gets boring after a while....I want to know what you are up to!

4littlelovies@gmail.com

Noah has finally mastered the art of blowing bubbles. It is a wonderful form of entertainment for his three younger siblings.

Something To Make You Smile......

Lauren finally took her first steps last night since having both of her casts were removed.  And today is the one month anniversary of the freak accident. (Click on the link if you don't know the story)

I am overjoyed that my little girl is walking....Thank You Lord! It's like she is learning how to walk all over again.....the whole irony to this is that Lauren was our earliest walker out of all 4 lovies....she walked at 9 mos!

I was really concerned  initially after she got her casts off, and it was a little scary for me...for both of us. She wasn't recovering as the doctor had predicted, and I'll be honest, I struggled with that and am trying to realize that she is going at her own pace,  (trusting God can be really be hard sometimes),....but I will say that God truly did provide peace in my heart, especially during the times I was seriously worried about her recovery. She still has a ways to go.....but I will hold on to the hope that someday in the not-so-distant future,  I will be able to watch my daughter running through the yard.

Please enjoy these photos I took of my determined 2 yr. old.....and please continue to pray that she will improve as the days progress.....and that I will trust in God to provide for all of her needs. 

Cute and Chubby...just the way I like em'.......

Luke thoroughly enjoys it when his big brother Nate lets him be a part in the demolition phase of his lego houses. Nate builds them....then lets Luke help to tear them down. 

Today however was different...at first Luke was enjoying destroying and tearing down the house, piece by piece.....but then he stopped and began to try to put the legos back together.

It was the sweetest thing watching those chubby little fingers grasp the tiny building blocks. He was really concentrating on getting the pieces on....I was just happy that he was sitting still for more than 5 seconds.

Hope you enjoy these photos of my chubby little man with the cool hair...yes, that' s my fault. Oh and the green stain you see on his chin is from the crayon that he just finished eating before I took these pictures....that's my Lukey!

Life Lately.....

Exactly one month ago today we closed on our house....and what a month it has been!  Sometimes I have to stop, take a good look around, and let it sink in that we are living in Indiana.....a place where we are going to grow some roots.....it feels good.....it feels right.

Noah and Nate are outside riding their bikes everyday. They have a really special relationship, and it has really bloomed since we've moved here.....I don't think that I have ever heard them make each other giggle this much. No more snake catching....and I can't say that I miss that past time.  It is definitely a change of pace for us in these parts. And since we are close to just about everything, I have cracked out of my hermit shell and have actually enjoyed exploring a bit.

Lauren is eager to get outside and ride her bike with her brothers. She is on the road to recovery...however, unfortunately she is still unable to stand up straight on her own, (with out holding on to someone or something),  so she has yet to walk on her own. She thankfully is not in any pain....we've talked with the doctor and it just may be that she just needs some extra time to build up her confidence. Physical therapy may be necessary....we'll just have to see. 

Luke seems to be getting chubbier by the day....that kid can eat. Oh, and I cut his bangs and Jared is trying to convince me that he now has a mullet....I beg to differ....but I did promise to take him to a real hairdresser and get a normal haircut.  And yes, I will post pictures of him soon. His little face always makes me smile. 

Jared is enjoying his new job. I find myself calling him "Professor" from time to time....I just can't help myself.  His schedule is much more demanding than what we have been used to, but we will get into a groove and life won't feel so hectic. He is teaching this semester as well as getting his lab set up....so he has a lot on his plate. Only by God's grace has Jared been able to keep his priorities in order....He has always been such a hard worker, but is able to spend time with us....being together as a family is extremely important to us. I am inspired when I come downstairs in the morning and I find Jared sitting in his chair with his Bible opened, soaking up God's Word before he begins his day.

As for me....well, I am still unpacking little by little. Other priorities have taken over some of the unpacking which still needs to get done....and it will....eventually. Right now I am taking some time and planning our school year. We plan to start school on Monday the 12th.  I have to say that I am really looking forward to getting into a somewhat "normal" daily routine.  I will be doing a homeschool post in a few weeks....some people may be curious as to why we homeschool, and what is it that we actually do. All I will say right now is that I absolutely love it....and couldn't imagine not being with my lovies everyday.

And for our family as a whole, God has certainly provided some absolutely wonderful friends for us. I am blown away by God's provision in this area. Special people that have already shown a genuine love for our family.  Jared and I understand how essential it is for us to have growing relationships with other believers....godly encouragement and accountability are vital in the life of a Christian....and we are so thankful for the beautiful brothers and sisters in Christ we have had the blessing to spend some time with.