I'm home when I'm here...

The BIG Tractor.

The other day, the kids went out with their Papa after he got home from work. Apparently, they played, picked flowers and jumped in the front yard.
(Look at that girl jumping! She's been really into jumping as high as she can. Maybe she'll be a volleyball player.)

They've been really into action songs lately. One favorite is: Jumping up and down, Jumping up and down, Jumping up and down, shout Hosanna!

I'm pretty sure that was sung at some point here.
(Look, Jecoa got some air! He's a good jumper.)

Then they took a walk, and now that I see these pictures I understand why the Big hole and BIG tractor have been the hot topics of conversation for the last couple days. (Tractors and big trucks have been exciting lately. There have been a lot around since there is a park being built on one side of us and a new sub-division on another side.)

Yeah, I guess it was big!

Friday Already?!

This week absolutely flew by! Today was our shopping day. We do our grocery shopping every other Friday. I took all three kids! I think this is the first time I have taken all three and done an entire shopping trip. (Once before I took all three, did one store, came home and put them down for a nap, then went back while Abe stayed with sleeping babes, oh, and I took sleeping baby.)

We usually do two stores. Abe had to work this morning (He's been soooo busy at work this week. He's exhausted and we've missed him at home.) so we did our first store then stopped by the theater. I nursed baby and the kids ran around a little, then we were off to our second stop. We all did great. It seemed to take longer than normal, but everyone stayed happy and cooperative, and we made in home just in time for lunch and nap!

We ate some of the beautiful big sweet strawberries we bought (for a deal, by the way. I love a deal!) for lunch. We had a peaceful rest time. It was a good Friday-Shopping day.

Four Months

My baby Elihu is Four months old. This year is flying by already...My new haircut is really a lot cuter than it looks in this picture... But you weren't looking at me anyway, right?
Just look at my sweet little baby boy and those big, beautiful eyes and ears!

Today!

Ah, It's good to be here. In the present. Now.

I admit sometimes I look toward somewhere else. Where my friends are... Where my family is... Where my kids are behaving...

Some days there are too many places to wish to be. I'm learning (again) to be content where I am. Today I'm here and I'm glad.

Mondays are usually relaxing days at my house. Rest from a busy weekend, Do laundry, Make bread. It's an easy day. My "to do" list is short. But there are so many in-between things that make the day beautiful.

Jecoa is a little sick. He got a cough this weekend (We had some rain and it seems like every time the weather changes that boy has some lung issues.) He seems much better today, but he's such a little snuggle bug when he's sick. I love giving him extra love when he's not feeling his best. Usually he's too busy and independent to sit down for hugs from Momma.

Elihu is starting to get around. He gets up on his elbows, buries his head and pushes with his feet. He makes it a foot or so at a time. I don't think he means to go anywhere yet, but if he did, he'd be there! I'm pretty sure as soon as he realizes he can follow his brother and sister he's really gonna be on his way!

Oh, and I gave the big kids sweet pickles with their lunch. We never have pickles in the house (Abe HATES them), so I think the kids have only tried dill pickle slices on a hamburger a couple times. They were not a fan of dill... They both seemed excited about the sweet pickles. Theona immediately licked hers and announced that she liked it. Jecoa took a bite and immediately spit his out (and then wiped off his tongue! ha ha.) Neither of them ended up eating them. I guess they got their Papa's taste for pickles... just kidding. I'm probably gonna keep trying them. Maybe they'll acquire the taste... i don't know.

So, there's a glimpse of our Monday. There's beauty in the small stuff today.

Time flies...

I always intend to blog more regularly. I get out of the habit and it's so hard get back to it... honestly, I think I've put too much pressure on myself to blog, I'd rather enjoy it.

To catch up (all I ever do on here), the kids are growing, we've started a home study, well, home church (I guess I'm not 100% sure what to call it yet...) It's Sunday mornings. We are only having a visitor here and there, but Abe and I agree it's been a huge blessing to our little family. We still go to church on Sunday and Wednesday evenings. It's sure been a different season, but things are changing, and we pray we are following the Lord's leading as we think we are.

Mothers day was lovely. I tried to do almost nothing. I hung out with my family and held the baby. I had to keep reminding myself I was relaxing and enjoying the day. I didn't realize how busy I had become; I guess that's growing up! It was refreshing. Abe grilled and we just took it easy. It was a special day of rest from the busy days around here with three little, busy ones!

We've gotten into a great habit of having a little "circle time". Mostly, we read from the Childrens Bible and sing songs, it's great. Theona and Jecoa are very into singing right now, so they have been learning a lot of songs. I'm really excited about how this is moving us toward our first year of homeschooling. Next year I plan to start a little homeschool-preschool with Theona.

Oh, also, I finally made a couple friends around here! I met a girl from the church here in town (it's a Spanish-speaking fellowship) Her mom is so nice. She taught me to make meatballs, and she always speaks to me in Spanish "because I need to learn" she tells me. Also, I met a lady threw AWANA at the church we go to in McAllen on Wednesdays. I was so glad to meet her! It seems like we have similar ideas about a few things, and she's the first homeschooling momma I've met in the area. She told me about a local homeschool library, so I'm pretty excited about checking that out.

So, that's the excitement in my life... maybe I'll get on here a little more often and try to avoid the "catch up" posts...maybe.