Soccer Pictures

So I am feeling rather old lately since Kacia is now in Kindergarten and we have started our first "organized" sport. When did I get old enough to have kids this old? Well, she might be getting older, but as you can tell by the size of her uniform (she's #6), she has a lot more growing to do! :)

Kacia's First Day of School

Well, it is Friday and we have all survived the first week of school! Kacia has been tired all week, but to be honest, we all have been. I think we all would have benefited from a few days to recover from our trip and LONG car ride before school started, but such is life! Kacia loves her class and teacher! I can't believe we have entered the world of elementary school! (Kevin says kindergarten doesn't count, but it's the same building and she goes every day, all day, so I say it counts!) When I ask what they did, I don't get too many details, but then throughout the afternoon and evening, I will hear about a story they read, or a song they are learning, and a new friend she made. There was one little girl that she knew from her cousin's baseball games, and her teacher put them next to each other, so a familiar face is always nice, and Kacia makes friends easily wherever she goes.

Rylin is probably having the hardest time without Kacia. It makes for a long day for her, but she has been potty training this week, so that distraction helps. (She is doing great, by the way, she hasn't had an accident since Tuesday, which was day 1, - knock on wood!) I think this will be a good time for her and I, once she gets used to the adjustment.

My Baby Sister Gets Married!!!!

I'll post more about our trip to Washington later, but for now, here's a few pictures of a truly beautiful and special day! My battery ran out, so I will have to borrow some of Breanna's later, but here's what I've got.

The Last Days of Summer...

James and Samantha came to visit us last week and we had a great time! We spent a lot of time outdoors and just enjoyed hanging out. Rylin loved "Uncle James" and stayed pretty close to his side. Kacia is always thrilled when family comes to visit and somehow managed to rope Samantha into playing Barbies with her and discovering new games on the computer outside the well known world of PBS.com, such as High School Musical, Barbie and Disney Fairies. We had a great time and truly appreciate that they took the time to drive down and hang out with us! It just better not be a year again before they come back (did you hear that James?)!

Are Baby Mohawks Cruel?

So Lincoln's hair is out of control! It is so long and sticks straight up! So the last few days I have been putting gel in it and shaping it into a mohawk so atleast it looks somewhat intentional. These pics are at the end of the day, so it is a little less defined, but you get the point. And now I wonder will this be something I'll hear about later..."Mom, why did you do that to me?"

Kevin & I Celebrate 9 Years!

Last Thursday Kevin and I celebrated 9 years of marriage! Friday evening Breanna watched all 3 kids so we could have a little one on one time, something we haven't had much of lately. We enjoyed a great dinner out and then decided to scratch going to a movie and went to Barnes & Noble instead. It was so great to be able to look at what we wanted instead of reading Elmo and Princess books. We finished off the evening with one of our favorite things- ice cream! It was a great time together- thanks Bre and Michael and Allie! Marriage is such a wonderful blessing, I am so thankful for my husband and to my God for choosing such an incredible man to be my partner in life! But I have to admit- 9 years makes me feel quite old! And yes, we are already saving for next year, where we plan to celebrate in a place a little more tropical than Redding!

Tears of Gratitude

Since Lincoln has been born, twice I have stumbled upon blogs of families who have recently lost an infant. In both situations, the babies were born and taken Home before they ever left the hospital. One family enjoyed their baby for only a few hours, and the other for a few days. As I read their stories, I am brought to tears, not only for their aching and loss, but tears of great gratitude for Lincoln's safe arrival. I feel far too often the miracle of birth is overlooked, it happens every day, and we become so calloused to the truly amazing thing that it is. I know that my children are on loan to me, I know that every day is a complete gift, but how often I am overtaken by the tasks of the day, that I forget to stop and thank my God for another day! As I read the stories of these families, I was overwhelmed with grief, yes, but also so encouraged and challenged by their strong faith and desire to glorify God in every circumstance. God's ways are truly so much higher than ours, so much more complex than meets the eye, so eternally-minded. I will not say I can understand why God allows such loss, but I will say with confidence that as the Creator of life, He does hold all things in His hands, and we can rest there. Such trials ought not make me fear of what I may lose (which is the natural thing our mind rushes to) but rather- make me so grateful for His goodness and spend the day praising Him for the many things He blesses me with. We serve an Awesome Father and I so desire to bring Him glory in all that life brings- both the miracles and tragedies!