Merry Christmas 2012!

Impossible and yet true!  We have only posted once since returning to Illinois.  So we will finish the year with a quick picture update and plans of better blogging in 2013! 

Emma is in 4th, just turned 10, saved enough money to buy her own American Girl doll and continues to be an avid reader.  Norah is 6, in Kindergarten and is as joyful and lively as ever.  She especially loves making all of us laugh with unexpected funnies.  Sam is 2, not too terrible yet :), but starting to demonstrate his independence, especially with his sisters. Work is good for Steve and managing the daily family activities is still my full time gig.

We continue to dance in the freedom of living by faith in Jesus and his finished work on the cross on our behalf.  Our Texas adventure deepened our faith and walk with Him, we are eternally grateful. Our hope is that each of you would know the joy and peace that comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ, who loved us and gave his life for each of us.

So as you celebrate Christmas this year, may you and your family be blessed and your hearts be full of Jesus' love for you.

 

 

Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!

 

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given….he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

 

First Illinois update

So we have been back in Illinois for a month and yesterday we were feeling like we were still in Texas - thanks to the HOT weather. Today feels like Illinois - I stepped into a sauna when going outside this morning, 86% humidity - what is that!?

I know it has been a looooooong time since we have updated, so here is an attempt to catch you up.
 
We are back in Bloomington.  Arrived Memorial Day weekend and having a great time catching up with everyone and meeting new neighbors/friends.  Our last day in Texas was also Norah's preschool graduation!  She will be headed to kindergarten in the fall!  We couldn't just leave Texas and simply drive to Illinois.  Nope, we drove by way of Indiana to celebrate my niece Jennifer's high school graduation.  So proud of her and congrats on being a Valedictorian!  Then it was a final quick drive to Bloomington to end our travel adventure.  4 1/2 hours is quick compared to the 13 1/2 hour drive two days before!  If you ever need a line from the Cars movie, just ask us.... we know them all since that is all that Sam wanted to watch!

Texas friends - we are missing you and pray that you are well!  Stay cool!

Here are a few pictures to get you caught up on the last 6 months (at least a little caught up!).

Can we drive the moving truck?!  

Our preschool graduate!  So proud of our big girl Norah.

 Ah, the moving truck is loaded and gone, sitting back to enjoy Norah's graduation ceremony and then drive 15 hours in 2 days with 3 children.  What an adventure!

Cool man Sam!  

 Our girls still love BATS.  Look at the joy in her eyes of being next to a REAL one!  Oh and notice - no more braces for Emma - lovely straight teeth!

Did we already mention that Sam loves cars?  Well he does, typically Car is his first word of the day followed by vroom vroom noises.  Or in the middle of the night when he wakes up and can't fall back to sleep.  Nice!

That's all for now folks, will TRY to update more again soon. 

First update of 2012

Hope you are having a great start to 2012. Ours seems pretty normal. Plenty of colds and sickness to keep us on our toes, which makes it seem as if we are constantly changing/canceling plans. The weather has been pretty amazing..... it seems like an incredibly mild start to winter here in Texas. Still plenty of days that the kiddos can get outside and burn off energy. Great for me!

So here is a bit of what we have been up to:

Finally - made it to Arkansas a couple weeks ago to visit the Kent's before someone got sick. Didn't say that no one got sick, just said we made it there before someone did! That someone was Norah in the middle of the night our last night there. So our 3rd attempt in six months finally paid off.

Too bad it wasn't warm enough to use the new pool @ the Kent's. Next time!

Gavin, Emma & Karmen

Sam (18 mos this week) is our little piano man! He loves to sit here & "play".

Steve took the girls ice skating over Christmas break. There were a few hard falls, but they had a blast!

See, told you he loves the keyboard!

As I said at the beginning, just a lot of normal going on down here right now.

Oh and one more thing, we are learning to stop marching and start dancing in our journey with Jesus. If you are curious about this - check out the January 8th message from our church - Bent Tree Bible Fellowship. http://www.benttree.org/media/sermon-video-archive