My Mom

This has been a eventful week. Some good, some bad, some in between.

December 3rd marked 9 months since Bill died. In some ways in seemed like it just happened and in some way it seems like forever. So much has happened in these past nine months that I know my Mom never expected and I never expected. I have always known my mother was a remarkable women- truly someone to be admired- but I have seen her triumph and persevere in a way I know I never could. She has not given up when her whole world has crumbled before her. Her husband died very unexpectedly. That is enough to do anyone in. Then to make matters worse Bill's sons, whom she had a good relationship with, have just been terrible. I could write pages and pages of all the horrible things they have done to her over the last 9 months but I won't. Mostly because Jason would get mad at me and delete it all, but I do realize it would be a poor choice on my part. What they have done is enough to make anyone want to quit on life. She lost her house, she lost her job, and her life in Charlotte. Yet she hasn't given up. I have watched her suffer endlessly but she still gets up every morning. She smiles and loves on my kids. She is the most giving person in the world and ask for absolutely nothing in return. She likes to make things beautiful. She would serve and work for anyone until she couldn't go on anymore. Everyone that has met her here in St. Louis loves her and instantly knows they are meeting a woman of integrity, gentleness, kindness, compassion, and depth. On Thanksgiving my Mom wrote a letter of all the things she had to be thankful for and read it out loud to all of us. If I were her, I would have closed the door and not talked to anyone. And that is just another example of why she is so amazing.

Tomorrow, December 6th, is her birthday. Tomorrow would have been Bill's birthday. This is her first birthday without Bill in 14 years. Tomorrow will be a tough day. I think we have some good ideas to remember Bill tomorrow and I hope that somehow we can look back at this as a hard day but a day filled with love.

Happy Birthday Mom. You are more loved than you could possibly imagine. 

Also this week Josiah turned 7 months!!! Pictures to follow! 

6 Months

5 months and apples

Josiah is now five months old! As always, time is flying by. He is still a champion eater, has mastered rolling from stomach to back, and loves loves loves to put everything in his mouth. His favorites are paper, soft things, and anything that crinkles. He can't decide if he is going to be a thumb sucker or not- the jury is still out. He is absolutely massive compared to how big any of the girls were at his age. The girls are still so good to him and he gets so excited when he sees them.

So in my exhaustion I agreed to painting the driveway with washable paint. Turns out painting yourself was infinitely funner. The red around the mouths makes them look like something out of a scary movie and they were running around the front yard screaming "I'm a monster". We like to give the neighbors something to talk about. 

Last year we had to miss out on apple picking because of Jason's surgery so this year we made up for it and picked almost 19 pounds of apples. It was a tad warm outside but we tried really hard to pretend it was fall. Everyone had a good time and Josiah was a champ through the whole experience. 

Ballerina Party

This years birthday theme was..... ballerinas! On their actual birthday we were in Michigan with our dear friends the Machados and Hannah made the girls a delicious birthday cake. We had their St. Louis party the next weekend with our small group girls. I think it was a success and everyone had lots of fun.

First Day of School

About a month ago Parker and Emma Jane started school. I was excited for them because they were so ready to go to school but I was so sad that my babies were leaving. They missed the cut off for kindergarten by 29 days so preschool it was. School has gone off without a hitch. They love it. 

I miss them.  Just look at them. Look how far they have come in 5 short years. This is why you choose life people.  

Anyway, they are going to school at our church. We could walk to it from our new house which is awesome (although we won't be walking because we would have to cross a major road).  They were lucky enough to already know a few girls in their class and have quickly made some new friends. Here are some first day pictures! 

They immediately went to the sand table

Pick up time!