Vivian loves walking into her preschool room on Thursday mornings. She loves her teachers, and whenever her friend Avery comes in, she starts squealing and grinning with excitement. In this picture Avery doesn't look happy, but that's not the case. She is just as excited to see Vivian it seems.

Bye, Mom! Let me play!

This past week we had to get outside, even if for just a few minutes. It was way too cold, though! We walked over to Mr. and Mrs. Duncan's house and Vivian loved helping them pick up sticks.

Several blogging friends of mine post about funny or sweet things that their kids say. I finally have a chance to do that now! Vivian's vocabulary is growing exponentially these days. Hearing a new word come out of her mouth still amazes me. Here's our first "vivian says" post:

(Background: Each morning after breakfast, I let Vivian down from the table so I can finish eating or finish feeding Kate. Then I bring her back up to have our Bible time, when I read a Bible story to her while she colors a page out of her coloring book that corresponds to the story I'm reading. After that we sing a couple of praise songs, practice some questions about God, and pray. It's very short...lasts only like 10 minutes total.)

Two days ago, she finished eating but hesitated on getting down from the table. I could tell she was thinking really hard. Then she said, "God? Bible? God? Bible? Please?" :) God be glorified by her desire to color pictures about you!

P.S. She says "please" without the l sound... "pease"

This past weekend was a little warmer, so we played outside in the afternoons. I took some pictures on my camera:
Vivian loves any chance to be outside. We have so much space to do that now at our new home, so I'm going to have to start thinking of fun ways to play this spring and summer.

Kate loves the fresh air, too!

Aaron didn't cut the grass...it's nowhere near time to start doing that. He just got the lawnmower out so that Vivian could take a ride.

I'm really behind on posts! This picture was taken a while ago...our friend Jenny came by to visit when Roanoke Co. kept having snow days (she teaches at HLH where I used to teach). You can see all the snow out the front window, which is finally melting this week. She came in time to help me put the babies down for naps, and then we had a long time to catch up in conversation while they slept. She was able to play with V a few minutes before she left. Fun to see her! I'll see her again soon...another teacher friend Dorr invited me to be a guest reader for Dr. Seuss Day at HLH at the beginning of March. It has been a long time since I've been to the school and I can't wait to see the students!

Here are some more shots of Vivian that Shannon took.

It's amazing how something you read can stick in your memory. I read this post more than a year ago and thought about it today while I was washing dishes. I follow the GirlTalk (Carolyn Mahaney and her three daughters) blog off and on, but I'm always encouraged when I take a minute to read their daily posts. Maybe you also read this post last year but it will remind you of why you're starting a load of laundry again this afternoon when you just finished folding two yesterday.

Reflections on a home

Nicole was nine, Kristin eight, and Janelle four when we first moved into our home on a cold February day in 1986. Chad wasn’t even born yet. Today, a sunny one in June, twenty-two years later, I’m boxing up (and sometimes throwing out) two decades worth of memories.

Of the more than 8000 days I spent in this home, there were a few dramatic ones: the day I announced to CJ that “surprise, you’re going to be a father again!” or the day Kristin fainted and we had to call the ambulance, or when Mike serenaded Janelle outside her window at 6am, or when Nicole returned from the hospital after life-saving surgery.

But most of my days looked pretty much the same.
I got out of bed each morning so that I could do everything I did the day before.
I washed the dishes so they could be dirtied again.
I ironed the clothes so they could be worn and wrinkled again
I wiped noses so they could run again.
I picked up toys so they could be played with again.
I mopped the floor so mud could be tracked on it again.
I cooked meals so that I could go to the grocery store again.
I made beds so they could be slept in again.

Some days I wondered: if I do all I do, only to have it undone, am I really doing anything?

Today, as I pack up my home in June of 2008, I can see the answer more clearly than I did in February 1986. Each of my daughters is married to a wonderful, godly man, Chad will be a sophomore in high school this fall, and we’ll welcome our seventh grandchild at the end of August.

I realize that all of the mundane, repetitive days were actually full of significant, enduring work. A home was being built. A family was being knit together. Four souls were being shaped for eternity.

This home has spawned three more homes where the same tedious yet momentous work goes on day in and day out. And God willing, many more homes will one day be built, day by day, so “that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior” (Titus 2:9).

The post last night was referring to one of the games that we played at the Grubbs house several weeks ago with our old Sunday School class. It was a Saturday night and we all met for dinner and then went over to Jerry and MaryLynn's for fun and games. We laughed from the time we walked in until we had to leave. We have some funny friends :)

The game that I already posted about was one in which the wives had to sew a heart on their husband's backside, blindfolded. The first to finish was the winner. I was really nervous and went very slowly, so we didn't win, but I at least got the heart sewn on without poking him. It was crazy. Here's a picture of Chris before we started, asking me to not take a picture, right when MaryLynn asked the men to get down on their hands and knees :) We had a bubble gum blowing contest...here's Crystal in action: We also played a game in which the husbands had to get their wives ready for church (brush teeth, put on makeup, fix our hair) blindfolded. Aaron did a great job...all of the laughing was surely a distraction for him but he concentrated and really tried hard.

He was required to apply eyeshadow, blush, and lipstick. We finished in the top three for the judging...way to go Aaron!

Sorry these pictures are so blurry...I used my cell phone because I forgot the camera.

I stole some more pictures of our game night from Shannon's blog!

I had a good-sized one, but I think Matt Grubb ended up with the record-breaking bubble.

Nathan worked so hard on Erin's hair (by the way...they are having a BOY in June!)

The finished product. I was so proud of how well he bobby-pinned my hair :)

Aaron and Adam

Should I explain this game or just let you laugh at how ridiculous these pictures are?

Matt and Dana

Andrew and Nick

Lauren and Allison

Dennis and Jerry

We started a marshmallow at one of a line of people (first time was married folks against college folks, second time was guys against girls). We all had toothpicks in our mouths from which we had to pass the marshmallow without dropping it. First group to get the marshmallow to the end of the line won.

We are having a celebration at our house today. Nothing to do with President's Day...everything to do with the fact that our little Kate slept from 7 pm to 7 am last night without waking up at all. Yes! Praise God! It has taken us a long time to get to this point, and I believe it is the result of a few recent changes: 1) the Prevacid is really helping and she is taking in sufficient ounces during the day 2) she is eating solid foods more regularly 3) she can find her pacifier by herself. I might be wrong about some or all of those, but it doesn't matter...just matters that she did it!
I anticipate being a more well-rested mom in the next few months :)