life since our move

I went MIA again around here, mostly due to life being busy, busy since our move. I thought I'd give a little "January in a nutshell" update...

*We've spent a good bit of this month finishing unpacking, organizing and setting up our new home. I think it has surprised Joe & I how long this has taken! We moved in the second week of December, and just last night I got to unpacking Ava's room. When we're tempted to be impatient, we remind ourselves that we had the holidays, family visits, our wonderfully full ministry schedule, lots of sickness and three little kids under five that have made the process a bit slower than we'd like. We've had way too many evenings with bedtime at 2am. Even with the "work", its a very happy work. We are stunned at God's kindness towards us in blessing us with this home.

*We've completed a few house projects in the midst of the general unpacking. The biggest one being Joe's crazy paint job in the girls playroom. I think I'll have to post a picture of his original creation. Sometimes I think I married a boy version of Martha Sewart the way my boy likes to decorate. And to assure you of Joe's manliness, he also built a work bench and sweet shelving in the garage. And did I mention he can cook too :) I guess that makes him my "renaissance man".

*Joe took a 3-day trip to Rancho 3M. He's leading our churches trip to this orphanage in Guadalupe, Mexico this summer and went on somewhat of an info-gathering/exploratory trip. He fell in love with the ranch (as does everyone who visits) and even tried to bring back two adorable little girls (until he learned they had 6 other siblings :).

*Ava started crawling. She's the tiniest little moving baby I've ever seen. At her six month appointment she was only 14lbs, 14oz. But her petite frame hasn't kept her from getting around. Fortunately I've got two excellent big-sister helpers to keep an eye on her, so life hasn't changed too much with 3rd one on the move.

*We've had lots and lots of sickness. 'Tis the time of year for sickness, right? I had a stomach bug two weeks ago and we've passed around a nasty cold, with Ava getting it the worst. In the past six weeks she been through 3 rounds of anti-biotics. She's also my first baby to have an ear infection and bronciolitis (maybe being a thumb-sucker, she's exposed to more germs?). Thank the Lord, it wasn't anything more serious and she's wonderfully healthy now. There is nothing like a few solid weeks of sickness to make you so grateful for good health!

*We've had some crazy weather. Two snowstorms mixed in with some gorgeous days. Winter weather in North Carolina is always full of surprises. We've been loving the warm, sunny days sprinkled in with the cold and have made frequent trips to the park & pond down the street...one of the most wonderful surprises we discovered after moving in.

We'll that was a rather boring update. Life's been full of little excitement and lots of wonderful work these past few weeks! But the excitement picks up as this next week is "birthday week". On the 7th, Abigail turns THREE and on the 10th, Alathea turns FIVE!!! When did they ever get so big??