Grace turns 5

Grace,

What an amazing reminder you are of God's loving-kindness and grace to us.  You are the most loving and affectionate little girl. You love your family so much. You always initiate words and acts of kindness when you see the need and sometimes very randomly. On car rides or during family dinners, you will just announce, "I love you mommy, daddy, Noah, Chloe, and Eli." You rarely go a day without hugging me and telling me you love me.  You love being with your siblings and playing with them more than anything. When you are alone though, you play Doc McStuffins with all your stuffed animals, do ALL the puzzles ALL over the foyer and color, preferably with me.  You are very vocal when you play and I love hearing you talk and sing. You finished preschool this year which was so sad for me, but Ms. Ellis helped boost your confidence and you loved her so much. You are also learning to read! I will miss our morning time together in the car. After we drop off everyone, we have 20 minutes before preschool starts and that's when we talk and I braid your hair.  You always love your hair in two french braids. This summer you joined the kick-boarding team.  You're off to a great start, but you still want dad, Chloe, or Eli in the pool with you.  You definitely are the most attached child, but we don't mind as we know it will be short-lived. We all love the opportunity to snuggle you. Your warmth and dimply smile melt our hearts and we all love you so much! 

Love, 

Mom & Dad

Beanie Boo"Adopt a Kitty" Birthday party at your request

proud dad and daughter

You and Eli woke up early and decided to watch me work out while you 2 snuggled. You guys are typically more creative, but it was very early. 

We will miss Ms. Ellis, but now you are a Kindergartener!

learning how to take selfies

Noah always happy to be your patient during his free time

You are now Chloe's sous-chef

Contently relaxing with your coloring books during church

When did you get this big??

Elijah is 7

Elijah, 

I think if I could have kept you small forever, I would have strongly considered. Your smiles and laughter have not ceased to melt our hearts.  You are so sweet and tender-hearted and you make my heart burst with all your love.  You love to draw me pictures with a pretty "mom" written somewhere on it or just draw sweet pictures of our family. You come home many times with these pictures and say "I have a surprise", then you proudly show me your artwork and say, "it's for you" with your smile stretching from ear to ear.  

You still love to pick me flowers. In fact, today you were disappointed that the dandelions you picked yesterday were dead, and on your date with dad, you brought me home some tulips from the store. You love to tell me you have a secret and instead of whispering in my ear, you give me a kiss. You are always the first one up, and your first agenda for the day is to snuggle in our bed before school, and sometimes we have time to read together. You are reading so well and I am enjoying plowing through the Magic Tree House series with you. You are very creative in your drawings and writing, but you still don't know it. 

This year you started swimming with Noah and Chloe, and I think you feel good about not being the one left behind. However, you give Grace plenty of love and attention when you are home. You are very nurturing towards her. At school, her speech therapist uses you to pull her out of class because you help comfort her tears and walk with your arm around her.  

You love others well and are loved much by others. We feel so blessed to have you as our sweet and snuggly and SEVEN-year-old son. May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and may that smile of yours turn into a genuine joy that results from knowing Jesus. Happy Birthday!

Love, 

M&D

School has been rough after your 3 closest friends left. Your first playdate request was with a sweet girl named Anna and we went to the park. This is the card she wrote you for your birthday <3

Happy 7th to you and 80th to Grandpa!

2020 part 2 in pictures

The pictures in this post are very Grace-heavy. I'm trying to make up for lost time. I love spending time with Grace doing preschool at home. I  enjoy listening to your creative play and all the cute things you say.  Grace came into the bathroom when I was putting on my eyeliner and says, "mom, you wear marker"? You randomly give me hugs and kisses and I've caught you singing many times a new song you wrote..."Mommy is the best mom eva in the wold, you are the best mom eva!" And after warning you not to use a knife by yourself, you sneakily cut an entire cucumber and with excitement shouted, "I did it, I didn't cut my finger off!" It's hard to believe you will be off to school this year:(

2020 was an interesting year as we were adjusting to living through a pandemic.  While counts were low over the summer, we were able to sneak away to the beach for a sweet and low key time. School has been very different, but we are so grateful that you are able to meet in-house.  There have been no parties or field trips, and while you guys don't like wearing masks or playing tag with pool noodles, you haven't complained much. Not having swim team, basketball or soccer has been sad too, but it's given us ample time to spend with our family and friends.  Chess club at school still continued so that was something new you guys are trying out.  There's been lots of reading, game playing, legos, puzzles, hikes, more reading, and getting together with a lot of our friends.  In the fall, we were still able to camp and have a fun visit with the Devries who ended up joining us for Thanksgiving. For Christmas, things were simple but we did some new things and made lego ornaments and salt-dough ornaments with the Kauflins.  Throughout these times, we have been so grateful for the Lord's protection and provision over our family. 

And as we enter a new year with a disturbed and confused world outside our walls, our hope can only be found in the One who controls and holds all things together. He has loved us with an everlasting love and his faithfulness to us continues.  He is worthy of all our trust. 

enjoying my last beach babe

Black Hills

Brookside with Teta

 

My favorite kind of evening :)

Cunningham Falls

Happy birthday dad!

glad we were able to get our Floridian friends outside during their visit

love all these little friends

and love all my big friends 

Kitchen reno complete!

Chloe had high hopes for our church gingerbread contest. I loved her little sketch; however, we forgot to incorporate enough time in the planning process.  She woke up to find what they started had faltered overnight because dad was too tired to hold it together.  BUT we still won an award for "best incorporation of scripture" as I had submitted this display as the "foolish man who built his house on the sand." 

Chloe took my spot this year and made our annual baklava with Teta. SOOO Yum!

And a happy new year starts off with all our other besties. 

Noah turns 11

 Noah, 

We are halfway through book 7 of Harry Potter (even though you've already read it twice), and I can't wait to watch the final movie with you once we are done. I'm so glad you still enjoy reading with me. You LOVE to read. You are soaring through books, and we have to close your books for you at night so you can get some sleep! You have matured so much this past year. You are so helpful around the home and do things for me without being asked.  You have learned to avoid and help in times of conflict and set an amazing example to your younger siblings. You play with them so well and they all look up to you. Chloe has encouraged you a bit in the kitchen and your specialties are scrambled eggs and hot chocolate (but not together). You are learning to persevere in things that seem hard at first, and you ran your first 5k with dad this year, and then a couple more after that.  You are such a hard worker and it's paying off at both home and school. You still love basketball and instead of getting discouraged by dad guarding you, you see the benefit of it.- You're first comment to dad last you played with him on a sunny day was, "Hey, thanks for the shade man." You have an awesome (and adult) sense of humor and make us all laugh. You love to quote "Elf'" and "Home Alone." I recently explained to you what a "mercy flush" was and you laughed yourself to sleep.  You are such a joy to be with and so kind, and your friends and siblings all gravitate towards you because of your sweet and gentle spirit. We are so proud of the boy you are growing up to be. We love you and Happy Birthday "ya filthy animal!"

Love, 

Mom & Dad

Top Golf was your birthday gift this year, and it was a hit (no pun intended)!

the sweetest cards

Happy 11th