Love this girl

I was just going through some photos of Annie I had taken on her birthday and just came across
these two and they made me feel so grateful for my Annie girl. She is truly one of my favorite people
to be around and her example of kindness constantly makes me want to be a better person.

Plus, look how darling she is. I mean seriously.

Oh man, I love this photo. It is just so completely Annie.

A business trip...or seven

Tonight Jacob returned from a business trip to Chicago. Which isn't unusual these days. But what is unusual is that he will be home for several days in a row without another trip.  Last month, Jacob had two trips out of the country (I still owe a post on his trip to Africa, absolutely amazing!) and was gone for 12 of 14 days. When he returned home we were both grateful that he did not have another trip planned for several weeks.

 Or so we thought.

A couple of days after he returned home from his second trip, he called from work and said, "Remember how I thought I wasn't going to be traveling in October? Well...actually it looks like I have five trips." Okay then, five is a little more than zero, but such is life.

And tonight, he returned from his last of the five trips. He still has one more trip out of the country next month, but otherwise, things are looking pretty clear. At least I hope. I really hope.

Of the past about 45 days, Jacob has been gone (between business trips, bishoping, meetings, etc.) thirty of those evenings. Now please understand me, I'm well aware some have it so much worse.  Believe me, I know. So this truly isn't as much complaining as just gratitude.

Gratitude that we got fifteen of those evenings, gratitude that he isn't serving overseas or far away for an extended period of time, gratitude that we have him in our lives and quiet honestly, gratitude that such a crazy month and a half is over.

I'm definitely blessed. Even when life feels as crazy as it has the past many, many days. Actually, especially then.

Costume poll (plus incredible cuteness)

Annie and I were having fun torturing dressing up Nate in some options for
Halloween tonight and Annie decided it would be fun to post some photos and
ask your opinion on which costume is best for our little guy for his first Halloween.

So if you feel so inclined, here are the options:

 Option #1: The giraffe
(Please pretend I didn't cut off the super cute giraffe head during the taking of this photo.)

Option #2: The monkey
(Please imagine this darling baby boy in the hat above AND a brown sweatshirt.  Thanks much.)

Option #3: The dragon

(This here is called a "miracle smile."  You have no idea how done this boy was by this point.)

Vote away!

Fun with leaves

Buddies

 

These two honestly have the sweetest relationship. I'm so grateful.

Our Annie

Happy Birthday to the sweetest, kindest, happiest, most darling eleven-year old we know!
We think you are absolutely amazing Annie girl.  And are so grateful you are in our family.

(Eleven fast years and this girl continues to be as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside.)

Nathan and his coat of many colors

Gratefully, his siblings won't be offering him up for sale anytime soon. Or ever.

Ben's first bus ride and preschool field trip

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remember something similar about, oh let's see, yesterday or so?

Baby boy

This baby boy is eleven months old.
And every bit this sweet.

Some visitors across the street

Adam and Kaylie

Remember when I talked about how Jacob's brother, Adam, is living with us for a few months? But come December, will be marrying the beautiful Kaylie? And that they will not only be getting married, but will consequently stop living 2396 miles apart?  And that the one weekend Kaylie came to visit last month, I didn't get any photos of them? Yeah, that last part was dumb.

But sweet Kaylie sent me the photo below, at my request, and now all is well. Because I can at least represent them on our blog.  They are truly two of my favorite people ever. And not just because Adam praises my cooking every night and is one of those good-to-the-core kind of guys. Or because Kaylie makes me laugh and makes me want to be a kinder, better person. But mostly because they are just awesome.

Anyone else counting down the days until their wedding in Orlando? My guess is that the excitement our kids feel, not to mention Jacob and I, does not even come close to Adam and Kaylie's constant countdown. And who could blame them? Not me for sure.

Marriage. Is. The. Best.

Fall soccer ~ Nathan style

 

Fall soccer ~ Benjamin style

Ben was finally old enough to sign up for a season of soccer and I'm pretty positive there is
nothing more darling than watching a bunch of Pre-K kids run up and down a field, all trying
to get the same ball. They were hilarious and several of them were really good. Although
I do have to admit, at times I felt a bit guilty. I'm pretty positive Ben was the only one in the
group that had three older siblings that played soccer with him nearly every day. It really
wasn't fair, but I was so proud of our guy for being calm about the whole thing and even
though he handled the ball a lot and scored his share of goals, he was really concerned
that the others got a chance too. And not just on his team. Boy do I love our Benjamin.

And boy does he love soccer.

 

 

Fall soccer ~ Matthew style

Fall soccer ~ Annie style

 

 

Fall soccer ~ Campbell style

 

 

Big brothers are the best

Park break in between soccer games

A beautiful photo courtesy of Annie

And courtesy of our new backyard view.  Bitter much?