January Review

A new year, a new home

We closed on our new home on December 28th.  Fortunately for us, we have until March 5th before we need to vacate our Oakwood home.  This will give us a good two months to begin some of the much needed renovations.

Our first dinner at the new house.  It was pretty special to be there together as a family for the first time.  I made Shepherds Pie, one of Joe's favorites, to commemorate the occasion.  

The boys lend a hand ripping down wallpaper...

for about 2 minutes before George wandered off and Henry followed after him.  I actually heard Henry say, "I'm too smart for this job."  I kid you not.

Claire is the opposite, really wanting to help and spend as much time at the house doing what she can.  She must take after her Mama.  

And her Dad, of course!  Joe has been busy lending a hand as well.

This picture doesn't really show the allergic reaction well, but one evening I had cut George's dinner with the same knife that I had used to cut some eggs for the kids.  It didn't take long for his face to show my terrible mistake.  

I'm convinced this kid is really a 6' adult stuck in a toddler's body.  He can just never seem to be tall enough to suit his desires.  We've had to hide our step stools since he would carry them around the house to get into all kinds of mischief.

Poor deprived George had never enjoyed a sucker until a kind mailman gave him one and before I knew it, this is what he was left holding onto.  How'd that wrapper taste?

We will miss this little nook for the kids.  Likely the most loved spot in our house.

I'm sure the kids can create little nooks wherever we are!

Milestones Sunday at Church

Henry has entered the Sprouts class, and received a tambourine to mark his milestone.  He was so proud!  And I have been enjoying being one of his teachers this year.

Demo in the main floor bath

Henry's snapshot of Claire cuddling up at the new house

January 31st

Omphalocele Awareness Day

Everyone in their black and white

Showing off his special belly.

Awhile back, Henry was playing pretend, as he often does, and I saw him lift his shirt and talk about his belly button.  Then he looked at me so seriously and said, "Mom, just pretend I have a belly button."  Love that kid!

To celebrate his special day, Henry chose pancakes at Mr. Burger for dinner.

Working on clearing out an old electrical panel for the new house.

George now insists on sitting at the nook with a "big boy breakfast".  He wants so desperately to keep up with the big kids.  He's a bit messy, but does pretty well.

I left the boy alone for 2 minutes and this is what happens.

Before picture of Upstairs Bedroom #1

Before picture of Upstairs Bedroom #2

Another Angle

Enter Quality Builders...

The large Bedroom #2 is being split into 2 bedrooms and a small common area.

Moving from demolition to framing!

Also the half bath is being expanded to add a shower

This is off of Bedroom #1, a new little nook to love.

Henry's vantage point

Came into the kitchen the other day to find him making himself a peanut butter and nutella sandwich for lunch.  So responsible.

Making rice krispy treats with my Claire for her birthday treat for school.

Christmas

One gift for Christmas Eve

Our kids love footsie pajamas.  Claire had outgrown her others and had been asking for new ones, so she was especially thrilled.

Got the giggles

Reading the Christmas story before bedtime

Our annual Christmas morning family picture

Discovering what the fuss is all about

One for each hand

Henry and Claire each picked out gifts for each other at their school's Holiday House event.  I happened to know that they had amazingly picked out the same gift for each other, so I was excited to see them open them together.

Claire's reaction was perfect!  Couldn't believe they both picked out Frozen charm bracelets for each other.  To Henry's credit, he genuinely knew Claire would love it.  Claire, on the other hand, made a comment that she was hoping that if Henry didn't like his, she could have it.  Thinking like a true big sister.

Now you may assume that Joe and I bought these swords as gifts for the kids, but you would be wrong.  Every year, my parents take the kids shopping so they can pick out gifts for us, and this year, Claire and Henry picked out these swords for Joe.  Do they know their Dad or what? 

Sunday morning the kids were dressed for church, and I thought it may be a good opportunity to get a picture of them together, looking so nice.

Well, I'll take it.

It was a bit sad to think of this as our last Christmas in this house, but we're grateful to have had nine wonderful Christmases here.  And we pray for many more to come in our new home as well.

November & December Review

I think this was the first year the kids were actually helpful in raking leaves.

Serving together at the Community Open House at Africa's Child.

Watching the first snowfall.  Classic Henry atop Joe's back.

A great visit with Henry's surgeon.  No surgery needed for the immediate future.  We'll check in again next year, but he was happy with Henry's progress.

This is Hugh, and he is our realtor.  Yes, that's right.

We made the gut-wrenching decision to move.  The decision was beyond difficult, but to our amazement, the process has gone seamlessly.  We bought a new home just a few miles north of where we currently are.  It's a charming fixer upper, so we will take the next two months to begin renovations before moving in.  

Hugh has been an answer to prayer, easing our fears along the way.  Quite the pianist, he blessed us by playing "Great is Thy Faithfulness" after we finalized our offer on the new home.

And another sign of God's faithfulness

Our family was also blessed by Claire's performance with her "Lil' Worshipers" Dance Class at a local church. 

Claire is in the red shirt on the right.

And also, quite endearing, is Henry singing his version of Claire's dance song "Welcome to our World".

Claire's class, along with another class from her school, on a field trip to the Children's Museum.

My little Queen Bee studying the hive.

Claire and Izzy

Also this past month, I enjoyed a fun afternoon volunteering at Henry's school for their Holiday House program.

The following week, Joe chaperoned Claire's class on her second field trip - this time to the Frederick Meijer Gardens.

Christmas Break

Seeing the trains at Breton Village Mall

Claire and Henry kept busy with the "I Spy" Game, but George was more obsessed with the mall surroundings.  He loved these ball statues.

And he especially loved the fish.

Santa's little helpers

These funny kids keep their imagination active.

You never know where their adventures will take them.

Thankful for the life and influence of Ed Dobson.  Sorry to see him go, but we are glad he is no longer struggling and he is with his Savior.

This picture was taken nearly 10 years ago when Joe lived in community with Ed and Lorna.