Happy Birthday, What a year it's been!

My birthday was this week, and it was Mother's day, so it was a double celebration week for me! I’m 32 years old now...and I can most certainly believe it!  I mean, come on...I 've been married for 9 wonderful years, birthed four kids and drive a mini van!  I feel like I should be older than 32. 

I woke up to the downstairs decorated in Disney princess decorations (thanks to Amanda's thoughtful planning), and during the day Evie would suddenly break out in "happy birthday to Mommy.."  I got a ton of text messages, phone calls and Facebook post. My thoughtful in -laws brought me cupcakes and balloons. I ended the night with some sweet friends bringing me Chipotle and white wine on my back deck. Unfortunately, John was on a business trip, but I'm sure we will celebrate together soon. Yay ! Prolonged a birthday party! :) 

What a year this has been. As I sit on my deck in the warm May sunshine, it makes my head spin to think about how much has changed for us in just one year. Last year on my birthday I was hoping for one more child this upcoming year, and I wasn't even pregnant yet. 

I have to say though, for the first time in my life, I feel settled.  

I  spent a large part of the last decade chasing adventure and experiences. I craved travel, and change, and opportunity. I felt like I was always on the search for the next "big thing." However, finally at 32, I think I’ve truly reached a place in my life where I am content. I'm not wondering, or regretting, or wishing or seeking. I'm just living, and it feels good. 

Each day can be somewhat monotonous. It’s feeding babies, changing diapers, trying to entertain Evie. I find myself delighted in the “lilttle things” in life. The simple things. Like this moment right now, when there is peace in the home because everyone is napping, and I’m sitting out on my deck in the sunshine and I have a few more moments before a baby needs to be fed or Evie wakes up from her nap. The ordinary has suddenly become sacred. 

A very rare trip to Starbucks is not just an afterthought like it was on my way to work in the mornings. A trip to Starbucks IS my event; it’s suddenly exciting, and profoundly enjoyable and I take time deciding carefully what I want to drink.

 A workout at the gym isn’t just a duty which I try to rush through because I have somewhere else I’d rather be… it’s a small window of freedom when I can focus on doing something healthy for myself... and I'm going to really WORK it because  I got to the gym with the kids…and who knows how much time I have left before I get paged out!

 And of course, I LOVE  that first cup of coffee in the morning, when the sun is just breaking the stillness, and I feel the grogginess of the night fleeing my body. It's a peaceful, reflective moment before the busyness of the day, and its my very own moment.

 I feel finally, at age 32, that I can appreciate the small things.  It takes so much effort and planning to see a girlfriend, or get to the gym, or have a minute  by myself that when it happens, I find myself truly and sincerely enjoying it. 

And even though I know people look at my life and think it’s really tiring and burdensome, I find myself strangely at peace with where I’m at now. This is my reality, and I’ve learned to embrace it.

And in the moments in between, I want to kiss and cuddle my boys more, play more hide and seek with Evie, and have more conversations with my husband on our deck at sunset. I think I’ve finally surrendered to the fact that the excitement I was chasing in my twenties is not nearly as satisfying as living well in the life that God has blessed me with. 

I appreciate and  am satisfied with my friendships and my family.  I'm more confident in who I am;  I am recognizing my many  flaws and I  truly desire refinement. I don't crave status but seek peace and deep joy. I've given up on staying completely current on the fashions, and I don't stress if my schedule doesn't include a million social engagements over the weekend.  I'm done with trying to make people like me and instead open myself up to authentic relationships. I like being 32. 

As far as the fam goes…here are quick updates, a few bits about each family member to sum it all up:

Evie: Passionately voicing her opinions on all matters in the house, but slowly coming to terms that the brothers are here to stay and caring for them in her sweet little way (like tossing rattles and binkies in their cribs when they are crying …or tucking them in with her bunny rabbits) She has volunteered to "hold them" and sometimes chooses to eat her dinner next to them so she can assist them with their meal. 

"Growing brothers need to eat all their dinner"

Nighty-night Levi

Caleb: Getting cuter everyday with all his smiles and coos. Man, he sure can melt anyone's heart. I've never seen someone sleep with more abandon. He's my "Caleb boy" forever.

Levi: Smacking his lips aggressively in an attempt to satisfy his appetite for food…can someone please give this guy some steak?! His triple chin is awful cute…and the milk foam around his mouth has become his trademark.

"Just give me the beef."

James: Sleepy James still manages to exhuast himself with his marathon napping…it really is a sport. He is smiling a lot and he is in his happy place when he is being held. 

John: Has started traveling some for work again. I know he'd rather be here with his family, but his hard work allows us to take care of the household well.  In his "free time" he's spoiled us with  some "fall off the bone" cooked chickens on his new traeger grill. 

Amanda:  Still smiling after being pooped and spit up on almost daily. It's really nice having someone as  pleasant as she is with me in the house all day. I can tell she really loves our children (and they love her!) and I admire her patience and humor in all of this. 

Me: Soaking up all this sunshine…walking to the duck pond with my triple stroller…getting out on a run now and then…and trying to keep perspective ;) 

The Blessing of Community...and She's Here! :)

I remember almost 10 months ago laying on the doctor’s table, looking at the three blinking lights in the ultrasound monitor, the heartbeats of my three sons.  I remember the world spinning. But I remember an overwhelming sense of peace too.  I felt as if God was whispering, “I’ll take care of you.”  
And why did I doubt he would?
 Why do I doubt? 
Haven’t I learned throughout my life that He always does take care of me? 
He has always shown me His love, his provision, and his grace on my life. He has a plan, and I am witnessing it being played out. And within his plan, Truly, He takes care of me.  A big way He is taking care of me through this time is by putting community and people around us. 

This feeling of his blessing swept over me Saturday morning as I looked around our living room at our church community. John and I dreamed of a house where people could gather, a place where we could invite people into our lives. When we discovered this house a year ago  before it was even on the market, God had already lined up good use for it. 

We Americans are consumed by our own little world, in our own little house with our own family. That is most comfortable and safe way to live for sure. But now, with all that is going on in our life with the three babies, we’ve realized that it is impossible to isolate ourselves. We depend on others to help lift us through this period. Through this, we’ve realized no one is designed to do life alone. And I believe that we are not designed to do life with just our families. We need community, friendships and bonds that reach beyond obligation or small talk.  And certainly in this time in our lives, doing it alone would be unbareable. 

Our home on Saturday  was full of laughter, and fellowship and eating. And our home finally felt complete. 

Another reason it finally feels complete is because Amanda has arrived! Amanda is our extra pair of hands, and her being here has really created peace within our home. We've really had and have such amazing help from our families.  But we knew that in this season we really needed someone to live here and share in this whole thing with us. 

We met Amanda on line. Who says God can't work over the internet!?! :) People find spouses all the time in the cyber world, so we thought why not a family member?! ;) 

Amanda was supposed to drive up from California the first weekend in May but decided to come a whole week early! She texted me this fantastic news last Friday.  Both Amanda and I went into this with excitement but also apprehension. However, we both felt  an incredible amount of  peace. Nonetheless,  it is always intimidating at first to open yourself up to someone else. From the moment she arrived however, it hasn’t been difficult. Amanda fits right in, and Evie liked her from the very start, which is a huge victory. Our boys love her too, not only because they get held and cuddled more, but they are loved even more. 

I don’t feel like my life is boiling over the top anymore; it has cooled to a simmer, and there is a little more peace in our home.  The crazy moments are more doable  It also allows me much more freedom. I can get my crazy Evie out of the house. Yesterday I took Evie and Caleb out to play. It was interesting to pretend that I was a "normal mama"-a toddler plus just one infant in tow.  

 The week went by, and Amanda spent most of it in our home, getting used to our family and our schedule. She helps us out in the morning hours until nap time, and then for a few hours in the evening until we put all the kids to bed. She has a very calming, easy going, joyful spirit about her. No amount of spit up, poop explosions or crying seems to rattle her. And at 21 years of age, she has a bright future, and I'm so glad she's decided to spend some of it in our family. One of her best friends moved to Portland a month ago too. We got to meet her, and I love the energy that a young spirit brings into an exhausted home. 

Having these boys has forced me  to step out of my comfort zone and invite people into our life. Since they were born, there has seemingly been someone else in our home most of the time. Our space is an open door now to others, and I am learning that this is the way it should be. I want my kids to grow up seeing this as normal, to always have someone filling the empty rooms in our home. And with Amanda here, Evie has the older sis that she’s always wanted. ;)

The Same...but different

A few times this week one of the boys woke up earlier than everyone else. In those moments, I took the awake boy and held him, gazed at him and talked to him like he was my only child. I pretended for those moments that he was, because I feel like I'm missing out on those precious times by  having three at once.  

Brothers Unite!

 We do things so differently with the boys than with we did and do with Evie. Evie was our ONE and only child…the boys, as much as I hate to use this term, are more like a “collection” right now. We really try to avoid seeing them like this.  But how can we help it; everything in our life right now seems to be operating with one goal in mind: survival. If we can just stay afloat for the next two years, John and I feel like things will start to mellow out a bit. But for now, our life is very systematic on how we go about things with the boys.  

We change them together, 

feed them together, 

and put them to bed together. 

With Evie, bedtime was (and is) an extremely long process of warm milk, stories, convincing her that going to bed is indeed a good idea….etc. etc. etc; however, with the boys, is it ever easier! 
Why?! 

Because we simply put them to bed! one..two..three..lights out!  

It might sound harsh, but like I’ve said in a previous post, we put up the white burp cloth of surrender a long time ago. There are just too many babies to implement individual routines with each of them!!! However, they really have learned to adapt quite well actually to falling asleep on their own. And they survive…and are thriving even. 

 Each boy  deserves to be seen for who he is. Where ever we go, we have swarms of people staring at them, marveling at "the triplets."  They are seen as a bunch. For some reason, God wanted them to enter the world in this way, together. They will grow up close, and hopefully have a special brother relationship and bond. 
There are lots of benefits to this way, I know. But in this exhausting season, I'm really trying hard to relish and appreciate each boy for who he is and how he was created. They are each so precious. 

Caleb likes to stare. He looks deep into my eyes when I feed him and he studies my face. He has a beautiful, sincere smile, and a sensitive spirit about him. When he cries, its as if someone has truly broke his little heart. It makes you want to do whatever it takes to take away his sorrow.  I think someday he will really love people and have a lot of friends.

All is well with this sleeping boy Caleb

Levi eats a lot ;) He knows what he wants, and he goes after it. He is already rolling over from his belly to his back. He grunts, chews on the nipple of the bottle and protests bedtime. However, he also has a smile that can win anyone over. I predict he will be the first one to walk. And I can see him as an athlete, eating steaks and drinking a gallon of milk before game day. 

Get ready for game day, Levi

James really thrives with one on one time. He acts more like "a premie" than both of the other boys. He sleeps a lot more and most of the time is pretty laid back. He likes a pacifier. He startles easily. He seems to really listen when I talk to him. I think he will think deeply about life and be a determined student. 

Sweet baby James

Of course these predictions are all in fun. Who knows what each of these boys will do or what they will enjoy someday. All I know is that they each have an individual personality, and I am so excited to get to know each one of them and watch them grow into men. They surely are growing boys, almost outgrowing their 3 month clothing (and they are not even 3 months yet!)
I know one thing for sure...I will be cooking a lot of red meat and potatoes for the next few years!!!

Should I be crying...or laughing?!?

Flashback to a year ago: John and I sat across from each other nibbling on sushi while moonlit waves created a rhythmic song below us. In that moment, our biggest care was what we were going to have for dessert. Ah, yes...our vacation in Cancun...

 Sorta like last night actually…we half sat, while hurriedly devouring a soggy chicken and bean burrito. The melodic performance of three wailing 2 month olds and a toddler who just threw cheese everywhere in the kitchen created the perfect dining experience.

 Wow, a lot changes in a year. 

This is our life.  This moment pretty much sums up what is going on in the Patton household right now.

One of the things I dreaded most about my mom leaving us was having to deal with those moments when every child was crying or moaning at the same time…ALONE!  And that moment/s happened day 1…and believe it or not, I survived it. 

Because John’s schedule it pretty flexible, he told me he was going to try and limit his appointments the next couple of weeks until Amanda (our angel nanny!) came up from California on May 2.  Dealing with four kids this age alone is really challenging…it can be done, but you have a better chance of keeping your sanity if you have one more set of hands.  

So yesterday, John told me that he would be gone one hour on a lunch appointment. So for the first time ever, it was just me home alone in the house with the ferocious four. ;)  It was a rather rainy and gloomy day yesterday and I had just made Evie her peanut butter and grape jelly sandwich. Evie ate her lunch, and the boys were quietly minding their own business, and everything seemed to be going smoothly! Ha, piece of cake…I got this…

Well, I realized how quickly things can turn. All of a sudden one of the boys started fussing…then wailing…and then screaming….and then like a quickly spreading virus, the next one picked up on it…and then the next! I now had three inconsolable babies.  I knew it was close to feeding time, so I hurriedly made the bottles. However, Evie decided that she needed a diaper change, and when I told her I had to feed the brothers first, she clung to my leg and wouldn’t let go and wailed “POOPY Mommy...POOPY!!!!” 

I looked out the window at the cold rain and I knew I had a choice: I could laugh or cry. 

I kinda wanted to cry. I wanted to put my hands up and surrender and run out the door and jump off our back deck. 

But instead, I looked down at my red-eyed, miserable 2 year old and just started laughing. Uncontrollably. 

That only made her cry harder and delayed the bottles from getting made, which made the boys even more upset. But I couldn’t help it. This whole situation was ridiculous and the fact that I was the responsible adult in this room made me laugh even more. 

Ten years ago when I was a 21 year old girl playing around at the clubs with my girlfriends, this moment was the farthest thing from my mind as to what I would become.  I soon realized after I stopped laughing that this moment pretty much sums up my life right now. :)

And as John and I sat eating our dinner with the same choir in the background, we both looked at each other and I mouthed, “this too shall pass.” We know all this--smelly diapers, crying and clingy children-- is a season in life….it’s OUR SEASON in life for sure. I still don't know why God chose US for this family. But He did, and so we have to somehow make it through this season...and find a little JOY in it!

This morning at 4 am as I sat feeding the boys in the dark, I couldn’t help but suddenly be grateful for the chaos. I realized that each moment in life we have a choice on how to approach every situation: with humor and gratefulness, or misery and despair  Truthfully, I’ve wanted to dive head first into despair…but where would that leave me?! Which ever path we choose, it quickly becomes all consuming and life either becomes painfully unbearable or surprisingly joyful. 

I've started to get up at 4:00 am each day, and after I’ve fed the boys, I have a choice to go back to bed or start my day. Lately, I brew a cup (or two or three) of coffee and start my day. I read a little devotional as I sit and sip my coffee in the darkness. Today's message confirmed all that I've been feeling: 

  “Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand….” 

Hmmm, so perfect, and pretty "black and white." I'm not to worry (because it does no good or improve the situation) and instead I am to pray about everything (especially in those moments when I want to cry) and be thankful!  And if I do this, God promises me that I'll experience peace (which is actually better than an all-inclusive resort in Cancun)!

 Just what I need to hear as I begin a new day, dealing with new challenges and four needy, crying children. 

And just what YOU need to hear as you begin your day, with YOUR challenges and YOUR moments when you have a choice to laugh or cry. 

I Hope you Laugh.

Thank you God, for my precious family…for Evelyn, and my three sons, Caleb, Levi and James. Thank you for John, my partner for life, through thick and thin...Give me the strength, and sanity, and humor to make it through another day…And may we ALL LAUGH at the moments when we want to cry!" :) 

Settling In

A lot has happened in the Patton family the last few weeks!

 For one, we are all moved in to our new home…at last! And we have internet! SO we are official! ;)

 The weather has been gorgeous since moving in to our home. The sunlight makes the home glow even more. I know that a home isn’t the key to ultimate happiness and contentment, but it sure is bringing be a lot of joy these days!  I am so grateful for the space, especially after living in essentially one room for a month and a half with so many babies and people! I don’t even care that the carpet is worn in some areas or  that the plumbing has been giving us some problems... I’m in love with this home!!! 

The NEW Patton Home! =)

It is absolutely perfect for us. It has so much natural light, and we overlook the Tualatin river from our back windows.  It has the perfect bedroom for Caleb, Levi and James, and  a lovely little space for Evie and all her toys. It has a daylight basement,  perfect for crazy years of playing and destruction. ;) And the private guest quarters in the lower level is just what we needed!!! (more on that later…) 
It's in a lovely, friendly, quiet neighborhood, with kids and dogs and strollers. 

It is the perfect place to raise our family. =) God has blessed us indeed. 

Moving day was fast paced and a bit chaotic. All things considered, it actually went quite smoothly. Towards the end when we were packing up the final items, we were frantically  sweeping items into boxes as if we were escaping from an approaching enemy! Once John drove the truck across town, John and his Dad and his brother Rob unloaded that huge moving van in record time. Grandma and my mom sat in the living room with the three boys, rocking and feeding them according to schedule, watching everything unfold.  John’s mom took Evie and her two cousins to the park. My sister in law helped me unpack my kitchen. And many of John’s friends showed up to lend a helping hand. It was a team effort, but the day ended with us successfully moved in to our new home. 

Since then, we’ve spent every spare minute unpacking a box, sorting through items, trying to get somewhat settled.

A trip to Target to make this house a HOME! =)

 My Grandma left last Friday. Driving her to the airport was bittersweet. I knew it was time for her to leave because she worked so hard for us, and frankly, she was exhausted. But we would miss her tender care with the boys; she would miss them. She was here almost 5 weeks, and I got used to her presence in the house. 

However, a few days later my Aunt Robin flew in and welcomed us with a hug and an enthusiastic smile. She got right to work and reorganized my whole kitchen! 

We all have spent the past few days enjoying the gorgeous weather, taking walks with the boys and Evie around our new neighborhood. 

Perhaps one of the most difficult thoughts swirling through my head lately is the fact that my mom, who has been here since Jan. 20, is leaving in less than a week. She has been with us through it all. She arrived three weeks before I gave birth when I hobbled around, weak from the hospital and weighed down from the 15 lbs of baby inside of me. She watched Evie during our stay in the hospital which happened to be when Portland’s winter blast occurred.  She cared for me when I came home from the hospital with the boys, overwhelmed and exhausted. She has sacrificed her sleep and health so that I could heal and thrive. She helped us pack, prayed for a renter and saw us through our move. She continues to care and love my children so I can have the freedom to unpack and get things in order. 

And now, she is leaving. I will have to do this without her. 

I will miss her more than I can write. She has been an encouragement to me and a source of strength.  Her sacrifice and hard work for us has been an inspiration. I wish she could stay forever, but I know she can’t. I am an adult woman, with four kids, and together John and I must now figure out how we are going to do this. 

"Ok Levi...time for a story!"

It became very clear to us quickly that we can’t do this alone. And although we have family and friends who are eager to help us out, we can’t expect or rely solely on them everyday. We realized we need hired help.

 As I mentioned before, our house has a very private bottom level area, perfect for a live in nanny/"right hand woman!". John and I decided that this would be our best option because we could exchange some  hours for room and board. We also realized that we need flexilbity in hours. 
So, we made the decision to start looking for a new member of the Patton family for a season.  Honestly, it is slightly scary to think of someone living here, working beside me during the day and eating dinner with us at night. I like my quiet times alone, but I know that this is what must happen in order to survive the next few years. 


So we began to ask around. We posted our ad on Craigslist. Friends referred friends... and friends of friends! We had phone interviews, a few in-person interviews. We called references and did background checks. We prayed for the right person to come along, for discernment in each conversation. 

And there was a moment when we thought we'd found the one....but it turned out it wasn't meant to be. 

A friend suggested we join Care.com, so we did. I immediately started getting responses to my ad. And then one morning, I got a message from a  21 year old girl name Amanda from California. She seemed sweet and full of life. She worked at Disney land for a season, and she was really involved in her church. She was looking to move to Portland. There was an instant connection on the phone and then John and I had a Skype interview. Her references went on and on about how great she was. And so we offered her the job. And she accepted!! 

So,in about two weeks, Amanda will be packing up her life in California and driving up to join our family here in Portland...and we couldn't be more excited or feel more at peace. It's definitely a new experience for John and me, and I'm sure she is a bit apprehensive too. But this is all part of our adventure as we raise our daughter and boys. And I have a feeling that she was meant to be a part of all this too. 

SOS!

Packin up and movin out

We are  outta here in a few short days. The pictures are off the walls, there are boxes everywhere, and tomorrow night we will be sleeping on a mattress on the floor. Stuff is being packed away and shipped off to our new place across town. The anticipation of this move and our new home has been building over the past 9 months. Honestly, my heart and sights have been in our new home since we signed the ownership papers in July. I feel like I’ve been living in transition for so long and finally this is actually happening. 

The boys have outgrown their shared pack n’ play in our family room, so we’ve had to rotate one of them at night to the swing. Surprisingly, they have also outgrown their newborn clothing! I never thought that they would be in the next size in a mere 7 weeks; but they are eating, growing boys… with an abundance of 3 month size clothing stored in the new house.

 We’ve been prepping Evie about the move for months now. She has visited the new house several times, so it wont be a total shock when she finally stays. We’ve also been talking about her “big girl bed” she will transition to so that her brothers can have her crib. She talks about all this and seems to understand all that is taking place. It doesn’t seem to bother her a bit that she will soon be in a new place. 

I’ve gotten to go out on some runs and walks this week. It struck me that all these streets and paths I’ve traveled over the last 6.5 years will soon be a memory. I will have new places to explore. Even my “go-to” grocery store will be different. All this is extremely exciting to me, but I must admit, I’ve had moments of reflection about our little house on Sorrento Rd. We have many memories here, and in a small way, it makes me feel uncomfortable at the thought of another family walking around the floor where Evie took her first steps…eating dinner where we’ve hosted so many dinner parties…living in the basement John designed and built.  I know John will miss his basement. It was built with his vision and sweat, and it his is little oasis where he works and lives during the day. 
And then there are our trees. In front of our house we have the biggest sequoia trees in the area. They are over 400 years old, and I’ve always been enchanted by them. 
And there is our maple tree that turns the most beautiful orange in late October; it casts a deep fall glow throughout our kitchen every year.

 And Spring. I’m enjoying the last few days of our yellow flowers and camilas and tulips that pop out of our yard. Yes, there are things I will miss about this house. It is a charming house, one that captured my heart when I walked into it almost 7 years ago. We built so many memories inside these walls. But I am ready for the next chapter. 

I feel like our new home represents that beginning of our family of six. It has the space for us, all the rooms I dreamed to have. It’s the perfect little neighborhood with young families and quiet streets.  Sometimes during hard moments here I catch myself putting all my hope into this next space, that somehow life will be better and get easier. But I know in my heart that a home will not do this. It will make life a little more exciting for awhile, but soon it will be just our home, and we will still have the same struggles and things we must get through. 
A home will not take away sleepless nights, or sickness, or pure emotional and physical exhaustion. It wont solve our problems or fulfill our dreams. It is a place where our family will live, but how we live in it is what matters. I see this home not as a fresh start, but as a continuation of what we’ve already started nine years ago when John and I pledged to spend the rest of our days together. 

I'm so ready to a make more memories!!!

8250 Sorrento Rd
2007-2014

Christmas Parties rocked our house!

Christmas Party 2008

Many nights by our fireplace

Watching the world go by our front window

Bringing Evie home

Oh Beautiful Fall in our backyard

Book Club in the backyard July 2013

It's One Thing after Another...6 week update

The past few weeks have been frustrating, not due to fussy babies but because someone in this house always has an ailment or illness. With so many people living in such close quarters day after day, germs just get passed around...and with broken sleep cycles, immune responses are not as strong. It all started a few weeks ago when John and my in laws woke up with a stomach bug, I had mastitis, my Grandma was dehydrated and thus sick, and Evie sounded like a barking seal. We were a sorry group of people walking around here. Evie ended up having a really bad cold, which traveled to her ear causing an ear infection. Inevitably, my mom got her cold and she's been suffering with it for over a week now. It's a wicked cold, burning her lungs and causing her extreme exhaustion. She keeps trudging onward though, working and taking care of the babies despite how she feels. However, I think her lack of sleep is prolonging her healing.
Yesterday I went to the doctor because after  almost 6 weeks of healing, my incision from my c-section seems to be infected. Thus, another round of antibiotics for me. Then this morning, my grandma expressed that she thinks she's getting a head cold.
And the cycle keeps going.

I anticipated many hardships during these first few weeks, yet I seemed to overlook all this! We all try to take care of each other, insisting that the weakest one rest or go to bed early. However, I'm really ready for everyone to just feel normal again!

Speaking of feeling normal...I was able to take Evie out -just the two of us- a few mornings this past week. When I was with her, it almost felt as if the boys were all a dream. We fell back into our little routines and Evie was thrilled to be with "just mommy." I also wondered why I ever thought having one child was so difficult! ;)

Spending some time with Just Evie

We are in this transition limbo right now too. The move is happening in a week and a half, yet it's difficult to pack up because we are still very much living in this house. We are 90% certain we have a renter for our house!

And, my Dad is flying in tonight to finally meet his new grandsons! He just started a new job so he really doesn't have any vacation time. Therefore, his trip is going to be very short. He will fly in late tonight and leave first thing Sunday morning. Evie expressed that she is very excited to see grandpa.

So we carry on...feeding and taking care of the children while trying to take care of ourselves. Again, we feel so very blessed by the love and support of our community in all this.  The meals have been a huge blessing to us...and we truly can feel everyone's prayers and thoughts during this period of transition.