WayfaringStrangers

Samuel is a little over a month old now. He's growing fast, already up to 9 lbs, 7 oz. The overall adjustment of life is going well. Yesterday was Graham's last day of school and his PreK graduation (that deserves it's own post) so now... I'm home all day with the 3. I didn't get much 'rest' after Sammy was born. How could I? Even with help...there's so much to do, and the boys are so active. And so, I quickly found myself in the normal routine, just now with a baby along. I press forward, coffee in hand. Since school is over, today was the perfect day to hit up the library with all 3. Graham hasn't been in a while because I usually go with Patrick while G is at school. The library went really well! The big boys are mature enough to actually play well and not run off. Baby slept in his carseat the whole time. Afterward, we decided to go for a walk in the trail next to the library. It's paved, and Graham rode his bike and Patrick rode his sc...

Ah, springtime. Windows open, St. Patrick's Day, Easter. Flowers blooming, birds chirping, garden dreaming. My favorite time of year. I do love autumn, too. But spring is just so fresh. It wins. The boys are outside much of the time. We are walking back to the creek, on the lookout for toads and turtles. And they pick me flowers. I love my little, loving boys. We all worked together to dig up some of the garden last weekend. So far we planted spinach and carrots. I bought a bunch of new seeds and am eager to get things going. I told myself not to get too ambitious- I'm about to have a baby! But it's so fun, I can't help myself.  Plus, Behn  is helping and the boys are learning so much. We will see how the garden goes this year. My induction date is in exactly a month. Behn set up the crib, all blankets and tiny clothes are washed. Bag is packed. I'm ready to meet this little guy. The last couple months are the hardest, especially this tim...

It's May first and it's been a busy spring so far. So much so that I really want to make sure I write down some things about life. The only way I'm able to blog is if the boys nap/I write when they're in bed/someone else watches them. Today that "someone" is my dad, who drove up to bring me lunch and then let me leave the house (!!)  to write for an hour. A gift! First, a few things I sadly do not have photos of. One is that Behn's parents visited a few weeks ago. We enjoyed lots of BBQ, downtime, and chatting. Behn and his dad also painted the little bedroom, which will be Victoria's room. I'm annoyed with myself for forgetting to take photos. The next weekend, my Mom and I and Graham road-tripped north to my sister Hannah's baby shower! Baby boy is due in July (their first) and I had a lot of fun with my mom on the drive. Graham was a good boy, too :) Sadly, I didn't take any pics of that day, either. The bedroom is a pale yellow. ...

I just called Graham inside for his bath. The weather has been amazing today, and the boys spent every minute outside. Behn and I dug, planted, and watered. Played ball. Behn took the kids to the park while I went to teach and ride at the barn. Behn even mowed a little, with Patrick on his heels with his own mini-mower. At the end of the afternoon, we took a family walk to the creek. It was a perfect spring day. When I called Graham in moments ago, he ran to me with his boundless energy. Feet flying. Both boys are muddy, finger nails dirty, and bruises and scratches from playing outside and in the trees all day. It's childhood at it's best. The feeling of being exhausted from breathing in fresh air all day, from running as hard as you could, from climbing a tree, and the sun on your face. So grateful for these two healthy boys, their running and free play, and that we all love to be outside together. Cheers to a good night's sleep.

About 1/2 way through February, I had the thought, "Hey, this winter has gone by fast!" Then it snowed 4 times (or something like that). Don't get me wrong, I like snow. But not so much in March. We were, however, also distracted by the flurry of activity in preparing for little V- the application, fingerprints, beginning to fund raise, emailing social workers. It helped boost us through that last little bit of the season. Here we are, though. It's sunny and warmish. I'm browsing packs of garden seeds and delighting in the bulbs that I planted last fall popping up. The boys are beside themselves to be outside, making mud soup and running around. The spring peepers are peeping in the creekbed on the other side of the street. I'm planning on riding again this weekend, after months of not being at the barn. The changing of the seasons always makes me nostalgic. The fresh air reminds me of past years when I've breathed in the fresh air. Where I was...