Hangin' in There!

We're still here. March has flown by and April is almost upon us. The older I get, the more amazed I am about how fast time goes by. Logan's finished basketball and is about to start soccer. Linc wants to wait to play basketball next year. Owen is happy as could be in preschool and Ellie is saying more and more everyday. It's funny how much you can worry about something your child is or isn't doing and in the end, it sort of works itself out and all your worry was for nothing. :) I guess worrying for a child is never for nothing, it's all in love so in the end it's actually a good thing!

I've been thinking a lot lately about how different seasons of our life can bring their own challenges. Right now Dan and I are struggling to keep up with four active little people, a house, a small business, Dan's work, school, church responsibilities, and everything that comes with it all and it has been really hard. I think about what I'd cut out, and all of them seem so important, that it's not really possible to eliminate anything...I can cut back here and there, and I do, but each play an important part in my life so I can't really get rid of anything permanently. And then, there are the other things I'd like to do that have to wait and take a back seat while I focus on more important things for now. It seems like I am at a point where I just have to wait and work and be patient until things settle down a bit. It is very hard. I was thinking about it the other day and it occurred to me that life is supposed to be this way. Sometimes it is just hard and that's okay. The old saying, "just grin and bear it" is so true. Sometimes that's all we can do. We will get little moments of pay back along the way. You know, those times when kids are in the back yard laughing together, or after a long day you finally get a quiet moment to breathe (no matter how small that moment might be!), or perhaps even that peaceful feeling that comes from prayer after a particularly long day. Whatever it may be, the moments come and they are enough to keep me going.

I am eagerly anticipating the end of April when I will have finally finished school. I don't have to take another class in my life if I don't want to and life should slow down a lot more (though I'll probably get my masters in a year or so...we'll see.). In about three years, my baby will start kindergarten (no I'm not counting down the days...it can take it's time as far as I'm concerned!) and even more time will again be mine...leaving the house a bit cleaner I hope, without a two year old pulling everything off the shelves! :) But even when those times come, I'm sure I'll have plenty of new items on my list to challenge me, and hopefully, I will use those experiences for what they are intended...to grow.

I'll stop now and leave you with a few quick pics I snapped of the kids yesterday. The boys have all been very sick and we needed a moment outside to get some fresh air. It only took about ten minutes before their coughs took over and we had to move the party back inside, but it was nice while it lasted!

The pretty little weeds that Dan and I trying to get rid of!

Looking for "gold dablooms!"

Logan is really into digging holes lately...I figure it's good for him, as long as he doesn't dig up the lawn. :)

Ellie climbed up herself!

Some help from big brothers.

Logan wanted to push Ellie to see if she could ride herself and I told him he couldn't because she didn't have a helmet that fit, so he ran into the garage and brought back a baseball helmet...little bobble-head girl!

Owen really doesn't like the medicine the doctor prescribed him!

He's not the only one!