Springtime Things

We spent a Sunday afternoon at a family friend's farm a couple weeks ago. We went to retrieve a fishing rod Steven left and she graciously allowed us to fish and roam while we were there. She has some cows too and they gave us a good showing with their mooing and fly swatting. I was showing the kids the udders and the conversation went something like this:

Grady: Well, they are all girls.
Me: Nope. There's one bull.
Grady: (pointing at the BIG bull) But that one has udders too.
Me: Nope.
Grady: Well what is that?
Me: His boy parts.
And then there was much giggling...

I may have caught a fish or two.

Please notice Reese's hands in the air in the picture above. We've been around several puppies and he always does the same thing. He puts his hands out to try to stop the puppy from licking and nipping, and the dog ends up doing just that--licking and nipping his hands. And he cries and is paralyzed with fear. We've tried to tell him he doesn't have to put his hands out like that when a puppy comes up to him. We told him to hold his hands up. So... there was a lab puppy out there and he walked around with his arms raised, even when the puppy was nowhere near:). 

It's hard to see through all the pollen around here. It's even harder to see when your mask covers your entire face. I think he enjoyed the ride regardless...

I don't have the energy to write everything out but just for the record, Steven found out from work that we have to make a decision between moving back to Birmingham or him losing his job with Victory. It's been a tough, but great process and we are already seeing the Lord do some great and amazing things and give us Peace.

It's been awhile

It's been a month since I've posted but we've been rolling right along. Some highlights since I was last here, not in any particular order {with only camera phone pictures?!}:

• Our Missions' Conference at church - This was the last week in February. We got to hear from Neal Vinson, a friend of ours from our time with Campus Outreach and our time attending Grace Presbyterian in Clanton. We also got to be encouraged and challenged by Dr. Frank Barker, who lives out the gospel in everyday life. We got to hear from Wallace and Barbara Pouncy who lived in the jungles of South America. Amazing stories and pictures! Steven did some worship leading. Our Sunday School kids brought in change for a local missionary we'd been praying for and they presented him with $55 in class! 

• Grady stopped sucking his thumb!! I could just repeat this statement over and over, I'm so excited and proud of him. He was rewarded with some Star Wars paraphernalia and M&Ms that he so kindly shared with us all. 

• My cousin Jessica's wedding in Point Clear, Alabama - This was over the weekend of March 3rd and it was a really beautiful wedding. My aunt and uncle (and I'm sure lots of other helpers I don't know about?!) worked hard to make it a special occasion for the bride and groom as well as all of their guests. We stayed in a house on the bay that was awesome (thanks Mom!). Steven got to play golf. I got to help with the bridal party breakfast Saturday morning. We hung out with family and Reese got the dance party started at the reception. 

• Elle lost her first top tooth - Steven was out of town and she came in my room early one morning saying her tooth was just dangling. She crawled in the bed with me and she wiggled it until I woke up then I wiggled and out it came! No blood! I've aways been a bit leery of the awkward snaggle tooth phase, but she looks cute as can be:).

• The kids continue to be 'sick' - I took Elle and Reese two weeks ago but they had no "secondary infections" at the time and we came home with some cough medicine. They have coughed and hacked for almost 4 weeks now. Reese now seems to be back to normal. Elle and Grady are still struggling with cough and runny nose junk, but it is better.

• Reese had a major regression in potty-training and obedience for about a week - This happened around the wedding and I attributed it in part to his sickness and the medicine he was on. But for some examples, I told him to go use the bathroom when we were getting ready for bed. He went in to the door of the bathroom and proceeded to pee all over himself. He also peed on himself at the rehearsal dinner so we had to leave early. I finally put him in pull-ups, mainly for my sanity, and he would get to the bathroom in time when he was wearing them. As soon as I would take it off for a time, he'd pee all over himself. I know those of you who know Reese think I am probably making this up, but I have witnesses! He was defiant! And not just with going to the bathroom. Anyway, I think we are past it all now {till the next time, you sweet little sinner!}.

• Elle and Grady started a company - The kids were outside playing last Friday and informed me they had started a company, PCP. Not to be confused with the drug from the 70s, Plant Caring Planters helps people care for their plants. Thankfully, they were available to help us on Saturday. They assisted us with picking out plants at Lowe's and then with the actual planting. It was fun and hilarious at the same time.