Busy, busy, busy.

Well, it's been awhile again since the last blog. We have had sooo much going on that I want to blog about, but still don't have time or my camera at the moment to do so. (I left my camera at Lily's recital practice and still don't have it back yet....that's how busy we've been). In the next few days I hope to be able to blog about the following......Austin's latest scheme, Fall Creek Falls with the Wilkes and Butlers, Lily's first dance recital, and our first official car (well minivan really) purchase as a married couple (FINALLY). We have also experienced a horrible tragedy here in Dayton...the sudden loss of a little girl in Daniel's Mother's Day Out class. She was fatally injured in a car accident. Our hearts have been sooo heavy for that family. Please, please pray for them. The time has also come for Daniel to have his tonsils and adnoids out. His surgery will be tomorrow morning at 5:30 AM. I have been very anxious today about this whole procedure....mostly the recovery of it. However, the same thoughts that went through my head before Austin's surgery are beginning to re-play themselves today. "What's he going to do when they take him away from us?" "What if there is a complication?"...etc. You know, the things we need to hand over to the Lord. I have been quoting the following verse in my head a lot lately.."Be anxious for nothing; but in everything, by prayer and supplication, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7. It's been quite a comforting verse for me lately....but really always....considering being anxious is what I seem to be able to do with any situation. Anyway...I pray this verse may encourage you today as well; and hopefully I will find more time to blog about the several things I mentioned above. Happy rainy Thursday everyone! And I hope you all were able to stay safe in the storms last night. Also let's be praying for the many families who lost loved ones yesterday as a result of the storms!

Car shopping, Birthday parties, and Puzzles

So, it's been awhile since my last blog. So sorry to keep all of you followers waiting. ;) But meanwhile we have been so very busy. For starters we are van shopping. I never thought I'd see the day that I'd be excited about buying a minivan. That day has come. However, I HATE car shopping. It has been less than fun. Each time we think we're getting close to making a purchase, we find out we're about to get ripped off. Stinks. Anyway...in the meantime of all this car shopping madness...and since my last blog...we have been having a lot of fun! We have had a birthday party, a trip to see my mom, my aunt, and my grandparents on their little mini-vacation to Gatlinburg, open gym Fridays (at a gymnastics place), Daniel's first little playdate at a friend's house (by himself), and Chick-fil-A days. Loads of fun. Here's Daniel at his little friend Ava's birthday party:

Very fun place. This is the same place I was talking about that has open gym of Fridays. I got to take the kids this past Friday and they had a blast. And in the midst of all these fun outings, Lily has become quite obsessed with working her puzzle. Jason got each of the kids a 48 piece puzzle a couple of weeks ago. Lily's was a princess puzzle...after a few times of us working it together she has managed to learn how to put the whole thing together by herself. Quite genius, I know, for a 3-year-old. But, I'm not biased or anything. Anyway...now we are getting all ready for Lily's recital Thursday....AND for a fun-filled couple of days at the Butler's cabin at Fall Creek Falls with the Wilkes and the Butlers!!! These two families are some of our friends from Brighton, and we are SUPER excited to get to spend a couple of days with them. Ok...that's all for now!

One down; one to go!

Well, today was little Austin's surgery to get his tubes put in his ears. If any of you read my last post.....you may have sensed that I was a teensy bit nervous about it (just a little). But, as they usually are, all of my little worries were for nothing. Austin, didn't cry a bit when they took him away from us (the nurse asked if he wanted to blow into a big balloon and he immediately left us for her); in fact he didn't even have to wear a little hospital gown. So that whole senario ended up being nothing like I had pictured. He was pretty fussy waking up....and fussy in the car. But the child still happened to remember that we had promised him Chick-fil-A on the way home. So at 6:30 in the morning, right after surgery, in his Thomas the train pajama top and Buzz Lightyear pajama pants, we high-tailed it to Chick-fil-A. Austin was still very fussy, mind you, even after we got there; but he didn't want to leave. He pitifully asked daddy to take him to just look at the slide. Again, in a pitiful little tone, he said "I want to get down." And then, it happened, the most instant change of mood I have ever seen in my entire 27 years of life. I'm telling you, the minute that child's feet hit the ground, his face lit up and he said "Come, on daddy!" in his sweet little energetic voice. Ever since, he's been his old self! We made a Walmart run (what kid doesn't need a toy after having surgery) and headed home. Austin fell asleep on the way home and slept til about 10:00 (I got a little nap myself too). And after he woke up...back to seeing what he could get into. Well, that's one down.........and now we have one more to go....Daniel. Only this poor child is not getting tubes put in his ears. He is getting his tonsils and adnoids out! His surgery will be in 3 weeks; and it won't be nearly as easy of a recovery so I hear. I am slightly more nervous about this one. And Daniel....well the poor child is like his mommy. He's not very fond of pain. So we are really praying that he will be like one of those kids we keep hearing about that bounces back very quickly. So, if you think about it, keep him in your prayers for the next couple of weeks! Happy Friday!

My little Austin...

So, I am having a hard time with this whole blogging thing. I really want to put pictures in my blogs; but if I am blogging from my house (which is obviously the easiest and most convenient place for me to blog) I can't post any. The only way we can get internet at the apartment is from one of those little verizon sticks; and any downloading of pictures just eats up too much space...to many megabites...whatever the correct way to say it is.....basically, I can't dowload pictures at home. So, I can either not blog until I can get to high speed internet; thus allowing me to blog much less often. Or, I can blog more often, and do some without pictures. And...since we have soooo many followers (we have none yet) and sooo many people that want me to tell them all about our lives (I really don't know who reads this yet); I decided to blog more often; even if I can't put a picture with it. Ok....so now what I actually sat down to blog about! My sweet little Austin, who is only 2 years old, is going to be my first child to undergo surgery. Ok, so it's not major surgery or anything....the child is getting tubes put in his ears. But, this little mommy is still very nervous about the whole scene. I keep envisioning them taking my child from me in his little hospital gown, and wheeling him down the hall on a little stretcher while he is screaming "MOMMY!! DADDY!!" the whole way. From talking to other mothers who have been through the same thing; it will probably be nothing like that. But none the less; I am still nervous. The procedure will be taking place tomorrow morning at 5:30 AM (that's right...5:30!...AND the surgery center is an hour away). So we will be leaving our apartment around 4:15 in the morning....thus making the whole adventure all the more dreadful. Anyway...if any of you happen to be up at the crack of dawn, please pray that this whole experience really will go as smoothly as everyone keeps telling me it will. We would really appreciate it!

Super fun day!

Our new apartments are approximately one mile from downtown Dayton. Jason often walks to work in the mornings. But since we moved in the apartments in December....the kids and I have pretty much not walked anywhere. However, we have had big plans about all the walking we want to do when it gets warm outside. Well....guess what kind of day today was?! A beautiful one! So we decided to put all our plans to action. We put Daniel on his bike; and Lily and Austin on their scooters and we took off to town!We had so much fun! We stopped off at the church first. And then it was almost lunchtime. So we proceeded from there to walk to our MOST favorite resturant in Dayton, Jacob Myers Deli. (They have THE best wraps and kettle cooked chips EVER....soooo good). Anyway...this is how Austin started out....but that didn't last long. He likes to get down and run with the other kids....until he gets tired. Really his most favorite place to ride is on "daddy's head." Here's a few pics from our walk to the wonderful Jacob Myers. Lily had to stop to pick flowers, of course. We sat out on the porch at Jacob Myers. Grandmaw met us there and piled us in the back of her jeep and drove us across the street to the park. The kids then proceeded to run and slide and jump and swing at the park. Austin never ceases to amaze me with what he'll try... And then....we started our mile walk home! We were a little more worried about quality of the walk home; but to our surprise...we did less carrying of children and toys than we did on the way to town! All in all; it was an awesome day; and the kids had a blast! I believe we will be doing many more walks to town over the spring and summer months! Btw...I wanted to post more pics of the day, but my family is currently waiting for me in the car because we have no high speed internet at our house and I am taking forever to blog tonight. Ok, goodnight!