La Familia

We had this photo taken at church for new member Sunday. Not the best, but with squirming girls, it's the best we got. Thought I'd share.

Happy Norah

Norah is 9 weeks and 3 days. She is just as adorable as can be. She is so smiley and is cooing and starting to laugh. She's also showing an interest in gnawing on her fingers and seems to want her thumb, but hasn't figured out "thumb-sucking" yet. When she was holding tight to my finger tonight, she was bringing it to her mouth. I think toys are in her near future. It is such a delight to be with her. I don't take as many pictures of her as I should, and it's hard to get her smiles on record, but they sure are cute.

Faith and Gracia went with their Dad to St. James Railroad Club tonight. John used to join that group when he was doing his internship in St. James 11 years ago and has kept in touch with the club members. He finally got there tonight. The girls had fun running trains.

Happy Easter!

Our first Easter in Fairmont. I forgot to get a photo at church, but this is our dusty porch that needs painting badly! No spring foliage yet, either, but it will be soon in bloom!

It has always been hard enough to get Faith and Gracia to look at the camera at the same time and smile. Now we have to be on alert for a crying baby.

My Grandpa Lloyd, dapper in his suspenders for Easter.

Grandma Gerry and Adam getting lots of smiles and coos out of Baby Norah.

Kindergarten Jokes

1. What's black and white and red all over?


A zebra with a sunburn.



2. Why did Spongebob put a chicken in his garden?



To get an eggplant.



3. Why did the chicken cross the kitchen?


Tweet! Tweet!


4. What's a shark's favorite game?


Swallow the leader.


(Material courtesy of Faith and Gracia)

Happy Birthday, Teddy!

Gracia (above)

Faith (above)

Teddy, our American Water Spaniel, is 2 years old today. We've definitely noticed a change in his puppy behavior...much less chewing and what we call "Diablo de Noche" (trans. "Devil of the Night" which we;ve called him since he was a new puppy, when he scurries around like a wild animal, sprinting around the house.) He hardly does that anymore. So, we decided the transition from puppyhood to adult dog deserved a celebration. We had Hot Dogs for dinner and got a birthday cake. Teddy also got a new toy and the girls made him cards.

Today, we also hung some canopy nets from the ceiling in the girls' room. We haven't done any decorating in the house, but are trying to get their room special a little. The girls got the biggest bedroom with 2 closets and carpeting and they like it. They had the option of their own rooms but decided against it. It's neatly painted a mint green with mauve trim and we're in no hurry to change it for now. The girls like it for now. The lacy curtains will go eventually, but we have so many other things to do first. The girls like them, too, of course, because they're fancy. Every window in this house, except the kitchen have lacy curtains.


Norah is also 7 weeks today and is getting chunky. I think she's growing hard right now because she is hungry often and then crashing for hours at a time. I just wish she would sleep better in her bassinet...she throws up and wakes up. We spend most nights in the rocking chair or recliner. I'm missing my bed, even though I still sleep. My body is feeling a little sore with such little horizontal time.


I also received a surprise delivery from the group I will start working with in June, Dulcimer Clinic. I got a welcome to town Easter Lily and balloons. So thoughtful. I'm excited to start working with those folks, (even though I'm really glad to have a few months off.) I also interviewed a potential child care provider today. That's the next hurdle. A police officer who was on John's call committee treated us to lunch yesterday after church, with his wife and their 3 girls, around the girls' ages. He accompanied me to their providers house, and it was a good match. We'll see if she has room with the families that are having babies, etc. It would be a great relief to have a good provider lined up. I'm trying to get a teen here for a couple days a week over the summer, since Norah will still be so little. But we'll need a daycare come fall. Wish me luck!

Good Friends Are Hard To Find

I decided we needed to go out and have a little fun...for me that almost always means going to a movie. We saw Monsters vs. Aliens. It was very cute. Several grown-up laughs. Gracia is much too sheltered...she gets scared at anything. She spent most of the movie cowering in my shoulder, taking a peek now and then, until she grasped there were a lot of funnies, and that nothing bad was going to happen to the monsters.

The girls survived their first week at Budd school. Faith is reporting she's having trouble making friends and shed some tears over this tonight. Breaks my heart. Yet, she likes her teacher and has announced she has a boyfriend, (whom she saw at the movie tonight. John met him but I was in line for popcorn). Although, Faith said she and he are not allowed to stand in line together anymore "because Trevon doesn't behave then." I asked if Faith has trouble behaving in line, too, and Faith shook her head, "I behave when I'm not by Trevon." But she is troubled that in the classroom kitchen (her favorite freetime activity at her old school), she is never allowed to be the mom or play with the dishes. The kids only let her be the "neighbor or teenager." As cute as it is to hear her describe life as a kindergartener, it breaks my heart and I so empathize with her. I always had a little more trouble making friends and don't want her to feel lonely. At the same time, Faith can be a little dramatic, and I need to keep that in perspective. Her teacher made a point of telling me she had a good week, although acknowledges Faith's trouble with the other kids this week. The good news is the girls have neighborhood friends for the first time across the street and they've played together twice this week. They are a brother and sister living with a single mom and the girl is 5 and the boy is 7. They seem nice and have welcomed F and G it seems.

The buyer closed on our Stewie house today...great relief...we had a few glitches with the bank this week. But it's over. I hope he enjoys the house. It's a nice house. We liked living there.

Please pray for nice children and friends for Faith and Gracia.

Happy Bath!

We have such a wonderful little baby. Norah is such a precious gift. We are both in awe of her. She is smiling now which is such a delight to watch. With the twins, we gave them baths EVERY night, thinking it would calm them and be good bonding. Poor little Norah, at the age of 6 weeks has had, like, FIVE baths. Pathetic. So here she is, enjoying one of her rare baths this morning!