Where I Left Off...

As far as where I left off with the last update, the new year started off with Mark being gone the whole month of January. He was on an out-rotation for work, and it was the first time that he's been away for longer than 5 days. It was tough saying goodbye knowing that there was so much time from then until we'd see him again next, but after the first two weeks, time went more quickly, the kids and I got into a routine, and we managed pretty well. It was weird having such quiet at night, and many nights I stayed up way too late watching Jane Austen movies and finally teaching myself how to knit.       

My first ball of yarn :)

I have such a deeper appreciation now for those women whose husbands are/have been deployed or whose husbands are away on business a lot. It's tough! By the grace of God, we got through, though. :)

Moving into February, we made our first ER visit in 7 1/2 years with children. Lincoln fell on some metal landscape edging and had a nice split right under his throat, above his breast bone. {It was in a scary spot, and he was being watched over to not have the wound another smidgen up into his throat.} Seven stitches and a few hours later, he was in great shape. What a tough boy he was, never crying through any of it and actually quite enjoying all the special attention. :) Again, God was with us, as this happened literally days after Mark returned from out-of-state while he was already at the hospital working and just done with his day. He was able to meet me and the kids at the doors of the ER and stay with Lincoln, so I could keep the others. What a blessing that it turned out so well! {I'll spare you the picture of this...} :)

Our Lincoln, all boy...

Spring has come quickly here in North Carolina, and we've been enjoying the weather, green, and bird chirping tremendously. The Dogwoods and Wisteria are blooming and gorgeous around here! We've started on our garden for the year, expanding it to about three times the size of last fall's garden. The "soil" is pretty much sand here, so that's a change from gardening in Ohio clay. :) Hopefully I will be able to post some pictures as it comes along. In other spring happenings, there's not much to report, so until next time, here's some pictures of my Loves enjoying their springtime play... 

This picture of Finn just cracks me up. Can't you just sense the zoom of his toddlerhood scamperings in it?

All aboard for morning pj play :) 

This so well captures Brigham's personality. He's our little comedian. Not usually is Finn in such terror over it, though!

Our first with all-over waves. So precious...