Praying for patience today~

So the stove saga continues...we still don't have a working kitchen and apparently it is an electrical problem. Hopefully we will get it working today. The electrician who did the wiring in the kitchen while we were remodeling is coming today so I am praying that we will get it fixed! The kiddos are sick again...well Micah and Cassidy anyways. I am also praying for grace and healing. It is never fun to see them sick and of course it is never fun to pay for sick visits. They are resting today and it is obvious when Micah is sick and not feeling well because he is literally lying on the floor with a pillow next to his pile of blocks. Cassidy is pretty much just plain grumpy when she is sick and she has already taken a nap this morning. So, in the midst of everything going on I am needing patience and grace! On an exciting note...
Greg and I are going to Tennessee at the end of the month. I am excited about the trip but I am even more excited where God is leading and directing Greg. He is going to attend the Dave Ramsey training there to become a financial counselor...I am really just going along for the ride and the chance to enjoy the company of my husband. He was signed up for the training in March but got a phone call last night that an opening came up for the training this month. It is exciting to see everything work out because March is going to be a pretty busy month and traveling this month will work out so much better. I am excited to see where the Lord is leading~

Birthday pictures~

Well, today I set out to take some 2 year pictures of Cassidy and I love some of the ones that I got. I haven't gone through them all but I found some good ones already. I really cannot believe that she is going to be 2 already...our kids are growing up way too fast! it seems like the bigger our family gets, the faster time flies. Her birthday is coming up on the 21st and I really haven't thought about what we are going to do! Tonight Greg is out buying a new stove so I am waiting to make a yummy dinner...we have been without an oven/stovetop for about a week now... so I am more than ready to have a working kitchen. It just makes me think about how thankful I am for those little blessings in life that seem so basic.

Deer Tracking~

I had to write this one down before I forgot...

This little girl has been playing with her big brother a lot lately...

Today's game...hunting for deer tracks. They looked all around the yard and wandered pretty far off at times. Big brother would stop when he found some "tracks" and point them out to her. She would bend down and look closely, listening to everything that her big brother said and then she would grab the handful of dirt where the "deer track" was and come running up to me with excitment to show me her find..."Look mom! Deer tack!"

Micah Quote...

Micah cracks me up sometimes...I love how serious he can be. Tonight as I was putting him to bed I reminded him that he was my favorite little boy in the whole wide world...he responded with: "Mom, you don't have to tell me that. You told me once already so now I already know." So I think he doesn't really like affection as much as his sisters but I do pray that he will always know that he is my favorite little boy even if he doesn't want to hear about it:)

20 week old girlie~

Watchful...
Playful...

Serious...

More Lake Memories and pretend play~

We went to see the Christmas lights in Marble Falls and afterwards roasted marsh mellows in the fire...the kids had a blast~

Blue-eyed girl~


Playing in the sand~

It's rare to find these two playing so happy together, but they were having so much fun together~

Cassidy is having a great time these days in her world of pretend play...I took a picture of these animals as a reminder. She got these for Christmas and loves them. We played with them for a little while this evening. They each have different voices and names. She makes them interact with each other and play...they go to sleep and they jump. Oh yeah there was a lion to the set but she decided to put it in the trash can. She would make it growl at the other animals and told me they were scared so she wanted to put it in the "tash." It is so fun to see her talk and play so much. She can really keep herself entertained but she likes it even more when we play together...I must say I love it just as much.

Needing a vacation~

I feel like I need a little bit of a vacation even though we technically got away for New Years...we went to the lake. I realize now how much my parents did for me and my siblings during Christmas and the holiday season. I am officially worn out from the activities of the past week or so! At the same time I am also so thankful for the memories that we had together and wouldn't trade this time for anything else in the world.

This new year may be full of quite a few changes...exciting changes. Greg is looking to change careers. Of course kids always change so much in the course of a year so there is never a dull moment with each of them. And as for me I am honestly still trying to adjust to 4 kids. Dakota is at the age where she is needing less and less sleep and a lot more play time. She is already getting up on all fours and rocking back and forth like she wants to crawl. I can't believe she is growing so fast! I also officially started her on cereal and she loves it. She loved it the first time I gave it to her...she practically inhales it! I have never started any of the other kids this early but it really has seemed to help her.

Well, I didn't get too many pictures from our time at the lake but I did get some black and whites that I like ok...you can't really tell we are at the lake but since it was quite cold and windy I spent most of the time inside. The kids played outside quite a bit and Micah loved playing with the boys from the neighboring lake house. I do wish I got a picture of them wrestling and playing together...just being boys.

We are thankful to be back home and I do wish everyone a late Happy New Year!