Oh and...

Last night Matthew and the boys did this puzzle. "I want to go to there." ;)

Meet the teacher day!

My boys are nervous. And I'm anxious. Not about meeting the teacher but this whole new thing we're jumping into. I'm nervous about being away from my kids for almost 6 hours everyday. Everyone is telling me I'm going to have so much free time to do things with the little boys. And I do want that. That sounds like a great thing. But do my big boys have to be schooled elsewhere for half the day in order for that to happen? So I'll pick them up at 2:15 and then I get to hang out with them for just a little while before the evening rush. And bedtime will be earlier, too. So, I'm nervous. I know it's going to be good for us to have some time apart, right? Right?

Jack's Pond with new friends

This morning we met up with some new friends at one of our favorite parks. Lael and I have only met once before and are still just getting to know each other but over the last 2 weeks we've been texting everyday. I really love her obvious heart for the Lord and how attentively and gently she mothers their son. I barely remember a time when I could be right with Milo every step, before Autry was born. Watching her reminded me of that and I hadn't even realized how my parenting style has transformed over time. I'm so much calmer, more at ease and better able to enjoy each of them than I was when the big boys were tiny. But now I wonder how much I might be missing when I give them more freedom to roam and explore without me shadowing their every step. I'll be praying about how to regain that intensity while maintaining my new calm. I don't know if it's possible. But quitting IG and FB last week has definitely been so freeing that I will not be going back. Maybe just to print photos from IG but seriously, that's it. Anyway, we had a wonderful morning.

School is approaching

Long time no see! Well, since last time, the boys have grown by leaps and bounds, Matthew built a massive treehouse in the backyard, Declan is already standing up on his own and will take a single step before falling down, we've added 6 hens to our homestead and we've decided to give school a try for this coming year. Milo and Autry got into the Montessori Learning Center at our charter school and we're going to see how it goes. I'll be homeschooling Fin with Rod & Staff this year and I just signed up the 3 oldest for Awana. I'm so excited for them and I get to serve as a Cubbies leader. It's going to be an exciting year but good grief all this back to school shopping is expensive and stressful. I've personally decided to quit Facebook and Instagram which has been so freeing.