Hi There! Long Time No Blog.

Time is flying guys.  Flying.  I have no idea how it's been a year and a half since I last posted!

These two kiddos are doing great.  So so so good.  I just can't believe it.  We're at such a sweet time and I'm soaking it all up.

About a year ago now, we moved to a nearby city.  It has been interesting....I don't know how two cities so close to each other can have such a different feel to them.  We're adjusting to the culture shock slowly but surely.  We do LOVE our new house.  So much space.  It's another fixer-upper, but we've already made some great progress.  I often think of the movie "Under the Tuscan Sun" when she is talking about renovating and how you should always start with one room and make it yours.  We did that this time with our master bedroom.  It's a finished sanctuary in a very unfinished house.  I love it.

Samuel started his last year of preschool this year.  It was a tough decision to wait another year for kindergarten.  I just wasn't sure.  He is so smart and so ready to be reading (he can already read CVC words and sound out words while writing) but he was socially and emotionally a bit behind.  In the end, we went with our gut and held him back.  BEST DECISION EVER!!!!!!!!!  He has thrived this year and my heart is just soaring.  We've seen incredible growth from him.  He is more mature, he handles frustration better, he's not the smallest kid in his class (although he is close....ha!), and he has friends.

Samuel is amazing on his bicycle.  He loves it.  He transitioned from a balance bike to a regular bike (no training wheels) early this summer.  His ease of riding is true to his nature since he has always been fascinated with anything that has wheels.

This kid is eating me out of house and home these days.  He's always hungry.  But despite the eating frenzy, he seems to hover right at the 5th percentile in height and weight.  Oh well.

Medically speaking, there isn't a lot to talk about.  (Knock on wood.)  This winter we've been far healthier than any since we came out of isolation.  (Knock on wood again.)  We gave up his controller inhaler at the end of last winter and we haven't looked back.  He does have to use his 'rescue' inhaler every now and again, but for the most part, we're finished with that too.

The one thing we haven't dropped is therapy.  He has occupational and physical therapy weekly.  He still has a bit of an awkward running pattern (nothing too noticeable) and he's still a bit tight in his legs.  I feel certain that we're making progress though...especially since we introduced some stretching braces into our routine.  He wears them for about half an hour during the day and several hours at night.

Annalee turned three this month.  THREE.  I'm not sure how that's possible.  This photo tells you pretty much everything you need to know about her.  Ha!  While we've certainly hit the 'threenager' stage, she is truly a joyful child.  She makes us laugh with her type-B goofiness that is all her own.

She is doing a Mother's Day Out program once a week and really enjoys it.  (Can't say enough good things about the amazing teachers she has lucked into having two years in a row!)

Ironically, our 32 weeker has been going through a few more health related trials than our 24 weeker has!  Annalee has some pretty severe eczema.  Although that's certainly not a huge deal; it has been tough for her to get good sleep.  She often has night terrors (not nightmares....she doesn't remember screaming "MOMMY!" all night and she doesn't remember what she was dreaming about.)  We plan to see an allergist next month for some advice about how to get her eczema under control and how to keep her from itching at night.

She has always had a tough time handling colds.  It doesn't matter how mild the cold is, she sounds like she has croup.  A doctor once told us that she has narrow airways and that hopefully she will outgrow the issue.  Unfortunately it has continued to get worse....the snoring started.....then tonsillitis happened.  And so we made that trip to see the ENT doctor to be told what we already knew.  She needs her tonsils and adenoids out.  I'm not thrilled about it, but hopefully it will be one less thing keeping her from a decent sleep.

And as for the grown-ups in this family?  We're doing great.  This year we will have been married eight years.  Man, we're old.  Michael is an architect at a local firm and he loves what he does.

I suppose I have my hand in a few different things.  Most importantly, I'm still a stay at home mom.  At least for another year or two.  I'm also a substitute teacher at Annalee's MDO program.  And just this last year, I opened up my own photography business.  I've been so blessed that it has really taken off....I'm busier than I ever dreamed I would be.  Photography brings out the best in me.  I'm always looking for beautiful things....and when I find them, it's impossible to not see God's hand in them.

Thanks for following friends!  I'll try to be better about updating.  But if I'm not....be sure to leave me a comment here in a few months reminding me to get with it!  Ha!