April's Fools?

Looking at the calendar, this month is sure going to be a crazy one. Andi and I are both taking classes, so I'm gone Monday and Wednesday nights, and she's gone Tuesday and Thursday nights. Andi also must accrue 15 hours of observation at the kindergarten class at Grant Elementary, so juggling that with the daycare and my clock appointments is great fun. Classes end during the first week of May, so all the pressure will be on during the last 2 weeks of the April. The weekends are already filling up fast, with our annual spring family pictures on the 9th (and possibly a Mizzou softball game) and the Mizzou Black & Gold game (spring football scrimmage) on the 16th, and who knows what beyond that.

I'd really like to find the chance to clean the garage out so I can begin work on all my "giant plans and schemes" (quote from a children's book I bought G when he was a baby), while teaching my oldest son the processes and philosophies of creation (No!!! Not THAT kind of creation, he's only 6!!! Give me a break!!!). I've got a slick new miter saw (hi Jeffer!) chomping at the bit to start chewing through some red oak and ash. But the poor saw is already greatly longing for a companion (in the form of a tablesaw, the cornerstone of any woodworking shop). Yet finding a chance to get that garage cleaned AND having good weather AND having the help I need available looks like something impossible to accomplish. Then there's the topic of what I'm going to want to do (read: spend) in the garage once it's clean, but that's a topic best left for another day...

Hot Date

Sometimes my husband can be awfully sweet...many of you just don't know that side of him! Last night was our "date night", but there were no less than five baskets of laundry waiting to be folded in our living room. So, for date night, he pulled up on Hulu old episodes of a tv show he had heard was good and we sat together becoming involved in the show and folding laundry together. We stayed up too late because the episodes just kept playing one right after another (and each one left you hanging just enough that you had to watch the next one). This afternoon Brian let me take a nap after church (I can't remember the last time I had one) since I was tired from staying up so late.
Another really sweet thing he does is when he knows I am going to be the next one driving the van, he sets up the CD player to play me a message in the form of a love song like "I'll Never Let You Go". It's the little things that put a smile on my face!
~Andi

Laughter and Tears

I'd rather write just about the laughter, but without some tears, laughter wouldn't mean much.

Laughter: Justin -he's just so silly and amazing. All my boys are amazing, of course, but I think Justin may just be the silliest one of all. Sunday during church he grabbed his blanket and curled up in his Daddy's arms, pretending to be asleep (except for the mischievous grin on his face). Justin also has some new favorite words, "Watch this!", which he often exclaims just before he does something really amazing - like turning off a light or making the computer screen saver bubbles disappear. Another really great Justin phrase is "Poo poo potty!", which he usually says just a little too late...but on Friday he made it in time to go "poo poo" in the "potty". Way to "go" Justin!

Tears: Our dog, Dakota, died yesterday. We told the boys and buried her today. It has been difficult for all of us, but she was old and sick. Now she is no longer suffering.
-Andi

Happy Valentine's Day

Wow, it's been a looooong time since I last updated our blog! But maybe I'll be a little better about keeping up with it now that I have my own computer. That's right, for Valentine's Day I received my very own laptop! I've never had my own computer before. Since we've been married, Brian has had his computer that I have used when I needed to, but now I have my very own. It's kind of nice :)
There's still the issue with finding time to blog (among other things). I should be studying for my exam or working on the ten to twelve page research paper due this week that I haven't even started yet, but I just had to try out my new computer.
~Andi

Walking and Talking and Growing Up

I was just thinking about my baby boy and how fast he has grown up recently. At certain moments I find myself wishing he could grow up faster (like when I am trying to get dinner made and all he wants is to be held), but as Brian just remarked today...we no longer have any babies in our house - only little boys. Justin has taken off with his walking and talking. It was all so gradual that I can't even tell you when his first steps were. Last month he finally got to the point where he was walking more often than he was crawling, and now he toddles everywhere and falls very little. He is so cute. I wish I had pictures to share, but as usual, they are all on the cameras instead of on the computer.
The best part about Justin growing up is getting to know his true personality. He is such a funny little boy. He loves to tease his big brothers (and his Mommy and Daddy, too). He is very social and curious, and he is great at imitating people. He is big and strong and quite tough. Grant and Christian are both dressing up as Star Wars characters for Halloween (Grant as Luke Skywalker and Christian as R2-D2), and I have joked that Justin should go as "the Force".

Oh, how I love my boys!
~Andi

A Short Break

I have just a few minutes to update you on my life. My first session of classes ended last week, and it appears I made an "A" in each class. This is good for my confidence and my self-esteem. My brain is perhaps not as mushy as I thought it was. This week I have no classes and will start again next week with a slightly different schedule - classes on Monday and Wednesday nights instead of Tuesday and Thursday. I don't think the difference will matter too much, other than adjusting bath night for the kids from Monday to Tuesday. We already decided that Family Home Evening was probably working better on Sundays than squeezing it in on Monday nights. So, school is going well. It takes up a lot of time, and I know other things are being neglected...but I also feel it is important for me and our family.
And that's all the time I have for now. Happy Birthday, Mom! (hoping you read this before Saturday).
~Andi

Multi-Tasking

The boys are all sleeping, and Brian is at tonight's football game with my cousin, Sam. What better way for me to spend my alone time than by blogging (and simultaneously doing laundry)? Even though I am not a natural multi-tasker, I must say that I am becoming quite good at it. Earlier this week before Grant left for school one morning, he wanted me to come see something he had done on the computer. I told him that I was busy and I couldn't come right then. He asked what I was doing, so I told him..."Making breakfast, helping Christian get dressed, getting out paints for Gunnar, mediating an argument between Trinity and Brewer, studying for my midterm, and holding Justin who just got his fingers stepped on by Riddick." I truly was doing all of these things at the same time (but probably not doing a good job at any of them - sometimes quality is sacrificed for quantity.) Grant didn't bother me again. He was probably sorry he asked.
I'm not complaining, mind you. About a month ago, my daycare had dwindled down to only 2 children most days due to various circumstances. I advertised a bit, trying to fill my openings, but I was getting worried, especially with school starting for me (knowing that I would have even less time to devote to growing my daycare). And finances were always a concern. Even when you don't make that much, it's hard when your income gets cut in half! Then out of the blue, the family whose two children (Tyler and Kaitlyn) I used to only watch one day a week asked if I could take them more often - blessing number one. Just a week later...also out of the blue...a lady whose little boy I watched last year (but who left because there was an opening at his brother's daycare) called me and asked if I would be able to take Brewer back because things weren't working out well at their other daycare. I adore this lady and really wanted Brewer back, but she was even more elated when I told her that I had room to take her older son, Gunnar, as well - blessing number two. She couldn't believe her luck in contacting me just when I had openings for two children. I couldn't believe how I was being watched over. I know my Heavenly Father loves me, but I was just amazed that He even cares about my little daycare. I hope He is still available to help me on the occasional day that I end up with 9 or 10 children to take care of at once!

I have lots more updating to do and lots that I want to write. The kids do and say so many cute things, and I don't want to forget any of them, but I've got more housework waiting, too. Maybe I can get some new pics uploaded for the next post, too. No one can believe how big Justin is getting, especially me! His 15-month well check last week showed that he is 25 pounds (60th percentile) and 33.5 inches tall (95th percentile). Christian is just now outgrowing some of his size 2T clothes, and Justin is just growing right into many of them! Oh well, fewer clothes I have to box up and store. I can just move them right from Christian's dresser to Justin's. It's crazy!
~Andi