Quatro

Cale's been very interested in learning how to count in other languages.
...I assume Dora and Deigo have something to do with this.
Me?
I took French....Je m'appelle Katie.
AND...that's pretty much all I know. 

Anyway....my beauty is now 4 months old.
Quatro.

Wasn't it just the other day when she would fall asleep during the commotion?  Now, she's distracted!  She knows something is going on and must squirm and stay awake in order to be a part of it!

Someone at church today asked me if she was always "this happy."  Well yeah...IF she's getting 'face time.'  The girl loves to look at faces.  Toys somewhat interest her - but what she really wants is someone to look at her and babble goofy things or to just smile super big.  She will definitely respond!  She loves to face forward and look around.  Rolling over all the time...and am I crazy, or can she army crawl already!  Crazy girl.

I put her on our scale the other day as I held her from the back (by the way - she is getting ridiculously close to sitting up alone)...and it read just under 12 lbs.
I don't know if that's accurate, but she is still a little thing.  Getting longer for sure - but she can easily still fit into 3 month clothing.  We've got some 3-6 that work as well, and I'm itching to try out some of the 6 month clothes I have for her too (it's not even that they are girly - it's that they are basically NEW!  You get kinda tired of looking at the same clothes year after year! ;).

We are turning in for the night at an earlier hour!  Usually by 9-10p she's out!   Recently even 8:30!!
The "putting her to bed" is getting to be a bit more challenging though.  Naps are easy.  I can tell she's tired...I hold her in my arms for a lil bit and she's out.  At night, I have nicknamed her my "tiny rhino."  Fights it hard, and then conks out!!

Okay - I have to say this cuz it cracks me up - and I can't recall any of my others doing this - but at night I often hear her sorta wake up and squirm. Since she prefers to sleep the length on her belly...I wake to look at her and make sure she's okay.  More times than I can count she's got her little fanny (yep...fanny) in the air (still asleep mind you) and just lets 'em rip!  It's hilarious.  I can almost hear her sigh when she's done and then...back to sleep.  ...what a lady, eh?! :)
ha ha.
What else can I say about my Neve?  She loves to be outside, and has currently been enjoying some stroller rides (though she's still a bit tiny to get all buckled in - I use blankets to fill the space).  She's doing better at being in the car, but still really isn't a fan.  Unless it's a short ride. She still spits up all the time.  I can't remember when Cale stopped doing it, but I think it gets better once they figure out how to sit up....

 And there ya go.  She's a great baby.  A wonderful addition to our family.  

I'm enjoying watching her change all the time! 

heavy

No, I'm not talking about me.
Or my kids.
Or Tim. ;)

Just a few of the past weeks.
Tim's work schedule has been different - that throws me out of wack.  So many of you ask how I "do it?"  Well, routine plays a giant role in it.  Sure, we mix things up a bit - movie nights, ordering pizza, or doing a bonfire...but really, things have been very much the same over the past few months.  Adjusting to a new person will do that.
The kids don't seem to mind.  They live by their structure...and it makes the extra special things - like getting a NEW (free, used) PLAYGROUND...very very exciting!
I prayed for that playground, and God delivered.  As He always does. :)

-Back to the heaviness.
A family in our church lost their little girl 11 days ago.  Heartbreaking.
Part of me wishes I didn't have to know them...didn't have to try to put myself in their shoes, because it's painful and almost too sad.  But that's not fair.  We need to hurt along with them.  Even when we can't be physically with them, we can lift them in prayer and share their story.
Their baby was a 2 year old little girl, adopted from Ethiopia.
...definitely close to our hearts...
felt a little too close.
She was beautiful, and is now enjoying her peace in Heaven with Jesus.

I've watched my husband transform over these past few weeks.
Prior to this, he had not performed a funeral.  It was all new to him...but not the fun kind of new - like learning to ride a bike.  The sad, grieving, panic new. 
Does the term "rise to the occasion" resonate with you?  For sure...but he also rose up with humility.  Like any challenge God presents him with, Tim is willing and able to walk through it.
...And this was a tough one.  Sometimes it doesn't FEEL like I'm a pastor's wife, but when my pastor husband helps a family through something like this, it wakes me up, and I ruffle my pride feathers - because I got me a good one! :)
I've got so much respect for my man 'of the call!' ;)

.......Sometimes Tim and I joke about how different our lives would be if we had ended up with a past interest. Do you ever did that?
Just for fun of course... :)
Who would it have been?  What sort of work would he do...what about hobbies?
Would we have a bunch of kids?  Where would we live....
I'm glad the conclusion is that I DON'T have to think on it for more than a few seconds.  Because I know that none of those answers would be even close to as good as the ones I have now.

Completely in love with my husband.
...With my sons.
...With my daughter.

And while heavy times may come and go, rooting us in reality and the fallen world we live in...
In those moments God gives us glimpses of things that make us grateful for who we are and what He's allowed us to have and experience.