11 new infants and a toddler join the family!

We have 11 infants and one toddler that we added to our family! That is 11 tadpoles and one puppy dog named Dream :) Some months back we heard about little beagle/lab puppies that were free. Samuel had said that he wanted a puppy and well we got this little guy. He is definitely a puppy and I say that if I would have thought things through a little more, we probably would just have the tadpoles. Dream has been fun, but he is a lot of work and the boys are slowly getting used to him. Puppies are jumpy and nippy and well that is hard for little ones. Yet, we are slowly falling into a routine. It does help that he is mostly an outside dog. Scott and the boys built him a really nice dog house; insulated and covered porch.

The tadpoles came from a friend and we have 11. I thought that some of them would not make it, but as it seems all 11 are still alive and are getting their back legs making the metamorphosis into froglets. What will we do with 11 little frogs? They will be set free after the boys get to see how they act as frogs for a little while. It has been a great experience watching them change from these little ugly swimming things into little ugly swimming things with 2 back legs! Seriously though, it is wonderful how God's creation works and to be able to see it happening in a little tank on our kitchen counter is pretty cool!

These are some of the happenings around our home lately. Scott continues to teach and garden and raise chickens. I continue to be blessed to stay at home and watch many things grow and change not the least of these wonderful things being our three sons! Yes, I do other things besides watch. I still teach Sunday school (taking a break for the summer), love to read, desire to know what is going on in the world and how to pray for those who are hurting all around us, and teach our boys. Here is a little update on the boys.

Samuel and cousin Gracie in my sister Shelbi's wedding

Samuel holding Dream

He can't do this anymore; Dream is too big and busy

Samuel: It is funny the things kids say because they say exactly what they "hear." Sameul started saying, "Dark Incubator" for Darth Vader of Star Wars. Even though he has never seen star wars he hears other little boys talk about it and they like to play these characters so he was asking me about who teh Dark Incubator was and was he good or bad. He has also started riding his bike without training wheels a couple weeks ago. After the second day, he was making turns, going down hills, and using his breaks. His phonics and reading have really started taking hold. He is putting sounds of letters together to form words and reading short, phonetic words. Samuel continues to be the social one of our family. He is so good at making friends with all different types of children. It seems like he also loves to meet new adults; very rarely is he shy. The other day we were on our front porch and some Jehovah's witnesses came to talk to us. As the elderly man and I were talking about whether or not Jesus was just the son of God or if He was/is God incarnate (by the way God's word shows us over and over that Jesus was the exact representation of God, He was from the beginning, He is through whom all things were created), Samuel is listening and coloring. As the man left, Samuel gave him a picture he had made for him. I think he has a sweet spirit that allows him to reach out to others.

Brennan playing with his blocks

What an outfit...he is too cute!

Brennan: At some point a few months back Brennan got a blister. One morning shortly after, Samuel and him were sitting on our bed and I hear Brennan say, "Don't touch that it's my blender." His new favorite thing to do is pretend he is some sort of animal. He will pretend he is a lion and will say, " I am a nice baby lion and I will kiss you not bite you." He also likes to pretend to be a "porc" pig or a dog. If he is a dog he will ask you to throw something for him to fetch. Also, since Samuel has been riding his bike Brennan likes to get on his glider bike and go, go, go. It is wonderful how fast he can get going just using his little legs. He then will pick his feet up and glide for a few seconds; it's great fun to watch. Brennan is also our little comedian. He comes up with the funniest things to say and he also loves to act out little dramas. For example he will pretend to trip over some toy laying on the floor and fall down saying, "I fell, help me, help me." Or he will say something and then just crack himself up with his fake little laugh! The day we brought home the tadpoles Brennan and Samuel were both on kitchen chairs looking at them on the counter when Brennan says, "Mom, I want them to do something special for me." There is not a day that goes by that Samuel and I aren't laughing at something he did.

Baby Satchemo: Soon this little love of ours will be making an actual photographic appearance on this blog; that is once he is adopted. Yes, for those of you who do not know we are in the process of adopting our little guy. He has been "ours" and a part of this family since he came to live with us at just 2 days old, but soon we get to make it legal! The process takes awhile; however, we are well on our way. Since the last blog post Satchemo has grown and reached many milestones. He is already 15 months old. He started walking shortly after he turned 1 year old and is very steady on his feet already. Just like our other two boys, he is a climber. He loves to climb anything he can and this makes for two very stressed out parents. Baby gates... ahhh he tries to climb those, kitchen chairs...climbs them easy as pie and stands up to make it even more daring, two step stool in the bathroom...up to the top in no time playing in the sink, and little rocking chair...no problem up and standing ready to tip right over. Needless to say, he keeps us on our toes. One thing he really loves is music. If he hears even a slight little melody coming from somewhere, he is dancing with a big grin on his face. He says, "tati, mommy, and da." He also is using signs for more, cracker, dog, and hot. Samuel and Brennan both love their little brother. Samuel is good at protecting him, playing with him, and loves to sit with him. Brennan also loves to play, but sometimes Satchemo doesn't like the type of play Brennan is giving him :) Yet, Brennan is always quick to tell me if baby is doing something dangerous or has something he shouldn't. As for Satchemo, he loves his older brothers and wants to be where they are and doing what they are doing. What a joy he brings to our family!