Fall Update

Since our Advent wreath and the Christmas tree are both up and it's sledding weather outside, that must mean that winter is almost "officially" here.  What better time than a fall update from the Wards?

It has been a full season here.  Amalia and Brinnly wrapped up a fun volleyball season (consolation champs in one tournament!) and have now started basketball. I love watching them together on the same team.  No wins, yet but they are fierce guards.  In one game, a ref actually confused them and scolded Mali for attempting a foul since he had already reminded Brinnly to tone down her aggressiveness. "Wait, there's two of you?"

Carrigan is doing great in third grade and especially loves her teacher.  She's been practicing her times tables like crazy! Delaney loves Kindergarten (well, except for the getting up in the morning part) and lost her first tooth last week. She and the twins play "Power Rangers" every day and is it hysterical to watch.

Everly and Grant...they are full of energy. Wow, so much energy. They are talking constantly, so much in fact, that they keep telling each other to stop talking. Grant calls her "Sissy" and she calls him "Buddy". They also both call Carrigan "Conky" or "Conk" for short. As if that wasn't confusing enough, Everly named her baby doll "Conky Baby Lily". Grant usually refers to himself as "Red Power Ranger" and is quick to inform us that Power Rangers don't do things like pick up toys. He would love to spend his days eating "Baba Gagas" (cereal with milk) and watching TV. Everly has finally started to really love our Sunday School class and sing all the songs from there throughout the week. My co-teacher there calls Everly the "cruise director" because she loves keeping the class on track of what to do next. The twins have been big into pretend play too and rotate between fixing cars with Grant's tools, playing picnics with blankets, and "cooking" with any kind of food they can sneak out of the kitchen. It's been also sweet to watch their twin bond develop more and more.

In other news, Jonathan has had the busiest fall of all of us.  He started a new job as the Vice President of Development at J. Jeffers & Co. about a month ago.  God provided this new opportunity for his at a completely unexpected time for us and it has been great so far. He's still had time to cheer on all of our football teams with the kids (Here we go Steelers! Superbowl???) and fit in time to be active at church and school.  And to make sure that I have time for workouts, church meetings/MOPS/book club, and breaks from two year old tantrums.

We're grateful for this season in life and are trying hard not to complain about the busyness of it, especially when we know many others with far more significant struggles right now.  We are also thankful for the blessing of Advent, a reminder that we wait not just for things to get calmer or easier in this life, but for the Prince of Peace to come again.