Quirky Girls

 Just a quick update about what's making each of them special these days:

Amalia is seeming so grown-up lately. She recently ditched all PBS shows in favor of any and all princess movies. Sleeping Beauty is usually the favorite since it has both fairies and a princess. Mal-Doll is getting really close to reading and we've been working on phonics lessons, memory work, and beginning math with her. She can now read "mat", "sat" and "at" and is pretty darn proud of herself.

"The Bugs" is as cuddly as ever and still spends a lot of her time in a fancy princess dress dancing around the house. She continues to be the pickiest eater of the trio and often decides to talk through dinner rather than actually eating.  Both she and Mali LOVE helping Daddy with home-improvement projects and Brinn asks everybody involved during the project "So, how's it going, Dad?  And how's it going for you, Mali?  Etc.  She's very intentional with her family and freinds.

And this one...quirk-y! She cuddles us first thing every morning but then basically jumps down and spends the rest of her day running and climbing.  The higher, the better.  She now calls her sisters "Ma-hee" and "Buggy" and also delights in her friends, "Jack-Jack", "Ga" and "Baby". (Also known as Jack, Gail, and Iris Ryan)  We have no idea where it came from but her current favorite game is "blind girl" where she squeezes her eyes shut, puts her hands out in front of her and feels around where she's going.  Where does she come up with this stuff? 

One and a half (plus a few weeks)

Somewhere in the midst of the craziness, our littlest girl turned not just one, but one and a half. It's been fun to have her in Pittsburgh where people knew what the other two looked like as babies and can see how different she is. She'll have her official check-up with our favorite peds doctor, Dr. Hildebrandt soon, so we'll see then her actual stats.  I'm continually surprised by her height (around the 50%--pretty impressive for a Ward!) and how she grows out of clothes more quickly than her sisters. Speaking of doctors, this cold/flu season has not been kind to her and she's been through a couple rounds of meds for a nasty ear infection, or rather, a blister on her eardrum.  We can always tell when she's sick because she's quiet as her opposed to her usual chatter, and refuses to go to to sleep on her own.  When healthy, she sleeps from about 8 pm to 6:30 am-ish with a solid afternoon nap in there.  Compared to two older girls who usually only "rest" now in the afternoon, it's heavenly.

Care-bear's personality develops more each day.  She's a big snuggler, but only when she initiates it.   Right now she can say "Mali" and some version of "Bug-as" for her sisters.  Actually it's usually comes out as "Bubba" but we try not to let Brinn notice that.  She's a great climber, loves the trampoline, and run all over the yard.  Her favorite books now are "Hop on Pop", "Goodnight Moon", "My World", and "Hush Little One".  For an easy-going kid most of the time, she does have a temper.  Don't cross her.  If you do, she'll clench her fists and really do a "NOOOOO".  Just ask the Ryans--they heard plenty of her protests the week we stayed there and attempted to interrupt her playtime with a diaper change or something else horrific.

She's a keeper, all right.  We can't imagine our family without that little burst of blond sunshine!

The First Post from our Sixth Home

That's right!  The Ward family has now lived in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Shadyside, Highland Park, Grand Rapids, and now Churchill.   It's funny that we keep using the phrase "getting there" when describing our current state of housekeeping  We're "here", as in, our home, but we are still very much in process of becoming settled.  Thankfully we've have generous friends helping with childcare and unpacking and everything else in between that needs to be done.

The girls continue to do very well.  We love our backyard swingset, the very nearby park and the close-knit neighborhood.  The warm weather was especially helpful this week and lots of neighbors came over to introduce themselves.  We've already checked out the library, the amazing Children's Museum, and our former playgroup spot.  First Trinity was as warm as ever yesterday and we loved worshipping together there as a family of five for the first time.

Jonathan's job is also going extremely well.  He is challenged and invigorated by the work and PNC has shown to be a great work environment.  They already treated the girls and I to a field trip there where we got the personalized tour.  Even better, we had him home today to celebrate President's Day.  Love those bank holidays!

Yes, we're missing Michigan and everything and everyone that is part of that state, but we're getting comfortable in this new-old life here.    We're excited to see what the next few weeks/months/years bring!

Here we go...(again)

Here we go, Steelers, here we go..

That's right, we made it to Steel Town, USA in time for the big game.  Two parents, three little cheerleaders, one frog and a snail.  (Easy pets were one of our many sweet going away gifts).  If our Stillers had to lose, at least they did to the first football team we ever loved, the Pack.  Way to go, Green Bay. 

Our Michigan good-byes were full of tears but there were open arms waiting for us in Pittsburgh.  We're staying with the best hosts in town, The Ryans, for a week while we wait for our belongings to arrive.  We hope to stay in our new place Saturday night.  The girls have been remarkable troopers and we give a lot of credit for that to all of the helping hands both states.

The next chapter of our lives has begun.  Here we go!

Our news (no, it's not a new baby)

Two and a half years ago we said our final Pittsburgh good-byes and drove away from our friends' charming, red-brick, four-bedroom house and headed to Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Jonathan was excited about starting in the leasing side of commerical real estate with a growing company.  We had a new house in a nice neighborhood waiting for us.  We craved Lake Michigan, Midwestern accents, and new beginnings.  We planned on retiring there.  Most importantly, both sides of our families were in Michigan so that's where we wanted to be.

But God had other plans.  Within weeks of our move, the economy tumbled even more.  Especially in Michigan.  Especially in the commerical real estate field.  Jonathan's company soon went bankrupt and he spent three months unemployed while searching for the next thing.  Carrigan was on the way so Amalia, Brinnly and I together did some child care gigs.  Our rice and beans budget would have made Dave Ramsey proud.

The next thing did come.  We were blessed with a new, full-time, salaried position for Jonathan that allowed him to be home at nights and  to cover our basic expenses.  It was outside of his field and interest and we knew it was a temporary solution.  It has now been 21 months. He has continued to look for the right fit that entire time. 

And now the next thing has come.  God has answered our prayers and provided Jonathan a wonderful  opportunity with a new department at PNC Bank.  He was specifically recruited for this job and will be working directly with many contacts he knew from his previous position in Pittsburgh. That means we will be moving back to Pittsburgh.  Back to hill landscapes, close neighborhoods, First Trinity, and dear people like the Ryans. Away from our families and our Grand Rapids life that we learned to love, even in the midst of challenges. We have big plans for staying connected to Michigan and even bigger plans of making up for the distance that will be between us and our families.  Both now and long-term. We're not (quite) ready to retire yet, so we've got plenty of time to make those arrangements then.

The transition will be sweet-bitter and we're trusting God again to answer our prayers during that time. The girls will be starting preschool at Redeemer Lutheran, in Oakmont, PA.  A wonderful school that will complement everything they are learning at Our Savior.  Several of our friends are running the Pittsburgh Half-Marathon and we will most likely let ourselves get talked into that too.  Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and Ikea will be waiting with open arms to welcome us back., or so we picture.

And that "charming, red-brick, four-bedroom house" of our friends' that we said good-bye in front of years ago?  It's going to be ours, at least for a while.  Our friends are moving nearby and we're renting it until we are in a better place to make more decisions.  The best part about it? Lots of room for visitors.

FIve quick updates

1)  After Christmas, Christmas, and more Christmas, we took a quick va-cay to fantastic Milwaukee, WI for New Year's.  As always, the Reinke-Stroh clan spoiled us with lots of good food and even better conversation with lots of kids for entertainment.  Hannah and I even managed a 5K in 50 degree weather and loved it.

2) After coming back to GR, we did our usual family tradition of a special "Twelfth Day of Christmas".  This year, the girls requested a restaurant, specifically one with shrimp.  We were craving some de-tox from so much holiday celebrating so we found a Chinese buffet that included sushi.  Strange, but delish. Mali dubbed it "a walk-around restaurant".

3) We did our final family gifts then too and Carrigan squealed with delight at her oversized candy cane ornament.  We also began officially adding to their snow globe collection since they are really into "collections" of any kind now.

4) Christmas must still be on their minds, since this morning they spent a long time playing "Mary and Joseph".  Poor Carrigan.  The big girls made her be King Herod.  She rebelled by wearing a pink ruffled tutu all day.  I love listening in to their pretend play.  It is an unspoken rule that Brinnly always directs the action and is always the mommy.  Mali surprisingly plays along.

5) And...in the midst of all of this, we've got even bigger news.  After all, it's been over a year and a half since we've had a huge life change.  Stay tuned for the details!

Since it's already past Epiphany, here are the rest of our Christmas pictures!

Christmas 2010

 "But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord."

--Luke 2: 10-11

May your Christmas be without fear and filled with joy this year!

Uncle Dell graduated! Merry Christmas!

We're all so proud of our MBA uncle

He even coordinated his college colors to match Christmas. (On a side note, how did Lauren become so grown-up?)

And there was a yummy dinner involved!

Guests at the hotel asked me if it was a reception!

I have roughly hundreds of Carrigan posing with different wearable gifts.  She prefers to wear all three of the scarves at once.

What's a hotel stay without swimming?

And crashing.

Baking and Celebrating and Trimming, and Partying

Away in a Manger

Is there anything cuter than little ones performing "Away in a Manger"? We heard it both at the Sunday School program and the preschool program. And have been hearing around the house ever since...

Brinnly at the Sunday School program

Mali, in last year's dress.  She saved her new one for the preschool program.

The Berrien Springs crew got snowed in, so we recruited some local fans to applaud.

Bowing after the preschool program

Best girlfriends

The rest of us enjoy bowling

Rolling the ball offered *some* entertainment

Stairs, of course, offer much more

The happy couple--the very first time they have ever bowled together!

New Sport

This bowling thing looks like fun!

Oh.  You're NOT allowed to run down the lanes.  Not fun.

A few leftover Thanksgiving pictures

Chili Cook-Off

The official coordinators

Jonathan's entry table.  Notice the fresly squeezed lime juice to complement the Roasted Poblano Chili

Carrigan was so pleased to be seated at the kids' table

Second Place--not bad!

All of the chefs together.  A talented group!