How are we doing?

Thanks for all of you who have asked - Dan is on bedtime duty, and because it's a holiday, here's me making time to blog! :)

We are doing well. We have four kids ages 4, 3, 2, and 2. It's toddler insanity! But we have much to be thankful for, friends. The boys are healthy and really, really cute. The kids do, for the most part, in their toddler way, get along. (We don't see any major personality clashes.) The boys are excellent sleepers.  Mr. F is potty trained! Mr. G eats really well. We have already seen a lot of progress in the boys' behaviors. Kate is taking her role as oldest very seriously (most of the time). Their ages, although extremely close, are exactly what we felt the Lord calling us to. We are also very, very thankful Dan was on summer break when we were placed - the Lord has been so, so faithful!

There are moments of glorious play and fun. Tonight, three were sitting on one of those bopper blow ups sideways, and all together bouncing and rolling off backwards into the grass together. When they all decide to play tag it is adorable. When they all have food in their mouths, and it's quiet for a split second at the dinner table, Dan and I look at each other and exhale.

Thank you for praying with us. For choosing to come with us on this journey. We appreciate you - our support - sooo much! And so I will share that yes, this is the hardest thing we have ever done. We are totally in over our heads. Here are *some* of the challenges you can put to prayer for us...

Chloe, although she talks like she's 4, is only 2. She was exerting her "terrible twos" before this process, and as she finds herself in the middle child role she is struggling to try to figure it all out. Both the boys are speech delayed. Mr. G is saying more words now, but is pretty much non-verbal. They will be put into speech therapy eventually, but we are trying to give them tools now to communicate.  Mr. F really struggles socially - can't play independently, but doesn't play well with others. Although we've seen drastic improvements since placement, tantrums are still an issue by both. (But praise - today was the FIRST day Mr. G didn't have a severe one! Progress!)

Dan and I - we could use more uninterrupted sleep (our girls night waking and a 6am wake up time by all 4 kids are the culprits). We hope we can get it all done when school starts. We are so thankful we've both been home to be on top of the wash, cooking, cleaning and discipline, but holy cow - what will the school year look like? I could use a maid to do the deep cleaning - or a babysitter so I can do the cleaning. Dan could use more time and space to prepare for his school year and choir camp. Dan could also use your prayers and assistance the two weeks he's alone with the kids when I go back to work.

A highlight to end on, though - a few nights ago, we went to a park to take family pictures with a friend. We ate dinner in the park, played for a while, then took pictures. It was so fun, went so well, and by the looks of just a few of the pictures she let me peek at, these pictures of the kids are going to be ADORABLE!! It will be torture to not be able to post them online when we get them! Sooo...if you would like to meet the boys, see the pictures, and/or give us a break for a few minutes to entertain little ones, you are officially invited to come visit us anytime in the next few weeks - if you're brave enough! ;)

Praising the Lord tonight for His faithfulness, and that He calls us to a much fuller, abundant, challenging life than we could ever dream of on our own. Praying your summer is going well and involves a God-filled adventure!