Back again...

Life is busy. But in all good ways. Isaiah started kindergarten this week (GASP! how can i have a child old enough for that!??!) at North Georgia Christian School, formerly Westminster where I attended as a child. I can't tell you how thankful I am to have him there. We are doing weekly Scripture memory with him (and his classmates) and are having lively discussions about all he is learning. His teacher, Mrs. Hoh, is an absolute doll and he adores her already. He wills start full days at school next week and he CANNOT WAIT TO TAKE A LUNCH and eat with the "big kids". It's so cute what excites little people. I will miss him during the day, but he is totally ready for school and so far, has thrived.
Mercy and Daniel and I are having fun, early morning play time at the park...as in we arrive at the park before 8 am! We drop Isaiah at school and then, since we are already dressed and out of the house, hit a park. Occasionally, we can convince a friend or two to join us. ;)
Mercy is at such a fun age. Discipline is rarely an issue of any significance, she easily enters an elaborate pretend world with her baby or her kitchen, and she loves to help me with things, particularly cooking. I love cooking with her. I pray for her and dream for her of how she might one day take the things she is learning from me and use them in caring for a family of her own. I can't wait to watch that.
She is tall and beautiful and so sweet (most of the time). Of course, she has her little moments of rebellion or selfishness. But what encourages me most is that she is pretty easily corrected and quick to apologize.
Daniel is huge! I am pretty sure he is over 32 lbs at 18 mos. And he is a bruiser. :) He loves to wrestle, has a language or grunts, is all about balls of any kind and hitting things with bats or clubs (plastic of course!). I noticed recently that his shoes were hard to get on his feet and decided it was probably time for some new ones. He has been wearing the tennis shoes and sandles that Isaiah wore at this age, which were size 6's. So, I took him to a shoe store and asked the lady to please size his foot. I felt myself catch my breath, as I heard her say that he needed at least an 8!!! an 8 people! I have been shoving his little (big!) foot into a shoe at least 2 sizes too small. Poor little buddy. He never complained, but I am sure it explains how his toes are bloody on the ends. You see, his toes were slightly hanging off the ends of the sandles he was wearing and he kept tripping over them and stubbing them on the pavement. I know, I know. I feel awful and quite stupid for not paying closer attention. I just thought he was clumsy. Oops. But you will be happy to know he is now wearing size 8 1/2 shoes (with a little growing room now) and I feel certain his little stubbed toes will heal in no time. Maybe we won't tell him this story. Yeah, I think that is a good plan.
Daniel is also starting to be quite a little entertainer. Whenever he sees someone notice him, he launches into a series of "tricks" which include poking his own belly button and saying "Beep Beep!" or patting his mouth with the back of his hand to sound like a little indian, or jumping up and down, or frantically waving Hi. It's funny to me because Isaiah and Mercy were not this uninhibited at this age.
I am loving my life. Football season is upon us, which means Joab is gone a lot, but I am tremendously thankful for his job and the many ways it allows him to share the Gospel with lots of kids. I am also thankful for the stage of life we are in with the kids. Everyone sleeps good at night and takes fairly predictable naps every day, which means all in all I feel rested and "normal". I'm thinking we will start potty training Daniel soon which will hopefully mean our diaper purchasing will cease in the near future. Exciting and a bit sad at the same time.
Here are some pics from the last few months: