Waiting Room, Jonas Updates, & Pictures!

I wrote this to reflect while I was in the 'waiting' phase after a medical scare...

"As I wait to hear 'cancer' or 'benign', I look around and appreciate more.  I'm grateful for each loving glance and act of service from my incredible husband.  I cannot thank God enough for our families and our friends.  At the same time, I'm mad and I'm sad and mostly painfully impatient.  I feel myself slipping into despair on occasion, but my faith grabs ahold of me and doesn't let me go.  God sustains me when others don't get it.  God is my strength when I am weak."

The scare was over as quickly as it started.  Now I've been able to go about my life, loving my people fiercely and appreciating life more fully.  Not everyone gets the answer they are praying for after medical testing, and my heart goes out to those who don't.  My whole life would be turned upside down and spun around had God intended the road of a cancer fight for me.  After going through Willow's surgery, I learned to prioritize a little differently.  This event in which my loved ones rallied around me in prayer reminds me that I want to continue worrying less, loving more, and living a life that honors my Creator.

Okay, now on to some fun stuff!  I'm so behind in blogging, always!  My beautiful babies are keeping me totally busy, and now I'm back to work one night a week.

Jonas has been fake counting to three lately when playing with toys.  So like before the car goes or the ball is thrown, he says "Guh guh guh!"

He is way less urgent about his morning bottle (of formula and rice cereal).  (Although moving him to his crib recently has him crying for it in the middle of the night again.)  When we first got home, this was almost all that comforted him!  Now he can take it or leave it; I am amazed at his bravery and trust in us!

He brings us board books and gets so happy when we read them!  It's either "Wheels on the Bus", "My Car", or "I Am A Puppy."  

Willow taught him how to say "uh oh!"  It's one of the cutest things I've ever seen in my life.  Both of them.  

After I buckle him in his car seat, Kyle says he always says 'bye bye' before I can get in the front. I have heard him say bye bye, but usually after someone else says it.

Jonas always nods knowingly in response to any question.  Also, he has cracked up twice now in the middle of his sleep.

Kyle tried to get the kids to dog pile with him on me in the middle of the floor.  Jonas sat down and just started crying; he was worried about Mama!  (He also began to cry when Willow fussed at a dental appointment.  Our precious boy doesn't like seeing us struggle.)

I adore how when we come back in the room, he gets happy and excited.  This is the beginning of him understanding permanent love and what family is all about.  We always come back!  (He also gets excited when I come back from work, when 'Dada' gets home, and when we pick him up at the church nursery.  We've left him twice now for church, and he has gone straight to the toys to play both times!)

Austin's birthday, right before Geneva's arrival...

A visit from Mimi, Pop, & Aunt Kenda...

Our tshirt for Pop...

Kids went down for a nap, and once I came back downstairs and walked into the kitchen, Pip was like this!  Oh my gosh!!!  Pushed in chairs and immediate clean table from now on...

These two are pure joy...

She was pretending this was her not quite born baby cousin...

Spring is my favorite!

He snagged Willow's old Halloween costume for a minute...

Kyle is amazing and got Willow to feel like a helpful part of his feeding.  Even though he's almost 2, we consider this bottle time an important part of the day as it is formative in our bonding.

Next post... cousin love!!