Summer in the South!

Some might say moving from dry Arizona to humid South Carolina is courageous. Others would say it's CRAZY. Considering I thought it felt a little humid when we arrived in December, I'm going with the later. We're currently in a "drought", which would still be considered a moist season in the desert. So we haven't experienced the humidity at it's worst. I'm in no hurry to experience it first-hand, but I'm sure it's in our near future.

Bryant has been out of school for one week now. He is enjoying lazy days and came up with a little checklist of things to accomplish each day. He starts swim lessons next week and VBS the following week. He is most excited about our trip to Michigan so he can see his cousins Lily & Maisy that he misses so much! He is also thrilled about his older cousins, Brandon & Dylan visiting us here again. We can't wait. He is still the Lego king and his creativity amazes me. Always building a new Star Wars ship and was just describing to me the importance of aerodynamics to make the things travel faster.

Last week Caleb took Bry to buy a set of his very own golf clubs! This was very exciting for them both. After they bought the set, they went to the driving range and hit balls. Bryant was hooked instantly. He can sometimes be seen getting his clubs out of the garage and heading to the backyard to "practice putting". Where does the time go? It doesn't seem like very long ago we were watching him hit with his little plastic set in our horribly rocky yard in Ajo.

Delainey turns 3 in just a few days. Unbelievable! I can't believe that dark haired, one dimpled little baby that no longer looks anything like her baby pictures, is already 3. She is a joy! If she's awake, her raspy voice can be heard throughout the house, saying things like, "The cottage cheese is taking a bath in the applesauce." She wants to talk about anything and everything from lipgloss to the scratch on her knee. She loves anything girlie, but handles getting dirty in the yard just fine. She is all about having FUN! What a vivacious little thing she is. And she is a TALKER! Where could she have gotten that from? What a wild ride this parenting thing is!

Little Elle is 17 pounds of pure sweetness. She is getting more curious and starting to venture into different rooms now. It's fun to see her discover her independence. She seems much more timid than Bry and DJ were, even at this early age. She gets shy when people talk to her, by turning away with a grin and hiding her face. If I had to choose one word to describe her, it would be, "lovely". She is simply, "lovely". I remember right when she was born, Caleb scooped her up and began to sing the old song, "Isn't she lovely?". He had no idea just how right he was!

She got her first two teeth about a week and a half ago. The two bottom, middles. They arrived a day apart. She babbles, "Dada" all the time. I think she tries to say Mama, but it comes out, "Papa". What's up with that? That's Caleb's claim to fame, how all the kids said his name first.

Caleb & I are doing very well. We really miss friends and family, as we knew we would. Chasing 3 little ones keeps us extremely busy, which helps. Caleb still runs quite a bit (25-30 miles a week) and plays golf everytime the budget will allow. As for me, I'm currently taking a photography class which I am ecstatic about! I'm learning a lot and growing in knowledge and skill. I hope this is the first of many classes, making me better and sharper as I go.

Can you believe this month Caleb and I are approaching our 8th anniversary? So much life in 8 short years! I cannot believe all the adventures we've had and such amazing friends we've made along the way. We truly are blessed!

Why on earth did God choose to bless me with this family? I just don't get it. Some days I feel like I'm doing great as a mom and other days I feel clueless and completely undeserving. Thankfully, God doesn't require perfection, just willingness.

Lord, make me more willing to be the mother you want me to be. Give me wisdom and patience because I really need them.