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nothing new.

there’s nothing new to report around here.
the kids and i have been snuggled in our
warm and cozy house while summer quickly fades
and fall just as quickly approaches.
we’ve been having plenty of dance parties,
and we’ve all been taking
lots
and lots
and lots of pictures.
what about you?
316. a breakfast feast
317. sweet L who takes such lovely naps during the day
318. clean floors (even if they stay that way for mere moments)
319. fresh flowers the color of fall
320. the chilly air blowing through our windows

a cancellation.

when i got word that we were going to have to enter into a formal appeal
in order to fight for L’s therapies,
i really didn’t think i could handle it.
i was so stressed out and pushed to the max.
but after
hours and
hours and
hours
of a lot of prayer
and a lot of work,
i was able to get everything prepared for our mediation.
I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13
and then do you know what happened?
i got word that the mediation was cancelled
because the team re-reviewed L’s case
and decided that in fact, he should continue with his current therapies
and not decrease them after all.
i know.
i can’t believe it either.
praise God for this result.

today,
all three children
and i went to our weekly CBS class.
it feels so good to be back after the summer break.
and, it feels so good to have all of my children attending
(my parents watched L last year and would bring him
to the class so that i could run out and nurse him and run back in.
we called it a drive-by nursing).
i am so blessed by the study and the amazing women who teach
not only me
but also my children
about Christ.
CBS has been life changing for me.
i can never imagine life without it.
similarly to how i feel about knowing Jesus.
when i dropped L off in his class this morning,
(this was the very first time in his fifteen months of life
that he was watched by anyone other than family)
there were lots of tears.
but luckily, i was the only one who shed them.
Praise His Holy Name.
Rejoice in the Lord always.
I will say it again: Rejoice!
Philippians 4:4
311. remembering there are cookies in the freezer
312. B’s help to get out the door this morning
313. our surprisingly open afternoon
314. celebrating the news about L’s therapies
315. feeling r e f r e s h e d

one of those days.

it’s been one of those days.
yeah, you know exactly what i’m talking about.
the kids have been super wild lately,
like there’s been sugar floating through the air
that they are getting hyper on by just merely breathing or something.
i can’t figure it out.
but they are wearing me out.

i’ve set up art projects for said wild children,
to distract them while i hurry and get dressed for the day.
but it ends up taking longer to set up the activities and
then after the four minutes of glorious peace that they give me,
where i get ready for the day as quickly as humanly possible,
they ask me “what’s next?”
then, it takes me
way
way
longer to clean the activities up.
(yeah, you know exactly what i’m talking about.)
actually, it’s been one of those weeks.
i’ve been in survival robot mode because of this impending mediation for L.
i am so looking forward to that being over and done with.
soon, soon enough.
i didn’t even brush my teeth before taking D to school this morning.
i know, gross.
but that’s mostly
(but not entirely)
due to the fact that i hadn’t eaten breakfast by the time we left.
i know, still gross.
i have barely been able to keep up with the laundry
(more of a problem than usual).
and to top it off, this little one
has been pretending she’s a fussy, whiny, crying baby.
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.
In this world you will have trouble.
But take heart!
I have overcome the world.
John 16:33
306. preschool
307. other special needs moms who get it
308. dream dinners
309. tea parties with K
310. mary poppins soundtrack

too cool for school.

D has officially begun his first and last year of preschool
(note, he was enrolled in preschool for a brief time a few years ago).
i couldn’t have been happier to hear that his first day was “awesome.”

he might just be too cool for school.

K missed him dearly and longs for the day when she can go to school.

L on the other hand, just wants to eat books.

yes, i left him in his high chair for a few moments while i helped K in the bathroom
and what did i come back to?

bits and pieces of wet papers all over his cheeks and hands.
and this is what i saw out my window while i was making dinner the other night.
pure bliss.
301. being able to hear with both of my ears
302. L doing something new nearly every single day
303. the weekend (a.k.a. end of week)
304. our red swing
305. naps while the kids nap

seriously.

it’s {embrace} the camera day!

we had such a great labor day celebrating the end of summer.
B wanted to do something boat related.
so, we did something boat related.

B and me and our little lovebug.


LE, LE, L and me


this was the first boat trip where i thought
we might actually have to jump overboard
to rescue our little daring darling.
luckily, she decided to save that for another trip.


she also thought about going over.


the D club.


he seriously had a good time.

the sweet girls.


the E fam.



she had a good time.

296. my parents who babysat much longer than expected
297. starbucks hazelnut steamer
298. boat cruises
299. pumpkin waffles
300. homemade oatmeal, chocolate chip, butterscotch cookies

the front of our house.

i love children’s artwork.
and by that, i mean that i am
absolutely
completely
in love with children’s artwork.
especially if it’s my children’s.
but you probably feel the same if you have children.
and if you don’t have children,
you probably are in love with my children’s artwork, right?
i would love it if their artwork covered nearly every wall in my house.
it’s
colorful
surprising and
energetic.
it easily leaves you feeling more alive.
that they could create such beautiful masterpieces in a matter of moments,
without hemming and hawing
about which color they should use for this or that,
is simply incredible.
but instead, they hastily paint with such wild fury
because they know that the next moment is there,
ready and waiting to be lived
and not to be merely contemplated.

D painted this picture of our house.
he is surprisingly accurate.
i absolutely love it.
our art filled mantle
(which i just cleaned up).

291. enjoying a hot cup of good earth tea
292. moments to catch up
293. naptimes that just work out beautifully
294. checking things off of your to do list
295. a cloudy day

the perfect wall.

do you remember when i gave my sister-in-law
the silhouettes for her birthday?
well, i finally saw where she put them.
doesn’t this look so incredible?
i think so too.
286. perfectly hung silhouettes
287. K’s imaginary friend
288. L’s new love of food
289. receiving balloons at the mall
290. making it home without the balloons popping or floating away

one thousand pieces.

we’re getting our house all organized
and put together
in eager anticipation for fall to arrive.
D starts school tomorrow
and the little kids are looking forward to
many mornings of delicious time at home just as much as i am.
i am sure of it.
a month ago, B brought home some of the toys that he played with when he was a child.
i wish i was kidding when i tell you that one of them has
one thousand pieces.
yes, one thousand.

now, there is a place for every single one of the pieces,
but the issue is that they just don’t get put back there
because the containers were big messes.
so, D and i worked so hard and
organized, organized, organized
every last one of them.
and, if you know us, you know we both love to organize things.
luckily, L was around to help.
he can’t wait to unload the
one thousand pieces
when he gets older.
i can just see it on his face.
in other news, L’s been busy slobbering all over
daddy babydoll.
K thinks he is trying to eat daddy babydoll
but i think he just likes to kiss daddy babydoll.

281. organization
282. organizing with D
283. fall weather
284. a house that is slowly but surely coming together
285. running a quick errand with the kids that actually was quick