New Buffalo

We just returned from our yearly family vacation to New Buffalo, Michigan. Elijah, Callan, and Aedan had a grand time. Each year, the Knauffs rent a beautiful lake house and we get to spend the week with them. It is especially fun for the children, because they get to play with their cousins who live in Chicago.
We visited Lake Michigan almost every day. The kids LOVED playing in the sand and braved the cold water time and time again!
We even had plenty of excitement at the lake house, as mice were about the place. Two mice were trapped while we were there, and that generated plenty of curious questions from our 5-year-old!
Each year when we leave, we can't wait to return the following year.

A Broken Brain!

A day or two ago, Elijah and Callan were in their room playing, rather than napping. Suddenly, Elijah started crying hard and screaming "MOMMY!! MOMMY!!".
I ran into their room, expecting blood and gore. Instead, Elijah was holding a cup in his hand.
"Mommy," he said, "Callan almost breaked my brain! She threw this cup at my head. It almost breaked my brain!"
While providing comfort, I couldn't help but smile about the nearly broken brain.

Worms

After a thunderstorm overnight, our backyard had plenty of worms in it this morning! And Elijah was esctatic about it!! He immediately "adopted" two little worms and made them a home inside of a bucket. He proudly introduced them to me, and I instinctively (and insensitively) responded, "Gross!".
"Mommy," he replied, "Don't say gross! You'll hurt their feelings."
Of course, my heart melted, and I found myself apologizing to the worms.
Only in motherhood!!!

Dandelions

I love dandelions! Why? Because they remind me of the innocence of youth. Every spring, my children spend hours picking them from the backyard and bringing me bouquets and bouquets of them. They look at them as beautiful flowers, certainly not weeds! Just this week both Elijah and Callan have picked me several, hearfelt bouquets. Elijah has even "planted" some in a pot for me so they can continue to grow!
I'm sure Aedan would pick me some, too, but he is too busy running around the yard chasing his soccer ball!

The Circle of Life

I had to share with everyone the sad fact that we had a miscarriage on Sunday, April 5, 2009. We were about 8 weeks along in the pregnancy when it happened. We were all quite devastated, and we will certainly miss the beautiful life that God chose to enter heaven at that time. We take comfort in the fact that the chances of conceiving again soon are excellent, and we are so thankful for the blessings God has bestowed on us through our children.