The blogless months

Working, moving, and chasing a lively two-year old--while pregnant--has taken its obvious toll on this dear blog. (I wish I could say the blog was the only thing bearing the neglect of this well-intentioned but often-tired mama. Sigh, can't we all relate?)

When I look back over the past several (blog-less) months, I am overwhelmed with gratitude over the good things that have busied us. (Yes, we finally moved to the farm, and we love it here. In January, we welcomed Grandma Jan to North Carolina, and in March, I stopped working my part-time IBM job in anticipation of Baby #2, due in just two weeks.) If there's ever been a time of lavish, undeserved grace (let's be honest, there have been many), this is it. At the same time, we've wrestled alongside dear friends whose lavish grace has required a more eternal perspective to see. Our sweet, two-year-old friend Graham has been fighting a long, hard battle in the ICU for months now. New houses and more free time are good, but Jesus is better. We thank Graham and his parents for showing us that. They are teaching us more than they'll ever know.

Since pictures are better than words, I'll welcome myself back to the blog by leaving you with these:

The snow-covered new house.
We moved in the first week of January and got
 two weeks straight of snow and ice in February.

Will thought the snow/ice was more fun than he did last year,
but he still didn't love it. That comes genetically from me, I guess.

Sledding with his next-door-neighbor friend Makayla.

I of course lured him inside in whichever creative way I could.

Playing with Daddy's hats

As a side note, at the playground today, a little boy came up to Will and asked,
"Why are you so happy?"
I love my kid.

Dinner for Drew's bday. (This was the best of about 20 pics. Really.)

Ryan took Will to G-borough to watch his cousins play baseball one
Saturday recently. This is the most grown-up pic of him I've ever seen.
Seriously, where's my baby?

I'll help you with that, Daddy.

When the weather finally cooperated, we had some landscaping done.
The guys left this mound of dirt one day, and Will sat like that for over two hours.
Longest he has sat in one place in his entire life.

Logan even let him ride on the tractor

We've spent every warm minute since January outside.
(I don't have many pregnant pictures of me this time around -
it's not nearly as cute as it was last time, trust me.
A fat-cheeks selfie will have to suffice.)

Aiming to capitalize on Will's love for dirt
(aka, he'll sit still for longer than a nanosecond in its presence),
we set out to create a "dirt box" in the back yard.

He loves it.

My dear, dear friends organized a surprised shower for me.
(Unfortunately the organizer herself--Becca--is the one taking the pic!)
And still yet, some other sweet friends did the same thing, but I have no pic!
What awesome friends I have!

And finally, this is Will and his buddy Graham last summer.
We're praying fervently for our dear friends.

Christmas 2014 post coming soon! Better late than never!