We Went to Farm Days, too!

Thanks to a heads up from several friends, we headed out to farm days, too. Very cute! Our time was limited since we had to be home to pick up a friend from the bus stop, but I think we managed to see pretty much everything. I think the baby chicks were the biggest hit. Ellary actually moo-ed at a cow and she liked watching the chicks. She would NOT touch one though. Very skittish. Kellen liked climbing on a tractor, and Addie was excited to rope a metal steer. Neither one was interested in the goats. Kellen kind of had the "been there done that" attitude after having chased Uncle Ben's goats around several weeks ago. Ice cream was a big hit, though Addie did not really like have to eat with the little wooden popsicle stick, and my offer of a baby spoon was not appreciated. Ellary liked sharing my chocolate ice cream, and since she was having a banana for snack lunch, I started combining spoonfuls so she had her first banana split! I'm not sure Kellen was overly excited about anything, but he was VERY impressed that he had done something at NC State. All afternoon he kept saying, "so that building was NC State?" I think that's his new favorite team. :)

Handling the lasso; the effects of green beans, bananas and chocolate ice cream; a fascinating wheel that was as tall as me!

Kellen said the chicks were prickly.

A dairy cow and its produce - yum!

What's that new reality show? Farmer Wants a Wife? ;)

What did YOU do today?

Let me just say that I am not really an introspective person. Geof takes care of all that in our relationship! But I just feel the need to have a bit of an introspective post, if for no other reason than to get some thoughts out of my head so I can see them. When I had Kellen, a little over 5 years ago, I thought that I would stay home with him until he went off to school, and then maybe I'd go back to work. Then Addie came and I said maybe when she goes to school. Then I was blessed with Ellary... and I now know that when she goes off to school, I don't want to go back to being a librarian. Since the beginning of the year I've really felt strongly that I need to use my talents in some productive way, and that if I go back to "work" it will be something I do with my artistic talents. Surprise surprise to my blog ladies, I think that I want to take pictures! So these last few months I've been pretty much driven to distraction with this idea. I had days when I would begrudge my work at home because it kept me from pursuing pictures. I have laid awake at night composing pictures in my head, and suffering for it the next day. I have parked the kids in front of Curious George so I could read a photog book.

All year long I have been studying Genesis, and the effects of the study on my life this year all came into perspective for me last night. Joseph has been the focus of study for the past few months, and God has really used his example to shed light on my situation. God has a plan for me. I know that. But God also has His own timing for me. Joseph knew that and did not begrudge his difficult situations. I need to know this. God has put me in this place (a home in the suburbs filled with little ones) in this time (when my little ones need me and my husband can provide for us), and being a mommy is what I am called to do right now. I am resting in that. I can wait patiently for God to provide me with opportunities to use my talents, and I can let go of doors God closes that I have so desperately tried to pull open. I am not idle, but I am patiently pursuing and listening. Looking back over the last month or so, I can see His provision now that I have let go of the lens and let Him change my life focus. God has given me one quiet hour each week when I can study while the kids are at the gym. God has provided for me to be on the photography corps at church. God has introduced me to another Christian mom who is also a graphic designer. God has given me friends who encourage me. And God has filled my days with work that keeps me focused on my most important duties - being a wife and mom.

So, my blog-o-sphere girlfriends, what did YOU do today? Here's what I did, and like Joseph, I can rejoice in knowing that each little detail was known by God to be part of his plan for me, no matter how mundane or seemingly burdensome, and that one day, a day like today will seem more precious to me than any picture I could ever take.

Today I woke up, showered, greeted a smiling baby in her crib, prepared 3 bowls of cereal, picked out clothes for 3 kids, packed lunches, drove to preschool, saw a bumblebee in a baggie, shopped for sand pails and shovels, bought surprise toys for my kids, puff-painted the names of 10 children on sand pails, played ball with a baby girl, kissed that baby to sleep, talked on the phone with 2 girlfriends, sent numerous meaningful emails, built three K'nex vehicles with Kellen, explored the littlest pet shop with Addie, nursed the baby, fed a fish, made snow cones, emailed with one of my best friends from high school for the first time in years, had dinner at Moe's because I forgot to put dinner in the oven, went to orchestra rehearsal, got home in time to tuck EB into bed, talked on the phone with my precious sister, watched tv with my hubby, blogged, repaired a purple monkey, and got a report that when Addie prayed at bedtime tonight, she thanked God that He is so great and she prayed that she would be able to have Jesus in her heart. And that's why I'm here doing what I do every day right now.

Girly Girl

Addie had gymnastics class #2 last night. She found a little pink leotard that a neighbor had passed along to us, and she decided to wear it. That, combined with her pigtails, made her look so cute and girly! Not the look she often goes for, so of course I had to take pictures. On Sunday she wore a very pretty dress to church and let me pull her hair back and put a big bow on her head! Who is this little girl?! ;)

Ready for gymnastics & ready for church

Geof went to their gym classes last night, so I didn't take any pictures. It's not the greatest place to try to get pictures, but one of these days I'll try to get it done. Kellen had another one-on-one class and did back flips on the rings all by himself. He also worked on cartwheels, which Geof said was less than successful but quite cute and amusing. Addie came home and immediately fell asleep on the sofa and slept for 14 hours! I guess she was worn out. Again, she told me that she wishes she could stay at gymnastics "all the day."

Zoo Post #4

Picture Slide Show
Once again, too many pictures to post, so here's a slide show from our trip to the zoo. We had a lot of fun, despite some morning rain, and the kids were excellent! Even the babies were happy for the whole day. I know Kellen had a great day, because he literally fell asleep laughing in bed last night. Let's do it again next year, and if you missed it yesterday, plan to come!

Our wet and wild day!

Zoo Post #3

Where were the monkeys? So I read Heather's blog and she said her kids liked seeing the monkeys. Addie REALLY wanted to see the monkeys, but we walked through what we thought was the monkey house and didn't see any. Maybe we missed them. We did see some sort of monkeys sitting in an outside enclosure scratching each others' backs, but I think Addie was looking for chimpanzees, baboons, etc. Anyway, while we did not see any monkeys swinging from trees or vines, I did see a number of very special little monkeys throughout the zoo who liked to hang upside down:

Zoo Post #2

When I think zoo I think LIVE animals. I believe Addie thinks animal STATUES. At the last zoo we visited she sought out every animal statue she could find and sat on it. There were lots of animal statues at the NC Zoo, too, and the kids took turns posing for pictures on them. Here are a few:

Kellen and Caden check out a giant egg shell;
Ellary Bea is too afraid to sit on the giant bumblebee statue.

Taking a ride on the rhi-nose

Addie seems to have perfected her stance for baby elephant racing.

Zoo Post #1

I think I'll do the zoo pics in a series of posts. Of course we saw animals, but I took way more pictures of the kids, so let me get some of the animal pics out of the way first! :) We had an interesting morning with pouring rain, so I didn't get very many pictures of the animals. And much of the time my arms were full of Ellary so I didn't have a free hand for the camera! I wondered how interested in the zoo Ellary would be since she's little, and it turns out Ellary loved the animals! Whenever she caught something moving she would squeal, grunt, bounce, jump, reach, strain, or call "Heeeey!" to try to get closer to it or touch it. She particularly liked the sea lions, a little spotted skunk, and the ocelot (none of which I got a picture of since I was holding her).

lions and monkeys

zebra and elephants

rhinos and Sam and a turtle
See the little turtle on the right? This was SO cute! In the Sonora Desert house, baby Sam spotted a small turtle trundling along the glass partition of its exhibit enclosure. He immediately started crawling back and forth along the glass with the turtle, trying to catch it. It was adorable! I think Sonja got it on video. :)