Three Weeks In and all is well

Alright, so some of you sweetly have actually been anticipating my blog updates.  I remain humbled at every one's interest.  I almost want to fabricate some amazing blog post just to meet expectations;)  The truth is, we had a pretty normal week.  Not very exciting, for which we are THANKFUL.

I have learned a couple things for those of you praying for me.

Mondays are HARD days for me right now.  At least the last two Mondays since Christian has been home.  I find my self feeling down and grumpy.  I find myself wishing for a break.  The first Monday I was able to pull myself up by my boot straps pretty quickly.  Last Monday I found myself repeatedly having to pray that God would help me change my perspective and attitude.  I think the biggest issue is that weekends aren't really a break right now so when Marc returns to work, I just feel sad that the grind never seems to let up much. I have been fine the rest of the week.

Second, I am still trying to shake this sinus thing.  I am feeling A LOT better, but not 100%.  I am using Sudafed and my trusty Nedipot and it's helping, but I am having a lot of congestion at night and sleeping very fitfully.  Christian hadn't been sleeping great due to his antibiotics, but we are done with all that and his tummy seems happier and he's sleeping a bit better- sometimes through the night, sometimes waking about 4 am.  I just need sleep, I don't do well on limited amounts of it.

(The prayer requests would be, for my heart on Mondays, that it would rest in contentment.  I have been trying to meditate on the following statement by Andrew Murray:

In times of trouble, say, "First, he brought me here.  It is by his will I am in this strait place; in that I will rest."  Next, "He will keep me here in his love, and give me grace in this trial to behave as his child."  Then say, "He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons he intends me to learn, and working in me the grace he means to bestow." And last say, "In his good time he can bring me out again.  How and when, he knows."  Therefore, say, "I am here (1) by God's appointment, (2) in his keeping, (3) under his training, (4) for his time."

Second, please pray for full healing and for rest for us all.


Now, on to what you REALLY came here to see pictures:

Marc traveled for the first time post Christian and was gone Wed- Fri.  We wanted to be sure to Skype before bed every night.  The kids loved it...but let me assure you, it was pure chaos and I almost needed a glass of wine afterwards;)

Hannah could not stand my neglected garden any longer;)  She and Chloe picked a ton of sage and put it in the dehydrator.  I now have enough sage to last a lifetime;)  Chloe LOVED it.

Christian LOVES our Jack in the Box and apparently thinks he's become one himself;)

Marc took the boys to Sports Clips for haircuts- Christian's first in the states.  He's obviously used to the buzzer.  He was quite serious, but completely unrattled.  The hairdresser was uber impressed.

We're breakin' more post adoption rules.  We took the kids to a movie.  Christian loved the first ten minutes and then he slept through the rest;) 

 Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs...I love movies, but this one could wait for DVD in my opinion.

We call this look "The Celo Green"

He just digs the pink glasses, folks.  And he's so cute, he can totally pull it off;)

So this happened today....

Poor Phin was CRYING, I could not stop laughing, and Marc had to stop to take a picture.  We then got him out...almost had to get out the butter, but we managed without it.

 Finally, self indulgent cute pictures of my kids playing outside this afternoon...Knowing I am biased, I must declare I have the cutest children in the world;)

These boys don't care that this jeep is Purple and says "Barbie" on it...it has four wheels and a motor....we have little hope that they will be cautious drivers after seeing them whip around in this thing;)

Chloe and "my Hannah"

Ava decided it was time to make a leaf pile...

Is there anything better than jumping in a leaf pile in the fall?

 We propose, "no"...It's the best

Christian is not the greatest driver, to put it mildly so when Phin was done, we took the battery out and let him sit in the jeep.  He was bound and determined to make it move- so he got out and pushed it;)

And that, dear friends, is our week three.  A normal life with four kiddos.  It really is "normal"...so normal, in fact, when Hannah and I were in the nursery today I was noticing how big Christian seemed next to a little boy, who we were told was two (though I later found out he's just one:).  I said to Hannah, "Christian seems huge, but makes sense I guess.  Neither Marc or I are tiny and his mom is as petite as they come."  She looked at me strange and it took me a minute to realize how silly this statement was as I was attributing his physique to Marc's and my genetics.  Made me laugh and then smile...no doubt my heart has fully embraced him as mine.