Grateful Acres

Henry in his happy place (on the tractor) Ruby in her happy place (in Daddy's arms, holding her own apple) Jonathan in his happy place (halfway up a cedar tree that I grew up playing in) Ya know how as Mommas we often feel like 97% of the stuff we say to our kids goes in one ear and out the other? So often they are moving so fast that I don't realize how much they retain as they wiggle and race and jump and motorcycle-noise circles around me. One of my boys retained and regurgitated something recently that really hit me. As he recited my words to his brother, I heard it differently and more deeply than I had meant it the first time. We were in the car going somewhere or another (seems like half the profound things any of us say happen to be said in the car...). All the kiddos were buckled into the back seat, and as we winded around the beautiful, scenic corners toward Daddy's shop, J leans toward H and says, "Brother, when we fight the devil wins....

I think it's about time for a family-update. Most of my writing is about all the things going on inside MY head... but all the while my children are growing and changing, and our family dynamic is growing and changing. I document the change going on in my heart because I don't want to forget the thoughts and processes that get me to each place, and family is the same. I don't want to look back someday and wonder how we got where we are... I want to have LOTS of memories, LOTS of pictures, and well, LOTS of blog posts :) Jonathan. He is settling in to life right now. He has the occasional rowdy streak or stubborn flair, but for the most part he is happy to run, to play, to wiggle and pretend and make helicopter/motorcycle/race car/monster truck noises. He loves to beat box (yes, my 5 yr old beat-boxes...), and is learning the lyrics to songs he hears a lot. He has moved to the grade-school Sunday school class at church, leaving Henry in charge of the preschool class ;)  A...