lmc . four months

this month has been a golden one for little lucy. she has been so incredibly happy. i know that it's all thanks to that sweet sweet medicine the dr. prescribed. i have praised the Lord constantly for it.

she is the most active little thing. she prefers to play on her stomach so when she is done rolling all over the floor, she settles in on her tummy and plays with the toys around her. when she does lay on her back she has started reaching up to play with toys. i had her prop sitting for a few minutes just the other day!

she is becoming more and more able to engage with her brothers. she watches them so close and is so very alert in all of their comings and goings. she is the hot commodity around here and everyone vies for her attention. they love to care for her and play with her and are constantly amazed at the way she is growing and learning new things. just yesterday grey yelled from across the room, "mommy!!!! lucy is reaching up for her birds to play with them!!!"

she chats. she loves to be outside, especially in the evening. i can leave her to play for periods of time and i think she really enjoys it. she explores textures and loves to chew on things.

she is putting herself to sleep for the majority of her naps during the day which continue to be about 30 minutes a pop. sheesh. she is becoming more and more attached to a bunny blanket which we have been hoping for because she needs something to comfort her.

i have shared the sweetest moments with her this month in particular. there is nothing like watching her grin light up her little face the moment she sees me. she almost reaches for me these days. i truly feel like i could almost burst.

she is still the smallest little thing weighing in at 11 lb. 4 oz. the doctor said she thinks it's because she is so very active. but we are trying to get her to eat a little food at this point for the extra calories. i'm changing my diet a little as well to make sure i have the calories she needs. i can't slow her down but i can try to beef her up :) she is around the 8% for height and weight. we will just keep and eye on her growth in the next month. i am praying that she will take to some food soon.

her hair continues to grow and i'm increasingly aware of my lack of knowledge in girl hair dos. she always has a bow out of necessity. and we've had to move up to the bigger size because the little ones just don't cut it.

life with you just keeps getting sweeter, baby girl. we all love you so very much. 

tuck . six years

oh tucker. 

your heart is gold big boy. i look at your big blue eyes that tell it all and know God has something real special for you. you are truly unique in every way. and i love you more than my words could ever possibly express. 

good grief you love others so well. better than i ever have. and you care, deeply care for people. you care for people's souls. as a six year old, you understand that having Jesus is all people need. and you aren't afraid to ask outright. it stuns me every time. your boldness and unfiltered abandon. oh your faith is such an example to me. 

i have spent this school year with you by my side. what precious, sweet moments i have had with you. the set aside learning moments were by far the hardest but all the other moments were some i will never forget. your hand in mine skipping from here to there. walks and talks and bug hunting. library trips and grocery stores. coffee and hot chocolate dates. snuggled up reading on the couch together. legos and listening to jonathan park or adventures in odyssey. laying in the hammock talking and marveling at God's creation. watching birds. charting weather. painting and coloring and sidewalk chalk. the biggest hugs all day because that's what you need. we were always learning. we were always talking of big things. your plans and dreams are bigger than either of us could conceive but i want you to always have those.

i learned more from you this year than i taught you. like all the differences between frogs and toads and that hippos have three stomachs. and how female osprey are larger than male osprey but males are definitely more colorful. all about hummingbirds and butterflies. snakes. oh the snake facts you know are endless. you are a wealth of knowledge and are smart as a whip. 

but i learned about you. and that's what i am most thankful for. that you really struggle through reading and writing. you love math and science but need to be moving at all times. that you always want to be doing something "fun" which means being outside studying creation. so that's where we spend our days.

you pray all day. you know that God hears you. and you know that he loves you. so you talk to him just as He asks us to. you prayed fervently for a baby sister and He gave you just that. and you know she is from Him and never fail to allude to the fact that He gave her to you. He is in and through it all and you are keenly aware of that. you stand in awe of God's creation. and you marvel at His works. you know He heals, protects, gives life, takes it away, comforts, guides, and is sovereign. i hear it when you pray. and it is more precious than anything. 

you work so hard. so so hard. and joyfully. you complete menial tasks with a joyful heart and are such an example to me. you are eager to lend a hand and to learn while doing it. i trust you to get the job done every single time.

everyone who knows you has a "tucker" story and when they are told, we always end up laughing. like really laughing. it does make me nervous when someone says, "let me tell you what tucker told me..." but i am never surprised by the story that follows.

i love seeing you with your brothers. you lead will so well and i'm not sure what he's going to do without you next year. he sticks so close by you and you love him so. you look up to grey and crave time with him. you challenge him and i think he looks up to you in return. it's a sweet spot you are in. 

and the gentleness with which you love lucy is something to behold. you love her more than i could have ever imagined. that relationship is sure to continue to blossom in beautiful ways as you both grow. 

i love knowing you. you live life to the fullest and want everyone around you to do the same. your spirit is contagious and i am so thankful that i get a glimpse of who God is just by living life with you tuck man. i love you buddy. 

bush n' vine . strawberries

the breeze was blowing just right, the strawberries were sweet as sugar, and the homemade ice cream was perfect. these kiddos weren't so bad either :) 

glc . eight years

first born baby boy. 

eight years with you, sweet boy, have really been so wonderful. you makes us proud but also keep us humble. i just enjoy being with you. there are so many things that make you grey bear. 

you have grown so much in a years time. from your physical stature to your heart and everything in between. 

this year is a hard one to write to you, my biggest boy. 

because this year you have grown in much different ways than ever before. i know all the ways of growing are necessary but sometimes i'd just rather bypass the hard ones. i know those harder times are making you the man you will be and i am grateful we are the ones guiding you through them all. we have encountered growing pains as we are learning together what it's like to live in this world but be called to focus somewhere different. it's hard. really hard. 

the matters of your heart continue to churn and turn and come out in the biggest of ways that shock daddy and i more than you know. you get it. you get the truth of the gospel and it has broken your heart. you think and chew and think some more on most everything. that is so very awesome when it comes to the truth and it's so very not awesome when it comes to things that are not true. so we are packing in all the truth we can in the time you are with us to arm you up and send you out for those times where there is not as much encouragement around you. we see you fighting the battle hard and hope this is a place of refuge and rest for you. 

you like to have it all figured out and i think you are beginning to learn that doesn't always work out. and we are walking through some of those hard things together. we see you starting to understand that God really is in control and it truly is better that way. that will be something you will treasure for the rest of your days if you can learn it at this age young man. we pray for the peace that can only come with understanding this truth.

we've been working very hard on communication specifically this year. you are learning more and more how to put your emotions into words and we have had some really awesome talks. your best time is right before bed. a good back rub and some laughs really get you talking. 

you get notes from girls asking if they can come play at your house on a regular basis :) i really just think you are a loyal friend and enjoy their company. you have made some wonderful friends this year and it is fun to hear how you love them. one of your best friends, addie, is moving in june and you want to save up to fly to oregon to visit her. it's going to be a hard goodbye for sure. 

you have become quite the runner and it was evidenced in your 3 miles in 30 minutes at your fun run. you were determined, set a goal, and surpassed it. you enjoy running with daddy early in the morning. you climb trees, play all sorts of make believe in the woods with your brothers and friends, and climb and swing until your heart's content. 

you still love legos the most and are constantly creating things that blow me away. you engineer and craft things just so and it's fun to see your mind through your creations.

you read so so much. you come home from school and you read and read and read. i have to make you put books down from time to time. 

you continue to thrive at school and have absolutely loved your second grade teacher, Mrs. Adams. you love math and have really enjoyed some extra challenges this year. we are so proud of the hard work you put in at school. 

you always have a story for us or a funny joke. or a well thought out scenario to make us laugh. you are very much an eight year old boy. 

i have realized recently that you feel so loved when we hug and kiss you. i have taken note of this in your everyday and am so excited to know how to make you feel more loved. you also are energized with quality time still so we fit that in whenever we can. 

you anticipated Lucy more than any of us. and now that she is here, you love her so dearly. she feels safe with you and lets you hold her for long periods of time. you cherish her and it is precious to watch you love your sister. one of your most said phrases has been, "i can't believe it. i can't believe we actually have a baby sister." 

you remain the leader of your brotherhood and can usually manipulate the other two into doing your ideas. but from time to time they push back and you are slowly learning that they have good ideas too :) you love them so much and have unique relationships with both tucker and will. they look up to you and love to have you near.

i am so ready for you to be home for the summer. you are so essential to our family and we miss you while you are at school. you have always been my sidekick, keeping me on my toes. we watch birds together and talk about all of their intricacies. we play games, make up songs, and just sit and talk on the back porch or in the hammock. you are my precious, precious son and i could not be more thankful for these years with you.