NC Zoo Dino Exhibit

Before Titus was born, to celebrate our five year anniversary, and to get out of the house, we went to the Zoo (isn't that what you do for anniversaries...take your kids some place fun?:)).  They had a dinosaur exhibit that I knew the boys would love, so we packed a cooler and left early one Saturday morning.

Typically, since the NC Zoo is so big and spread out, to prevent any major breakdowns from our boys, we only tackle one continent and that's usually Africa- lions beat polar bears any day.  Plus I was 39 weeks pregnant, all the more reason to walk less.

 Family photo.

 paleontologist speirs

 he was so excited he decided to dance in front of each dinosaur.

 what's that you ask? a triceratops of course.

 who doesn't want to ride a t-rex?

 checking out the directions.

talking with daddy about all the animals

Preparing for Change

There is a change a comin'.

Our best friends you see....are moving....15 hours away....at the end of this month. I am both thrilled for them and the opportunities that this move will mean, but also really sad.  Craig and I have learned with certainty, since we have been married, what a friend is and what a friend is not, and there is no doubt in my mind that this couple has been the best for some time now.

They have celebrated with us each time we welcomed another son into our tribe, we've been on vacations together, attended the theatre, festivals, and baseball games, we've rung in new years, had Christmas morning breakfast, broke bread at Thanksgiving, celebrated birthdays, Easter, played Rock Band and Mario Kart, sung songs loud and ridiculously together and  have walked through trials together. We had the opportunity to walk with them through the crazy, long, up and down adoption process, and then with such sweetness welcome them home from Uganda, a family of four. I could expand on this list for some time, but most of all we have shared the Word of God and prayer on a regular basis at our dining room table over coffee and breakfast.

Community has truly happened between our two families.  Confessing sin to one another, praying for each other and holding each other accountable.  There is such sweetness, growth, and an ever increasing dependence on the Gospel that comes when you can do life together with another family or families.  We are incredibly thankful for the past four years with Gene and Loren and the past few months with Joan and Angel.  Schlesinger's, you will be missed by Greensboro and the West's but Milwaukee is getting a gem of a family.  We love you guys!

 good times.

 friends.

 one of my favorites.

 the women and children

 just the ladies

 smores.

 ring around the rosie

 our trip to the mountains

 they are home!

 athletic prowess in Boston

 Boston Pizza

MIT. hilarious.

My Gold Star

Three kids must be the tipping point.  The point where you feel out of control and can't quite manage to get your ducks in a row- even if you try really really hard.  Inevitably, the newborn will awaken early from a nap, making it quite apparent that feeding him is what's next on your plate.  Or perhaps you are already sitting there feeding that said newborn and one of the older ones calls from the bathroom that they are "all done." Sigh.  That is what my past couple of weeks have been like.  I haven't quite been able to get it together.  We are sort of surviving around here- at least that's what I feel like.  OR perhaps my expectations are too high.  I have yet to give myself grace on balancing a newborn, two big boys, and a clean home.  I have yet to just give myself a pass.  I am a control freak at heart and want everything to go smoothly and honestly I dream about days when I can do crafts, teach, run around with, and invest in my children in my sparkly clean home and put something really delicious on the table that night. Yes, I strive for that.  I'm ridiculous.

My husband has been sensing my angst about not having it together and this morning said one of the most freeing things to me.  As I feel like I have been failing in the mommy department, he proceeds to tell me something like this.  "You have been wanting me to remind you of the Gospel, so here it is, you already have your gold star. You are accepted. You don't have to be supermom.  You don't have to do 8 different crafts with the kids or cook something from the eat like a dinosaur cookbook.  If you stay at home all day and the boys watch a little more TV than normal and nothing gets cleaned....THAT'S OKAY...I love you."   Thank you Craig.