Send-off party

First of all I have to say that one of my least favorite, yet inevitable events in life is saying goodbye to someone. Making friends is one thing, but becoming close to and having many common interests with your friends is competely different. The F. family moved a couple states away at the beginning of February and we all miss them so much! Lord willing, we will still see them occasionally but it will definitely not be the same without having Lis, Josh, Candace and little Sam around.

Before they left, the S. family had a small group of us over for one last evening together (Mom was still sick from the Month of Sick, so she wasn't able to make it)...

The ladies chatting away

Ellie Bellie, the Pink Bunny

Josiah flyin' high

Candyland, hangin' in there

Most of the kiddos

Little Sam was still chowin' down

The men

Cutie Eric-boy was just thrilled to be considered a man, can't ya tell?

Brownie teeth! (posted with permission) ;D

Little Sam has the attention of all the girls

The ladies' group shot (+ smiling Sam)

Mr. C, Dad and Josh (who does not care to get his picture taken)

Unfocused but still nice

Kate, Lis and Eric

"I'm going to miss you, Mr. Cutie Pie"

Ellie: "You cooked your hair in the oven to make your hair straight?"

Signing the blackboard and getting my hair all spiffed up

"A picture speaks a thousand words"...well, this one sure does

Taking pictures and being goofy

Holly and Lis

Lacie and Lis

Kaitlin and Lis

Kaitlin, Lis and Vanessa

Eric-boy and Josh (who pretended he wasn't there)

Missing each other already, and they hadn't even left

Kisses for Candace

Lis was giving Vanessa "the look" and Holly and I were discussing my methods for putting babies to sleep ;)

Can you tell they were posing?

Oh dear, can I even do this picture justice with a caption?

The men

Some of the craziness

Johanna and Candace

All the friends: 

back row: Johanna, Candace, Josiah

front row: Ellie, Eliana, Sam, Caleb

Silly faces!

Bunny-boy

Caleb, Sam, Josiah and Jonathan

Eliana, Johanna, Candace and Ellie

Lis, Josh, Candace and little Sam, we are so excited for you guys and the new season God is taking your family. You all are terribly missed but thankfully we have tons of memories to keep close to our hearts. ;)

We give thanks to God always for all of you, 

making mention of you in our prayers.

I Thess. 1:2

January Mélange

January was a difficult month here, with the flu and stomach bug that just wouldn't go away. We praise God that the sickness didn't spread any further than Mom and Johanna, but it was all Vanessa and I could do to keep our home running smoothly with the #1 amazing caregiver (aka Mom) and #1 entertainer (aka Johanna) out of commission.

Our team played at the Rose Bowl this year (and won!!). Ironically Vanessa was wearing the colors of the opposing team.

Us girlies got a new (Craigslist) bedroom set. The perfect place to read to your three babies :)

And the perfect place to do school

We found Grandma Margarete sleeping on the (babysitting) job ;)

Dad and Mom took Johanna out to her favorite restaurant to talk about the responsibility God has given them as her parents to love, protect and provide for her. They asked that she give them her heart and then presented her with a beautiful ring to symbolize her promise.

She was so excited :)

"Give me your heart, my son,

And let your eyes delight in my ways."

Prov. 23:26

Mrs. Paula, one of the wonderful CNAs who has regularly visited our home, had a birthday and we enjoyed celebrating with her.

Every other week Vanessa gets to hang out with this cutie and her three siblings

Atalie Joy (one of our doula babies) is such a precious little one

January was the Month of Sick. Johanna and Mom both got the flu and then Johanna got the stomach bug a few days later. We thank God for our Young Living essential oils! Their sickness didn't last quite as long as we heard others had.

Our sickipoo

A game of Trouble with your sister can healthify even the sickest of little girls

Mr. Fred is always so full of life and Margarete sure does enjoy his visits!

Lovely Lorry and the Furball

The manikin Margarete received for her birthday has been such a great gift! She named her Jenny and loves fixing up her hair

Johanna was getting stir-crazy being stuck in her room

Johanna and Junebug were having a girl talk by candlelight

When Johanna finally got better, she and I went to the zoo for a much-belated celebration of her completion of 1st grade math (yes, that was a long time ago!)

Playing in the rock river

The elephants were so calm, you would have thought they were statues or something

Did you know that goats have their own dalmatian breed just like dogs?

"I'm Zoe the Zookeeper and I'd like to give you a tour of our zoo!"

 Thank you for a wonderful sister date, Johanna!

From Bella to anyone having a difficult day: "Hang in there"

Happy 90th...

...Grandma Margarete!

We had Margarete's daughter and son-in-love over for a sweet birthday bash in January

Yes, she has reached the amazing 9*0*! 

"...length of days and years of life..." have been added to her (Prov. 3:2).

Lorry and June happy to celebrate with their good friend

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday, Margarete!

Happy Birthday to you!

Present time

Johanna and Grandma Margarete

This hairstyling doll has been such a treat for Grandma Margarete to practice on as it brings back the good ol' days of beauty school

Getting sweepy

This will wake you up!

Thank you for making your Mom's birthday so special! We love you guys!