Fall 2014

We had a great fall, and got out and about together a lot!  As September started, we were officially in the process of adopting.  We had completed our home study and started to consider birthparent matches.  I knew (or hoped) that it wouldn't be that much longer that we'd be a family of five, and I wanted to really get the most out of the fall with two four year olds and a two year old.  The weather was pretty nice throughout the fall so we got outside a lot and, when it wasn't nice, there was plenty to do indoors as well.  I also spent a good amount of time this fall thinking about the idea of homeschooling and, although I didn't want to start any formal homeschooling, I did want to take more natural opportunities to further the kids education and exposure to a variety of things.  (This post is also probably an advertisement for how WONDERFUL it is to live in Nashville with young children.  I feel very thankful for all there is to do in this city!)

First day of school 2014-2015.  Charli and Sam were starting back at Montessori East, and Benjamin was starting one day a week at El Jardin Parent's Day Out.  This photo is clipped from a video in which Charli is making everyone say, "cheeeeeeeessssseeee!!!"

Sam at the Adventure Science Center.  I'm probably biased, but he's gotta be one of the only kids who can both put the entire body puzzle together and also fit nicely inside the display compartment that holds the body puzzle.

Unfortunately the kids discovered how much they love the computers at public library.  Verdict: playing on the computers are greater than books and library storytime.

Sometime late summer/early fall we discovered Dragon Park.  We have so many parks and playgrounds in our small town of East Nashville, we rarely venture out.  We discovered that Dragon Park is worth venturing out for!

We had several chances to go to the zoo together as a family, which was really fun.  Charli loved to "walk" the goats (see photo two above), and one visit she was especially thrilled because she "walked" two at the same time!

We checked out two of the many pumpkin patches in the area.

We hunted for and collected lots of beautiful leaves.

The kids dressed up in costumes for most of the month of October, "practiced" trick-or-treating, and finally got the chance to do the real deal (and loved it!).

"It's a hipp-a-raffe!"

And as always we got plenty of time to play around at home- laughing, fussing, cooking, eating, drawing, building, and being silly.  And in these days, as always, everyone kept growing!

Benjamin really started talking this fall.  It seems like he went from a few words (hot, juice, yes 'am, amen, scratchy, and "backpackbackpack") and speaking mainly through head nods and facial expressions to speaking in complete, grammatically correct sentences overnight.  He still has some really cute phrases that we will let him grow out of naturally, like "I growed up" (for throw up), "A doin'?" (what are you doing), "I'm pooped" (as it sounds), and Charli is always "Trolley."  B has always considered himself a "big kid," so he's loved growing to the age where he can reasonably play with Sam and "Trolley" as a friend.

Sam started reading more and more, and Charli started writing more and more.  And every night we prayed together for the baby that the Lord would give our family through adoption!  And then...