11 weeks old!

Sterling and Art

Both kids seem to love making and creating art - coloring, drawing, painting, and now clay work. These are Sterling's first attempts at working with clay - all on his own. He had the ideas for what to make, and then made quite a few things last night while I made dinner. There is a lizard (with lots of delightful fingers) and an elephant with the best trunk I've ever seen.

School's Out for the Summer

I'm not sure if it is an "at last, sigh of relief" or "oh no, sigh of concern" that school is over for the summer. I still have plenty to do as the President, but the kids celebrated their last day this week. Monday they had one normal day of school, normal being a relative term, as they played outside the entire time, and Siena wanted to know why they weren't having indoor school (she really enjoys the sense of accomplishment she gets when she is doing normal "work" at Montessori).

On Tuesday there was a Rites of Passage ceremony - formally celebrating the year we've had and announcing where the kids will be in the fall. Sterling can hardly believe he is going to be a kindergartener next fall! It was fun to see him this year. Last year he was so shy he wouldn't participate in the group singing and had a really diffficult time going forward for his award. This year he was a big guy, encouraging the younger boys to join in and standing for his award more with impatience to get to play than with shyness.

And now we are done. Summer is here - we've already had a pool day and two beach days. Today we hope to garden some. For more about the non-kids portion of our lives, you can check out my blog: extending the table.

Weekend Away

Whew. We made it. Our first weekend/travel trip with three kids. This weekend we drove six hours to the Okanagan Valley to attend a conference at the Naramata Centre. The kids did great, and so did the adults.

The highlight of the weekend was that we survived - newborn and all. Sage slept great throughout, both in the little cottage we stayed in as well as during her MANY hours in the front pack. And there was only minimal crying in the long hours of car riding.

But nearly equal in highlight power - the Naramata Centre craftroom! The wonderfully generous staff there opened up not only the "craft room" but also the "paper room" for the kids and I to use. Imagine - a full PAPER room - literally full of paper, all organized and ready to use. I was in heaven! Here's a few photos - the first two of craft room shelves, the last of one wall of the paper room (one of three!).

Great is Thy Faithfulness!

Today was a grand Sunday indeed. Chris and I were blessed to have all three of our children baptized this evening in a special service at our church. A dear friend, who is a Pastor (although not at our church) officiated, for the baptism of Sterling, Siena, Sage, and two other wee ones. The babies were perfect - not a peep out of them (Sage slept through the entire service). Sterling and Siena also did well. It was the second church of the day for them, and sitting still in the front row, and then being "on display" AND getting "wet" was quite a bit to handle. Pastor Mark is a friend of theirs as well, and his gentleness did much to help them through their nerves (as did being held by mommy and daddy).

It was a moving service for me. At the beginning, the congregation sang, "Great is Thy Faithfulness" - and there I was, sitting with Sage sleeping peacefully in my arms, Sterling and Siena Cate on either side of me, Chris next to them. Thinking back to more than five years ago when we wondered if we would ever have children, to sleepless nights when we've wondered why we have children, to the surprise of becoming pregnant with Sage, and now actually being a parent to three incredible children... well, Great is His Faithfulness, indeed.

You all - my family, and our friends who are like family - are a big part of our "body of Christ." Would that we could have flown each of you out to be with us. But I am content to know that you pray not only for our family, but for our children and their own faith as well. Today was the first "official" step in a lifetime of faith and life in the body of Christ. What a blessing that is!

Two Months Old

I can't believe the time continues to shoot past me. Sage is two months old now- and doing so well. We had a week of "colic" in the middle of this month, which was scary (Sterling's three months of non-stop screaming still rings in our ears five years later), but then she settled in and is doing well. Sleeping alone has been an issue, and we tried to stay with her til she could settle down... some nights that meant almost an hour sitting next to a crying baby. A few nights ago I couldn't take it anymore, so I prayed for her, set her down, and left. She was asleep in minutes. Same the next day. So something must have clicked and now she can get herself to sleep pretty well, as long as I time the nap well.

I will try to upload some photos soon - she is a beauty!