All of the Things

So.

A wee bit of time has passed since I have written a blog post. After my family left, I had a hard time trying to write about their visit (Shoulda done daily posts, eh?) because there was so much I wanted to say, so I kept putting it off. However, more time passed (shocking) and then I had more to write about, and...well, you can see the predicament I landed in solidly with both of my feet.

I stuck the landing, at any rate. 

I have finally buckled down and decided to give a run-down of the last five months.

Did I just say five months? Five months is a long time, long like the amount of time Inigo Montoya waited to avenge his father's death.

Let me 'splain...No, there is too much. Let me sum up.

Who can help but quote The Princess Bride at a time like this? Inconceivable. 

My parents' and brother's visit was wonderful. It was one of the best times together yet, and what made it even better is the series of comedy-of-error situations that we experienced daily. Were we living out National Lampoon's latest story? Quite possibly. From the Taco Bell tomfoolery to missing New Year's twice, it was non-stop shenanigans, with some Scrabble, a tiny lunchbox of Chex Mix, awesome quotes, the American Airlines Center (There it is!!...times six), and one exploding toilet thrown in just for good measure.

Also, this happened:

If you look at this photo for a minute and focus on Matt's face, it looks like Christian's hair is a perfectly combed, beautiful blond beard on a very merry Matthew. Mom discovered this gem of a coincidence and we couldn't stop laughing. 

We were trying to get a family picture and the camera was acting crazy. It wouldn't take the pictures while we were all waiting with smiles on our faces, but then suddenly it began taking pictures in speed-mode. 

Two words: Treasure. Trove. 

Why did I not write each day?! I was playing Scrabble. That's why. And writing down all the funny things that Matthew said. Random posts with memories and pictures coming in the future (or in other words, business as usual). 

After they left, we all tried to get back into our regular routine. About a month later, however, we were focusing on a very exciting detail in our lives: getting applications for all three kids in to a school by the deadline. We were also preparing for the entrance exam that Christian and Michaela would need to take. We did indeed get the applications in, and the kids took their test; the final thing before we would hear whether or not they were accepted was a visit from two parents whose kids were in the school, to get to know us a bit and to answer questions we might have. 

Following this visit, all we had to do was wait. I can say with great confidence and joy that all three kids were accepted (there is, of course, a story, but for now I will say that God made a way for the three of them to be able to go, and his care for our family continues to blow me away). 

Other exciting things that have happened these last few months include the following:

-I gave up soda and began exercising again.

-I went on my annual Seminary Wives' trip with some of my best friends in the world. They are awesome.

-We celebrated Easter with our wonderful church family, and had dinner with some friends that evening. 

-I started drinking soda again, and have been waffling with that and exercise for a month and a half. (This is not so much an exciting event as a confession. I'm still hoping to break this dreadful habit.) 

-Christian is finishing up his final year at HPPDS.

-Our chuch voted on a new senior pastor. 

-We got a new grill and Mike installed a new toilet upstairs. (These things are not necessarily related. The grill is outside, not upstairs, just to clarify.)

Now, just because this is a word-heavy post (Oh, you better thank me it's as short as it is. Five months? It could have been much, much longer.), here are the kids just a couple of weeks ago. Or maybe it was six weeks ago...who's counting any more? 

And that catches us up a bit. 

Now that I'm blogging again, I plan on writing more frequently. Maybe every three months rather than five...