No, not really, but they're trying so hard with their Legos and those blue prints! We've designated them the "special" building committee :o)
Actually, our friends, Josh and Crystal, came over and they hadn't seen the blue prints for the new church building yet. We just got a kick out of how cute the "boys" looked playing on the floor together so nicely!
So, all in all, we had a nice trip. And with the antibiotics and a full bottle of milk, the plane ride home was nice and pain-free too. We had an empty seat beside us, so Joshua really enjoyed having his own seat for a while - especially the tray table! He kept looking behind me and grinning and the nice lady across the aisle :o)
Well, my mom and I ended up spending the 5 hours after my sister's shower on an emergency room trip for Joshua's ear. I had taken him to his pediatrician a day or so before we left and he didn't have an infection, but his ears seemed to be bothering him ever since the air plane descended. My cousin, Courtney, who's a nurse, looked at his ears at the shower, so we were pretty sure one was infected. However, his pediatrician would not call in a prescription, so we got to go to the the ER instead - what a FUN way to spend a night! But at least my mom was with us to help and keep us company - it made the 5 hours pass a lot more quickly! No pictures of the ER ;O), but here is Joshua waking up after his late night and probably his first good night of sleep since we left Indiana.
And breakfast!
(Oh, and Joe had given him his first "buzz" cut - third hair cut - a few days before we left on our trip)
So at the end of last month, my parents flew me (and Joshua) back to PA for my sister's bridal shower. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the shower. You may wonder why I took a picture of a little girl and a trash can? Well, that is my cousin's little girl, Madison. When Madison saw her reflection in the shiny trash can, she began grinning at herself, talking and singing a Veggie Tales song - it was just too precious! She's also there trying to be a "big girl", like my niece, Amber.
Joshua got to spend some time with "Papa" (my dad) during the shower and even got to try some delicious icing off the cake! I think one of my dad's favorite things is giving candy, cupcakes, Oreos, or any other tasty treat to his grandkids!
Usually, with four children, when there is quiet, it's not a good sign - especially if it's the absence of noise from Madie as she seems to be the one that really likes to get into things. So, one day I was looking for her and calling for her - in almost a panic as I realized I hadn't heard from her in a while. After not getting an answer to my calling her name, I finally looked around to find she was just plain tuckered out and had made her own bed - not on one of our soft couches, but on our antique church pew - or maybe she was just praying?
We have been meeting in a school for a little over 3 years now. This past fall, we signed the final papers to purchase our own building. This picture is of the outside of the entire building. I will try to explain briefly ;o) - it is basically a shell that we are building out the inside. The building is made up of 8 "suites". We bought the entire building, but will only be currently building out 1/2 of it. We are so very thankful for how God has provided this building for us. You can check out our church's web site at www.grbible.org. 
So, this is what is currently in the other half of the building :o) - 1/2 basketball court, volleyball court and 2 rope swings - think we'll need extra insurance?? :o) It made for a great play day with Daddy!
So, for any of you who are still even looking at our blog, I am finally getting caught up.
So, we found out today that Joshua has his 4th ear infection in his 7 short months since he was born. Fortunately, I think due to his thumb sucking, the last two haven't seemed to bother him a whole lot. He had his first back in November - when he was about 6 weeks old. The last three have been in the last 2 months. So . . . now we take him to an ENT for a follow-up/consultation :o( His pediatrician said it doesn't mean tubes for sure, but it's a possibility. Apparently short Eustachian tubes can be inherited - and Joe had tubes put in when he was little. So, we'll see!
This post is about a month late, but after literally months of wiggling and agonizing, and hanging on by threads, Joey finally lost his two front teeth. The first was knocked out when I tried to wiggle it - Joey panicked, knocked into my hand, and out came the tooth. Then he flipped out over the blood (and a bit of anger over mommy "pulling" it out) after which Gracie concluded she DOES NOT want to lose any of her teeth! The second came out when he was playing basketball with Joe and some friends, and Joe knocked the other one out. Somehow, there wasn't any anger at Daddy- go figure!!
One of my FAVORITE sounds - a laughing baby!
Joshua loves his jumper and was learning how to jump himself forward and swing back.
My sister just emailed me this poem. My mom had the last stanza of this poem in a framed needlework in our hallway growing up. I've often thought of it during these years with young children, and enjoyed reading the entire poem. It was a timely reminder of how fast these little ones grow up and how short our time is with them. It's easy to think of the "stuff" of life and how much we have to do and there never seems to be enough time. But these little lives that God has so graciously allowed us to be a major part of? There is so much to do - so much to teach them about our wonderful God and who He is - and so little precious time! 
Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth
empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
hang out the washing and butter the bread,
sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.
Oh, I've grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(lullaby, rockabye, lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peek-a-boo).
The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew
and out in the yard there's a hullabaloo
but I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
Look! Aren't her eyes the most wonderful hue?
(lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
for children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.
-- Author Unknown
Joey turned 7 years old on March 8. Yes, he was born on my 23rd birthday. Ah, I was so young!! He had a good birthday. For those of you who can't tell what it is, that was my best attempt at a blue Lego cake. He liked it, so that's all that matters :o)
And Joshua had his first taste of blue icing - he was sucking it off his lips and fingers for a while :o)
And, since your 30th birthday only happens once - at least if you're honest - my mom surprised me and flew out for a quick visit. We had a nice time, and I enjoyed that she got to spend some time with the kids. This picture is of when we took my mom downtown Indianapolis to walk around and have some dinner - and, yes, she actually let us get a picture of her!
We've continued in a tradition that my dad started with us. Every year, Joe takes each of the kids on a special activity of their choice - just them and Daddy. Gracie LOVES animals, and this year she chose to go to the circus with Daddy. Of course Joe said she enjoyed the pony rides and big blow-up slide more than the show itself :o)
And Joe was surprised to look behind one row and down a few seats from where they were sitting and see Indianapolis Colts' center, Jeff Saturday - there for a day with his family. Joe didn't get his autograph, though. He said he was bombarded and he didn't want to bug the guy while he's trying to have a day with his kids.
Okay, so the swing has these cute little animals on the side to entertain the baby. Don't you think that's kind-of cruel to put those interesting little things sewn onto the side where the baby can't get to them?? Well, Joshua figured out how to get the little giraffe, and boy did he enjoy it :o)
Okay, so we said we weren't going to get another dog until Joshua was at least 4 years old, and we said we would get an older dog - not another puppy. Nevermind. Joe and I actually saw this puppy at two different times and then he mentioned him to me. We both went back two different times to look again - without each other knowing. Well, when Joe went back the second time, he was getting ready to walk away when they reduced his price by $70. Who can walk away from a deal like that? So, Monday afternoon Joe came home with Sampson (we call him Sam). His tag said he's a "lab-golden-shepherd" - basically a lab/shepherd mix. He's about 8 weeks old and we are working on training him to be an indoor dog. We tried the outdoor dog thing a few years ago, and that was a complete flop. So, to those of you who haven't already laughed at me and are wondering, yes, I am crazy. But isn't he cute?? Of course that wasn't the exact thought that was going through my mind as I was cleaning up after him and then chasing him this evening! Anyway, here he is! Joey and Gracie absolutely love him, and Madie is getting used to him. Joshua is clueless that anything is out of the ordinary.
And this is Gracie's big party with her friends. We continued my parent's traditions of having parties with the immediate family every year, and then a big party at age 5. Gracie chose a "doggie" theme.
You know sometimes when you're kids say something that totally catches you off guard and makes you just laugh out loud? Well, these are a couple of those "kid funnies" from the last couple of weeks. Hope they bring a smile to your day!
