Graduated!

Bigger boy... Bigger bike!

Watermelon Harvest :)

The youngest and the oldest :)

the Out-of-Towners

Aunt Tabby

Grandpa Berry

 One fun thing about having a baby is that sometimes you get lots of out-of-town visitors :) I just wanted to post a few pictures of the family that made their way to Ohio to see Tessa. It was a blessing to see each and every one of them... and a treat for all the kids!

(Blogger is giving me fits... so I can't put captions on the others.. but there is Grandma Cooper, Grandpa Cooper, Aunt Meagan, Aunt Tanya, and Grandma Berry.) These days I don't have time ... or don't choose to spend my time... waiting on blogger! :)  Which is why I go through phases where there is much less writing!!

Mid-week exploring in Kettering

Loving this...

... amazing weather and amazing colors!! So beautiful tonite that we had to take a walk even though its bedtime on a school night!! :)

Speech :)

Myles' speech therapist let him make apple juice today. He LOVED it!!!

I try hard...

... to find the humor in stuff like this, but when it's 5:31pm, and I have 15 unpacked bags of groceries and Jonathan is gone until 9pm... it's difficult to! That's why I blog about it b/c then you can find the humor in it :) Bright side? Myles won't be cranky waiting for dinner!

A good first day of FALL

Hike at Germantown, Pretzel Festival... Yum! Last week we hiked at Sugarcreek. GREAT weather for hiking with the family!!

Tuesday School

Wyatt is doing Tuesday School again this year. It's a 1-day a week preschool program... on Tuesdays :) He loves it and it gives him something to look forward to each week. Cannot believe he'll be Kindergarten age next year. Crazy!!

These two little munchkins...

... are keeping me ON MY TOES lately. Wow. It's a good thing they're cute!! :)

Buddy Walk 2012

We had a great time! It was at the Dayton Dragons stadium, so the kids were pumped! Always so thankful for those who come walk with us as well as those who support us in spirit... a blessing indeed!!

Have a great 3-day wknd!

1st Grade

After an extremely LONG deliberation period, we decided to send Henry to school for first grade. I will not lie. It has been a very difficult decision for me, as I long to keep my kiddos right with me and long for them to be together all day and to not be bound to a school schedule, etc. But for now, this fall does not seem to be the right time to test things out at home. We have prayed about it, but continue to find a restlessness when considering the home school option. With our current family life situation, the timing has just not seemed right. So, the bus arrived today, but after a good long cry last night with my hubby, I was emotionally stable today... all day :) Henry was so excited, and we've met his teacher and she seemed wonderful. And despite all the downfalls that people say public education has these days, I still have to admit that I get excited when I walk into an elementary school building. The fun classrooms, excited teachers, playgrounds, tons of new faces, new building to navigate, so many new things to learn, friends to make... I loved school. I hope Henry loves it as much as I did -- and I hope it's a great year of him being stretched to new levels. We hope and pray that all we've poured into him 24 hours a day for 6.5 years comes to mind while he's living life without us by his side every moment!! But, we know that God is with him always. And even for a 6.5 year old, each situation that is brought into his path is not in vain, it's ordained for Henry, and God is using it to grow him into a young man. It is very difficult to believe this sometimes.. I want so badly to be in control of my children... but they are not OURS. They come through us but they are not from us... they are HIS ultimately. Praying that I remember that as Henry makes his way through this first year. It's easy to start to doubt the decisions you make when waves come, but praying that the Lord uses this year not only for Henry, but also for us as we learn to very slowly let go of our children and entrust their care to God always.