Spring is here and I am Grateful!!!

There is one thing I am grateful for having lived here for so long, the weather is wonderful.  Sure, Spring brings allergies for me and we are finding out some of the kids too but you can't beat being able to spend hours outside in the nice morning weather.  Especially during Spring Break this year, I would give the kids breakfast, then send them to get dressed in play clothes and shoes.  They spent most of the morning outside, almost until lunchtime.  It is warming up in the afternoons, so those outings are getting more sparse but we have had some nice wind to keep it nice a bit longer.  At this point, I am always hot so it doesn't matter what the weather is, I sit under a fan but those mornings are great!

St. Patrick's Day was fun!  I love cooking that meal every year for my family.  I was pretty worn out once it was over but it tastes so good and leaves great leftovers for the rest of the week.  Easter was nice.  Everyone looked so nice but I only ended up with pictures of the kids.  I forgot about taking pictures as a family, oops.  We did Easter differently this year.  The Easter bunny restrained themselves as much as possible, which still didn't matter. The kids ended up with a shopping bag FULL quite literally of candy from 3 sets of grandparents.  We dyed the Easter eggs with Koolaid and water.  LOVED doing that! And they smelled cool.  I need to shop around for a few different colors.  I ended up with cherry and strawberry, and the grape didn't turn out as purple.  So with a little tweaking, I think it will be better next year.  I liked not having to use the vinegar and dissolving tablets.

There have been some developments with Daddy's work.  He is now a Full time Faculty member at Anthem College.  It was a big surprise but a dream realized.  He has always wanted to teach and before this happened was looking into a program at another college that would allow him to work as a teacher while going to school for it and get paid.  Now, he is actually getting that teaching experience and getting paid for it.  He is planning on finding a Masters program in teaching to start in the Fall so that he can fully realize that goal in life.  Once he has that degree he can teach wherever he wants.  I am so happy for him!  He is finally doing something he loves and it is fun to watch him.  His schedule is still in a state of flux though, it's not a set, predictable schedule but that may calm down soon too.

The kids are growing and Bruiser's personality is showing even more.  He is looking forward to being a big brother. Princess is doing well in school, as is Buddy.  They are both learning and progressing well.  Hopefully, I will be able to help them retain some of what they have learned over the summer.  Baby is doing well and on schedule for her May arrival.  I am happy that I haven't gained a bunch of weight this time around, although I am going off my stats from last month's check up, lol!  I have bouts of energy that I use to try to keep the house up and then I need those afternoon naps with the boys.  I am excited but at the same time there is so much to do still.

I will be glad to have a little sister for our oldest daughter, my bookends...and I think this time around I am comfortable saying we are done.  Not that the pregnancy has been hard or anything, it has been fairly similar to my pregnancy with Princess, but I don't have that feeling of our family missing anyone.  I was very reluctant after Bruiser to say we were done.  I logically understood the implications and why we needed to take it seriously but it was frustrating and heartbreaking.  I was happy and nervous when my husband finally felt the same way I did and suggested we talk to the doctor about having another.  Now that it is so close to the end, I am grateful for his inspiration and for this blessing.  I know people who have had issues with pregnancies, who have miscarried as I have and who have lost a child shortly after birth.  I am grateful for the knowledge of eternal families and that one day those families will be reunited.  I am grateful for the strength I have been given to travel this road one more time and even more grateful for the beautiful children I have.  My family is precious to me and I wouldn't have them without an amazing husband to love and support us.  I am so glad that after all his sacrifice, he gets a chance to do a job he really loves, I mean other than being a Father, it makes the sacrifice all the more worth it.