Recap

Here's the latest in our lives.

Andy: His days are increasingly hectic, and yet do you think it moves his smile, his joy? If anything, he's incredibly driven right now, and still finds time to keep attention on me and be quick on the draw with Ginger Ale or whatever I need. School wise, I have no problem in telling you he's top of his class. Thankfully his senior instructor pushes him constantly and keeps him striving to challenge his mind. Practicals are this week, he finished one today and did very well. 2 months of classes remain till he begins his summer clinicals (in a rehab clinic in Tea, SD). We joke that Andy is the "truck god" at work. He manages many teenage boys who have Andy on quite the pedestal due to his truck. (a true "man's truck"). Last week, I drove to his store to pick up bread, drove the truck since it was parked behind. In the check out isle, one of the boys recognized me and said "So, Andy let's you drive his truck huh?" I smiled and flashed wide eyes "Not only that, he'll even buy me a stool so I can jump in when my belly gets huge!" ;)

Nellie: I'm somewhere in my 2nd month of cooking baby #3 and the hard days have been rolling in. I think about the girls a lot right now and how this effects them, but mostly I'm glad that they're still with me all day. If I was shipping them off right now, they'd definitely be active, but there's such a tender part of sharing this journey with them. They comfort me, wanting to be on their best behavior for me....When I'm too sick to do school, they rev up their imaginations and sail away into play land together for hours. Literally hours. Emma's heart of compassion has been wanting to take on more of my jobs so I won't have to get up....Liv in mercy, lays in bed with me and holds my hand. No, I am convinced that a family who learns to grow and care for each other come what may, has learned a more valuable lesson than all. Besides being a baby slow-cooker, I'm busy organizing the house, shifting from Winter into slow-coming Spring. Emma is consumed with words and I'm thrilled when I can keep pace with her. I'm going to make my own homemade granola this week and a carrot cake for Andy's PTA class.

Emma: Her mind knows only one speed. There is no lazy bone in this girl's body. Her goal is to learn EVERYTHING, help EVERYONE and have as much fun as possible. :) Being 5 1/2, the questions abound at all hours of the day. Philosophy to anatomy to silliness. Her pets now include 1 beta fish, 2 snails and 2 ghost shrimp, all still alive despite being over-fed.

In ONE breath the other day, this was Emma's statement to me: "Mom, next time we go to the library, I'd like to get books on how they make metal, how ovens work, how you get walls so smooth, how to sew an apron and how they make coins." Tired yet?

Livy: My Liv-a-div is all brightness. Her knee troubles have been subsiding, only 3 bad days in the last 3 wks. Her perkiness for life seems to be growing along with our promises of Spring. Liv is an early riser right now, but bless her heart, sits outside our bedroom doors on the stairs waiting for the next person to wake up (usually Emma). I hear her humming to herself on the steps. The blankie remains close, so does the thumb. Neither of those bother us right now. Her week highlights are Story Hour at the library, Kidstuf on Wednesdays and Daddy's free evenings. Liv loves to do "school like Emma" but always specifies with "Just the easy stuff mom, not what Emma does."