Cooper, you are our dinosaur loving, bike riding, baseball hitting, soccer ball kicking, stick collecting, book reading, picture drawing, race running, love giving little boy. Your family is so proud of you. We can't believe you're already 5-years-old! Daddy and I often reminisce about your first year - how you never wanted to go to sleep, but would rather play and socialize. You're still a social boy - who rarely stops talking unless you're watching TV (then you're in a complete trance)....but you're a great sleeper now ~ you stopped napping the day you turned five. You're early to bed and early to rise - coming downstairs, cheerfully telling me "Good-morning!" Buddy, we love and appreciate your usually even-tempered and enthusiastic personality:) You still thrive and enjoy consistency and routine. Every night you're read two stories and a Bible story. We sing the same three songs. Then you ask, "What's the plan tomorrow?" And, "What are we having for breakfast?" :)
This year we have watched you transform into a little leader. You got to play team sports for the first time and we felt so proud of your determination and the way you encouraged and cheered on your teammates. Leadership also includes serving as big-brother to two little sisters - which is a big responsibility! Sometimes competitiveness gets the best of you, like when you tumbled off your bike trying to race around your sister....this trait will probably be a blessing and a curse! You'll race anyone - anywhere - on anything.
We've told you "Cooper" means "barrel-maker" which to us translates into an industrious name. We've claimed Col. 3:23 for you: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.." Cooper, you are our first-born and our child who likes to please - we pray you will grow to please your heavenly father, first and foremost. We love you, Son!

Sarah Jane, does Mommy held you more than I did your big brother and sister? I think so - I'm not sure if this is to keep you out of trouble or because you just want to be held...or just because you are the baby of the family. You are our precious monkey and you just have been since you entered the world! I finally got some good swaddling blankets when you were born and I couldn't wait to just wrap you in them, but you always fought your way out. I would lie in bed and just listen to you struggle "ugh, ugh, ugh...." Then began the screaming every time you rode in your car seat - this lasted three months until toys entertained you. You're doing better; although, your dad and I hold our breath each time we strap you in your seat - (Is she going to cooperate or fight us?). Other challenges your first year include diaper changes, getting dressed, climbing out of grocery carts and highchairs...just to name a few. BUT, we love you just the way you are!
Baby Girl, you just don't like to be held down! Cooper and Caroline long to hold you in their arms, but you won't have any of that....at least not for very long. However, you do lean into them and allow them to kiss your head. You do love to play with your siblings - you giggle and say "Hey! Hey!" when they come downstairs in the morning. We hope you'll learn to be best friends.
We are thankful for the joy and the love you bring to our family! We all love you and can't imagine our little family without you!

We've had several birthdays around here and Mama has been negligent in keeping up with the family blog! So, I've got to back-track just a little bit - I'll start with our September baby and end with our December babies:)

Three for Caroline! Sweet Caroline, do I even need to write anything to describe your personality? These pictures all vividly show so much of who you are! Spunky, sweet, playful, imaginative, sly, girly, a wee-bit moody, and so lovable!

At three you want to do everything your big brother does and you so desperately want to mother your baby sister. You took your first dance classes and I've never seen you so confidently and comfortably walk into a room by yourself.....You still often cry when Mommy drops you off at the church nursery on Sunday mornings even though I know you love church and all your friends you tell us about. You're sleeping in your "big girl" bed in our new house, but you would prefer to sleep in the crib if given the choice. I think you're a little confused as to whether you want to grow up or just be a baby:) Although there's lots of drama if you bump your head, you're still our most content sick child. You love to take medicine and you like going to the doctor and to the dentist! Caroline, I could see you as a nurse one day ~ or doing something with medicine. Even with your "spice" you have a nurturing heart. You are so tender to those younger than you - I've watched you grab a little one's hand and lead them and I've watched you kiss your baby sister's head several times a day. Your dad and I pray that love for others continues to grow in you. You have a special place in our family, Pumpkin! We love you "all the time" and with our whole hearts!

We kicked off this fall with Cooper's first soccer season and we're all loving it! Cooper entered his first game as a "Trojan" without any official practice....just his daddy teaching him a few moves, but Cooper's determination definitely transferred to the soccer field.

Cooper, your family is proud of the way you go after the ball! But, we're mostly proud that you are a good teammate - you cheer for your friends and get jump up and down when one of them scores a goal!

(Keep reading if you want the long story)
I don't say this often - but I strongly felt as though I heard from the Lord one Sunday. Our pastor spoke of waiting on the Lord and I sensed an overwhelming impression on my heart - "Jenny, If you want that house (or a place to live) then pray for it! Claim it!" On the way home from church I tearfully shared this with Josh and how I felt that that was OUR house. He was surprised because I was the one who kept saying, "Let's move on. Let's find another house." So, when we got home from church, Josh prayed for our house and asked God to give it to us. Then Cooper prayed - "Dear God, we just ask that you provide the perfect house....we just know you're going to give us the perfect house, Dear Lord...." ~ I don't know where he came up with those words, but both Josh and I were crying! So much so, our little Caroline was concerned. - It's hard to explain that Mommy is just moved by her brother's prayers:)
So, we prayed with faith this time. And we asked God to give us THIS house. Whenever we read the kids Bible stories, we would claim those on our behalf - "God, you raised Lazarus from the grave, we know you can get us into our new home..." We didn't say, "God, if it doesn't work out, then...." We simply asked and trusted. Our Realtor did have a rent house lined up for house if something didn't work out before we had to move out of our current home. That did give us some breathing room; however, we told God we'd rather not move twice with our three kids.
Wouldn't you know, 3 weeks before our have-to-be-out date, the bank came to us with an offer. We said, "Praise God! It's a deal!" We got packed and moved out in about 10 days. What a whirlwind - we could not have done that without our precious families! Thank you so much for your time and energy!
Our new home is not a "perfect house". In fact, when our Realtor first showed it to us, I thought, nice house....lots of potential, but those train tracks behind the house are a deal-breaker for me. Well, those train tracks have become the highlight of our day when the kids run to the window shouting "train" as they watch it go by. The fence needs replacing, we'd like to paint everywhere, and replace the carpet for sure. But, we will continue to wait until the house is actually ours.
We thank God for how he has protected us in this process so far. Because we are renting we got a new upstairs A/C unit and a new garage door = Major costs that we didn't have to pay for.
We may still get the tax credit (that we thought we lost) if we can close before September 30th.
We just know that our God wants to receive the glory in all this and we want to give it to Him. I hope our experience encourages anyone who reads this and is waiting on the Lord.

I had to post this 6 month picture before Sarah Jane turns 7 months - tomorrow! A friend called this age "the honeymoon stage" which I totally understand. Baby girl is sleeping well, eating well, smiling all the time, playful - but not crawling yet....however, I think this will happen fairly soon. She's been up on all fours several times and can roll to get to a desired object.
I call her my "little monkey" because she's a mover. She bounces on my knee when we're sitting down and wants to put anything she can get her hands on in her mouth. Her 2 bottom teeth finally broke through this month and she's got more coming in. Yet, we've had a fun month with our little one and thank the Lord for her flexibility. She probably slept in 6 different rooms during our moving process - but she went with the flow:) I think tomorrow will be her first night in her very own room.