Merry Christmas

This is not the whole moving story. Only enough for a "Hello and we miss you" on Christmas morning.

We said "Goodbye" to Blacksburg.



Lillian is having a pretty difficult time. She wants to go home. Three college students came to veiw the apartment before we left. Yesterday Lillian said "I want to go home to my apartment and kick those stinky girls out of my house."

She is having fun and is enthusiastic about new things. We visited a church and she was ready to make new friends. She marched right down to the childrens church and waved goodbye with a smile.


This pretty much speaks for itself. The plane ride was tight and long.


The movers came at 8am Sunday. We got in at 12am on sunday (yes, that would be 3am east coast time).











The back yard is great! A little wet.




































Everyone worked hard to make mom happy!
















After Nick painted he and Stephanie took the kids off so I could get things in place. They decided on a ferry ride. Lillian was cold and nervous, but enjoyed her hot chocolate.



This is Seattle, part of it.


Our first official Christmas tree. Samuel's idea of hanging ornaments is tossing them at the tree. Somehow they get lodged between branches so they don't fall, it is actually pretty effective.


Lillian thought we needed a stable. Nick was proud of his budding engineer. Lillian said with such satisfaction "Look i used their heads to hold it up!".


Samuel has already been enjoying his tub. I was giving Lillian her bath and was in the middle (with both hands full) of rinsing her hair. Next thing I know Samuel dives into the tub. Seriously, face first and under the water. I said a naughty word and banned him from the bathroom.


Stephanie has been the biggest help in the wolrd. I can't bragg enough.


I love you all and hope you feel very blessed and loved by your heavenly father today!









It is 1am and I am not spell checking, big hugs and kisses,




Leah

October in Columbia

We had a great few weeks in October! The kids had a lot of fun playing with their cousins. The art sold well. Nick was able to get plenty of work finished in our absence.The conference I attended was a blast...almost. Juggling children and listening intently is a real chore. But, Lillian and Samuel love dancing and running around during worship. Lillian is actually concerned there might not be fun conferences in Washington. Samuel wanted to be part of the band and fought to spend most of his time dancing by the speaker tower. Some notes on the photos. Lillian borrowed a bugle from her Papa Rock and blew it for a week! Niah, who obviously has her mothers flair for fashion, also blew the bugle for a week; yippy! The girls managed to replant every weed bordering Dads garden and dig up every piteous broccoli plant with much satisfaction, looking so princessy while doing it I might add. However, the mosquitoes where swarming and looking at my daughters forehead or "Headford" as she calls it, would indicated much satisfaction on the mosquitoes part as well. Lillian came in looking like one princessy Star Trek character! Samuel got really dirty, slid down slides, jumped off the top step of the staircase at Dads, chipped two teeth in the bathtub, and made my heart pound harder on a regular basis, He's a fun little guy...If you would like to learn how to make a twenty dollar trip to the zoo turn into a four hundred dollar trip to the doctor, stay tuned to Novembers (overdue) update. From Blacksburg Va, for the last time, we love you all! Now, onto Washington!

9/15/2007 Happy birthday Samuel

This is my tribute to Samuel. This time last year I was walking the soccer field with Lillian at one of Nick's intramural games. Who new that in just a few short hours Samuel was going to try an in utero version of the bicycle kick and break my water? Lillian was beautiful and perfect. She had no idea how this very little guy was going to change her life!

Lillian's cat was safe this day. However, today this same cat was abducted, tackled, thrown, and slobberd on all over the bedroom while Lillian was at school; with full satisfaction I might add.

How sweet! This is now a platform for peewee base jumping.

This is one of my favorites!

Here he is. This is the boy we see most often.
I have been blessed with the funniest kids.

One day Lillian and I were sitting on the floor, working on a puzzle. Samuel sat nearby, quietly, with this bucket on his head. He thought it was so funny!

He loves to help clean.

Five thirty for waffles is a little early for me. This is one of my more brilliant parenting techniques. Give the baby food and sleep on the living room floor. Nick was so impressed that he had to document the event. Samuel only likes whole grain waffles. Nick tried to get him blueberry but he won't eat them.

He is striking the "coloring" pose, his foot actually taps the floor while he is on his belly.

This is how Lillian colors.

His favorite chair!

There are few things Samuel MUST do. But, he must feed himself. He feels strongly about this. With hand or spoon or fork...or bowl raised, or lapping at his tray like a dog, it makes no differance to him as long as he is in charge. He also feels like he needs to have some control over my phone, the camera, the remote control to the tv, any writing utensil, and the stereo system (I think he gets that from his Dad). Otherwise my little guy is pretty laid back about stuff. We took him to the store last night and let him pick out a toy for his birthday. I had in mind a stuffed animal (lame, I know) so that he didn't have to fight Lillian for her's. But, Samuel saw the soccer balls. He held his ball all the way to the car. Lillian tried to take it (she actually asked very nicely) and Samuel, with a huge smile on his face, moved the ball further away from her as if to say "Huh! I don't think so".

God is so good! I hope you all have a great weekend. I am so glad I am eating pie today and not giving birth! He gets a big slice of pumpkin pie for his birthday. Actually, we already ate some for breakfast. But, there aren't any rules at one (or thirty-one for that matter). We love you all!