Is it possible?

And we were four... celebrating at the hospital on Sarah's birthday.

Could it really be just three short days before Sarah's 2nd birthday?? What a blur the past two years have been! 'Tis true, though, the day is upon us and boy, are we going to celebrate! For some crazy reason we are looking at a calendar with four (yes, four!) birthday celebrations this weekend (that's right, four in three days, ach!). How this happend is really beyond me. Generally we excel (or at least do pretty well) at keeping the girls' lives and schedules manageable. We know all-too-well the meltdowns, flaring tempers, and dramatics associated with overscheduling. We avoid these things like we avoid bad haircuts and automobile accidents- we are on constant vigil. I kid you not, ask any of my Mama-friends, I'm infamous for cancelling, rescheduling, and postponing at the whim of the girls' moods. (Lucky for me they love me anyway!) All kidding aside, please wish us luck this weekend- wish us happy party karma, controlled chaos, sugar-highs (of the frosting variety) happily balanced by the eating of much broccoli. Send all your parenting wisdom and patience my way and pray that I need hardly any of it! :)

Bonney (foreground) and Buddy who are goat-field escape artists

contemplate taking a ride on the swing.

Baaabs (who hasn't mastered the art of escape) sneaks a peak at the girls.

And now, news of goats. For the past seven months if you asked us how many goats we had we would tell you four and you would look out into the field and count five; it has been an ongoing (and bad joke). Since last July we have been waiting for mama goat (Heidi) to go home. She came here in May with her two kids who were still nursing and our goat-dealer didn't seem to be able to get her stuff together to come and pick her up. Heidi is pretty pushy when it comes to eating, butts the baby goats around, and isn't nearly as cute or lovable as the other goats (plus she's a lot bigger, for now, and she kind of scares the girls). On Sunday we decided it had been long enough and Shad and I wrestled her into the back of the truck (Shad did most of the wrestling, and he did get into some interesting positions- I wish I had pictures although he probably could have been arrested for a lewd caprine act.) and we all hopped in the truck and took Heidi home!! YAY!! (With a trip through Dutch Bros first, of course, for good measure! Another picture I'd love to have!)

Last week we enjoyed a visit from one of Shad's childhood friends, Drew, whom we haven't seen in about three years (he and his wife relocated to Ohio). Shad and Drew spent some quality time catching up and we're excited by the prospect that their family is considering moving back out West. We'll be among the first to welcome you back when you get here guys!


I just finished the paperwork to get Sarah invovled in a Little Learners pre-preschool type program (twice a week for 1.75 hours) that is run through the same program that runs Hannah's preschool. She starts on February 6 and is pretty jazzed. Ask her what she's going to do at school and her answers are "Wash hands" and "Play, play, play." Which are both accurate- first thing they do every morning is wash hands, and then they learn through playing. Smart girl! :)


Regarding Hannah... for the past week or so Hannah has taken to saying to me (particularly when we're lying in the dark at bedtime), "I love you Mama. Soooo much. And I'll never forget you. Ever." This pure, sweet, declaration of love strikes something in the depths of me- more so than most things. My days (amazingly) are filled with hugging, kissing, holding hands, snuggling, carrying, and adoring these girls. I hate to even think that I might take this seemingly endless show of affection for granted but I probably do, on some level. But back to Miss H: Can I tell you that these four simple sentences almost bring me to my knees? That until she started saying this to me I honestly had never even really stopped to consider a time where she COULD potentially forget about me (or vice-versa)? I haven't made a big deal out of this, but each time she says it, maybe every other day or so, my poor heart shudders and, for a brief instant, the future flies by right before my eyes. I am not ready for this. Nor will I ever be.

And, finally, looking SO forward for the M family to journey south for our annual celebration of Sarah's birthday. Think of us Saturday night, we'll be eating rice and beans and, eventually, wrestling four small children to bed so that we can enjoy some adult conversation... Can't wait!

And we'll be leaving you with "Baby Blast-Off" apparently this Hannah, Sarah, and Katie's (our amazing babysitter) official name for one of their outdoor passtimes. I hope the video below works and that you don't feel as sick as I do when you watch it. :) In case you miss it, the VERY end is Sarah saying "baby blast-off-" she LOVES it!