Jeremiah started a new job!

I suppose I should have written a couple of weeks ago that Jeremiah got a job!  But, since there was still paper work to do (since it is a contract job) I didn't want to say anything until things were final.  But one week after losing his job, he got a new one...praise the Lord.  He started at his new job yesterday.  I am very thankful for His provision, and am reminding myself to not forget that!!!

Merida continues to be our dream baby!  She has been "talking" to us since she has been a couple of days old.  None of our babies cooed so early.  She also started to smile at us at 4 weeks old.  Again, earlier than any of our other babies.  I think she is gearing up for another growth spurt as she has been eating a bit more.  I do believe babies have a second growth spurt around 6 weeks, so she's due for one.  I can't believe she will be six weeks old this weekend!

I'm gearing up to gettting back into the swing of things.  I am seeing greater healing going on, which is promising :-)  I have a lot to say about that, but will need a post...or ten of it's own.  Ok, not ten.  I am looking forward to doing what I normally would be doing.  Though, once I'm back in the swing of things I am sure it won't be long before I think I need a break :-)  Ha, ha!

I was thinking that this blog has been a wee bit Merida heavy, so a little bit about how everyone else is doing...

The bigger girls have gotten into photography and video making.  The older three in particular have been 'playing' with a video making software.  Flannery and Saoirse have really been into Breyer horses.  The other two girls are as well, but the younger two have been making lots of neat videos and stop action with their horses.  Not to mention all of the horse equipment and out buildings they have been making (on a toy scale).  Every box gets confiscated for their building endeavors.

The boys have really been into Legos.  They had watched some youtube videos of people putting together lego creations, and now they come to me showing me not only what they built, but how they built it.  So they take it all apart (no matter how big it is!), and relay, brick by brick how it is made.  It's cute that they try to call the brick 'name' like the people in the videos do.  Jonah was calling every brick a "1 by 16" for a long time.  They were not getting the concept for how the bricks were named.  Jed caught on, and at least now Jonah calls the bricks something else than just a "1 by 16" though he usually does not get it right.  Cute non the less.

Moira and Jonah are the most excited about getting the garden started.  Jonah has been pretty obsessed with it actually!  I let him start his own seeds since he was becoming so impatient.  He is faithful to water his seedlings every day.  However, that only stalled him :-)  He is begging to get to the rest of the seeds now.

Jedidiah has lost his two front teeth :-)  We were a bit concerned that he was having 3 teeth coming in almost at the same time, but his endo doctor said it was a good sign that his body is now growing and developing as it should.

My good friend, M, blessed me by doing my hair for me!  First she put highlights in.  She did mine the last time, 5 years ago (!), which was the first time I had highlights done.  She went soft with those, but this time?  Ooohh, they are bold :-)  And I like them!  Then, when I told her I had to put a hair cut off (can't justify spending money on a haircut when we were still not a 100% about Jeremiah's job situation), and she said she would cut it for me, since I was looking for the same style she wears.  She did and awesome job.  It was just what I was looking for, keeping my length, but thinning things out with some 'messy' layers.

I'm really excited about the things we are learning during this time in our lives.  The Lord has been moving and it is real and good.  I am amazed by the people who have come along side us and are teaching us what GRACE means.  One day I would love to share what we have learned, but for now we are still learning :-)

 Flannery celebrated a birthday!  Twelve!  Oh. My. Goodness.  I know, I always say it, but I always mean it....how is it possible?  She asked to have her birthday dinner at the park, a picnic.  Hmmm, do any of your picnics look like this?  A whole basket of canning jars for drinking, and a large pot of food?  I told her that next time we should plan for some more traditional picnic foods :-)  She chose homemade mac and cheese for her meal.  I made a non dairy version for myself since I can't have milk products.  The first time I made such a dish, and it came out yummy.

 Two cakes, made by Flannery herself.  Flannery is our baker.  And she gets upset with having to share the baking experience with others when it is someone else's birthday, so for her own birthday she was sole baker.  And yes, Moira and the girls' friend, C, in the background, were photo bombing.  Silly creatures.

 It was really windy there, and we couldn't keep the candle lit, so here is Flannery pretending to blow out her candle after we sang to her.

I got a half way decent photo of (almost) all of the kids.  Didn't know the best way to get the baby in, as they were standing on a wall, and didn't feel safe with any of them holding her up there.  Maybe next time :-)

How the baby spent most of the party...asleep.  Party pooper.