How does this happen?  Months and months go by, filled with growing children, hard times, laughter, tears, and life....and the blog sits.  I read other blogs daily and think - I should put something on my blog.  But I am pulled away and months go by.  So I will do another catch up post about our life from last summer:).
We are blessed.  I often forget that in the day-to-day crazy of raising four kiddos, but oh, we are blessed.  Our tummies are full, our house is warm, we are blessed by doctor's who can "fix" us, we are blessed by friends who encourage us.  We are blessed by family who "gets" us.
We traveled with the boys in August to Guatemala to visit our friends Dan and Christi (who adopted Malachi at the same time we adopted Alle).  It was amazing to see a third world country through the boys eyes, and both of them were in tears when we left, already asking when we could return.  We are going back this June to Village of Hope with the boys and cannot wait to serve and bless our precious friends.
The kiddos - goodness, I wish they would stop growing.  Noah turned 10 in April, and this momma is having trouble with the double digits.  He is full of fun - loves to be outside playing with friends, but is still my little boy who snuggles and wants his back scratched (such his momma's boy:).  Jadon is only 8, but is almost as tall as his brother and that boy, oh that boy.  He has the most precious soft heart and loves to just be at home reading on the couch (again, his momma's boy:). The boys started swimming for the Snapper's swim team in October and they had so much fun this winter!!!  They both qualified for the championship and we are eagerly waiting for summer swim team to start in june!  Hannah is 5 now, and has sprouted in the last few months.  Her rheumatoid arthritis is beginning to flare (we think) but she is keeping busy with preschool and dance and soccer and being a little mother to her 100 baby dolls.  She, unlike me, loves loves loves to wear anything dressy - I have to bribe her to get her to wear jeans.  How did this happen?  have you all ever seen me wearing a dress?  seriously now, when it gets really hot here in the summer you might (and I say might) see me in a skirt, but this momma is a t-shirt and jeans person, and my little Hannah cannot understand it.  I pray this is just a stage she will grow out of!:)  Alle is two now, and looks like she is four.  Our little spicy Ethiopian - she is definitely two and keeps us on our toes.  She loves Elmo, and dances like crazy any chance she gets.  She loves to eat, and the only food we have found that she does not like is oatmeal.  Go figure.  Lima beans, brussel sprouts, quinoa, any fruit or vegetable she will gobble down, but no oatmeal.
Enjoy the pictures - Eric got me a new camera for Christmas in the hope that I would take more pics of the kids.  unfortunately, I usually forget to take the camera with me when I am leaving the house with the four kids, so most of the pictures are from daddy:)  Luckily- I forget the camera and not one of the kids!:)  Happy May!  (and let's be honest - I'll probably blog again next year:).