A Microcosm of Jess' Day

We've been up to a lot (pictures from Disney will eventually make it up here), but I think most days feel like all we do is wake up to make sure the kids stay alive so that we can get them back to bed. I will often get calls from Jess when I'm at church where she says, "I don't know what to do with them. They're driving me nuts." Of course, I don't know what to do with them, and they'd be driving me nuts too, so I guess I try to feel her pain. Having an imaginative six-year-old, a kid in his terrible twos, and needy six-month old makes life busy, chaotic, full, and interesting. I'm sure some day we'll look back on these times and want them back, but right now, we'd like a break! 

Swing Set!

After what seems like two years, we finally have something for the kids to play with in the backyard. This past week Jess' dad and I took a day to make a swing set for the kids, and I've got to admit that we did a pretty decent job for an accountant and a pastor. The kids absolutely love the swing set, and we're enjoying having something in our backyard to distract the kids on a daily basis. It's great to have them using the backyard. Now - if only we could figure out how to get the grass to survive in the South!

Elliot's Baptism

To say that May has been full of good things would be an understatement. Yesterday was Annika's birthday, and today we celebrated the baptism of Elliot James Hauser Brydon. Of all the kids, he was the only one who was calm through the whole thing. We invited the children of the church forward to watch this because we wanted them to remember their baptisms, and I think they really got a kick out of being a part of the service. We're so proud to be Elliot's parents, and we look forward to his becoming a faithful follower of Jesus Christ!

Bowling!

We thought you might like to see a few pics of our bowling adventure today. Below you can see one of the few moments that Annika actually enjoyed below. You can see Sam's dead-eye for bowling. You can also get a general feel for how all of our family photos look now. It's a good thing there won't be a church directory for a couple of years.

Happy Birthday, Annika!

Our beautiful, creative daughter, Annika, turned six today. It seems like she's been a part of our lives forever, but we're so proud to be her parents. We had a small kids' party on Thursday with pizza and treats, and Annika enjoyed holding court for her friends. Today, her actual birthday, we made heart-shaped pancakes, went bowling (which we discovered Same LOVES - he actually kicks the ball down the lane), bought swings for our new swing set, and opened more presents. We even had a turtle come up and greet us in our driveway. It's been a good day.

Brothers

Sam and Elliot have begun interacting a little bit of late. Sam's really kind of funny because he doesn't quite know what he can and can't do with Elliot, so half the stuff he does is sweet and the other half puts Elliot in tears. They'll figure it out some day. And when that day comes, Annika had better watch out. They'll be coming after her!

Half a Year

Hard to believe, but Elliot's been here for over 6 months now. His personality is still emerging, but he's generally a pretty happy kid. He spends a good deal of his day jumping in his Jumperoo, and he's even reacting to his sister and brother when they try to play with him. Life is full. Life is good.