a blessed March 2011...

Meeting our new niece, Evelyn, for the first time

*family shot in NE, enjoying no coat and sandal weather!!!

March was a month of frustration.  Frustration in being sick again and again.  Frustration in the cold wet windy weather with no sign of spring in sight.  Frustration with potty training not going well.  Frustration in having to find child-care for the boys 6 times to do different school things with or for G.  Frustration at work for S with many different issues.  Frustration with door falling off the van and the stress and mess that needed to go into fixing that.  Frustration in the momentum we were building in organizing and home life coming to a drastic halt...even going backwards.  Frustration in everyone's attitudes.  While it is not always easy for us to accept help, we were truly blessed by others this month.  And for that we got over our crummy attitudes and were very thankful.  Thankful for those who watched the boys or all the kids so we could do some fun school activities.  Thankful for a neighbor who made us supper (after watching our kids).  Thankful for a sister-in-law who vacuumed the entire house (while watching the boys).  Thankful for all the help I got when our van door fell off.  Thankful for neighbors who were willing to watch the kids and pick me up from the shop.  Thankful for prior insurance company who completely covered the door falling off, no questions or hassles, as it seemed to be a result from the accident we had a year and a half ago (and thankful that van doors just don't fall off without reason).  Thankful for family and friends who invited us for playdates while S was working some long hours.  So while in my head I kept thinking that it was such a carpy month, when I reflected on all the blessings that were shown to us by others, I was a little overwhelmed.  God does not promise us an easy life, but He does promise to provide us with the means to do the work He has set before us.  So thank you Lord for sending us others this month to bless us and help us make it through.  And thank you to all who helped us out, we love you and appreciate you very much.

real life at the Bruin house...potty time

reading with Dadda before he goes to work...

G notes:

• I was able to spend a lot of time with G at school this month which she really loved (I did too =).  I went on a field trip with her, helped out on the playground and in the classroom for lunch twice this month, and helped with a classroom project.  We also had CE night, and parent-teacher conferences which made for a busy month for us at school.  Her conferences went great and it is so neat to see her growth and improvement as well as have her teacher affirm that too.
• She all of a sudden looks way too grown up.  Maybe because she is acting that way too with being more independent and helpful.
• And then she throws a huge fussy hissy fit about W or C having something she wants and we are reminded that yes, she is just 5.  (To which we promptly remind her that she is 5 and a big kindergartener and should not act like that!)

 W notes:

• W is becoming quite "proficient" in his play kitchen.  We have been getting all sorts of meals and treats consisting of dominoes acting as "chicken with a reduced spicy green pepper sauce", "mango muffins with a phenomenal crumble topping", and "lemon torte with cream whipped to stiff peaks", just to name a few of his dishes.  One of my favorite shows is America's Test Kitchen on PBS, and W loves it too...maybe a little too much! 
• He is trying to talk with big people grammer, and not getting it.  It is too cute to hear him talk that way, and I find myself talking the same with him just because it is too cute.  But as S reminded me, he will never talk the correct way if we don't!  So, W, is is "WE are going to the store, not US is going to the store"
• And he is going to be a heartbreaker with the way he can smile and wink...I think we are in trouble!

C notes:

• C is now a singing fool!  He is picking up all the silly songs we sing for stuff around the house (what, you don't have a pick-up, wash-up, and onsie song?), as well as songs we hear in church, G comes home with from school, the library, and of course CDs we are listening to as well.
• Most of the time he is so good-natured, but that "two" personality is starting, because if something doesn't go his way, he screams and lets us know, and then keeps screaming and fussing and can't let it go.  I know the other two kids went through stages like this too, but it can be hard to remember that...
• Continues his quest to do everything and anything that his siblings do.  Especially his brother.  Crazy thing is that he is starting to be able to physically and mentally keep up with them!