What We've Been Up To

I figure it's about time for a little update about our life since our latest big changes (another move, another new job, another sweet baby!). We've been here a little over 6 months now and I must say that we are liking it. We have been able to plug into our new community in so many ways. We are enjoying our new church very much and have found many different ways to be involved and volunteer. The kids have found activities to fill nearly every day, from dance to homeschool co-op to AWANA to choir to Chinese school to free craft time at several local stores. We have wonderful next-door neighbors who also have four children, although opposite of us - 3 boys and a girl.

Larry and I are really pleased with the medical care we've been able to get for the girls here. We struggled with that in our previous location and it is such a relief and blessing to find quality care so quickly and easily. Since we've been here, Julie has gotten her first-ever hearing aid and it is amazing! We've decided to set aside any surgical options for correcting her hearing loss since the hearing aid is working so well. Melody had another palate surgery a few months ago, the third attempt to close her palate completely. The good, no great, news is that it worked! She also has a wonderful speech therapist who is connected to our team of doctors and knows just what to do to help Melody progress. Both girls go back for a team evaluation in January, at which point we'll be moving forward with orthodontia for Julie and plans for another surgery for Melody.

Julie started 2nd grade and Melody started Kindergarten this August in our homeschool. Both girls are doing so well. Melody is learning to read and I am having such fun tagging along with her :). We switched math programs in hopes of avoiding all the tears and stress that last year brought and I am so pleased with the result. We're using RightStart Math and I can't say enough about it. Math time has been transformed in our home. Yet again, I find myself so thankful that I have the privilege of schooling our children, teaching them one-on-one, making adjustments to help them meet their potential.

Joseph will be 3 in just two short months, wow! He has finally arrived at the point of being okay with separating from us in order to go to Sunday School class. He still has so much to say, still loves his Blue Bear, and is still my cuddly, stubborn, funny, strong-willed, sweet boy. Clara is 8 months now and she is changing all the time. She started crawling at 6 months and is now pulling up on everything she can grab. Today she cruised down the length of the couch for the first time. I can see we're going to have another young walker on our hands in a few months! She has two teeth on the bottom (so cute!) and just yesterday I noticed that two on the top have broken through. They are the ones next to the center ones, so she's going to look a bit like Dracula soon! Not to fear though, since I can see the center top ones just below the gums. How is my baby becoming a toddler so fast? I want to treasure every single moment and not miss a single chance to cuddle/squeeze/exchange raspberries with this amazing little girl. She is nearly always smiling and can light up a room just by being there.

Here are a few pictures before I go. Enjoy and thanks for reading!