Head Under Water

Wow. With all of these new changes in our lives, it's hard not to feel overwhelmed. Chris' new job, my new job in child care, new schedules, new responsibilities in my church calling (Nixa Ward Relief Society 2nd Counselor). Add all of that with my old (yet continuing) responsibilities at home, and I have a guarantee to stay busy for a little while. I feel as though I have so much on my plate, and if I lose my grip for even a second, it may all come crashing down. But, as I strive to accomplish my long "To Do" list, I am reminded that if I keep things in proper priority with the right perspective, the Lord will help me. Today, I sang my favorite hymn, "Be Still My Soul."

Be still, my soul
The Lord is on thy side
With patience bear
Thy cross of grief or pain
Leave to thy God to order and provide
In every change
He faithful will remain
Be still, my soul
Thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end

As I sang this song, it brought me peace and comfort. I love a good, uplifting song that helps me see things as they really are and smile.

On a different note, yesterday was a No School day, so Micah stayed home with us. He played with Paige a lot, and that gave me more time to play with Devon. We read several books. (Both of my daughters love to read.) We rolled a ball back and forth. We built towers with blocks. We played with a few puzzles. Just the two of us, we had a lot of fun together.

 "Um, hello. I'm busy with a puzzle here."

How can you look at that face and not smile?

During our Family Home Evening activity, Paige was using markers to color on some construction paper. As I was getting Micah into his bath, Paige had the unfortunate opportunity to do this.

 "Aw, Mom, you didn't even let me paint my nails."

"But, I'm still so darn cute."

It's a good thing those markers were washable. My two precious daughters. What a joy they are! Life as a mom is quite the adventure!

Life Happens Fast

I know that events in our lives can come and go quickly. In this case, the event I am talking about is Chris finding a job. Yes! Only out of work for two days, and then he's back to it! He will start working for State Farm Insurance tomorrow. We are very excited that he was able to find work so quickly. What an extraordinary blessing this is!

This doesn't mean that life will be easy. We will need to work very hard to make ends meet. But, opportunities and possibilities are out there to help us get by. We will make it. The Lord has blessed us in several ways so far. I know He will provide.

On a different note, this week I have been sick with a strep throat. The prescription I received has helped out a ton, and I think I am ready to run tomorrow. On Saturday, I will be running 18 miles with a friend. I'm excited and a little nervous, because I missed a few runs this week from being sick. So, I hope to end strong. Must keep training and working hard! The marathon is going to be here before I know it! I'm so excited for Chris and I to run this together. Running has been a great thing for us to share.

Uncertain Times

At one point or another in our lives, we are uncertain of what lies ahead. The Crosby family is uncertain of what will be happening for them. Our family is possibly facing many changes. Chris lost his job today, the job we were hoping would be his way to better provide for our family. Don't misunderstand; he has always worked very hard to make sure the family has the necessities. This new job was a way for him to possibly make much more money without the horrible work environment of his previous job. So, now what happens? We don't know.

We have had a few people already tell us of job possibilities. This gives us hope that Chris will find something and start working soon. The Lord has blessed us in other ways as well. This Saturday, I am going to meet with a woman who needs child care a few hours a day, a few days a week. If all goes well, I will be working again and able to help pay the bills! Exciting news!

I am a little excited (and anxious) to see where we will be in a few days, a few weeks, and a few months from now. I am very confident in Chris' talents and abilities, though. I also believe that with trials come opportunities to learn and grow. I have a feeling that all will be well. Please keep our family in your prayers!

You wouldn't know she was a preemie by looking at her.

Devon had her 18-month check-up last Friday. It went well; the doctor said she looks healthy. Here are her stats:

Length: 31 1/2 in.
Weight: 24 lbs.

I asked the doc if there's a certain point where she has fallen too much. He chuckled and said, "Well, children at this age do that a lot." Yes, true, but Devon falls a lot... and more. She is more of a monkey than Micah was at her age. She tries climbing everything! All of that falling doesn't seem to have affected her mental development, though. I can tell that she understands quite a bit, even though she doesn't talk much right now. I have had several comments on how much my two girls look alike. I guess I never really noticed it before, but they do look quite similar. My two beautiful princesses.

Fun Times With the Family

Lately, I have felt as though my life has been getter better and better. At the center of my existence is my family whom I love so much. We are learning and growing together, and that's what it's all about.

Micah is doing well in Kindergarten. I can see his progress, and there are a few things we are working on at home such as learning his lowercase letters, writing his name, and memorizing his address and phone number. He loves using his scissors to make projects; he even got an award for his cutting skills. (Yeah, that's right, my son has skillz.) He is making new friends. When we went to a Family Fun Night at his school last Thursday, there were a couple of kids who went up to Micah to say "hi". Micah tells me stories of playing with his classmates during recess. And, he went to a birthday party today! He played so much that he missed the food and face painting. Luckily, he got to take home some cake.

Paige is learning like crazy right now! I have more time to dedicate to her now that Micah is in school. She really knows her alphabet, upper and lowercase letters. Chris told me that while I was picking up Micah from the birthday party today, she cuddled with Chris and told him all of the objects in this butterfly toy with wings that flip like pages of a book. She told him all of the shapes at the end, and she even spelled triangle! Chris was impressed when she corrected herself after saying a letter wrong. Wow! That is impressive. And, Paige runs now. Yes, I said that right. Paige (until now) would not run to get somewhere. If we were racing in the backyard, she would just walk. It was like she was saying, "Nah. If I run, I'll be going too fast." She is definitely a unique child. The new commercial for Dr. Pepper says you can only describe Dr. Pepper as tasting like  Dr. Pepper. How would I describe Paige? Paige is like Paige. There is just no one else like her.

Devon is such a little monkey! I put an exclamation at the end, because I think she is even more active than Micah was at her age. Maybe I should put more. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  There. I hope that tells you how active and all over the place she is. Devon is constantly getting up on chairs, couches, and tables where if she fell off, it would not be good. So, I'm now on the Devon lookout, not getting much done unless she is asleep or in her bouncy toy. I limit how much time she spends in that, though, because I want her so run around and play. That means I have to make sacrifices to make sure she is safe. That's ok. Who really wants to do the dishes anyway? Devon is also learning words and trying to talk more. Her smile is so contagious, too.

If you follow Chris' weight loss blog, Heavy Steps, you know how well he is doing. He has come such a long way in such a short amount of time. He has lost almost 90 lbs.! Running is becoming an addiction. He is training 4-5 days a week for a half marathon in November and is constantly improving. Today, he ran the ADA Stop Diabetes 5k and finished it in 32:59! That's at about a 10 min per mile pace! That's a huge improvement from his first 5k time, 43:50.  The healthier lifestyle he is implementing in our home has definitely been and will be a positive influence for our family. We eat healthier meals, do more activities together, and have more fun! Chris is my best friend, and I will love him forever.

As for me, same ol' same ol', lol. No, that's not true. I am also training for the same half marathon in November. I unexpectedly registered for another half last Labor Day. The weather was gorgeous, sunny and cool. The course had some incline but wasn't really hilly. It was located on a trail surrounded by trees and was both paved and dirt. I have to say that I liked running on the dirt trail a little better than the paved area. It seemed a little softer, like I was on a cloud. Physically, I was feeling a little high, floating around. I love it when the adrenaline kicks in, and I get the "runner's high." I felt great and smiled big as a sprinted fast the last leg of the race. I finished in 1:46:16 and got first in my division! It was pretty darn cool!

Before Micah started school, I decided I was going to become involved in his school activities and parent organizations. I wanted Micah to see my desire to help out with his education at home and at school. I also thought it would be a great way for me to get involved in the community, which is something I've been wanting to do for awhile. So, I decided to become a homeroom mom! We are already planning a carnival to raise funds for the school's teachers and needed resources. Not long after that, we will be having a Halloween party planned for the students. Another homeroom mom and I will be planning that plus a Christmas party, Valentine's party, and Teacher Appreciation Week. It sounds like a lot of work, but thankfully, I am not the only one planning for our class. It will be a lot of fun, and I am already meeting several cool moms and making new friends myself. It's a win, win!

Needless to say (but I'm going to say it anyways), life is good, and I have so much to be thankful for.

Micah's First Day of Kindergarten

I woke up this morning around 6:00, thinking that there was something important going on. A few seconds later, I realized what it was. Micah's first day of school! Oh shoot, I should have woken up earlier! So, I rush to get myself ready. Before I can get to Micah's room, he walks in our room. I asked him, "Do you know what day it is?"

"It's my first day of school!"

He puts on the clothes I set out on his bed last night while Paige and Devon wake up for breakfast. I hurriedly make their morning meals and Chris' lunch, hoping I don't miss the bus. Micah comes out of his room dressed handsomely, and here's the proof.

Micah eats his oatmeal and gets his school stuff, his backpack and lunch box.

We walk out the door after breakfast, around 7:30. I'm hoping we didn't miss the bus, and after 15 minutes, I'm wondering if it will come up our street at all. The transportation director told me it would come up here, right? I'm kind of stressing, thinking of a plan if the bus doesn't come. But, silly me, I stressed over nothing. The bus showed up around 7:50, and Micah was eager to get on. Here's a picture of his backpack boarding the bus. (I almost forgot to take a picture at all. I guess this is better than nothing.)

I introduced myself to the bus driver and stepped back as she closed the door. I can't say I didn't get emotional as I waved to Micah, heading off to school. But, I'm so excited for him! Although he has a teacher and is at school most of the day, my job to teach him is not over. I still have a responsibility to see that he learns what he should to progress and (eventually) leave our home to be on his own and raise his own family. I know, that point in his life is a long time away. But today, I reflected on how much ALL of my children need me to nurture them. It was a fresh start for both Micah and me.

My Oh My, How They Grow... And Scream

Both Paige and Micah had check-ups at the doctor's office recently. Paige is 3 feet tall and weighs 27 lbs, tall and skinny. Only one shot, and she actually handled it pretty well. Micah, on the other hand, was a different story.

I decided to be truthful from the start, when he asked me if he was getting shots that day. From that point on, Micah was very concerned about it. He would ask over and over again, "Am I getting shots today?" After the doctor took his measurements and so on, Micah anticipated that the shots would come next. For about 15 minutes, he screamed, "I WANT TO GO HOME! I WANT TO GO HOME!" (My apologies to the doctors and nurses who had to hear that.) I tried to calm him down, but the only way to do that was to go home. He needed those shots for his health and in order to attend school. A male nurse came in and held Micah down while another nurse gave him his immunizations, FOUR of them. Both were very nice, telling Micah how brave he was. After all was done, they even gave him a couple of certificates to Taco Bell and Incredible Pizza. So, after that, he decided that the next time he got shots, he would be extra brave. :) I'm just glad he won't need them again until he is 12.