Thankful Thursday

House/Moving Update:  We had the appraisal on our place done today and should hear how that went by the first of next week.  We are also expecting a loan commitment letter form our buyers' lender by the first of next week.  With that, we'll go to our sellers and their lender and ask for the necessary extensions.  Keep praying!

Here is this week's list:

1.  Grandparents.  Today was Grandparents' Day at Audrey's preschool.  The kids sang for them and then they ate lunch together and did the hokey pokey (what I would've paid to see that!)  Though not all of them could make it, she had a wonderful time.  We are so blessed to have each of them in our lives and we're thankful for how good they are to us!

2.  Being finished with medicine...for now, anyway.  After ten days, Luke wrapped up his antibiotic last weekend for his sinus and ear infection.  Giving him that twice a day on top of his twice a day reflux medicine made me realize how very lucky we are that that's not typically our world.  Pray they stay well for a little while...I think I already hear him getting stuffy again!

3.  A great time at the pumpkin patch last weekend.  We had so much fun choosing a pumpkin (a couple, actually), riding on the hay ride, wandering through the corn maze, and racing rubber duckies down the pvc tracks.  Days like that are the stuff I used to dream about and I'm so thankful they've come true and are turning into sweet memories.

4.  Our library reopening.  I love taking Audrey to the library to pick out new books every couple of weeks.  Since just before Luke was born, the one closest to our house has been closed for renovation.  It just reopened and all the new work looks great.  I'm glad to have one so nearby again and can't wait to check out story time there soon! 

5.  Quick and easy dinners.  As in, 5 minutes of hands-on work.  I made chicken and dumplins in the crock pot one night and meatball subs (from frozen) another night then we had leftovers off of both.  They were lifesavers while David had to work late a few nights this week.  Super fast, super easy and only dirtied one pot per meal!  

Have a great weekend and enjoy this amazing fall weather!

A Dream Deferred

I finally decided to bring my Imperfect Perfectionist readers up to speed on all of our house/moving drama.  Below is the post I wrote and published on that site earlier today.  It may offer you a bit of encouragement as you struggle through your own unknowns this week.  If nothing else, it'll be a refresher and bring you up to speed on where we are now.  

...My Bible Study leader made a comment last week about how much blog material I've had lately with our house selling drama and I realized how right she was.  I don't think God intends for me to keep this story and the subsequent lessons I am learning just to myself.  Knowing that I'm struggling with such drama may make you feel like you're not the only one whose life isn't going according to plan at the moment.

The Back Story

It all began in April when my husband and I decided to put our house on the market.  We spent several weeks preparing the place by taking down most of our photos and personal knick-knacks, cleaning out closets and cabinets, and packing away as much "superfluous" stuff as we could per our realtor's recommendation.  We hauled stuff to a storage unit and locked it up.  We scrubbed and cleaned and made the place as show-ready as possible.  On May 10th, we listed our house for sale.  

We had plenty of showings and our first offer came in while we were on vacation at a family wedding.  We rushed back and forth to the library fax machine with our counter offer and anxiously awaited an answer on what would turn out to be a bust.  Then, a few weeks later on a Saturday night when I was up nursing my infant son at midnight, I checked my email to find another offer for full asking price.  I woke up my husband and we were so incredibly excited neither of us could sleep for hours.  Two days later, on June 19th, we were under contract.  Two days and at least 10 house tours and a million online searches after that, we found a short-sale we fell in love with and put a contract on it.  Then we started packing.  

We were very anxious about how the timing of everything was going to turn out because short sales are notorious for taking a long time to close.  (And, just to educate you on what I've found to be a common wrong assumption:  They are called "short sales" because the owners are short what they owe/short what the house is worth, not because they take a short time to sell.)  We wondered if we'd have to rent or move in with family until the new place was approved and we could close on it.  We were able to negotiate over a week's worth of rental time back from our buyers, so we felt that helped a bit.  We did the best we could to focus on packing and prayed God would allow the timing to come together.  

Turns out we had no reason to worry.  We were set to close on our current house on August 15th.  On the 13th, we found out our buyers had failed to qualify for financing.  Apparently the husband had claimed an $18,000 loss on an internet start-up business in 2011 and the underwriter did not approve.  They scrambled around but could not find another lender and we were forced to terminate the contract. 

Let me paint this picture for you in case you missed it:  We were TWO DAYS away from closing.  Granted, we had 1-2 weeks we were planning on renting back so not everything was packed, but a very good bit of it was.  Curtains were down.  Decorations were gone.  Any kitchen bowl, serving platter, or small appliance we didn't use in the average week was in a box.  So not only were we not moving, but suddenly we were supposed to be show-ready again?!  And let's not forget to mention the $500 worth of work and many man hours we'd put in getting the buyers' requested repairs done.  

We hauled boxes out to the garage.  I was so upset that I did most of it in one day of my kids' nap time.  Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.  48 hours later, we were back up for sale. 

The craziest part came just a few days later when our short sale approval came through.  It had gone faster than just about any short sale approval our agent had ever heard of.  Unfortunately, our sellers were not willing to let us extend the contract because we didn't have another buyer lined up so they let it expire.  So now our house was for sale again and we'd lost our dream house to move to.  Let me just say, I pitched a holy fit.  Then cried, prayed, wondered, prayed, and pitched another holy fit.  I specifically asked God that if this was not the right time, that we would not get any showings.  Not just no offers, but NO SHOWINGS.  

And yet they came.  Day after day I had to leave the house spotless and ready, as most agents would give me very little notice before they wanted to stop by.  Can you even imagine how rough this was with a six month old and a toddler?!  Many wanted to come at nap time or at dinner.  Very few were interested in what was convenient for us, but that's the name of the game.  On several occasions I would have the place cleaned, haul two kids out, and make dinner plans to eat somewhere (this was getting costly!) only to have them call and cancel at the last minute.

But, alas, showings poured in at a rate of 13 in three weeks and a new offer quickly resulted.  We went under our second contract on August 29th. We scrambled to try to get another contract drawn up on our short sale.  They accepted it.  We nervously sighed a sigh of relief.

An inspection took place and another due diligence period passed, but not long after that, on September 13th, we found out things were going south again.  Our new buyers (the husband was a commercial fisherman in Alaska, just as a quirky side note) had a major debt they weren't aware of from a car sale transaction a few years prior.  They were turned down.

We went back to market...AGAIN...but this time without the holy fit pitchin'.  We knew God brought us through once and He'd somehow give us the strength to endure this again.  In two days' time we had seven showings and three offers, two of which were for asking price.  Tried as we might, we could not understand what God was doing!  Why did we keep getting showings and amazing offers if this was not the right time?  We pressed on cautiously, accepted one of the offers on September 25th, and were granted an extension by our sellers on our short sale.  This time, however, we required our buyers to give us either a Loan Commitment or a Proof of Funds letter from their lender within 10 days.  Yeah, fool me once...or, uh,...twice and all that.  :)  

Now I know what you're thinking:  Surely the third time is a charm.  That can't be a saying for nothing, right?!  

Wrong.

On October 9th, we learned Buyer #3 (a single woman who owned several restaurants and was buying the place for her sister and putting 25% down) had a rather large discrepancy in her 2010 and 2011 income.  She wanted to have her uncle step in as purchaser.  Not a co-purchaser - just for us to start over with him as a new buyer.  

We quickly went back to the other asking-price offer to see if they were still available and would agree to our terms.  They were still interested and so we turned down the uncle, dissolved that contract, and entered in a new one with Buyer #4 on October 11th.  That very day we received notice that our short sale package had been approved again from when we went back under contract with them.  That meant the clock started ticking for us to close on it in 30 days.  

Where We Are Now

So here we are on October 23rd.  Over five months into this thing (six if you count the month of work we did to get it ready to sell, which I sure do).  Six months.  At least thirty showings.  Four contracts.  And a whole lot of extra side drama I didn't even bother to include.  (Don't even get me started on the back and forth between my daughter's would-be preschools and making that decision!) Believe it or not, I just gave you the main points!

The contract on the short sale house we want to buy is about to expire again.  In just over a week, our sellers will have to decide if they have any grace left in them to take another chance on us.  Then, their lender will have to determine the same thing, because we are going to fail to close within the required 30 days of approval.  We are both the sellers' and the lender's best hope of avoiding foreclosure, BUT, I can't say I'd blame them if they'd rather try to move on.

The good news is we still have an "out" if we want it.  We're 99% sure that even IF our buyers qualify, they aren't going to be ready to close by the November 11th closing date listed in the contract.  That means they'll have to file an extension.  If we get turned down by our sellers or their lender for our extension, we could refuse to give our buyers their needed extension and just kill the deal.  But oh, I can't even fathom listing this house again, even if we waited until Spring.  

I'm exhausted.  I'm frustrated.  I'm ready to have my stuff back in one place and all the boxes gone from my home.  I'm ready to know where we're going to be living in a matter of weeks.

Each month I take perspective pictures of my infant son.  Every time I pose him in the glider next to that month's number and his teddy bear I think, "next month I'll be doing this in the new place."  

When I buy a bottle of shampoo or open a new container of laundry detergent, I think, "the next time I have to open a new one of these, it'll surely be in our next house."  

Each expiration date I see at the grocery store, I wonder, "What stage will we be at in the journey by then?"  I know it sounds incredibly silly, but it's what I do.  

Thinking like that - always waiting and counting days - robs you of the present.  This whole process has shifted my focus for months.  There's the actual phone calls, emails, discussions, etc. that take place that steal minutes and hours and then there's the wondering and obsessing and worrying that take up huge chunks of energy and time.  Just the explaining to and updating friends and family takes an enormous amount of work.  

It's brought up in just about every conversation I have.  It fills just about every other thought I think.  It prevents me from committing to people I love and things I want to do:  "Yes, I can help you volunteer that day.  IF we aren't moving."  "Oh, we'd love to come for Thanksgiving.  IF we're not moving!"  "Start planning the class Christmas party?  Why, yes, IF she's still at that preschool because, you know, we are moving."  I even dream about it.

I've hesitated to draw this parallel because I was afraid of offending someone out there in blog land, but I'm going to take that chance because it helps me express what this has been like for us.  I feel as though, in the tiniest of ways, this is somewhat like trying to get pregnant.  Please note that I am NOT comparing it to facing infertility or the heartbreaking suffering of a miscarriage.  I just imagine that the roller coaster ride is similar.  Each month, I nervously keep my eye on the calendar.  I've written down one closing date after another - August 15th, September 28th, October 26th, and now, the latest, somewhere around November 19th.  Each deal that falls through and each date that passes, it's really sad for me to realize we've had yet another roadblock, another failure, another "not yet."  I feel like I'm in this huge limbo stage, unable to make real, long-term plans for our family because I don't know where we'll be.  And yes, I am incredibly blessed to have a family with which to make plans.  I know that.  I get that.  And I am so grateful for the blessings we DO have.  I'm just...so unsettled.  And it's unsettling.  

The Lessons

I wish I had a long, wise list to put here.  The truth is, I'm still trying to figure out what the lessons are that I'm supposed to be learning.  I get the obvious one:  patience.  Is that "it"?  (Not that that isn't quite big enough, thank you very much!)  

I know for sure I've gotten way better at being more flexible and releasing my need for control and preplanning.  Not to mention that if you had told me a year ago that I'd have half of a garage and a storage unit filled to the brim with boxes and containers and I'd be functioning okay with such a disorganized mess, I would've told you there was no way.  

I'm also cutting myself some slack about feeling guilty over being "materialistic."  I miss my stuff.  There.  I said it.  I want all of my possessions out of boxes and under one roof again.  And I think that more than making me sound like a spoiled brat, this makes me realize how the things I own are actually worth something to me.  I've missed each piece of decoration, each photo, that made our house our own.  They all came with stories and memories.  Those things gave it personality and warmth and it's okay that I want them to fill our walls and spaces again.  

I'm moving ahead and doing the best I can.  I'm making plans and committing to what I can.

I'm praying God's best for our family - and truly, truly meaning that.  If He chooses to keep us here or move us there or do something else entirely, I have learned to trust His big picture.  

So maybe I have learned more than I thought.  Quite a lot, actually.

One of my favorite quotes is by Max Lucado and says:  "God owes no one anything. No reasons. No explanations. Nothing. If He gave them, we couldn't understand them. God is God. He knows what He is doing. When you can't trace His hand, trust His heart." 

I am, Lord.  I'm trusting.  I hope you are too out there in blog land.  Whatever dream deferred or tough situation you're facing right now, seek His will and then trust it.  You may be disappointed in the short run, but boy is it worth what He has in store in the end.  

Letter to Audrey

Dear Audrey,

Yesterday I admired you for the first time.  I mean really, truly admired the person you are.  Now don't get me wrong.  Your Daddy and I are very proud of you.  And we've been awestruck by you hundreds of times in your nearly three and a half years of living.  But yesterday, I saw you in a different light and I...respected you.  Not just because you're a child of God and you deserve basic respect like any human being.  But because I saw a glimpse of who you're becoming and it struck a chord with me that I'll never forget.

I know this may not make any sense.  I tried very hard to explain it to your Daddy last night and I think he got it.  At least, he acted like he did.  But sometimes that's just code for, "it's really late.  Can we go to bed now?"  He knows I can be a bit dramatic at times.  I mean, after all, this particular chord-striking did occur at your basic preschool pizza party.  How earth-shattering could it have been?

For me, though, it was a very big deal.  As I stood there attempting to slice pizza with the dullest of knives (guess they don't keep too many sharp things around for obvious reasons), I watched you and your classmates file in from the playground.  You stood there quietly, waiting in line to wash your hands.  At the sink, I finally caught your eye and gave you a wink.  Your grin lit up the room.  You walked over and sat down near me, but didn't say hello or give me a big hug.  I gave you a small wave as Mrs. Lindsy started talking about the letter P and the sound it makes.  (Something, by the way, you've been well aware of for at least 18 months, but bragging on your intelligence is for another time.)

After the lesson, we started passing out "P" foods and I kept an eye on you.  You were quiet, but polite, as each helper walked by and asked if you wanted that particular thing.  As I hurried around refilling pink lemonade and giving Alex his third slice of pizza (someone cut that kid off!), I watched you carefully.  None of the children in the room were really talking to one another.  I know it's still a bit early to expect a lot of deep conversations from that age group, but I thought about all the meals you and I have shared and all the chatter that takes place then.  I knew your mind was busy thinking and I was a little saddened that I didn't know what about.

After lunch, I helped stuff the kids' folders with their artwork from the day.  Mrs. Lindsy called two or three kids at a time to get their folder and put it in their backpack in the hall.  You waited patiently until your name was called and then did what you were supposed to.  You came back in and found a spot to sit criss-cross applesauce on the carpet for group time.  Mrs. Lindsy began talking about God's creation and all the things He made, including pumpkins.  As she cut off the top of your class pumpkin, she explained the purpose of the seeds inside.  She held it and went around the circle, asking if anyone wanted to put their hand in and feel the goopy, stringy stuff.  You watched intently with your hands clasped tightly together in your lap.  "No way is she gonna go for that," I told myself, especially after the three kids right before you all shook their heads no and talked about how yucky it was.  She stopped in front of you.  You paused.  Then you slowly extended your hand and stuck it right smack in the goop.

At this point you must think I'm officially crazy.  "So THAT'S it, Mom?  You admire me for using good manners and sticking my hand in a pumpkin?!"

No.  I admire you because I realize how hard it must be to be three years old and be thrown into a class of strangers, most of whom don't speak very well yet.  I admire you for following directions without having to be asked fifteen times like Brian or Michael were.  I admire you because of all you've adapted to in such a short time.  I admire you because you are brave.  I admire you because even though your Mommy was in the class, you clearly didn't need me to be.  I admire you because you are mature.  I admire you because you can think for yourself and you didn't cave under the "yucky pumpkin" pressure.  I admire you for thriving in that little world in which I really have no control over or daily part in.  You're becoming a little girl.  An individual.  And a really, really awesome one at that.

I heard a sermon recently that challenged parents to raise children to become adults that they'd want to be friends with.  Not to befriend the child now, but to have that goal in mind.  Yesterday, I saw the glimpse of a person I'd definitely like to be friends with one day.  I've known you're smart and beautiful and funny.  But yesterday, I learned you are also marvelous in so many other ways.  And so I marveled.

Keep up the good work, Sugar.

I love you,

Mommy
xoxoxo

Thankful Thursday

1.  Getting to be Room Mom.  Yesterday I got a call from Mrs. Lindsy, Audrey's lead teacher, asking if I could bring a pizza in for lunch and help out with their "Letter P" party.  It was last minute, but without hesitating, I agreed.  I called David and told him Luke would be left unattended beginning at 11:30 in case he wanted to come home during his lunch and watch him.  I knew I wouldn't be much help with him in tow and there was NO WAY I was going to miss the opportunity to see Audrey in class and meet all her little friends that I've heard about for 6 weeks.  It was so fun!  She is as quiet as I thought she would be, but I can tell she really likes it.  Her teachers are wonderful with them, the kids are adorable (okay, most of them), and I can't wait to go back in!

2.  Girls' Nights Out.  I probably haven't gone out with a friend by myself in nearly 9 or 10 months, but last week I did a painting party with some of my Bible Study girls and tonight I went out to dinner with a sweet friend.  I'm not sure how the stars aligned for that to happen back-to-back weeks, but I'll take it!  It was much-needed and thoroughly enjoyed!

3.  Early Christmas shopping.  Oh yeah, I've started it.  If you've known me more than five minutes, this does not come as a surprise!  I always try to get a jump on it, but I figured that if we really are going to be moving near the week of Thanksgiving (the latest, latest, latest closing date is around 11/19), I'd better have most of it done by then since I'll be a bit preoccupied after!

4.  Luke's jibber-jabbering.  He's gotten quite talkative lately and one of his favorites is "Ma-ma".  Of course he doesn't know what it means yet, but it is music to my ears.  

5.  Being sore.  Okay, I don't particularly like being sore.  But I am thankful that I have the physical ability to work out.  I did so this week with weights for the first time in...well, let's not worry about that.  The point is I did it.  And boy did it hurt the next day (and the day after that, too).  But a good hurt.  A "I-see-my-smallest-jeans-finally-within-reach" kinda hurt.  

We're pumpkin patchin' it this weekend and are so excited!  Love this time of year and love spending it doing fun things with my family!

Thankful Thursday

Most of you either got my email or saw my post on FB, but for my own journaling future reference, here is a quick house update:  We have broken yet another real estate record - Our THIRD buyer didn't qualify for the loan.  She wanted to have her uncle step in as the purchaser, but instead of going with him,  as he was not pre-approved (though that clearly doesn't mean a thing), we chose to go back to a couple that had made a previous offer. They were not under contract and were definitely still interested, so we gave them our terms.  They met them and we went under contract with our FOURTH buyers at 9am this morning.

I'm sure some of you are thinking, "Take a hint! Now is clearly not the time!" and, trust me, we've wondered that ourselves a thousand times over.  What we don't understand, though, is why when one door seems to close, another seemingly better door is right beside it wide open.  Is this a lesson in endurance, patience, and faith?  Or are we thick-skulled and stubborn and trying to force something that isn't meant to be?

We are tentatively and humbly thinking it's the former, so we are moving forward this last time.  If it falls through, we will not be going back to the uncle nor will we be going back on the market.  We will unpack our boxes and call it quits until Spring.  I'm asking you to pray that God's best and His will comes together:  That He'll either shut it down one last time or it'll go through and we'll be watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade surrounded by boxes. 

Now on to this week's list:

1)  My father-in-law, whose birthday is Saturday.  I have to share a recent story I heard about him that melted my heart:  When David and I ran the KP Corporate Challenge with several of his coworkers, I got to talking to one of them named William.  William said something about Audrey starting preschool and said that he'd recently seen her picture.  Turns out he was in a meeting with Ed and several other guys when all of a sudden Ed interrupts the meeting and says, "Oh you guys gotta check this out" while looking at something on his iPhone.  Thinking it was something business-related, they stopped to take a look.  It was a photo I'd texted our families of AJ all dressed up for her first day.  Now THAT'S a proud Granddad. :)  We love you, Ed, and are so thankful for you!

2)  Audrey playing Food Drive.  I'll fill you in on the details in my October recap, but AJ and I helped out with a food drive last weekend.  It wasn't as fun for her as I wish it could've been, because I know kids having fun while serving is really important at this age.  So it made my heart soar the other day when we sat down to play and she got out her coins and said, "Let's pretend we're using this money to buy stuff for the food drive, Mommy!"  Oh, thank you, Jesus!  She's getting it!  

3)  A Mommy's intuition.  We are going on about two solid weeks of this cold working its way through our family.  Luke was the last to get it and has really been struggling to shake it.  I made a doctor's appointment yesterday, then cancelled it, thinking he was getting better.  Last night and today, however, I just couldn't shake the feeling that he seemed fussier.  After a rough night last night where he woke up and was so inconsolable that I had to pick him up and rock him (which I never d0 when he wakes up unless he's sick), I made another appointment first thing this morning.  Turns out he has an ear and a sinus infection.  I'm thankful God gives mothers those gut instincts to know when something is up and that I listened to it.  Though not desirable for a 7 month old to be on, antibiotics should clear things up and he'll be well soon.  

4)  Pumpkin bars!  I got a delicious recipe for them from a friend last year and have already made two batches this season.  Most of the first one went to new neighbors and most of the second, well...didn't make it out the door.  :)  

5)  Time at the shooting range.  David and I finally went (if you recall, I got him this as our Christmas gift date exchange, but when we went on a weekend months ago, it was way too crowded.  It took us that long to have a weeknight date!)  It was as fun as I remember and I great stress reliever!

Have a great weekend and enjoy this amazing fall weather!

September Recap

Eek...nearly another whole month off?  My bad.  

Latest on the house:  Our second set of buyers fell through.  No joke.  They had a bad debt on their credit history that didn't turn up during the initial review and couldn't be overlooked by their lender or several others they tried.  We were upset, but in a completely different place then we were the first go-round.  We were...well...fine with it.  But, seeing as how we still had half of a garage full of boxes and had put forth all the effort to prepare to move and find a new house, we wanted to give it one last shot.  SO, we went back on the market on Tuesday, September 18th.  On that Wednesday, we had four showings.  On Thursday, we had three.  By Friday, we had THREE offers.  We asked all parties to provide a bit more proof of their pre-approval status and waited to make sure no other offers came in (Since two of the offers were for asking price, I'm not sure what we were waiting for exactly...someone to show up with cash?!)  Anyway, when Saturday night rolled around and we had no more showings or offers, we chose what we believed to be the most qualified individual and countered.  After a little back and forth, she accepted and we went under contract on the Tuesday September 25th with a closing date set for October 26th.  And, we got our sellers to agree to an extension.  Time will tell.  

What else happened this month?  Let's see...quick list:   We took a day trip to Alabama.  Audrey started preschool.  We ran a 5K (longest distance I'd run non-stop since May of 2011).  I colored my hair after chopping it off last month.  Not really a fan of either the cut or the color, but it is just hair.  We finally used the passes my Dad gave us for AJ's birthday and went to the zoo with them.  We went to the fair with sweet friends.  Bible Study started back and I assumed my new role of "Calendar Girl" for the class. ;) I am planning play dates, ladies nights, and David and I are hosting monthly events for the couples.  David sweetly pulled out my fall decor from storage (even though it made no sense to do so with our current moving situation) and I got to decorate for fall.  We had a family photo session.  We went to two local fall festivals.  David went to Montreal for two days.  I started Christmas crafting and shopping.  We had our first real date in forever and enjoyed hiking around Stone Mountain and eating some good home cooking at a restaurant in the park.  

Those are the highlights that I can recall.  And the house junk, of course.  

Now on to cuter things:

The kids currently have colds, but are otherwise doing really well.  At seven and a half months, Luke is a joyful roly poly.  He is sitting up for very long periods of time.  We got out Audrey's old Leap Frog table out of storage to begin working on his standing - he can do that for quite a while too as long as we're nearby to spot him.  A few days ago, he dropped his nighttime feeding.  I woke up to the sound of him fussing at 5am, realized he hadn't eaten yet, and decided to stretch him with a pacifier.  It worked and so I decided since he'd proved he could do it, that was that.  He's nursing six times a day, eating oatmeal and fruit in the morning, and then oatmeal, fruit, and a veggie for dinner.  I need to add something in at lunch, but haven't yet for convenience's sake.  He takes about an hour nap in the morning and a two hour one in the afternoon.  He's showing signs of genius already, of course, but also sports a mean temper and a serious back arch when he doesn't want to do something.  Most of the time, though, he's a happy-go-lucky laid-back baby.  He is ticklish on his tummy, under his cheeks, on his thighs and on his feet.  He's huge and he's adorable.

His big sister is also doing great.  She loves, loves, loves preschool.  And I love, love, love a) that she loves it and b) having the break and the one-on-one time with Luke.  It does still kill me not to know what she's doing every second and I'm dying to meet some of her little friends that she talks about, but I'll count it as yet another lesson on letting go and trusting. :)  She has gotten to do some really neat things so far, including pet a hen and baby chicks that her teacher brought into class and make butter and chocolate milk for "Farm" week.  Each Tuesday and Thursday, she brings home a folder full of painting creations and crafts.  She plays outside, gets to do chapel every other week, and music class once a week.  So, what's NOT to love?  

Our biggest struggles with her are her whining and disrespectful tone when she doesn't want to do what we're asking her to do.  I checked out a couple of Dr. Dobson's parenting books last week and will let you know once they're read and I have it all figured out (HA!)  We are also desperately trying to instill a sense of gratitude and a heart of service.  And, of course, we want to teach her to have a kind heart and manners and generosity...and on and on it goes.  Parenting is no joke, I tell ya.  In an effort to cultivate at least a few of those character traits, she'll be helping me with a food drive for church, but more on that in next month's recap. 

She is still as sweet as pie to her brother, though we did have one "incident" about a week ago where she accidentally got too carried away pretending to gnaw on his arm and really bit him.  I'm not sure who was more hysterical - her or him, but I have complete confidence it will never happen again!  One of her regular sayings when he's fussing is, "Awww, Bubba! It's okay.  You're okay.  Momma and Audrey are right here, Bubba."  Love it.  

To close, here are some more cute quips and quotes:

• As Audrey was pushing her baby stroller out of my room one day, she said, "Bye, I'm going to the beach!" and then yelled, "Baadduuu" or something equally strange.  I raised my eyebrows and said, "What was that?"  Serious as she could be, she said, "That's French for 'goodbye.'"

• I looked up from washing out Luke's cereal bowl at the sink and saw her hanging her head at the breakfast table.  What's wrong?" I asked.  "Mommy," she said, sounding sad, "I just wish I had some curtis way."  It took me a minute but then I guessed, "Curds and whey?"  "Yes," she answered, frowning.

• On the way home from school one day, Audrey said "I only played for just a minute on the playground. Then I sat on the bench with Jacob and we talked about how we missed our families." Good grief. Then, when we got home, she told me she was "too exhausted to read a story. Can I just go straight to bed?" Old soul indeed.

• I took AJ to the doctor earlier this week just to make sure she didn't have strep because she'd been exposed to it.  The doctor asked how she'd been sleeping and I said, "Not well."  The doctor raised her eyebrows and asked, "Why?  What do you think is keeping her awake?"  Before I could answer, Audrey interjected and said, "I'm having trouble sleeping at night because my nose is stuffy and I can't breathe very well."  The doctor laughed and said she understood.  The child is perfectly capable of carrying on a conversation and speaking for herself!

• When asking Audrey what kind of treat they had at school today for a classmate's birthday, I deciphered they ate Rice Krispie Treats. I described them to her and she said, "Yeah, Mommy! How did you know that?" I told her because I'd had them before and that I even knew how to make them. Disbelief, anger, and shock crossed her face as she asked, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! I didn't know that!" Apparently I've been withholding the nectar of the gods as far as she's concerned.

Big month ahead in October!  A visit to the pumpkin patch, Grandparents' Day at AJ's preschool, Halloween, and, who knows, maybe an actual move. :)  Stay tuned for more adventures and check out the gallery for September's pics.