Hello, Dolly!

The house in green!

And the barn.



Riding bikes in the rain!

I realize it's been a long time since I updated you on the adventures of our little family. We acquired a horse from Erik's parents (until she sells) and Elisa has been enjoying trips to the back pasture to feed "Dolly-girl." She is a pretty docile horse and comes running from across the field whenever we shake the magic blue bucket of alfalfa treats.








This is Elisa looking savvy and sunshiny. I think she's all ready for our family trip to Maui in August, don't you? She's getting so grown up. We have been doing preschool with buddy James Tolson, and yesterday she learned about the migration patterns of artic terns. :) Not that she'll actually remember, but it has been really fun to sit down for some structured story time and crafts. The stories are classic children's literature, and I love introducing my daughter to those time-tested tales. I can't wait until she's old enough for Laura Ingalls Wilder, The Little Princess, Alice in Wonderland, Anne of Green Gables, Peter Pan.... Elisa is such a little lady. She doesn't like being dirty, and she loves to prance around the house in her dress-up clothes, especially hand-me-down flower dresses with flouncy skirts. She is a firecracker, too, with a confident spirit and a strong will.

Sadie is our happy-go-lucky girl. She is six months old now, and she weighs 17 pounds, 8 ounces, exactly what Elisa weighed then, although Sadie is a full inch longer. She has an infectious laugh and a great, gooey grin. She is a delight. I couldn't have asked for a happier, sweeter baby.

Thank you so much for your prayers for little Ethan. He is stable at this point, although still requiring assistance from a "VAD" in order for his tiny heart to pump properly. You can read more about his surgery on Craig and Val's blog (see the link on the right). It will be a long journey for this sweet family.