Tuesday, February 28, 2012

8 years.


we've been married 8 years today.
this is what 8 years has brought us.  
actually, so much more than what's represented in this picture.

we were babies when we got married...
20 and 21 years old.
so nieve about the world
about each other
about the Lord who would hold us together.

we've learned together,
grown together.

Lincoln,
thank you for being my partner and my friend.
thank you for striving each day to lead our family
for loving the Lord before the rest of us.
for providing well.
for making me talk.
for being committed to our marriage.
for telling our kids today
"8 years so far and for the rest of our lives."

Monday, February 27, 2012

Waiting on Spike

We're all preparing for Spike's arrival.
Some of us are washing baby clothes, 
setting up the baby swing, 
cleaning the house..
(not me of course, because I'm laying on the couch)


.
Others of us are making sure Mommy and Daddy know that  we are still going to be the baby.
She's busy having accidents,
breaking in Spike's paci's (even though she never used one)
sleeping with baby blankets,
and making sure all of his things are OUT of her room.

We're not stressed about it at all.  We're just giving her lots of extra cuddles and rocking time.  
I know she'll make the best big sister ever! 

(headed back to the Dr. tomorrow to see how much closer we are to meeting the newest member of our family!)

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Graysen vs. Jimmer -- Dance Off

We're weird in our house.  We get a kick out of some crazy youtube videos...
my kids learn some (and then repeat for ever!) some crazy facts / stats 
(since most of them have to do with sports figures) 
and sometimes they learn other things...

 
Graysen's version...


Jimmer's version...

pretty good, right?  I think he'd be proud.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Just Dance

 

This is how I spend my days now...laying on the couch watching my hilarious daughter do Just Dance Kids.  
I can't wait until I can get up and do it with her!

Friday, February 24, 2012

Happy 8th Birthday Silas Sintayehu!



Silas' 7th Birthday 2-24-11

Silas, what is today?
Today?  My birthday!
 
 
Beach Trip 3-11

How old are you?
8.  I mean 99.  I'm 8.  *laughs*
 
 
Beach 3-11
Am I old enough to have a 8 year old?
Yeah!
 
 
Beach 3-11

What is your favorite color?
Orange.
 
 
Silas and Daddy 4-11

What is your favorite game to play?
Lego Batman and Lego Starwars


What's your favorite memory about Ethiopia?
Uh, Ema', I remember her good!
 
 
 
Easter 4-11

What is your favorite thing about America?
Going to school and learn some stuff.  I like learning.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
A football player
 
 
5-11

What do you like best about Hunter?
Um, he plays with me basketball and football.

What do you like best about Blake?
He plays with me too. He plays some board games with me.
 
 
First fish!  5-11
What about Graysen?
She plays with me too.  I like playing tag and hide and seek and duck duck goose with her.

What are you looking forward to most about Spike being born?
Playing with him!  I can't wait until he's born!  
 

Ethiopian food!  5-11
What do you like best about Mommy?
That you take care of us.

What do you like best about Daddy?
He takes care of us too!
I'm going to say the same word as you and Daddy because you both take care of us, don't you?
Okay, is that it?  
No.
How many stuff is gonna be in here momma?
10 more questions?  1000 more questions?  1 billion more questions?
 
 
Kindergarten graduation 5-11
Who is your favorite person in the whole world?
my family.  
who's in your family?
you know who my family mom, don't you?
yes, but I want to know who you thinks in your family.
Okay.  Mommy, daddy, hunter, graysen, blake, grammie, sissy, a. kim, and papa grandma, papa, and um...do I have anymore families mom?  Do we?  


cool dude!  6-11

What is your favorite animal?
Um, lion and cheetah

What is your favorite place to go?
um, to Six Flags and play.
 
Taco lover... 6-11
What is your favorite food?
uh, I like lots of foods, okay, McDonalds.  actually, the Ethiopian restraint, they have delicious foods there!

What is something that you would like to do this year?
um, go to Six Flag...actually, actually, no, not Six Flag, the St. Louis thingy.  I forgot what it was called.  It was in St. Louis that Mrs. Linda told us about.  I forgot what it was called.  Do you remember?  I remember telling you about it.  It was in St. Louis.  Hunter - do you remember that thing that Mr. Dan and Mrs. Linda said about?  That St. Louis thingy?  
Hunter:  Oh...sky zone!  
yeah!  sky zone!
(all of that was said without a breath for to respond!)
 
 
 
finally, getting a haircut!  6-11
What things do you like to do around the house?
Um...play the x-box.  and play outside.

Whats your favorite chore?
Um...*shrugs shoulders*  I guess cleaning up our room.


Hayden's birthday party 11-11
What makes you sad?
I don't know.  
you do too...
i pretty much don't even get sad.  sometimes when i get in trouble i get sad.


handsome boy 10-11
What things make you happy?
um...okay.  Umm, playing the x-box.  I do like playing the x-box, you know that, right mom?
 
 
Christmas 12-11

Do you know how much I love you?
yeah.
how much?
Um, a lot! 

Read Silas' birthday interview from last year HERE.  

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Happy 8th Birthday Blake Bizayehu!

I was amazed at how many more good pictures I have of Blake from this year as compared to last year.  Not that they are high quality pictures, but the activities that we did, and the feelings that I have about the pictures are so much better.  They are pictures that I want  to share with others.

I think this is a true testament to where we've come this year.  We are learning more about each other.  We are learning to be a family.  We are doing more than just surviving.  
To God be the Glory!

Blake's 7th Birthday - 2-23-11

Blake, what is today?
Today is Thursday.  
 anything else?
It's my birthday. 
Hey, can I wear that card you put on my shirt?  That says birthday boy.

Beach Trip 3-11

How old are you going to be?
8.



1st Trip to the Beach 3-11

Am I old enough to have a 8 year old?
yes.  


Beach 3-11

What is your favorite color?
Golden and red.  Actually, Gold, that's it.  


Beach 3-11

What is your favorite game to play?
X Box.  
 What game?
The football game.  I like football! 


4-11

What's your favorite memory about Ethiopia?
Eating injera! ...and my momma. 


Easter 4-11

What is your favorite thing about America?
Being your family.
I love that too! 


1st Baseball practice 6-11

What do you want to be when you grow up?
I wanna be a football player. 


Vacation to MI with Eliza 5-11

What team do you want to play for?
West Virginia.  Do I even pick the team I'm gonna play in?  Did Chad pick the team? 


Found a turtle!  5-11

What do you like best about Hunter?
Being my brother.  And he always play with me. 


Visiting a friend from Ethiopia 5-11

What do you like best about Silas?
He's nice to me.  my first brother is nice and he plays pig when I wanna play pig.  
I wanna write more about Hunter!
And Hunter and I wanna play real basketball and he lets me on his team and I'm happy to be on his team.   


1st time with braids 7-11

What about Graysen?
Okay, she's my sister and so I can help when she needs stuff and to play with her and I have a sister to play with. 


Fourth of July 7-11

What are you looking forward to most about Spike being born?
That's awesome!  I wanna be born today!
But what are you most excited about?  You wanna do something with him or say something to him?  What's the first thing you want to do when spike's born?
hold him, uh, you're cute baby! 


Playing indians 8-11

What do you like best about Mommy?
I already told you.
Not mommy.
Yes I did.  
I'm glad you're my mommy and you're very nice and you're the best mother ever. 


national hot dog day 8-11

What do you like best about Daddy?
He's the best dad and he let us go to basketball practice and he let us shoot hoops and play with us outside. 


learning to grill with uncle shawn 7-11

Who is your favorite person in the whole world?
God! 


playing pirates 8-11

What is your favorite animal?
Liger.
What about a real animal?
what?  it is a real animal!  
Not anymore, there are no more.
White lion 


cool dude!  9-11

What is your favorite place to go?
For like what?
When we're not home, what's your favorite place to go?
Grammie's and Grandma 


my handsome boy...with a natural smile that I love!
   

What is your favorite food?
Injera and french fries, but injera is the first one.



Whats your favorite chore?
The favorite chore is...Doing is....clean the toilet.





Playing an instrument at school  9-11



What is something that you would like to do this year?
Be on a football team.
You know that's not possible...
I wanna play...okay...I wanna do is spend all summer with Grammie!  Can I?  No, I don't think so.







10-11


What things do you like to do around the house?
Around the house.....I don't know.  watching TV.





curls after swimming   7-11



What makes you sad?
when I miss my momma

What things make you happy?
when mom and daddy cuddle me up




1st Grade!  8-11


Do you know how much I love you?
A lot!  Infinity! It keeps going on and on and on!


Read Blake's birthday interview from last year HERE.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Graysen is learning to snap!

 

My sweet girl always wants to keep up with her brothers.
She is learning to snap!

Monday, February 20, 2012

Short Life Update

  • I got put on bed rest last Tuesday.  Some moments I think it's really stinky, the next I'm very grateful for the (much) slower pace of life right before I have this baby!  
  • I'm on bed rest because of my fluid levels (not because of my highish blood pressure or my cholestasis).  Last week they were at a 6.3 (10 is the bed rest cut off).
  • If my fluids drop below a 5, they will have to deliver Spike.  
  • I'm only 34 weeks and 5 days...delivering him this early makes me nervous.
  • Blake's birthday is in 3 days!  I'll have an 8 year old!  Is this possible?  Really?
  • Silas' birthday is in 4 days!!  Geez, then I'll have two 8 year olds!!!
  • We are having to put off the boys birthday celebration at Chuck E. Cheese because I'm on bed rest.  
  • All this bed rest talk reminds me of this post...hmmm, when my blog actually started!  
  • My 8th Wedding Anniversary is on the 28th of this month.  I love this.  I really hope we get to celebrate each other in a special way this year.  Not sure how that will be with me on bed rest or with a brand new baby...but I would really like to start putting forth a little more effort into celebrating our wedding anniversary.  Anyone have any suggestions?  Doesn't need to be elaborate, just thoughtful.
  • Doing lots of work for Sole Hope and loving every minute of it!  Answering emails, writing blog posts, revamping some paperwork, etc.  I've been so blessed by Asher and Dru and the mission of Sole Hope!
  •  Had my maternity pictures taken the other day...hope to get them back soon so I can share them with you all! 

Friday, February 17, 2012

Sole Hope: February Party

I've had several other shoe cutting parties for Sole Hope.
You can read about two of them HERE and HERE.

In the past few months Lincoln and I have gotten more involved in Sole Hope, and pray this can be a long term partnership!  

Bethany came down from Columbia for the weekend and stopped in!
Thanks Bethany!  It's always good to see you in person!

Chad was a cuttin' fool!

Chrissy attended her first Sole Hope Party!


Me and my girls...

Sarah was feeling under the weather, but still came out to support Sole Hope.
What a blessing you are to my life Sarah!  

43 pairs of shoes assembled.
6 more pairs ready to start at our next party.
Lots more traced and ready to start cutting.

 We're very excited about having lots more shoe parties and hopefully encouraging others to have their own!  If you are interested in hosting a shoe cutting party for Sole Hope, please contact me at:

ashley@solehope.com

I would be more than happy to answer ALL of your questions!

Bethany wrote a terrific post about the party....you can read that HERE.  

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Snow Day

Our day started with snow man pancakes...

the boys played a little football and Graysen cheered for them...

then it was time to play outside!   




a little snow football...


eating the snow...

a little working out with Aunt Sissy...

Toy Story Yahtzee (Hunter actually rolled this!!)

Block Building...

a movie with Daddy...

and a little rollerskating in the living room...

That's how we do snow days here...how do you do them at your house?