green eggs and preschool

Sorry we’ve been kind of quiet lately – – our goal is to get on a routine so that by the time we move to Moldova we are updating our blog on a weekly basis, not just when we remember to!

Baby #2 is growing and doing well. I am feeling pretty good and very thankful that I am still sleeping somewhat comfortably. We still don’t know if baby is a boy or girl and we can’t wait to find out. This week brings us to 30 weeks (out of 40 weeks) or according to my calculations about ¾ of the way done! Of course a “due date” is more of a window – – a pregnancy is considered “term” at 37 weeks (gulp!) but it is also common to go until 41 or 42 weeks. Addy was born nine days late which means baby could possibly share a birthday with Auntie Sarah (June 7th).

Valentine’s Day fell on a Monday – – our day off. We had a quiet morning (check out Addy’s awesome hair-do) and of course ate candy at a completely inappropriate time of the day (aka breakfast). I am not sure Christian would completely approve of this picture but it cracks me up – – Addy loves her bath and spent probably 30+ minutes in the bath this morning. I asked Christian if he would be willing to read his Bible while keeping an eye on her. He isn’t using the toilet – – oh no, he’s just giving me “the look” for taking his picture.

Addy and Daddy have been spending time together every morning while I take a shower. (Pre-pregnancy, I used to be showered and ready before Addy woke up but these days I need a little more sleep.) Addy likes Daddy to play right alongside her, even in her play tent. They also do her alphabet puzzle each morning and I am amazed at how quickly toddlers learn. She can take almost every single letter and say, “A says æ, A says apple.”

We are getting prepared to move to Moldova. We are practicing hanging out our laundry instead of using our dryer. Okay, we confess our dryer broke but it’s still good practice, right?! We also mailed off our first letter – – a letter explaining more about what we plan to do and what our timeline looks like. If you didn’t receive our letter, you can find a link on the right side of this website. If you would like to receive our next letter, please email us (marie@moldovachurch.com) your mailing address. We are excited to officially be a part of Shepherd’s Staff, an organization that will be partnering with our church and handling all our finances. We just received our account number, which means we can also start raising financial support! You can check out our link on their website Shepherd’s Staff

My mother came out in me on St. Patrick’s Day. I found myself roaming the house around 2am with baby insomnia so I dyed all the milk and creamer green! It was priceless to watch both Sarah and Christian’s reactions when they poured green creamer into coffee. Of course, we also made green scrambled eggs – – yum!

Addy and I have been doing lots of crafts – – she LOVES everything messy. She is also my big helper and wants to cook and clean and wash. She’s is going to make an amazing big sister!

We’ve also been doing “school” every day. Nothing too detailed, but a couple of months ago I started noticing how Addy was absorbing everything around her – – the good and the bad. It made me realize I should focus on her learning the good! I stumbled upon one toddler preschool program online that I thought looked fun, so I “stole” the idea and twisted it a little. Basically I just made an excel worksheet that is 26 weeks long – – each week you focus on an animal, vocab word, number, color, shape, letter and Proverbs. It’s easier than it sounds! We go to the library and get five books about our animal every week. We probably spend 15 minutes to sometimes an hour each day doing “school.” We use puzzles (she has the alphabet, numbers, shapes and colors), youtube videos, Target $1 workbooks, free online printables, glue sticks and scissors, food and lots more. When the week is over we have made a poster with each newly learned subject. It’s a hit and I love the simplicity. Sometimes we spend two weeks on a theme because we are busy. If you want the excel document I made, just email me!

I will leave you with a funny story. Yesterday while I was working, Addy was stacking all the cans from the garage pantry in the kitchen (who needs blocks?). Then I heard a small “ruckus” so I went to check on her and she was working away on a can of tomato paste with a can opener.

“Whatcha doing?” I asked her and she replied, “I’m making soup!” “But Addy, that’s tomato paste.” Without even missing a beat, she replied, “I’m making tomato soup!”

Please keep us in your prayers – – the next two months are going to be hectic around here as we try and get everything done before baby comes. We are working on garage sales, organizing, paperwork and that’s just the beginning!

But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31