The Updates...

Here's the rundown of what each of us have been up to the last couple of weeks....
First...the most EXCITING news.
Chris was hired for the 3rd grade teaching position here in Lovell! We are now referring to him as Mr. Edwards around here, I told him it was time he started getting use to it. This was truly an answer to our prayers. We had begun applying near and far (not too far, only in the state of Wyoming), but I really couldn't imagine the feasibility of selling our house and moving before school started in the fall or trying to live apart for a while until we were able to sell our house and move. Being hired here was definitely our top pick...we love our community and it would have been hard to leave for many reasons.
We will be selling our business this summer. We were blessed to have the business all these years while our children were young and not in school. It gave us lots of freedom and flexibility to spend time with each other, but Chris...I mean, Mr. Edwards... has always dreamed of teaching. As our children started entering school, it seemed like it was time to make the change. Mr. Edwards will be working in the same building with them and will have summers off to spend with us.
He will have a lot of work to do this summer as he gets the business ready to sell and prepares for the upcoming school year.

Grace has nearly finished the 2nd grade and has been quite obsessed lately with doing "string tricks." She gets up nice and early, but still misses the bus occasionally because she just can't stop playing with her string. I think this particular "trick" is called the Eiffel Tower.
Emma is almost done with kindergarten and, while she also likes doing string tricks, she can more often be found jumping rope. She has also just started reading chapter books.
Lily still changes her clothes a minimum of 30 times a day, however, it's usually not princess dresses anymore...she has decided that dressing in pink from head-to-toe is the height of fashion.
Owen has been busy staring out the kitchen window at what I fondly refer to as "the big yellow babysitter." They were installing a manhole on our sewer line last week and Owen spent the better part of 2 days staring out the window and excitedly pointing at the trachoe as it dug. It was quite a relief from the constant counter climbing and escaping to the great outdoors through any unlocked door routine that normally fill his days.Don't you wish this was what your backyard looked like?
As for me, I had a wonderful Mother's Day. I am so thankful for these sweet little spirits that have been entrusted to me and I am grateful to have them in my home. They bring so much joy and endless smiles. I am also thankful for the mothers who have influenced me in my life including my own mother who is an amazing example of strength and selflessness. I am thankful for the example set by Chris' mother, she too, amazes me with her strength as she battles with her health. I can honestly say that amid all she faces, I have never heard her utter a single complaint and every time we are with her, she is positive and loving. She is truly an inspiration. I have been blessed with the examples of incredible grandmothers who have accomplished much as well as the example of other mothers around me who inspire me to be better. Thank You Mothers!