He's Five!

Friday was Rooke's fifth birthday!  FIVE!  I'm pretty sure that it was just last week when we brought him home from the hospital.  How quickly these past five years have gone!

Rooke is our thinker.  He is observant and inquisitive, taking in the details of every situation and constantly amazing me with what he remembers.  He's literal and sees most things as black or white.  This past year, we have seen so much maturity and growth in him.  He smiles more easily and laughs more often.  His understanding and comprehension of God and His Word are a blessing.  Rooke has transitioned to full days at the British kindergarten with confidence.  His teacher told us he has a strong sense of right and wrong and is ready to help when someone isn't following the rules - ha!  We are so very proud of our little man and grateful to call him son.  

Sisters

Ten Years in Love

Ten years ago today Ryan and I were married.  TEN YEARS!  I truly am more in love with him today.  There have been lots of highlights and lowlights over the past ten years.  But what defines our relationship for me are all the small moments.  The unexpected laughing together so hard we are crying.  The family walk that turns out a deep and meaningful conversation.  The shared dessert.  The snuggle while watching just one more episode.  It's been an amazing ten years and I pray we are blessed with ten more.  And ten more.  And as many more as God would allow me to spend time with the man I love.  He's my favorite and I'm so glad he asked me to marry him.

Happy Anniversary, Ryan.  I am in love with you.  

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December Phone Dump

A look back at December from my phone . . . 

Sisters

There was some serious flooding this month . . . the path you see at the bottom of the photo goes to the other end of the field that looks like a lake!

Photo shoot with Mommy before Ryan and I went to his work Christmas party

Her first braid!

Stickers kept these three two-year-olds happy for a while!

Watching White Christmas while addressing Christmas cards and missing my sister terribly

I'm not a fan of the mess, but she sure does love blueberries!

The kids entertained themselves while Ryan and I tag-teamed on some Christmas shopping

Sick kids make for lots of extra laundry but not extra time to fold it all!

The Birthday Girl

We took Sean and Jessica to the Ely Cathedral.  Inside they had the most spectacular Christmas tree I've ever seen.

Can you find Gretchen?!

 Heading into London on the Tube

Part of my Christmas from Mom and Dad was a shopping date with my personal shopping assistant (she's amazing!) and we scored on some serious deals! 

Fun with Family

These two cuties are three months apart, which still makes a big difference now, but won't be as noticeable in a year.  

Uncle Sean introduced Rooke to angry birds and he loved it!  I thought it was just going to be the fun Uncle Sean thing while they were here, but soon found out that Rooke had convinced Big Daddy and Daddy to download the app on their ipads as well!  

Aunt Jessica is a master story-reader

Those eyes!

All bundled up for our walk around the city

We made a stop at Harrod's where Gretchen enjoyed their Disney Princess window displays

His special treat in the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland