Our Garden

It is modest, I know, but to us it is just heavenly :)  We have not been able to have a garden in a few years due to moving in the middle of the summer - every year.
We repurposed an old coffee table after some brainstorming.

We took off the top, poked holes in the bottom and then put screen in to keep the dirt from leaking out.

 

I have some pretty ecstatic kiddos.  Caleb planted corn, Kadin planted sweet peas, and Bailey planted watermelon.

 

My tomato, yellow peppers and lemon cucumbers.

 

The girls decided they really just wanted pretty flowers - pink of course :)

 

Our Skandian Ship

We love reading books aloud.  One of the most dangerous stores for my husband and I are book stores.  Right now we are reading The Brotherband Chronicles by  John Flanagan.

We love all of his youth books.
When I saw this wooden model at the store I couldn't help getting it for the boys because it made me think of the books.

 

The boys had a blast putting it together.

 

 

 

 

Random cuteness

I was perusing pictures this afternoon and came across a few that made me smile :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 Already!!

I can hardly believe it!
Our little Gabric is 1 year old.
He is now toddling around, taking 5 or 6 steps at a time, climbing everything and generally being utterly adorable.
He lights up our home and we are so thankful to have him in our family.

He has been a very content, happy baby.  He looks nothing like our other kids did at his age.  He looks like my mama :)

 

 

 

 

Look at those brown eyes!

 

He was my first baby to attack the cake when given a piece.

 

Most of my little ones are pretty tentative on their first birthdays and don't want to get too dirty (they outgrow this quickly).
Gabric though grabbed a giant fistful and shoved it into his mouth without hesitation.

Apparently he loves chocolate!  He gets that from me ;)

 

 

 

 

 

Hadassah Loo Who

Goodbye Army - Hello Papa's Guns

Another Big Announcement
My honey, after 10 years is OUT of the army.  His last day to report in was February 14th.
WOW
Our journey to this point kind of makes my head spin.  When Stephen and I got married (almost 13 years ago) I gave him two ultimatums
1. No more college - (we made it 15 months before he was back in college for business/history)
2. No joining the military - I mean really! how could I survive that

Hahaha

Isn't it funny how God has totally different plans for you than you do for yourself.  How we could not fathom all that he has for us and it would in fact terrify us if we knew those plans sometimes.  And yet in the end (and the beginning and during) God knows best.

Our journey with the military began in 2003 when we had two baby boys.  Stephen was going to school and Caleb was almost 2 and Kadin was about 6 months.
I had both the boys down for a nap and was reading a book when from out of the blue I heard in my head-
Stephen is going to join the military and you will be fine.

What?!
God, if you are putting this on my heart, ok, we will do it . . . .
but I am not bringing it up! You have to tell him.

Well , 2 weeks later, while in church, Stephen leaned over and whispered " I think I am supposed to join the military"
I leaned back and whispered "I know"
He almost fell out of his chair.

6 days later he flew to Denver and signed a contract at MEPS

AND GUESS WHAT!
I survuived, just like I heard that very first day I am fine.  I am a different person than I was that day.
I have been stretched and changed through 5 states, 10 moves, 3 DEPLOYMENTS, and 5 more children.
I am here to say that through all that there was one constant -
GOD WAS FAITHFUL
GOD IS FAITHFUL

He was there every step of the way, caring for me, teaching me, comforting me, sustaining me, holding me together when it felt like I was falling apart.

What comes next . .

More on that to come . .

But whatever adventure we do next I know we will be fine because God is faithful.

 

Announcing . . .

The birth of

Layne Patrick Casey

March 14th

 We were so blessed to have Vanessa (my sis-in-love) and her honey Clayton have their baby in our home.  Vanessa did amazing!  I was so excited to be there and be able to help in any way that they wanted.  He is the most beautiful baby! He was 7 pounds.

 Isn't he Beautiful!

Proud Grandma :)

 Auntie Courtney is in love <3

New little family and midwives