The days go so fast.....

Wow it is already November and this is my second blog! Well, lets get to it. It has been a whirl wind of events and emotions these past few months with school starting, little Samuel on the way and saying goodbye to a dear and very loved cousin. In August our adored Dino Scoppettone went to be with our Lord in heaven. After living with cancer for three months and undergoing more physically and emotionally than I can comprehend, he left us with many beautiful and treasured memories as well as a great twinge of sadness at the huge void his absence will be. My hope comes from the Lord and knowing Dino is with him. My hope lies in the promise that I will see him again one day and he will greet me with his gorgeous smile. His memorial service was so honoring and showed just how amazing he was, touching hundreds of lives so sweetly and with such humor. Dino will be missed terribly and remembered fondly and often! Not a day goes by that I don't think of him and thank the Lord for my cousin and the time I was blessed with.

In September two milestones were reached as Bailey jumped eagerly into Kindergarten and Hunter trotted with some reservation into Preschool. It hit me hard to see them growing so fast. I was not prepared for just how much this would rock my world and bring stingy tears to my eyes at the funniest of moments. Bailey made it easy on us. She couldn't wait to say goodbye and dive into this new adventure with a whole room of peers and teachers she was meeting for the first time. She kept saying, "Mom are you leaving now?" "Love you...bye..see you later." I knew right then that Bailey would be just fine, it was me that I wondered about. I miss her when she is gone all day and look forward to all she has to share with us each day. She loves her "down time" when she gets home and tells us about her day when she is good and ready. She is reading so much and loves math already. She gets the math gene from Jer for sure! Bailey loves are and music. She is even learning Mandarin Chinese and soaking it up like a sponge. Her favorite part of the day is recess. She had a field trip to a pumpkin patch and to a children's theater. She had her first ride on a school bus and enjoyed it very much. We are so proud of Bailey for being a good friend and always doing her best. She is such a sweet girl, so loving, so thoughtful. Every morning before school we pray together. She seems to depend on this more and more. It is neat to hear Bailey and Hunter talk about wanting people to know Jesus and asking to pray for people they know.

I don't know who cried more on the first day of preschool, Hunter or me. Some days it seems that the umbilical cord is still attched. He had to be pried out if my arms that day. Ever since then, after many hugs and kisses..and high fives at the door, he really loves it. He adores his teachers and friends. I love helping in the classroom and watching him interract and take it all in. He asks a lot of questions like he does at home first saying, "I need to tell you something." He is very curious about everything and doesn't hestitate to say whatever he is thinking. Hunter loves the sensory table and building things. He loves the random dance parties the teachers have for the kids when it is too wet to go outside. His class went to Camp Long on Halloween for a spider field trip. Hunter savored every minute of this experience spotting spiders and webs everywhere. It was pouring but he was not even phased. The kids learned how to appreciate spiders which sadly our kids don't get a lot of at home! My time with Hunter when he is not in school has been nice. I like having one on one time with him as I also do with Bailey. They long for special time with Jer and me. Hunter and I like to play soccer, catch, read, work on his letters, color, be outside and bake. Baliey mostly likes her dates to be away from home. She loves Starbucks as Hunter does and she usually chooses the park to practice the money bars.

They are too much fun and bring more joy than I could have ever imagined. Jeremy are so thrilled to be their parents and to welcome our third child into our family. Samuel already is our family. The kids are bonding with him as he dances around my stomach and they talk about all the things they will teach him. He is an active little guy already. I cannot believe how responsive he is. Almost every time I press my hand to my stomach he finds it and gives a tap. I love it! I love him so much and cannot wait to hold him in my arms. He will most likely be here on February 7th which is Jer's birthday and choice for when we will have our c-section. We thank God for all of our babies.