Saying Good-bye

We are so, so sad that the Sorrells are gone! They were great to hang out with because I loved Nancy, Jared liked (can't say love for a guy, I guess) Justin, and Luke LOVED Hazel. He would be playing with a toy and stop and say, "Show Hazel," even when Hazel wasn't here.

So the weekend of graduation we packed in as much of the Sorrells as we could get. This is Luke and Hazel's last play date:

On Sunday morning the boys and I went over to their house for breakfast so we could see them one last time and say good-bye.

Good luck in Florida! We miss you!

Toofers and Teetering

Micah's second tooth is well out of the skin now, and he is glad to have the worst part over with. He has been much happier the past few days. Micah is doing better with solids, but his favorite part of eating is still spitting the food all over Mama.

Micah is doing much, much better sitting up on his own. The picture is blurry because I was trying to hurry. I never know when he's going to topple. Sometimes he'll sit on his own for 5 minutes or more! But he still hasn't figured out how to catch himself with his hands, so if he bends too far reaching for a toy... TIMBER!

And a quick update on Micah's evaluation: We met with a physical therapist and speech therapist from Child Development Resources about 2 weeks ago. Micah has about a 2 month delay in his gross motor skills, so he does qualify for services. He will see a physical therapist at our home twice a month to work on rolling from back to tummy and putting pressure on the palms of his hands. We hope his stint into therapy will be short lived, but we are so glad to have so many wonderful resources available to us.

More Firsts

Micah cut his first tooth last week. In this picture, it had just broken through the skin. The way the picture turned out, you probably can't see it at all. But I was trying to show you all the same.

Today his second tooth just barely poked through the skin.

Also today Micah accomplished the big first of getting a Gerber Puff in his mouth all by himself! He looked so proud!

Last Friday was a big first in Luke's life: His first school field trip. He has been learning about farms and animals at school, and his class went to Colonial Williamsburg to look for animals. Most of the animals were hiding, but they did get to see some horses and some sheep. I was surprised by how well behaved Luke was walking with his class. Apparently he's only crazy when I'm around. What does that mean about what kind of parent I am???

Walking with his class, holding the rope

Looking at the sheep (with Max)

Checking out the horses

It was fun to meet up with his class and to see Luke so grown up in big-boy school. I can tell that he likes his teachers and his classmates, although he definitely stayed apart a little bit more than the others, as you can tell in the picture with the horses.

Luke had a big first today at his occupational therapy. He loves Miss JoAnn's stereo. She is the receptionist at his therapy office and is a real trooper about letting Luke climb up on her desk to check out her stereo and CDs when he's done with his session. I've been telling him since last Wed. that if he wants to see Miss JoAnn's stereo he has to ride the scooter on his belly to get to it. And today he did it! Miss Cronin had never gotten him to do it before, and today he just climbed right on! I teared right up as I watched him drag himself over to the stereo. Progress! Sweet, sweet progress!

Why my cousin should come to William and Mary

Dear Spencer, Sara, and Drew,

This is a post especially for you, just to convince you to come hang out with me. (Can you tell that I'm lonely with Jared gone?) Here are some of the reasons you should come to William and Mary:

1. You would get to hang out with your really, REALLY cool cousin and her awesome family.

2. I would investigate all your housing options for you and make sure you get a good place to live.

3. Jared would share all of his study materials and outlines with you-- he has a lot. A LOT!

4. No matter which ward you ended up in, you would be in a GREAT ward. (But you should be in ours!)

Here are just a few examples: Women I hadn't even met volunteered to help with Luke and bring me dinner while I was pregnant with Micah. A nice lady in our ward has adopted me while Jared is gone and has volunteered to help me go to the park, etc. On Sunday Luke pitched a HUGE fit in the pouring rain because he wanted to look at the air conditioners, so I ended up ditching the diaper and church bags so that I could carry Micah and Luke (who was kicking and screaming) to the car. One of the priests saw my struggle and ran through the rain to bring me my bags.

5. We have made such great friends here! You will too. I've already met 2 of the couples who are coming next year, and they are both really cool.

Just a few of some great people you'd get to meet!

(All but one of the girls in our year had a baby over the past school year)

6. You get to hang out at Colonial Williamsburg all the time for just $10 a year. It is the most beautiful place!

7. You will be close to the beach.

8. Trader Joe's-- you probably won't understand that one, but it is an awesome grocery store.

9. History! History! History!

10. You have a scholarship! Did I mention SCHOLARSHIP?!!!

11. Canoeing at Wallermill park

12. Busch Gardens (I've actually never been, but I hear it's rad)

13. You have everything you could ever need (Wal-mart, Target, kickin' outlet mall), but still get a small town feel

14. People here are so nice! Perfect strangers are completely happy to hold my baby for me while I go to the bathroom (I don't do that a lot)

15. The YMCA is income based, so even poor people can have a gym membership :)

If you need more reasons, give me a call. I will do my best to convince you!

Milestones

Here are a few videos from recent milestones in our kiddos lives. Micah actually started solids awhile ago, and this first video is from the first part of April. He's gotten a lot better at keeping the food in his mouth by now.

Luke said his first prayer in primary on May 1. I was on my way back from Utah, so I missed it. I snuck my friend Nancy the video camera so that I could see it. I say see because no one could hear a thing. I think the first prayer/talk/scripture in primary is a big milestone.

And this Sunday (May 15) Luke learned how to string beads! This is one of the skills he is working on in occupational therapy, and he finally figured it out. I am so proud of him! He is a master of using scissors and can string beads. Now he just has to figure out buttons...

Division of Labor

Over the years, especially over the last 3 years while Jared has been at William and Mary and I have been at home, we have fallen into a very predictable division of labor. Basically if it has to do with buttons or screwdrivers it falls on Jared, and I don't touch it. If it has to do with cleaning, feeding, or buying it is my domain.

That works fine when we're together, but now that Jared is in Texas we've both hit some roadblocks. First of all whenever the phone goes out (which happens waaaay too often) Jared always fixes it. It hasn't gone out yet, but it inevitably will. So I hope all of you out there who call me have my Trakfone number for when the time comes. Secondly, I don't touch computers except to do my blogging, email, and writing. I can't upload pictures to Facebook. I don't change the ink in the printer. And if it is any kind of new program or formatting I get Jared to do it. But I'm having to step into his shoes just a little to touch the buttons. Yesterday I had to call Jared 3 times before I finally figured out how to change the ink in the printer. I'm waiting for his call to figure out how to download and print about 60 cover letters from Googledocs. Grrr.

Meanwhile Jared will be going to work on Monday with some poorly ironed shirts and a belly full of Lean Pockets.

I think we need each other.

A Few Favorite Family Pictures

A big, big thank you to the Howells for taking family pictures for us before Jared took off for Texas. We finally have pictures with Micah! Oh, what a happy family!

First Comes Love

Then comes marriage. My brother Michael's marriage.

Micah and I flew out to Utah last Friday to be at my brother's wedding on Saturday. It was a quick trip; I wish it could have been longer! But here are a few highlights:

The wedding, of course, was the biggest part of our trip. It was wonderful to be in the temple with Michael and all my family. I didn't meet Cara until I got to congratulate the couple in the sealing room. That was too bad because she seems really, really cool. I'm glad we'll get to spend time with her over the summer and get to know her better then. The sealing took place on Saturday afternoon, and the reception was later that evening. We had quite a bit of time to be in the temple grounds during pictures. It was beautiful, but COLD! It actually snowed on Friday.

My brother Eric and Aunt Liz

Eric's wife, Monica (L.) and my sister Megan (R.)

My nieces Brenna and Taylie

It was so exciting to see Michael and Cara come out of the temple as husband and wife! This is them greeting all the family that were waiting outside.

Cara and her dad

Talking to one of the little people

I wish I took more pictures while we were hanging out outside instead of just shivering and chatting. There were a lot of people there! Michael's best friend from high school was his best man, and it was crazy to see Robert Cates again.

While Michael and Cara were taking more pictures, Nathan Amber and I went on some errands. We had lunch at some place (can't remember the name) with the best sweet potato fries ever and then went to Desert Book. Then Amber and I went to check out the church history museum until it was time for the reception.

Micah was so good the whole trip, and he laid on the charm for the reception. He had cousins, grandparents, and great-grandparents just eating out of his hand.

Who could resist this?

Micah with Grandma and Pa King

Micah thought Brandon and Ryan were hilarious!

The handsome groom

Chatting with my sister Amber and my cousins, Amy and Laura

Soaking up Mima and Papa

One of my best friends from college came to the reception so that I could see her. Thanks for coming, Tessa! I wish I took a picture with her, but alas, Retrospect! As you can tell from this last picture that I dragged it out as long as possible trying to talk to everyone that I could. We were the last ones to leave. I love seeing my family and wish I could do it more often.

Congrats, Michael and Cara!