May

It's been a busy month.

A friend of mine from college, who went on to get married and have children before me, once told me she'd never really lived until she got married (emphasis hers). I understand and agree with this sentiment more and more with each passing day.

The past several weeks included, but were not limited to: Dave's graduation from business school (3.5 years in the making!); an ongoing quest for the underlying source of my chronic insomnia (thank you family for sustaining me through the doctor visits, pokes and prods); a nighttime trip to the pediatric emergency room after discovering Rose is allergic to peanut butter (and an introduction to the scary- but necessary- thing that is the Epipen); sweet Frankie's 6th birthday (the day after our ER visit- ker-azy times!); a family of rats living beneath our back porch. Ah, memories.

These things, added to the daily responsibilities of raising four small people under six, forced us to raise our eyes heavenward and ask: "You seem to think we can handle this?!" I won't lie: I screamed this question in my head with some frequency. While this May has had us on the cross, it also revealed the mysterious way God tends to answer prayers: slowly, when you're not aware of it, through the medium of other people, and sometimes even changing the petition itself from "Get this cross outta here!" to "Help me to remain peaceful while you allow this suffering, which has a purpose." This prayer (and serenity) is much easier to reach with the help of loving, supportive family. I cannot imagine waging these storms without you! Allow me to give a special shout out to Natalie for cooly volunteering to pick Dave and Rose up from the ER at 2 AM. Our hero.

Here's a few photos:

Mama Rat and squirrel friend. 

The cake.

Lola's chocolate wonder never fails to please. 

"No more peanuts for me!"

Dave and the girls tested out a tie-dying kit with impressive results...

Frankie's swirly beauty, for Rose.

Teresa's "bullseye," for David.