The Month of May

 Well that month went by really quickly!  It started with sick little boys, as I mentioned in the last post.  Timmy ended up being admitted to the hospital a bit later in the week for a few days because the dehydration was just getting worse.  I was a bit upset they didn't put him in when we took him to the ER the first time.  But that is done with, and I am glad that Timmy and Luke are recovered and feeling well now.  The timing of the little boys hospital stays kind of stunk.  Not that it is ever a good time for a trip to the hospital for a week, but that week my sister, Denae, was coming up for a visit.  We couldn't visit with them for a whole week, and since she is only up once a year at the most, that wasn't so fun.  But after the illness was finished we had a nice time together. 

 Timothy is one!  How did that happen??  We had a very low key little party for him on a Sunday afternoon.  It was so nice that Denae and the girls, and my brother and his family were able to come over and have pizza and cake.  It is fun to get the whole family together.  Joel picked out this cute Sesame Street cake for Timmy.  I think Luke helped Daddy with the picking out of the cake.  Joel stayed home from church with the little ones while they recovered so I could go and teach Sunday School.  Timothy loved his cake, and as he has had lots of sweet things to eat before that point, he was eager to get his hands on it and ate and entire piece without moving his  hand away from his mouth, he just kept pushing the cake in with his hand.  I was worried he would choke, but he did not!

 Oh little Baby-love (a favorite nick name) how we all love you.  You are quite spoiled by all your siblings.As you are used to a crowd of faces around you, cheering you on, encouraging you to do new things, laughing at you, holding you; you have become a real people person.  You don't really enjoy strangers though, and don't let many who are not in our family hold you.  You scream like crazy if we try to put you in the Sunday school room, so you still enjoy Sunday sermons in the nursing mom's room with me.  I know how fast little ones grow up, so I don't push it.  Which leads to you being a big baby who can eat cake and pizza, but still gets up several nights a week for a bottle. 

Some may think that an eighth child would be kind of neglected and not have the same level of interaction that the first few children had.  That is so not true.  It is rare that Timothy spends a waking hour of his day not in the company of a sibling, or me.  There are so many more arms to hold him, more arms to push swings, feet to take him on walks, people to share cookies or snacks with  him.  The bigger children all read books aloud to the younger boys quite often.  Rachael does arts and crafts with the boys on Saturday mornings and Timothy enjoys life as the loved littlest brother.

Timothy you bring lots of joy to this home, and we are thankful to God for you and the year that we have had enjoying you.  May God bless you with many more years of life and health. 

 Our children participated in Track and field day a few weeks ago.  All of them participated in several events  and had a nice time.  They did pretty well also, and came home with some ribbons. 

 All the cousins on my side of the family.  We had a fun field trip to Landis Valley, even if it ended up raining on us.  We had quite the crew, but they behaved well.  They all love being together. 

 These two look like they belonged there, one hundred years ago.  I love how Rachael and Benny love to dress up and how much they enjoy history.  We learned about dying wool and flax, and got to listen to a man give a presentation in the tavern about cooking and travel and the tools that the cook would use. 

Memorial Day.  Timothy tuckered out after watching a parade, and walking home with me afterwards.  This was the first year in a long time that we didn't have a boy or two, or three in the parade.  After the parade we traveled up to Joel's brother's home and had a nice time visiting with his family. 

Also in May.  We enjoyed going to a picnic with lots of other large families that we have gotten to know over the years.  It was a very chilly day, but we had a nice time anyway.  The ride alone, through nothing but beautiful farmland, was worth it. 

Joel and I went to our state home school convention and after many hours of thinking about and looking at books, decided on the subjects that we would buy for this coming school year.  High school for Nate!  How did that happen??