Wednesday's Weekly Wisdoms

This weekend we participated in our church's winter retreat.  We stayed the night together at the retreat center (which is a whole story in itself!  Oh, the LUGGAGE-playpens, blankets, pillows, toys, diapers, lotions- it looked like we were leaving our house for a month!).   You see, when you have older kids looking forward to things, you tend to do a lot of things you would really prefer not to do with two babies.  Thankfully, the boys were great as usual and actually slept all night too!   So, I learned we can still leave our house overnight and still have a really good time.
 
Chad continued his "peeing on the potty".  When I asked if he needed to go "pee on the potty?"  He looked really confused and held his hands out with the expression of "where?"  So this week, Chad learned that toilets are not only in our house, but other places have toilets too!  Our house is the first place he has lived that has toilets.  He really seemed amazed!

We also learned at this retreat that Chad can dribble (kick the ball-for all of you Hoosiers who think only of basketball) a soccer ball REALLY well!  I know he has probably watched kids play soccer his whole life, but this was all before he could even walk!  The Congolose are known for their soccer skills.  Actually, the number one pick on the draft this year in the USA was born in the Congo too!  So, we are thinking maybe we should invest in a little soccer ball.

Ian learned how to walk behind the John Deer play tractor.  He pushed little Audrey all over the gym!  He is growing up way to fast!  But his most important accomplishment happened the next morning!  I had to go potty, so I put Ian in bed with Daddy.  When I came back I went to my own twin bed.  Ian sat right up and yelled for the first time ever, "Mama, Mama, Mama!"  So, of course, I ran right over and picked him up!

Another thing I have gladly learned is that Livia and Parker have adjusted very well to the new additions in our family.  When we heard that their was a possibility that orphans from Haiti were needing homes in Indiana, both of my kids insisted we get online to apply (we did try but applications were not being taken anymore).  They have given so much.  Time, weeks with Mom and Dad away, precious time without mommy and daddy, doing less big kids stuff and less mommy and daddy dates.  Help, these kids have helped me so much with their new brothers.  Love, they have given so much love to Ian and Chad.  Yet, they are still willing to give.  So many of us big people could learn from these little two.  I could not be any prouder!  So, proud that I am going to post some of my favorite pictures of these two.  (OK, maybe these are not my favorites, a mother of four does not have time to go through all of her pictures!)

They are just awesome!