Micah loves life. His way of letting us know what he thinks is cool is holding his hand out (like a pastor would do to give a benediction). If he thinks it's really cool he'll raise both hands. People are the main objects of his adoration, but basketball ranks pretty high (March Madness), the pets are a big hit (fur gets lots of tugs), and his own reflection is fun.Joel is three in every way. He wants very badly to be big and constantly compares and associates himself with the big kids he knows ("I'm getting big like Bro!" "My shirt is green like Anna's." (our 11-yr-old neighbor) "I climb high like Sis!"). When he chimes into a conversation it always starts with "Yeah, yeah, yeah!..." He loves to play outside and doesn't mind being out by himself, just tooling around in the sandbox or snow, of late, doing his own thing for and hour at a time.
Caleb is an empowered 5-yr old. He loves to play Legos, army guys, duplos, cars, & superhero. He makes elaborate setups with combinations of all these and plays various types of good guy--bad guy play. He loves to scooter and bike. Caleb is also learning to read and is working his way throygh the Bob Books (think "Mat sat on the bag...."). He is most of the way through the math book Amelia did in kindergarten (a year early). He doesn't like to write, though when he does, is very careful in forming his letters, and grouchy with himself if his letters aren't correct. He's excited to start T-ball soon. He disliked his recent swimming lessons, but overcame his fear of putting his face in and now spends as much of his time in the water under it as above.
Amelia is a matter-of-fact eight-year-old who enjoys reading, math, science & history. She is developing a love for chess with our next-door neighbor Samantha. I came in on them discussing strategy & theory today in her room. She's Jonesing for a chess board, and dissappointed with her mother's pickiness over the quality available. She reads everything these days, but her favorites of late are The Boxcar Children series, Judy Moody series, and Judy B. Jones series, and the Sunday Comics and daily weather in the newspaper. She's interested in the Nancy Drew books too, but hasn't gotten her hands on one yet.
Mike is alternately excited for, amazed by, and somewhat anxious regarding our upcoming move. This new job offers everthing he hoped to have coming out of his doctoral work, including good colleagues, top-notch research environment, good opportunities for collaboration, association with a university of renown, and great sushi and seafood (ok, not part of the job exactly, but appealing nonetheless). Better pay too. We are both hoping for a quick sale of our house, but after a month on the market we've had just 2 showings. The long winter is not helping, but it is gradually warming up and starting to green up, so hopefully the hibernating buyers will come out of their caves rubbing their eyes and looking for a nice summer residence.
I am...alternately anticipating, anxious and empowered by the upcoming move. It is certainly a potential source of stress, but the required amount of purging, sorting and organizing has left me with a more beautiful, managable house that I enjoy much more. Oh, and it's not nearly so much work to keep up. The other night I looked around and realized that it was clean, and that there really wasn't anything that had to be done and almost didn't know what to do with myself. Read a magazine, go to bed early...? An odd, pleasant feeling. I AM suffering many odd pangs at the thought of friends that we will be leaving, the comfortable routines that will have to be reset, the re-learning routes and roads (I'm a lousy navigator, so it's a factor!). The children's friends and their own adjustments are probably what tugs hardest at my heart. I love them so much and don't want to see their enthusiasm or confidence burst by big change. Luckily, in a family of six, we're taking several friends and playmates (in form of siblings) along with us!
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