Feeling Grateful

The past few years that Spencer has gone to Guatemala for a week, I have been home with the girls feeling incredibly grateful. Each year his trip to Guatemala has helped me gain perspective and appreciation. Appreciation for him, appreciation for our lives, perspective about our circumstances and perspective about what is really important. 

Before Spencer left, the girls made some cards for the families in Guatemala. This trip they built 2 houses for 2 families. One family has a 4 year old girl and the other has a 3 year old girl - the same ages as Ella and Juju. So they both made cards for the girls that were getting a new home built for them. Ella wondered if Yoselin would write her back, thought that she probably wouldn't have the means to do so, so proceeded to put some crayons and paper in a bag for Spencer to deliver.

As the girls drew their cards, we read up on the families and looked at their pictures. We read about 3-year-old Silvia 's family - a mom and 4 kids all sleeping in one bed, abandoned by the husband / father. We also read about 4-year-old Yoselin's family - a mom and 5 kids, sleeping on cardboard, husband / father was killed when mom was pregnant with youngest. We read, prayed, and I cried. And I also gained perspective on my "tough week" without my husband.

This week is always a special week for our family. I like to stop and think about how Christ has changed our lives over the past 6 years. How He transformed my husband from an atheist into somebody who loves God and serves Him faithfully. And for this my heart overflows with gratitude.

I'm also thankful for my mom, who comes and helps me out each year. Even though it's a busy time to travel, she makes it work and pours into our girls. And I'm thankful for my friends who support us and check in on us while Spencer is away.

And I cherish the few days that it is just the girls and I. I love the challenge and it has always been a special time for us. I love how they step-up to help out and how they talk about missing their Dadda. Our house gets messier than usual and I'm learning to enjoy that too. The globs of toothpaste in the girls bathroom, the handprints all over the sliding door and dining room walls, our messy bookshelf that has been organized by my "helpers." I'm coming to see all of this as evidence of the joy that fills our home.

Cuddling up with Grandma.

"And one silly one, please mom?"

Juju enjoying a banana as she waits for breakfast to be ready.

"I go in pool today?"

Last day of swimming lessons!

And tonight after dinner - "Momma I help". How do you say no to that? I'm pretty sure she vacuumed zero crumbs, but it did entertain her while I did the dishes. It also entertained me because from the back you could see that she had a bare bum while vacuuming. 

Spring Break

Spring Break has arrived! Spencer left for Guatemala on Friday. Grandma arrived on Saturday and the big girls are taking swimming lessons this week.

This morning the girls let me "sleep in" (for 5 extra minutes) while they snuggled in their chair. 

"Mom, I'm all ready to go to swimming lessons"

Although she is not registered in swimming lessons, Karis insists on "suit on" when the girls are getting ready for swimming. We took her in the pool the first day - she loves the water!

Ella was pleased to have her friend Victoria in her class. Ella knows Victoria from ballet.

Hudson and Ethan are both in the same class as Juliette :)

Introducing...

Baby Lafleur #4! I am 13 weeks pregnant and our precious baby is due on September 13th. Juju is especially excited about a September baby (everyone else in our family has a June birthday.)

We had a dating ultrasound yesterday and it was much more clear than we expected (we've never had an early ultrasound done before). We could see our baby sucking on it's hands, crossing and uncrossing it's feet and flipping over. We also heard it's beautiful heartbeat - 140 bpm and saw both sides of the brain. The girls came in the room with us and were very excited. Karis had a hard time believing the baby on the screen wasn't her and kept pointing to the computer image saying "that's me, it's me!" The ultrasound technician got a good laugh out of her and said "it may be an adjustment for her to not be the baby anymore :)"

Baby's head on the right, baby's feet are crossed on the left. 

Baby's hand moving towards it's mouth, and a good view of a bent knee.

The girls were in the room with us and said "baby is waving". In this picture it really does look like the baby is waving.

Baby's foot.

"Look Momma, I have a baby in my tummy too!"

Fashion Show

This afternoon we received a parcel in the mail from Grandma Jo-Ann. It was full of clothes for little girls! Thank-you so much Grandma! After we opened the box, a major fashion show ensued. Several outfit options were put together. Before going to bed tonight the girls had tomorrow's outfits all ready to go.

Please take note of their matching pink spring shoes :)

"Mom, I love these pants. They are the same as the ones Penny and Sophie wear. I was hoping I'd get some of these" Ella was especially excited about receiving new clothes. She recently went through a major growth spurt and her 4T pants are all too short.

I told Juju that she looked like a nurse in her outfit, to which she replied "no, I'm a doctor."

New jammies!

When Dadda got home Karis said "look at my new raffe shirt Dadda. look at my skirt, my skirt!"

An interesting outfit choice by Ella. And the girls' showing their excitement about their upcoming swimming lessons.

New Art

Our dear friend, Laura, made some art work for the girls' rooms. She made them each a beautiful flower out of scrapbook paper. She customized the flowers according to the girls' interests. On Ella's flower she drew ice cream cones and on Juju's she drew whales. Our rooms look so much brighter and prettier now - thank-you Laura!

Laura also attached a card for each girl with a scripture verse from their dedication. Ella was so thankful and touched that "Ms. Laura even made a card for me." Ella LOVES to make cards so this really spoke to her love language :)

Rainy Days

We have had several rainy days around here lately. We kept watching out the window for a break in the rain so that we could get to the park, but some days it poured all day long. On those days the girls did a lot of reading. Ella loves to read, and Juju and Karis love to do what Ella is doing. The other day as I was making lunch Ella sat on the stool and read me "Amelia Bedelia". I love it when she asks if she can read to me! Her sisters grabbed a couple of chairs and starting "reading" me their books as well.

During quiet time Juliette made her own Pinocchio craft. It is a cut out of a very long nose that says "Juliette" on it. She reassured me that her nose won't grow this long though because she is "very honest".

"Momma, I read my book."

"Momma, look at my book hat."

Pinocchio and Birthday parties!

We just finished our latest read-aloud - Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. The girls were very excited to watch the Disney movie after we had read the book. The movie is quite different from the book and the girls had several questions about the differences.

Apparently I was the only one of the Lafleur girls who could stop eating popcorn for the photo-op.

Yesterday, Juju turned 3 and a half. She was very excited about her half birthday and brushed half her teeth in the morning (just like Ella did on her half birthday).

Yesterday we also celebrated Ethan's real birthday - he turned 3! He had a really cool book-themed party and he was dressed up as Cat-in-the-Hat.

And last weekend we celebrated Hudson's 4th birthday! I love how relaxed Hudson is in this picture.