After several months of people asking me when I'm going to start a blog, I've finally decided to take the time to do so. The kids are growing so quickly and there are so many details that get forgotten before they get shared with friends and family, so I hope to do a good job of keeping everyone updated on everything.2010 has been a good year so far and I can't believe how fast it's passing by. We have now been living in Goshen for almost ten months now. We are enjoying our house and are looking forward to another summer of outside fun & relaxing in the pool. We live in a nice subdivision that's located about 15 minutes from Tim's office, so it's not a bad drive for him. It's a really neat mix of two worlds because we can go 1 mile south and be in the heart of Amish country, driving among the horses & buggies. But, on the other hand, we can go less than a mile north and be shopping at Meijer, Target, Walgreens, you name it. It is really a neat situation. I love that my kids will get to experience the conveniences of living in the "city," but will also see how other cultures live and work. The Amish fascinate me and I'm thinking about finding an Amish family to spend some time with. I think it would be neat to learn their way of life and to learn some things from them.
Tim's practice is functioning really well. He has been open for business since July 6, 2009, and he has a TON of patients already. We didn't expect things to get so busy for him quite this quickly. But, it's really a great situation. His office has a fantastic front desk girl, and she makes things much easier for him, and in turn, me. :-) He also has a great nurse and they are hiring a second. He stays busy not only with his regular patients, but also his OB patients. It is starting to get to the point now where he has multiple ladies all due at any given time. So, it can be challenging for our schedule because he can get paged at any time, even when he's not officially on call because he takes care of his own OB patients. One of the most exciting things that has happened in his career this year is the fact that he got his Board Certification in Family Practice Medicine in January. That seemed like the last rung on the ladder that he's been climbing for over 13 years now.
I have been keeping busy being a stay-at-home mom of two. I spend most days running around with the kids and my mom or just doing things around the house. I have decided that I'd really like to return to work, but only on a part-time basis. So, I've been looking for an office position that fits my needs and desires, but I haven't found anything yet. I am active in my Tri Kappa chapter and I really enjoy doing the different service projects through that and having fun with all of the great ladies that I've met through that organization.
Olivia is going to be four years old in July. She started preschool last week. She wasn't supposed to start until this fall, but she was so excited that she asked me if she could go now, so I arranged it. She goes on Tuesday & Thursday afternoons. She really enjoyed her first week and is anxiously awaiting her next chance to go. She is always making us laugh. She is a kind child with a big heart and she loves her mommy! She's constantly telling me how much she loves me and asking me to snuggle her. It is really sweet. She is sensitive and dramatic. We are in constant awe at how intelligent she is. Most of the other children in her preschool class can't write their names yet, but she has been writing hers for over a year. She is a helper and nurturer and is a wonderful big sister. I was worried that she was going to be jealous when Jacob came along, but we have had no problem with that. She plays with him all the time and tells him she loves him about a hundred times a day. Getting hugs from her and hearing her little giggle are the medicine for my soul.
Jacob is almost eight months now. It is really amazing how fast they grow. He started out as a tiny (6 lbs., 2 oz.) newborn and now, he's a little person with a round face and chubby legs. He has a really good personality and is happy most of the time. He enjoys watching anything his sister does and playing peek-a-boo with us. He recently started playing pat-a-cake and eating a lot more food. His smile can brighten the room and he is very cuddly. He cries out for "mama" when he's frustrated and says "yay" sometimes when he claps. He doesn't have any teeth yet, but I don't think it will be long...
Mom & Dad are doing well here with us. Dad is happier at this time of year because he really enjoys doing yard work and mowing the grass. Mom is such a help to me with the kids and the household chores. It's almost like my kids have two sets of parents. It's really a blessing for all of us.
We are opening the pool this week, so hopefully, we'll start having some warmer weather. It is a real treat to go out in the tub on cool evenings. I can't wait to see Jacob's response to the water. He loves taking baths, so I'm sure he will really have fun in the pool. Other than that, life is business as usual. Last week was the NFL draft, so now I primed and excited for football season. Of course, I still have about four months to wait, but I keep adding things to my Colts shrine in the basement and making plans for football parties this fall. Tim plays ice hockey two times a week this time of year, so that takes up a lot of his free time. It really helps him to de-stress from the pressures of his job and I am so glad that he has something that he enjoys doing that much.
That's all for now. Hopefully, this will catch everyone up on our lives. I hope to have many funny preschool stories to share in the coming weeks. But, I will leave with this for today. I had one of those "ask your daddy" moments the other day. It wasn't because Olivia asked about the facts of life, however. She asked me, out of the blue while we were in the car, why we have skin.