Bring on the Rain

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.

Anne Dudley Bradstreet

Life down here is starting to feel a bit more like normal. Matt is working, there are PAYCHECKS! WOO!, the girls are growing, and I believe our grass is some sort of super grass/weed mix that grows a foot tall two days after you've mowed it. We've still a bunch of kinks to work out, namely finding me a job, but I'm sleeping a little easier at night knowing that we've crossed the biggest hurdle.

Our biggest problem right now (at least in my mind) is whether or not to keep the house. Matt's pay and hours aren't enough to pay all the monthly bills at the moment, so we're looking into lowering the monthly mortgage bill. If that doesn't work out and/or I'm not able to find a job, we're probably going to have to sell. Keep us in your prayers that everything will work out the way it's supposed to.

Aly and Lorelei have been growing in leaps and bounds lately. Sometimes I see Aly and I'm a little shocked at how tall she is... she's able to use light switches now without a boost. Maybe that's normal, I don't know, but it still has been an awakening :).   She has started wanting to do a lot more for herself, which has been nice. She had a few rough weeks, behavior wise, around the time Matt got his job, but we've been able to work through that. She has lately become Mommy's little helper, taking initiative to clean up her own messes and gaining a ton of satisfaction from helping me accomplish something. I'm hoping that once we get our financial situation under control that we'll be able to send her to ballet as we planned.

Lorelei has officially started her terrible twos, albiet at only 21 months. She loves to say no, dig in her heels, and sometimes even throw herself on the ground crying if something is suggested that she doesn't want to do. She gets into everything that she knows she shouldn't, and then tries escape by flashing her cutest grin when she's discovered.

Lorelei's language skills are still a little behind what Aly's were at this age, and Aly was a bit slower at that too. She seems to understand nearly everything I tell her, she just isn't quite able to get past the baby blargle. She's saying a lot, don't get me wrong, giving orders sometimes, just all in incomprehensible speech.

Matt's job has been going well. When he got the job he was to be employed at a Hattiesburg Gamestop, but due to Petal's assistant manager going on sick leave Matt's been only working at that store. He seems to really enjoy every part of the job, and I love that for him. Seeing the difference of how he goes to this job and how he went to Frito-Lay is a big indication of just how much he hated working at Frito. He actually comes home happy; not just because he's happy to be home, but because he truly enjoyed the hours he just put in at Gamestop. He is still tired all of the time, but that's more from trying out games with his new friends than from having to put in rough 16 hour days. He is willing to help me out a lot more, and he is able to spend a lot more time with the girls. :) :)

Current Loves

Aly: Scooby Doo, cleaning, playing in the dirt, baths

Lorelei: "No," lollipops, slides, baby dolls

Matt: Starcraft 2, 30 Rock, Cracked.com, sleep

Bethany: natural fiber yarn, ravelry.com, Doctor Who, me time