The Calvary

The Calvary has arrived! Yesterday was a bit crazy. Derek left for the Catalyst Conference at 4:30. Kaylee had dance. Nate had swim team practice. Fortunately, the timing of the two was perfect so I was able to juggle both. Today would have been different. Kaylee has dance from 4:30 to 7:20. Nate has swim practice from 6:45 to 7:45. I'm not quite ready to leave Nate alone at practice yet, so Kaylee would have had to wait about a hour for us to pick her up- except for the Calvary.


Also known as Grandma & Grandpa Green (Kelli's Parents)

They are taking Nate to practice so Max & I can pick Kaylee up on time. I'm glad they are here. This is their last weekend in Michigan before heading to Florida for the winter on Monday. They'll get to see Nate's first swim meet and spend a little extra time with the kids. Plus it will make my life a lot easier this weekend.

6 words

I haven't posted much about myself yet, rather intentionally. It's nice being the one in charge of the keyboard. I feel the same way about the camera. I take the pictures so I don't have to be in them. (You'll notice the picture next to my profile is a coffee cup instead of a picture of me!)

But a couple of my blogger friends have started a game and I'll play along. Here are the rules:

1. Write your own Six-Word Memoir.
2. Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you want.
3. Link to the person that tagged you in your post *
4. Tag at least five more blogs with links.
5. Leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play.

Here's mine-

Christian Mom, trying hard, thankfully forgiven

*Kirk Haven (also in my list of favorite blogs)

DH

Rounding out the cast of characters- I'd like you to meet the Stay-At-Home-Dad ("SAHD") a.k.a. "DH" (Dear Husband- in the online world).



Derek is a faithful Christian. He's a loving father. He's an amazing husband. He's incredibly intelligent, and sort of goofy. (Most people don't get his incredibly dry sense of humor- but it cracks me up!)



Stay-at-home Dad doesn't really describe him because they rarely stay home. He prefers "recovering engineer." When Nate was born, Derek & I started feeling the pressure of having two careers and two kids. Because of the age span, they needed different child care- so I'd take Kaylee to school and pick her up and he'd take Nate to day care and pick him up, then we'd meet back at the house around 6:45pm and decide where to go out to dinner because we were both too tired to cook. It got old fast. Real fast. Like a month into the deal Derek said "This is crazy! One of us should stay home and raise these kids." And I said "Be my guest."

He took the challenge and in his usual way has gone beyond anyone's expectations. A year and a half into being home, we decided to start homeschooling. Then if that wasn't enough to keep him busy, he convinced me to have another baby!

I'm so thankful for Derek. Not many guys could do what Derek does and I'm incredibly blessed to have him as my husband and partner.

Danger Boy Junior

Maximus Daniel Charles, age 1, a.k.a. "Max" "DBJ"
Birthday: November 13, 2006


The most recent addition to the cast of characters is Max. If I started this blog two weeks ago, I'd have said he's a sweet, shy baby. Definitely Mama's boy and probably not deserving of the nickname "DBJ" (Danger Boy Junior). Sure he'd learned to walk early, sure he'd learned to climb on the table, and push a chair to the counter to get what he wanted, yes, he was able to leap the baby gate in a single bound but he wasn't showing the tendancy of being a wild and crazy boy. He was my little clinger. The baby who loved to be held and didn't really want to adventure off on his own that much.

You'll notice I said "IF" I had started this blog two weeks ago. Something happened last week. My baby learned the word "NO!" He's started using it incessantly. He doesn't want any help with any thing. And that baby gate? Don't even think about putting it up.


Learned to walk two days before turning 10 months old



Climbing on the table at 13 months old



going down the slide 15 months old

Danger Boy

Nathaniel Grant Torrey, age 6, a.k.a "Nate", "Danger Boy"
Birthday: November 22, 2001

Some good friends of ours, with two very sweet, quiet girls, gave Nate the nickname "Danger Boy" the first time they met him. He was not quite a year old at the time. We were visiting their lovely home in Grand Haven on Lake Michigan. Nate had already climbed over their baby gate twice(although why they had one, I'll never know) and was sporting an ice pack to try to reduce the swelling from the latest trip down the stairs.

The name stuck.

I'll let you decide if he's earned it.

Jumping off the diving board at age 3


making his own roller coaster out of a loft bed and a ride on tractor at age 3


riding a two wheeler with no training wheels age 3


golfing on the roof of our playhouse at age 4

Living with a Danger Boy is exhilarating and exhausting! Nate is lots of fun, but he's also very loving. He's most likely to share with his siblings and the quickest to give hugs and kisses.

The Ballerina

Kaylee Alexandria, age 12
Birthday: February 3, 1996


Kaylee started dancing when she was three years old.
In some ways she's all girl. She's always loved to dress up, always been a little prone to drama. She was a precocious toddler, now she's a sassy tween. Kaylee loves dancing, singing, drawing, acting and writing. A true sanguine- all the world is her stage.

Kaylee is also very loving and giving. She's donated her hair to locks of love twice- both times it was completely her idea! In fact, the practical mom that I am groaned at the thought of trying to put short hair in a bun!