Ashlyn is in kindergarten this year! Somewhere during the summer, after much prayer by both of us, we decided that God was calling me to homeschool Ashlyn. There are so many reasons why people decide to homeschool, and we have ours. But we really felt like this was the best decision for our family right now. Not sure if that will be the case in years to come, but for now that is what we are doing. It was very difficult for me especially to say goodbye to the "first day of school" pictures and the ideas in my head of walking away from her first classroom and all the memories that come with sending your child to their first day of kindergarten. But what I got in return was so much more. I get to spend everyday with her and teach her everything that she learns. I get to watch the light go off and see her "get" things. I am watching my daughter learn to read before my very eyes, watching her learn to do math, and watching her learn daily about God.
Ashlyn also started riding her bike without training wheels several weeks ago. She is so proud of herself and has really enjoyed being outside riding her bike in these last few weeks of good weather.
Ashlyn has a beautiful heart for God that amazes us everyday. She says the most insightful things and makes me so proud to be her mama. She is the best big sister ever. She is very much a rule follower and thinks that the rest of the world should be as well (can't imagine where she gets that from). She likes everything to be just so and has a beautiful naive view of this crazy world. I love her to pieces.
Kenley Lael...she is a mess. She is wonderful and hilarious. She makes us laugh everyday. She will be three years old in two weeks. While Ashlyn is completely into dressing up and pretending to be a princess or a fairy and have tea parties, Kenley isn't concerned if the sun comes up in the mornings. She could not care any less about dressing up. She doesn't care about what she wears as long as she gets to where jeans with it. She is as sneaky as they come and I am constantly having to watch her and keep from laughing while getting on to her.
Kenley started going to preschool two days a week at "Ashlyn's school" (where Ashlyn went to pre-K). She absolutely loves it and is learning so much. It is fun to watch her get to do her own thing and begin to be her own little person apart from Ashlyn.
Kenley (at the age of 2...yes, we are very proud of her) has learned to ride her bike without training wheels. She is incredible on a bike and it is amazing to watch her on her tiny little bike book it around the neighborhood. Daddy had to start riding his bike with her to be able to keep up. The kid wants to ride her bike from the time she rolls out of bed in the morning until she goes to sleep at night. She is obsessed with riding her bike. All she wanted to do for her 3rd birthday is ride her bike. She is very cute. I love to hear her talk, her voice is so cute. She has so many words that we don't want to correct because it is just so cute to hear her say them in her little two year old voice. She is growing so fast and I am savoring these last days of "two" with her.
Baby Leighton, or Lay Lay as the girls call her, is 9 months old now and just as sweet as they come. She has dark hair and beautiful blue eyes. She has started the phase of separation anxiety and it has definitely made for some longer days with her. But how I love that baby. I can remember wanting so badly for this beautiful little girl to be a boy. I smile now when I think about God knowing what I needed. I would not change it if I could. Leighton is so calm and content and sweet. She is so very much a third baby. She has no interest in crawling because she has two sisters that wait on her hand and foot. She loves her mommy and her mommy could just eat her up.
We are all doing well and feeling blessed. Blessed to be together. Blessed to be healthy. Blessed to have a job, a home, a family, each other, a God that loves us and knows His plans for us.
