What we're up to...

Well, we haven’t been doing too good about letting you all see what we’re up to, have we? We don’t really have any good excuses this time either. So, before another month goes by, here’s just a li’l update about what we’re all doing as we head into the autumn season…

Shiloh will turn one year old in just a couple of weeks—wasn’t he born only a few days ago?—and he’s almost walking now! We can hardly believe it! He’s just as chubby as ever, and he’s by far the most talkative one in the family. =) And he has the cutest little grin you can imagine…

Savannah and Sophia are becoming more outgoing, energetic, and curious than ever before. And for two year olds, they’re pretty smart. They can count to twenty, say their ABCs, sing about a dozen songs that they’ve learned, quote Scripture, and read! Ok, so they can’t actually read, but if you didn’t know what the stories of Tom Kitten and The Flopsy Bunnies really said, you’d think that they were reading them. =) The Beatrix Potter stories are their favorite—“It is said that the effect of eating too much lettuce is soporific. I have never felt sleepy after eating lettuce, but then, I am not a rabbit.”

All of the boys have started school again in full swing. Since the ITC is super close to a community college our parking lot is used for student parking during the school year. We don’t mind it too much, but that means that there isn’t much to do outside anymore with vehicles covering every empty space, including our volleyball and basketball “courts.” So the boys have been trying to find productive things to amuse themselves with indoors. Like sparring—the newest craze among the guys here. =)

Stef has been busy with working in the ITC laundry room each day in addition to keeping up with responsibilities in the dining room. Within the next couple of weeks she’ll be working on creating a new dining room layout—from the current 39 tables to a much more practical 23 tables. Doesn’t sound like a big deal, but it is to us, and we’re excited for the change! =)

And I (Sara) continue to work as front desk manager/receptionist about 45-50 hours a week. That’s pretty much my life right now. =) I also volunteer at a local detention center once a week where a friend and I teach anger resolution classes. And if anyone at all cares to read my thoughts, you can do that here.

Dad has been busy with never-ending maintenance projects and teaches English as a second language to Hispanic students on Friday evenings. And Mom continues to do what moms do best, only mothers themselves can really relate to, and we can never be grateful enough for—the countless things that keep our family functioning, our home orderly, and our hearts encouraged.

In August Anna turned four, Suzi turned twenty-four, and Samuel turned eleven. That leaves only nine more birthdays yet to go this year! We thought it might be nice to leave for the last 2 ½ weeks of November and save everyone the trouble of birthday nights for six of us Nelsons. =)

Ok, I feel like I just typed out our Christmas newsletter, but there’s a little bit about what we’ve been up to anyway. =)