Did you know? As of November 20th, I have a new sister. In keeping with the traditions of all my other sisters, I love her.

Posting will resume soon, but we've been busy. Today we went for a happy walk with the cousins to Seabridge, thankful to have our northernmost family here with us, and missing those that were not. I wonder how Lisa and John are enjoying their honeymoon...

This is Miles. This is Jack.

Miles.

Jack.

Miles

Miles and Jack.

This is a post about noodles. Miles likes noodles.

He eats them with a fork. Or his hand. He prefers the fork, but his hand is easier.

I also, like noodles.

WE ARE NOT PREGNANT.

This is usually the time of year when I announce that we are having another baby...but we're not. While I would love to have two more chickens, at least, Josh is done. Done, done.
This is the first time since we started having children that we are not having any.
And I don't know really what I should feel.
I feel young and healthy, and I feel like having children is something I love to do...and I want a big family (you can say all you want that four is big, but it's not.) I love being pregnant, and while I lose my temper with my kids more than I'd like to, I feel like we're a good family to be a part of.
I'm not sure that we should stop having children- that to be fertile is to be gifted, and to not use it is to take something that God has given us for granted, or even to sin.
Josh, obviously, does not feel this way. He is a man to do what is right, and I know that if he felt like not having children was wrong, he would do it, whether or not he wanted to. In fact, I believe that he would want to, if he felt like he was supposed to.
I don't want to regret this for the rest of my life. I want to feel the same way he does- I want to feel relieved. I want to feel like we're complete, if we are.
Since we are a union, a nation of two that became six that will go back to two in twenty years or so, and we act in unison as much as we are able, we are not pregnant.
I don't take the babies I have for granted, nor do I ignore the miracle it has been to have four pregnancies blessed on me, but...I'm kind of sad.

Happy Halloween!!!! These are our three big ones, ready to take hearts and candy prisoner at the Idyllwild Halloween celebration.

Lucy was a butterfly. She especially loved having make-up put on her.

Bowden was a Storm Trooper.
Jack was Iron Man. He saw the costume and said, "I want to be Iron Man!" How does he know who Iron Man is? I have no idea.
I was a bride. That's right. That's my wedding dress. I still fit in it, if zipping it up means fitting. It definitely does not look the same as it did nine and a half years ago. Lucy took this picture.
And Milosch? He was a chicken! Aunt Lisa rescued him from the puddles on the volleyball court.