Haddie is 9

Wow, time is really flying. Haddie continues to be a sweetie pie. She loves school (even though she says she doesn't) and is also quite a little home body. Haddie just finished her third grade year with the best third grade teacher and she had an excellent year. She goes to a lot of ball games because of her big brothers and in the last year or so has really gotten into them. She doesn't really bring things to do, because she watches the games and yells and cheers. She loves watching football on TV and played basketball this year (I coached her team). She also enjoyed her summer of softball. She doesn't like being hot or sweaty outside. I think the liked softball because June was unseasonably cool. :) 

Haddie is a mama. She takes care of the little kids with such ease. If someone is upset while playing, I'll overhear her talking them through and she sounds a lot like me. She has a natural nurturing about her and is mature. She doesn't get involved in girl drama at school as she'd rather be by herself than be a part of that. Everyone loves Haddie and she loves everyone. She has a small pool of friends she does things with because I wonder if she is more introverted than not. I don't know, time will tell. 

Haddie likes to organize and watches home makeover shows. The one she and Lana really like is called Castle Impossible. She also likes Fixer Upper and Hometown. Recently Grandma let her borrow discs of Down Gilead Lane and she has devoured that. She also enjoys reading (I Survived, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and graphic novels) and playing Barbies with Lana. 

Card collecting has also become one of Haddie's hobbies. She has a lot of Patrick Mahomes cards and knows a good bargain. If any of the boy's friends think they can pull a fast one on her, they are mistaken. Girlfriend knows her stuff. She also has been playing piano for a year and a half and it comes really easily to her. She has a great voice also, and I always love to hear her sing. 

We're gearing up for the next school year and I can't believe Haddie will be our biggest kid at BGS. She will do well with that as she's always watching out for her siblings- including her big ones. She also went to her first year of kid's camp and got to have her cousin Shelby as her counselor. That was a God-send and she had the best time. 

We love her so much and can't wait to see her grow this coming school year! 

Eli is 13

Our first teenager. And by the time I'm writing this he's already passed the half point and is rounding the corner to 14. Crazy! 

Eli is a great kid. His middle school has 3 words they put on everything: respectful, responsible, kind- and he is these three things. He doesn't love school, but he doesn't rebel and for that I'm really grateful. 

He loves sports (probably why he tolerates school) and participated in football, basketball and track this past year. In track, his most consistent event was the 1600. Hopefully he'll get a few more reps at discus next year too as he seemed to enjoy that one. In football he mainly played JV as a running back and linebacker. In the last game of the season, he got one rep at running back in the varsity game and had a 12 yard carry. Basketball quickly became a favorite and he was a great defender and mainly played the 3 or 4 position. There was one play in particular that I will hopefully always remember- we had scored and he picked off the in-bounds and went in for a reverse layup and made it. I stood up and what came over me was well, loud and proud. Track season was super fun for him and I think he enjoyed the social aspect of meeting new people. One of his closer friends by the end of the season was a kid he had never seen prior to the season starting. 

His favorite hobby is cards. More specifically sports cards- mainly the NFL and NBA. If he's not buying them, he's watching videos about them, getting together with friends to trade them, or dreaming about the next money he will get in order to buy more cards. His brain is a steel trap, so he can tell you rookie years and cards and all sorts of things. He and Micah both enjoy this together. As far as hobbies go, I think there are worse ones. He also continues to be an avid reader. If you have book suggestions, send them our way! 

We stopped farming this last year, so he's not bucking bales this summer but he is still really helpful. He's willing to put in hard work and doesn't mind sweating through it. He babysits for me, mows our lawn and mows for his grandma. He and Micah went into town this spring after a wind storm and stacked branches for folks- I think he felt really good after that. 

As is typical of a lot of first-borns, Eli would prefer to sit with the adults and soak in all the stories they're telling. He's really enjoyable, so he gets away with it sometimes. We've had several folks from our church that have sought us out to tell us how much they enjoy visiting with him. He really enjoys talking to and listening to people who are older than him. I think that's a great quality. 

We love him and love getting a clearer picture, as he grows, who God has made him to be. We're praying for a good growing year for him (and he hopes that's literal growing too). :) 

Lana is 6

Oh this girl has grown up so much! She has just finished up kindergarten and will be entering first grade in a few short weeks. I can't believe a whole school year has come and gone. She definitely has grown in some confidence and in skills. She has a variety of friends and cares a lot about them. She even started splitting her two recesses in the day between her athletic friends and her friends that liked to play pretend. I went on her zoo field trip and it was fun to see her hang with some of the boys in her class and run and play rough with them. It also made me realize how much she accommodates/regulates during the school day and why she seems so tired when she gets home. :)

Lana still very much wants to be a part of whatever is going on. It has been fun to be around when she has discovered that she doesn't hate alone time. She sat on the deck a few weeks back and when she came in she declared that she liked it so much. She is the leader of the crew when she plays with Knox and Greta and the follower when she's with the big kids. She and Haddie have a bunk bed now, so that's been a huge hit and they take turns being on the top bunk. 

Lana loves creating anything- she is a really talented artist. She also loves reading and did the sweetest thing- she started reading Little House in the Big Woods, and although i don't think she is reading every word, she does have a book mark to keep her place. She's also very strong and is proud of being a strong and fast girl. She played soccer this spring and t-ball this summer. She also has enjoyed swimming this summer. She's just growing up! She loves playing Barbies and Lego especially with a sibling. Lana also started piano this year and still loves dancing, just not in dance class this year.

Love you so much, Lana Mae!