So much to say...

Here I am again, seemingly caught up in the catching up.  This summer has been awesome, but it's been hard to blog and I've missed it.  I see a window coming where it's going to ease a bit, and I'm looking forward to getting back to near daily posts because I'm already realizing that what I haven't logged is gone now, and with a memory like mine, I'm finding it harder and harder to remember the details of what I so desperately don't want to forget.

Our past few weeks have been full of a lot of this...

Most evenings, we try to get the kids outside to blow off some steam.  It makes bedtime a whole lot easier on Mommy, and the fresh air has done us some good.  Lauren, with some training, has managed to learn the boundaries of our property.  Most of the time she abides by them and at other times, she still displays her tendencies to wander a bit.  I've grown accustomed to the kids being able to roam pretty freely while I'm watering the flowers or doing little jobs that need doing outside, but they're never far from my sight.  Joshua has become quite the little baseball player this summer, hitting more of my wiffle ball pitches than he misses.  He loves to put on a show for our neighbors who may be walking by with squeals of "Watch me!" followed by what he calls a homerun.   I don't know if there will be Little League in his future or not, but I know that learning to bat has certianly passed some time for us this summer.  While Joshua is doing all of this batting practice, Lauren typically busies herself by unloading the toy cabinet outside of its 10,000 unrelated outside toy parts that have been shoved into it.  We then have to spend a half hour gathering up said parts and returning them to the cabinet when it is time to go in.  I will say she is a much better "taker outer" than "putter back".  She has also consumed no less than 4 bottles of bubbles.  And I don't mean by blowing bubbles.  We're talking drinking them here, folks.  It disgusts me to think of it, but she has shown some bubble blowing progress after all of the "practice" she has done to figure out that you get better bubbles if you blow on the wand than you do if you suck on it.  That's my girl.

Lauren continues to be quite the character, with a vocabulary that seems to expand by leaps and bounds every day.  A few of the phrases we have recently heard come from her:  "Daddy, look at the tower I built."   and  "Mommy, wait a minute.  I'll be right back."  and my alltime favorite, "Where's Josh's magnifying glass?"  Seriously.  I feel like I'm in a time warp a bit, but when did my baby turn into such a big girl?

Her hair continues to be quite a quandary for me.  I am absolutely in love with her curls.  Seriously I just want to eat her up every time I look at those curls that are showing up more every day.  But it's a wild mane of hair, let me tell you.  Not enough to pull up, and too much to let unrestrained for long.  So I guess this is that dreaded "in between stage" for little girls that you just have to wait out to see what options you're going to have for hairstyles once it finishes coming in fully.

In the past few weeks we have had such fun with family and friends, including a Lewistown trip where (and I know you won't believe this) my camera didn't make it out of my purse even once and a wonderful evening with the Mowry's to celebrate Earl's birthday.  If there is one thing that I know for sure this summer, it is that I am blessed beyond measure with family on both sides who love us and friends who have become more cherished than I could ever have dreamed (even back in Edgewood Place days!).

This week has run us all ragged as we have scurried and rushed around every day after work to get back to the church before 6 for Bible School.  Let me summarize by saying that Joshua is INTO IT.  Big time.  I have been so lucky to be able to help out with Josh's class- 11 2-4 year olds, and we've been very busy this week.  There are 6 adults who have been around to help with the group, and I can honestly tell you that I wouldn't have wanted any fewer grown ups.  The kids have been learning about how God made them special, and that He knew everything about them before they were even born.  That led to quite a cute discussion in the car on the way home the other night as Joshua connected that thought to the idea of our new baby and whether God knows all about him/her. 

Joshua has been quite the participator during Bible School- always full of questions and answers for his teachers/leaders.  One evening we were singing our song for the night, a praise song, and the teacher asked the kids what they would like to praise God for that evening.  Joshua was the first to raise his hand and say, "These songs!"  He has really been enjoying the game time, story time and snacks as well.  Obviously, I've been making all of his Bible School snacks to keep them safe for him and so far most of my home baked snacks have looked eerily similar to what comes out of the kitchen at the church.  I am so grateful for the way everyone has worked with us to keep things safe for him.  We had one small scare with a plan of serving peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on Monday night for snack, but with just one phone call, they realized that it might not be such a good idea for others who are coming in from outside and that it would make it impossible for Joshua to participate on that night (and maybe more) if that was the snack.  Josh has been most intrigued by the mystery drama that has been unfolding each night as we close, because a thief has come into the museum in Cairo and stolen their money box, but we haven't yet found out who it is.  Imagine his amazement when the person who portrays the biggest "suspect" was an additional helper in our class last evening.

Lauren has been staying at home with Daddy most of the evenings this week.  She did come with us on Wednesday and didn't do so hot at staying with the older kids.  Following directions and sitting still are not two of her strongest suits, so we ended up in the nursery a good bit.  I'm still not sure if she'll be accompanying us tonight or not.  I guess we'll see what kind of mood she's in when I get home.

I don't think I have officially mentioned it here, but I suppose I should.  We are beyond excited to be welcoming another Dugan into the family early in 2012.  I found out in May that I am expecting again, and things are really looking good.  I had quite a few weeks of nausea in the first trimester, but now seem to be moving on and excelling in the roles of rounding out and growing.  Our 20 week ultrasound will be at our next appointment at the end of the month, and we cannot possibly be more thrilled to find out that the baby is healthy and to finally solve the mystery of whether I need to wash the blue or pink tubs of clothes in the basement!

Big trip to Lewistown this weekend for the Richard Reunion.  I will promise to take some pictures on this trip!  See you Monday!