Life These Days

It's been awhile since I sat down to write one of these posts. In fact, the last "Life These Days" post I wrote was when I was 39 weeks pregnant with Baby Bro. Ironically, I started this post at 39 weeks pregnant with Tiny Bro! My how much changes in 2 years. There are now 4 little Dertien boys.

Big Bro finished 1st grade and is excited for 2nd grade. He is a voracious reader and it reading at a 3rd grade level. He still excels in math, but his favorite subject is art. His least favorite might be music, and that is where he struggles the most with using his listening ears. He still loves Legos and playing with his brothers.  This summer he is loving swimming and Tae Kwon Do.

Lil' Bro is heading to Pre-K in the Fall. He can write his name really well and loves to draw. His favorite animal is still a cheetah, and loves tehe Wild Kratts so much that was his theme for both his 3rd and 4th birthday parties! He adores his baby brother. This summer he has been very brave in swim lessons and has almost mastered all the objectices from his class. Now we are working on being brave and consistent all the time!

Small Bro, formerly know as Baby Bro is getting rebranded on the blog since he is not the baby anymore. Small Bro is almost 2 and full of personality. He doesn't have many words but he effectively communicates his needs and desires. He LOVES balls and is talented beyond his years at throwing, catching and kicking balls of all sizes. He wants to do everything his big brothers are doing and loves his baby brother.

Tiny Bro is the newest member of our clan and the perfect addition we never knew we needed. He is two months old. His brothers fight over who gets to hold him and love on him. There is a constant refrain in our houwokse of "He's so cute!" and "Hi, baby!"

Nicholas still has his Visual Ministry Consulting business and has made some amazing work for our church. In January, he started teaching as an adjunct professor at both Concordia University and Austin Community College. For the Spring semester at Concordia, he taught a glass and a ceramics class. At ACC he taught a Design I class. This summer he is teaching a Drawing I class at ACC. He is also making the baptismal font for UT Lutheran Campus Ministry.

I spent the Spring being really pregnant and prepping for life with Tiny Bro. Tiny Bro took his sweet time arriving. In fact, we had to evict him! I had planned on taking 12 weeks of maternity leave but went back to work after only 6. How nice it would be if we had paid maternity leave! Also, I started a new job! After 14 years as a contractor, I am now a VA employee. It was an amazing opportunity I could not pass up, even though the timing was not ideal. I am excited for the new job and future potential!

Our time together as a family involves a lot of survival. Taking care of four kids is definitely a two man job. There is a lot of neediness, but also a lot of adorableness! We are still trying to get out and be active, but I am still recovering from having a baby, and we simply just have our hands full!