Family Update--October

As you can see by the photo, our family is staying on our toes right now! Baby Henry just started crawling, and he is everywhere! He's also teething with a vengance right now, cutting 8 teeth at once, so life is not always so peaceful here in the Vega family! Christmas should be fun this year, trying to keep a little one away from the tree!

Brett, my 5-year-old son, is doing very well in school. I don't think I've ever explained the situation with Brett and our unique living arrangement. Brett lives with his father in a city about 1 1/2 hours away during the school year. His father and I work well as a parenting team, and although I wanted to homeschool Brett, his father felt strongly against it. We were able to come to an agreement that pleased both of us: he will stay with his father during the school year in order to attend an outstanding Christian school, something that is not available here in the small town I live in. He comes to stay with us on all his school holiday breaks and during the summer. Occasionaly he stays on weekends, too. Although the seperation is dificult, he is excelling in his school! It is also important for boys to spend much time with their fathers, and I am thankful that his father is such an active parent! We are looking forward to Brett's visit for the winter break.

As I mentioned before, we have chosen not to celebrate a traditional Halloween, but instead will take the opportunity to share the Gospel message with any trick-or-treaters that come to our door. I am passing out Lifesaver candies with a message of salvation tract. I am going to dress Henry in costume(something cute, like a cuddly animal) and let him help me pass out the candy.

I am busy preparing for the birth of our new baby, a boy, due in 6 weeks! I am trying to fill our freezer with plenty of hearty casseroles that will be easy to just pop in the oven, add a salad and fresh bread, and voila, instant dinner! This is something I wished I would have done when my other two were babies. So far, I have put away some pizza crusts, pancakes, a blueberry crumb cake, chicken enchilladas and chicken and broccoli casserole. I am also going to put away a few portions of refried beans, taco-seasoned meat (for tacos, chili and taco pizza) and some other casseroles. Since Henry is only 9 months old, all of his baby clothes are ready for baby! That has definitely been a blessing.

Henry, my hubby, has been super-busy working, putting in some long hours of overtime. Although we miss him, I love and admire him for all the hard work he does to provide for our growing family! We do manage to get in one night a week for date nights, which allows us to relax and connect after a hectic week. Henry enjoys time with his Grandma and Grandpa while we go out to dinner.

We have high hopes for a Christ-centered Christmas season this year--can't believe how fast it's approaching! I'm trying to plan for everything now, as I know things will get hectic when the baby arrives, but this is nothing new to me, as Brett was born on December 23! I can't really explain why, but I just feel like this Christmas is going to be extraordinary for our family this year! I hope we will have the opportunity to bless many people.

I was planning a fall ladies tea for sometime this month, but alas, I've not been dilligent in planning for that--I think it will be a Christmas tea instead!

That's what's going on in our family this month--what about yours?