Better Late Than Never?

Well, nearly a half a year has gone by since we said goodbye to Arizona and moved to Noblesville.  The timing of our move, the ease of transition for the kids, Matt and me, the selling of our houses, the purchase of our new one.... every detail went so peacefully.  I can only give the glory to God for working out each and every detail.  He placed it in our hearts to move home.  We listened.  And He provided.  

So great is the joy that we have found back in Indiana.  

The kids think snow is completely awesome.  In fact, Chloie asked me last week when it was going to snow again because "that was so so so so so much fun."  Currently, she adds emphasis to any statement by repeating words.  For instance, she'll randomly tell me, "I love and love and love and love Daddy."  (And sometimes she loves and love and loves me... but not as much as Daddy it would seem.) 

Owen found some cool new ways to play with his big push toys.  Snow makes great tracks.  You can load it up and dump it anywhere.  And it's so light!

I can't remember... because it was six months ago.... But I know the kids were so cute about these snow angels.  I think they must have seen it on a television show in Arizona and didn't get it until Owen laid his little body in the snow and swung his arms and feet like crazy.  We had a full chorus of snow angels in our yard!

The love grown between the kids and their grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins is priceless.  They were always so shy around their grandparents, usually warming up about the time we'd board the plane to go home.  But now they can't wait to jump in a tractor, take a road trip, go out to dinner or just spend time with all their extended family.  

We took a trip to the Farm Machinery Show in Louisville this winter with Grandma and Grandpa Davis.  When we asked Chloie on the ride down to the show what she hoped to see, she said, "a pink tractor."  Well, we laughed and thought she was cute, but sitting right there in the middle of the show was her little pink tractor!  I'm a little surprised Grandpa didn't buy it and bring it home for her.

The best part of moving away is realizing how beautiful Home really was all the time.... I just looked past it, took it for granted, found it annoying when it wasn't perfect. Like so many other things in life I focused on the negative and let the beautiful parts slip away.  Well, I spent lots of time smelling the spring and watching the world unfold and being grateful to the One who made it all.

Worms!  Evidently there weren't any worms crawling around the Arizona sand.  The kids were quite fascinated with these little critters this spring.

Sweet Chloie turned 3 this spring.  It wasn't the same crowd, but we still found a bounce house and some barbecue, beer and cake... and few kids to bounce with us.

Oops... bounced a little too hard.  But always a willing Grandma to help out!

The beer is not actually for the children.... though it does appear that way.

Weird protective brother mode before the singing... "I got your back Chloie if you need help with those candles.  I've done this one time more than you so I'm very experienced..."  Maybe he was thinking???

And we did wait awhile on those candles to be blown out.

Owen's farming desires have gone into overdrive now that he's around the farm more.  Owen came in the house looking for tools one day to work on his tractor.  "Has an oil leak and I just can't figure it out!" he claimed.  I went to the garage and found his tractor jacked up just like this.

He gets some help from Chloie too. 

We spent much of the early spring cutting down trees and removing brush to add some tillable acres.  Disc it up, Matt and Owen!

Owen has also started a severe southern twang since moving back to Indiana.  I really have no idea where he gets it, but it certainly gets stronger when he's on the farm.  It's getting late, and I'm getting tired or else I'd try harder to mimic this ridiculousness.

"Take a picture with me rotten little kids!!"

Chloie was mad this particular day because I didn't pack her "work pants" for the farm.  These would be super cute pink jeans with fancy pockets, but they are her work pants.  Anyway, she was so mad that I didn't bring these she  insisted on wearing Owen's pants.  Just thought her attire needed an explanation.

Owen will ride in the tractor all day and all night rarely fussing or falling asleep.... unless they're putting on anhydrous.

Well, that certainly is a condensed version of the first few months of Indiana life.  I can't speak for Matt, but I know that he is overjoyed at being present on his farm every weekend.  He's in Greensburg putting some anhydrous on the corn planted above tonight, and I'm sure he couldn't be happier doing anything else at the moment.  And as for me, God knew I needed to be right here while Dad goes through the tremendous trial of brain cancer.  Not that I am much consolation or help to him, but I would be a mess living so far away during these past couple of months.  Just being near Dad and Mom and my siblings and their spouses and nieces and nephews helps me feel the affects of God's grace in those moments of  peace and joy and love we share together.

Fall Fun

Fall fun for the Davis family starts with a trip to the zoo!  It's still too hot to be lugging around two babies in the heat of the day, but we managed to have a good time.  And the best part was that we actually got Dad to come with us!

 

 Chloie is such a lover of animals.  She would squeal with delight over the silly common birds flying around.  "Look, Mommy!  A tiny bird.  Isn't it so beautiful?!"  However, I think her love of goats came down a notch or two as she got plowed over in the petting barn by a goat gone wild.

 Pumpkin carving was so much fun with the kids this year.  Here they are amazed at the huge mass of a pumpkin we found at the pumpkin patch. "Wow!  I can lift it!"

  Oops... a little to heavy for Chloie.  And yes, she is wearing footy pajamas in the middle of the 90 degree afternoon.  It's just easier to go with it....

 Such a change from last year's disgust over the gooey pumpkin.  They loved the mess!

We drew a mean face as requested by Owen for our pumpkin.  While I carved, the kids got a little wild with the goo.  It started to be thrown and slapped around.  The fun was over and it was time for a shower!

Owen had a cute little program at school for Halloween.  He's so different at school.  He's quiet and shy even around his friends that he plays with at the park very loud and obnoxiously.  I loved how he kept giving me a point out to the crowd between songs.  

And of course the trick-or-treating!  Owen and Chloie walked to our closest neighbors and friends and then were most happy to pass out candy to all the other scary children while Mom and Dad sat back and drank a beer. 

"No more pictures, Mom!"  Let's go trick-or-treating!"

Indiana Adventure

Oh, my... this has taken a good long while to get these here!  We had such a great time visiting family and farming this past October.  The kids are so much more fun to take along the older they get.  They're expert air travelers by now... on the way to Indiana at least.  They're less shy and need fewer naps, which definitely make our time more enjoyable.

The combine!  The highlight of Owen's trip.

Unfortunately for Chloie, Owen loved the combine so much she got to sit on the sidelines and look pretty (or pretty annoyed) in her new boots most of the time.

 This is not a good picture, but I laugh when I look at it because Owen made Grandpa stop the combine so he could get out and tell me that I was too close to the combine taking pictures.  "Get back, Mom!  This combine is working hard.  You're in the way of the snouts...bla bla bla."  And only a Grandpa would stop progress to let his four year old grandson boss his mom around...

And then there was the fun at Grandma Peggy's house.  Even though they weren't in fields they managed to get completely covered in dirt.

And a fun day with the Bedels!

And of course there was fun to be had at Grandma and Grandpa Meyer's!  

Not a day goes by that Owen doesn't farm in Arizona, and Chloie is usually right there with him.  I think they both love their Indiana roots as much as Matt and I do.  

Mud Bog

Rain is a rare thing.  So when it rains, the kids think it's the best gift ever.  This particular day I was busy trying to make Owen's birthday cake.  I noticed they were getting a little wetter and then a little muddy and then they were jumping in it and falling in it and laughing hysterically.  They got so muddy and wet they removed their heavy pants... which were still their pajamas, oh my.

A just some other random silliness from the past couple of weeks.

Happy 4th Birthday, Owen!

Four years ago I was trying to figure out how to change diapers and nurse a baby and how to fill my time because my baby slept so much.  Today I'm still trying to figure out how to convince my big baby to take time to go to the bathroom and eat his dinner, however, I have no trouble filling my time anymore with this wonderful little blessing in my life.

As one would assume, the countdown to a four year-old's birthday was much anticipated.  "About a month until I'm four."  "A couple more weeks." "One week."  "Two days!"  Although in our house I really can't say who was most excited.  Owen or Chloie... or was it Mom and Dad?

He got to celebrate on his birthday with all of his dear friends.  He bounced with his buddies all afternoon, taking a short break for dinner and birthday cake.  Oh, and opening presents!

He couldn't wait to blow out those candles and try out that swather and bailer!

You can't forget the cute sister.  She was so excited for Owen's birthday.  She already knows that when she turns 3 she'd like princess plates and a pink cake.  We're planning ahead!

A little too much cake and excitement and bouncing, I think.  Even a little bugged out, we love you so much, Owen Matthew!!