Catching Up

I know what’s new with Beckett is well documented here already, but I figure it’s about time to give an update on what else is going on around here!

We had a great summer!  Kolby was off work and I took a lot of time off as well.  We spent A LOT of time as a family, which was just as awesome as I expected it to be.  Kolby and I took a little mini-vacation to Wimberley with our good friends Tyler & Erin (without Beckett!), which was a blast.  We took a family trip to Wimberley earlier in the summer with Kolby’s parents, and we also road tripped to Houston for a weekend with Kason & Sarah and cousin Kyndall.  Plus our family vacation to Chicago.  We spent Memorial Day at my parents’ ranch with my mom’s entire side of the family, and did the same for Labor Day with my dad’s side.  We spent a fun and relaxing July 4^th at Brad & Remy’s new house… swimming at the neighborhood pool then watching a movie in their media room while the babies slept.  Other than that we just hung out all summer—playing inside, playing in the backyard, playing in other people’s pools. 

Then summer had to end, which meant goodbye to Summer Kolby :(.  But his school year is off to a great start.  One big and exciting change this year is one of his best friends was hired over the summer at his school.  I’m super jealous that he gets to work with a friend—that would be so fun.  Just in case I haven’t mentioned these specifics in a while, Kolby teaches senior English, mostly AP Literature.  He also teaches a creative writing class.  This is his 4^th year at his school, and he’s the head of the English department.  He loves teaching and is great at it.  Makes me really proud!

Work is going well for me.  I work three days a week—two at the office and one from home.  I don’t like being apart from Beckett those two days but I’m content with our decision for me to continue working.  I’m grateful for the opportunity to keep my job and bring in an income, which is what is best for our family right now.  It allows Kolby to focus solely on teaching—rather than also doing contract writing or other work to make ends meet—which means Beckett gets to have tons of time with him.  Kolby gets home at 4:45pm every day and doesn’t work on weekends or travel and very rarely brings work home.  The blessing of his job and awesome schedule is not lost on me, and it won’t be long before Beckett is really able to appreciate it as well! 

Our babysitter who comes two days a week has worked out great.  And, some friends of ours were also in need of a babysitter for their little boy who is just a few months younger than Beckett, so starting a few months ago he is at our house those two days too and our babysitter keeps them both.  It’s so great for Beckett to have a playmate!  It’ll only get more fun for them as they both get older and can interact more. 

We're now in the middle of the fall season of our church’s Bible study groups, and Kolby and I stepped back into a host/leader role.  We chose Simply Christian by N.T. Wright as our study, and I'm really enjoying it.  We had a kickoff dinner at our house and had 16 adults, 2 kids, and 5 babies come.  Which, for anyone who has been to our house, begs the question of how on earth everyone fit.   But there is little I love more than having a full and chaotic house.  It was a great night.

Oh, big news (that most of you probably already know)—Brad & Remy are expecting a baby, due on December 17^th!  And it’s a girl! :)  Tucker is going to be such a wonderful big brother, especially if he’s even half as sweet to his new baby sister as he has been to Beckett.  We can't wait to meet baby Sadie!