crazy busy fun

i feel like it's been forever since i blogged.  probably because it's been kind of a long week.  it's been wonderful, but busy and exhausting.  ellen and joey left last wednesday for jamaica, and brian's parents came to watch koa while they were gone.  we had an awesome week spending quality time with leon and diane.  it was cute seeing both grandboys with their nana and papa, too.  we mostly hung around the house playing, but made it to the park one morning and had a little shopping spree at toys 'r us with nana. :) 

the first time i've seen o arrange his guys like this.  so cute!

oakley wanted a "ride" in the bag

eating breakfast in his new tent

we also had the opportunity to meet up with some friends from high school.  they were down in st. pete for their family vacation, so we met them at the beach and spent a couple hours catching up.  it's kind of crazy that we have lived three hours from each other for ten years and never had the chance to get together, but then we both ended up in tampa at the same time to meet up.  crazy how that worked out.  it was great to see sarah and laura and their family.  hopefully we'll see them a little more often than every ten years!

on a sidenote, oakley has been so cute/sweet with the things he says.  he's talking so much and very clear, it just blows my mind then things he picks up on and the fact that the child doesn't miss a detail or forget anything.  his little mind is amazing!  here are some things he's said lately:

on our walk tonight, he was looking very sleepy.  i said, "oakley, are you getting sleepy?"  "no.  wait up sunhine" (wake up, sunshine)  melts my heart!!

while very gingerly running his fingers through nana's hair, "just like anni's hair."  (just like andi's hair) andi is actually nana and papa's dog who has long hair.  it was so funny!

me:  "oakley, ellen and joey are going to be here when you wake up in the morning.  are you excited to see them??" 
oakley:  "make-a, tink" (jamaica, i think)  he's been adding "tink" to the end of his sentences lately, and it made me realize i say that a lot when he asks me random questions that i don't know the answer to. :)  we've also been talking about where joey and ellen went, just out of oakley's curiosity.  i was surprised he remembered they were in jamaica.

me:  "oakley, it's time for bed.  why don't you tell everyone goodnight."
oakley: "g'nite toa" (koa) with the sweetest hug and kiss, complete with the *smooch* sound. 

oakley to koa when koa woke up from his nap:  "hi buddy!"
these two boys have developed the sweetest relationship (with the occasional sibling-like fights over toys).

we are headed up to ohio on saturday to spend some quality time with brian's extended family.  it will be nice to get some time in with his cousins, grandparents and aunts/uncles.  usually, when we visit them, we just see them at church for literally minutes, so we are looking forward to this trip. 

i know many of you are probably wondering about the job situation with brian.  he had a few good leads down here (like, we seriously thought he was going to be hired by two different companies), but they fell through.  there aren't many other jobs available down here, so we opened up the search and have had some leads back in kansas city.  we are hoping to hear from one particular company tomorrow.  we feel the Lord is gently leading us back to the midwest, for some reason.  as much as i am not wanting to go back to winter, i know there is a reason, so i'm keeping an open mind.  we will keep you posted as things progress.  thank you everyone for your prayers!

on a super happy note, my little sister is having a baby!!!!  we are incredibly, over-the-top excited!  she is 16 weeks, due the 2nd of january.  she finds out what they are having (if the baby cooperates) next thursday!  yay for babies!!