Resettling and Catching our Breath

We've been back in Michigan for over a week now and we're starting to feel more settled with each passing day.  It's rather difficult to go through the rest of our boxes (read: it's impossible to have even five uninterrupted minutes with three boys around!) but we're establishing more of a routine with each passing day, and routine is good for feeling settled.

We had a lovely Thanksgiving holiday with my family and now we have an entire week before us with nothing to do but BE.  There are chores, yes, and the never-ending to-do list, but ultimately we can hang around the lakehouse and catch our breath.

What does is look like for the Horns to catch their breath?  For Caleb and Kai it means running amuck and playing superheroes.  Spiderman and Superman were quite busy tonight chasing robots - moose robots, bear robots, dinosaur robots - all of their own imagination :)

For Asa it means kicking and cooing and flashing his dimple whenever he smiles :)

For Daddy Horn it means relaxing for more than two minutes and opening a book.

And for me it means taking pictures and enjoying the moments.   There's no better way to spend an evening in the Horn household!

Oh, and to cap it off, the boys took baths and enjoyed a ride in a naked hammock.  Eli started this post-bath ritual last month in Colorado, and Caleb and Kai can't get enough of it!  These little boys love being naked and swinging through the air.  Naked hammocks are a new and truly important Horn tradition :)

Two Months Young

In the blur that is our life right now, another month has passed and our beautiful moose baby is officially two months old!  Asa has been smiling more with each passing day and has been a highlight among the community of missionaries here at MTI.  He's such a delight!  He's content most of the time and enjoys being held by just about anyone.  He's super smoochable and is, quite simply, a chunky bundle of joy :)

He blessed me with some of his smiles tonight.  Melt my heart!  My favorite thing about his smile is seeing the dimple come out :)  He actually has a dimple on both sides but the one on the right is prominent.  Oh how I love the dimple!

Life is busier, crazier, and fuller with this boy!  He keeps me sleep-deprived by waking up multiple times a night, but holding him in my arms and nursing him and inhaling his baby smell when his head is on my chest all make up for the lack of sleep.  We love you, Ace!

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

It was a beautiful weekend here in Colorado so we headed to the zoo!  We'd heard great things about the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and were not disappointed!  The zoo is on the side of a mountain and offers fabulous views of the Colorado Springs area.  And the animal exhibits were amazing as well.  There were several highlights from our visit: feeding the giraffes, watching three lion cubs play, petting a chuckwalla, and watching an alligator eat lunch!  Caleb and Kai had a blast, and Asa slept through the entire thing.  Some new friends from MTI joined us and their son Jack was running and roaring along with our boys.  It was a great day!

Back at MTI, our boys continue to have fun, especially on the playground outside.  Caleb is partial to the rock-climbing wall and Kai favors digging in the dirt.  Asa just snuggles with whoever is holding him and we all appreciate the chances to be outside and breathe the fresh Colorado air.

The days are busy and are flying by.  We're already halfway through with our training here.  We're thankful to be here and thankful our boys are doing well despite not understanding what we're doing or why we're here.  Thanks be to God for the adaptability of little kids!