our new home:)

A couple of days ago we traveled up to Michigan, to check out our new apartment! We drove up with Aaron and Jill (if you read Jill's blog you will notice that this post will be almost identical to hers:) Oh well!). We also took Kaine and Halle so that they could see where we will be living, and also Daisy. It was a good day! The drive wasn't bad at all...about 2 1/2 hours. Our apartment is located inside New Tribes Bible Institute (or NTBI). It is a really big, old building...really pretty cool looking. It used to be a middle school. There are classrooms, apartments/dorms, a gym, an auditorium, a cafeteria, a really nice fitness center, and other stuff that I'm probably forgetting:) Most of the apartments and dorms are pretty small, without bathrooms. I think having 4 kiddos worked in our favor, because we ended up with a 3 bedroom apartment WITH a bathroom! I was very thankful to find that out:) We told Aaron and Jill that they can use the bathroom whenever they want to (to give Ivy baths or whatever...their apartment doesn't have a bathroom). So...here are some pictures of our new place! (we are actually not moving there until August, though).

Here it is! Obviously, I didn't take this picture:) It's the best one I could find on the internet.

Jill was such a good sport, having to be crammed between Kaine and Halle!

This is what Daisy did the whole time:

Here is one shot of our living room (K and H were enjoying being my models:) )

Here, I am standing in the kitchen looking into the living room:

This is our bedroom:

Our bathroom, which I am so thankful for!

Here is our kitchen. It has a lot more cupboard space than what we currently have, so that will be so nice!

This is the gym. I think our kids will love having this right outside our door!

So, that's it! We hope we can show it to lots of people in person, too! As much as we really love it here at Gateway, we are getting excited to start this new journey:)

goodbyes...

Goodbyes are so sad. Saying goodbye to everyone will definitely be the hardest part of leaving for missions (at least for myself). It is so helpful to try to keep an eternal perspective, though...this life is so short! In no time at all we will be facing eternity...and then the goodbyes will seem like such a small thing! It is hard to always keep that perspective, though...

On Friday night Kaine had to say goodbye to one of his best friends. Marlee, our neighbor for the last 2 years, and her family moved away from Gateway. It's not quite so sad, though, because they will still be in the area. But we will miss Jarod and Molly a lot! Thanks for being great neighbors, guys!

Here are Marlee and Kaine, the entrepreneurs...they had a "water stand" a few days ago. It basically consisted of a bucket of dirty hose water, paper cups (that they instructed people to return when they were done drinking their water) and a sign that read "Gateway Woods water stand. $3 for water." It was so cute! Another houseparent that walked by asked them "what kind of racket are you running?" So funny!!

Marlee, Kaine and Halle on the trampoline...

Although we will miss this family tremendously, we are also excited to have some awesome new neighbors...welcome to campus, Paul and Nichole!! We are glad you are here!

the lakes

Nathan's sister Jenna was visiting a couple of weeks ago! She got to see her newest niece, and Mom and Dad M. took us to a lake house for a couple of days. It was a lot of fun! I wasn't sure about going since Daisy was only a week and a half old, but I had nothing to worry about. Daisy was perfect! And I was able to get more rest there than I would have at home! So thanks, mom and dad! Sadly, I didn't take any pictures of Jenna:( Sorry, sis! But here are a few pictures from our time at the Lakes.

Halle and I took a walk across the street to see the Lake

Kaine's favorite thing to do...soccer!

Nathan and Layla were on a team:) It is so cute...at home this is a favorite, too! Layla really seems to like it!

Layla is the life of the party! She is such a delight...always doing something funny or entertaining. She is a joy:)

And of course, so is Halle:) Here she is, washing Grandma Steffen's car with a super soaker!

And sweet little Daisy. I'm not sure who made her this little shelter on the couch, but it was really cute!

Everyone went over to Pokagon to a playground...except for Daisy and me. I stayed at the house to feed her and then I took a much needed nap! Here is a really cute picture of Gma with the 2 cuties:)

Mom and Kyle:)

Nathan managed to take a nap, too:) Holding Daisy will do that to you!

Thanks for the trip, mom and dad! It was lots of fun!

more of daisy:)

Daisy is one week old already! Yikes, time is already flying. She is such a good, sweet baby (I am thankful for that since she is our fourth!) Things are definitely busy around here, but it is so worth it. We are loving our new baby!

So here are some pictures of Daisy's first week in this world. We will be excited for all of you to meet her!

This is our faithful OB doc, Dr. Davis. He has been the doctor for all 4 of my kids, and we love him! He is so laid back and he does such a great job.

Nathan is a proud daddy!

And I am a proud mommy:)

A visit from our kids! They all seemed excited to see Daisy, especially Kaine. Halle was a little unsure about it all...I don't think she or Layla liked seeing me in a hospital bed (my legs were still numb when they visited! Those epidurals work so well!)

Our family of six!

Sweet Daisy:)

Do you see the resemblance? :)

She is so tiny!

Another picture of her tiny-ness...when you put them in the carseat it is amazing how small they look!

Halle finally got up the nerve to hold Daisy:) Now she loves her, of course, but at first she didn't really want to hold her. She was just unsure at first.

Kaine and Halle are babysitting for Daisy on the bed. Kaine always puts pillows all around her so she is "safe". :)

She is such a sweetie! Every day she seems to have her eyes open more and more.

and just a cute picture of Kaine and Halle before church yesterday. Kaine doesn't seem too sure about having Halle squeeze him like that:)

Have a great week, everyone! I'm sure there will be more pictures to post soon:)