These kids are going places!

Whew, we have a LOT going on these days! I am so thankful for Auntie Deb watching three of the kiddos outside so I can have this moment to update the blog. Don't expect too many updates in the next few weeks, though. We have been super busy, but it's only going to get busier!

Where we've been:
The Zoo on Friday
Grandpadad and Grandma's Sunday school class on Sunday morning
Armstrong Park and Kidsville Sunday afternoon
Grandpadad's ESL (English as a Second Language) class last night, Monday
Fossil Rim Wildlife Park in Glen Rose, TX on Saturday - pictures following

Where we're going:
California(!!) on Saturday! This will be our first plane ride with quintuplet one-and-a-half-year-olds, to attend Cousin/Uncle Grant's wedding the following Saturday the 31st. Gavin is a groomsman just as Grant was his best man at our wedding 15 years ago. We wouldn't miss this momentous occasion for the world and LOVE Grant's darling wife-to-be, Anna! We also are very excited to introduce the remaining quints to the relatives out in CA and Oregon who have yet to meet them. [Seth and Grace were out there last summer, but Will, Marcie and David haven't been yet.]

This California trip is a massive undertaking, but it's only a small test of what's coming as we leave for Papua New Guinea on June 8th. The flight to CA is 5 hours; the flight to Brisbane, Australia is 16 hours.  :o}

Gavin's parents are bomb-proofing their home in preparation for us to move in. Wisely, they are going to move out and just ceed the whole house to us. We have five very active, climbing, problem-solving, inquisitive toddlers who, when we arrive in a new place, truly scatter like a bag of golf balls dropped on the floor. Imagine/remember how hard it is to keep up with ONE active one-and-a-half-year-old. Multiply it by five. Divide by two (adults)-and-a-half (Isaac). Yup, we need prayer. :]

We need prayer first of all for HEALTH. Auntie Deb has only three babies outside because Will is at the doctor's with a fever and ear-tugging and general misery, and Grace is in bed with general misery and a slight fever and ear-tugging. David felt warm last night. So far Marcie and Seth seem right as rain.

We also need prayer for PATIENCE with each other and with the babies. The stress level can really sky-rocket, but we know the Lord is greater than any stressful circumstance and we need His Spirit to control and guide us. We are working on not complaining when things aren't as we would like them to be, so we would appreciate prayer for that!

We need prayer for WISDOM in parenting as each child (minus placid Seth) is starting to react in his or her own way to the upheaval of us getting ready to leave both for CA and for PNG.

I keep reminding people that our babies are only just over 18 months adjusted age because I don't want those around them to expect them to act older than their developmental age.  So be forewarned, if you're one of those blessed(?) enough to see our babies/toddlers in the next few weeks: It's pretty crazy, and they are not themselves. Lord willing things will calm down quickly once we settle into our home in PNG, but until then it's constant transition and activity and packing and stress for our little ones.

Isaac said on his way out the door yesterday, "I am so scared to leave my friends." Thanks for praying for him, too!

Okay, this blog is too long so I'll close with one last thing since a lot of people have asked: I am doing great, thanks. :) I think people are concerned because I am the one leaving my family behind here in Dallas. While that is very, very hard and sad for me, I am truly, deeply, absolutely thrilled, excited and grateful to return to our community in Papua New Guinea! It really seems like a foretaste of Heaven to go back to friends who have become family there. It's also the answer to years of prayers, to the glory of God! Only He could have kept our babies in such beautiful health and healed Seth so completely. (Please keep praying, though, that he gains weight and can tolerate the air quality in our valley.)

Love and gratitude,
Carrie

Auntie Deb with the kids (plus one - Naomi's nephew) at the zoo. 

This is such a great picture! Left to right: Gracie, Marcie, David, Deb, Seth, and Will.

David clearly enjoyed himself

Park pictures

It's a travesty, but after all these months of living in Duncanville with our toddlers, today was the first day we took them to Kidsville at Armstrong Park! They had a complete blast. 

Grandpadad and Grandma provided a fried chicken picnic lunch, which worked out fine once we strapped kids into strollers. 

A visiting former Marine said today, when all the babies were awake and going full-bore, that it was reminiscent of The Crucible. I Googled it and found out "The Crucible is 54 continuous hours of physical and mental challenges."  Thankfully, our hours are never that long. Our babies sleep very well for the most part, thank God! :)

This was an easy way to control the kids. The girls shared a swing, Seth and Will shared a swing, and David and I shared a swing (far right - he's wearing the white hat). 

Group photo, self-posed! - plus some extra photos from this week

The kids actually arranged themselves and sat still for an impromptu picture!

It didn't last forever, though. :)

Marcie being tickled by Daddy

Sleepy Marcie fell asleep on Grandpadad

Will taking over Isaac's backyard Nerf gun collection.
To truly take it over something, you must climb into or onto it!

David has become an impressive little jumper on the trampoline. Gracie is having a blast running around him, and Marcie is recovering from a near-fall. Megan is watching over them, sweet girl.

Brothers united with cookies

I actually made homemade cookies last night! David and Seth enjoyed them together, then Isaac came along too.
Will was at the table eating real food. :)

(Oops, I caught Isaac in the middle of tucking in his shirt.)

Donut craze!

Dad always brings the leftover donuts from Sunday school, so by now the kids well know what the white box signifies. All they have to do is catch a glimpse and they are mobbing him, asking "More??" and doing the "please" baby sign language (David is doing it in the below picture).

Marcie throwing herself up onto the couch next to Grandpadad. How ladylike! She is such a little brute, it's hilarious. She can out-perform the boys with her escapades and intensity. She climbs up onto high places they wouldn't even attempt, then stands up!!! She is a brave, determined, opinionated, charming, affectionate little girl. Gracie is much more docile and sweet, but she's definitely increasing in spunk as well as she's learning to fight for her rights to toys and books and laps. She isn't as bold as Marcie, which makes her much easier to keep an eye on! Gracie is also much more verbal (although I don't understand 99% of what she says; I think she speaks "apogee" - as Gavin calls her language - most of the time.). I've read that kids work on motor skills or language skills, so it's fun to see my girls each focusing on one of those areas right now. I love how very different yet equally precious and enjoyable they both are! Observe the difference between Marcie in each succeeding photo and Gracie, when she finally appears on the scene.

It's a good thing Grandpadad finds this so amusing. Others would be stressed by the chaos and intensity!

David is worried Seth might get his share.

Look how full Gracie's mouth is! And Marcie is starting to move in . . . 

Poor Grandpadad! Marcie is choking him in her desperation to obtain pride of place on his lap. David is caught under Dad's right arm, which you can see if you look closely. Will only has eyes for the prize. ;) Sweet Grace is yielding to her more intense siblings.

Looks like Seth, too, decided he'd had enough donuts for time being. The remaining "alpha" babies battle it out.

Mother's Day 2014 photos and brief updates

The kids are so cute with their new words and how they are stringing them together. Today, just as an example, they said "more cheese" (Marcie - and this was independent of us having offered her any cheese; she just saw it on the counter!), "shoe!" (David), "More 'nana [banana]" (Will), "E-I more!" [More e-i-e-i-o, as in "Old MacDonald"] (David), "Helpy baby opey" [help baby open the gate] (Marcie), "more bye-bye" (Seth), and numerous nearly intelligible sentences by Gracie. I keep feeling like I am just missing what she's saying!

Seth, David and Will watching Praise Baby on Sunday morning

Aunt Pam helping Marcie see over the fence while David begs for his turn

Big boy Seth walking across the church parking lot on Sunday

Aunt Deb gives him a steadying hand (He wears tiny foot/ankle braces now to help him stop walking flat-footed. They will stabilize him and force him to walk heel-to-toe. It's an orthotic issue rather than a preemie-related issue, and the physical therapist herself had the same "problem" but walks completely normally. She doesn't expect Seth to need the braces even as long as 6 months, but we'll see how he does. We're just glad he can get them!)

David and Will at the top of the steps

Marcie: "You lookin' at me?!?"

Sweet Gracie heading up, showing her darling bloomers on the way

I had to include this photo because the back of Marcie's dress kills me with it's cuteness! Also, off to the side you can see Gracie rooting through my purse, which is hilarious.

Three beautiful girls!!! Marcie Jane, Jane Mary, Grace Elise
I love this picture so much I wish the background were a lot nicer. :}

A beautiful baby bunny, an extraordinary big brother, sweet sisters, and playroom shenanigans

With children like these, how could I fail to have a fabulous Mother's Day??

Gracie with Seth behind her

The castle creation Isaac built the kids in nursery. He put animals all over and in it as well. Note, however, that the kids can't access it to destroy it. Smart big brother, eh?! ;)

Marcie and Gracie seem to really, truly enjoy each other. They love to give each other hugs!

Blurry, but you can see Marcie in the swing and Will in the cabinet.

David in his former swing; it's now destined for his baby cousin due December!