Hanover #6 Arrival Date...

Not quite sure how she pulled this off

Yeah!  Tihi is 8!!!!

Due to the fact that I've had 2 previous c-sections, I cannot do a VBAC.  Honestly, I am ok with that.  If I had still been in Flag, a repeat c-section would've been my only option anyway.  And I know the c-section world pretty well by now :).  So, on July 16th at 9 a.m., Hanover #6 will enter the world, Lord willing.  You can pray for a great surgery, speedy recovery and our adjustment to a family of 8.  Honestly, we are so well settled into family life as 7, I can't imagine adding another.  Right now, there's one older kid to watch Carmen, one to watch Zoya and one to help with dinner. Does this mean I have to cook by myself????

So, Tihitina turned 8 on June 15th.  Somehow, 8 seems so much older than 7.  Like, we're growing out of being a kid and really heading toward the teen years.  We have started a tradition that I think is going to be really important in our family.  Curt and I spend the afternoon with the child whose birthday it is...alone.  No other kids.  So, we took Tihitina to the pool and then out for ice cream.  We got home and opened presents with her sisters, while the younger two were still asleep.  She had a GREAT day and was just so grateful for everything.  I guess that really surprised me.  For what doesn't seem like a lot, it made me realize how much quality time really means.  From that, I decided to implement weekly times with the 3 oldest.  It'll be interesting trying to make sure that gets fit in but I think it is really important: for both them and me.  Tihitina's favorite present was 2 different CD series from Adventures in Odyssey (thanks Uncle Jason and Aunt Larissa!), put out by Focus on the Family.  The girls just LOVE listening to those stories and we highly recommend them!  We are so grateful for something fun that also teaches along with it.
Lastly, we had a GREAT Father's Day!  We hope that you all did too!!  I went and got some pretty sweet crafts for the girls and they each made Curt a different kind of mug or cup, designed by them.  Carmen even made one this year!  We also did the younger two's handprints in a cement stepping stone, which I thought was a pretty cool memorabilia.  Tribute to Curt: he is an AMAZING father.  He seems to be able to easily diffuse situations, see through emotion to what's really going on with the kids and respond to that and give grace and truth, which is such a great balance for me, considering I tend toward all truth.  He really is such a great provider, to me and the kids.  Curt, you do such a wonderful job!!!