The Adventures of the Johnson Clan: Moving Closer to the Life we'll Live

The days move as whirlwinds and it's hard to not be swept up in the chaos, forgetting to enjoy the moments over events; or the feelings we experience vs. the activity itself.

I'm so grateful for all our days, good and the bad.

Travis:

His week has held a lot of trying moments at work with unhappy endings for patients, yet he comes home and tries really hard to leave those moments at work and create happier ones here with his own family.

He's taken the boys out to practice basketball, baseball, and to rough house on the trampoline. He helps with all the bedtime routines, and has been able to help out with many of our baseball and soccer events we have going on each night.

He's fighting back the yard so that we can have nice grass that is weed free this summer. He has grand plans for our backyard and patio, and is dreaming of the days when he'll have weekends off and can do yard work with us.

He made it to YM's this week

He worked a 24 hr shift (boo)

He had a farewell party for his favorite doctor/kindred spirit, Dr. Thorn who is retiring and moving.

He's also currently planning a 10 year anniversary/graduation trip for he and I this August; and it's shaping up to be a fun trip! Honestly though, I'd go anywhere and do anything with him for our trip, just to have a week alone with him; no kids and no hospital!

Lacey:

This was a BIG week for me!

I coached my last soccer game for Maddix

I got my hair done as a present for....

GRADUATING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(I mean, I officially don't find out that I passed my classes until the 25th, but I'm confident I did)

On the 17th my last semester officially ended and the beginning of a new life began. I've been a full-time medical wife, mother, and part-time student for four years now, which means I've had to fit homework in anytime I can: 5am, nap times, after bed, on trips, in the car, on my phone while waiting at piano lessons, in grocery lines, or while feeding Adeline. I even had finals in the hospital just after delivering Addie. This year's finals took place while having pneumonia... but I did it. Definitely not alone, I had sooOoo much help and support, and I'm so grateful to everyone who helped me reach this accomplishment.

You know, we only started this degree as a way to receive some extra financial help during med school without me having to return to work and put the kids in daycare. It was the "sacrifice" I was going to make towards providing for the family in a way I could.

I never intended to finish; I was going to stop as soon as we didn't need the extra income, especially once I took my first Stat's class in the program: I. Was. Done.

But that hard moment passed.

Then the next.

And I fell in love with the degree.

Public Administration was never a degree I would have found on my own, but because I was willing to follow the plan God had for me, he placed it in my paht. I absolutely LOVE the jobs that are going to be opened up to me when I return to work; I couldn't have sought out a better fit for me!

It's weird to think that when I started the degree I was sharing a bunk bed with Maddix, Aaron was a newborn in the crib next to our bed, and Travis was living away. I was working at Chuck-a-rama.

There are so many things that have happened and changed since then,

but I'm so grateful that during Travis's medical journey, I also accomplished something that was for me, and was for my family.

Anyway, it just feels good now to have extra time. I lay with the kids a little longer at bedtime and soak in their freshly bathed smells.

I stare at Adeline a little longer while I'm feeding her.

The dog has even gone on walks.

Travis came home one afternoon and it was so fun to hang out with him instead of take care of schoolwork.

Since finishing, I've also de-cluttered some of my house, fought back the garage, and fixed up the yard with Travis. And then I had one morning where I woke up and didn't know what to do with myself.

I was anxious. Now what?

Now what?

Anything we want. It's exhilarating and a daunting task all in one.

So while I'm 80% on cloud nine to be graduated, there is another 20% that is a little anxious to make that so long coveted extra time count for as much as possible!

Enough about me.

Maddix

This was a big week for him!

He had his first piano concert. He was SOOoooOOO nervous, but he nailed it!

It was in this large church and his first question was, "Why is there gold everywhere?" He was so proud of himself that he even did his little stutter hop he does when he is excitedly walking.

Then, in his soccer game, the kid was on fire! He had some incredible stops as goalie and even scored our only goal of the game; he went out with a bang!

In School he is excited that by having good attitude he has been able to earn all the parts that go into making a hot fudge Sunday, which they'll be having soon.

In his baseball game, there were many rough moments, but by the end he had a really good hit AND made it onto base, which he was real proud of.

He's had some good bonding moments with his dad.

Aaron

I went to his PTC and his teacher had an amazing portfolio that I could look at and see just how much progress he has made this year; he is seriously a little smarty pants. She kept saying how as smart as he is, she's going to miss how well he does socially in class. That on top of having above average aptitude from numbers, shapes, and letters, he has an off the charts understanding of social and communication skills.

Sorry, I just have to highlight how smart he is because sometimes I feel like we're always talking about Maddix, but Aaron, "You are so smart squeaky! And kind. And I want you to know how much we love you!"

He also had a baseball game. He was able to hit it off the coach; he did well staying focused while running bases; helped a kid on the other team figure out where to run next; and didn't even play in the dirt... much :D

Oh, and he's definitely expressing his independence and use of decision making... in that it took him four days to decide that he finally WOULD clean his room.

He had so much fun at his little friend, Briella's birthday party at McDonalds the other day

And then he has been LOVING riding his bike, going for walks, and hanging out with his buddy Jackson:)

Adeline:

I'll update her weight and sizes tomorrow after her apt

Height:

Weight:

Head Size:

She rolls where ever she wishes to go

She has started belly hopping, which ends up scooting her backward

She has began growling, and it's so cute

She eats all flavors of baby food, mushed bananas, and today she ate avocados for the first time

She can tank an 8 oz bottle, barely spits up, and only poops like once a week (but they say that's normal) so she's keeping everything in her and is just growing!

She is a bit spoiled and recently decided she wants to be held ALL the time

She has been a pill and hasn't been napping well. Then, she's been waking up really early and talking/crying for awhile before either staying up and being ornery, or falling back to sleep and throwing off the morning... sigh, babies.

She has been pretty grumpy this past week, and we think it's because she's not getting enough milk from me and that we might have to figure out if it's time to be done breast feeding or not

She LOVES her daddy and starts hopping around until he picks her up, at which point she becomes shy and buries her head for a moment.

She has a little stranger danger developing where she just wants ME to hold her; I don't love that

She chews everything; people keep asking me if she's teething, but we don't know

The funniest thing about her is how she's been forming some habits: Lately, I walk in her room and she instantly looks up at her chandelier and stretches her arm up toward it. As I move her up, she gets SOOOooo excited for the chance to grab the hanging crystals. Then, because she found her bedtime book (Jimmy Fallon's DADA book from my friend, Tuare) super funny the other night, she has began laughing the moment I put her in her bed, in anticipation... before we even start reading!!! And as I read it, she just laughs more with each page; I absolutely LOVE IT. She's done this three nights in a row, so I keep reading the same book.

She's been missing some naps so several times she's been in the middle of giggling and then it turned into tears because she just can't handle it anymore.

Tonight is the first time she's started ripping her bows off her head.... boo.

Her favorite things right now are being outside in the grass and watching the dog run around; and you know she must love that lots if it moves above her dear brothers who constantly go out of their way to make her laugh.

Well, I think that's where we're at!