Crazy Little Thing Called Life

Hello everyone!
For the record, I have not given up this blog.  I have lots of catching up to do, including posting pictures of Abby Kate's birthday, my birthday, Elizabeth's 18 month birthday (which I totally forgot about on the actual day) and other fun things we've been up to this month.  I hope to get to that soon, but I wanted to record what life is like for us right now.
We are the exact right about of "busy" this year.  Seriously, I am loving our schedule.  We spent a lot of time praying last Spring as I made commitments for this year that we would be involved in exactly what we needed to be a part of.  I felt somewhat overextended last Spring, but didn't want to give any of our activities/volunteer opportunities up.  I prayed fervently about each thing, and just couldn't walk away from any of them.  We made the decision to keep Christa at her half-day, 4-day-per-week preschool for her Kindergarten year, and let the rest fall into place.
Now that our school year is in full swing, I am thrilled with how everything has turned out.  We do have multiple activities that we participate in each week.  Bible study, MOPS, Kindermusik, ballet, and Sunday School.  Plus multiple field trips for the girls as they come up.  But keeping Christa at the same school Abby Kate goes to has given me one more year to not be ruled by the school schedule, so it's all very manageable.  I find that I have a lot more time than I ever thought I would to exercise and enjoy my kids.  After some researching, saving, and convincing Cline I would use it, I bought a very nice double jogging stroller.  I love this thing!  I have never been one to love exercise, and the times in my life I've tried it, I gave it up after a few weeks because I couldn't manage to keep up with other important things like showering and doing laundry.  It took a good six months of walking, but I do love it now.  I really love walking with the kids, especially when the weather is nice like it is right now.  I feel like I am accomplishing so many wonderful things at one time when we walk together.  I am enjoying the outdoors while burning calories and improving my health and experiencing quality time with my kids.  When we aren't talking about important things like whether they can have Sprite for dinner that night or when Lilly and Adeline can come over and play,  I am enjoying God's creation around me and silently thanking Him for my beautiful life and family.  On Mondays, while Christa is at school, it's the little two who I get to enjoy my walk with, and we usually end up at the park together.  On Wednesdays, I usually have a friend to visit with, bounce ideas off of, and encourage or receive encouragement from.  On Fridays or weekends, it's usually a family walk with Cline or all 3 girls and I strolling the neighborhood.  Christa has decided she wants to start running with Cline, so she'll start off jogging alongside us, and then hop on the stroller when she gets tired. 
I feel like I am truly living life as it is supposed to be lived right now.  And I kind of feel like I've hit my stride as a mom.  I'm sure as soon as I publish this, the kids will all enter some crazy new phase, and I'll go back to having no idea what I'm doing most of the time.  But they're at great ages right now, and our schedule just works at the moment.  Cline's work schedule has been great this month, and we're hoping/expecting it will continue like that for a while.  Life is good right now - really good.
Hopefully, I'll have pictures up soon :)  In the midst of this wonderful schedule/rhythm we have going on, it's clearly the blog that has been sacrificed... and thank you notes from Abby Kate's birthday.  I've never been good at getting those out promptly, though.  I will make time for both soon, though.  Have a great night!