"Shortly" is a relative term...

I know in JULY I said I'd be back shortly. Well, one month led to another and bam! It's March.
That's o.k., though, because I have promised myself that it's my blog and I'll blog (or not blog) on my own terms.

Without going into a huge recap post, let's just say that no matter how things were over the past few months, now they are going well. On the up-swing. Headed in the right direction.

Which is part of the blog-revival...much encouragement from loved-ones to go back to doing things that I really liked doing. Blogging goes hand in hand with photography for me, and both are things I really enjoy. Why I stopped -- I guess is a result of slowing giving up on myself :( But in an effort to get some of that back, here I am.

Now...
To share what everyone is up to...youngest to oldest:

• Kate: prefers Katie now; is finishing up 2nd grade like a champ; just went to the spelling bee for her school and got a blue ribbon in the art fair; is loving her American Girl and is finally getting some teeth back in.
• Jonathan: now is John to most everyone outside our family; completely rockin' his new classes; is enjoying Scouts and getting ready to start baseball season; he's also learning to be a great big brother to Katie which is a pleasant change.
• Hannah: almost half-way through high school (yikes!!!); is learning how to get around in St. Louis thanks to her personal GPS named "Mom"; has quite the babysitting business  going; and she is completely obsessed with Summer starting.
• Me: working a lot; trying to keep track of who needs to be where when; ya' know...that kinda stuff
• Matt: lots of teaching (@ HCCA and MBU); getting ready to start the garden :) 

So that's the basics. 

Thinking ahead to what direction I'd like this to go in---not quite sure if it'll be the same as before. It doesn't seem like I have those "kids say the cutest things" stories much anymore. They have moved out of that and into the "please, mom, don't share that on facebook" stage... 

Right now I'm thinking: Lots of photos, some quotes/inspiration, a few cool finds, and general random thoughts of mine that don't have a home anywhere else... I guess we'll see...

let's start with this:

How 8 whole years have gone by, I don't know. But I do know that this girl is a light in my life every single day. She is so snuggly, so silly and so happy to be living life .... the littlest things make her happy, she's never without something to talk about, and fills our home with giggles, singing and lots of tiny girly toys. Love her so.