Lucy and Ellory recently.

Lucy and Ellory are growing up so much and are becoming wonderful young ladies. Both are beautiful inside and out! Being a twin mom will always be the best surprise we ever got and we love it. Lucy and Ellory finished up kindergarten very well and had a special graduation ceremony. First grade is going well this year and it's been so fun to hear their reading get better and better and learn more advanced math and many other things. We went back and forth about whether or not to keep them in the same class this year, and we ended up separating them. We felt at peace about it because the deciding factor was them- they both were saying that they were ready for it, which helped a lot in the deciding process. That has been a great decision and gone very well- nice they can have their own teacher, friends, and room but still see each other in the halls and at lunch and recess. They are also in the new school building this year- wow it's big and fancy! There was a little hesitation with going back to school and the newness of the building, but they both handled it quite well and we are so thankful they both enjoy school and are doing so well.

A massive event this summer was moving! We always said we would be sad to leave our neighborhood, and God weaved our new house so perfectly for us. It's only a couple down from our old house, so we are still in the same neighborhood and liking it a lot. We are thankful for a bit more space for hosting and for the girls to have better spaces to hang out with friends as they get older. It's been fun to have a bigger yard for hosting as well and for the girls to play in. Daddy is loving the three car garage! We are so glad for our new space and it's been a gift to our family. We had been keeping our eye out there for about a year and a half, and we bought our new house over Easter weekend and moved the beginning of June.

This summer Lucy and Ellory enjoyed T-ball, golf camp, and swimming lessons and did very well at all of them. They also did a short dance camp, and they did well but both said it maybe wasn't a favorite and were fine with not doing a dance class like Norah. They did some ballet in the class and Lucy wasn't a big fan and asked if she could just go to T-ball instead! We took a girls trip to Rapid City to visit Papa and Gigi (with some family- Kley stayed home to work) and loved seeing sights (like Mount Rushmore for the first time) and some fun activities. Just Lucy, Ellory, and Mommy got to go on a trip to DC to visit Stephanie. It was a fun trip because they hadn't been before, so showing them all the sites was special. Norah was on her “it's great to be eight” trip with Grandpa and Grandma and Daddy was home working, so it was a fun trip just the 3 of us! We also spent a week in Beaver Creek, CO with the De Jongs and a few days in Des Moines with the Schuts. We had a busy summer of travel and when we were home we were busy with house projects!

Lucy and Ellory both started piano lessons this year and they are doing great! It's maybe not the top favorite activity, but they do pretty well practicing most days and it's fun to watch what they can learn in such a short time. They are also in first grade Sunday School at church. For Halloween, Lucy was a basketball player and Ellory was a fairy. We recently had their Christmas piano recital and Christmas program at church and they did excellent! Norah's teacher didn't have room for them this year, so they are going to a different teacher, who also does a great job. She doesn't do recitals, so Norah's teacher kindly said they could play a song at her recital. Ellory played Jolly Old St. Nicholas and Lucy played Away in a Manger. They are both going to do winter rec basketball (you have to be first grade to start) and will do soccer in the spring too. Ellory is moderately excited and Lucy is over the moon excited. They are both wearing M/8 clothes and Ellory is in a size 13 shoe and Lucy size 12 shoe. They have been so close in height their whole lives, but Lucy is about an inch taller now. Ellory has been losing lots of teeth! She lost her top right central incisor on 9/28/23, bottom right lateral incisor on 11/8/23, and her bottom left lateral incisor on 12/1/23. Ellory had a fever for a couple days in September, but other than that both girls have been super healthy and so thankful for that!

The greatest update ever for Ellory is that Jesus lives in her heart (7/2/23)! We are so thrilled for this answer to prayer. She was asking questions about it after church and said she wanted to do it and was so excited to tell everyone. Ellory enjoys listening to music, coloring, making crafts, reading books, dolls and accessories, Barbies, legos, and playing outside in our new backyard. She is loving having her own desk in her room at our new house and she keeps it very clean and organized. She asks periodically how many months until Tulip Festival.

Lucy is the lover of all sports. She is so determined and athletic! She also has a true servant heart and loves to help me with things. I love that about her! Lucy loves playing outside (especially throwing the football or kicking a soccer ball), picking out books at the library, legos, hot wheels cars, reading, crafting, and listening to music.

We pray for both of you to know and love Jesus and that you would understand His deep love for you! We love you so much and being your parents is such a joy!