Happy New Years from the Cochrans!

 

Happy belated Christmas/New Years from the Cochran's!!!

Another year goes by and I continue to slack when it comes to sending out those Christmas cards.  I mean, I have every intention and then when the moment seems right to type something out...a kid throws up ( no exaggeration haha)...and when it came to getting a family picture taken...well besides my kids now resenting all camera equipment (don't be alarmed if your holding a camera in your hand and my children run in fear at the thought that you might try to force them to be still and smile)...but also there were so many sweet babies being born everywhere, (I love me some babies) that I didn't have time to ask anyone to actually take a picture of us!   The above picture is taken by my mom before we all ran out the door to go to some Christmas festivity.  :)  

 So with that being said, here is my late night attempt to a very late Christmas card!  :)

Hope all is well with all of you!  Things have been busy, busy, busy around these here parts! (Oh wait,I don't know if I can say that anymore,I'm not in Texas) :).  This time last year we were packing up our family for the 7th time and moving away...and this time it was back to the mountains of North Carolina.  I still can't believe we've been here almost a whole year!  Here's a little peek into what we've been up to:

 Charlie has been blessed with the amazing ability to work from home!  He has continued to keep his job in Houston at MD Anderson and just has to go in about once a year to check in...did I mention that it is SUCH a blessing!!!  :)  He continues to excel at his job- computer programing- and is in the process of creating some side developments he has been working on. He is still a music lover and now has what he's been dreaming of for 7 years of marriage: a MAN room!  :)  A room where he can have his office, all his stuff (and don't let boys fool you..they have plenty of "stuff") and of course ALL his music/ recording equipment. 

Ezekiel is still Ezekiel. If you know him, you know what I mean.  There is not a calm, chill bone in that boys body.  I mean I guess when he's sick or something.  :)  Ezekiel has just really started talking (better late than never) and is a little chatter box. (He's his mother's son!)  He will be 3 on Feb 1st and milking every last minute of the whole terrible two's thing!  He is quite the strong willed one  (as Dobson would say) and is a spit fire to say the least; but one thing about his personality that has just continued to develop over this year would be his JOY!  He is joy spilling over.  Charlie likes to say, "he is a living exclamation point!" and that he is!  :)  He wakes up singing and dancing and running 30 mph without a break, I'm not gonna lie...it's exhausting! His favorite thing this year (and for as long as I can remember actually) has been cars.  He's obsessed (And I do NOT use that word lightly).  He calls cars "bobos"...do not ask me why. haha  Another really funny thing he has picked up since he began to talk is he calls Malachi "Bad guy".  One day he just started saying, "bad guy...bad guy" and he just saw a spider man cartoon so I was like, "thats right Ezekiel, did you just see a bad guy on tv?"  He then began to shout it louder and pointed to Malachi. It was then (about 4 months ago) that we realized that he pronounced Malachi as "bad guy". haha  Now we definitely get some funny looks when were at the store and Ezekiel screams, "Mama! Bad guy hit me! Bad guy hit me!!!" hahaha

Malachi is 4 and half and is such a joy to have around.  He is our family's little super hero and can't be found without some sort of spider man or power ranger outfit on.  He is all boy but also has come into a great love for the arts.  He loves to draw and color and will sit and do it forever it you let him.  He also loves music and will sit with his daddy and just listen to all sorts of music on his lap without moving a muscle.  Malachi is still not potty trained I'm getting very, very, VERY weary after 4 very extreme attempts!  **prayers much appreciated** Although, Malachi has always been someone to do something on his own time and this is no exception.  He started preschool at a little Christian School right down the road from us and goes 3 mornings a week.  He definitely likes it but it is quite an adjustment going from being home with mommy all the time.  He likes all the kids there and is even making some friends outside of school, but truth be told...Malachi would rather be with his brother and sister than anyone else in the entire world, and I think they feel the same way in that.  Not to say that they don't love their other friends but in the past year the 3 of them are like the little musketeers and are each others whole world.  He is also super into sports and is excited about starting soccer again in the spring.

Annabella is five!  Wow, just as I type that I feel the weight of it...five...geezee, where did the time go?!  She started Kindergarten this year and loves it. (except for the reading and resting part.. she comes every day and makes sure to tell us that she liked everything EXCEPT the reading and resting! haha)  We planned on homeschooling her this year but because of a few different things going on we decided to wait a year or two before we bring her home.  Although I will say that I was looking at some home school curriculum this week and I got pretty giddy about it!! :)  Annabella is ALL girl...ALL posh..ALL princess.  I cannot tell her a bedtime story without it having at least one mermaid, one princess, one fairy, and one ballerina....get the picture?!  :)  She is like living with a real live Scarlett O'Hara...the passion and drama never stops flowing. But with that being said, she is SO much fun to have around!  We have tea parties at least 3 days a week and as you can imagine, the conversation is never boring!  :)  She is currently taking ballet at a local ballet school and of course loves every minute of it! She also has been asking for awhile now about taking violin lessons so I think we will be looking into that soon as well.  The kids are super excited about heaven right now and love talking about it.  It seems like once a day Annabella will ask with a look of wonder in her eyes, "What does heaven look like again mommy?!"  I LOVE watching the Lord working in and through my children...it truly is the best gift a mother can ever have!

As for me, life doesn't ever change too much for mothers of young munchkins.  I will say though, it is amazing living literally a stone throw away from my parents...it is SO fun being able to call my mom and tell her that the tea kettle is on the stove and she says, "I'll be right over with the tea bags and cookies!"!   Life is no doubt crazy in this season of life...some days I feel like I can hardly keep my head above water and other days (with God's grace) I feel like I can finally get my rhythm down.  This season of life is just busy for any mom and now with starting my own photography business it throws everything into overdrive.  I am also in the process of trying to home school my boys in the afternoon and although it will take time, I know it is way worth it!  The Lord is teaching me to delight in the things He has given me and to not refuse his beautiful gifts.  Right now those gifts are a 3, 4, and 5 year old and I want to sow all that I have into teaching them and raising them up to be lovers of Him.  I am excited about what the year holds and am asking the Lord that He will continue to show me what is a priority to Him and to make His desires my desires.

Have a blessed 2012!!!

Many Blessings,

The Cochrans

Charlie,Mary,Annabella,Malachi, and Ezekiel