"It's spring, this isn't fair!"

With the official coming of spring, which was this past Sunday if you didn't know, we did it right in Montana!  It was a beautiful, sunny, big sky day for us here in Billings.  All the snow had melted, I had even raked the yard, and almost every day for a week Elijah was wearing shorts.  Well, today Elijah experienced spring in the West!  As he came down for breakfast I mentioned to him that it was snowing outside.  With an exasperated voice Elijah said, "It's spring, this isn't fair!"  Welcome to Montana, little guy.


So it has been a LONG while since I last posted a blog.  Sorry, what can I say?  Life is busy?  But isn't it busy for us all?  Let's see, here is a brief rundown on where the Basye's are at these days.  Ellie turns 2 yrs old in one week (the 29th), can you believe that?  In preparing for the new baby Basye, Ellie started sleeping in the big girl bed this month!  She has really done a great job.  She is a squirmy little thing and typically is out of the covers and near the end of the bed, but at least she stays in bed, at least most of the time.  The first night we thought we had it licked.  Not a sound from her.  Shelly and I were downstairs watching a movie when we heard steps.  We thought for sure it was Elijah, but no, it was Ellie!  Nearly after an hour after putting her down she must have been playing in her room and finally ventured down the hall and down the stairs.  I couldn't help but laugh.

Shelly is now 7 months pregnant and miserable!  Overall she is doing well and both she and the baby (another girl) are healthy.  Her due date is sometime around the end of May, so we are slowly getting closer.  Shelly is certainly in the "nesting" mode as we have moved the crib to the baby's room and she is planning on decorating it in some form or fashion.  The plan is that she will work up to the point of having the baby and then take a few months off, which will be great, and probably much needed.  All I can say is, "I'm glad I'm a guy!"  Sorry ladies, I sympathize and am quite grateful.  (PIC - This a picture of Shelly and her really good friend from California.  Once a year they try and meet up some place new for a little visit.  This year it was Arizona.  Just so happens that they are due within two weeks of one another!  Which one is further along??)

Elijah is all boy as usual.  He has been attending the YMCA pre-school this year three half days a week and has really come to enjoy this time.  His favorite part is doing rock-tumble-roll on Wednesdays and seeing all of his friends.  Here is something funny.  Elijah LOVES Sundays because that is when we have church at our house and lots of kids come his age (typically anywhere from 8-15 or so).  For whatever reason Elijah has in his mind that he has to pretend to be some new superhero on church day so he'll say, "Dad, when is it going to be Sunday because I want to the the Hulk!" or whomever.  Quite funny.  Needless to say he is well.  (PIC - This was the weather on the Saturday of the St. Patty's day parade.  I'm telling you, it's been like summer here!)

I now have a paying job, which is kind of nice!  Beginning February 1st I took over as the Executive Director of a community development corporation called CLDI.  The beauty of this is that I still get to do the church and neighborhood gig as the mission of CLDI is more or less the same thing - seek the transformation of an under-resourced neighborhood through the gospel and person of Jesus.  I'm able to do this 3-4 days per week which works well with Shelly and me balancing life, schedules and the kids.  We're really grateful that we get to spend so much time with the kids as this is a real gift.

Below are some fun pics from the last two months... yes, from sun and blue skies to lots of snow!