Let's just say, I want it all

Before the snow storm, this was supposed to be my first regular week back to work since having Ryleigh.  I took an extended maternity leave because my 8 week mark put me back to work right before Morganne was to be off for Christmas break.  With daycare costs for 3 kids being $75/day plus gas to and from work, it was fairly cost effective for me to stay home a couple extra weeks.  It also served very well as extra healing time for me as I'm just now getting back to near 100%.  These past few weeks with Morganne home, as much as we've butted heads (as we are very much alike), I've very much enjoyed having all three girls home and no where to "go".  My stress level I found was greatly reduced and I found myself yelling less and I enjoyed trying very hard to find something each day that was different and interactive for the girls (like painting, clay, library visits, stamps, etc.).  Now, I won't at all say that I didn't get annoyed sometimes and desire time to get away, plus my house is a disaster with all of us being here 24/7, but really I enjoyed my time with them.  Even the time when we were snowed in and literally couldn't leave if we wanted too! 
So, now it sits that I have to go back to work regularly next week.  I've been back a few days so far over the past month, thankful that my mom and Justin could watch the girls.  When I go back, I'm reminded that I truly love what I do.  I enjoy educating clients, being challenged with patient cases, and laughing with my co-workers.  I really do have a good place to work and they have been great in dealing with my family changes and time needed away.  I do feel, however, that they are getting a bit annoyed that I haven't been there lately, and I feel bad letting them down.
To throw in a couple other possibilies, Justin's job change has opened up a crack in the door that I could possibly stay home in the future, and we've had some daycare concerns.  (Nothing bad, we absolutely love our sitter, but more my concerns with what I want for my girls.)  We will also need a place for Morganne to go this summer and during breaks as our sitter does not take school age kids. 
So, the delima:  I want to please my boss, please the sitter, please myself, financially do what's right for our family, and all while doing the absolute best that I can for my girls.  Frankly, I want it all and I have no idea what God wants me to do about it.  I've really been struggling with this lately.  If any of you reading this have any ideas or visions from God about our family ;c)  please pass them along!

As for events of late here are a few pictures:

The "blizzard" of 2014

8:30 am it had been snowing for about 3 hours at this point (we already had about 4" on the groun before the storm hit).

 

11:30am snowing hard...

 

4:30pm...

 

 The next morning...  14" later.

It then proceeded to get super cold and hit a whopping 15 degrees below zero.  It was pretty outside though!!!  Thankfully, we hit the grocery store before the storm came and we were all set to ride it out inside.  We ate quite well in fact...  We never lost power and with the time stuck indoors we tackled painting the two bedrooms.  It was nice having Justin home....

 At least they got to have some fun outside before it got bitterly cold.  The snow was perfect packing snow and they built one huge snowman! He was named Olaf. ;c)  Thanks to technology we got to keep up with everyone else's happenings during the storm.  We truly enjoyed seeing the Williamson/Gosewehr family snowman competition.  All of their four snowmen ranged from 11-14' tall.

 

 My three monkeys and Olaf ;cD

 

The next day it looked like a winter wonderland!

 

The dogs had a hard time navigating through the snow and it was so cold that they couldn't be outside very long.

 

We enjoyed snow ice cream and created colored ice from water balloons!

 

Inside, look who is getting so big!  She enjoyed her first time in the bumbo seat!

 

And while the older girls napped, Ryleigh and I had some fun with the camera.  Love her!  (These eyes are making it very hard to leave and go back to work too...)

 

Merry Christmas!

 

 

 

The Grant Family Christmas

 

 

Our family Christmas morning:

 

Bridges out of presents for the train!

 

 They found the pickle (ornament)!!!

 

 Ryleigh's "big" gift, her very first teddy bear.

 

 Yes, they got skateboards for Christmas this year!!!

Loving our cousin Rebekah!

 

 My family.  And I love it.

 

 

 

A couple videos from the day:

 

The best sound in the world.  I dare you not to smile.....

 

 

The gift of the year.  It was from Nana and Grandad to Kaelynn, Morganne, and....Justin.  I think it was a hit.  Also, this is how we include our favorite aunt Becky in on the love when she is so far away....  Thank goodness for technology and phone calls!

Merry Christmas everyone!  We are so blessed with amazing family and friends. God is so good!