We changed our blog!  For one, we’ve decided to switch blog servers in hopes of reaching more readers and have more accessible links.  We’ve also changed a little number in our blog name.  They say that in life, the only thing that stays the same is that nothing ever stays the same.  We’ve been through so many changes in the past couple years, and it seems like change hits us like waves in the ocean.  Or, I should say, contractions in labor.  You just get through one and another is on it’s way.  We’re getting used to nothing ever staying the same, but sometimes it does still surprise us.

The good news is, nothing earth shattering to share as to why we changed our blog name.  It was originally titled “Just the 9 of Us” and included counting our 2 ex-husbands.  Life is shifting, however, and we are becoming more and more autonomous as a family of 7.  My EHIL (ex-husband-in-law, AKA my wife’s ex), is still a wonderful support and friend to us.  We enjoy catching up, sharing stories back and forth about #5, have a flexible schedule with sharing our little man, and see the EHIL often.  He’s got exciting news himself, and is expecting a little one this fall with his partner.  They are off creating their own family and we are so happy for them.  We are excited that our #5 will experience the joy (and burden!) of a baby sister.  We love this guy and know he deserves all the happiness in the world!

I haven’t blogged much about my ex, but things are not the same with us since our move, and that’s OK.  We’ve settled in to co-parenting and are enjoying more of a routine between him and the other kiddos.  We can all focus on the kids, stay positive, and they are happy and well adjusted, looking always forward to their fun times with dad.

As we blogged about before, over the last couple years we’ve slowly grown in our autonomy as a family of 2 moms and our kids.  Sometimes in tiny steps, sometimes in big ones, like moving an hour away.  We’re excited though, as we’ve had time to figure things out, settle in, and process these changes.  It’s been challenging, joyful, frustrating, exciting, stressful, and wonderful all rolled into the whole experience.  The kids are fully enmeshed in our community.  We’ve found the ultimate neighborhood, where kids are running from house to house.  We’ve made friends who only know us as US, a couple!  We’ve been fully welcomed in our new city, job, and neighborhood.  We’ve been busy making our house a home that has our distinct mark as we find our stride as wives to each other and as a family.  We’ve overcome months of distance separation with work training for my wife.  We’ve learned to re-acclimate as a whole family when she’s come back.

So, we continually turn the pages to the next chapters of our lives.  Sometimes it’s like we are flipping through this book of life like a hurricane, but, we are finding our stride, counting our blessings, and finding the joy in every change that ultimately brings us closer together.