Sippycups and Fingerprints

January highlights

2012-01-24T20:43:00.001-05:00

At supper tonight, over Sloppy Joe's and potato wedges Jenna told us she wants to be a teacher when she grows up. "I guess, I can buy a house and live in it...or I could just live with you all, Sissy, Buddy, Brady and Mommy and Daddy."

I wish for beautiful snow, but instead we continue to have deceiving sunshine that taunts us outside into the cold winter air, and we continue to have threats of tornadoes. Sunday night was a sleepless one over this crazy January weather.

Bethany lost her third tooth recently, she wanted my sister to pull it but neither of them had the heart to hurt her, so Joe ended up taking it out. Bethany was thrilled, but Joseph and Jenna were happier since they didn't have the pain and only a trip to Mamma and Papaw's for ice cream.

Brady cut his third tooth last week and by his temperament, lack of good sleeping habits and crying inconsolably I think more than one is soon to follow. I pray it is soon for both of us! One of the only things that puts a smile on his face is this truck that Joseph received as a Christmas present. It plays radio-like music and it has wheels, the best of both worlds to Brady. He is still obsessed with anything with wheels and he loves music.
He is learning new signs, but still stubborn about signing words like please and more. He signs music, light, milk, cheese, baby, all gone, and Mamma. All of our kids have signed my mom's sign before a sign for mommy or daddy. Brady picked it right up and all we have to do is say "Mamma" and he slaps the side of his face with his palm, it's really cute and amazing how much he loves to sign her sign. I act a little jealous, but really I'm so happy he loves her so.

We are keeping sane with lots of indoor play and reading. Play-Doh is a daily favorite lately and we are reading "The Lamplighter" right now.

Anything citrus has filled out fruit bowls lately, Cuties are our favorite but tangerines or oranges are cheaper so we have been eating more of them the past couple of weeks.

A huge highlight of our weekend, {month and life} was welcoming this precious little girl into the world. I can't even begin to describe how exciting it was to finally meet and hold our new niece, Isabelle. She is beautiful and so loved by all of her family but especially her incredible parents. She is just as taken with them, she didn't take her eyes off her daddy's face the entire time we were making over her, and I might have taken a thousand pictures of her.

There are no words to describe God giving a life, specifically a life that has long been waited and prayed for. An answered prayer leads to hearts full of thanksgiving and joyful praise to God. Psalm 103:1 says, "Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name" These are the only words I find fitting to describe the song my heart has been singing.

Crazy weather

2012-01-17T22:06:00.000-05:00

The wind whipped and howled here today, the vinyl siding popped, it sounded like a blizzard for sure, but it was only a Severe Thunderstorm and a couple of Tornado Warnings. Sunday we had a little snow on the ground and today a threat of a tornado! Thankfully, that is all it was and nothing more.
I watched the radar and worked on a blanket for Little Monkey, a very fun project.

The kids had fun playing in the closet and eating Captain Crunch for lunch. Truly a very cool day for them. I had to wake Brady from his morning nap and bring him downstairs to join them. He didn't mind, we baited him with food and he crawled right in the closet to join the party.

Jenna walked over to me this morning and said, "Mommy, you haven't hugged me lately!"

We are on Chapter 7 in our Bible curriculum, Who is God? I love this chapter, it's called, "Why did God create me?" We are learning 9 ways our lives can bring glory to God. It's been such a great time for us to talk and learn more about God's plan and how we fit into it.

I went to a Bible study last night, I took my old Bible because it's broken in and flips right where I want to go. I was demonstrating and telling the other ladies in the group and my Bible fell open to two twenty dollar bills! Manna from heaven!

My dad replaced an element in out water heater last week and this week he made some repairs to our van. The van repairs could have been so much worse, but thankfully they weren't. We are blessed to have such a great repairman!

We only listened to this song about 10 times today!

I was going to take a nap today, I really needed a nap. After doing school and all the storm drama, I wasn't feeling so well. My back has a hitch in it, my hips hurt and my inner thighs are killing me, maybe it's a pinched nerve. All I know is I've been waddling around like a pregnant woman. I didn't get a nap, I decided instead to look up some knitting patterns and did some pinning on Pinterest. I rarely take a nap!

Happy Tuesday, we have so much to be thankful for at our house, our hearts our filled with gratitude for all the Lord does for us!

Addicted

2012-01-12T15:47:00.000-05:00

ad·dict

verb \ə-ˈdikt\

Definition of ADDICT

transitive verb

1: to devote or surrender (oneself) to something habitually or obsessively <addicted to knitting>

Even when harmful to ones health or keeps one from doing things more important (even necessary.)

January thoughts

2012-01-11T19:48:00.002-05:00

Isaiah 25:1

LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name,for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.

I love the month of January. I'm not much for making New Year's resolutions but I do find myself re-evaluating my priorities and how I can improve and enjoy our life more. I find myself reflecting on my job as a mother and a wife, I look around the house and decide what needs to go and what new spaces I want to re-create, I make a mental list of things I need to focus on more with the kids, everything from their character to their school work. Life in January slows down some and it gives me more time to think and put my life in order a little more. I find that I want to change and improve, not that I feel like I have to.

I love the way the cloudy sunlight shines through our blinds all day long and I don't have to shut out the hot heat beating down, sucking the cool air out of our house.
I love warm clothes fresh from the dryer.

I love how we have more time to read and play Lego's. We taught Bethany and Joseph how to play Uno over Christmas break and my mom gave Joseph a wooden checker set. I love finding Bethany and he at the table or around the piano bench playing checkers.

{See the Little Monkey bump? It keeps showing up in my pictures.}
I love cooking soup, using the crockpot and burning candles.
I love wishing for snow, hoping for snow and waking up to snow covering the ground, so far the latter hasn't happened this winter.
I love taking pictures of the everyday, the usual, the life we live today. I reminded myself that capturing these moments makes me smile and I want to do it more often.
I love how the kids have lunch picnics in the living room.

I have especially loved the slump in Jenna's mischief lately. We've had some really sweet times together each afternoon as I tuck her in for a nap. She has even seemed eager to be put to bed, probably because I've been more consistent to read her a story before praying with her and more patient and intentional to lay and talk with her afterward.

We talk about the baby, Little Monkey, she is so excited. We talk about what color hair it might have and she ask questions, many questions. Like, can boys have babies, I tell her no, boys don't have a uterus in their tummies like girls do. Then, she ask if she has toot-or-us and I tell her yes. She ask, what happens when the baby poops in my tummy, who changes it's diapers. She ask, how does the baby get the food that I eat and I explain that there is an umbilical cord going from my tummy into the baby's tummy. I tell her she used to have an umbilical cord and when she was born Daddy cut it. She smiles and giggles. At the end, she'll pat my belly and say, "Night-night baby."
Yesterday, I turned to go and she said, "But Mommy, we didn't talk about the baby today!"
I love how the Lord provides for our needs. If I told of all the ways He supplies, you wouldn't even believe me. He works blessings and miracles every month, and yet I still doubt and worry.

I hear my children talk and think out loud and they sound like me, sometimes good but often bad. Yesterday this girl woke up snapping at everyone and correcting her siblings without reason, bossing them out of selfishness and impatience. A brutal reminder that no matter how I discipline, it's how I live that teaches and trains these little hearts. Dear Jesus, I am so far from reflecting You onto them.

I say this often here, but really mean this, this space is a blog, it's meant to highlight the good and the precious, to give thanks and praise to God for all He does in my life during these years of raising small children, to help me remember, I so want to remember these priceless moments. Being a wife and mom is the greatest blessing in my life and God uses this daily life of changing diapers, making sure the toilets are flushed and potty seats down, {so BradyBoy won't go for a swim}making meals and wiping floors and sticky hands, and making the bed just to throw back the covers and crawl back in at the end of the day. He uses it to show me my error and incredible need for more of Him. I cannot be the mother and wife that glorifies Him, I can't raise these children to grow up loving Him without Him.
I don't have it all together, but I am so thankful for all the Lord does for me despite myself. I am so grateful for all that He gives me daily. May my life bring Him glory more each day.

Hello Monday

2012-01-09T15:41:00.004-05:00

I thought this week was going to be easier than last week, but it's only Monday and the resistance to get back into a normal school-day-routine was strong this morning. So frustrating, that I had to distract myself by doing something I love, finding the good and the beautiful among the chaos. I turned on my TV to the satellite Christian music channel, sat down to help Joseph with Lego's, cut these words out of paper and took a few pictures of this incredible life I get to live today.

My body is tired and still very much falling apart but I'm determined to keep on, it's too soon to be wiped out and miserable. {Which, in all truthfulness, I must say I sat on a heating pad most of the weekend and gave orders from the recliner.} Yesterday this Little Monkey turned 23 weeks old, I love Sunday's, they always seem to sneak up on me and half way through them I'll realize I'm another week closer to meeting this little person.

I gave Brady a bath after his first haircut yesterday, I washed him in Neutrogena soap, the kind that smells like newborn babies, it made me extra impatient to hold Little Monkey. I even had a dream last night that the baby was born and it was girl. Joe named her April Markie and I was mad at him for not naming her Olivia or Anne. He named her April because she was born in April. It is funny now but in the dream I was upset and crying because I hated the name and we couldn't change it. Weird pregnancy dreams, huh?

Yes, I cut BradyBoy's hair for the first time yesterday. It had to be done, but I was scared to touch it. I didn't give Joseph his first hair cut and he didn't have sweet curls in the back to make it even more bittersweet. I didn't want to use clippers, and I never scissor cut Joe and Joseph's hair. So, I youtube searched it and found very little help. In the end it came out very well and cute, it is still long enough for me to run my fingers through but the girly curls are gone and it is out of his eyes. He did exceptionally well and was patient with my slow progress and spraying him down with water. He really is such a great boy!

This morning he was scavenging Cheerios from under the table, not a hard task.

Joseph was above him starting a Lego project.

Bethany finished Wind in the Willows at the little ones naptime today. So, much for us all reading it aloud.

Speaking of little ones napping, I need to go while they're still asleep and try to get some laundry folded or supper started. No pictures of Jenna today, but she did make me laugh out loud this morning. I was about to change Brady's poopy diaper that wreaked throughout the entire upstairs. Bethany and Joseph left the room and Jenna said, "I think I'll stay and watch, I want to see what color it is!" And of course, she stayed.
Hope your Monday held some sunshine moments among the chaos and responsibilities of life.

What's new around our house

2012-01-04T23:07:00.000-05:00

The bench is new...

My very favorite gift I received this Christmas was from my parents. My dad made me a bench for the kids to sit on at the table. With the new baby coming our thoughts have been on all the places and spaces we are outgrowing, one of those being the kitchen table not having enough chairs.

My dad's parents had a bench at their table that me and my brothers and sister used to sit on when we would eat with them. My grandma always cooked big meals and overfed us delicious food nearly every time we visited. If we didn't stay she fussed, she loved feeding us and we loved eating her food. My dad and his brothers and sisters sat on that bench when they were growing up, their granddad made it. I have always loved that white bench with it's worn glossy paint, as I'm sure many of my cousins did. That bench was my inspiration for asking for this bench. This bench is special because it reminds me of a childhood memory but it also is more personal because my dad made this bench and my children already love it.

My dad did such a great job building it, it's very heavy and sturdy, it will last for years and years. {It's Brady-ized: if anything can be done to make it better, it will be done.}We joked that if a tornado comes we should all just grab onto the bench. LOVE this very beautiful and sentimental gift.
We're reading a new book together...
We started back to school this week. As always it's a bumpy beginning to get us all back into a daily routine that includes schoolwork and nap times and doing daily living without Joe. He is a huge help and after he is here for days on end we all get dependent on him.
Overall, this week has been good, despite the fact that I'm hosting a baby shower this Friday and am trying to clean and make preparations in addition to getting used to our old routine again. I'm looking forward to having this shower for my brother-in-law and sister-in-law, it's such a blessing to be able to celebrate with them their long awaited little one. When she arrives I'm convinced some one will crush her from squeezing her too tightly.
We started reading The Wind in the Willows and Bethany really wanted to do the read aloud so I let her, she is an amazing reader, she reads with so much inflection and it comes naturally.

Did you notice? I had wondered if it bothered you guys as much as it bothered me...all the pictures with curtain rods over the windows in the living room but no curtains. It had been that way since last May. It wasn't for lack of trying, I think I bought and returned 4 sets of curtains and never could find what I had in mind or wanted to pay. This shower made me want to tie up some loose ends more than ever but I really didn't have the money to spend on curtains.
I made a return to Kohl's this week and thought I'd look again for curtains and found these on sale for 55% off, plus my sister had a coupon on her phone for an additional 20% off. And they are very close to what I've had in mind all along. Hooray for new curtains!!

Brady has many new things going on. He has two teeth now, jabbers more each day and is about to take off walking. The walking part thrills me, I'm so ready for this boy to walk, he is too heavy for me to be packing around. As sad as that might sound, I physically don't need to be lifting and carrying him as often as I do, it really hurts my neck. Just tonight he learned to stand without pulling up on something and he is taking steps from one short distance to the next.
One of his new favorite things to do is slip off upstairs to his and Joseph's room and pull out this basket of cars. Many times I go find him sitting in the floor pushing cars and making a motor sound, it's really something.

I was making chocolate covered pretzels last night, Bethany had been helping and the ottoman was pulled up to the kitchen counter. I turned around to see Brady reaching across the counter, grabbing at the pretzels, he managed to pull himself up. This boy is a go-getter.

I've started a new plate collage on the wall of my kitchen, this makes me happy. It'll be fun to add to as I find plates that catch my eye.

There is a new sound about the house I noticed this week, the sound of all 4 of the kids tucked away playing together. Either in one of their rooms or playing in our closet, they are including Brady in their play and I often look for him and find them looking after him and entertaining him. It's a new phase and I love it!!
I'm 22 weeks pregnant now and this week has suddenly brought new aches and pains. My hips, lower back and knees are talking to me and I'm telling them, "It's too early to start this drama." I feel like my belly quadrupled overnight, the shirts all shortened and my maternity pants are still falling off of me. Thankfully, I am feeling this Little Monkey kick and move all around.
I guess I never shared that the 20 week ultrasound went very well. Our baby is healthy and weighed 12 oz, in the 50%. I had some worries because I hadn't felt the baby move the way my other babies had but the doctor said the placenta was toward the front so that explained why. As the baby gets bigger I am feeling more movement and so grateful. We didn't find out what we are having and I'm so glad we are waiting!
Good-night friends!

My favorite gift I gave this past Christmas

2012-01-03T10:20:00.000-05:00

This is a picture of my dad when he was 1 year old. We see many similarities in Brady and he, so for my dad's Christmas I took Brady's picture at 1 year old and tried to stage it to look like my dad's picture.

What do you think, can you see a resemblance? Aren't they both cute!?

Thoughts on January One, Two Thousand and Twelve

2012-01-01T14:23:00.002-05:00

I read from My Utmost for His Highest this morning, it was perfect for where I have been these past months and where I'm going in life right now. It is very fitting for the new year. Our pastor's sermon this morning was along very similar thoughts, this would lead me to believe God is trying to reaffirm {yet again :)}that He wants all of me and wants me to live the life He has called me to live. Our pastor said something very close to this, "We can't say we believe or agree with something without our lives being proof of what we believe. The way we live should tell others what we believe." {I wish I could remember his exact words, because his were better and much simpler, but I was wrestling with a 24 lb, one year old, so that fact that I even got the message at all is pretty good.}
January 1

Let Us Keep to the Point

". . . my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death" -Philippians 1:20

My Utmost for His Highest. “. . . my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed...” We will all feel very much ashamed if we do not yield to Jesus the areas of our lives He has asked us to yield to Him. It’s as if Paul were saying, “My determined purpose is to be my utmost for His highest— my best for His glory.” To reach that level of determination is a matter of the will, not of debate or of reasoning. It is absolute and irrevocable surrender of the will at that point. An undue amount of thought and consideration for ourselves is what keeps us from making that decision, although we cover it up with the pretense that it is others we are considering. When we think seriously about what it will cost others if we obey the call of Jesus, we tell God He doesn’t know what our obedience will mean. Keep to the point— He does know. Shut out every other thought and keep yourself before God in this one thing only— my utmost for His highest. I am determined to be absolutely and entirely for Him and Him alone.
My Unstoppable Determination for His Holiness. “Whether it means life or death-it makes no difference!” (see Philippians 1:21). Paul was determined that nothing would stop him from doing exactly what God wanted. But before we choose to follow God’s will, a crisis must develop in our lives. This happens because we tend to be unresponsive to God’s gentler nudges. He brings us to the place where He asks us to be our utmost for Him and we begin to debate. He then providentially produces a crisis where we have to decide— for or against. That moment becomes a great crossroads in our lives. If a crisis has come to you on any front, surrender your will to Jesus absolutely and irrevocably.

Our Christmas past

2011-12-30T15:32:00.000-05:00

Hello blog stalkers! I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas. Ours was great! Filled with so much fun and family and food, we have been enjoying extra time together with each other and family we don't get to see often. There is no way I could catch it all in pictures, or post about it all here, so I'm not even going to try. I was able to capture a few of many favorite moments so I'll share those and maybe get back to blogging more after the New Year when life gets back into routine and I don't have so much time to spend with my husband. After such a long absence from here, it's hard to catch up and that's okay, it's more important to live in the moments and make memories, not blog post.
Making Gingerbread cookies...

Jenna helping her cousin Mylee wash her hands...

Making the decision to cut 4 inches off Jenna's hair...

The kids drawing each others names and taking them shopping to buy their gifts for one another. Bethany and Joseph wrapping their gifts to Brady and Jenna...

Christmas Eve morning...

Bethany opening her American Girl doll...

Joseph loving new Lego's and figuring things out...

Jenna, being goofy in every single picture and just bringing joy and silliness...

Brady hanging out and actually learning that every time a new box was opened there was something new to inspect and chew on...regardless if it was safe or not...

My kids getting to be with their cousins...

And very possibly my favorite moment...Bethany reading the Christmas story from The Jesus Storybook Bible...

And a very close second favorite moments, Bethany writing a play of the Christmas Story with parts for Joseph, Jenna, Joe and herself and my mom to narrate. They acted it out three times over the days of Christmas...the third time, their cousin Selah played baby Jesus.

I'll be back sometime to share my favorite Christmas gift and a very fun gift I gave, but it'll have to wait for now. Happy New Year 2012! I can't believe 2011 is only hours from being over, it went by so quickly. It was a really blessed and happy year for us and I know that 2012 will very special with Baby #5, or Little Monkey as I now call him/her, it seemed to be fitting since it's our fifth little monkey.
Thank you seem appropriate to say to all my readers, I was so blessed by many kind emails from you wishing us a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I never expected to meet or make such friends from around the world when I started this, but you know who you are and I am grateful!! Whether you comment or email or read and silently go elsewhere, thanks for coming here when you do!

A few things

2011-12-19T20:51:00.003-05:00

We're busy enjoying Christmas time here. I finished my most eager knitting gift and all the others will have to wait until next year. So, I did a little sewing instead and that satisfied me a bit.
The kids have been Christmas crafting some too, there is still paint smeared all over the sink in the powder room.

And the big news at our house, Bubba has his first tooth! 12 and a half months is the latest any of my babies have cut their first tooth. Guess he won't be getting dentures for Christmas after all. Yay, it looks like more are soon to follow. He has been a fussy mess all afternoon and evening.

No signs of snow in the near future, so we're just enjoying the paper kind.
I wanted to make gingerbread, so I looked up a recipe tonight. It must be a pregnancy thing because gingerbread cookies have never appealed to me until today. The thought of them filling the house with their fragrance seems great and I almost think I'd eat one too. After looking up the recipe I realized why I've never made them, molasses. Who has molasses on hand?! Not me.
I'm 20 weeks pregnant with Sweet Thing, the big ultrasound in only a couple days away but we aren't going to be finding out. I'm settled on it, so I'm not tempted to change my mind. Its gonna be different not knowing, but I think it'll be fun to wait. I'm looking forward to seeing this little baby.
Must go, just wanted to share the news about our previously toothless boy!

8 days 'til Christmas

2011-12-17T22:50:00.002-05:00

The kids look forward to doing our 10 days 'til Christmas Countdown each year. Everyday one of them gets to pull a card and we either get to do something fun or they get to eat something fun!

Today's card said something that none of us had ever done before, ring a bell for the Salvation Army. Tonight the three older kids and I went to Wal-mart and rang bells and they wanted to sing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" and "Jingle Bells", so we sang. I didn't have the heart to tell them I didn't want to sing or never would have sang when I was their age to a bunch of strangers. We sang those two songs over and over for an hour and everytime someone stopped to put money in the bucket one of them would say, "Thank you! Merry Christmas!"

My mommy heart was proud of them, yet humbled by their innocence and the smiles they put on so many faces other than my own. Truly a really great memory and something we'll be doing again next year.

These boys of mine

2011-12-15T16:39:00.000-05:00

A video I put together for Brady's first birthday party...that didn't happen.

I took Joseph and Brady to their 6 year and 1 year well visits today. It was a sweet time with just the two of them. Joseph is such a great helper to me, I had lots of paperwork to fill out for both of them and he held Brady for me the entire time.
{Bethany and Joseph both are constant helpers and I am often thinking how big they are getting. It's nice to be at this place, where they're able to really see a need and do something about it. It's also nice to see their hearts.}
Joseph is such a little gentleman and I am repeatedly amazed at his thoughtful ways of looking out for me or taking care of me. Recently, we went to a Christmas play, during the time my arms, shoulders and neck had been hurting really badly. I used Joseph's coat to rest under my arms in my lap and Joseph noticed. On the ride home from the back seat he asked if my hands were hurting, when I said yes and asked him why he answered, "I was just won-er-in." Then he added, "Here's my coat Mommy." Today, he had climbed in the van to go to the doctor, then he got out and went around to the other side of the van to open the door where I had to put Brady in and also opened my door. Such a sweetheart!
The doctors appointment went well, they both had great lab results, Joseph had a vision and hearing test and did good. Poor Bubba had 4 shots, but didn't cry long. He giggled when they pricked his toe for blood, that was good incentive for Joseph to be extra tough.
Joseph is 48 inches tall and weighs 50 pounds, he is in the 75 percentile for both height and weight. Brady is 30 inches long and weighs 23.4 pounds, he is in the 50 percentile for both height and weight.
Brady still doesn't have his first tooth! He has big bumps we can feel but no teeth have popped through. He is almost walking, cruising and standing alone for a few seconds. He has actually taken some steps when highly persuaded, but nothing on his own. He loves to sign, he recently learned "tree". He signs "music" all the time and "lights" often too. He is defiant about signing "more" or "please". He can do please but I guess those words always go with eating and he has better things to do besides sign language when he's eating.
He loves turning off light switches and is also infatuated with electrical outlet and things that plug into them. This scares me! He has learned that if he pulls the girls hair they will scream. He pulls their hair and then squeals like they do, especially when they don't scream because I told them not too, since he's doing it for that reason.
He doesn't really talk much, he used to say "hi" and "bye" but rarely does now. He says "Uh" when he drops something, trying to say "uh-oh". He can say "ma-ma" and "da-da" but usually not on command or directed for us. He doesn't give kisses but loves laying his head on my shoulder or over on anyone to show love.
It such a blessing to have healthy children, vaccinations always make me thankful I don't have to watch my children go through that kind of pain often. Joseph hadn't been to the doctor since his last well visit a year ago, thank you God!

My today

2011-12-13T23:34:00.000-05:00

Psalm 103
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
   and all that is within me,
   bless his holy name!
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
   andforget not all his benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity,
   who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit,
   whocrowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good
   so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

The house is so quiet, it's so odd and nice at the same time. I should be in bed, but here I am. December is going by too quickly, I love this month. I am nearly ready for Christmas but I have a long wish list of things I'd like to do and make before Christmas if I'm able. Most of the necessities are in order and if my busy life of doing and being doesn't allow for me time to create, I'm not going to sweat it. I have many great plans and I could have been done with my giving wish list if it wasn't for carpal tunnel and my possibly pinched nerve. It is what it is, we shall see...
I have been feeling so much better! Physical therapy is really helping, I'm thankful for the help it's offered, eager to be fully recovered but that isn't really up to me. Therapy appointments have overturned my normal stay-at-home days, these days are busy enough, especially with my already overloaded doctor's appointments. Seems like I am always running out the door and sitting and waiting.
This morning I came out of my bedroom to find the girls setting up house in the stairway, their apartment. I remember playing on the steps when I was little with my brothers and sister.

Bethany had made cute little signs that made me smile, "Home is where the heart is." and this one she taped to the wall, "I love my siblings and it's true."

Joe taught Bethany and Joseph how to jump rope on Saturday, Sunday morning at 7 AM I woke up to the house shaking with loud thuds. Bethany was jumping rope in her upstairs bedroom. She kept trying over and over to see how many she could jump consecutively. She eventually made it to 37, very red faced and sweaty. She repeatedly tried over and over until we told her she really should rest, because she was going to be sore.
Yesterday she was bummed to be too sore to jump much rope, but today she was back at it again. She said she has promised herself to get to 60 and then 100.

Tonight Joseph and I were inside while Joe was working-out in the garage. The girls were also in the garage playing. Joseph and I decided to surprise the girls by hanging Christmas lights in the their room. He was so excited to surprise them and it wasn't long before they knew he had been up to something.
I knew their expressions would be priceless when they walked in, so I got out my tripod. Joseph proudly led the way, confident that they would love him forever! They exclaimed to his satisfaction and then he told them he was going to sleep in the their room with them, to which Jenna ran and hugged him and said, "Oh, thank you Buddy!"

I am such a blessed mother and wife. It's always amazing how a little bit of suffering makes me see my life very differently, with gratitude in my heart. {And I use the word "little" exaggeratedly and the word "suffering" dramatically, because I don't have to look around very long are very hard to realize that my aches and pains or brief hindrances to my daily life are nothing compared to other people dealing with devastating loss or serious sickness.}
It's a gift to be able to take care of my family, to fix their food, to see a mess and be able to do something about it myself, to listen to the kids laugh at the table, playing "I See a Color" over their breakfast and lunch, to hear the washing machine running, to go on a date with my George and feel like it's our first, to pick up Brady and say, "Love da baby!" as he lays his head on my shoulder and to feel little tiny movements inside my growing belly. Precious moments I breathe in and out everyday, often seeing them upside down or not seeing them at all. Thank you Lord for my today.

Brady's first birthday

2011-12-06T20:54:00.001-05:00

I so can not believe he's a year old already! All I can say is that this has been one precious and happy year. Every single morning he has made me smile and we have all loved him beyond our comprehension. This baby boy has brought us so much joy and been such a blessing.
This morning at breakfast, please enjoy Jenna's miss-matched, miss-buttoned pj's. Isn't she great!?

The kids gave Brady the theatrical performance of "Happy Birthday". We lost track of how many times we sang it today, all day. Brady loved it and smiled each time and rocked from side to side.

Later we had a mini photo shoot...

We were in the living room reading together and I watched him climb from an ottoman, to the piano bench to the piano keys and then pull up on the music book stand. He kept lifting his feet to play the keys, possibly the best moment of his birthday for him.

His favorite new pass through is under the Christmas tree, it doesn't seem to be a problem...yet.
Our second photo shoot of the day, I really wanted these pictures of him in my mom's highchair, mine as a child.

He loves watching supper cook, probably because he love to eat!

We didn't do much in the way of gifts, he really didn't need anything. He loves "talking"on the phone now and holds lots of things up to his ear like a phone so we bought him a new toy phone.

We had the official blow-out-the-candles-sing-Happy-Birthday moment tonight and he was ready to go after already having had one cupcake today. Second time around was pretty much amazing!

I had planned a birthday party for him on Sunday but my weekend was nothing like I planned. My "severe carpal tunnel" got much worse on Friday, to the point I couldn't use my arms or take care of the kids. By evening I was in so much pain I was in tears and figured out there was no way CTS could make my arms, shoulders and neck hurt like they did. The pain was coming from my upper back and I self-diagnosed myself with a pinched nerve. Joe made a phone call a therapist friend and he agreed it sounded nothing like symptoms from CTS and everything like some kind of pinched nerve.
A doctor family member recommended I try wearing a neck brace to relieve the pressure from my upper back. Immediately, my shoulder and arm pain started decreasing when I put it on. I was the entire weekend getting to where I could do anything besides be miserable. Wearing the neck brace kept all the pain in my neck which intensified but was much better since I could use my arms again.
I still have some form of a pinched nerve in my neck but the pain is completely out of my arms and shoulders. I had my first massage yesterday, it felt amazing but did nothing for my neck pain. My primary doctor is sending me to physical therapy on Thursday and I am hopeful that this will be a long term solution.
I do still have CTS as well, but it is tolerable and now I realize was unrelated to all the pain I was in. I am back to being able to use a camera, lift my baby, run the house and cook so I'm much better than I was. It's great to be better, I'm afraid it is slowly getting worse and could return to the point it was, so I'm trying to be careful and wear the neck brace when the pain worsens. Thanks for all my friends and family who prayed for me, it was a very long weekend.

Brady went to bed, happy to have two silky tags. Over the weekend I felt guilty for not being able to have his party, may have even shed a few tears over it, but I know he still loves me and will understand. It has been a really good day and the perfect ending to such a blessed year. Children are such incredible gifts, I'm so undeserving and eternally grateful to God for giving me this little guy. Love you always Bradyboy!

Severe Carpal Tunnel Syndrome during pregnancy

2011-12-01T17:00:00.001-05:00

I've had a nasty flare up of carpal tunnel and it is wicked. I've been trying to rest my hands as much as possible and not strain them, but things like picking up my 22 pound baby hinder that plan. Even the slightest movements make it worse, I know most people probably don't care for the details, but it's hard to find much info online about pregnancy induced carpal tunnel. Everything I read doesn't sound nearly as bad as what I have, maybe some one else is searching for info and case is similar to mine.
This is my forth pregnancy of having it, each time it gets worse and more severe. The first and second time I had it, I managed it fine. It was a nuisance but nothing I couldn't ignore. This time around, my wrist hurt terrible and the pain shoots up my arms into my shoulders, then I become very tense in my upper back and neck. Sleeping on my sides isn't an option because it cuts off the circulation and makes things much worse. Right now I'm sleeping on my back which isn't normal for me or recommended during pregnancy, but it's all I can do.
Icing them has helped tremendously and I really should do it more often. Heat feels good in the moment but soon after, they hurt worse. Right now it is in both of my hands, I'm hoping it will subside some, it came and went periodically in my last pregnancy, but I think that may have been because I didn't have a baby to lift and carry then.
Things that require lifting my hands over my head, like getting into cabinets, decorating a Christmas tree and things like turning the lid to the peanut butter jar, transferring laundry from the washer to the dryer or talking on the phone hurt and make it worse.
Taking Motrin would probably help me out greatly, but only Tylenol is allowed during pregnancy. Tylenol has never had much effect on my ailments even when I'm not pregnant.
I wear hand braces while I sleep and often during the day but for the most part I don't see that they help. If anyone has any secrets I'd love to hear them, but I have yet to meet many people who understand what I'm talking about when I say I'm having severe carpal tunnel.
I'm hoping to get them well soon, until then I've been asking the kids to lift and pick up as much as I can, which sounds better than it is. Holding a heavy camera is also on the do-not-push-it-list but here are a few of the recent pictures of Brady. He turns one on Tuesday!!

What I'm learning about life in Christ

2011-11-29T11:44:00.001-05:00

Recently, I desired a reading additive to my daily routine, something quick to read but powerful on impact. I thought I knew exactly what I was looking for and judging from it's title, a current devotional favorite sounded like the answer. I ordered the book online and when I received it, it did nothing for me. I didn't find it interesting, let alone challenging. Everyday was short and sweet, kinda mamby-pamby and feel good. Maybe it just wasn't the right time, but it certainly wasn't what I had in mind, I returned it.
I decided to pick up an old faithful devotional that I hadn't used in years. The very first day God used it's message to open my eyes. Reading something that truly speaks to your heart is something you have to re-read over and over to fully grasp all that is being said. I have gone back and re-read that first day at least 5 times. I thought I'd share, this is where I am. My food for thought, that I've desperately needed over the past week.

November 22

Shallow and Profound

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do,

do all to the glory of God."

1 CORINTHIANS 10:31

Beware of allowing yourself to think that the shallow concerns of life are not ordained of God; they are as much of God as the profound. It is not your devotion to God that makes you refuse to be shallow, but your wish to impress other people with the fact that you are not shallow, which is a sure sign that you are a spiritual prig. Be careful of the production of contempt in yourself, it always comes along this line, and causes you to go about as a walking rebuke to other people because they are more shallow than you are. Beware of posing as a profound person; God became a Baby.
To be shallow is not a sign of being wicked, nor is shallowness a sign that there are no deeps: the ocean has a shore. The shallow amenities of life, eating and drinking, walking and talking, are all ordained by God. These are the things in which Our Lord lived. He lived in them as the Son of God, and He said that "the disciple is not above his Master."
Our safeguard is in the shallow things. We have to live the surface common-sense life in a common-sense way; when the deeper things come, God gives them to us apart from the shallow concerns. Never show the deeps to anyone but God. We are so abominably serious, so desperately interested in our own characters, that we refuse to behave like Christians in the shallow concerns of life.
Determinedly take no one seriously but God, and the first person you find you have to leave severely alone as being the greatest fraud you have ever known, is yourself.

~My Utmost for His Highest

I don't know about you but isn't it encouraging to know that God cares about the shallow, is in the shallow? And it is also convicting to know that I often try to live beyond the shallow to impress others by being profound. I am a fraud.
My life is full of shallow living, the cooking, the laundry, the dishes, the dirty diapers, the repetitive chores and responsibilities, the children fighting, their need to be disciplined, to be redirected, to be educated, to be loved and cleaned and clothed and fed. Shallow life is meant to be refining but is also can be frustrating and all for naught if I'm not focused on God. If only I will open up my eyes to see it, my heart to accept it and my pride to acknowledge that I am not perfect, I am a failure.
I give myself too much credit. No, I really don't think I'm perfect, and I know I'm not Wonder-Woman, but I really do try my best and when that is not enough I get angry.
Over the weekend it was brought to my attention that I had been a grouch. I refused to believe that I had been and was convinced that I had been wrongly perceived. I immediately resorted to justifying how terrible I had felt physically and if this person only knew how much I had persevered, they wouldn't even question my attitude or take it personal.
As I've thought about and reflected a couple days, I finally admit that God wants more of me and I really shouldn't resent Him when I feel I have done everything I possible can, and it isn't good enough. I am constantly in need for more of Him and His strength and that is the lesson I so often fail to see. He wants me to live in the shallow, dependent on Him, eyes wide to see the lessons and heart humble to acknowledge that without Him I am nothing and have nothing to give. Doing my best will never be enough, how prideful of me to not strive for His best and trust that His strength is enough to get me through trying days of pregnancy and mothering and being a wife. It is not acceptable to simply say, "I tried my hardest.", if my hardest didn't include consulting God for help and acknowledging that without Him I am a failure.
The truth hurts and I came face to face with the fact that my bad attitude is a sin and is inexcusable. Period. End of story, it's not okay to be grouchy because I don't feel well or I'm overwhelmed by my to-do list or because I'm exhausted with my 4 children and 1 growing inside me.
Truthfully, I don't know how to overcome this completely and that is the point, I never will without God. I must become humble and acknowledge when I mess up and when I fail, confess my sin and ask forgiveness. Forgiveness from God, my kids and my husband. These are big words for me, scary even. For some reason it is easier to deny my sin than acknowledge it, because I know I will fail again. The lie of Satan is, don't ask for forgiveness until you can truly mean that you'll never do it again. Life with Christ isn't about being all you can be for Him, it's about Christ being all He can be in you. Sometimes I really do think it's about me being all I can be for God and that, my friends, is full of pride and self-promotion, it has everything to do with how others see me and nothing with how they see God.

We started decorating for Christmas. I asked Joseph to pick all of the Little People Nativity pieces off the floor that Brady had slobbered and scattered everywhere. I later found them all sitting on the piano bench, situated in a way I would have never put them.

They were each huddled, circling close and facing Baby Jesus, they backs to everything else. Usually I put them all on display, turned slightly toward Jesus but definitely lined up, facing outward. I immediately saw myself, I usually think of myself as on display for all to see me standing next to Jesus. Instead, I should be looking at no one other than Jesus and turned completely toward Him.

Joseph 6th birthday pictures

2011-11-26T17:23:00.001-05:00

I took a few minutes last weekend to get some pictures of my big six year old boy, Joseph Mark. After I uploaded and was editing them I thought, "Who's kid is this? He can't be mine, he's too old." Sometimes when we take the time to stop and see, we realize that life is passing even faster than we think and today is more precious than yesterday.

This sweet boy, is more precious everyday. One word could truly sum him up at six years old and it is sweet. He seems to stay in the background, calmly overshadowed by his sisters, quietly doing his own thing, quick to obey, help and give, often his compliance taken for granted until he is randomly outspoken.
I never take him for granted or his good heart. Perfect he is not, but sincere, thoughtful, kind and soft hearted he is, and I pray he will always be. Our boy is such a blessing and we love him so much! Love you forever George!!

Morsels from our life and manna

2011-11-21T14:09:00.001-05:00

It weather is cold and rainy today.
We had a craft day, making paper mache. The kids had more fun cutting up newspapers than anything. Bethany cut everyone out a Smartphone and they all called each other on their little bitty paper phones. Bethany said, "I'm sorry I can't hear you, my phone is too small."
Then they each started cutting out items for each other and giving each other computers and candy and Bethany gave Joseph a woman's wallet. They crack each other up and it is the greatest sound in the whole world listening to the three of them getting along.
I've lost one of my camera batteries and left my charger at my mom's.
Jenna announced at breakfast this morning, while talking about what Baby #5 will be, "Well, if it's a boy, I'm gonna cry!" She really wants a little sister, we've decided not to find out what we are having this time. We have never done this. I have mixed feelings about it, but am trusting in the end it will be worth the wait and an exciting pay-off.
This little boy or girl is 16 weeks growing now, this is exciting!
On Friday, as we were leaving our neighborhood, I noticed a bike sitting out for garbage pick-up in a pile by the street. Jenna needs a bike and I thought is might be salvageable for her. After we turned around and went back we found a brand new bike for a girl, it still had the papers in the wheel spokes and white tires. We also picked up a little rocking horse that was in great shape for Brady and a large frame I plan to transform into a cork board. Who says manna does still fall from heaven?!
We had chicken and dumplings and pumpkin pie over the weekend, along with a cold that is accompanied with a stomach ache. Nothing too miserable, but plenty miserable enough.
We had toast for supper last night.
I've been knitting when I haven't felt too nauseous from this sickness. On Friday I completed my first hat that was too small, so Saturday I knitted a sucessful one for Jenna and Sunday, and I finished a third one as a gift. Today and yesterday, I started and re-started another project about 4 times.

I am addicted to knitting and my list of "can't wait to make" is growing and growing. I have much to learn, but the great thing about knitting is you can do so many things with only knowing how to do a few stitches.

We are all eager for Thanksgiving and glad to have a short week of school and Joe home with us soon.
Tonight, I am going to a Hillsong LIVE Worship, super excited!!! Can't say that enough!
Life is good!

30 Days of Thanks ~ Blogging Memories

2011-11-17T00:16:00.001-05:00

Flashback 30 Days of Thanks from November 2009 {It's really crazy for me to read this two years later and see how much Jenna's personality is still the same in so many ways. I was surprised to read that we called her "A Nut" that long ago.}

my mommy finds me irresistible in my pj's.i can't be taken seriously, and i don't take others seriously either.
if you say come here, i'll go there.
if you say no, i'll laugh in your face.
sometimes i do what i'm told just to prove that i know what their saying, it makes for good laughs.

i'll do anything for a laugh.like eat baby wipes.
hit myself in the head.
fake cry with my eyes closed and then peek out of one eye and smile, this one always works.

i don't know what's going on with my hair. mommy tries to clip it out of my eyes, but that's a lost cause. i slipped a couple clippies through the crack under the front door the other day. i lose more then she will ever find. i'm waiting for the moment somebody leaves me some scissors, that'll teach 'em.

i love to talk, all the time. though every one stares at me like i'm the crazy one. sometimes i speak like every one else and say, mommy, daddy, mamma, papaw, bye, ball, and poo-poo. i mean it's not like i don't try, but it never seems to sound right, so it must not be the right time.
sometimes i sign to help them communicate with me. i can sign, mamma, night-night, music, all gone, more, please, cheese, drink, light, butterfly, no, yes, shoes and paci.
shoes make me happy.

i love pointing at my nose, but i know where other stuff is too.
like my hair.
and my tongue.
i like playing peek-a-boo and hiding under covers.
i plan on coming around to their side eventually, but i'm just enjoying being a baby. i love playing in laundry and i'm afraid that might become my chore around here if i grow up too fast.

they say i'm entertaining, mischievous, and a nut.i turned 18 months yesterday, my life's just getting started. everyone seems to really love me around here, so i can't complain.

i wave bye-bye and blow kisses, but that's nothing new.
oh, yeah and mommy said she is most thankful for me today. you should join her 30 days of Thanks.

30 Days of Thanks ~ Camera, Knitting, Coffee

2011-11-15T23:18:00.001-05:00

I'm thankful coffee taste good again. From 4 to 14 weeks, it tasted terrible and I didn't even enjoy the smell of it. This morning the house was cold and my coffee tasted so amazing!
I've been learning to knit, as I mentioned about the scarf. Today I learned 3 new stitches from youtube, and made half of a pair of fingerless mittens, also via youtube. I absolutely LOVE knitting and think it is so much fun. I'm thankful that I'm finally learning to knit.
Every November the kids and I write down the things we are thankful for. Some years it was cards in a jar that we sat on the table and talked about at supper, last year we made a paper chain that ended up wrapped in the Christmas garland and this year we taped papers around the dining room. We call it our thankful walls.

Bethany said at breakfast this morning that I needed to list my camera on the thankful walls, she is so very right! I am grateful for my camera, it makes me very happy. I haven't used a flash in 3 years because I hate flash. I borrowed my sisters external flash and have been trying to figure the thing out this week. I figure it's time to learn, I need to be well versed in using it even though I bitterly hate the shadows it cast. Please tell me, someone who knows, can I perfect my flash photography so that it doesn't look like I used a flash?
I uploaded pictures tonight and nearly all of them made me cringe because I can't stand flash lighting. These were some of the better ones, but it's probably just because I love this baby boy so much!

Perhaps, youtube will be of some help with my flash photography dilemma?! I guess I should be thankful for youtube as well, it taught me how to french braid too!

30 Days of Thanks ~ Sunsets

2011-11-13T21:24:00.001-05:00

Selling a Scarf for Samaitan's Purse and Sudan

2011-11-12T13:17:00.001-05:00

{Source}

As mentioned in my previous post, I have felt a personal call to do something for the people in crisis in Sudan. Samaritan's Purse have been faithfully feeding and tending to over 22,000 refugees from the Nuba Mountains. These refugees have escaped brutal persecution. On Thursday, November 10, 2011 the country of Sudan dropped 4 bombs onto the their camp. Samaritan's Purse is in urgent need of funds to continue giving life-saving aid.

I am selling a hand knit scarf I made via an ebay auction this week. If interested, you can bid on the sale here. This sell will end on Thursday, November 17, 2011. My original plan was to use ebay Giving Works and have them process the sell and donation to Samaritan's Purse. After reading the fine print I decided that wouldn't be the best option because they retain a pretty substantial fee for processing and they hold the donation for 45 days in case you change your mind about donating.
I will be giving 100% of the selling price to Samaritan's Purse and not keeping anything to cover my expense to make, pay seller's fees on ebay or ship this scarf. If you have any questions feel free to email or comment.
If you would like to make a donation to Samaritan's Purse you can do so here or if you would like to join me in selling an item to donate, let me know and I will be happy to link it here. If you are unable to support this cause financially, please remember to pray for these people. Thank you!

Joseph's 6th birthday

2011-11-11T22:38:00.001-05:00

Joseph's 6th birthday was on Monday, he had such a fun day. Joe was off from work so we started off the day with a special breakfast. Joseph picked scrambled eggs, toast and oatmeal.

We made the traditional make-your-own-birthday-cake. I'm not a cake decorator but that's the great thing about letting them make their own, I influence and they're end result they created! :)

We baked his cake in a Pampered Chef Batter Bowl, created a dirt mound out of it and put his monster trucks on top.

Joseph really wanted a compound bow, he has been wanting one since his last birthday. A couple of weeks ago, Joe took us to the school were he teaches and Joseph was able to shoot a compound bow at the targets there. He shot it over and over, though he couldn't fully pull it back.

We weren't ready to buy him a compound bow just yet and were uncertain he would be able to pull it back so I found this bow from JM Cremps, an awesome online store for boys, Bass Pro catalogs don't have anything on a JM Cremps! {If you have a son you should definitely check them out and request a free catalog, I've already ordered Joseph's Christmas too.} It has been the best bow and he loves shooting it when Joe or I can supervise. He shot at a pumpkin at our house but was eager to shoot it at Mamma and Papaw's later that night.

He wanted to celebrate with my parents. They gave him 3 marshmallow guns, one for each of the older kids. They all had a riot with them and couldn't have looked cuter in their safety glasses!

It was a great birthday for him! I am excited to have a 6 year old boy. He is growing quickly, recently all his pants suddenly shrunk. He is learning and enjoying life. We are grateful for his life and blessed by him.

The people of Sudan ~ A call to act

2011-11-11T15:00:00.001-05:00

I received an urgent email on November 9 from Samaritan's Purse asking for prayer and financial support for a makeshift refugee camp in South Sudan where they are providing live-saving aid for over 22,000 people a day. These people fled their homes in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan, where they are victims of brutal persecution. They bring nothing with them, most of them are women, children and elderly who have been able to escape. Samaritan's Purse has been airlifting tons food to these people because the rain has washed out the roads to this remote, swampy area. Their supplies are running out.

My heart breaks for these people and I have prayed for them and asked God how I can give something. I was very shocked and saddened when this morning I received another email from Samaritan's Purse explaining that the country of Sudan dropped 4 bombs on this refugee camp yesterday. You can read more about the story here.

Miraculously, all of the Samaritan's Purse staff are safe and there have been no casualties reported among the refugees. One bomb fell on a schoolhouse with over 300 children inside but did not explode. How amazing is God's mighty protection!

{Picture Source}

I ask that you will join me in praying for these people and their country, also pray about how you can give to help. I took my first knitting class yesterday {thank you Peggy, loved it!} and am halfway finished with knitting a scarf. It is my intention to finish it this weekend and sell it on ebay. I will be donating all of the proceeds to Samaritan's Purse for the people of Sudan. It isn't much, but as I was reminded this past Sunday in church, God only calls us to give what we have, He can do big things from our small gifts of obedience, like the woman with only a little oil and flour or the boy with a few small loaves of bread and fish.
I will post more information about this sell soon, thanks for joining me in prayer!

sippycupsandfingerprints.com

2011-11-11T14:41:00.001-05:00

I switched my web address from sippycupsandfingerprints.blogspot.com to sippycupsandfingerprints.com. If you are a reader through Google or some other feed you will want to add my new URL so it will show up. I should have thought of this sooner, but hopefully it won't be a big problem. The blogspot.com will still bring you here but just a note to change to a .com if you submit via a feed. Thanks!!

30 Days of Thanks ~ Children's curiosity

2011-11-11T13:41:00.000-05:00

Bethany's journal entry for school today says,

November 11, 2011 Friday

Today is a speshell day. Today if you wrote: November 11, 2011, the 11th month, it wood turn out 11-11-11. Do you not reelize I'm running out of ink just writing 11 so many times?!

Jenna just now got marker all over her. I am writing this because when Jenna grows up she'll read what she did and I am prity sure she'll laugh so much she'll cry.

Poor child! It is too the point I just feel sorry for her, I didn't even have the heart to discipline her. She didn't have a marker she had found a tube of mascara that was teal in the bathroom drawer. I have never worn teal mascara and didn't even know it was in there or where it came from.

Her eyes are mischievous, she is 3, curious and eager to learn. She is not unattended or unsupervised, she is just a really fast worker in a very busy house. We try our hardest to keep markers, crayons, pens and pencils up but with so many of us constantly working and doing school, it's impossible.
I'm thinking it's time to break out the Play-doh and let her burn off some mess-making energy. It's a hard age to keep her occupied, she whips through an entire coloring book in one day. We do a work page or a cut and paste project and she is over it 5 minutes and ready for something else. We are working on her learning to go play and entertain herself without getting into trouble, so far I'd say we've been completely unsuccessful!

Joseph asked this morning is the New York was a bad country. I explained that it was a state like Kentucky and is in the same country as we live in, the United States of America. He said, "We'll don't they worship that idol, the Statue of Liberty there?"
Today I'm thankful for these opportunities we have learn and explore my children's incredible curiosity.

Some changes to the blog, perhaps

2011-11-10T23:57:00.001-05:00

Really quickly, because I'm tired and should be sleeping...
You may notice a few new things going on around here and I just want to explain. For sometime I have been looking for ways to generate some profit from my blog through advertisement. I have very mixed feeling about endorsing a product and company if I really don't have a personal connection or experience with them.
In the past I have only linked and raved about things I truly love, and with only a couple exceptions that was free advertising. I will never lie and say something is great if it isn't or if I haven't had a first hand experience with that company. Several times I have reached out to a company I honestly adore but seldom get any work through that means of marketing.
Blogging for me is so much more than making money and I hesitate to mix trying to make money with something I love and enjoy so very, very much. So this week, I came across an opportunity to do some advertising on a more consistent basis, perhaps. I decided to give it a go and see how I like it and if it's worth the time and distraction is might cause to my very beloved blog space. I can honestly say this has been hard for me already and I don't know that it will be a good fit. I don't want this place to become another congested, overly obnoxious blog that is filled with so much meaningless advertisement that it's purpose is lost.
Writing is fun and personal for me, this is my outlet. I will never lie about something to get paid, I will never advertise something I wouldn't want to learn more about or that I don't think is interesting to my readers. If I say I've tried it, then I have.
This is a trial run, please be honest and let me know if you get annoyed or lose interest in Sippycups and Fingerprints. My hope is to be able to maintain the same writing and life journaling with some advertising along the way. As always, thanks for reading along when you can and commenting when you do. Ya'll are the best!

30 Days of Thanks ~ Sweet Moments

2011-11-09T22:45:00.000-05:00

I was getting out of the shower, the window was cracked and I heard the kids outside laughing and talking. I looked out the window to see Joe holding Brady while pushing Jenna in her swing, and Bethany and Joseph swinging away on the play-set. Love my kids daddy, love my life! I'm thankful that these sweet moments are in my life.

Started Christmas shopping

2011-11-09T22:15:00.001-05:00

I've gotten a slow start to my Christmas shopping this year, but it's all been online! Last year having a baby at Christmas time and the year before that being really sick and tired the months leading up to Christmas, I learned to enjoy shopping online. It seems another package is arriving in the mail everyday now, I love that. I've spent hours window shopping and filling up online carts, basically looking for deals and fun stuff.
I found lots of new places to shop, one of those being Tea Collection. As Bethany is growing into an older girl I'm finding that cute, modest, age appropriate clothing isn't as easy to find. Retailers disappoint me, it's nice to know little girls can still dress like little ladies! Their girls clothes selection is adorable. If you are like me, you might want to check them out. They have clothing from baby, to children's size 12 and women's too. Through 11/11 you can get 20% off all already sale priced items by entering promo code EXTRA20YAY. Enjoy!

30 Days of Thanks ~ Bethany's ear and a clean smelling house

2011-11-08T19:51:00.001-05:00

Bethany had a long awaited appointment with the ENT doctor yesterday. She has worried and worried about it for months, but we couldn't get in sooner. Our pediatrician was concerned about a hole in her left ear that had never closed up from where her tube was placed 4 years ago. She said it looked like it might be growing scar tissue and was concerned about hearing loss or damage.
Joe was off work yesterday and Jenna went with us so that Joseph could have some special time with Mamma on his birthday, while Brady napped at her house. Bethany was happy Jenna came along and they planned a shopping trip afterward to buy Joseph gifts for his birthday.
Jenna was eager to go, I found out why before we left. The ENT's name is Dr. Wolf, as I was buckling Jenna into her car seat she asked, "Does he have a tail?" Joe and I cracked up laughing. Later as Jenna was telling my mom about the appointment she said, "Yeah, he was nice...and he's a man." :)
Amazingly Bethany was very calm and relaxed during the appointment, the least nervous and worried she has been. I think she was ready to find out whether she needed surgery or not and was tired of having it hanging over her head. I know having Joe with us made her feel better too. God really gave her peace through it. She was really goofy all day and while we waited in the exam room she said, "I'll think I'll just get comfortable while I wait." and she laid down on the table.

Dr. Wolf said eventually she will need surgery to repair the hole, but for now it isn't big enough to do anything with or causing her hearing loss. It is a nuisance. It makes bathing and swimming less fun because when water gets in her ear it is very painful. She also has more ear infections because of it, he said we'll deal with when she is older or if it causes too much trouble sooner. This news set her mind at ease and she hasn't said anything about it, so I'm glad she isn't already concerning herself with it. So much to be thankful for in this entire situation!
Jenna had us laughing all day yesterday, she says too many funny things to remember. Today however, I wasn't laughing. She loves to help me and is really great about picking up and doing task that are assigned to her. Today she wanted to use some new furniture dusting wipes, so I instructed her about how to use and how not to use them. Bethany, Joseph and I were doing school, Brady was sleeping and Jenna was "dusting". It was nice to do school in peace without Jenna's "eruptions" as Bethany calls her interruptions.
The silence lasted for quite sometime until even Bethany became suspicious and went to look for her. She found her behind my locked bedroom door, sign number two that this wasn't going to be good. I unlocked the door and was hit in the face with the smell of baby powder. Jenna was "dusting" my bed table, covered in baby powder. I guess the furniture wasn't dusty enough for her!
She had messed up everything on the counter in the bathroom, set things on the toilet lid, there was powder all over the bathroom, all over Joe's night stand, all in the carpet and trailing around the bed to my bed table. She had pulled out every. single. baby. wipe. from a full container of wipes and they were piled in the floor.

So, today I'm also thankful for a clean smelling house!

30 Days of Thanks ~ Joseph Mark

2011-11-07T22:39:00.002-05:00

Today Joseph is 6 years old! I can't believe it's been 6 years since his fast and easy arrival into this world at 9:49 PM. I remember getting settled into a regular room around 1 AM and Joe went out to get me tacos. I felt so good I was up putting things away and straightening up the room. I pulled out the chair/bed for Joe and made it with sheets and blankets. A few minutes after I'd tided up and settled back in bed to gaze at my new little 8 lb 11 oz baby boy, who looked nothing like his sister, the nurse came in. She gave me the run down and told me, "Now the next couple times you get out of bed you have to push your nurse button and we'll come in and help you up. Don't get out of bed without one of us in here to help you, you could fall." I didn't have the heart to ask her how she thought my husband's bed got made or the gifts all nicely lined up on the table.

I could write a book about Joseph's life and all that the Lord has taught me through his pregnancy and first year. He's a lovable, sweet, kindhearted boy that makes me so proud of him every day.
His birthday rocked if I say so myself. I don't have time to get it all posted tonight, despite all the fun I'm left with an intense headache that Tylenol ain't touchin'. I'll just say that the day included marshmallow gun fights and lighting candles on his cake with a blow torch!

Happy Birthday Buddy! We all love you so very, very much! I hope you always remember how special you are. I realized a few days ago that you seem too old to call, "Jophie". That makes me kinda sad, but then I think of the time a few weeks ago, when leaving the football field you said, "Here Mommy, I'll carry your chair to the van." When did you grow up? I love the boy you are today just as much as I loved my baby and toddler boy through these last 6 years. You'll always be my Sugar-Boy! Thankful for you today and everyday!!

30 Days of Thanks ~ BradyBoy

2011-11-06T20:19:00.003-05:00

BradyBoy is 11 months old today! Time goes by so quickly and these past 11 months have been such a joy with him. He is the happiest, smiling-est baby boy. It's been such an easy task being his mommy, since I got past the first few weeks of my postpartum recovery. The happiness he brings our entire family is a blessing. We all adore him and give him way too much attention, not really!
He still doesn't have a tooth in his head and I'm thinking maybe dentures are in his near future. Although he thinks he can eat a steak without them.
On Wednesday, I took him to his first sick visit since he was five days old. He hasn't had an ear infection yet which is very different from all his siblings first years. He did get his first antibiotic for a sinus infection and he is less pitiful and not laying around as much. His nose continues to run constantly and he has kept a croupy cough, I'm hoping they'll go away soon.

A month or two ago, I said he wasn't very affectionate, but all that has changed this past month. He's very loving and lays his head on my shoulder numerous times a day. Several times throughout the day he'll pull up next to me and lay his head on my leg or next to me. He loves my mom and treats her the same, it's one of the best feelings ever.

His sign language vocabulary has taken off in the past couple weeks. He signs "sleep" for night-night, "eat" and "milk", he signs "all gone" when he's finished eating and this week he learned music. A signing baby is adorable! He has taken to it much like Bethany did, very quickly.
I'm surprised that he isn't walking, but certainly not complaining. He is an expert crawler and climber. Well, I don't know that I'd classify his climbing as expert it's definitely not safe, especially the descending! I love watching him crawl across the floor, I know when he takes off walking that will be the end to it.
Happy 11 months Bubba! Love you precious boy! Today I'm thankful for your life!!

30 Days of Thanks~Joe

2011-11-05T21:16:00.001-04:00

Today I'm thankful for my husband, Joe. This will be short and sweet, because the kids are in bed and I want to spend time with him. He'd rather I watch football with him than write an entire post confessing my love for him anyway! He's awesome, my very best friend and the greatest husband a girl could dream of, better than I dreamed! I am blessed by all that he does for me and for our family. I love you George!!

30 Days of Thanks ~ Eggs and Penmanship

2011-11-04T22:21:00.001-04:00

So, today I have two totally unrelated, random things I'm thankful for, but both great nonetheless. First of all, I'm getting back into the routine of a gestational diabetes diet. There are some things that are fun to eat and I enjoy but let me tell you the fun-but-can't-eat list is SO much longer. I'm adding to that list every time I turn around.

Today I remembered that the first time I had to go on this diet, while I was pregnant with Jenna, I had a severe aversion to eggs. I never really liked fried eggs, hated scrambled eggs and omelets were not even considered. Eggs are a key element to surviving this diet. While pregnant with Jenna I always had the hardest time figuring out what to eat for breakfast, however during my pregnancy with Brady I learned how to fry an egg I could eat. Eggs and toast is what I have eaten every morning for breakfast since.
This morning I decided to make an omelet and then I thought I'd try adding some spinach since I'm always looking to get some needed iron. It was delicious, so good that I ate the same thing for lunch!! I'm thankful God has given me a taste for eggs, it will help so much the next 6 months!

Secondly, I gave Joseph a spelling test today and he got a 100. I'm super proud of him, but I was more proud of his penmanship when he handed it to me. I couldn't believe how neat the words were written on his paper. Only a couple months ago, I was trying to find a balance with how much I made him practice his writing. I'm thankful for the wisdom I learned from my Excellence in Writing curriculum. Without it, I don't think we'd be having this kind of penmanship today. Thankful for the opportunity to teach my boy!

30 Days of Thanks ~ My children's play

2011-11-03T19:11:00.001-04:00

Two years ago for the month of November I blogged 30 Days of Thanks. I may be getting a late start this year but I am eager to find the things to be thankful for this month. Two years ago I was laying in bed with mono and a thyroid problem that had doctors mystified and few people in my life understood. I'd never want to go back to that place but somehow I cherish that time in my life. Reflection is good, I can't believe how much has happened in my life and health since that time and I am truly thankful!

So today, I am thankful for my children's play. They make me laugh. This morning they played doctor and later, as I was picking up, I came across pieces of paper that Dr. Bethany used to chart her patients well-being. I laughed out loud.

The first page read:
Name: Miss Jenna Grace
How long were you laying there? 10 months
Do you have a head ake? YES
Can you walk very well? NO
How did you fall? Off a cliff
How long was the cliff? 99% inches
How hot was she? 188 degrees
Did you have make up on? YES
What hurts? Bottom and head

The second sheet read:
Name: Joseph Mark {MAN}
How long have you been sick? A week
Have you been filling funny? Kindof
Has you skin been pilling? NO
Have you had a hard time seeing thing? YES
Have you been walking crooked? YES
Have your teeth been turning purple? NO

The third sheet read:
Name: Jenna Grace {WOMAN}
How many baby's do you have? 13
How old are your baby's? 18 rest 10 months
Did you have twins? YES
How many twins did you have? 12

Being real

2011-11-02T21:58:00.001-04:00

"...apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5

There is so much to say and I don't know how to say it all or if I even should say it all, I've been somewhat overwhelmed with our life this past week Maybe you are just like me and look at other moms and wonder, "How do they do it all?" It's funny for me to hear people say, "I don't know how you do it, homeschooling and having a big family with so many little ones." The truth is I don't know how I do it either most days and I feel that I fail at doing it by a landslide.
I don't mean to be negative or complain but I feel obligated to be honest about the true struggles I have within myself as a mom to four young children. It has always been my goal that other moms would be encouraged by this blog. Sometimes it's most encouraging to hear and see the real facts about some ones life, to know that they struggle, that they are in need of more than themselves too.
So, this past week I've been pretty beat down. Every day has had a new set of challenges, I'd like to be honest and share what's been going on. Let me start by saying I am very excited about Baby #5, I am so thankful for their life. We are all eager for them to get here when the time is right and love on them and welcome them home. Joe and I had the chance to see them via ultrasound this week and there is nothing like it in the world, AMAZING! I couldn't believe how much they have grown in four weeks. Life is such a miracle, they're life is a miracle! In addition to that, I have battled through some very real emotions about the changes this little one has brought into my life, I'll try to explain.
Last summer, for the first time in my life, I started running, often, regularly, long and hard. I worked with a very clear goal in mind, to run a 5K on October 29. I ran in the heat of summer, the humid days at the end of long days mothering. It was the first time I have ever worked for anything {for myself} so hard that didn't come easily for me. It's the hardest thing I have ever done. I was proud of myself, it felt good to be doing something to improve my health. Eventually I was running a 5K distance, something I never thought I'd do. I knew that I could accomplish my goal.
Our anniversary was the week after I found out I was expecting. Joe and I went away for a night and went shopping the next day. As we walked into Old Navy, I broke down crying, I realized that my goal of going shopping for new fall clothes wasn't going to happen. There would be no new-smaller-size clothes, all my work wouldn't be paid off by a shopping trip. There was no point in it, my fall and winter wardrobe would be my usual box of maternity clothes. I never thought I would be "that woman", the woman who cried over maternity clothes.
Last Saturday was October 29th. I didn't run a 5K. Since becoming pregnant I've stopped running. Running hasn't even been an option, I have no energy. My mom ran it, her first race ever and I am so very, very proud of her! I called to congratulate her, genuinely happy for her and eager to hear all about her run. I unexpectedly broke down crying, I realized that something I worked so hard for and planned for didn't happen. Sometimes it feels like I give up so much being a mom, and no I wouldn't change it, but the struggle is there. I never thought I'd be "that woman", a woman who cried over something she gave up to have a baby, it sounds so selfish.
Brady has had a 14 day cold that ended up becoming a sinus infection. He's been pitiful, feverish and wanting to be held. I haven't felt well either, I've been battling the same cold, on top of still having pregnancy yuckies and headaches that last days on end. My brain has been in a fog until today from one. My carpal tunnel has been acting up and last night as I held him my hands kept tingling and going numb. For me, being physically weak by sickness is sure to be followed by an unkempt house and a failing to-do list, and then a pity party. I had one, let me tell you, after I found out this news.
Monday I went to the doctor for my 13 week check up. The results from my glucose test were in and I have Gestational Diabetes for the 3rd pregnancy in row, except this time it started at the 13 week mark instead of the 28 week testing. I have started the diet and the daily testing my blood sugar, I can say that the next 27 weeks look much longer and daunting than ever. Slowly, I am reminding myself of the good that comes from this disciplined time and I know that God has a good reason for making me to be healthier.
Jenna has been extremely demanding lately. She has demolished her closet most every afternoon at nap time, instead of taking a nap. Everything from climbing on a doll house to pull down board games and getting Play-doh in the carpet to tearing up Bethany's art work. Yesterday I switched out the door knob, with a lock, from their bedroom door to their closet door, so maybe we could end some of the drama. Today she found a pen and wrote all over her arms and legs. She truly is a very sweet and loving child, she keeps us all laughing and smiling. I don't ever want to miss saying how great of a girl she is, but she can also be whiny and demanding and very disobedient.
The combination of so much has really been hard for me to deal with and when I read it back I think, "Gosh, you are so pathetic that this has all gotten you down!" But the truth is the truth. People tell me they couldn't live my life and have 5 children and there were moments this week where I agreed with them. I really thought to myself, "I can't do this!!"

And you know what?

I can't, I fail at motherhood miserably. I fail at my relationship with my husband. I am selfish and not nearly as selfless as I give myself credit for. I lose my temper and raise my voice in frustration at my three year old. I let what other people say about our family growing bother me too much. I have lost focus of what God has called us to do by listening to the world and what they're saying about us. My laundry gets backed up on a weekly basis and, in the corner of my room, I have my own personal pile of clothes that never go into a drawer or a closet. Currently my desk is covered under in stuff that doesn't belong there. Everyday ends with an imperfect house, and an imperfect me.
This is the point I always come back to, time and time again. If you come here often you probably already know what I'm going to say. But some how, I continually get lost and distracted. Doubt seeps into my heart, worry and fear and lies. Instead of turning them away I entertain them until I can't stand their presence any longer. That's when I see my mistake, I'm trying to be enough, I'm trying to be perfect, I'm trying to hold it all together, I'm trying to live this life without the greatest helper of all, my Jesus.
He allows the struggles you know, but He never means for me to deal with them alone. I can't handle it all and He knows that. His plan for my daily life is so much sweeter and deeper than I see it most days. What I do matters to Him. The little things that go unappreciated, unseen and unnoticed are very important to Him. The hurting of my heart, that pales in comparison to so many other hearts, is just as important to Him as anyone elses' trials and struggles.
He wants to meet with me in the morning and walk with me as I discipline and love and serve my children. I miss Him, fully and completely I totally miss Him in my day. I focus on me too much. I am not better than you for living this life. I am not called to live life without Him and neither is anyone else. I can't have five children in my own strength, but with Him, He is enough.
It doesn't matter if you're a mom, a working mom or a stay at home mom. If your daily life is nothing like mine, it's still the same, God wants to be with you, to be more to you, to walk with you, to help and to guide you. My relationship with Jesus is very related with where I am in life, mothering small children, but God meets each of us where we are in life and every single situation, all different and diverse.
You know what? When people look at me, they're not supposed to see me and how great I am. How wonderful I parent, or how well I manage our life as a large family, or how smart my children are from being home educated. They should see Jesus. This convicts me. There are days my children don't even see Jesus in me. I need Him more and more, I am never enough without Him. Please know that this life I'm living is about Someone so much bigger than me, without Him I am nothing.

Small trials, small delights

2011-10-23T19:03:00.000-04:00

It's been a long sick week at our house. Even George was sick, on Monday he had a fever and the kids rallied around him to nurse him back to health.

That morning I couldn't bear to stop their play to start school at our normal time because they were playing so well and cute together.

Joe and Bethany weren't feeling the best last Sunday evening and that progressed into the next few days. By mid-week they were both overtaken by some kind of stomach bug that drug out. Thursday morning I was woken up at 4 am by Bethany calling for me and making her way to our bedroom, projectile vomiting all the way. That was the start to a very rough morning, especially since I was already queasy from pregnancy. No need to share the details, but it was rough.
I called my mom and asked if she could rescue Brady from our germ infested house, in hopes he wouldn't catch anything. She came over and took all three of the younger well children to her house for the next 24 hours. It was such a blessing, they didn't get the stomach plague and I was able to rest, take care of Bethany and sanitize everything multiple times.
Last week, Bethany had started reading Little House in the Big Woods, a chapter a day. She was really enjoying it, so on our sick day I read all morning to her. She is almost finished.

After reading the dust jacket, Bethany was excited to find out that the illustrator for Little House in the Big Woods is the same as Charlotte's Web, Garth Williams.

That afternoon, she was watching a movie and fell asleep. I was so happy to find her resting and peaceful.

She was really bummed that all the other kids were at Mamma's house and she was missing out on the fun time. It is always surprising how much the kids miss each other when they are apart. That night they called and talked to each other. I received an order in the mail with a large amount of bubble wrap, a treat at our house. I gave it to Bethany and she saved over half of it for Joseph and Jenna when they came back home.
My mom said that Jenna and Joseph had candy apples and there was a third one left. They had assumed it was being saved for Bethany, not knowing their plan my mom gave it my dad. The next morning, the kids were shocked that she didn't keep it for Bethany.
At the supper table the first night the kids were all back home, Bethany told Jenna, "I missed you last night Jenna. It was lonesome in my bed without you in your bed." Sweet words I can never hear enough.
By Friday, all the kids has full blown colds and coughs. Stomach viruses put common colds and coughs into perspective so I'm not going to complain. I'm so thankful no one else was miserably sick.

On a brighter note about our week, Brady is signing "milk". He started last week, and this week he has it down well. It is so cute! He knows if he signs it he will get a drink of juice or milk, it's universal for his cup and nursing. I have cut way back on nursing, my OB felt it was important to stop sooner, although my goal was to get him to 12 months. It may still be 12 months, but I've gone ahead and cut his feeding from 6-8 times a day to 2-3 times a day.
I have a very clear history of vitamin and nutrient deficiencies, I knew when she said it that it was a very valid point, I do need to save up my nutrition for my growing baby. God had all this planned out perfectly 10 months ago, my lactation nurse when Brady was born, was worried that I might have problems producing milk with my thyroid condition. She had me pumping extra and my body made so much milk! In the first 3 months I froze a crazy amount of breast milk, over 700oz! Although Brady has used some of that over the past 10 months, my freezer was still taken over with milk. A very nice supply to get Brady through these last months of being under a year.
We are working on signing "more", "all done" and "sleep". His little mind is working and he's starting to try to sign "more". I think these signs are soon to follow.
Joseph had a thing for silk tags on his blankets when he was a baby through late toddler. Every now and then I still catch him rubbing a silky tag inside his shirt seam. He rubbed the tags so much, they turned to threads. It was his sweet thing as a little guy. When Jenna was born he came to the hospital and found the tag on her blanket and tried to stuff it into her hand when she cried. He thought it would soothe her like it soothed him. I was delighted this week to find Brady finding his silk tag on his blanket and rubbing it just like Joseph! Now that I've noticed, I see him doing it often.

If you would like to take a moment to pray for someone in need, I would like to pass along two prayer request. Prayer request that give me perspective on my week and my small trials. Joe's co-worker has a little boy who was diagnosed with a rare form of Leukemia, he is 8 months old. If you would like to read more about their story you can here. I also had a friend miscarry her baby at 15 weeks last week, please pray for her and her family and leave her a comment letting her know you are praying for her.

Have a blessed week stalkers!

Sunday night thoughts

2011-10-16T22:06:00.000-04:00

Thank you all for your kind and happy congratulations to us on the news of Baby #5. I was reminded this week of Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. I have feasted on honey and been blessed by the response of such genuine gratefulness for the little life that God has created for us. You all have encouraged my heart and I am so thankful to share life with each of you.

Last week, was a rough start back to school after a week off for fall break and a light week of school the week before since we traveled to meet our newest family member. During those two weeks, I didn't realize Brady had rearranged his daily sleeping schedule and somehow we lost an early morning nap time. A nap time that made school peaceful and less interrupted. So, we depended heavily on Cheerios and the Johny Jumper to get us through the first of the week and by the end, I found the early morning nap by working it back into our life! :)

The older kids needed some extra motivation to be cheerful and eager to do school, so we added lots of fall crafts, painting leaves and etching leaves. They were in a rut and sometimes I forget that this really can be fun without taking anything away. I'm super proud of Bethany and Joseph both, they are doing amazing in school and as long they are motivated, they whip right through whatever we are learning and retain so much.

The day we told the kids that we were expecting, we went to Barnes and Noble and bought, "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" {that poor monkey mommy, I have a feeling she and I are going to have so much in common!}and we have been reading "Five Little Pepper's and How The Grew" together in the afternoons.

Jenna's dolly has been in need of some repair for months, it's a wonder her entire arm didn't rip out in the time it took me to finally sew her up.

Sew her up I finally did, not discreetly either. I have a feeling this is only the beginning of many repairs, I'm already wishing I had made her a little more washable and durable, and maybe given her elbows.

I was thinking that I want Dolly to reflect not only the love that I made her with the very first time, but also the love that I repair her with each time again and again. I was reminded of God and His working in each of our lives. We are continually being created, He can take our broken, worn out, holes and rips and make them into so much more. Reflections of Him, His beauty, His markings that He is still at work. His plan is to not only repair and heal but leave more than just what was before.

Brady's obsession for wheels skyrocketed when Joe and Joseph introduced him to these little monster trucks today. He is so cute crawling around pushing his little truck. I said this about my girls last week and now I'll say it about my boys, "Boys are so much fun!"

Speaking of obsessions, I'm completely obsessed with this song and can't stop playing it over and over on youtube. I won't tell you how many times I've listened to it today, it's embarrassing or some might say psychotic.

These are the children the Lord has graciously given us

2011-10-12T22:16:00.002-04:00

Truly, God gives the greatest gifts to those who let him choose. ~ Hudson Taylor
Each of us are called to live a life fully committed to Christ. A unique and special life that He designed especially for each of us individually. I desire to live my life faithfully seeking to serve my Creator, to search for Him and know Him. Sometimes I seek for my walk to look like someone else's walk, or I question if I'm called to the very thing some one else is called to. Who doesn't look around them and worry that their not doing what everyone else is doing, or their not being like some one else?
I desperately want to get to the point that I live my life in perfect confidence that I am exactly who God has called me to be. I want to obey without hesitation and have faith even as small as a mustard seed. I am not there, but I am striving to know my God deeper and to trust Him fully.

God called me to do something exactly 11 weeks ago, to surrender and allow Him to create. Joe and I prayed. I knew without a doubt that He was asking me to give Him the opportunity to do something and I kept asking for confirmation that this was really what He wanted. As God only can, He confirmed and re-affirmed until His calling burned in my soul.

Burning callings can be ignored, I had a choice, but I wanted what was best, even though I couldn't understand it. {Isaiah 55:9 As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.} My obedience didn't come with unwavering faith, the peace in knowing I was doing what was needed didn't accompany sure faith and yes, I was afraid. But, I knew to choose anything other would be shutting God out and it would certainly become a regret. I didn't want to miss my opportunity to live the unique life God has planned for me and my family.

Within days, I knew that God was going to do exactly what He wanted to do if I gave Him the chance. In hindsight, I realize He had been preparing me for this over the past year, I hadn't really wanted to think about it, but somehow I knew this was going to be.

On August 29 it was confirmed. I was happy. I was scared. I was sad. I even had a little regret. I was overwhelmed. I doubted God. I wished this wasn't what He called me to do. I saw my selfishness. I questioned. I was honest with Him, we can always be honest, He desperately wants to be real to us and for us to real with Him. I was weak and in constant need of His Word. I was excited and then another realization would hit me that this life of mine was completely out of my control and I was in tears, again. I've had many tears.

Beyond the tears and emotions, I know that there is no other place I would rather be called. I am so happy and undeserving of the Lord's goodness to us. I don't know why me, I don't know why now, but I do know that where God calls us, He is in control, He is fully sufficient, He is creating beauty, He is strong, He is compassionate, He is enough, and He is perfect.

So, big changes are coming. My full plate is about to be piled higher than ever, my cup overflows with goodness. I don't know how I will handle so much responsibility or grocery shopping or laundry or educating, but I am clinging to God's promises, especially this one; 2 Chronicles 16:9 The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.

Within our deep need of Christ comes humbleness, reliance and dependence. He calls us to live a life with Him and for Him. He calls us to do things that we only can do because of His strength not our own. It's the greatest adventure to walk with Him daily, it's not easy and I am the first to tell you I. am. learning. often slowly.

I obeyed and God truly didn't waste anytime creating a new phase of my life, of our lives. I am humbled to say that Brady won't be the baby much longer. Coming late April or early May we'll be crying tears of joy and welcoming Baby 5!
I'm 10 weeks pregnant and feeling very much so. We all witnessed a little tiny heartbeat last Monday, thank the Lord. Jenna told someone it was a spot, so it's affectionately named Spot. All of the kids were over the moon excited when we told them, Jenna especially. The morning after we told them I came downstairs and she was eating at the breakfast table. She was grinning from ear to ear and the first thing she said was, "Mommy I'm so 'cited you have a baby in your tummy!" That was the first of many happy sayings she has said. She couldn't keep it in and told my parents before we could reveal Brady's onesie that read, "Gonna be a BIG BRO!" on the front, and on the back, "I know, CRAZY right?!?"
Jenna thanks God for Spot every time she prays before meals. I'm sure that is pure sweetness to His ears. She wants a sister. Joe asked Joseph what he wanted and he asked where it was going to sleep. Joe said if it's a boy in your room and a girl in the girls room. He said, "A girl then! I don't want 2 crying babies in my room!"
It's no secret that pregnancy and I aren't the best of friends. I have never been a lover of the pregnant months and each pregnancy has progressively gotten harder and more complicated with aches and pains. So far, this go around I've had terrible-knock-me-out headaches, I've been nauseous, already had carpel tunnel and am wiped out with fatigue. In the end it is all worth the challenges and struggles, I know that but some days the task seems so daunting.
Perhaps the hardest part yet has been me not being able to keep up with housework, cooking, cleaning and I've had to stop running, there is no energy for that. Schoolwork and the daily necessities are all that I can muster up right now. Which some days laundry, cooking and dishes make that list and some days they don't. I really hate feeling like I can't do everything, I've felt like everything is caving in around me and I'm losing control. But I know this pregnancy won't last forever and that eventually I will feel better again. Though my responsibilities will grow and my self-discipline will have to be refined yet again, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Joe has been so much of a support and help to me. I am so blessed to have such an encouraging husband. Love is felt most when it can be seen and heard. I hear his love and I can't count how many times in the past 6 weeks he's washed the supper dishes before going to work at 6 AM or caught up the laundry or cleaned the bathrooms or made the beds or bathed the children or told me that I am wonderful, when I feel anything but wonderful! This life of ours is beyond me, it takes both of us and I'm so thankful we get to work together at it. A better husband I could never find!
{A huge I love you and thank you to my sister, Carrie for shooting and editing these pictures. If you were there you would be surprised any of them turned out, typical photo-shoot with my 4 children. Biggest challenge of the year no doubt!}

Fancy Bethany and Fancy Jenna

2011-10-05T21:45:00.000-04:00

I took the girls to a Fancy Nancy Party at the public library. Bethany has loved reading Fancy Nancy books for several years and she and Jenna enjoy playing dress up and going to "royal balls". Both of the girls were so excited, Jenna kept saying over and over on the way to the party, "Mommy, I can't wait to get there!" She and Bethany were giddy and chatty all morning.
My mom tied their hair up yesterday so that it would be curly for the party.

I didn't even realize until I uploaded these pictures that Jenna was doing her classic crossed eyes pose.

At the party they ate a yummy snack and played a game. They had to cover their eyes while the librarian took something off of a table with lots of fancy things on it. Then they had to guess what was missing.

After reading two Fancy Nancy stories they made paper flowers and paper purses. The flowers were easy and fun to make, the purses required me to cut out two huge poster boards, one for each of them. I had a socially debilitating headache and was so over scissors. I was ready to cut my hand off so that I could go home and hide from the light. I persevered only to hear Bethany tell me that, "she really didn't like it anyway." :)

It was so worth it though, they both had such a great time and looked adorable. Girls are too much fun. Jenna has decided in the past week that purple is her favorite color. She is telling everyone who will listen. Every time she sees something purple she will say something that ends with, "and it's my favorite color." The librarian was explaining how to make the paper flowers and mentioned that she had all kinds of colors, red, yellow, pink and purple. Jenna hopped up out of her seat, got in Bethany's face and said, "SISSY! She has purple, that's my favorite color!!" I had to laugh later when they were making purses, all of the girls got hot pink poster board. Jenna stuck out her bottom lip and said, "I hate pink!" She sat there in her very pink outfit!

Proud of my boy

2011-10-04T20:32:00.000-04:00

One weekend last month, we went to visit a railway museum and happened upon a book sale. After a trip through train cars from different decades of the 20th century, watching model trains and touring the museum we stopped in at the book sale. Despite being a very thorough book sale and well organized, we didn't buy anything. Something happened there though that I will never forget.

As I browsed, I turned around to see Joseph standing in the middle of a sea of people weaving in and out of very narrow walkways. He was oblivious to the fact that he was in everyone's way. Joe was oblivious as to what made this a picture perfect moment.

Then, he just sat down in the middle of the floor, engrossed in a book.

He was searching for words he could read. It was one of the most amazing moments, I realized he wanted to know how much he could read. He wanted to find out if he could read this book, if he could read that good yet. I could see it, eagerness to learn more and pride in how much he has accomplished. And it made me proud too!

So, I may not have said this before...

2011-09-30T21:06:00.003-04:00

but fall is my absolute favorite! {go ahead and roll your eyes! :)}

And it might just be Brady's favorite too, at least he loved sitting in the pumpkins. He is such a boy, who loves exploring new spaces and things. Can we say happy?!

Brady turned 9 months on the 6th, so he's almost 10 months. We just had his well visit last Friday. He weighed 20lbs and 5oz and was 28 inches long. He babbles ma-ma and da-da and can say hi and bye. When we were at the hospital visiting my niece it was dark outside and he was watching his reflection in the window. He smiled and waved his baby fingers and said, "Hi" to himself. It was adorable!
We are no longer feeding him baby food, he's too messy. His fist go in his mouth every bite and he plays with it. He also fusses and cries while I'm feeding him. I've found that finger type foods he can feed himself or more chunky table food work best. It's a little complicated since he has yet to cut a tooth! Bethany was 10 months when she got her first tooth so maybe next month it will happen for him too.
He's a busy boy, always stuffing something oversized or undersized in his mouth and trying to climb on anything. He loves to play in piles of laundry, clean or dirty. Over the course of our visit with family, he rode in the stroller often. He was always completely bent forward staring down at the wheels of the stroller watching them go round and round. He did the same thing at Target riding in the shopping cart. I can already imagine him and Joseph taking things apart and having fun building stuff together. It's exciting to see his little mind working like Joseph's already.

Happy Fall!

Being still

2011-09-30T14:49:00.001-04:00

Psalm 73:28

But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

Today Jenna asked,

"Mommy, when you go up to heaven, do you not hab to cwean your room anymore?"

Life has been full to the brim lately. I haven't had much time to FB, email or blog. And honestly, I've been a little speechless. Intentionally silent, yet unintentionally absent. Time slipped on and day after day I just haven't felt like sharing. I haven't had much to say, but lots to ponder and pray about. I've been quiet and enjoyed time away from here. Sometimes it's good to clear my mind of all the extra chaos, to not know what everyone else is saying and doing. I guess, I realized that I care too much what others think, and I need to pull away from the unnecessary distractions and noise of the outside world. I have required time to search out my own ugliness and seek to deal with my own selfishness.

It's easy to get cuaght up and over loaded by things that really don't matter. To waste precious time absorbed in less important things. My time is thin enough already, too scarce to miss living life or capturing moments with my family or my God.

In my quietness, I've been seeking to know God more, to hear His voice. I've needed Him to speak, to answer my doubts and fears. I've needed Him to build my faith. I have called to Him and He has answered. Daily life without Him grows tiresome and I grow weary.

With Him, I find my daily bread. He is the lifter of my head and my portion forever. Lately, I read God's Word in the morning and by lunch time I am empty again. With God there is always more, He is always enough. In quietness I seek Him and in quietness I find Him.

Quietness of spirit, certainly not from a quiet house. No, Brady still knows how to cry, the kids still know how to fight, to chase each other around the house until the floors will surely collapse and Jenna hasn't forgotten how to throw a fit and half when she doesn't want to go to bed. That is why I have to create my quietness where I can, to eliminate the distractions of the world.

The kids and I were able to make a short 20 hour road trip, with my mom, to meet my new niece earlier this week. That started our fall break off, though I tried to squeeze in a schoolday today it was hardly beneficial. We're looking forward to having Joe home next week. Photography sessions are filling up in October, Joseph is full swing into flag football and loves every practice and game, somehow I haven't gotten many pictures of him actually playing. It has been drizzly rain and nippy cold at every game so far. Somehow I don't think Joseph will appreciate having only pictures like these of his flag football season.

I hope to be back soon with pictures of my niece, Selah Grace. I must go for now, Brady is acting like a baby because I wouldn't let him chew on some plastic money coins. :)

This child of mine

2011-09-14T14:30:00.000-04:00

We gave Bethany Oil Pastels for her birthday, a brand new art supply.

The next day I posted on Facebook,

2 kids are napping and 2 are playing in the backyard, exclaiming "Land ho!" I love fall and hearing their laughter and pretend play coming through the open windows.

This was not entirely true. Jenna wasn't napping.

She was breaking in Bethany's Oil Pastels...

Literally, breaking.

The doll took most of her creativity. The walls, bunk beds, sheets and carpet were not neglected.

The next day Jenna came down from napping with an orange face, upon questioning she claimed innocence. That day she came across an overlooked Oil Pastel and also happened upon Bethany's brand new coloring pencils.

Bingo! Art time again. Her church clothes were covered in orange and her sheets were orange.

Oil Pastels do wash out.

The next day, she destroyed Bethany's art binder with all her artwork from the past 3 years in plastic pages. She took every. single. page. out of the sleeves and every. single. sleeve. out of the binder.

Joe and I concluded that is a good thing that God made her so cute, because if not we probably would harm her!

Yesterday morning as I was getting Brady out of his crib he kept looking around me to smile at Jenna. I told Jenna and they smiled at each other. As we started for the stairs to get breakfast Jenna said, "Mommy, I love having a baby brother."

Make. Mush. Of. My. Heart.

Did someone say something about Oil Pastels?

The birthday girl

2011-09-12T21:15:00.001-04:00

Some of my kids brithdays are hard for me, they grow so fast and much of the time, I just want my kids to stay little for as long as I can possibly keep them that way. Bethany's 7th birthday wasn't sad at all for me, I am so proud of her and eager to watch her grow. The way she takes off to learn and explore the world makes me proud.
Bethany is the daughter that never has to be spurred on to think deeply or search for answers. Her mind is always wondering and seeking to understand God and His purposes. She excites me and makes my life incredible. We share many common characteristics, she and I look alike, we think alike and I always feel like we are on this motherhood/daughterhood journey together. We share equally in our learning from one another. God uses her life to refine me and point me to Jesus. And my main purpose in being her mother is to point her to Jesus daily.
Her birthday this year was very cold and drizzly. In fear that I'd get busy and not take some pictures for her 7th birthday another day we went out into the backyard and she shivered through my coaxing. She tried to make me happy and have a good attitude which is something I will always remember and appreciate about these pictures in pink. She was giddy and silly, she stuck out her tongue and made funny faces, and begged me to "Take it!"
I did carve out some extra time over the weekend and we drove around our local countryside and borrowed a cornfield, a gravel road to an abandon house and God provided us with lots of sunshine.

She has acted so much older since her birthday. Joe and I took her on a date for her birthday and ended up taking Brady with us, so that my sister wouldn't have to take 3 kids with her to her church service. When I asked if she minded that Brady came along, she said, "Of course not!" God definitely knew what He was doing by making her the oldest, she is a great big sister. It's a hard role to fill but she wears it well.
We took her to Barnes and Noble after eating at Cracker Barrel so that she could get a free treat for her birthday. She could've cared less about the cookie, but loved every minute of sitting in the bookstore reading. She read 3 storybooks aloud to us. I love her special ways!
7 years with her have been so much fun, challenging at times and I know more challenges to come, but I love my sweet daughter beyond all words.

I'm busy

2011-09-08T21:01:00.001-04:00

This is my anniversary week {8 years} and Bethany's birthday week {7 years}. We've been celebrating and reminiscing and thanking God for our life together. That was all at the beginning of the week, which feels like a long time ago now, perhaps I'll be able to get in a real blog post soon and really share my thoughts. Then again, it might be like so many other blog posts, only written in my head.
Brady surely to goodness is teething. Not even his first tooth yet, but he's been fussing for 3 days. Today was so bad everytime he cried I'd start singing some silly version of a made up song and he's stop to listen and smile. He wants me to hold him more, not that it seems to help. I guess he'd just rather cry in my arms than out of them. Such a joy, he is!
Jenna has been equally as fussy as Brady and she isn't teething. She gets in these funks sometimes and all she does is whine and complain to get attention. It's exhausting to ignore when needed and deal with when needed, and know when which is needed. She also going in and out of phases where she pees in the bed at night. {We're in said phase right now!} We've been stringing several nights in a role together and that is hard for me to deal with at 2:45 am.
I'm purging our house, while switching over summer to fall clothes. The clothes are starting to come alive, it's like a crazy science experiment that went badly. 4 kids clothes, which ones to keep for the later child, which ones will fit by the end of winter but don't now. Which ones are worth storing for years and why I don't I just get rid of them all!?
I've signed up to sell at a local consignment sell but haven't entered my first item into the computer for tagging. I have until Saturday at noon and then I won't be able to enter anymore items. The countdown is racing and so far I have an entire room filled with stuff to enter.
We are blessed to have so much junk that is worth selling and I am thrilled at the oppurtunity to make some money, while de-toxing our house. But it's hours and hours, hours that I don't have in abundance right now.
The supper dishes aren't washed yet. We had spaghetti so that should a frustrating experience, scraping off dried noodles.
I just had my shower for the day and it's nearly 9.
I see an all-nighter in my future, either tonight or tomorrow night working on all this stuff. At this point I'm cleaning out stuff that I really don't want to get rid of just to find some extra space and make our home a little more peaceful.
Must go do said dishes, and prep my coffee pot for the morning.
P.S. Please overlook my typos, I haven't time to fix them, I'm busy remember!

The perfect ending to my day

2011-09-01T22:30:00.001-04:00

The kids had an early bedtime tonight, I put them to bed and went downstairs to recover some of the house from it's daily sabotaging. The typical scraping dried cereal off the table, running the Swiffer, ponly to pick most of leftover supper up off the floor with my hands because the Swiffer couldn't pick it up, readying the coffee pot for tomorrow, loading the dishwasher for the final time, throwing pillows one the couches, sorting random things left laying around, that came from random places and making sure I had taken my vitamins before heading upstairs for the night.
An hour after I'd put the kids to bed I came upstairs and heard the girls talking to each other. Tonight, neither of them had come out to tell on the other for calling them a chicken or a smarty pants or bossy pants. That usually happens at least 3-10 times a night. I looked toward their door and saw that the closet light was shining underneath the crack. I went in to find this...

Two sisters talking on the phone to each other

Just like best friends, because that's what they are, even though they don't know it yet

I guess Jenna got a little tired of the rambling

It's the little things, always the little things. I love my girls, they are precious!

Jenna said...

2011-09-01T16:00:00.000-04:00

"Mommy, what does Jesus look like?""I don't know Jenna, no one knows what Jesus or God looks like, you just draw him however you like."
"I think he's purple then."

Last night, in one of many attempts to drag out going to bed, she knocks, turns the knob and speaks through the cracked door...
"Mommy, Sissy told me to zip it in the butt." What Bethany really told her: to nip it in the bud.

She was playing with Joe's watch and after he turned his arm away she said, "Daddy, I want to look at your arm clock!"

Yesterday Bethany and Jenna dressed up and Jenna asked me, "Want to come to our recycle, Momma?" "You're what?"
"Our recycle!"
"Our recital!", Bethany explained.

September

2011-09-01T14:49:00.001-04:00

I love September, it's filled with the last days of summer and the first days of fall! Joe and I will celebrate out 8th anniversary in a few days and Bethany will be no longer be 6, in 6 days. We're doing the countdown for her 7th birthday. How these nearly 7 years of her life have flown by, I'm as taken with her now as the day she was born.

Have you noticed the little signs of fall too? The sun lays more warmly in the evenings, it cast a golden hue that it my favorite. I made pumpkin bread twice already, fall can never come too early for me.

Joseph started flag football practice this week, he's so excited. I know he is going to love playing, it will be a nice addition to our fall, hopefully the weather will cool off!

The kids and I took a walk the other night. They wanted to ride their bikes. Bethany and Joseph can go really fast on their bikes but Jenna is so slow on her tricycle. Her little legs work so hard just to creep slowly on. I definitely didn't get my heart rate up.

Brady rode in his stroller, happy as ever watching everyone else.

Who doesn't love baby fingers and toes!? He is a booger, always has a smile on his face. He's trying to eat everything, even though he doesn't have a tooth in his head! He's busy as a bee. He'll be 9 months in a few days. "Hi" is his favorite thing to say, probably because it's about the only thing he can say! :) He can say "Bye-bye" every now and then.

One Word Wednesday - Watermelon

2011-08-31T12:36:00.003-04:00

Hoppy

2011-08-29T12:22:00.002-04:00

My mom helped the kids catch a grasshopper they found outside of our garage on Friday. It was a perfect 12 hour pet for them, the most agreeable, docile grasshopper. He didn't spit at them and was easy to re-capture while Joseph was letting him free later that even. No, he was not dead!

Bethany made a sign for his home that read, "Hoppy's home do not disturb him! And Defetlly do not shake him!" She drew a nice landscape, with the sun shining, on her Doodle and placed it behind his bug box so "he'd feel at home". We're just that hospitable around here!

Joseph let him free and re-caught him about 4 times before finally giving him his life and sanity back.

Hoppy was a good reminder to learn about grasshoppers, katydids and crickets. So we took some time to add some extra fun learning into our day. Thanks Hoppy!

Building more than the obvious

2011-08-24T08:41:00.001-04:00

Good Morning Sunshine's! I hope you have had something good for breakfast this morning. I was up at 6, so I was able to drink an entire cup of coffee without interruption. I have so much to do today, but find myself here for a few minutes.

I bargained with the kids yesterday. A morning of peacekeeping, obedience, kindness and speaking loving words would get them a surprise after school. Let me just say, we need all the motivation I can give them. We've got so far to go folks!

Jenna has emerged from her week-long sickness grouchier than ever and doesn't mind telling it like she sees it too! In a very loud, harsh voice!! Just this morning at 2 minutes after 6, she woke up yelling at Bethany, who she woke from sleeping, "Sing to me SISSYYYY!" She continued screaming at Bethany for not singing to her until I got there to end the situation.
Bethany seems to be the main target of Jenna's demands and attacks. Some of them invited, some not. I can't tell you how many times Jenna has come whining to me over the past week saying, "Sissy, is makin' me a headache!" So, I've definitely been filling my days with "bud nippin' ".

As was the agreement, I got my mostly pleasant morning and they got their surprise, a tent-more-like-fort. There was drama, and tears, and fighting, and unyielding when Bethany didn't get her way because Joseph spread a blanket that took up too much room. She didn't like the way it looked and was determined to argue her point of view rather than give a little, so she was evicted by her choosing.

After crying her eyes out and weeping until she was hoarse, she decided she could live with the blanket after all. I'm so glad she finally decided to join everyone else. These butterfly books find their way around the house. Bethany spends hours and hours looking at them, usually in her bed.

We're reading Pollyanna together in the afternoons. What a great book! The kids saw the movie but it's been a while. I hate it when they already have a movie plot in mind before reading a book, it kinda spoils everything.

Our Johny Jump Up came, as I hoped BradyBoy likes it! Yay, for more time to cook, clean, do school and less time spent retrieving him off the steps. How can this be happening?! None of my other kids climbed stairs until they were 12-14 months!
Does anyone else think that Tylenol bottles make the best teethers ever?! All my kids have gotten more good out of chewing on one of these than anything else. Brady still doesn't have any teeth, not that I'm complaining, I just can't believe it with all the times I claimed him teething in his 8 and a half months.

Until next time blogging, have a great Wednesday!! It's gonna be a hot one here.

My husband rocks and so does Women of Faith

2011-08-22T22:25:00.000-04:00

After clipping each of the kids finger and toe nails, given them baths, laying out their clothes for the next couple days and one night, baking pumpkin bread and a meal for Joe to pop in the oven, catching up on the laundry and cleaning, emptying out the fridge {so no one would get food poisoning while I wasn't there to guard the expired food, and making an in-case-of-emergency list, I left for less than 48 hours. It's funny to think I did all that for such a short absence, it seems I should have been gone at least a week, but I'm glad I wasn't.
Today I'm back to my usual living in the moment, I have hardly given thought to supper, Mt. McLaundry has yet to be conquered and the baby boy is gathering his cheeks full of paper off the floor again. I did just get out of the shower, but then as soon as I stepped on the bath mat, I wondered, "Did I shampoo my hair? I can't remember...maybe I did...I think I did?!" I smelled a wet tip of hair and decided that yes, I had.
This Monday is different than last Monday. Over the weekend, I got a break, had a huge change of scenery and routine. I was responsible for no one other than myself. {and my monkey, aka sister. Inside joke, you had to have heard Henry Cloud's talk about Necessary Ending to understand.} It was a really nice rarity!!
God is so good to provide such a fabulous weekend for me, at Women of Faith. I sat in my seat {on the 6th row from the stage} during a break and thought to myself how truly amazing it was that I was there. I have never been able to leave my children and responsibilities that long in my 7 years of motherhood. Not only did I have the opportunity to hear amazing speakers like Luci Swindoll, Lisa Harper, Sheila Walsh, Henry Cloud and Angie Smith, who each encouraged and inspired, I also had the chance to just hang out with my monkey...sister. Considering I have many responsibilities with a husband, 4 children, a home and so on, this is a miracle. God worked out so many details. Our whole weekend went smoothly from leaving my nursing boy to having perfect traffic, from not getting lost in the big city to finding cheap parking, from being on time for every single place we were supposed to be to eating yummy food.
God is in the small stuff and I am so glad than He is, He is just that big. One instance of that was when we left our parking lot for supper and the attendant told us that we didn't have to pay when we returned, even though that is what the sign stated. Another was when my sister really wanted to purchase something from the Women of Faith merchandise and went back and forth about buying it. Finally at the end of the conference she decided to buy it, as we were waiting for someone to wait on us a lady came up behind us and asked if we could use a coupon. She handed my sister a $5 off coupon for the CD she was wanting.
I have to say, that my husband is simply the greatest. He rocks for being willing to take off work and take on life with the kids while I was gone. He did perfectly, as I knew that he would. I had several people tell me that there is no way their husbands would have agreed to something like that and no way that they would have left their husbands to take care of the kids, but Joe and I both did it without hesitation. I missed him and the kids which made coming home so very sweet!
Jenna just told me today that she got "ssared" by one of the Little House on the Prairie episodes because it had, "inyians" on it, so "I cried and Daddy colored Pony's with me." What a good daddy to color My Little Pony's with his 3 year old.

Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and you will find me, when you seek me with all of your heart.
This entire weekend was a reminded that God cares for me. He hears silent prayers, He know the desires of my heart, He is all the I need. God is my source. It is His place to fill me and refresh me. My job is to seek Him and trust Him. It is such a blessing to know that He is here, He takes on each day with me, He is amidst the hike up Mt. McLaundry, the battles with a toddler, the food that doesn't fully cook because the gas ran out on the grill, the rushed showers and the all the rest of my daily grind.
At 5:30 we sat down to eat supper and Joe found my nearly full, cup of cold coffee sitting on the table from breakfast. I only drank a couple drinks and then one call led to another call for help and I never finished it, or realized I hadn't finished it. This a very common happening, sometimes I wonder why I'm so tired and then at lunch I realize I never finished my coffee. I'm so glad that coffee isn't my source!

Smorgasblog

2011-08-16T23:44:00.000-04:00

Babygirl Jenna is still sick. Today is was day five of dealing with tummy troubles and wearing diapers. {Brady wears a size 4 now, it's the biggest diaper Jenna ever wore, and it still fits her perfectly.} My heart broke for her, she has been miserable. She has lost 4-5 pounds. I called the doctor on call Sunday night to ask if we should switch her antibiotic and he recommended waiting until Monday. On Monday she seemed slightly better, her fever finally left, so I thought for sure she would be well by today. It's been rough on us both, but I know I have the better end of the deal for sure. God is so gracious to keep the rest of us healthy. I can't imagine what life would be like if the other kids were down and out and just as demanding.
Every night I tuck her in and tell her she will feel better tomorrow. Surely tomorrow she will be back to her old self. Our doctor changed her prescription so she should be feeling better soon!! She tells me every time her tummy hurts or she is miserable, "Mommy, I just don't like being sick!" She knows all about diarrhea now and it's funny to hear her say things like, "I was just watchin' TV and I got diarrhea." She has been very irritable, understandably, and will yell at Bethany and say, "Sissy, you are makin' me a headache!!"
I'm still running several times a week. I have ran 3.2 miles twice this week, this is my personal best distance in 35 minutes. I still hate running but I'm improving. Sometimes I tell myself this will be the last time I run, I know it's not true but it helps to not think about doing it again the next day.
Fall is in the air and I am rooting it on! I can smell it in the air, the past couple nights have been great for running. I love smelling clean laundry, tonight must have been wash day because I smelled alot of laundry drying as I ran the neighborhood.
I'm going away this weekend, this is a very rare thing!! I'm leaving Joe and the kids, my sister and I are going to Women of Faith. The only time I have left my kids this long, I have been with Joe. I won free tickets from a blog giveaway. It is a God thing, I was the only person who signed up for them, how in the world does that happen?! Our church ladies go to Women of Joy every spring and I have wanted to go for the past 2 years. I have prayed about it and knew that God knew I wanted to go to something like this, but there is never money in the budget. And honestly, if God provided money I wouldn't spend it on tickets to go. Winning these tickets was an answer to a silent prayer, God really does know the desires of our heart and He has His ways of taking care of us. He so cares about the little things.
I'm a little anxious about leaving Joe and the kids, especially Brady, but I'm sure they will be fine. I know I'm going to miss them, but I'm sure my sister and I will have a great time.
I bought the stuff to make my own dish washing detergent. I'll share about that after I've given it a thorough try out!
I'm wanting to make pumpkin bread, maybe tomorrow.

I bought Bradyboy a Johny Jump-up on ebay. I'd previously shopped and couldn't find one cheap enough since I don't know that he would like it, but I think he will. Today I decided to look again and found a jumper selling in 8 minutes, I snagged it up for $5.24!! He is so over his swing, and exersaucer. He's a busy boy, who will contentedly play in his pack-n-play for so long while we are doing school, then he is ready to be yanking books off shelves, pulling up on stuff and eating paper! I think the jumper will be a good addition to our school time.
Brady is saying "Hi". Sometimes he tries to say "Bye" and he babbles ma-ma and da-da.

The Kindergartener

2011-08-15T23:27:00.002-04:00

Joseph is doing really well in Kindergarten. We have things to work on, like penmanship. Some days he dislikes writing numbers and letters more than others, on those days I resort to requiring amazing work one time and that's all, or sometimes I will do the written work for him and today I bargained with him. For every number 1-10 that he wrote well on the board, I gave him that many marshmallows. He wrote a good 1, so that was one marshmallow, than a great 2 and so on. At the end he had 55 marshmallows!
His funny little answers keep us laughing, I'll share a few. This year for our Bible curriculum we are doing Apologia's What We Believe series, we're starting out with the first book, Who is God? This is an apologetic, biblical worldview series, that is amazing! I highly recommend it we have had some really great discussions. This book brings up many great questions and teaches that we can find the answers in God's Word. I love how we start out learning one thing but the more the kids and I talk, the deeper we go and the things we end up talking about together. We break it up, it's a lot to cover and digest, even for me. Some days we read two pages, other days we'll just read a short section.
So, in the first chapter we learned about building our lives on either The Rock or other things, sand. We talked about choosing whom to serve, which way to go, that kinda thing. Joseph mentioned one day something about two paths, a dark path and a path that is gold. The first day I overlooked his comment, but when he brought it up again the next day I figured we should talk about it. I asked what he meant and he said, "You know, there are two paths. The dark path that leads to hell and the path made out of gold with a rainbow at the end." Hmmm... When I asked where he learned this, he said church. I explained that this isn't true and he is probably getting confused with the streets of gold in heaven and the scripture in the Bible that says, there is a narrow road and a wide road.
That same day, one of the questions we talked about is why is there so much evil in the world. The answer was in reference to Satan being the ruler of this world since God kicked him out of heaven. I asked Joseph why God kicked Satan out of heaven and he said, "Because the devil kept jumping out and scaring God, so God kicked him out of heaven." What!? We had just read about Satan being prideful and wanting to be above God and somehow Joseph got that out of it?! I re-read the section about God kicking Satan from heaven and Joseph was still insistent that it was because Satan kept jumping out and scaring God.
Today we read about Charles Darwin, who he was and what he believed. I explained that he lived a very long time ago, as I was saying, "200 years ago." Joseph spoke over me and asked, "Like in the 80's?"
Joseph made my day the other night, he came down from playing with his Lego's to show me how he had made the "special sound" we have been learning, "Th". It's nice to know he's learning something correctly!

Jenna and I went on a date to urgentcare and Walgreens

2011-08-13T23:46:00.004-04:00

Jenna had been having some tummy troubles over the past 48 hours. Yesterday evening she started running a fever and this morning her tummy troubles worsened. Joe and I were slow in remembering that the last time this kinda thing happened, she had strep. Once we pieced it all together this evening, I took her to an urgent care center.

Her fever had been really high and her belly was hurting pretty intensely but once she and I left together and Motrin started helping with her fever, she talked and talked the entire time. She is such an adorable child and though I give her a hard time for being crazy and we call her a nut, she is so sweet she'll give us a toothache as Joe says. Alone time together is rare and she certainly wasn't gonna let feeling bad ruin her opportunity!

She started laughing after we talked to Joe while we where waiting in the exam room. He teased her and told her to be a good girl and to not get crazy and act like Jenna T. Bass. He said, "Don't throw any rocks through any windows or anything!", from then on she had a smile on her face the rest of the night. Joe has a special way of making the kids laugh.

She is a brave girl. The nurse swabbed her throat and she didn't even grimace. Thankfully, we were in and out really quickly, with a diagnoses of strep and a prescription. As we were leaving Jenna asked if they had any stickers. The nurse kindly took Jenna to give her some and Jenna asked if she could have some for her Buddy, Joseph, too. She already had plenty of girl stickers to share with Bethany. As we were leaving she said, "I got lotsa stickers to share wiff Sissy and Buddy!"

We were wasting time at the pharmacy, waiting for her prescription to be filled. I was wondering from one aisle to the next looking for something interesting to catch my eye. We were passing the card aisle and Jenna exclaimed, "Look Mommy, cards! Lets go down dis way, I wan'a look at da cards, 'kay?!" I was shocked by her interest and since I had nothing to look at that would bring me that much joy I agreed that she could look at the cards.

She immediately stopped right inside the aisle and from there on all I remember is her sweet little voice, full of so much happiness, saying things like, "Oh, look! Aren't they pretty Momma?"
"Dis one has sparkles, isn't it cute?"
"What does it say? Will you read dis one to me?"
"Cin-er-ella, see Mommy! I like dis one!"
"Look at all dese cards, dare girl ones."
"Ooo, dis ones got sparkles, see? What does it say?"

She would pull out a card, look at the front, open it, turn it to see the back, then want to put it exactly back where it went. After we had been there awhile I suggested we move on somewhere else and she said, "Then we can come back and look at more cards?" I could see that nothing was gonna be more fun than letting her explore the greeting cards, so we stayed until the pharmacist called our name.

I didn't know she loved cards so, I guess she gets it from me. She is such a blessing!!

Jenna isn't the only one that went to doctor this week, Bethany complained about her ears hurting on Wednesday. I took her to see our pediatrician. It turned out that she didn't have an ear infection but her tonsils were swollen so she prescribed Bethany an anti-biotic, hoping to help prevent an infection and get her feeling better all around.
I had taken Bethany to her ear nose and throat doctor's office a couple months ago, after she had several infections, a re-ruptured ear drum and complained about her ears popping and not being able to hear well. We saw a PA who assured us that her ears looked fine, except for a small hole from where her tube had fallen out and it hadn't closed. She said it may close on it's own, or we may find it needs to be repaired much later. She said her hearing was fine and that the hole wasn't large enough to worry about. She prescribed Bethany a nasal spray to help with all her sinus issues and we have been giving her allergy medicine.
I filled our pediatrician in about all that we discussed at the ENT's office and she explained that it looked to her like Bethany may be developing scar tissue behind the hole in her ear. She was concerned that it needed something done with it and wanted me to have our ENT look at it. Our doctor felt Bethany may need surgery to prevent the scar tissue from growing and causing hearing loss. We love our pediatrician and so value her opinion, Bethany has an appointment in September with the ENT.
We are praying that God will heal Bethany's ear and that in September it will not need surgery. Bethany is a worrier and listened to everything our doctor said. We would appreciate prayers for Bethany's ear.
As we were walking in the house after Bethany's appointment , Bethany said, "But what's so bad about having hearing loss?" I told her that once you lose your hearing you can't get it back and that we wouldn't want that to happen. We read a book about Thomas Edison this summer and Bethany said, "Yeah, well Thomas Edison had hearing loss and he survived just fine!"

A bit about the boys and kindness

2011-08-06T23:31:00.001-04:00

Brady is 8 months old today! I know every one says this and I say it every month, but where does the time go?! So quickly it passes and he is taking off on us. Everyday he becomes faster and more adventurous. He is pulling up on anything that he can get a grip on, he is army crawling and scooting around, he's crawling under and over whatever is in his way.

Brady is a happy boy, all the time. He never stops smiling. He loves Joseph and the girls, he will watch them closely and hope they will talk to him or catch their eye. If they don't give him the attention he wants he will grunt or squeal, or if they are close enough he will grab the girls hair.
The other night all the lights were out in the house except the kitchen light, which was casting very harsh shadows in the living room. Brady was crawling around and he sat next to the wall and kept watching his shadow. Soon he started trying to touch his profile and watching his hands as they shaped shadows on the wall, it was adorable!

Joseph had flag football evaluations this morning. He is pumped about playing football. He asked me to take his picture making a tough face. Little boys crack me up, how much fun is this! Practices don't start for several weeks but he's ready to get Joe in the backyard and work on his throwing and catching.

Don't tell him I said this, but I think Joe is just as excited as Joseph about football. Joe bought him a football today and couldn't wait to give it to Joseph. Joseph had to re-arrange his dresser to accommodate the football. He wanted to keep the box it came in so that he could to store it in the box when he wasn't using it.

Our first week of school was wonderful. We are still getting into the swing of a school day with 2 kids, plus a preschooler and a baby, but each day it got easier. For me, there is nothing like teaching my children and watching them learn and discover. It's amazing, they're amazing.
Joseph is not into penmanship or writing, he likes to keep it very simple. I'm trying to push were I can, but not too hard. I don't want him hate it, all along he has been a very slow writer. Only a few months ago he started holding a pencil correctly and decided it felt better to write with his right hand. I am letting him write with a pen because he says it feels better, but he still has trouble.
He was writing letters one day this week and he started pouting. When I asked him why he was pouting he said, "I just gets dots." I didn't understand and when I tried to make sense out of it he said, "I get dots in my legs and arms." I assume his legs and hands tingle when he writes. I gave him a step stool to rest his feet on since they don't touch the floor, again it helps a little but we've got a long way to go. Besides that though, he is eager to learn and I'm happy we're using EIW Primary Arts of Language, it suites him well so far.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12

There has been a huge amount of ugliness in this home all week, hitting, fighting, sticking tongues out, slamming doors, smirking when others are hurt, taking joy in others pain, I could go on. It's not been pretty and certainly not pleasant. One morning my mom called me as we were doing Bible time. She asked what we were doing and I said in a very exasperated voice, "Kindness!" I reminded myself of her. I was doing something she would have done when my siblings and I nearly killed each other.
I wrote Kindness on the board and we read the definition of kindness, then we talked about it being the fruit of the Spirit.

Later in the day, I was reading Thriving Family, a magazine by Focus on the Family, I read The Strength of Gentleness. {It's a free resource, you should sign up for it if you don't already get it!} The article was exactly what I needed to help my kids get it, I decided Bethany and Joseph needed to do the egg activity.
Without explaining it to them, I gave them both an uncooked egg with their name on it, they were in charge of that egg for an hour. The object was to take care of it and not let it get broken. They had to keep it inside a Ziploc bag with them at all times.

Both of them thought it was pretty cool to be able to carry an egg around the house. Joseph made a bed for his egg, wrapped it in a wash cloth, fed it a baby bottle and let it nap in front of the fan. Bethany and he thought it was hysterical. He even took his egg for a walk.
Bethany hadn't had her egg very long at all when she accidentally hit it against a chair and it cracked. She was very disappointed and really wanted to win the game. It didn't quite last an hour because her egg got smashed but we talked about the importance of gentleness with others. How sometimes we accidentally hurt others and don't mean to, but then I added that every time one of them had gotten hurt that day it was because some one meant to hurt them.
This was a great object lesson, I wish I could say it was life changing and they haven't had a cross word or glare since, but that isn't the case. We're taking one day at a time, learning and re-learning as we go. Thank God for His forgiveness!! As always, I'm learning with them.

After a late night trip to Wal-Mart

2011-08-02T00:58:00.000-04:00

These last few days of summer break have been full. We've been enjoying them with Joe and celebrating my sisters birthday. I'm always multi-tasking, and it's hard to multi-task anything with blogging. I've had lots of preparations to get in order for our school year, honestly I'm still haven't gotten everything the way I want it but in time it'll get done. Right now I feel like my entire house needs revamped by a major detox of toys and clothes, to simplify our life and help eliminate distractions and extra messes. It's coming sometime soon.
I already went to bed once tonight. We had a paci go MIA and despite turning the house upside down, ripping apart our couch and emptying our van, we couldn't find it or another one anywhere. I perservered to get Brady to sleep without it and crossed my fingers that he would sleep through the night without it. I crawled into bed, it's one of those days that my body aches all over I just wanted to get some sleep. A little after 11 he woke up screaming. I threw on some clothes that really didn't look great and packed him to the van. He and I had a Wal-mart date and treated ourselves to two brand new pacifiers. What a mother doesn't do for her baby and some sleep! When we got to the van I opened the package and gave him a brand new paci and the look one his sweet face made it worth it all.
It's been a very long day, at 4 o'clock I told Joe it was one of the longest days of my life. He went back to work today and we had our first day of school. It's the beginning of a new phase in motherhood and homeschooling. This is my first year with 2 in school, Bethany is in the second grade and Joseph is in Kindergarden. We are all excited and eager to learn. Joseph is going to make a great little student, he is a fast learner and loves to gain more knowledge. Bethany just picked up like we never left off.
As happy as we are to conquer new tasks, accomplish reading list and have fun together, it's gonna be challenging to say the least. I'm sure before long we will have a working school routine that flows better, but today it was rough. Two kids asking questions and needing lots of hands on attention at the same time and all the while, Jenna is wanting to help and "do it too." I keep telling myself these are the easy years!
I took pictures this morning and this one just seems to sum today up, we run a crazy house!

And it's about to get crazier because my little almost 8 month old is bouncing off the floor trying to take off on me. I'm scared to death of what it's going to be like. In the past 2 weeks, he has put us on our toes over small bits of paper, lint and toys being on the floor. He no longer can be left anywhere other than the floor or his crib. He's doing the army crawl everywhere and trying his very hardest to really crawl. He may just skip the crawling entirely though because he is also trying to pull up on anything. Joe walked into his room to get him out of his crib on Saturday and found him like this...

So, yesterday the mattress was lowered, we are ready for take off now. I like this age and I'll take him immobile as long as he likes. He's just the greatest size, the perfect packing baby. He doesn't know what freedom is and doesn't fight naps and being confined in a car-seat, crib, high-chair or exersaucer. He is happy to be held and doesn't want to get down or go anywhere. I have a feeling the flood gates are about to be opened, and though we'll all cheer him on and brag about his accomplishments, my mommy's heart still wants him to stay small as long as possible.

Jenna likes to feed him because she gets to sneak a few of his snacks too. I keep telling her they're for babies but she doesn't seem to care. Brady will gladly put it away.

Speaking of Jenna her lip has healed from her war-on-daddy injury and she has a bigger smile to prove it.

She truly is a nut, that is all we can say about her. Tonight she told me she didn't want to be a girl, she wished she was a boy. When I asked her why she didn't want to be a girl she said, "Because I just look silly with all this hair." Then she pouted. I offered to cut her hair all off like Joseph's but told her she would still be a girl and she said, "Can you cut it tonight?!" Bethany said, "Jenna, that would look terrible!" and Jenna yelled, "NO SISSY. It would not LOOK TerriBLE!" Later, I told her how happy I am that she is a girl and how much I loved her, when I asked about cutting her hair she said, "No, that would be silly!" She is always trying to get a reaction and puts on a show.
I'm usually not big on taking, let alone posting. pictures of bathtubs filled with children but I couldn't resist this one. I'll leave you with this one and then I'm taking my aching body to bed for the final time tonight.

What happened to our patriotism?

2011-07-29T23:05:00.002-04:00

I can't remember the last time Joe and I went to the movies, or what we saw.
Today as we stood in line for tickets, I noticed a young woman in front of me.
She carried a sleeping baby girl on her shoulder, a over-sized diaper bag hung heavy on her opposite shoulder. As she paid for her tickets to see Winnie-the-Pooh, with her active toddler girl running around her feet, I noticed her diaper bag was made of Army fatigues.
I wondered if her husband was deployed, my heart sank.
She walked away and as she did I noticed her toddler girl, happy and active, was severely handicapped, I wondered if this military wife and mom was far from her family, it hit me right in the heart.
As Joe and I sat to watch the movie, I wished there was something I could've done to tell her thank you. I don't know what I could've said, but I wished I would've said something.
We sat watching the patriotism, the uniting of our country to support our troops in a different era and I wondered, "What happened to that country? What happened to that America? What is wrong with me?"
The movie unfolded and at the very end Captain America knew he was going to die, he knew he was sacrificing his life to save so many other lives.
Caught in the plot, I wanted him to live, I wanted him to super-naturally win, even though it was just a movie.
Then I realized, people everywhere are wanting their loved ones to live, to make it home safe, and the truth is there aren't always Hollywood endings.
I felt guilty, I take for granted so much. Days go by and I forget. Men and women are sacrificing their lives, their husbands, their wives, their sons, their daughters, their fathers and mothers, their brothers and sisters for me and my loved ones. For this great country.
They aren't comic book heros, they are real heros, real people.
And what do I do to show my gratitude?
Where is my patriotism?
We left the theater and I broke down crying.
Sometimes I focus on teaching me kids as much of the great history of our country as their little minds can hold.. There is so much for them to learn and know. I forget that we are making history and that I want them to learn from living.
It's hard to feel like anything is enough, what can I possibly do to match anothers sacrifice? I can't, but that doesn't mean I should do nothing.
I was reminded today that I don't do enough. We don't do enough to support our soldiers and their families.
There is always something more we can do.
Speak out and thank them in public, pay for their dinner, take them a desert, send them a care package or a note of thanks. Faithfully prayer for them.
Joe and I have done these things, but never enough. Please, I encourage all of us to do better.

A few summer moments captured

2011-07-18T15:51:00.003-04:00

Joseph and Brady watching Thomas the Tank Engine. Brady actually watches it!

Fresh Blackberry Pie made from berries we picked together in my parents woods.

My vintage yellow sugar cup I found at a thrift store for 50 cents. My Grandma B. has one similar in her sugar jar, and I've always wanted it. This is just as good because it reminds me of her every time I bake.

Jenna sleeping in her bed covered in books and toys. I tried to take some of it out of her bed and she said, "But I need it, because I love it all so much."

Brady sleeping, he looks bigger every time I lay him in his crib.

Bethany reading the Bible when we went camping.

Because I can't say it enough, thank you God for my life and all your abundant provisions and blessings to us. I love you and need you always!

We were heading to the hospital

2011-07-18T15:15:00.004-04:00

Psalm 36:7

How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

Only minutes after I clicked Publish on my previous post, I went downstairs. I walked right into the noisy, screaming of the kids attacking Joe. As my feet hit the last step, the back of Bethany's head hit Jenna's face. I saw it, but more so I heard it. It was a big, loud, CRACK. Instantly my stomach turned and I didn't even stop to look at her because Joe had scooped her up already and I went straight to the freezer and retreived an ice pack then turned back to the living room to see her.
She was bleeding, crying obviously. I remember hearing Joseph wailing with fear, though physically he was fine. Bethany had dashed upstairs to her room afraid she would be in trouble and afraid because Jenna was hurting. The cracking sound had Joe and I both scared to death, the sound alone sent us into a near panic. He asked me to look, but unlike any other time our kids have been injured I couldn't. I was too afraid to look. I imagined it was her teeth we'd heard or her nose. It became quickly obvious that her nose was fine, she was bleeding under her top lip, right between her two front teeth. Joe had a friend that broke his upper pallet in high school, he suspected it was that. He looked inside her mouth and the roof of her mouth appeared to be bleeding and split. "We've got to go Miranda!!"
I immediately began yelling for Bethany and Joseph to get in the van. Joseph was still howling in tears and Bethany came out of her room as I was getting Brady out of his bed from his nap. I was trying to call my parents to let them know we were heading to the hospital and ask them to meet us there. As I tossed Brady in his carseat, Joe yelled from the kitchen that it wasn't as bad as he thought, it looked like it was all coming from under her lip.
Jenna was profusely crying and understandably didn't want to open her mouth anymore. She was crying and saying, "I want Mammmma!" It's often that she says that, every time she is hurt or in trouble, she says that. We quickly assured her we would take her to go see Mamma, but first she had to let us look inside her mouth.
I wasn't so sure that it was simply coming from the lip, because what about the CRACK we had heard. After lots of questioning and examination, we ruled out the broken pallet and she began to calm down. Joe and I were both still shaking. Joseph came in and said, "Jenna, I want to give you something. I want to give you this, be-because I w-was worried about you, Jenna." his voice was shaking. He handed her a bright red Matchbox car and then melted into sobs, laying over her. Joe and I just looked at each other and cried, overtaken by our own love and relief for Jenna and Joseph's tender heart. As his back shook, Jenna said, "I can't see Buddy!", which made us laugh.
Jenna has always had a very thick, fat piece of skin that connected her lip, low to her gum, between her two front teeth. Our pediatrician had said that it may possibly have to be clipped in the future when her permanent teeth come in or she said, it might get knocked loose. That is what happened today. Her lip was really swollen but it has already gone down. We can already tell a difference in Jenna's smile, now when she smiles we can see her upper teeth, before they stayed covered by her lip.
We took Jenna to visit my mom right after we realized that nothing serious had happened. Mom cheered her right up and gave her a Popsicle. We are so grateful that Mamma's house is only 3 minutes away and that she doesn't charge outrageous medical bills for her comforting.
Joe and I were both drained and announced that we were just going to watch Monsters Inc. when we returned from my parents house. We told the kids to go get their blankets and pillows to lay in the floor and watch the movie. Joe asked Bethany to get Jenna's for her. "I already got it Mommy." Joseph said. I asked him when had gotten it and he said, "When Jenna got hurt I thought she might need it so I brought it downstairs earlier." His heart amazes Joe and I. Joe said, "His heart is bigger than his body."

Jenna has clutched the red car ever since he gave it to her, it went to my parents, she held it as she watched the movie, she brought it to the supper table. We had Zucchini casserole for supper, Jenna couldn't remember what it was called and called it, "Puccini." We corrected her but again later she couldn't remember and called it "Volcano Casserole".
It's definitely been a emotional day for all of us and reminded us how much we all love each other and how thankful we are to God for keeping our children safe and healthy. In the end, I'm glad that her lip has separated from her gum. We never did figure out what made the CRACK sound, my stomach still flips every time I think about it. Bethany's head was just fine, and it was all an accident. However, wars ought not to be waged against Joe anymore. I feel like they have subsided for awhile, but certainly not forever.

Pinky Promises

2011-07-18T05:24:00.000-04:00

I was in the kitchen doing dishes and overheard the kids talking, while eating lunch in the dining room. Joseph said, "Pinky promise, pinky promise. Now say, 'I will not give up in this war!" When I asked they were talking about, Bethany said, "We're gonna have war with Daddy."
"Now say, "If I give up, I will be kicked out of this club." Bethany and Jenna chimed in and said, "If I give up, I will be kicked out of this club."
They are always, ganging up on him and "beating him up" it gets quite noisy. I usually have to leave the room, or I will say, "Someone is going to get hurt!" and then they will get hurt for sure.

Summer school

2011-07-15T00:00:00.000-04:00

Bethany has been teaching Jenna her colors with paperclips. I woke up yesterday morning to hear them in the bonus room. Bethany was asking Jenna, "What color is this Jenna?" Then they put the same colors in piles.
She told me she was trying to teach Brady his signs. Sometimes he wakes up before I do and Joseph or Bethany will climb into his bed and play with him. That morning she had gotten in his bed and tried to teach him, more and please. We've been working on more and sleep, so far he waves bye-bye.
Bethany has also been trying to teach him to crawl, she gets him on all fours and he rocks back and forth. I'm not exactly ready for him to take off yet. He's gonna be a busy boy, we can tell already. He has his eye on the rest of the pack and I think he plans on keeping up them asap. He's very active already, jumping around in our arms and lunging for things out of reach, he's very fast and can grab a cell phone or plate of food quick as a flash!
My kiddos love watching JellyTelly, it's been a fun summer treat. It's cute and funny, plus their learning about God, sometimes. Sometimes not, but at least it's good clean fun. They are presently all sitting next to me, waiting for my to finish blogging so they can finish Chapter 8 of Molly Pickens.

We've been reading, reading, reading. I don't think I have ever enjoyed a summer like I have this one. Summer is my least favorite season, but this one has been filled with lots of learning and exploring new places. We are so blessed to have Joe home with us. It's been a busy summer, but it's been so nice to have slow moving mornings, drinking coffee. I'm gonna miss him when school goes back in session.
I've started reading over my Institute for Excellence in Writing, Primary Arts of Language curriculum and couldn't be more excited! I've only made it through the intro for Writing Part 1, but it is already so helpful. A few of my highlighted favorite things about the curriculum are..

Letting the child use a pen instead of a pencil, explanation here
All of the lower case letters have cute little writing ques, like the c, is a happy letter because it is like a cookie that some one took a bite out of, o is a sad letter because no on took a bite out of it
Keeping a daily journal and explaining why you capitalize, e.g. the date, or punctuate certain things as you model writing.
They suggest the child learning to write letters on a whiteboard on the wall or an easel before paper, so that when they go up and down writing a letter, they truly are going up and down

I'm sure I'll have more to share about this later. For now, have a Happy Friday!

Camping with 4 littles, delights and disasters

2011-07-12T22:13:00.000-04:00

The plan was to blog tonight, but Brady didn't get the memo. Maybe he is teething again, I'm not sure, I keep thinking he is just exhausted and sleepy but after 3 attempts to put him to bed, he is still crying. His nose has been running for over a week, it doesn't seem to be a cold, it's either allergies or teething. We'll see how far and in depth this post goes, I'll take what I can get out though.

We left the house 20 minutes after bedtime last night, headed to McDonald's for ice cream. Bethany lost another tooth, this time Joe pulled it out. Joseph and Jenna were so excited that she lost her second tooth and they got ice cream too. Jenna was wondering how to get a loose tooth and Joseph was telling her if she hit it really hard on something it might get loose. Joe and I were listening from the front of the van, hoping she doesn't get any ideas in her head!

Our camping trip was really great. I packed everything but my battery charger and extra battery for my camera so I didn't get many pictures. Most of these came from my sister's camera she and I both used it. It was hot, but I'm getting better about ignoring it. There were heat advisories so we tried to find activities indoors during the mid-days.

Our first day was really fun, we happened upon a lady in the country selling fried pies, so we stopped and bought some for our picnic, they were delicious. On our way to eat a little diner a friend recommended, we saw a tractor pull assembling in a farmer's field. At the diner we asked around and found out it was free and anyone could come that wanted to, so after supper we watched the tractor pull less than a mile from our campground. Joseph loved it and we all enjoyed watching it.

Brady is still crying so either this post will end unbruptly or I'll be typing one handed very slowly....
My parents and sister joined us the first couple days and night. We enjoy hanging out with them but I also have to add that they make camping with 4 small children so much easier, if not possible. We stayed an additional night and it was completely as I expected, CRAZY! Maybe I'll get to that later...

We visited Mammoth Cave National Park and took a tour of a cave, which is a perfect thing to do when the heat index is 106. The kids were able to earn another Junior Ranger Badge and they learned what a cave is like. We are fortunate to live so close to the world's largest cave system, over 390 miles long. The park is under alot of renovations right now but will be really nice when it's completed next year.
Jenna thought we were calling it Mamma's Cave, and so she kept asking when we were going to go see Mamma's {what my kids call my mom}Cave. Then she was disappointed when she found out there wasn't any cake there, I guess she was hearing cave like cake! We promised her brownies instead and she didn't seem to mind.
So, after my parents went home on Sunday Joe, the kids and I headed back to camp. They all needed bathing, especially in the heat, so I went to give them showers before bedtime. Joseph needed to go to the restroom really badly, so he and Bethany ran ahead where I could still see them. When I got to the women's restroom though neither of them were in there and I half freaked. Bethany came around the corner outside the restroom and explained the Joseph had ran into the men's restroom. I wasn't happy about that and called for him to come out immediately but he was already undressed and couldn't come out. I sent Bethany retrieve Joe from our campsite so that he could come keep an eye on Joseph and see that he returned to me safely.
After he finished, I took the three oldest to the shower and as I was finishing Bethany's shower I told Joseph to get undressed, as he was getting undressed he said, "Uh-oh!" Without getting into too much detail, he had somehow soiled his underwear in his rush. After getting undressed, it was everywhere on his legs and feet, then he kicked his shorts and underwear off his ankles and they landed on Jenna's feet and shoes! By that time, the entire shower smelled like a dairy farm! I was forever cleaning the two of them up and all three of the kids thought it was really hilarious!! I have spared you readers the details, but I had to keep some account of this moment.
I had put Brady back to bed, but he is screaming again...

So anyway, camping with 4 little ones with just Joe and I was a roller coaster of feeling really great about the fact that we were doing it, but before pride could really set in, having a moment of wondering why in the world I thought we should tackle an extra night. It just didn't seem worth it, especially considering the heat. Home feels closer to a vacation now!
With so much more I could blog about, I have to keep this short and tend to my Bubba. From my co-blogger and I, good-night stalkers!

4th of July-ish

2011-07-06T15:57:00.002-04:00

Hello faithful stalkers! I hope you all had a fantastic 4th of July. I am so proud of our country and the freedom we have because of the sacrifices other have made. There are so many heroic people, courageous men and women, past and present, that make me proud to be an American.
We had a really great weekend with family, food and fireworks. This is the first year Jenna wasn't afraid of the fireworks. She really is fearless, Bethany was hesitant to hold a sparkler but not Jenna.

Brady did fine when we watched a big community fireworks show from a distance on the 3rd, but when we were up close and way too personal with family fireworks the next night he was scared to death. He was already tired and sleepy when we arrived and he has started to be leery of people he doesn't see on a regular basis. He was a bit overwhelmed by all the family and really just wanted me, but was lovingly passed from one person to the next. By the time the fireworks started he was an emotional mess, Papaw took him in and stayed inside with him. Brady played with his watch and didn't mind the rocking chair either.

I bought a new-to-me camera on Saturday! These pictures are a poor representation of how much better it is than my old one. I'm still getting used to it, but love it already. I bought it on Craigslist, which I think is the greatest place to shop. {Certainly, not the safest, but with common sense and by asking the right questions and taking my husband with me to make the transaction, it turned out well.}
So, for anyone wondering, I bought a Canon 20D, it's a needed upgrade from my Canon Rebel XT. My sister also bought a camera though hers is brand new, a Canon 60D. You can always see our latest photography jobs on Shining Image Photography blog. We've been busy so don't forget to check it out!

All weekend long, Bethany wore the same outfit. A pale blue shirt with a white skirt, with a red flower or polk-a-dotted headband. "To be 4th of July-ish an' all.", she said. "I don't really have much red but I put the flower with it because is needed a pinch of red!"

Brady turned 7 months old today, I really don't know where the time has gone. It feels more like 7 weeks, and to be past that half year mark is a little sad. He is sitting up like a champ, still no teeth! They are playing evil tricks on us. The intensity seems to have subsided for a few days, so I'm not complaining.
His hair is really growing in thick and I don't know how long I'll be able to put off his first haircut. I visited my dad's mom last week and she said that he reminded her of my dad when he was a baby, the way that he is chunky. We looked at my dad's baby picture while we were there and realized that they strongly resemble each other! I can totally see that he looks alot like Joe and Joseph, but it's cool to see my dad in him too. He should resemble him, Brady is named after him.

Brady is always trying to get Joseph's attention. He thinks he is hilarious, which is so cute to us. Joseph will jump around and act crazy just to make Brady laugh. A couple weeks ago, Joseph was hopping and flipping around the room like an animal to make Brady laugh and he hit his head on the piano bench. He cut it open pretty badly, but was okay.
We are getting ready for a camping trip, I'm excited and hope my expectation aren't too high. I've tried to adjust them accordingly to the fact that we have 4 small children and it'll be who knows how hot! I'll be sure to let you know!
Bubba is crying, I need to get potatoes peeled for supper. My parents are coming over in a bit, because our A/C is leaking water and my dad is going to diagnose the problem. I'm sure he'll fix it too!

Bits and pieces

2011-06-30T19:59:00.002-04:00

Bubba is teething. Why don't I remember it being this rough with the others? Maybe it wasn't this bad, or maybe I just can't remember. I've thought he was teething for months, but this last week has been tortuous for us both. He just can't bite down hard enough on anything! I'm expecting a top and bottom row to erupt at any moment.
He also loves to eat, baby food is old and boring now. He would rather eat my hamburger or a chocolate chip cookie. He has tried to eat his high chair and the van dashboard. His arms are super long and when I hold him and try to eat, my plate and everything on the table has to be cleared, he will reach whatever it is he's wanting.
I pushed Brady in the swing until he fell asleep one night this week. Last night he was up 2 times before going out for the night. I've given him Tylenol but it doesn't seem to make any difference. This too shall pass, he can't be teething when he's 20!
The three olders are going to VBS each morning this week. I'd really rather it be in the evening, it's hard getting all of us up and out the door by 8:45. They are enjoying it and it's right up the street and it's free! I was very nervous about leaving them, especially Jenna. We don't know anyone that attends there and I realized it is the first time I have EVER left any of my children with people I do not know, strangers. I have been very blessed to never drop them off at daycare or school, I've never hired a babysitter I didn't know. It's amazing really that this was the first time. I wasn't worried so much about Bethany and Joseph, Jenna is very young though. All of them jumped right in and didn't seem to notice the momentous occasion. The first day I was gone 3 hours and came to pick them up, it felt like I came to pick them up from a week at camp.
Jenna continues to call VBS, PBSkids. The first day she thought there would be "puteres" to play on when she got there.
I went to our statewide homeschool conference last weekend. It was very helpful and confusing to be able to shop and look at all the different curriculum and books. I thought I knew what I was going with next year, I've had my list made out since February. After looking around I ended up buying a curriculum I've never used before. I think it suits Joseph's learning style and will be fun for him. Institute for Excellence in Writing just came out with a reading and writing curriculum for K-2nd grade. Primary Arts of Language Reading and Writing will be a whole new way of teaching, but I think it will work well with my more classical approach next year. I'll be sure to let you know how I like it.
We went back to Berheim to play in the creek this week. Even though we had rain the night before the creek wasn't running. There was still some water so the kids threw rocks, sticks and things to make splashes. Joseph threw a rock that fell close to Jenna and she said, "Buddy, you ss-ared me to deaf!!"
I think of so many things to blog about. Jenna especially is always saying funny things, there are too many things to remember or find time to type. I think about all the things I'd like to share in my blog while I run and by the time I get home from my run I've forgotten it all.
Running is still horrible, I still hate it, but somehow I like it. I like the point in my 2.2 mile run when I am closer to home to finish, then I am if I was to turn around. At that point I know I'm going to complete it, I have no choice.
Psalm 100:5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. This scripture has captivated my thoughts today. I love that God's truth is the same, it does not change. Times, people and places change but God's truth remains the same.

Summer family reads

2011-06-24T10:44:00.000-04:00

We've been reading this summer, hours of reading. We turn off the TV and learn together, Joe reads to us. I bought William Penn Friendly Boy at a Peddler's Mall. I was hesitant to pay $6 for it, because I'm just that way, I like paying less then $4 for books. I talked myself into buying it and I'm so glad I did. It's part of the Childhood of Famous Americans Series, I don't think any of the books in the series are a waste of time or money! You might remember reading them as a child like I do, my siblings and friends used to check them out from the library.
The books are great for early readers, the given age appropriateness is 8. Bethany can definitely read them by herself, although I was probably 11 or 12 when I read them. Reading them together is great for learning American history and discussing life lessons within the story.
I tried to find more books from the series at our library, they had to request a couple from another library, but said that most of the ones I remember reading had to be thrown away because of over use. Some of the titles have been recently reprinted, I'm assuming they are exactly the same as the original printings. As is my nature I would rather have the older, original books and have already acquired Knute Rockne Young Athlete from a return trip to the Peddlers Mall. It is in like new condition and appears to never have been read although it was printed in the 50's.
I have a new saved search on ebay and Amazon, if you find any buy them, read them together or call me and maybe I'll buy them! :) We finished reading William Penn in 4 days, the kids loved the story, it was a great book!!