How true!

I copied this from another blog. This so accurately explains why I don't take my four to the grocery store! It is kind of long, but worth the read in my opinion. Enjoy.

Hilarious e-Bay Listing by Busy Mom
Not sure how long e-Bay will leave this out there, but here is the listing of Pokemon cards we were laughing about last night! :)
Her is her item description:
I'm selling a bunch of Pokemon cards. Why? Because my kids sneaked them into my shopping cart while at the grocery store and I ended up buying them because I didn't notice they were there until we got home. How could I have possibly not noticed they were in my cart, you ask? Let me explain.
You haven’t lived until you’ve gone grocery shopping with six kids in tow. I would rather swim, covered in bait, through the English Channel, be a contestant on Fear Factor when they’re having pig brains for lunch, or do fourth grade math than to take my six kids to the grocery store. Because I absolutely detest grocery shopping, I tend to put it off as long as possible. There comes a time, however, when you’re peering into your fridge and thinking, ‘Hmmm, what can I make with ketchup, Italian dressing, and half an onion,’ that you decide you cannot avoid going to the grocery store any longer. Before beginning this most treacherous mission, I gather all the kids together and give them “The Lecture“.
“The Lecture“ goes like this…
MOM: “We have to go to the grocery store.”
KIDS: “Whine whine whine whine whine.“
MOM: “Hey, I don’t want to go either, but it’s either that or we’re eating cream of onion-ketchup soup and drinking Italian dressing for dinner tonight.”
KIDS: “Whine whine whine whine whine.“
MOM: “Now here are the rules: do not ask me for anything, do not poke the packages of meat in the butcher section, do not test the laws of physics and try to take out the bottom can in the pyramid shaped display, do not play baseball with oranges in the produce section, and most importantly, do not try to leave your brother at the store. Again.”
OK, the kids have been briefed. Time to go.
Once at the store, we grab not one, but two shopping carts. I wear the baby in a sling and the two little children sit in the carts while I push one cart and my oldest son pushes the other one. My oldest daughter is not allowed to push a cart. Ever. Why? Because the last time I let her push the cart, she smashed into my ankles so many times, my feet had to be amputated by the end of our shopping trip. This is not a good thing. You try running after a toddler with no feet sometime.
At this point, a woman looks at our two carts and asks me, “Are they all yours?” I answer good naturedly, “Yep!
“Oh my, you have your hands full.”
“Yes, I do, but it‘s fun!” I say smiling. I’ve heard all this before. In fact, I hear it every time I go anywhere with my brood.
We begin in the produce section where all these wonderfully, artistically arranged pyramids of fruit stand. There is something so irresistibly appealing about the apple on the bottom of the pile, that a child cannot help but try to touch it. Much like a bug to a zapper, the child is drawn to this piece of fruit. I turn around to the sounds of apples cascading down the display and onto the floor. Like Indiana Jones, there stands my son holding the all-consuming treasure that he just HAD to get and gazing at me with this dumbfounded look as if to say, “Did you see that??? Wow! I never thought that would happen!”
I give the offending child an exasperated sigh and say, “Didn’t I tell you, before we left, that I didn’t want you taking stuff from the bottom of the pile???”
“No. You said that you didn’t want us to take a can from the bottom of the pile. You didn’t say anything about apples.”
With superhuman effort, I resist the urge to send my child to the moon and instead focus on the positive - my child actually listened to me and remembered what I said!!! I make a mental note to be a little more specific the next time I give the kids The Grocery Store Lecture.
A little old man looks at all of us and says, “Are all of those your kids?”
Thinking about the apple incident, I reply, “Nope. They just started following me. I’ve never seen them before in my life.”
OK, now onto the bakery section where everything smells so good, I’m tempted to fill my cart with cookies and call it a day. Being on a perpetual diet, I try to hurry past the assortment of pies, cakes, breads, and pastries that have my children drooling. At this point the chorus of “Can we gets” begins.
“Can we get donuts?”
“No.”
“Can we get cupcakes?”
“No.”
“Can we get muffins?”
“No.”
“Can we get pie?”
“No.”
You’d think they’d catch on by this point, but no, they’re just getting started.
In the bakery, they’re giving away free samples of coffee cake and of course, my kids all take one. The toddler decides he doesn’t like it and proceeds to spit it out in my hand. (That’s what moms do. We put our hands in front of our children’s mouths so they can spit stuff into them. We’d rather carry around a handful of chewed up coffee cake, than to have the child spit it out onto the floor. I’m not sure why this is, but ask any mom and she’ll tell you the same.) Of course, there’s no garbage can around, so I continue shopping one-handed while searching for someplace to dispose of the regurgitated mess in my hand.
In the meat department, a mother with one small baby asks me, “Wow! Are all six yours?”
I answer her, “Yes, but I’m thinking of selling a couple of them.”
(Still searching for a garbage can at this point.)
Ok, after the meat department, my kids’ attention spans are spent. They’re done shopping at this point, but we aren’t even halfway through the store. This is about the time they like to start having shopping cart races. And who may I thank for teaching them this fun pastime? My seventh “child”, also known as my husband. While I’m picking out loaves of bread, the kids are running down the aisle behind the carts in an effort to get us kicked out of the store. I put to stop to that just as my son is about to crash head on into a giant cardboard cut-out of a Keebler elf stacked with packages of cookies.Ah! Yes! I find a small trash can by the coffee machine in the cereal aisle and finally dump out the squishy contents of my hand. After standing in the cereal aisle for an hour and a half while the kids perused the various cereals, comparing the marshmallow and cheap, plastic toy content of each box, I broke down and let them each pick out a box. At any given time, we have twenty open boxes of cereal in my house.
As this is going on, my toddler is playing Houdini and maneuvering his little body out of the seat belt in an attempt to stand up in the cart. I’m amazed the kid made it to his second birthday without suffering a brain damaging head injury. In between trying to flip himself out of the cart, he sucks on the metal bars of the shopping cart. Mmmm, can you say “influenza”?
The shopping trip continues much like this. I break up fights between the kids now and then and stoop down to pick up items that the toddler has flung out of the cart. I desperately try to get everything on my list without adding too many other goodies to the carts.
Somehow I manage to complete my shopping in under four hours and head for the check-outs where my kids start in on a chorus of, “Can we have candy?” What evil minded person decided it would be a good idea to put a display of candy in the check-out lanes, right at a child’s eye level? Obviously someone who has never been shopping with children.
As I unload the carts, I notice many extra items that my kids have sneaked in the carts unbeknownst to me. I remove a box of Twinkies, a package of cupcakes, a bag of candy, and a can of cat food (we don’t even have a cat!). I somehow missed the box of Pokemon cards however and ended up purchasing them unbeknownst to me. As I pay for my purchases, the clerk looks at me, indicates my kids, and asks, “Are they all yours?”Frustrated, exhausted from my trip, sick to my stomach from writing out a check for $289.53, dreading unloading all the groceries and putting them away and tired of hearing that question, I look at the clerk and answer her in my most sarcastic voice, “No. They’re not mine. I just go around the neighborhood gathering up kids to take to the grocery store because it’s so much more fun that way.”
So, up for auction is an opened (they ripped open the box on the way home from the store) package of Pokemon cards. There are 44 cards total. They're in perfect condition, as I took them away from the kiddos as soon as we got home from the store. Many of them say "Energy". I tried carrying them around with me, but they didn't work. I definitely didn't have any more energy than usual. One of them is shiny. There are a few creature-like things on many of them. One is called Pupitar. Hee hee hee Pupitar! (Oh no! My kids' sense of humor is rubbing off on me!) Anyway, I don't there's anything special about any of these cards, but I'm very much not an authority on Pokemon cards. I just know that I'm not letting my kids keep these as a reward for their sneakiness.
Shipping is FREE on this item. Insurance is optional, but once I drop the package at the post office, it is no longer my responsibility. For example, if my son decides to pour a bottle of glue into the envelope, or my daughter spills a glass of juice on the package, that’s my responsibility and I will fully refund your money. If, however, I take the envelope to the post office and a disgruntled mail carrier sets fire to it, a pack of wild dogs rip into it, or a mail sorting machine shreds it, it’s out of my hands, so you may want to add insurance. I will leave feedback for you as soon as I’ve received your payment. I will be happy to combine shipping on multiple items won within three days. This comes from a smoke-free, pet-free, child-filled home. Please ask me any questions before placing your bid. Happy bidding! :)

I did it! Part 2

My friend Tamara said I should share this. After I went down the slide with Jordan, he said, "Wow Mom! That was like a thrill ride with you going down!!" So sweet.

I did it!

Ever since I can remember, I have wanted to be a "fun" person. I hate taking risks; I am not adventurous at all. I am a sit around and just hang out kind of person. I don't know how to play. And I hate that about myself. I am terrible at playing with my kids. I don't get down in the floor and play dolls with Claire. I don't know how to pretend. We watched a lot of TV when I was growing up. And that is what my kids do now. I don't like it, that's just what has become. Anyway, in light of what God has been teaching me the last few weeks about enjoying my kids and this life He has given me, last night I did something that surprised me.

We were at small group and the family that was hosting had rented on of those huge inflatable slides for their son's birthday. Everyone, including all the adults, had gone down the slide. My kids were having a blast, and they really didn't notice that I hadn't done it. Or so I thought. Well, I took off my tennis shoes, and I headed for the slide. I wish you could have seen the look on my kids' faces when they saw me getting in. They were THRILLED!!! I went down with Jordan on one side and Claire on the other. Twice! It was so much fun. I have to admit, it was extremely hard "letting my hair down," but it was worth every minute of it.

Making do

WARNING: VENTING AHEAD

Well, I am struggling. There is a line between being thankful for every little thing I have and still struggling for the situation I find myself in. In light of my last few postings about Copeland Farley, this post will seem trivial. But eventhough I am trying to be grateful, and I have changed, my life is still my life. This is where the struggle comes in.

Because of our current financial situation, Stephen has to ref soccer to make extra money. This isn't something he has a choice about, but something he is doing to keep me from having to work, which I am so thankful for. But this means that he isn't home a lot. He was gone before we got up this morning, on a Saturday. And he won't be able to go to church with us tomorrow. Do you know how hard it is to take four kids to church by yourself? I do it, because I know it is important. But by the time we get home, I am so tired and that just makes me grouchy towards the kids, kind of like I am this morning. I am glad Jordan and Claire are playing soccer; I really am. But most of their games this season are at the same time, so I spend my time running back in forth between fields. Doesn't sound so hard, right? Try doing it with a 2 yr old who doesn't like to walk, or stay off the fields, and a baby and a stroller and a camp chair. Tired yet?

I love my life. I wouldn't trade it for anything. Satan is using this time, though, to make me complain. To make me wish I was somewhere else. He is making me mad at Stephen because, eventhough the reffing is work, he enjoys it. So he is getting to do stuff he likes to do and I'm not. Do you see why I am so frustrated? Not that Stephen is getting to do things he enjoys, but that Satan has me mad at him for it. I know Stephen would rather be home playing with the kids. He HATES having to be gone so much. But he is doing all of this for me and our family.

Well, my venting is over for now. At least until I have to get all the kids ready and in the car to get to the fields an hour early for pictures. Life goes on, and eventhough I struggle, I do know how blessed I am.

Remember the Farley's today at 1:00; they are having a memorial service for their baby girl.

I'm so proud.

Just in cast you were wondering what it was like to work at State Farm...

Copeland Fair Farley

The Farleys lost their precious baby girl tonight. I can't imagine what they are going through. Please lift them in prayer tonight and for the next few days. I don't think I will ever stop praying for them. Thank you.

www.conorbootheandgirls.blogspot.com

My cup runneth over...*update on Bennett below*

First of all, let me update you on a couple of sweet babies. Please pray for Bennett tomorrow; the plan is to extubate him sometime tomorrow. It is so amazing to think that he is over a month old and his parents, Travis and Kelly, haven't heard that first cry yet. Pray for him to have a restful night so that they may hear that sweet cry they have been waiting for. Also, Copeland Farley is still here and doing well. I continue to be amazed at that family. Everytime I go to check their blog, I think that it couldn't get anymore amazing, but God is working in that family. Tonight we are praying that she stays pink and has a restful night. Simply amazing.

As for me, I feel God working in my life like never before. I can't believe that he is using a tiny, 4 pound baby named Copeland, whom I have never met, to change me. But then again, I can believe it because my kids are everything to me. And I know God wanted me to see how blessed that family is with Copeland; why shouldn't I act blessed with my kids? Why shouldn't I treat them like the greatest blessings in the world? Thank you, Boothe and Conor Farley, for sharing your sweet family with me. I will be forever changed and grateful. I know that whatever comes my way, I am blessed. God is good. So very good.

UPDATE: Bennett had other thoughts in mind when he wanted to be extubated. Last night during the shift change, Bennett yanked his tube out and the nurses found it on the floor. He is now on CPAP, the next step towards coming off assistance all together and doing great! Apparently, CPAP is annoying to the babies, so he is agitated, but they are thrilled to be here at this point. It was kind of like God letting Bennett do the honors of removing his own tube!

I hear you, God.

"I am so thankful that God's grace is stronger than my faith." This is a quote from Amy Wilhoite, a woman who was my age when she died last week from a long bout with leukemia. I continue to find blogs/websites of people who are going through extreme crises, only to be incredibly strong. And joyful! It just blows me away. I did remark to Stephen yesterday that if anyone questions whether or not God is real, they need to read the blogs I have been reading lately. There is no way these people could endure such hardships if their faith wasn't being reassured by God himself.

I feel God pursuing me. I am listening because I desperately want to know what He is saying to me. But on my bad days, on the days where I am just tired, on the days where I struggle, I am so thankful that God's grace is stronger than my faith. I am thankful that I don't have to be perfect for Him to want a relationship with me. I am thankful that He wants me just where I am. I love Him so much.

I hate money.

Although I wish I had more of it. We are in the midst of a financial struggle right now. Some of our own doing, some not. Please pray that we get it together and use some self-discipline. Pray that we let the Holy Spirit guide us as we look to get out of this mess. Also, please pray that we can do it without me going to work. I can't imagine leaving my babies everyday.

I just wanted to take a minute and ask you to pray for the Farley family today. They are one of the sites I listed in my last post, and they live in Franklin, TN. They are having their baby girl, Copeland, today. She has trisomy18. They have been on my mind all day. I don't know them, but the life of this precious baby, and her parents, has changed me forever.

www.conorbootheandgirls.blogspot.com

Blown away...(added another site to pray for)

For some reason, I have found all of these blogs of people who are grieving. Some in different ways, but still grieving all the same. Mostly from losing their babies/children. My heart has been so heavy for these families, and I have been praying for them. But my heart is also been filled. I have realized that everyday is a gift. I don't know why God chose me to be Jordan, Claire, Luke and Campbell's mom. I don't know why I never had trouble getting pregnant or have never had any miscarriages. Several of my friends have and it just kills me. I don't know why all of my kids, eventhough they were ALL born at least 4 weeks early, had no problems. Claire had to stay in the NICU for a few weeks, but she was healthy just the same.

I have been humbled beyond words by the things God is allowing me to see. I am so grateful to Him for the gift of my family. But now, more importantly, I am grateful that He is teaching me to enjoy each minute. He is teaching me to discipline with His heart and guidance. He is teaching me about the special gifts that each of my children has. So, for those of you who are getting ready to experience great pain and grief, and those of you who have in the past, know that I pray for you and know that your strength amazes me everyday. I know I am blessed and I don't take it for granted.

Please pray for these (and the others I couldn't find again). These families have touched me and changed me.
http://www.conorbootheandgirls.blogspot.com/
http://www.poppyjoy.blogspot.com/
http://www.logansrace.com/
www.totsites.com/tot/bennettmitchell
www.caringbridge.org/visit/millergracecassetty

Hey Stephen, ha ha.

Looks like I had camera batteries after all!

My, oh my

I was sitting here trying to read blogs, and I have a million things going through my head. So, I thought I would get them down. This will probably be incoherent to anyone but me, but read on anyway if you wish.

1. Bennett Speck is doing so good! He got his chest tubes out today, so they are one step closer to holding him. You can go to his site for the latest. www.totsites.com/tot/bennettmitchell. Please keep them in your prayers.

2. Campbell is done nursing and it has made me sadder than I thought it would. But I just wasn't being a good mom to the rest of the kids because I was so tired. So, this is the decision I have made. I am feeling guilty and depressed, but I know a lot of that is the hormones talking. I am proud of myself for sticking it out for almost four months.

3. My stress level is having a very negative effect on my oldest, Jordan. His behavior is really trying my patience. The thing is, he is perfect at school. His teacher wrote on his homework the other day, "You are my shining star!" But when he gets home, I feel like all I do is discipline him. It is very tiring. He has so many great gifts, but I am having trouble focusing on those at the moment.

4. I love my family so much it hurts. When I look at my kids and my husband and realize how unbelievably blessed I am, I just ache. My heart couldn't be more full.

5. I miss God. I feel Him right now, but I miss the Bible study time I am used to. I want to lead another one, but I don't know where I would find the time. I don't have a very good prayer life. But, I have found that I can pray a lot during the day without even knowing it. And I have been doing that a lot lately, which is why I have been feeling God walking me through each day.

I have a lot more that I could share, but I need to go and hold Luke before he goes to sleep. He is watching Dora and Campbell is asleep on Stephen, who is also asleep. If my camera batteries weren't dead, I'd take a picture. It is pretty sweet. It reminds me of that quote, "Life isn't measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

Couple of updates

First of all, Baby Bennett experienced a miracle today! Go to his website to read the journal entries from today; www.totsites.com/tot/bennettmitchell. Keep praying for this sweet baby and his parents; I have been amazed and forever touched by their strength and faith.

Also, our family friend Bobby Coss, only had 7 bypasses, not 12. Sounds funny to say only 7, but it turns out I just misunderstood my mom on the phone. Continue to pray for him as well.

I have about a million thoughts running through my head about my life. Hopefully one of these days I will have time to blog about them.

Praise the Lord!

The latest journal entry on Baby Bennett was good. For those of you wondering if prayer really makes a difference, go to www.totsites.com/tot/bennettmitchell and read the latest journal entry. Keep praying for his heart and lungs. This morning as I was nursing Campbell, I just couldn't get Bennett off my mind. Everytime I hear of a baby, child, or anyone really who is so sick and having so many problems, it makes me want to fall on my face in gratitude for the blessing of my healthy children. They were all born early and could've potentially had so many problems. I don't know why I, of all people, have been so blessed. It is certainly nothing I deserve. Remember Bennett today, and also our family friend Robert Coss.

Continued prayers

I am posting the latest journal entry for Bennett Speck below. Please pray for him tonight. Also, a close family friend, Robert Coss, had bypass surgery today after suffering a heart attack. He had 12 arteries that were blocked 95%. The surgery was successful, but he has a long road of recovery ahead of him.

September 6th - Day Eighteen, 6:30pmposted on 09/06/2007
Family and friends, I know we've said this before, but now is the most crucial "hour" for our precious boy. The next several hours and throughout the night will determine many things.
We just met with the wonderful team of doctors again. His lungs have responded better than they thought they would to being temporarily taken off ECMO. The lungs haven't responded anywhere near perfect of course, for they are still too weak. But the lungs did respond, so the decision has just been made to remove Bennett permanently from ECMO. There were a few other reasons why they wanted to take him off ECMO, including the fact that the machine had a major clot in it, but the main ones are because his lungs are functioning a little better now and to reduce his bleeding. Once he is off ECMO, he cannot return. This will significantly reduce and/or eliminate his bleeding, but it will also significantly reduce the assistance he was receiving. It's now entirely up to his lungs and heart.
So, can you see where we need prayers right now? Two main organs: his lungs and his heart. They now have to carry the burden of sustaining him, so please pray for the strength of his lungs and his heart. His heart is also of major concern because it now has to start acting like, well, a heart. But his heart has been hibernating over two weeks, so there is significant concern about how his heart will respond to the "shock" of having to work again. They will be giving his heart several drugs and steroids soon to try to kick it in gear.
The surgery option right now is still just an option. If his lungs continue to expand and strengthen, then surgery may not be needed. This would be ideal. But even if surgery is performed, the risks are much lower now because the heparin and excessive bleeding should no longer be issues. As you can imagine, so much is happening right now, and it's happening very quickly. Essentially what it boils down to is the healthy functioning of the lungs and the heart.
Before the doctors re-entered the NICU to head over to Bennett, we told them that we and several hundred people around the country are praying for them and for Bennett. They thanked us for that, and reminded us that faith is essential during times like this because their expertise can only go so far. Your prayers are sustaining us, the incredible medical staff here, and our precious son, and we ask that you once again join us in prayers for the doctors and for Bennett's lungs and heart. His has fought like a warrior, but his strength will be tested now more than ever.
We will most likely be here for the majority of the night, and as more updates become available we will let you know. As always, thank you for all your love and support.
Love,
Travis, Kelly, and Bennett

Bennett Mitchell Speck

Some friends of ours we used to go to church with have a new nephew that is in the hospital. The journal entry for today listed some new problems he is having and I want as many people as possible lifting him in prayer. The NICU is a scary place sometimes. And Claire wasn't even really sick when she was there. I just can't imagine what they are going through right now. Please pray for Travis, Kelly, and Bennett. Thank you.
www.totsites.com/tot/bennettmitchell

Labor Day 07

Here are a few pics from our weekend. I was way busier than I thought I'd be so I didn't get many pictures. We had a great time, though. The kids had a blast! We went to the aquarium in Chattanooga on Saturday. Luke made it through the first half and slept through the second. We played at the campground the rest of the time. We rode paddle boats, fed horses, played in the dance hall, ate a lot, just had a great time. Thanks Grandma and Papa!

Has it really been that long?

Today is our 11 year anniversary. 11 YEARS!!!! I can't believe it. Time flies when you are having fun, I guess. Stephen and I are going out of town in separate directions this weekend. I'm not excited about that, but that's what happens sometimes. He is doing a soccer tournament outside Atlanta and I am going with my dad and that side of the family to Rossville, GA. My grandparents rented a big cabin for all of us to stay in. It should be really fun! The kids are so excited to get to play with their cousins that live in Alabama. I can't wait.

Anyway, Stephen I love you so much. I can't believe I've been so lucky to have found you. I am getting to do what I have always wanted because of you. We have an amazing family that I get to spend every day with. You support me in every way, encourage me in every way, and love me in every way and there are no words for me to thank you for the last 11 years. I love you more than words can describe ;). Happy Anniversary!!!

Please pray...

I have some friends who are suffering a miscarriage today. Please pray for them. Thank you.

Keep on keepin' on

Well, I had a carbonated beverage last night. My first since last Tuesday. I have to say it was sooooo good. It was raspberry flavored diet rite, so it had no caffeine or sugar. I am not going to let that stop me, though. My sister-in-law and I said we weren't going to have carbonation anymore. She is better to sticking to things than I am. But I am going to cut WAY back. Maybe one a week. I really don't see any difference in the way I feel, but I know they are bad for me. So I am just going to significantly limit how many I have. Well, I feel better getting that off my chest. I know you all care ;)

Luke and I (and Campbell) are going to a friend's house to play this morning. I hope everyone has a great day!

I've been tagged again.

8 things you might not know about me.

1. I thrive on relationships. I love talking/sharing with just about anybody.
2. I LOVE being a mom. I feel like God created me to do exactly what I am doing right now.
3. I have a tendency to yell. I hate that about myself. No one deserves to be yelled at. It is so unproductive. I'm working on it.
4. I love Sonic cokes. But I haven't had one today since I am giving them up. Now I love Sonic sweet tea. HA!
5. I secretly wish I was an athlete. I have to make myself exercise. I enjoy the way I feel afterwards, but I hate actually doing it.
6. I love college football. Go Blue Raiders! (and go Vols!!. Good thing my in-laws don't read my blog. I still have a little orange blood left in me!)
7. I now know the meaning of "You'll definitely know when you are done having kids!" I am DONE!!
8. When I was little, I would stand on my grandparents hearth and pretend I was a song leader like my dad. Now, I am on the praise team for ConnectMTSU (our college worship service) at church. Weird.

I can do this.

No more coke/diet coke. Walk on the treadmill everyday. I can do this. Focus. I have to do this.

HELP!!!

When Stephen and I first got married, I worked at a credit union as a teller. I loved it. I was always good in math and I love working with numbers. People would come in from time to time for us to help balance their checkbook. I have always prided myself on being able to balance a checkbook to the penny. I can usually find errors with no problems. It thrills me when I am able to find something and see the balances match up. Weird, I know.

I went to Sonic the other day and went to use the check card. It was declined. WHAT?!? I went home and got on the online banking program. I couldn't tell what was coming out the next day, so I had to wait until today when everything cleared. I have gone back through two checkbook registers and found a couple of errors. I now have our checkbook balanced within $3.91 and it is driving me CRAZY that I can't find any other errors.

I think I may need therapy.

New pics-3 mos

My cousin Stephanie made this dress. It is so beautiful!

Fever's gone!

Well, Luke hasn't run a fever since Thursday night, so it looks like we are out of the woods. At least we are out of the contagious stage. His mouth still looks pretty bad, but the sores are going away. You can certainly tell he feels better. Thanks to everyone for checking on him.

In other news, we had family night last night. We went to rent a movie for the kids and then Jordan wanted to treat us to ice cream. So, we went to Sonic after the video store, but we decided that it was too hot to eat ice cream outside. The kids eat pretty slow, especially Luke, so we knew it would melt and be a huge mess. Then we thought about getting cones at McDonald's. So we drove to the one closest to our house. We unloaded the kids and got everyone inside only to find out their ice cream machine was broken. We loaded everyone back up and went to the next closest McD's and finally got our cones. It actually ended up being pretty fun.

Next Friday night we are having another family night because High School Musical 2 premiers! Claire is soooo excited. I am sure we will see lots of singing and dancing from her. She LOVES that movie! Sometimes she will put on the soundtrack and sing and do the dances to the whole thing. It is quite funny. I hope everyone has a great weekend!

I give up.

Well, Luke was okay all day yesterday. He had a low-grade fever so I assumed we were coming out of the woods. But last night, it went back up to 102. So far today, he doesn't have a fever at all, but I still don't want to get him around other kids. So, my friend Malia is coming to get Jordan and Claire and take them to playgroup with her kids since they are out of school today. I am really bummed because I was looking forward to going. When will this end?!? I know my problems could be a lot worse, but I am so tired. Anyway, please pray that this goes completely away. Luke is getting major cabin fever.

I can see it!

The light at the end of the tunnel, that is. So far, Luke doesn't have a fever today. It also looks like the blisters on his mouth are going away. Please, oh please let this be the end of this illness. Yesterday, I thought Campbell was getting a fever and I started praying right then that God would spare her of this; it looks like He has. She is fine today. This one has knocked me off my feet.

Day 6

I think his fever may have broken in the night. He is still asleep, so we'll see. I do know that I am exhausted between him not sleeping and Campbell not sleeping. Well, she has actually been doing better, but with Luke not sleeping I am up anyway, so it still feels like we are up all night. Anyway, hopefully today will be better. Stephen went back to work today, so pray for me that I will have patience to handle Luke; he has been acting out since he has been sick whenever I have to hold/feed Campbell. He tries to pull her out of my arms, or he just screams the whole time I have her. So frustrating. I know it is just because he feels bad; he is usually great with her.

I watched a video in YouTube this morning that was linked on another blog. I don't know to put a link to something on here, but the title was Lifehouse's Everything Skit. Definitely worth watching if you find it. Have a great day.

Day 5

This is the fifth day Luke has been sick. He is miserable. I wish there was something I could do to make him better. They say the fever should break today, we'll see.

On a lighter note, I found this picture on my camera today. I guess I should hide it from the kids. What is it with boogers and poop that is so fascinating, anyway?

Poor Lukey

My little Lukey is sick. He has a virus, maybe hand-foot-mouth. He has been running a high fever since Friday. They said it should be gone by tomorrow at lunch time. He is miserable. His voice is scratchy, he has little blisters all around his mouth and his fever has been around 103-104. He is such a happy kid that he still tries to laugh and have fun, but you can tell he just feels awful. It is really hard for me because I can't just sit and hold him like I want to. Campbell is still refusing to take a bottle, so when I have to nurse her, Luke gets so upset because he wants me to hold him. It is hard. At least Jordan and Claire are in school now, so they are occupied. Stephen is coming home from work early today to help me. Pray that Campbell doesn't get sick. Pray that Luke gets well. Pray for rest. Thanks.

Park day

Campbell Anne

Luke and Cooper






Luke with my diet coke.




















My friend Malia and I took our boys to the park yesterday. It was so hot. The boys wanted to take their shirts off. We were the only ones at the park, so we let them. They looked pretty silly since they also weren't wearing any shoes, but they felt good. I also included a pic of Campbell Anne. She slept through the whole park experience. O well. She will be 11 weeks tomorrow! I can't believe it.

Arguing

I don't get it. What is the point of arguing? Jordan insists on arguing with everything we say. He always has to have the last word, even if it means he will get in trouble. For those of you that know my husband, you know exactly where he gets it :) Anyway, I asked him why he continues to argue when he knows it won't work and he knows he will get in trouble for it. His answer was "I don't know. I just don't know how to stop. I try not to argue but I can't help it." He also cries about whatever he is arguing about. He is a very emotional child, so I get that part, but it is really trying my patience right now. The point of this post is really just to vent. Luke copies everything Jordan does, and this is something he is starting to pick up and I can't stand it. We have let a lot of things slide over the summer with Campbell being here and everything, but it has gotten totally out of hand. We are definitely "parenting outside the funnel" for all you Growing Kids God's Way graduates. O well. This, too, shall pass. I hope.

Happy Birthday Zachary!

Luke, Zach, Cooper and Knox (This picture was taken last September.)


One of Luke's best friends, if you have best friends at age 2, turns 2 today. We have been in a Bible study group together for going on 4 years now. These 4 boys were born all within 5 weeks of each other. They are all 2 now and it is so fun to be around them. I actually meant to do a birthday post for each of them, but I have been kind of busy ;) Sorry boys! What a blessing it is to have this group!

Please pray...

A couple that we used to go to church with, Paul and Erika Maple, lost their baby girl, Eden Elizabeth, about a week and a half ago. She was born on July 9. I don't know all the details, but I do know she was supposed to have heart surgery as soon as she was born. Anyway, she died on July 14. My heart is so heavy for them. I can't imagine what they are feeling right now. Please lift them in prayer. They also have a toddler-age son and I believe his name is Riley. Thanks.

I've been tagged...

Thanks Tam! 8 habits/facts about myself:
1. I got married when I was 19 to my first love! Almost 11 years and 4 kids later, we are still in love.
2. I talk all the time about wanting to be more organized, but it's just talk. I just don't have it in me.
3. I don't play enough. In fact, once in some counseling, one of my assignments was to play. How sad is that!?!
4. Singing is my favorite thing to do. I would love to be on a professional praise team, like the one that travels with Beth Moore.
5. Martina McBride is my favorite singer.
6. I love my grandparents.
7. I would love it if I loved to cook, but I just don't.
8. I have the best friends in the world!
9. I wish I had a better relationship with God. I had a discussion with Him about this last night.

OK. I know I said 8, but I had to add one more.
I typed the last two with one hand. Campbell just wouldn't wait any longer.

Wow...

First of all, let me say that I love connecting to long lost friends through the blog world! I have connected with a couple of high school friends in the last couple of days. So fun!

Now, back to the "wow" part. For some reason, having four kids has knocked me off my feet unexpectedly. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing else I'd rather be doing. I guess I just didn't realize how hard it was going to be. When I had Jordan, I knew I had found my calling. I loved everything about being a mom, and still do. When he was 15 months old, Claire was born. I don't remember the first six months of her life. It was CRAZY. Funny thing is, I didn't realize how crazy it was until about a year later. Needless to say, we waited a while before having more. When Luke was born, Jordan was 5 and Claire was 4. They weren't in that "needy" phase anymore, so I could focus on Luke and they were actually a big help. Well, Luke turned 2 a month after Campbell was born and, honestly, I didn't expect it to be this hard. She is a good baby, but there were several weeks where all she wanted to do was nurse. Luke didn't understand that, so he would just stand there in front of me and cry because I couldn't help him. There is no schedule, I forget to eat, I have NO time to myself. It has just been harder than I pictured.

That having been said, there is NOTHING in the world that I would rather be doing right now. I know that God put me on this earth to be a mom. With all the hardships, frustrations, and everything that goes with parenting, I am content. Content with my role, content to do without some material things to stay home, content in my marriage, just content with life in general. I mean, yes there are things that I would love to have, things that I would love to be different (like having time to go to the gym!), but I love my life. I am continually overwhelmed at the life God allowed me to have despite my shortcomings. He is awesome and I love Him so much. Thank you God for giving me the life of my dreams.

8 weeks!

I can't believe my baby girl is eight weeks old today! I have to admit, the last two months have been harder than I thought it would be. But looking at this sweet face everyday sure makes things easier! I am so incredibly blessed, definitely beyond my wildest dreams. I hope you enjoyed the pictures!

I'm still alive...barely.

Just wanted to let everyone know I am still here. I was trying to think of what to blog about, but honestly, I am just too tired. Campbell is doing well, but nursing around the clock. Can't quite figure that out, so I don't have a lot of free time right now. It is wearing me out, but I am trying to stick with it. The kids start back to school in less than two weeks. We are all ready for that! Hope everyone is doing okay. I will try to post some new pictures in a couple of days.

Meekness...

I read this on a comment on the Living Proof Ministries blog and it relates directly with some things I have been struggling with. I just had to share.

MEEK ~"The meek man, is not a human mouse afflicted with a sense of his own inferiority. Rather, he may be in his moral life as bold as a lion and as strong as Samson; but he has stopped being fooled about himself. He knows he is as weak and helpless as God has declared him to be, but paradoxically, he knows at the same time that he is, in the sight of God, more important than angels. In himself, nothing; in God, everything. That is his motto. He knows well that the world will never see him as God sees him and he has stopped caring. He rests perfectly content to allow God to place His own values. He will be patient to wait for the day when everything will get its own price tag and real worth will come into its own. Then the righteous shall shine forth in the kingdom of their Father. His is willing to wait for that day.In the meantime, he will have attained a place of soul rest. As he walks on in meekness he will be happy to let God defend him. The old struggle to defend himself is over. He has found the peace which meekness brings.Then also he will get deliverance from the burden of pretense. By this I mean not hypocrisy, but the common human desire to put the best foot forward and hide from the world our real inward poverty. For sin has played many evil tricks upon us, and one has been the infusing into us of a false sense of shame." AW Tozer, The Pursuit of God.

Oh, that we could all walk in this way!

Here we go again...

I realized today that God is getting me ready for another journey. I have no idea what this one is about or what He wants me to learn. I just know that He is calling me. I know He wants change. I know He is pursuing a relationship with me in a way that I have never known. Not that He hasn't called me before, but that I haven't felt it in the same way before. Hopefully, I will continue this journey and not drop it like I have done so many times before. And hopefully, I will be able to share my journey to help someone else.

Happy Father's Day!

To all the fathers in my life, I hope you have had a wonderful day.

Dad, I hope you know how much I love you. There have been times that have been hard, times where I thought we would never get through. But we did. And I am so thankful. While we don't agree on a lot of things, I know that you are always there for me. You have always supported me in whatever I was doing. You are the best granddaddy in the world. You have the relationship with my kids that I always knew you would. I wouldn't take anything for that. And even if I don't always agree with you, I will always love and appreciate you and the father that you have always been. I love you.

Papa, growing up next door to you and Grandma was one of the best things that ever happened to me. I always thought it was so special that I got to run down to your house everyday. I had two homes in a way. You always were there to play with us. I remember when we would spend the night, you would give us vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup; everytime I have that I think of you. Since I have grown up, you have been there to support me in so many ways. I don't know what I would do without you.

Stephen, where do I start? When I was younger, I always knew that I wanted to grow up, get married, have kids, and stay home with them and just be a mom. You have made that dream come true for me. You are the best dad to Jordan, Claire, Luke and Campbell. I had no idea how blessed our family would be. It is truly beyond my wildest dreams. I couldn't have been more blessed with the family that you have given me. Watching you with our kids is a blessing that I cherish everyday. Thank you for everything you do for the kids and everything you mean to them. While I am not always encouraging to you, I appreciate you more than you could possibly ever know. I am so thankful that my kids have you as a father. And I am thankful to our Father that He chose you for me. I love you.

To Stephen's dad and PaPa, you have been amazing influences on Stephen. Dad, Stephen always talks about how, eventhough you didn't live with them, they could always count on you to be there. They knew that every other Friday, you would be there to pick them up for the weekend. Stephen's favorite memories mostly come from trips with you. They knew that you loved them and that they could always count on you. PaPa, you have always been so important to Stephen. You have no idea the influence you have had on him. Your support throughout his life has made him the man he is today and I don't think I have ever thanked you for that. I love you.

I could never express the thanks deserved to the fathers in my life, but I hope you know how much I love you.

Stay tuned...

I am really thinking a lot about what I want this blog to be. At first, it started out as a way to share everything going on with the kids. Then I decided that I wanted it to be that with some spiritual thoughts as well. Then I feel like it turned to something I felt like I had to do because I don't like to quit things I start. So, why am I saying all of this? I really want my blog to have a point. I do a whole lot of thinking, but not a whole lot of sharing my thoughts. I think this is what I want to do here, but I have held back. Sometimes I am not sure if I want what I write to be seen by everyone. But that is something that I feel other people can relate to. I also want to work on being real. Not trying to hide who I am or what I feel from other people. I believe that we as Christians are good at putting on our "Christian mask" and leading others to think we are perfect. Well, I am not and I want people to know the real me. If they like me, fine. If they don't, at least I will know that I wasn't giving off a false image. All of this seems now like a lot of rambling, but stay tuned; my thoughts are getting clearer.

Three weeks and a tooth...

Three weeks ago today my baby girl, Campbell Anne, was born. I can't believe it has already been three weeks! She is growing so fast. She gave me a little smile today. It was precious!

Claire lost her fourth tooth today. She pulled it out all by herself. She is so big! Jordan wanted me to say that his eighth tooth is about to come out. We will be eating a lot of mashed potatoes around here!

All of my kids are growing way too fast. I am trying to cherish everyday. Some days are harder than others, but they are still a blessing no matter how hard they can be sometimes! I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, except maybe the beach. HA!

Two week update...

Well, Campbell Anne is growing more than I thought! She weighed in at 6lbs 12 oz and was 19 1/3 inches long. She put on 10 oz since last Friday! And she grew over an inch since birth. I knew she was doing well, but I was so happy that she had grown so much. Time is going quickly these days. The last two weeks have flown. I tried to get some pictures of her today, but they weren't very good, so we'll try again later. Have a great day everyone!

13 days old

I can't believe that almost two weeks has gone by since our Campbell was born. It is really going by fast! She goes to the doctor tomorrow for her two week check-up. I can't wait to see how much she weighs. I can tell she is really growing. I have a bunch more pictures to post from the holiday weekend, but those will have to come a bit later when I have more time. For now, I will leave you with these. Hope you are all doing well!

6 days old

I can't believe my baby girl is already 6 days old! Time flies when you're having fun!

Last couple of days...

"When will these other kids calm down!?"

At the hospital

















What an amazing couple of days we have had. Things are going really well. Campbell is doing great. She is definitely loved by her brothers and sister!

It's a GIRL!!!

Campbell Anne Shirley


Our beautiful baby girl was born May 17, 2007 at 1:50 a.m. She weighed in at 6lbs 7oz and was 18 inches long. I will post more details from the last few days later, but I couldn't wait to show her off. We are doing well, but I am really tired. She is doing awesome, good eater, I couldn't ask for more. She was 4 weeks and 3 days early, but you would never know it. I can't believe how blessed I am. Thanks for all the prayers. We love you!

Baby update...

I had my 34 week checkup this morning. Everything looks good. He said I could stop taking my anti-contraction medicine next week, so I guess I could have the baby as early as next week. I am trying to make it to May 20, though. That is my 36 week mark. Anyway, just wanted to let everyone know that I am hanging in there and it could be soon!!!

Way to go, Claire!!!

I have to take a minute and brag on my kids. Each of them was chosen this year to attend the Character Luncheon at Black Fox Elementary. Each month, a student is chosen from each class to go to this luncheon because of their exceptional character in the classroom. I was so proud that each of them got to go.

But, this morning I got a call from Ms. Sherry, one of the Kindergarten helpers, to tell me that Claire had been chosen for the Best Character Award for the whole year in her class and they were having an assembly to recognize those students this afternoon. I barely made it there, but it was so fun to see her run up on the stage and get her award. She was beaming!!! The kids said they didn't know when they entered the assembly who would be chosen, so for her, it was a big surprise. My camera batteries were dead, so I took a picture when we got home.

I am so blessed by my children and am constantly amazed that they are mine!

Worst blogger ever...

I know I am a slacker. I really have no reason for not having posted anything. I sit around a lot these days, so I have plenty of time. Honestly, I think I am tired of talking about the same old things. My life right now, for the next few weeks anyway, is pretty boring. Get up, take the kids to school, come home, go pick the kids up from school, come home, play, eat, go to bed. This pretty much describes everyday for me.

That having been said, it is a blessing to have "boring days." This means that I am not having anymore trouble with the pregnancy right now. Luke is a blessing, because for the most part, he plays really well as long as I can be near him, so I do get to rest a lot. Stephen is a HUGE help after 4:00 when he gets home from work. I really don't have to do anything when he is here. Sometimes I choose to, but I really couldn't ask for a better supporter than he is.

I am 32 weeks and 4 days now. The doctor said yesterday that if I get to 35 weeks and go into labor, they will let me have the baby. I really want to make it to at least 36 though. Anyway, realistically, I could only have 2 1/2 weeks until the baby gets here! Everything is ready. Luke and I went to Target today and got a few more things like diapers, pacifiers, changing pad for the bed. I have to pack the bag for the hospital and that's it. Done. I really can't believe it is almost here. I found out I was pregnant at 4 weeks, so the first few months took FOREVER!!!! But the last few days have gone by really quickly. I go to the doctor every week now, which should make things go by even faster. We have a list of names for either sex ready, so once we see who this baby is, we can give him/her a name. So exciting!!!

Well, that's enough rambling from me. I hope everyone is doing well. Keep me in your prayers that I can make it a little longer. I really don't want this baby to have to stay in the hospital. So far, everything looks promising! Have a great rest of the day!

The countdown has begun...

Well, last night I made my first trip to the hospital. Of course by the time I got there, my contractions had slowed way down, but I still got two shots of terbutaline to stop the contractions. That stuff makes you feel terrible! When we left to come home, my heart rate was as fast as the baby's. I was shivering like I was freezing, but I really wasn't cold. Although, it was about 60 degrees in the room they had us in. Anyway, everything is fine today. I'm just tired. It was so nice, though, to be able to go to the hospital here in Murfreesboro. It only took us five minutes to get there. We were only gone two and a half hours. Keep me in your prayers. It would be really nice to not go back for about five more weeks; at that point they would keep me and let me have the baby. Thanks for the prayers!

Worship

I don't know if I have shared this here before, but I have a passion for worship, specifically leading worship. I have always loved to sing. When Stephen and I first got married, we went to a church that not only allowed, but encouraged people to use their gifts, any kinds, for the glory of God. I was heavily involved in the music ministry there, and besides being a mom, that was the most fulfilling thing I have ever done.

Right now I am at a church that doesn't really have an outlet for music. We have a different song leader every week. There is really no consistency. And while I know they are working towards remedying (is this a word?) some of this, it is still frustrating for someone like me, who longs for meaningful, music-filled worship. Where people are encouraged to worship however they feel led to. Where we are filled with awe as we worship our creator and everything he has done for us.

I am not sure how to go about filling this need that I have. But I have been thinking about it this morning as I listed to a song called "You Were There" recorded by the ZOE group. You can listen to it on their myspace page. www.myspace.com/zoegroup. It will start playing once the page is opened. There are 3 other songs there as well. This is the worship leader that I worshipped with at our other church I mentioned. The members of this group are there as well. Please pray for me. I don't know what God has in store in this area of my life, but I long to be involved in this again. I long for my church, which I love, to experience this and have a place where people can use musical talents to glorify God "at church."

Oh good grief...

I think it may be time to get rid of the paci. Luke had just finished throwing a MAJOR temper tantrum. So, he was extremely tired. He wanted all his blankets, his pillow, and all the pacis he could find. He was lying down on the couch and fell asleep. When I moved him to his bed, he didn't let go and this is how he ended up.

Almost 30 weeks!

I can't believe it. I will be 30 weeks this Sunday! So hard to believe. I had a good doctor's visit today; everything is going well from what we can tell right now. So I'll just keep doing what I am doing until told otherwise.

This naming business is about to send me over the edge. I have agreed on a CRAZY plan with Stephen. I have already agreed to not find out the sex of the baby, which has been really hard, but really fun as well. Now, I have agreed to let him pick the boy's name and I'll pick the girl's name. So not only are we going to find out whether we are having a boy or a girl on the delivery day, we will also find out who gets to name the baby! I can't believe I am doing this. But we are going to come up with a general list to be sure neither one of us selects something the other one hates. So it should be okay. I don't hate any of his names so far, so we'll see how this goes. It is getting VERY exciting around here.

The kids are doing well. Luke is cutting a few teeth, so he has been "fun" to deal with. Jordan and Claire are doing well in school. Stephen moves to the training unit at work Apr. 23 to start training for his new position as Claims Representative. Things are going well. We are blessed. I hope everyone else is doing well. Have a great Easter weekend!

Won't you be glad when...

I have this baby and we know what its name is? Ok. So we have decided for sure (99% sure, that is) on Campbell for a girl, so I want a more unique boy's name. What are your opinions on Lincoln? Stephen likes it, and I am not really sure yet. Just thought I would throw it out there and see what you thought.

My little rooster...

I love babies with bed head!

Not much going on here

Claire turned 6 last Thursday. She got her ears pierced! It was so fun. Then we took her to Don Pablo's Mexican Kitchen to eat. They let you wear this big sombrero on your birthday. I have pictures to post, but it is getting harder and harder to sit here very long. I will do that as soon as I can. The kids are out of school this week, so we are just hanging out at home. I had really good intentions of doing fun things with the kids, but I just can't right now. I am bummed, but they seem to be fine. Anyway, hope everyone has a good day.

The results are in...

I do not have gestational diabetes. This is a routine test that all pregnant women have to take. I have never had it, so I wasn't worried. Just thought I would let you know!

Good appointment today

I had a really good appointment today. Before I shared my concerns with my doctor about us not doing enough to keep this baby from coming too early, he said he wants me to start coming in every two weeks already, just to be on the safe side. So that made me feel a ton better. We asked our other questions and all the answers made me feel like he really isn't blowing me off. So, we are going to stay with him and have the baby in Smyrna. I can't believe I am already going every two weeks. Getting closer! Probably only about nine more weeks to go! Now if we could only decide on names...

Another day...

Well, not much going on here. The weather has been beautiful. We have played outside, which Luke loves to do. He usually cries when we have to come in. The kids are doing well in school. Luke is starting to talk a lot. It is so much fun listening to him. The baby is growing by leaps and bounds, which means that I am as well!

On that note, I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow that I am kind of worried about. There is nothing wrong with me; I am just feeling uncomfortable with my doctor. When I was pregnant with Luke, I went (on my own) to a specialist because my first two babies were early. I just wanted to see if there was anything new I could do to keep that from happening again. So the specialist had me have an ultrasound every week, and they would send it to my doctor. I felt like I didn't worry as much because I knew what was going on. Well, this time, I have the same doctor, but we aren't doing any of the extra stuff and I just feel like we should be doing more. Since I have now had three early babies, I feel like he should be monitoring me more closely. Anyway, I am going to share these concerns with him and see what he says. Also, the hospital I will be delivering at doesn't have a NICU. So if the baby comes before 36 weeks, I will have to deliver in Nashville. Anyway, I say all of this to ask for your prayers. I really don't want to switch doctors this late in the pregnancy, but I also want to feel good about the care I am receiving.

We are going to Mellow Mushroom tonight for dinner because it is Black Fox Elementary night! Yum! Can't wait. I will update tomorrow after my doctor's visit.

Crazy times...

The last couple of days have been kind of crazy. Still trying to work out the TV situation. It is proving to be a lot more difficult than I thought it would be. I guess I didn't realize how dependent on the TV we had become for our entertainment. I knew we watched a lot, but the thing that has surprised me most is how much my kids were watching. I guess I just didn't pay attention. It has definitely been an adjustment. We haven't stopped watching it all together, but the kids are only allowed one show a day. Stephen and I try not to have the TV on if the kids are awake. I am supposed to be off my feet, so I have watched more than I'd hoped, but I am resuming my usual activities today, so hopefully I won't watch as much.

The baby has been EXTREMELY active the last couple of days. So much so that I found myself praying last night that God would make the baby be still for a little while so I could fall asleep. During the day I don't mind as much, but you would have thought I'd had about 12 cokes or something. Anyway, I try not to mind considering I am carrying a life inside of me. It is pretty amazing. I am starting to have the usual problems so I am having to start taking it easy. That is so hard for me. There is a routine that I try to keep myself in during the week, and when that gets off, it is hard for me to adjust. My routine is pretty flexible, but still allows me to keep things done. But I am so thankful that I have a husband who is so helpful. He just jumps in and does what needs to be done. I am so thankful for him and don't tell him enough how wonderful he is. So honey, I love you. I couldn't make it through this without you! 10 more weeks to go!

I hope everyone has a great day!

Wow...

For those of you who were at church yesterday, all I can still say is Wow, or should I say Ow! I haven't been that convicted of anything in a long time. Basically, for those of you who weren't there, in David's sermon, he talked about feeding ourselves with trash and expecting different things to come out of us. How can we expect to produce peace, contentment, truth, righteousness when we feed our minds with trash, whether that be through TV, media, radio, movies, etc. It really hit me over the head. I talk all the time about wanting my life to be different, but I do nothing differently, so my results stay the same. If I want my life to be different and full of holy things, I have to put those holy things in first. So convicting.

That having been said, last night Stephen and I talked about getting rid of television. For those of you who know us well, you know how serious that is for us. We watch lots of TV. It has become what we do after the kids go to bed at 7:30, kind of our "date." But we just were convicted that we spend very little time talking, sharing, studying, etc. Our kids are never satisfied because they are watching TV in the mornings before school and as soon as they get home, so they see LOTS of commercials that tell them they aren't happy yet because they need that one more thing. Even Luke loves TV. This morning, I tried to not turn the TV on, and he threw a major fit, screaming hysterically because I wouldn't turn the TV on when we got home from taking Jordan and Claire to school. This is usually when he watches TV while I get housework done, take a shower, etc. But the things that was so bad is that he isn't even two yet and he is already addicted to TV like the rest of us.

Anyway, please pray for us as we decided what is best for our family. Right now we are thinking about getting rid of the TV for 3 months and see how that goes. I have a feeling we will not want it back. But it is a little easier to start small, since this has become such a huge part of our lives.

Did anyone else who was there feel convicted about anything? Just curious.

It's Friday!

Not much going on here today. Stephen is doing a soccer tournament this weekend, but he doesn't have to be there until 10 a.m. so he is home this morning. It has been nice. He went with me to take the kids to school and then we went to Wal-Mart. We are looking for an entertainment center for the playroom and I had seen one online. They did have it at our store, but it weighed 100 lbs and Stephen wouldn't let me help him get it into the house. So, we didn't buy it today, but we know it's there. I guess that will come next week.

Luke and I are going to playgroup this morning at the gym at church. Should be fun. Then home for lunch and nap, and back out to get the kids. We have family dinner tonight at Stephen's brother's house, so that should be fun. Anyway, I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Yucky day

Well, I guess I am staying at home today. The weather is gross, not fun to have a 20 month old out in. I have plenty to do here anyway. Luke hasn't been sleeping very well. Well, he has been sleeping okay, but he won't stay asleep in his bed. Which to me is weird because at night all we have to do is lay him down and he goes to sleep on his own. But when he wakes up in the night, he won't put himself back to sleep. So he tossed and turned and punched and kicked us all night. Needless to say, Stephen and I are both pretty tired today. I guess now that Becky is gone and I am not worried about waking her up, we will just have to let him cry it out. He used to do really well, so I think he is just testing us.

I don't have very many goals for today. I still haven't cleaned my bathroom. It is really hard to clean a bath tub when you are six months pregnant. I may just clean the sink, toilet and floor and leave the tub to Stephen. Although, I am picky so I probably will just do it myself. Stupid, I know. I guess the other goal will be just playing with Luke. We will be home all day so we should have plenty of play time. Try to enjoy this rainy day!

Mary and Martha

I am reading a book called Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World. It is so good. Last night it was talking about Martha and how she wanted everything to be perfect when Jesus came to her home. She loved Jesus and wanted to shower him with hospitality while he was there. When Mary didn't really care about what the house looked like or how quickly the food was on the table, Martha got frustrated. It wasn't that she didn't also want to be at Jesus' feet. I thought about how that is true in my life. Sometimes, I can feel God calling me to spend time with him, and I say,"OK, I'm coming. Just let me get this load of laundry in the washer and the beds made, and I'll be there." I get so busy with my "ministry" that I miss the relationship.

I do consider being at home and taking care of my family my ministry. I love doing things for them, providing a clean home, clean clothes, dinner on the table, etc. And I do think when I am doing those things that I am also doing them for God. But at the same time, I sometimes think that doing those things defines my relationship with Him. In reality, those things that I do should be the result of my relationship with Him. They should be the overflow. I am learning more and more that the relationship with Him comes first; until that happens, nothing else really matters.

I don't know if this makes any sense, but hopefully it did. My goals for today:
1. Straighten the house
2. Returns at Old Navy
3. Cancel YMCA membership
4. Keep going over my "truth cards" about money
5. Spend time at the feet of Jesus

Have a great day!

Back to reality...

Well, it turns out I didn't have very realistic goals for myself. I didn't have that many, but I just didn't get everything done. The one I did do is play with the kids, and that was the most important one to me anyway. So I still felt good about my day. Luke and I had plenty of cuddle time and the rest of us played games after school/dinner. So all in all it was a pretty good day.

I took Luke to the Discovery Center for the toddler time yesterday morning. I realized that he had never been before, at least not that he remembers. We used to do that stuff right after he was born while Jordan and Claire were still at home, but since they have been in school, we just stay home. So it took him almost the whole time to warm up enough to leave my lap and enjoy the songs, etc. So I will have to make that a regular thing because I think he will really like it. I am also going to find the story times again at the library. I am not sure if I will go to the one here or Smyrna. I didn't really like the one here, but the lady that used to do the storytime in Smyrna is now in Lavergne and I just can't justify driving that far for storytime. Plus Luke would probably fall asleep anyway! I'm rambling.

Today, my goals are laundry (carried over from yesterday), bathroom (also carried over from yesterday), and the kids' room. We will do that one together when they get home. I may also start getting the trash and stuff out of the playroom so I can start organizing that. Becky still has a couple of things here, but they can be moved to a corner until she can get them, so that shouldn't be too much of a problem. Well, I better get to work so I can have lunch with my hubby! I hope everyone enjoys their day!

Today...

I have several goals today. I hit a low point last night, and without going into a lot of detail about it, I have made these goals.

1. Laundry (I usually do this on Mondays.)
2. Clean my bathroom
3. No T.V. for me or Luke until the kids get home.
4. No computer unless Luke is asleep.
5. Learn how to play with my kids.

When I turned the T.V. off this morning, Luke was already saying, "Mama, show." I thought to myself how sad it was that he didn't know what else to do to fill his day without the television being on. This is the most important thing I will do today. I am not sure I know how to play with them, or if they will even want me to play with them; it will feel pretty new to both of us. But nevertheless, that is my goal.

Thanks for being interested in my journey. It keeps me accountable more than you know. I don't ever want to pretend to be something I am not, and lately, I have found myself doing just that. Why is it so hard to be honest about our struggles? I don't know the answer to that, but I am going to try and not put on my mask. We all struggle, whether it is behind closed doors or not. Why not share our struggles and help each other by letting us know we are not alone? Isn't that what Christ would want from his church? Anyway, that is my two cents for the day.

Today's goal

Yesterday's goal of taking my thoughts captive went okay. I didn't do as well as I wanted, but I didn't fail.

Today it has been a little harder to come up with a goal. Saturdays are hard because we are all home and things tend to get messier on Saturdays. Right now I am doing laundry and making mental lists of things to be done once Becky moves out. She is moving to her apartment today. So, there is so much to do between now and when the baby comes that it is easy to get overwhelmed in this house. It is small, three bedrooms, one bathroom, but it suits us well. I have a huge yard that I love. I think the kids feel at home here. So I just want to make it more organized and functional, so that our day to day life doesn't seem so hectic. I envision a "place for everything and everything in its place" home. I know, hard to do with kids. But we were doing pretty well before, so I think we can get back to that once the space opens up more in the playroom. Anyway, blah blah blah.

I have determined while blogging that today's goal, as Luke is screaming in my ear wanting my attention, is to play with the kids and have a family day. We are going to the basketball game this afternoon. Of course, I will do some cleaning, too, but they are still young enough that they love it when I involve them and make a game out of it. "Let's see how fast you can pick up your 'Scooby' people!" So, we'll see how that goes. Enjoy your Saturday!

One day at a time

I have decided that I need to take things one day at a time on this new journey. I tend to think about everything I need to do all the time, and I end up doing nothing because I get so overwhelmed. Today's goal is to think positive thoughts. Not just positive thoughts, but obedient thoughts.

2 Cor 10:5 says, "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

What does it look like to take your thoughts captive? I know a lot of times I will think something about someone or something that I know I shouldn't, but I justify it by not saying it out loud. I think it means to take that thought and say, "No, I am not going to think that way. How would Christ want me to think about this situation? What lie is Satan telling me that allows me to think the way I do?" And then turn that thought into obedience. There are so many areas where my thought life isn't obedient to what I believe.

So, today, this is my goal. Not housework, not getting prepared for baby, not all the other things I need to do, but changing my thoughts. Sure, the other things will get done, but my main focus will be on making my mind obedient so that my actions will come naturally and they won't be forced or fake, but that starts a whole other issue. "I can't think about that right now; I'll think about that tomorrow." Scarlett O'Hara

One day at a time.

The "Proverbs 31 Woman"

I saw this on another blog today and it really spoke to me. I am not sure what version it is from, but I loved this translation.

First thing in the morning, she dresses for work,
rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started. She senses the worth of her work, is in no hurry to call it quits for the day. She's skilled in the crafts of home and hearth, diligent in homemaking. She's quick to assist anyone in need, reaches out to help the poor.
When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say,and she always says it kindly. She keeps an eye on everyone in her household,
and keeps them all busy and productive. Her children respect and bless her; her husband joins in with words of praise: "Many women have done wonderful things, but you've outclassed them all!" Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.The woman to be admired and praised is
the woman who lives in the Fear-of-GOD.
Proverbs 31: 17-20, 27-30

There are so many things that I feel like I am not doing right now. Satan knows that and he uses every opportunity to make sure I feel like a failure. But when I read this out of Proverbs, I felt hope. Hope that I can do everything I want to do. Hope that this is not all there is, struggling just to get through the day. I have no doubt that God has called me to be at home and take care of my family as my main job. Some days I wonder why He called me to do this, but I am thankful beyond words that He did. He knew that I was the one to be Jordan, Claire, Luke, and Baby's mom. He knew that whatever I have was meant just to raise them, not anyone else. He knew that Stephen and I were perfect for each other. I am just in awe right now. I have had quite the pity party today, well, the last several days actually. And something about this proverb hit me over the head. This is what I should be about. And with God, I don't have to do any of it on my own.

Weird...

I am in a really weird place today. I can't really explain it, except to say that I have this unsettled feeling. I don't know why. I just feel like there is something I am supposed to be doing. Luke only took an hour of his two hour nap today, so that has thrown me off a bit. I just feel like I am wandering around my house expecting something big to happen. Is someone needing me? Is God calling me? Am I supposed to be doing something for Him and I don't know what it is because I haven't spent any time with him over the last couple of weeks? Anyway, I just can't put my finger on what it is.

I don't have any updates on MeMa today. They had to put a feeding tube in yesterday, so that was somewhat of a setback. She wasn't happy about it. Please keep praying for her. It looks like it will be a long road of recovery. Hope everyone is having a good day.

So much better...

MeMa is doing so much better today. They think she was severely dehydrated from a "bug" she had gotten earlier in the week. They had called their family doctor, but none of them realized just how dehydrated she had gotten. Being 81, it can shut your systems down, be bad mentally, etc. So now that they have gotten a week's worth of fluids back in her system, she is 100% better. Stephen was in there this morning and said she carried on a conversation with him that he knew she wouldn't have been able to do yesterday. She is asking how long she has been in the hospital. I guess it's good she doesn't remember any of her stay, because it would not be pleasant if she did. Anyway, thank you so much for your prayers. They have meant so much to us over the last few days.

Please pray...

Stephen's grandmother, Patricia Shirley, otherwise known as MeMa, is in the hospital. She has been there since Friday and they really don't know what is wrong with her. She is having trouble breathing, very high heart rate, not really all there mentally. She had a surgery this morning to install a filter for a blood clot in her leg. She made it through the surgery, so right now we are just waiting for her to wake up from that to see how she is. It is really touch and go from here. Stephen and his brother left last night and have been at the hospital in Knoxville since about 3:30 this morning.

Stephen's parents divorced when he was 5 years old, and he spent a lot of time with his grandparents during this time. He has always been very close to them. MeMa and PaPa both have been a huge part of his life and mine since I have known them. They have been showing signs of slowing down for a while now, but you still never expect someone who has always been so vital to now be in the hospital. So anyway, please keep them in your prayers today. I will try to update as I have new information. Right now, I am just getting laundry done and things together in case I have to get the kids and head to Knoxville. All this has happened very fast, so it is hard to tell what will happen. Love you all.

Snow Day!

This is what we have been doing this morning! So much fun. I have been at the computer about 100 times over the last few days, but everytime I start to post, I just can't get my thoughts together. I am on a very interesting journey, one that I can't wait to see the result of. I hope to be able to share more over the next few weeks. I hope you have a great day and enjoy the snow! (If you have any.)