Confessions of a Chosen One

Being Silly

2012-02-10T19:45:00.000-06:00

I'm hoping to write a more elaborate post soon, like with actual thoughts and updates. But for tonight, all I can muster is a few pictures of my precious love bugs just being their silly, goofy selves.

But I thought that might be ok with you, because they are just SO cute! ;)

Well, that's all for tonight. Have a great weekend!!

Day by Day

2012-01-11T20:42:00.000-06:00

It used to be difficult finding purpose in the day to day, mundane life of a stay at home mom. There were so many days spent covered in spit up, picking up cheerios and cleaning dirty diapers, that it was easy to feel like I was "missing out" some how. That I didn't have a "real" job or ministry, and therefore wasn't serving God's kingdom because, let's face it, I rarely even left the house!

But as I go through various seasons of my life I am learning (and re-learning) that it doesn't matter whether I am out working in the "real" world, or at home with the kids; out on the mission field or in the church nursery. What God expects of me does not change.

God's word states, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31.

"...whatever you do..." Whatever you do in your family, in your job, in your church, in the world, in public or in private, "do it ALL for the glory of God."

All of God's actions end in HIS glory, whether it is His creation, His providence, His judgement or His mercy. It is the same with His son, Jesus Christ. All that Christ did and does has the glory of God as its end. His life, His sacrifice, His suffering, death and resurrection all bring God glory. Therefore, everything that we do, every word, every action, every deed, ought to be singularly focused. To the glory of God alone.

Now that I am teaching full time, I face new challenges. New frustrations. New discouragements. But the reason I am there is to love my students and share Christ with them. To honor and glorify God in how I prepare and how I teach, in how I speak and how I (try) to show patience.

No matter what situation I find myself in, or where I am working, or what I am doing, God still calls me to live and act in a way that brings Him glory. I love the song "Do Everything" by Steven Curtis Chapman. It is such a great reminder! I hope you are blessed by the song and the truth of God's word today!

Three.

2011-12-24T21:58:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas Eve! I hope you all had a wonderful day filled with joy!

Our day was filled with presents and CAKE. Yup, we have celebrated yet another birthday at our house today. My beautiful, sweet, smart, giving, precious first born turned THREE today.

She's growing up so fast. I can hardly believe how smart she is, how caring she is, how much she loves her baby brother and sister, and how encouraging she can be.

The other day, I was trying to open something for her and was having a hard time. She said, "You can do it Mommy. You're strong like Jesus!" Sometimes I cry just because I love her so very much.

She loves to cuddle on the sofa with me, and she LOVES to sing. That's the only thing she ever tells me about pre-school-what songs they sang. I love hearing her sweet voice as she sings all her favorites.

I'm so blessed and thankful for this precious girl God has brought into my life, and although I am happy and thankful that she is growing big and strong, sometimes I wish time could stand still for just a little while. That she would not grow up quite so fast.

But I guess since that is not possible I will just try to enjoy every single moment.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEAUTIFUL GIRL! WE LOVE YOU!

My Baby Doll

2011-11-19T20:11:00.000-06:00

November is a busy month at our house! It's crazy hard to believe (at least for me, anyway...I was not really ready for this day yet...), but my sweet, easy going baby doll girl turned ONE yesterday.

WHAT?! I cannot even believe that an entire year has gone by...she used to be so tiny, and now it seems she is just moments away from running and chasing after her brother and sister.

Ok, so she's not even walking yet, much less running, but she is a fantastic crawler, and cruises around the furniture.

She is very vocal and loves to make fun sounds and imitate the noises that we make. She also loves to clap her hands and wave "hi" and "bye."

She's still pretty petite as far as one year olds go, weighing between 19 and 20 pounds. And she has just started to get her third tooth (first on the top).

I still can't decide if her personality will be more like her brother or her sister, but one thing is for sure...

she's pretty much the cutest, sweetest, most precious one year old I know, and we love her SO VERY MUCH!!

On This Day...

2011-11-11T19:57:00.000-06:00

Two years ago, our beautiful, amazingly strong baby boy was born, and our lives were forever changed. I can hardly believe two years have already gone by. After his birth, it felt like our time in the neonatal intensive care unit would never end; time seeming to move in slow motion. And yet now, it is merely a distant memory.

I am so proud of the boy he is becoming. He acts and talks and runs and jumps [and screams and cries] just like any normal, healthy two year old does.

To see him interact with other children, or to watch as he thoughtfully cleans up his toys, or to hear his excitement about the plane in the sky or the train driving by, you would never know the difficulties he faced in his first 97 days on earth.

He loves to follow his big sisters lead, and he loves to dote on his sweet baby doll. One day, they will know just how blessed they are to have a brother like him.

I am so blessed to be his momma, and we are so very proud of his endurance and strength!!

Fun on the Farm!

2011-10-16T21:36:00.000-05:00

The weather here has been absolutely FABULOUS, so yesterday we headed out to the country to go on a hayride and pick out pumpkins. It was a really fun (although tiring) afternoon!

Admiring the pumpkins!

Ready for the hayride!

Waving to the cows!

Calm and laid back as usual :)

Everyone was so tired by the end, I couldn't get a smile with their new pumpkins...

But my baby doll was happy to oblige!

I just love fall! And now we're looking forward to some delicious pumpkin recipes for these freshly picked pumpkins!! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!! :)

One Reason I Love My Job

2011-10-03T08:00:00.001-05:00

Let me preface this post by saying, I do not always love my job. Some days, I am so exhausted, I can barely get out of bed. Some days, I am so tired of repeating myself, I think I might snap. And some days, my high school students act more like two year olds than my two year old.

But.

Then there are days when God uses one of those students to bless me and encourage me in ways I have never been blessed before.

I have a senior who is a refugee from Nepal. He is an amazing, Godly leader, and I am learning a lot from him. He recently came to class and explained to me that during his quiet time, he prays for a handful of students and teachers specifically, and by name. For the past few days, he had been praying for me and wanted me to know.

He then handed me a piece of paper that said:

"So thankful that God has given me teacher and sister in Christ like you. I always feel bless to be in your class. Let you know that you're in my prayer...

This is how I pray for you...

Numbers 6:24-26 "The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace."

1. I pray that God give you wisdom that you need to teach high school students! For His glory!

2. I pray that you would grow closer to Christ each day to become a better mother, wife, teacher, sister in Christ for His glory.

3. I pray that you heart would be right before God, and that you will be faithful to study God's word each day.

4. I pray that God would grant you wisdom in the decisions that you need to make each day.

5. I pray that you will be blessed and a way of blessing to others each and every day of your life.

6. I pray that God be with your family and make your family a blessed and happy family."

I am so grateful for the opportunity to meet so many wonderful youth, who encourage me, strengthen me, and challenge me in my faith. Please pray that I can be a Godly example to them, and that I will have opportunities to share the things that God has taught me through my life experiences so far.

How God Provides

2011-09-30T20:22:00.000-05:00

Wow, having a full time job seriously takes everything out of me, and I can never seem to find time for blogging! It seems I have more things that I want to write about than ever, yet never have enough hours in the day, energy to write, motivation to focus, or to do lists done to get to it.

But in the craziness that has become my life these days, there is one thing that I truly want to share, and that is the many, MANY ways I have seen the Lord bless and provide for my family in the past two months.

As excited as we were to move here, and as ready as we both were for my husband to go back to school, it was somewhat a leap of faith. We felt that this was were God was leading us, but we had never been here. Never visited. Never looked at apartments or seen the campus. We had no friends or family here. And we had no jobs. Once we made the leap, however, we secured an apartment close enough to campus for my husband to ride a bike to school. It was the very last apartment available in this complex. (This meant we could sell one of our cars, and I have to say, it is pretty fantastic having only one car!). We then waited patiently and trusted that God would continue to work out the details, and provide income as well as other odds and ends that we needed.

After moving in and trying to get settled, I was offered 4 different jobs (including some I did not even apply for!) and God made it clear where He wanted me. As hard as it is for me to be at work, I am learning a little more each day why God has me there, and I feel incredibly blessed.

But then there are other things that God has provided, that I was not even prepared for or expecting. For example, when we were moving in, it was just us and all our stuff in storage. Through a mutual friend in a different state, God provided a man who grabbed a few of his friends to help us unload all our boxes, beds and washer and dryer into our new home. At the time, it didn't even occur to me that we would need help moving in, but looking back, I have no idea how we would have done it without them.

And then, God began to provide tangible things. Our plan was always that we would have the one car for me to drive to work, and my husband would ride a bike to campus. Great plan, except that we didn't actually own a bike. Well, after moving in, we mentioned the need for a bike to some new friends here, and they said, "Oh, there's a guy! He repairs bikes, then gives them to people who need them!" They made a call, and two weeks later, he had a bike ready!!

And then there's "The Attic". It's a ministry on campus for seminary students and families. People make donations (clothes, household items, furniture, TVs, etc.) and everything is organized and available for families to take for free. So far a few of the things we have gotten at the Attic include: a microwave, a (very nice, like new) printer, a wicker basket, some dishes, two storage bins that we use for toy boxes, some clothes for the kids for winter, a couple of clothing items for me and my husband and some other odds and ends.

In addition, God has provided the most wonderful and supportive neighbors. Their children are all around the same ages as ours, and they love to play together. We are greatly enjoying getting to know them, and have been blessed by them, even in our short time here. One friend even made us dinner one night because she heard I was sick!

Honestly, I could go on and on with stories of God's provision, but I'll stop there. I'm looking forward to sharing more of our life here, and of God's plans for our family!

Fall Fun!

2011-09-19T20:17:00.000-05:00

I was informed by one of my students today that it is not technically fall yet. Not until September 22. Well, that's ok, we are having tons of *Fall fun* already!!

Last weekend, my husband's seminary hosted their annual Fall Festival. This is a HUGE deal, and I don't think we could have really prepared for how big it is if we tried! They go all out, down to the very last detail, and everything was FREE. :)

The theme this year was Narnia, so everything was focused around the characters and stories from the Chronicles of Narnia. We even walked "through the wardrobe" to enter the festival.

There were tents surrounding the quad filled with all kinds of yummy treats, as well as thirty-plus bounce houses for kids and adults of all ages. The only thing that got my kids out of the toddler bouncy house was telling them that we were getting some sweet treats, haha!

Bounce House Fun!!

There was also free Chick-Fil-A! That's all I needed to know, ha!

Is this not the CUTEST picture you have ever seen?!? She's so laid back, she just hung out while we ate our chicken. :)

After dinner, there was and face painting and crown making...

And after dark, there was a Narnia-themed jousting show. We only saw a little, because it was already way past the kids' bedtime as it was, but man, it was spectacular! Here is one of the horses that we got to see...

And on our way out, my daughter got a magic wand and my son got a sword. I can't even tell you how much fun they had! We had planned on having dinner and then heading out, but the kids were so good and having so much fun, we didn't leave until almost 9 pm! Plus, I saw several of my students, and we saw a girl that we knew in college with her husband who is also a student here! It's such a small world, and we are loving it here so much. :)

Where We Are Now...

2011-09-15T20:52:00.000-05:00

After spending some much needed time at home, and after my kids were sufficiently spoiled by their grandparents, we were finally on the road again and back to real life. It was time to unpack, get settled, and start finding our way around yet another new city.

And where exactly is this new city? Well, after much prayer, we felt like the time was finally right for my husband to go back to school. So we are now living in Kentucky so he can attend seminary. For so many reasons, and in so many ways, we are a perfect fit here, and although it has not all been easy (what move is??), we are completely confident that this is where God wants us right now. How long will we be here? I have no idea. I have given up trying to figure out God's plan, because just when I think I know it all, He throws me a curveball. So instead, I will walk in faith wherever He leads us.

There have been so many changes and adjustments that have come with this move and this new phase of our life, that it was a little overwhelming at first. Because my husband is now in school, we made a lot of changes to how we live and where we live. Before we left New Mexico, we sold a HUGE amount of stuff, including most of our furniture. That has helped us settle in here, because we are living in a 980 square foot apartment. It's tiny. Really tiny. But there are a lot of closets, and we totally make it work! And I have realized that we often think we "need" things and space that in reality, are not needs at all.

Another major life change has also come as a result of my husband going back to school. With him being a full time student, we had to figure out how to pay the bills. All summer I applied for jobs, but mostly heard nothing. We finally moved in and got settled, and still we were both unemployed. About a week after settling in, however, I began to receive calls, and had four job offers in about 48 hours.

After being home with my kids for almost three years, I did not want to go to work full time. I fought it, and wrestled with it, and came up with a hundred reasons why I should still be at home with my kids. But ultimately, God made it clear that He had a place for me, that He was providing for our family, and that my babies would be taken care of. And I truly want to support my husband, and give him the opportunity to grow as an individual as well as a follower of Christ, as I know he will while we are here.

And so, probably the biggest reason for my lack of blogging the last two months is that I have been teaching Algebra 2 and College Algebra to juniors and seniors at the most amazing Christian school I have ever seen. They are truly focused on seeing kids come to know the Lord, and it is so nice to be in a work place who shares my focus and priorities. I love that we can share prayer requests with each other, and if I want to, we can set math aside and pull out our bibles to study God's word together.

Plus, they have a wonderful preschool, so on Tuesday and Thursday, while my husband is in class, Punkin and Bubba come to school with me, and Baby Doll goes to the babysitter right next door. The preschool director went out of her way to shift classes around to make room for my kids, and found a babysitter for Baby Doll (you know, since I know no one here). And then on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, they get to stay home with their daddy. :)

It was really really hard to get used to being back at work (and getting up and out the door on time every morning), but things have settled down a bit now. We have all gotten into a routine (as much as possible, anyway), and my kids are absolutely LOVING school. As I knew that they would!

So that's where we are now! Whew. I have so much more to share, but I think I'll just leave it at that for now. After all, I have to get up early tomorrow, and Baby Doll is still not sleeping through the night!

Things...Are...Happening...PART 2!

2011-09-13T21:14:00.000-05:00

So after leaving Little Rock, we headed into Tennessee. Tennessee is a very long state, and we have a lot of friends and family there, so we took our time driving through. First stop, Nashville!

The Parthenon and playing in Centennial Park:

After we left Nashville, we were able to spend some wonderful time visiting my family. My kids had SO much fun with GiGi and my cousin's son Luke! When we were at the mall, Luke decided to try a bungee trampoline jump thing (what is the actual name for those things??) so of course my daughter had to do it too!

She was so proud of herself. After she got started, she said, "Mama, look at me! Look at me, Mama, I'm jumping and I'm not even crying!" :) Such a big girl!!

After we left my Grandma's house, we went to visit our friends in east Tennessee. We were able to spend some much needed time together, and were shown such tremendous hospitality! Here are the highlights:

Riding the rides at Dollywood:

Playing at the park:

After we left, we finally, at long last, 12 days after our journey began, crossed the border into Virginia. We took a slight detour on our way home to visit our beloved alma mater, James Madison University. It had been so long since we walked on the campus and ate a delicious Dave's lunch, we just couldn't pass it up.

When I told my kids this is the "Kissing rock," my daughter bent down and kissed it. HAHA!

**Side note, if you are in Harrisonburg, I am very sorry we didn't get to visit with you. It was really just a walk on the quad while we eat some lunch and then get back on the road kind of stop.**

So then, we finally made it home. Where we spent the better part of July. It was fun and relaxing, and I read a book (beginning to end!) for the first time in years. (Well, maybe not years, but it has been a REALLY long time) :) So where are we now??

Come back tomorrow for the exciting conclusion!!

Things...Are...HAPPENING!

2011-09-12T20:41:00.000-05:00

Oh my goodness gracious, friends!! I cannot believe I neglected my beloved blog for so long. There we were, right in the middle of one of the most fantastic/crazy/joy-filled/INSANE road trips ever, and I just stop posting. Leaving you all completely hanging.

Rude, huh?

To give up this blog was never my intention. What has happened in the last 2 and a half months, however, is a very long story. So I guess I better start at the beginning! :)

Obviously, our road trip was off to a shaky start (to say the least). But rest assured, the remainder of our journey was significantly better! We learned what works (and what doesn't) when driving cross country with three babies under three, visited with tons of family and friends, relaxed as a family, did lots of sight-seeing, and eventually (a week and a half later) arrived home in Virginia.

And all the while, I was taking pictures and preparing to relay one fun and hilarious story after another here on my blog. Unfortunately, after leaving Texas, we were without internet access. And THEN, I left my computer at my Grandma's house! And THEN, when I finally got my computer back and accessed working internet, well, I got lazy. Hey, I was on vacation! Lots of things have been happening around here since our cross country adventure, so if you want to know what ELSE is up with my life (and where we have finally settled this time) you will have to tune in tomorrow for PART TWO! :)

Until then, here are some highlights from part one of our vacation!

Fun times in the backseat:

Impromptu afternoon in the park:

Birthday dinner with some of our favorite Texans!

Picnic lunch, somewhere in the middle of east Texas (and boy, was it HOT!):

Texas is such a HUGE state, I feel like the majority of our trip was spent just driving across Texas! Slowly but surely, we made our way and eventually said "good-bye" to Texas, and entered the state of Arkansas. Our next stop: Little Rock.

Visiting my Aunt and Uncle:

Exploring one of the COOLEST places for little munchkins that I have ever seen, "The Wonder Place":

What comes next?? I will share the rest of our trip in pictures with you tomorrow... woohoo!!

On the Road At Last!

2011-06-27T23:08:00.000-05:00

Well folks, we are officially on the road, heading across the country! I'm not going to lie, things got off to a pretty shaky start, but we are definitely having fun, and everyone is sleeping soundly now, so tomorrow should be better. :)

So far we have made it to our first destination, Fort Worth, Texas. The drive from New Mexico to Texas was the longest of our trip, so we had the GENIUS idea to drive through the night so that the kids could sleep the whole way. Then we would arrive in the morning, and everyone would be happy and wonderful. This was possibly our worst idea ever.

We left at midnight Sunday night (Monday morning?), and let's just say that our kids apparently are not able to get good sleep in the car after being awakened in the middle of the night. There was screaming and stopping and nursing and crying and stopping and whining and...until about 4:30 or 5 in the morning. They finally did fall asleep, but by 6:30 a.m. it was time for us to stop and get breakfast, so then everyone was up again.

After breakfast, we were still about 2.5 hours away, but we thought it would be an easy drive. Everyone was so wiped out, we thought for sure they would go back to sleep and we could just head straight there. Well, no such luck. We must have stopped four times in the first 30 minutes on the road. But eventually we made it, safe and sound, and had a good time getting some things done in Fort Worth. We then had a picnic lunch, and headed to the hotel to unload, wind down, and take a nice afternoon nap.

I will have more pictures to share for sure, but here is a peak at what my kids are up to when they are not running wild in Target, chasing ants out on the lawn, or throwing a temper tantrum from their sheer exhaustion:

Yes, they are indeed playing the piano in our hotel room. They were SO delighted to "play" and sing all afternoon. And I'm sure the other guests are just as delighted, haha! Can't wait to see what other fun surprises this adventure holds!!

Cleaning House

2011-06-15T23:43:00.000-05:00

One of the great things about moving is having the opportunity to clean out the clutter. And with this move, that is just what we intend to do. Of course, this time, it's out of necessity really. But it still feels good to clean out boxes that have not been opened in years.

Over the past two weeks I have spent everyday sorting boxes into trash, yard sale, keep. Because we just don't have the space to take very much with us, I would estimate that for every 3 boxes I unpack, we keep about a box (or less). Although I really have no idea if all my hard work is even good enough yet. I guess we will have to see if everything we have left fits in the moving truck next week!

It has been amazing to see the kinds of things that you come across when you go through every single box. There are boxes that have not been opened in years. So far, I have discovered countless school notebooks and textbooks (from high school and college), every single card we received for our wedding, a box of kitchen mixing bowls and decor that has been missing since we moved from Virginia to Texas (3 years ago), and my retainer, obviously being put to good use (oops! sorry mom and dad!).

Although it was difficult at first to put so many things in the yard sale pile, it feels SO GOOD to have so much junk cleared out! And I know when we get to where we're going it will feel good to have everything cleaned out and organized.

Here's a glimpse of our yard sale pile so far. You really can't see how much is there, but trust me, it's a lot. I'll get some better pictures this weekend once we have everything set up. I think it's going to be fun! Although, it will also be exhausting. But that's ok, we can rest when it's over, haha!

I just hope it's not too hot. But around here, that is probably wishful thinking, especially considering the high for this weekend is 108 degrees. Too bad we don't have a tent to put over everything to keep it shaded! Oh well, guess we'll just lather on the sunscreen. : )

You Know Your Two-Year-Old Watches Too Much TV When...

2011-06-11T11:09:00.001-05:00

These are probably not things that I should admit, but I have started to see and hear some things from my lil' pumpkin that indicate to me that she might watch too many cartoons. Or it could be that she just has an incredible memory, and applies everything that she sees and hears on TV to her everyday life.

But more likely, it's the former. If you are unfamiliar with children's programming these days, you might not recognize these references, but here goes.

I know my daughter watches too much TV when:

She refers to the burgers we're eating for dinner as Krabby patties.

She quotes Dora the Explorer on the drive to church, and I feel like I've just watched an entire episode.

She walks around the house singing, "This...is...serious..."

At nap time I say, "Do you know what time it is?" and she responds, "Time to build a word!"

She refers to the fox we saw at the zoo as "That sneaky fox."

She and her brother will stand in the kitchen and "crazy shake."

We watch an episode of Wonder Pets and she says, "Momma, wonder pets have to save the bird!" before the Wonder Pets have even figured that out themselves.

And my favorite:

When I smiled at her and said, "Sweetie, you make my heart feel SUPER happy!" she responded in chinese.

Good thing we're about to sell our TV! I think it's about time we took a break from her Nick Jr. "friends," and started reading more books!! : )

Moving Stinks, But...

2011-06-08T14:15:00.000-05:00

Moving stinks.

But at least we are getting to see and experience lots of different parts of the country.

Moving stinks.

But at least this time we will be moving closer to our family.

Moving stinks.

But at least we have the opportunity to clean out lots and LOTS of clutter, and sort through boxes that have not been touched in years.

Moving stinks.

But at least other people can benefit by us selling and giving away all of our stuff.

Moving stinks.

But at least we will get to meet even more amazing people and make new friends.

Moving stinks.

But at least my babies are small, and not fazed in the slightest by the fact that we are moving for the fifth time in four years.

Moving stinks.

But at least we have the opportunity to make a fresh start. And we're pretty excited about that!

This is How We Play

2011-06-03T11:46:00.000-05:00

So because my babies are still pretty young, they don't really play "together" much. Or really at all. Mostly they just play near each other. Pumpkin and Bubba play some, and sometimes they talk to Baby Doll or make faces at her, but in general, they do their own thing. So as far as all THREE of them sitting and playing together goes, this is as close as we get. It's still incredibly cute though!

Considering they already have some much fun with each other, I know they are going to LOVE playing together as they get older! I'm looking forward to watching how their interaction and "play" changes as they continue to grow. :)

The Adventure Continues

2011-06-01T17:22:00.000-05:00

A lot has been happening around here lately. Some challenges, lots of prayer, and some very difficult decisions.

The bottom line? We are leaving New Mexico.

And so, the adventure that is my life continues.

We didn't plan things this way. We never intended to be here in this desert state for a mere six months. But this was God's plan all along. Therefore, I'm ok with it. That doesn't make picking up and leaving any easier, and it doesn't make saying goodbye to some truly wonderful people and friends any less painful, but sometimes certain seasons in life and your time with the people you meet there, is just short.

I don't really know if I can express the varied range of emotions I feel about our decision, but trust me, I have felt every emotion in the book in the past month. I'm definitely heartbroken to be leaving our church. But I am also excited about the future. What exactly the future holds, I'm not sure, but I am excited to see what's in store!

What I do know, is that we are about to embark on a great adventure. Well, I hope it will be great anyway! At the end of June we are packing up, loading up, and hitting the road. We are going to make our way across the country until we get home to Virginia.

Yes, we are driving all 1,960 miles with three small children, in a car that barely fits the five of us, much less all five of us plus luggage.

But we're going to make it, and we're SO EXCITED!!! We will get to see lots of friends and family along the way, and then we will get to spend some much needed time at home, where we have not been in TWO AND A HALF YEARS.

And after that? Well, I'll keep you posted. ;)

Right now, we're focused on hitting the road, relaxing on the beach, playing with our babies, and spending time with family. I can't wait to share our adventure with you!!

My Baby is Getting SO BIG!

2011-05-24T22:16:00.001-05:00

Today was a big first for my lil' Pumpkin. It was a lot to face as an innocent two and a half year old, but she handled it like a champ! I tried to prepare her as best as I could, but it was still a scary experience.

Today, for the very first time, she had a check up and cleaning at the DENTIST.

She waited oh so patiently for her turn. She munched on cheerios, watched Madagascar, and practiced showing off her teeth for the dentist. We talked about how her teeth were going to get cleaned, and when I asked if she was ready and excited she exclaimed, "Yeah!!" with a big smile.

Once we got back to the dental chair, however, it was a different story.

I felt so bad to see her so scared! She loves brushing her teeth, and we talked about what was going to happen all morning, but I guess there is really no way to prepare for something so completely foreign to a two year old.

She held on to her Diego action figure, and I tried to talk to her and keep her calm. The hygienist was great with her, and even "brushed" Diego's teeth to show her it wasn't scary. She did GREAT until she had to suction the toothpaste out of her mouth. That was just a little too much and she started crying. The hygienist quickly finished and we calmed her down before the Doctor came in.

Peeking around the corner to see what else is going on!

The doctor looked as quickly as he could, and said everything looked great! Her final molars are coming in, and although we did not get any x-rays, she did get a fantastic cleaning AND a goody bag that she has not stopped talking about. :)

By the time we said thank you and good bye to everyone and made our way back to the car, she had completely forgotten how scary it all was and was happy to show off her new toothbrush, Spongebob toothpaste, and pearly white teeth!!

I am SO PROUD of her!!

6 Months and 18 Months

2011-05-21T22:28:00.000-05:00

My baby doll is now 6 months old (and a few days...) and handsome Bubba is 18 months old (and then some...). I'm a little late in updating, as it has been a CRAZY few weeks. But finally, I am getting around to a brief update and some sweet pictures. :)

One of the great things about these two being 12 months apart is that their wellness check-ups fall at the same time. And anytime we can work out one less visit to the doctor is a plus for me! So this week we loaded everybody up and headed to the doctor at 8 in the morning. Whew! That made for some very tired kids (and Momma), but it was nice to be done and back by 9:30 am!

This sweet little girl is now 14.5 pounds, and 24 3/4 inches long. She's growing steadily along the growth curve exactly the way she's supposed to.

And although she's not that big, as far as 6 month olds go, she is one pound bigger than her sister at 6 months, and two pounds bigger than her brother at 6 months. So to us, she's preciously chunky!

She's rolling pretty well, and loves to play. She reaches out for toys, brings anything and everything to her mouth, and babbles and squeals whenever anyone talks to her.

She's working on sitting up (but not quite there), and is seriously the happiest baby I have ever, EVER seen. :)

Her brother's check-up was not quite as good. His blood pressure was high, so we are continuing to watch it. We don't want to have to up his medication, but we'll see. We now have to find a nephrologist who can monitor it and make some decisions about his meds.

My husband took him recently to a cardiologist (4.5 hours away), who told us that he should see a nephrologist. This was frustrating news, but we'll get it straight eventually.

He is also having trouble gaining weight still, and only weighs 19 pounds. Considering he eats well, and consumes plenty of calories, we now have to see a specialist for this too.

The doctor is concerned that perhaps he is having absorption problems, so we need to have his kidneys checked out, and whatever else that might entail.

But other than that, he is perfectly healthy, and developing well. He sees a developmental specialist twice a month to help monitor his fine motor and speech development (this is where he struggles the most). He tries very hard to communicate though. He signs 3 or 4 words, and can say probably 6-8 words, but he still mostly points and grunts. His favorite word is "uh-oh," and sometimes it simply means he dropped his toy, while other times it means, "Oops, I poured your coke on the floor!"

And he is so sweet. He will still cuddle on my shoulder when he's tired, and he has the sweetest melt-your-heart smile I have EVER seen! He's definitely mommy's little boy!!

At Least We Tried

2011-05-08T15:12:00.000-05:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful and beautiful mothers out there!! I hope you are having a wonderful, relaxing afternoon. I certainly am. :) My husband had a beautiful ring made for me that is distinctly "New Mexico," with three stones for our three beautiful babies. The only other thing I wanted was a picture with those sweeties. It went a little something like this...

And this...

But at least we tried. Aren't they cute when they're tired and cranky?

A Not So Glamorous Mommy Moment

2011-05-04T22:47:00.000-05:00

This week, in honor of Mother's Day, my friend Brittany is posting stories of mothers and their *ahem* not so glamorous moments on the wonderful journey of motherhood. Today, she she featured one of my (many) stories, so if you want you can go to her site, Naturally Estes, and check it out!

I've had many fun, challenging, joyous, trying, beautiful and disastrous moments as I try to learn as I go, but my most recent moment occurred just last week at none other than Wal-Mart. :)

Enjoy! Be sure to enter her Mother's Day giveaway for some lovely smelly things!

Oh The Joy

2011-05-01T17:13:00.000-05:00

Now that my son is walking (and running, and climbing...) EVERYWHERE, he has discovered a new joy, dancing and spinning in circles. It is so cute to see him dance whenever music starts to play, and he especially loves spinning in circles, and will just laugh and laugh.

Recently, we were playing some Casting Crowns, and he started dancing in the middle of the kitchen. He is just so stinkin' cute, I had to share the video with you. You're welcome! :)

(At one point, his sister joined him, and they looked like a couple of oompa loompas, but I don't have that in the video...I was laughing too hard!)

Oh, the joy of spinning in circles. Gotta love that kid!

This is What You Get...

2011-04-26T16:21:00.000-05:00

...when it's just Mom and the kids for dinner.

This is what you get...

...when Mom is home alone with the kids and in charge of dinner and bedtime by herself.

This is what you get...

...when your beautiful baby has just discovered her cute little feet and toes...

And this is what you get...

...when two sisters are crazy about each other and love to cuddle before bed.

And then you get one very happy and content Momma. :)

The Big Hunt

2011-04-25T20:06:00.000-05:00

I thought it would be fun to take the family to an Easter egg hunt on Saturday. All I could find, however, was something (supposedly) at the middle school, but no one knew the time. So I decided rather than load everyone up, drive across town, and spend thirty minutes frantically trying to make sure I didn't lose any babies, while simultaneously making sure no one got run over, we would just throw some eggs in the front yard and let the kids scramble to collect them. After all, they're only 18 months and 2 years old, so I figured that would be tons of fun! When I told my husband, and asked him to go scatter the eggs in the yard, he said, "Ok, so what are the eggs filled with?"

Me: "Nothing."

Him: "Oh. Ok."

Me: "What's the point of that? They're too little to eat any candy."

Him: "Yeah...but we could eat it..."

Haha! Oh well, my little ones didn't seem to mind that there weren't any fun prizes to be found. (Although we did enjoy some delicious Easter cupcakes afterward). :)

And so the hunt was on. Pumpkin was so excited, you would have thought it was the Olympic games. And I really should have timed her she raced around to find them all so quickly. She would count a few, then she would start naming colors: "And a pink one...and a blue one...and a green one..."

I really thought Bubba would enjoy participating just as much, considering one of his favorite things to do inside the house is put things in buckets and baskets and bags. But outside, in the wide open front yard, he wanted nothing to do with the eggs. He just wanted to explore. Exploring is especially fun now that he is a walking pro.

But really, the best part was watching my sweet Pumpkin trying to contain all the eggs in the bucket and make it back to the house. Apparently there were more eggs than the bucket could hold, and so as soon as she would pick one up, two more would fall out. But she was determined not to leave a single egg behind, and I could see that this could easily go on for the rest of the day. So I stashed a few in my pocket, and she carried her bucket of eggs proudly. :)

It ended up being even more fun than I expected (for something as simple as a $2 bag of plastic eggs, filled with nothing), and if it weren't for the aftermath (a massive collection of "hatched" eggs all over my living room) we might just make this a regular event.

As it is, however, I think we will just make this an Easter time tradition.

He is RISEN Indeed!!

2011-04-24T20:49:00.001-05:00

¹ "On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. ² They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³ but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. ⁵ In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? ⁶ He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ⁷ ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” ⁸ Then they remembered his words." Luke 24:1-8

Happy Resurrection Sunday!! Praying you had a blessed day!

5 Months! (And a milestone!)

2011-04-18T16:24:00.000-05:00

Today, my baby doll is 5 MONTHS OLD.

She is still the sweetest baby ever, and my husband commented recently that it just seems like she's always been here.

He's right. I can hardly even remember my life without her.

She has started eating a little bit of cereal, but still doesn't quite know what to do with it, so it mostly ends up on the front of her shirt.

She LOVES when her big brother and big sister talk to her, and she loves to laugh.

And just in case any of you are good at math, and thinking that we're about due for an announcement, let me be the first to tell you:

I am NOT PREGNANT. :-D

This is a new milestone for us (I am typically 4 weeks pregnant by now), and we're hoping this trend continues. ;-)

Is It Monday Yet???

2011-04-17T16:49:00.000-05:00

Typically, I am (as most do, I'm sure) counting the days 'til the weekend arrives, and I can spend time with my family, have help with the kids, etc. Well, this weekend, it has been one thing after another and I am ready for it to be over!! So please excuse me while I vent a little. ; )

Friday was a pretty lazy day, and we tried to relax (it had been a long week), but we had a friend's birthday party to go to that night, so we spent the entire afternoon getting everything ready. It was a pool party, so we had to dig through boxes to find all the "pool essentials," pack the diaper bag, and get us all dressed and ready to go. We planned to leave early so we could run by Wal-Mart to get a card and gift, and arrive by 5:30. Well, my husband took the older two and diaper bag and started loading the car, so I grabbed my purse and our Baby Doll and headed out after him at about 5:00. I get to the car to discover that neither of us brought the keys. So my poor husband spent the next 45 minutes attempting to break into our house, while I attempted to entertain three small children strapped into car seats (no small feat, I assure you). When we finally realized there was absolutely no way in, we called the only lady who has a spare key. Thankfully, she was already in her car on her way home, and stopped by and let us in. I ran in the house and grabbed the keys (and a blank card, because there was no way we were making it to Wal-Mart at this point) and we were finally on our way to the party, with three cranky, screaming kids.

We arrived at the park (at 6:10), and began looking for the party-goers. We saw an indoor pool, and assumed that was were we were supposed to be, but didn't see our friends' cars. We quickly made a phone call and discovered that the party was actually SATURDAY night. Really??!! My poor lil punkin had been talking about going swimming ALL day! So we headed home, and let them "swim" in the bathtub.

Fast forward to Saturday, and we have everyone ready and loaded again (a little more cautious about mentioning swimming, just in case), and arrive at the party. We made it on the right day, on time, at the right location. Score! So we spent about an hour there (although there was still no swimming, because the water was only about 50 degrees!) and survived with only minor casualties (Pumpkin got knocked over by a kid in a tire swing, and Bubba fell and got a bloody nose).

When we got home, it was time for baths and bed, and once the kids were in bed, there was a pile of housework to do. After such a long night, I forgot to get our bags out of the car, and did not get anything ready for Sunday morning like I usually do. But I decided it would just have to be an early morning.

This morning I got up around 7:00 after a long night with Baby Doll. I was so tired, but I knew I had to get myself and three kids fed, dressed and loaded in the car in time for church. No big deal, until my husband went to get our stuff from the car and discovered it was no longer there. My purse (and wallet) and our diaper bag were stolen out of the car sometime last night. So I then spent a huge chunk of my morning on the phone with our banks trying to get all our cards and checks cancelled (and just barely made it to church in time to drop the kids off in the nursery and prepare to teach children's church). : (

Thankfully, there was no cash in my purse, and they never even made any purchases with my cards. I had also taken out my phone and my camera, so neither of those were lost, and I had my keys in the house with me, otherwise they may have just driven off with the car.

So honestly, it has not been the best weekend, and I am ready to crash tonight, and start fresh tomorrow!!

"The unfailing love of the LORD never ends! By His mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each day." Lamentations 3:22-23

Pretty Little Butterfly!

2011-04-15T15:05:00.000-05:00

My daughter has an obsession with butterflies. I'm not exactly sure where it started, but I believe it developed out of her love for an episode of Team UmiZoomi about a butterfly costume. She would watch that episode over and over and dance with them, and constantly ask where her costume was. As heartbreaking as it was, I had to tell her, day after day, "You don't have a butterfly costume. I'm sorry!"

Well, when Grammie came to visit, all it took was hearing that her precious grandbaby "needed" a butterfly costume, and the hunt was on. Step one: find an outfit to start with. We lucked out and found this ballerina outfit at target, which is girly and pink, and has a nice fluffy tutu.

Then we had to find a way to give her butterfly wings. This was a little more of a challenge, but we ended up finding a hot pink butterfly decoration at Hobby Lobby. It is pretty and sparkly, and although it is intended to be hung from the ceiling, it worked well to adjust it slightly and sew it to the back. To say she gets excited to wear it is most definitely an understatement! :)

She loves to dance around the room and "flap like a butterfly." It's so cute! We got a little on video, so you can see just how full of herself she is! (As she dances, she says, "Look at me, look at me!!")

When It Hurts

2011-04-12T16:02:00.000-05:00

Sometimes life hurts.

People can be cruel, circumstances don't go our way, loved ones get sick, incomes are lost. Being in the ministry, constantly surrounded by church goers, does not make me immune to the pain that this life can bring, and unfortunately, being in ministry does not mean that everyone is nice and loving. No matter how hard you work at genuinely loving people, you will not always be loved back.

The fact is, we live in a fallen world, full of fallen people. No one is perfect, and even when I like to try and convince myself otherwise, this includes me. And so what do we do when it hurts? When we have been wronged?

The easy answer would be to act likewise and really show them what they did. But this will not make things better, and more importantly, is not Christ-like behavior. Instead, turn to the Lord. He is a comforter and a friend, and His love never fails.

"The righteous cry, and the LORD hears And delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all." Psalm 34:17-19

"Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

And then, we must keep things in perspective. As unfortunate as it is to be mistreated or hurt (especially when it happens in the church), God has things under control. And one day, they will have to stand before a holy and righteous God and give an account for their actions, just like I will. So I cannot worry or focus on what other people are doing or saying. God will deal with them. All I can do is continue to love them, and remind myself that I am a sinner just as they are.

"But I will keep on hoping for you to help me; I will praise you more and more. I will tell everyone about your righteousness. All day long I will proclaim your saving power, for I am overwhelmed by how much you have done for me. I will praise your mighty deeds, O Sovereign LORD. I will tell everyone that You alone are just and good...Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the highest heavens. You have done such wonderful things. Who can compare with you, O God? You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth. You will restore me to even greater honor and comfort me once again." Psalms 71:14-16, 19-21

And I will continue to press on in what God has called me to do, and never stop praising Him for His marvelous love, comfort and peace that only He can bring!!

Little Explorer

2011-04-10T17:15:00.000-05:00

Playing outside, with my handsome boy (who is now officially walking everywhere, and very much in need of walking shoes):

A Little Thing Called Worry

2011-04-07T16:50:00.000-05:00

There are a hundred things that I could find reason to worry about. Truly. I won't bother to make a list, so just take my word for it. But with everything that has happened in my life in the past four years, all the plans that were turned upside down, all the uncertainties, all the what-if's, I have given up on worrying and trying to sort things out for myself. Because I am finally learning that I cannot figure things out on my own. I cannot make plans for the future, because I do not know what the future holds, and I cannot worry about how this or that will turn out, because God has proven time and time again that He has already worked things out. I just have to be patient.

Christ says, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. ²³ For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. ²⁴ Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! ²⁵ Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? ²⁶ Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?" Luke 12:22-26

He goes on to say much more, and there is a similar passage in Matthew 6, but honestly, these words of Christ can be very hard to live by. At least, they have always been hard for me to accept and live out. But the more curve balls God has thrown our way, the more I am learning to let go. To stop trying to be in control and to stop worrying. I know, of course, that talking about not worrying and actually not worrying are two very different things, but I am so thankful that God is slowly working on my heart, and bringing me to a place where I can truly rely on His sovereignty, and live a life of joy, free (or almost free) of worry.

I will leave you with a beautiful quote by Corrie Ten Boom that sums things up:

"Worry is a cycle of inefficient thoughts whirling around a center of fear...worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength."

I am praying that you are not wasting precious moments of your life in a cycle of inefficient thoughts of worry and fear. God has much bigger plans for us than that!

Life in the Desert

2011-04-05T18:00:00.001-05:00

On Friday, we decided we needed to get out of the house, so we ventured off to the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park. I always love when I can learn a little more about New Mexico and life in the desert, because it is so different from Virginia.

It was not exactly the Fort Worth Zoo, but in all fairness, there is not much that can compare with that. It was, however, very educational about wildlife in the Chihuahuan Desert. We saw a variety of birds, as well as pigs, wolves, and a mountain lion (who apparently has arthritis...it was very sad). But mostly, we saw the many MANY forms of plant life that exist in the desert, and some truly incredible views, that none of my pictures could possibly do justice.

There are all kinds of crazy plants here that I have never seen or heard of before, including several different cacti. I could not tell you what they are right now, but maybe eventually I will start to learn them all!

Just a few of the wild plants I see around here.

One giant cactus!

It was CRAZY hot, and not like any zoo I have ever been to, but you definitely feel like you are actually walking through the desert when you're there. And the kids seemed to enjoy it, even in the heat! (And if you want to know the truth, they did better than I did!)

Reminding us not to touch the prickly plants!

Content to hang out in the wagon.

Quick water break!!

I'm sure we will be back (hopefully, when it is not quite as hot) many times as the kids get older. I would love to have time to explore all the things we didn't get to see!! :)

It's Official!

2011-04-04T22:01:00.001-05:00

Well folks, it's official. My husband is now recognized by the state of New Mexico as an ordained pastor, and we had the most touching and beautiful service and reception at church yesterday.

It was a very tiring day, but it was such a special time for our family, and (I hope) for our church. In the afternoon my husband spent quite a bit of time being questioned by the ordination council (which thankfully did not include me, as I am not very good at being put on the spot!) and then we began the Ordination Service.

Most of our congregation was there, as well as some of our other friends in town. Another local pastor and good friend of my husband's presented a charge to him, and then the local director of missions gave a charge to the congregation. Two of our friends sang special music, and then every man present who is an ordained pastor or deacon came and prayed with us both. It was so special, and it really took everything in me not to cry.

But then, being the good Baptists that we are, we had a huge pot-luck celebration and our congregation gave us a "pounding," which consisted of presenting us with a "pound" of different gifts (like diapers and groceries).

They even had the whole event decorated in purple and gold for our beloved alma mater (Go Dukes!).

And then, we (and by we, I mostly mean my daughter, as she is not very inclined to share) enjoyed some delicious cake. Being a spunky, independent two-year-old, she insisted on feeding herself, so it was quite an adventure. :)

As exhausting as the whole day was, I enjoyed it so much. I do not think we have ever been shown as much love by a congregation as we were yesterday, and I am very much looking forward to our ministry here in the desert!

Ramblings...

2011-04-01T22:51:00.000-05:00

Wow. Where did the month of March go??? Apparently it got lost in the shuffle around here, because I have no idea where the time went. Guess that's why I wasn't blogging much. A lot of exciting things have been going on around here though, and we have been pretty busy! So tonight I am just rambling a little about what we've been up to, just in case anyone cares. :)

This month has been filled with lots of doctors visits. Our pediatrician has been watching my son's weight and blood pressure, so we go in frequently for check-ups. She decided that she wants a cardiologist to monitor his blood pressure and regulate his medication so that we can hopefully get him OFF the meds soon. While I'm very excited about this, seeing a cardiologist means a trip to Albuquerque, which means one VERY long day. But that's ok. We go at the end of April, so hopefully I will have a good report! He has also been evaluated by Child Development Services here so that we can continue to help him get caught up. This shouldn't be too hard, because he's pretty close to where he needs to be anyway. But if they are willing to help, I'll take it!

We have also spent a lot of time getting to know the families in our church better. We try to have a family over every friday (or most fridays) for dinner, and I have to say, I am really enjoying it! It's much easier for me to chat and get to know someone this way, as opposed to the "Hi, how are you," small talk on a Sunday morning. My hope is that we will never run out of people or families to invite, because our church never stops growing!

March 20-23 we had a fantastic couple, Paul and Vanessa Cherry, visit our church to preach a revival. To be honest, I was not very excited to be doing this, and did not have the greatest attitude. But I can't even tell you how much I enjoyed the services, as well as getting to know the Cherry's! I think it went very well, and we're looking forward to having them back.

And this week, my in-laws are in town, and it has been so great to have help, and to see how much fun my babies are having with their grandparents. Being a whopping 28 hours away from family, it's always a treat for them (or my parents!!) to visit!

Whew! Well, those are the highlights from March, and April looks like it will be even busier!! We kicked off the month with a fun adventure this afternoon, and I will be sharing pictures very soon. ;)

Happy April Fool's!!

What I Like About You

2011-03-29T17:54:00.000-05:00

Oh, sweet little pumpkin, stubborn and independent firstborn, beautiful daughter of mine. There are so many things that I love about you at this stage of your life.

I love that you often put the emphasis on the wrong syllable. For example, GEE-raffe, instead of gi-RAFFE.

I love that you call cheerios, cheerios, but any other cereal is just cereal.

I love that you call every lady at our church who has gray hair "Grandma."

I love that in an attempt to get out of bedtime, you continually ask for more food. Especially cheese.

I love that you always think you're right, and will argue a point until I agree. You even argue with cartoons. When watching Team Umi Zoomi, they asked, "What color comes next?....{you answered red}.....Yellow, that's right!" You responded, "No, that's RED!!"

I love that your new favorite phrase is "No, let me do it!"

I love that you can work the Wii remote to start your favorite cartoons.

I love that you are so smart, you know things I don't even know. When watching Go, Diego Go, they showed a picture of an animal and said, "Is this a baby whale?" You quickly responded, "Nooo, that's a Puma." Amazing!

I love that you are so full of yourself, and have your daddy wrapped around your sweet finger.

I love the sweet puppy dog face you make when you want something, and sweetly ask, "Pleeeeeeeeeeeease??"

But most of all, I love that you still sign when you say "I love you too, Momma."

My Little Beauty

2011-03-23T17:21:00.000-05:00

At four months (and a few days...), this little beauty is full of personality and attitude! And I just love her to death! She is my only baby who will let me dress her up for an afternoon of pictures, so that's just what we did recently. I know before too long, she will be active and mobile, and will most definitely not want to put up with me, and sit still for such a thing! :)

I cannot even believe how fast she is growing. She is about the size right now (at four months) that her sister was at six months. Not much longer and she is going to outgrow her brother!! Next week we go to the doctor to see just how big she is, but I know the doctor will be impressed with her growth! Just like her momma. :)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-18T00:07:00.000-05:00

We had a very fun day! My little pumpkin helped me make mint chocolate chip cookies! They were very easy and VERY delicious! As soon as she was up from her nap (hence the bed head...) we got to work.

Before getting started, she wanted me to take her picture!

Quick taste test :)

Working hard to stir the dough!

All ready to go in the oven!

She added the green coloring all by herself. It ended up on me, the counter, her arm...oh, and the cookies. :)

It was messy, and very hot in our little kitchen (it was about 90 degrees today) and my little girl has no idea what St. Patrick's Day is, but we sure had fun! And we had some friends over for dinner, so it made for a fun and festive dessert!

And here are some pictures of my other precious babies...just because I love them!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

The Little Things

2011-03-10T13:29:00.000-06:00

On mornings when I feel like I haven't slept in three days, my daughter is on her 5TH pair of panties and it's only 10:30 am, my trash can is filled with sugar ants, and my son has been throwing a fit for 30 minutes straight, I find myself smiling, and thankful for the little things.

Little things like...

...discovering that my baby doll's diaper explosion was contained INSIDE her diaper. {whew!}

...having five minutes to sit and eat a bowl of oatmeal while my many small babies watch Dora.

...watching my kids make each other laugh with their silliness.

...a big plate full of home-made goodness from the Senior Adult lunch. {thanks to my hubby!}

...the beautiful, warm day, so that we can go outside after lunch.

...the removable cover for our highchair that can be thrown in the washing machine.

...the simple combination of water and vinegar that takes care of oh so many things. {including sugar ants}

...just enough caffeine to make it through the day.

...coupons for my grocery run tomorrow.

But mostly, on mornings like this...

...I'm thankful for nap time.

Mommy's Little Helper, Part 2

2011-03-05T11:25:00.001-06:00

I absolutely love this girl. She wants to help with anything and everything, ESPECIALLY when it comes to her siblings. Most recently, she has decided it is her job to feed her brother breakfast. It is {slightly} more messy, but she loves helping so much, and honestly, then I can eat while she feeds him!

Yesterday I got a little of it on video. :)

She is going to be such a good mommy someday!!

Be Bold

2011-03-04T21:15:00.000-06:00

"When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, "Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,

   "'Why did the Gentiles rage,
   and the peoples plot in vain?
  The kings of the earth set themselves,
   and the rulers were gathered together,
   against the Lord and against his Anointed'

for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness."

Throughout scripture we see an emphasis on prayer and the importance of prayer in the lives of believers. Too often, however, prayer becomes a time to hand God our laundry list of personal desires. While scripture does, of course, say we are to make our requests known to Him, it can become all too easy to focus our prayers solely on what we want, and not on what God wants from us.

In this passage from Acts 4, Peter and John had just been released from the religious leaders who were threatening them for speaking boldly in Jesus' name. "So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus." Acts 4:18. But after Peter and John are released, they went to their friends and together they prayed for boldness. That they would continue to teach the truth and to share the gospel boldly!

That is a very hard prayer to pray, because it is much easier to just go about our lives and keep our mouths shut. But God requires more from us, as followers of Christ, than to simply live our lives here on earth without a care at all for the lost and dying around us. We are commanded in scripture to go and share what Jesus has done with the entire world, and to make disciples of all nations. We cannot do that without boldness!

Just this week, friends of ours were able to see a young girl devote her life to Christ. She has had a difficult life, and has used and been surrounded by drug users. But today she is bursting with excitement and hope. She purchased three different copies of scripture to compare translations as she reads. She is picking out a new verse each day to be her "verse of the day." She is ministering to the homeless and homebound. And this is a girl who does not even understand how to read scripture references (i.e. where a verse is found). Her life is completely changed and made new because my friends were bold enough to love her (even though she may have seemed unlovable) and to share the TRUTH with her.

So this is my prayer for myself, and it is the prayer of our church, because it is our desire to reach our community, and to see lives changed every single day. And I am so excited to see God do amazing things among us!

My SUPER Mom Powers

2011-03-02T07:00:00.001-06:00

I have actual, real-life super powers. Yup. No lie.

What are they, you ask?

My SUPER Mom Powers. I undoubtedly possess more, but here are just a few that I use on a regular basis:

Super translation power: My two year old talks all day long. Sometimes english, sometimes spanish, sometimes jibberish. But most of the time, I know exactly what she's talking about. Even with a pacifier in her mouth, even when no one else has any CLUE, I can translate her toddler-talk.

Super diaper changing power: I have three kids in diapers. To say we go through a lot of diapers is quite an understatement. But I am able to single-handedly* change all three babies all day long. Even my squirmy, active, hates-to-be-changed son, who some days has three dirty diapers before his morning nap alone.

*Please note that my husband does change his fair share of stinky diapers, but he's at work all day. :)

Super boo-boo fixing power: No matter the size or severity, a mere kiss from mom makes any boo boo "all better." Even when I don't see the affliction, my daughter readily lets me know it's there, and asks, "Kiss toe (or knee or arm or head...), Mama?" And so I kiss it, and she smiles and proclaims, "All better, toe (or knee or arm or head...)!!"

I may not be out fighting crime or defeating evil with these amazing super powers, but they certainly make me "Super Mom" to my kids. And that is enough for me. :)

Thoughts of Spring Blog Party!

2011-03-01T08:48:00.000-06:00

I just love blog parties! They are a fun way to "meet" other bloggers, and possibly win some awesome prizes!! Lynnette @ Dancing Barefoot on Weathered Ground is hosting the "Thoughts of Spring Blog Party" this week. To all of you hopping over from her site, WELCOME!

My name is Bethany, and this blog is an attempt to share my life experiences, the MANY lessons that God is teaching me along the way, and to brag (just a little) on my three amazing blessings, ages two and under. I have been married to my husband for three and a half years, and love him more than any person on this earth. He has been serving in different areas of ministry since we got married, and we have learned a LOT in that short time. Ministry is not easy, but we are confident of God's call. I stay at home with the babies, and am learning each and everyday the definition of love and patience. :)

Just a few more random facts about me (because I know you're dying to know...):

How would people describe your personality? (If they could only use ONE word.) Are they right? My husband said Faithfulness. I hope he's right. :)

What is your comfort food/drink? Anything chocolate, and a cherry coke.

Do you have a strong desire to do something you’ve never done? What is it? Well, right now I have a strong desire to learn how to sew, but we'll see how it goes! :)

Movies: Action, Drama, Romantic Comedy, Documentary, Comedy? What are your favorite genres? There are some great action movies that I love, but if I have a choice, I almost always prefer something light-hearted and funny.

Books: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Romance, Biographies, True Stories, Self-Help, Devotional/Study? What are your favorite types of reading material? When I have time to read, I love historical fiction!

Name one weakness of yours (confession is good for the soul). Trying to please everyone.

If you could live anywhere at all (and take all your loved ones with you), where would you go? I would like to be back on the east coast, or with my friends in Nicaragua. :)

Strange Talent? Can you juggle basketballs, put your legs behind your head or some perform some other strange feat? I really have no crazy, hidden talents. I wish I did, I would be much more interesting! Haha!

What’s something you consider yourself to be good at? (Don’t worry, it’s not bragging, it’s acknowledging a God given gift). Well, I guess I'm pretty good at math.

When you leave a social gathering, do you wish: You would have talked more or You would have talked less? Talked more. Always.

If money wasn’t a factor, what stores would you shop in? I would probably still bargain shop at Target.

What movie or book character can you most relate to? The main character from The Measure of a Lady by DeeAnne Gist.

Please leave a comment and let me know you stopped by, I'd love to "meet" you! :)

Mommy's Little Helper

2011-02-25T23:21:00.000-06:00

Such a big helper!

Working hard to make a cake for Bubba.

I added the ingredients, and she stirred...

She concentrated SO hard!

And every time Mommy added something to the bowl, she cheered,

"Good Job, Momma!!"

She's such an encourager!! :)

Boy, Did I Need to Hear This

2011-02-22T18:02:00.000-06:00

Being home with three kids who refuse naps, all day...

Not being able to find my purse when I am trying to walk out the door to go to church...

Arguing with the internet people for the millionth time over a problem that is apparently no one's fault...

Fighting a very strong willed two year old who has decided she absolutely will NOT get in her car seat...

Walking out of Wal-Mart empty handed because I cannot find anything because the layout of the store is so completely different from any I have ever been to...

Dealing with the woman working at Sonic who got mad at me because the credit card machine wasn't working...

Hearing a woman speaking hateful gossip in the bathroom at church...

There are so many times in my life that I get upset or frustrated, whether with my kids or people I meet or interact with, and I am just OVER IT. I get angry and frustrated. I reach a point where any and all semblance of patience is gone, and I really think I am going to LOSE IT.

Then I read this post, Profound Typos, from The Preacher's Wife.

She was explaining how her phone auto corrects words when it thinks there is a typo. In the midst of her frustration, she tried to type this on Twitter, "About to lose my religion with these cable people!"

Her phone, smart phone that it is, corrected her "typo" and changed it to, "About to LIVE my religion with these cable people!"

Here is what she had to say about how this "correction" affected her, and again, this was just something that I really needed to hear:

"What if, in those moments we are about to lose our religion we live it instead? That we would get to that point of explosion and rather than vomit rage we would be a geyser of grace? That we would lay down our pride and get over ourselves for just a minute? Luke has been preaching a series on revival and it’s eating my lunch. One of the big issues I have faced this year is how to guard against bitterness when my family is maligned by those who have absolutely no clue what they are talking about. My flesh tempts me to respond in kind because I’m so over it. OVER IT. But Jesus has reminded me so many times in my spirit, “Forgive them, for they no not what they do.” I have to remember that the majority of people who lash out are doing it out of their own issues and that those have nothing to do with me at all. Hurt people hurt people. So do I hurt them back? No. I reach out. I entreat. I apologize for any real or perceived offense. If there is no response and they continue their angry tirade? Well, then I love them with the cross in between us. The end."

I don't know if this resonates with anyone else, or just me, but I just had to share. And I intend to continue to work harder at responding in GRACE and not in anger or bitterness. To try to LIVE my faith in my frustration, rather than LOSING it.

Already Three Months...

2011-02-18T22:36:00.000-06:00

My baby doll is already three months old. And these are the words I want to say to her:

"Be strong in the Lord, and

never give up hope,

You're going to do GREAT things,

I already know.

God's got His hand on you so,

don't live life in fear,

Forgive and forget but,

don't forget why you're here,

Take your time and pray.

These are the words I would say."

Lyrics from The Words I Would Say, by Sidewalk Prophets

What a Day!

2011-02-15T13:54:00.000-06:00

Today is a BIG day. A day to celebrate! At least in our home, anyway. One year ago today, after 97 agonizingly long days, three medications, one heart surgery, and countless MRI's, ultrasounds and blood tests later, our son came HOME.

Home to his family, where he belonged.

It was a very long two days before he was finally home, because I had to stay with him and spend the night in the hospital to make sure I was comfortable taking care of him on my own. (So that is how I spent Valentine's Day last year). I enjoyed the time alone with my sweet boy, but my heart ached being away from my daughter for so long. Originally, the doctors said I would have to stay for two nights and go home on the 16th, but thankfully, we were able to leave early. I don't think I could have handled another day away from home.

On the 15th, his doctor came by, gave my son a good report and officially said that we could be discharged. We were elated! But, if any of you have spent any time in the hospital at all, you know that everything takes longer than expected. We thought we would get all our things together and be home by lunchtime. But it was one thing after another. Multiple doctors and nurses had to see him before we left. Follow up appointments had to be made. Prescriptions had to be filled. We had a problem with our insurance that had to be cleared up. And on top of all that, it was a holiday, so we had trouble getting in touch with some of the people that we needed to reach.

Eventually, however, all was resolved, and our sweet nurse loaded all our stuff (it looked like we had stayed for a week) and wheeled us to the car. We got home between 5 and 5:30 (I think), and our strong little man FINALLY got to meet his sister.

Although the day was long, and I was tired, and everything was kind of a blur, it will be a day that I never ever forget. And as our son gets older, I want to make sure that he knows all about it, and that we continue to celebrate year after year the amazing MIRACLE that God did in his life. God used those 97 days to grow me and mold me more into the image of His son, and to teach me to trust and rely solely on Him. And as hard as it was, I am thankful for what God brought us through, and the testament it is to His amazing glory.

He's the most beautiful little boy I have ever seen, and I am so blessed to be his mama!

Hearts, Hearts and More Hearts!

2011-02-14T21:54:00.001-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day!! I hope you had a wonderful day spending time with the ones you love. :) We had lots of fun today, and my daughter and I spent the morning making *heart* valentines. It was a much more peaceful and relaxing day than last year (more on that tomorrow) and I am so thankful for my beautiful family.

I had planned on decorating more hearts than we actually did, but my lil' punkin lost interest much sooner than I anticipated. Probably because I took away the glitter glue pens (yes, I gave glitter glue to a two year old). But it was fun nonetheless!

I was going to let Bubba make one too, but he really had no interest. At his age he is much more interested in eating the crayons. But that wasn't really an option. Oh well, maybe next year.

Along with our construction paper hearts, we looked at two scripture verses:

"Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7b

"A joyful heart makes a face cheerful." Proverbs 15:13a

God may be the only one who can truly see what lies in a person's heart, but isn't it so true that when someone has true JOY through Jesus Christ, it just absolutely shines through them? You can just see it in their face, and hear it in their voice, and they are a blessing to be around.

Everyday it is my prayer that my children will grow to know and love the Lord with ALL of their heart, and to know His grace, love, and mercy.

It's Finally Warm!

2011-02-13T22:41:00.000-06:00

It is finally warming up here, and we were so excited, we took the kids to the park! They had so much fun swinging on the swings, and I enjoyed just being out of the house! :)

I'm looking forward to many more days at the Park on the Pecos! :)

We're Getting Closer...

2011-02-07T22:31:00.000-06:00

Well, friends, we have been trying to get my son to walk for quite some time now. He is quickly approaching 15 months old, is a crawling maniac, cruises around the furniture and even climbs on some of the furniture. But for whatever reason, he refuses to walk. Today, however, we made some big progress!! And thanks to my nifty new phone, I got some of it on video. :)

So I am able to share with you!! Woohoo!!

I'm so proud. He is getting so big, it blows my mind. This morning when he woke up, he was in his room talking and playing, and I heard him say "Daddy." It's so amazing to see his development and progress after his challenging start. I am just SO PROUD!

The View From Here

2011-02-02T22:12:00.000-06:00

It was a cold day. Probably the coldest I have experienced. When I got up this morning it was only FOUR degrees outside. I think the warmest it got was ten degrees. So, I did not go outside. :) I stayed in, stayed warm, and played with babies. And enjoyed the view from here.

It was a winter wonderland. (These were taken a little later in the day. There was more snow on the ground when we got up this morning). Not exactly what I was expecting to experience here in New Mexico, but I always enjoy a beautiful snow. Well, when I can stay in and be lazy and simply enjoy the view at least, and not have to be out driving in it!

Even though it was crazy cold, and the roads were slick as glass, it was nice to sit inside and watch the snow and stay cozy and warm.

But I have to be honest. One day is quite enough for me, and I hope things start to melt tomorrow! It can be a little claustrophobic being trapped in the house. I don't know when things are going to clear up though, considering it is only nine degrees right now, and the high for tomorrow is twenty-two, but we'll see! It might be another lazy day of warm blankets, staring out windows, and hot chocolate. :)

Is it a Boy Thing...

2011-02-01T00:02:00.001-06:00

...or just a my child thing??

I know that boys are typically more rough and tumble than girls. I know that my son, even though he is only one year old, gets into more, and tends to get more bumps and bruises than his sister ever did.

He ends up with scrapes on his foot, or cheek, or nose. Or a bump on his forehead.

But there is still one thing I cannot for the life of me understand.

More often than not, these scraps and bumps show up while he is IN HIS CRIB. As in, when he is supposed to be napping. I kid you not, I will go to get him up from his nap and discover a red bump on his forehead, a scrape on his nose or (on more than one occasion) a busted, bleeding lip.

What in the WORLD is he doing in there?? So is this just a boy thing, this being more active and frequently getting hurt, or is it simply just MY CHILD??

Stylish Blogger!

2011-01-31T08:00:00.001-06:00

Last week, a sweet blogging friend Jill @ Pathway to Purpose passed on the Stylish Blogger Award to me. It was such a crazy week I forgot to mention it!

Jill is always such an encouragement to me, I hope you will check out her site! And while it was so sweet of her to pass this on to me, I have to say, I do not consider myself to be particularly stylish! :)

Anyway, the rules for this are:

1. Link back to the person who gave it with you

2. Share seven things about yourself

3. Pass it on to seven other stylish and trendy bloggers

4. Let them know about the award!

Soooo...seven things about me:

1. I married my high school sweet heart after dating for almost five years. <3

2. I love, LOVE cherry coke. I have probably said this before, but I'll say it again. :) The other day I was reading this post on Stuff Christians Like. Creating Your Own "Love Language." (Go read it, it's hilarious!). So my husband and I starting talking about what our love language would be, and I said mine would be a cherry coke from Sonic. Yup, nothing says love like showing up with a Sonic drink to make everything better. :)

3. I love to read historical fiction (especially Philippa Gregory) but I never have time anymore. Shocking, I know! But I have a whole pile of books to read as soon as I get the time to get caught up!

4. I have a passion and a love for the people of Nicaragua, and I have been there three times to share the Gospel. I also have some very special friends who live there and are serving right now. Check out their site and please be in prayer for the work that they are doing!

5. Some of my favorite t.v. shows are Friends, Glee and Psych. And I just realized I have all of them on DVD, so I guess I really do like them! There are not many shows (or movies, for that matter) that I can watch over and over and over. But I could definitely watch these all day long!

6. I am currently reading Daily Readings from the Life of Christ v. 3, by John MacArthur. It's a simple daily devotional, but what I like about it is that it goes verse by verse through scripture. One or two verses a day. I would highly recommend it!

7. It took me a solid half hour (maybe longer? I'm not really sure...I took a break to get a cookie and some milk...) to think of seven things to share about myself. Man, should it really have been that hard??

And now, I am supposed to pass this on to seven stylish bloggers. But honestly, I don't really have the time or the energy to share seven blogs and then contact all of them. (After all, I just spent way too much time making my about me list...). So instead, I will just share two of my very dear in real life friends who each have a sweet and beautiful blog. :) Maybe they will pass it on to seven others!!

Katie @ Simply Sweet

Brittany @ Naturally Estes

Enjoy!

My Temporary Home (Literally)

2011-01-30T16:06:00.001-06:00

A while back, before we knew exactly what God's plan for us would entail, (but feeling fairly certain that that plan would take us somewhere other than Texas), I wrote about my temporary home. I did not necessarily want to leave my nice comfortable home, in a cozy suburb, surrounded by everything I could ever need or want. But I was able (most of the time) to keep things in perspective knowing that God is in control, and wanting more than anything to surrender to His will and His plan.

What I did not know at the time, was that God would be calling us to New Mexico, and would provide us with quite literally a temporary home. After my husband accepted the call to our new church, he set a start date for the beginning of December, and we decided to move our entire family later that month (after our baby girl arrived). So of course, we began to look for a place to live.

For a while, there was really nothing available, but we weren't concerned because we still had time and assumed places would be coming available December 1st. Well, after the first of December, my husband met with a couple people in town to officially start the search and go looking at places. What he discovered, however, is that there is virtually no rental market in this small town. And when homes do become available, they are pretty run down, and very overpriced. So after driving around town and talking with several people, my husband had seen EVERY rental listed on the market. And by that, I mean two or three homes, only one of which he was actually able to go inside and view.

So there we were. We were set to move our entire family of five in about a week and a half, and still had no place to live. Now, we are not very picky, and we were certainly not looking for a mansion, but we are a family of five. We at least needed enough space for our family! All that was left was for us to pray. Of course my husband kept an eye out, and continued to spread the word, but really all we could do was pray. God had so VERY clearly called us to this place at this specific time, and had worked out every other detail, that He would not leave us without a place to live.

A day or two later, the director of missions for our local association of churches notified us that another church in town owned a parsonage that was not currently being used, and they were willing to let us rent it from them. Talk about an answer to prayer! It is definitely smaller than our old house, but it is everything that we need. And the church has been incredibly gracious to let us live here, and did not even list an end date on the lease, so we are not bound to any specific time table. We really can not even express to them how thankful and grateful we are to have a place to live!

Because this house belongs to another church, however, we know we cannot stay here forever. They have been very kind, but they would like to have their facilities back to use as they need (for office space, or bible studies, etc.). So we are very literally in a temporary home. While it can be frustrating knowing this is temporary (not being able to unpack everything, not hanging pictures and making it "home"), it is also a good reminder of our temporary home here on earth. And it has been a great reminder that ultimately, even a home is just "stuff" that I can't take to heaven with me. Being here I have been able to recognize what we actually need versus what are just my own materialistic desires. So for that, I am even more grateful for this house.

And so now, we have just one more hurdle, and that is to sell our home in Texas. It is the final detail that we are praying about and waiting patiently for God to answer. Although I am not worried, because I have no doubt that God has the perfect buyer and we will sell our home in His perfect timing, I am praying that it will be done sooner rather than later. We are definitely hindered by having to maintain a home that we no longer live in, as I'm sure you can imagine. But through this we are learning patience, reliance on the Lord, and to continue to trust in His plan. He has called us here, so He will continue to work out every detail.

And until then, we will continue to live in, and be thankful for, our temporary home.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-01-26T08:00:00.002-06:00

Growing Like a Weed!

2011-01-25T14:46:00.000-06:00

Well, I am so excited, that I just have to share. I have found a FABULOUS pediatrician here in town. Between all three kids, as well as everything my son has been through, we have seen a lot of doctors. And we have been to a lot of pediatricians. And let me tell you, I have not always had a very pleasant experience. They were either rude, or judgmental, or had rude nurses, or had a very small, over crowded waiting room full of sick kids. Or a combination of these.

But when I brought my baby girl in this morning to meet our new doctor, I was immediately impressed. They have two separate entrances, with two separate waiting rooms. Yes, one for the sick kids, and one for healthy kids just in for a checkup! That is obviously a plus with the way kids spread things around! Then I met the nurse, and she gave me the welcome packet and then explains that there is an after hours number to call if I have a sick child and need to talk to an on-call nurse without having to go to the emergicare! What?! Her exact words were, "If you can't get through at 2 in the morning, just keep calling. We're heavy sleepers, haha!" Oh my goodness! Most nurses I have called during business hours, have not been that happy to answer questions or ease concerns!

Then I met the doctor, and she was fantastic. She is the first and only doctor who had a real discussion with me about vaccines, addressed and understood my concerns, and did not blow me off or act disrespectful. And, I might add, is the only one who seemed to actually know what she was talking about.

So it was a very good visit! But the real reason for this post is to tell you how the check up went, and brag on my youngest, chunkiest baby. :) Just as a reminder, when she was born she weighed 5 pounds, 1 ounce, left the hospital weighing 4 pounds 12 ounces, and was 17 inches long. But today?

10 pounds 5 ounces

21 3/4 inches long

She has already doubled her birth weight! So we were all very pleased with that!

She is now in the 50th percentile for weight, and 25th percentile for height. And she is SO strong. She tries very hard to hold her head up.

And she smiles all the time (even though it doesn't seem like it in these photos!), and I think she has the longest eye lashes I have ever seen on a two month old! Although if I'm being totally honest, I probably don't pay much attention to other two month old's eye lashes. But hers sure are beautiful! :)

The Problem With Presents

2011-01-19T15:24:00.001-06:00

So around our house lately, we have been opening a lot of presents, and by we, I mean mostly my daughter, who thinks every one of them is for her. Between her birthday (Christmas Eve) and Christmas day, we had two whole days of present opening fun. But it's not just that. Because of our move, several friends and family waited to send packages to our new address, so for the past couple weeks we have been receiving even more presents. (Thank you's will be coming soon, I promise!!)

Well, let me tell you. This has created quite the little monster. My daughter has become obsessed with opening presents, and thinks everything is a present, and must obviously be for her.

So yesterday, a very sweet lady from our church stopped by with a little fuzzy, pink jacket she had sewn for her granddaughter.

Turned out, the jacket was too small, so she brought it to me for my girls. We chatted for a few minutes, and then I said goodbye and closed the door. When I turned around, jacket in hand, my daughter jumped out of her chair and running towards me says, "Peasants? Yay peasants!! My peasant, my peasant!"

Um, when did she become such a greedy little munchkin?? Haha! But technically, it was for her, so I said, (laughing) "Yes, this is for you. See?" And held up the jacket.

My sweet, innocent girl (looking up at me in wide-eyed wonder): "Oh...I wuv it!!"

Me (laughing even harder at her beyond precious response): "Well, good!! Do you want to put it on?"

My girl (so very matter of fact): "Yes. I put on."

And with that, she put it on and wore it the rest of the night. Even though the only other thing on her tiny little self was a diaper. It was sweet, and adorable, and made me forget all about her sudden onset of narcissism. :)

Two Whole Months!

2011-01-18T14:45:00.001-06:00

Believe it or not, my sweet girl is TWO months old today!! She is growing faster than any child I have ever seen, and while I know (of course) that this is a good thing, I wish she would slow down just a little!! She still spends more time sleeping than not, tends to be fussy in the evenings (7-10 pm), ususally sleeps for 5-6 hours when we first go to bed, and of course, is just as beautiful as ever!

I often get asked, "So who does she look like, big sister or big brother?" Well, honestly, she just looks like herself to me. And depending on the day or the picture, sometimes I see her sister, and sometimes I see her brother.

So I'm curious, who do YOU think she looks like? Here are a couple pictures of her siblings at the same age:

Little Miss Priss, two months old

Handsome Bubba, two months old

I get lots of different answers from different people, so I'm looking forward to hearing your opinion! :)

My Favorite Two Year Old

2011-01-16T22:58:00.001-06:00

She is my very favorite two year old.

She's so smart, sometimes it blows my mind the things she does or says.

She's curious, and friendly, and active, and chatty, and observant.

These days, she is speaking in pretty long, complete sentences (as well as quite a lot of jibberish still!), counting to thirteen, and always remembers to say please and thank you (well, most of the time, anyway). She also knows most animals and animals sounds, and knows a couple of shapes.

She is quickly becoming a very picky and opinionated eater, and loves to give her siblings hugs and kisses.

Of course, she still loves Dora, and because I love her, we watch it all day long. Yup, she amazes me everyday, and she is without a doubt my very favorite two year old. :)

Shops, restaurants and...UFOs?

2011-01-13T23:06:00.000-06:00

As promised, I have some pictures to share of our trip to Roswell, New Mexico. Of course I am aware that Roswell is known as the site of the alleged UFO incident in 1947. But I was not fully prepared for just how much the city tries to capitalize on this and attract tourists! We went to Roswell to simply shop and eat lunch, but we were thoroughly amused by the multitude of little green men everywhere.

(I would like to apologize in advance for the quality of the pictures, as most were taken out the window of a moving vehicle.)

Every restaurant and store front has alien pictures or statues:

I know it's hard to see, but the McDonald's is even shaped like a flying saucer:

The street lamps are also made to look like aliens:

And then of course, there is the UFO Museum:

We have not actually gone to the museum, but I am sure we will make it there one day, and I look forward to telling you all about it!

How Does She Do It?

2011-01-13T00:09:00.001-06:00

In case anyone out there has forgotten, I have three (very) small children. Two months, fourteen months, and twenty-five months to be exact. And although I love them beyond belief, and feel undeservedly blessed to be able to stay home and care for them, I'm just going to be honest. Taking care of all three at once is no small task! And don't even ask how I get all four of us ready and out the door in time for church! Well, ok, maybe if you ask nicely. :)

I am always amused at the reactions and comments we get, either from friends, or the ~~occasional~~ not so occasional stranger in public:

"Wow, you must be one busy lady!" Yes, busy is one way to describe it!

"Oh my, you sure do have your hands full!" Yes, throughout the day, my hands are literally, quite full. Some days, you don't even want to know what they have been full of!

"Honey, I just don't know how you do it." Most days, I don't know either.

But somehow, with much too little sleep, and probably too much caffeine, we make it through the day. And yes, my daughter may have peanut butter and jelly in her hair, and a piece of chicken tender stored for later in her pull toy. And I may have skipped a shower (again) and have seventeen spit-up stains on my shirt. And my son may have gone to bed in the pajamas that he wore the entire day. But everyone got fed, and played with, and no one got hurt. So, all things considered, I would call that a success!

On those days, the trying, exhausting, why won't anybody listen to me, days, I am just thankful that we all made it through in one piece, and that at the end of the day, I have three beautiful babies, finally asleep.

But other days, everyone is calm. Baby girl sleeps and eats and coos all day. Bubba is happy and content, eats well, and takes two good naps. There are no terrible twos temper tantrums. Our "schedule" goes on without a hitch. Our time is spent just enjoying each other, and there is more laughing than crying.

These are the days that get me through all the other days. When I am reminded that things are not always as difficult as I sometimes make them out to be. When I realize that the challenging days are not really as long as they seem. And when I remember that they will not be this small forever, and I have to cherish each and every moment, even the moments when I want to pull my hair out.

I am not perfect, and this is not easy. But that is how I do it.

The Land of Enchantment

2011-01-08T23:16:00.000-06:00

So it turns out, New Mexico is called the land of enchantment. I'm not exactly sure why, or where that came from, but it is. No lie.

I'm learning a lot about New Mexico these days. More than I ever knew about it in my whole entire life, and I'm so excited to explore this state more! The first thing everyone told me (and this is of the utmost importance) is that in New Mexico, the question is red of green? Red or green chiles that is. (Hence the sign. Which I just now got as I am typing this.) Yes, here in New Mexico, they put chiles on everything. This is not an exaggeration. I mean everything. We were recently out grabbing a bite for lunch and I ordered a turkey sandwich. It had turkey and bacon and cheese...you know, the usual. Oh, and also green chiles! I should have taken a picture to prove it, but I was too busy, ahem, scarfing it down. Thankfully, I like spicy food, and I like green chiles, so I rather enjoyed the southwestern twist.

I have also learned that there are 2 million people in the entire state. That's one third the population of the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex. Because of this, there are only two area codes for the entire state. I don't know the exact number, but I think it's safe to say there are quite a few more than that in DFW. :) We also just swore in a new governor. She is the first Latin American woman to be governor in the country, which I thought was pretty cool.

One more fun fact for you. New Mexico has not even been a state for 100 years. 2012 New Mexico is celebrating its centennial. Being from Virginia, one of the oldest states in the nation, this was a very strange fact to learn! But I'm excited to be here to celebrate such a big event!

Well, I have also recently made a trip to Roswell, and have lots of fun pictures, but that will have to wait until next time. :)

Little Miss Personality

2011-01-05T14:43:00.001-06:00

I think it's safe to say that it has been entirely too long since I posted pictures of our ever changing little one. So here you go!

Is she cute or what!!? :)

J.O.Y.

2011-01-04T12:51:00.000-06:00

A wonderfully sweet and encouraging woman at our church gave me this to hang in our house.

While it may technically be a Christmas decoration, I think it will be something that stays on our wall year round. Why, you ask? Well, when she gave it to me, she explained that joy is her favorite word and that she has it hanging all over her house. "Oh, that's neat. My favorite word is probably grace," I responded, thinking the conversation was over. Then she explained why.

"JOY stands for Jesus, others, yourself. It's a reminder to put Jesus Christ first, then others, before yourself and your own wants and needs." Honestly, my first response was, "Oh, that's nice." Smile and nod. I don't usually like silly phrases and sayings. All too often they sound good, but don't really mean anything. But when I really thought about it, I realized several things. First of all, even if it were just a silly acronym, I could definitely use that reminder in my life! But besides just being a visual reminder of my life's priorities, it points to a deeper spiritual truth.

If you want to have TRUE JOY in your life, you have to put Christ first.

"You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever." Psalm 16:11

"O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill And to Your dwelling places. Then I will go to the altar of God, To God my exceeding joy; And upon the lyre I shall praise You, O God, my God." Psalm 43:3-4

Scripture is clear that to live a God glorifying life, and thus experience the joy that only comes from Him, you must put Jesus Christ first in all things, and before all else. He has to be first in your job, in your marriage, in your family, and in every decision that you make.

Of course, this is not an easy task, and I'm not going to pretend like it is, or that I have mastered it. But it is the life that God has called me to. And I want to have "fullness of joy" in my life. So I will keep this up as a daily reminder...

And I will work to put Christ first in my life.

More Christmas Fun!

2010-12-28T22:30:00.000-06:00

A new Christmas tradition that we decided to try this year was making a gingerbread house. I thought that if I built it and did the icing, my daughter would be old enough and understand enough to decorate with the candy pieces. So we gave it a shot! And I have to say, she did a fantastic job!!

**Side note-pay no attention to her wardrobe. She was attempting to put a shirt on by herself, but ended up with it inside out and only one arm made it through. ;) **

Helping Mama get the icing ready!

"Are you getting all of this, Daddy?"

She added each of the candy pieces herself!

So deliberate and careful.

We had so much fun! Every time she added a piece of candy and it stuck, I would say, "Good job sweetheart! That's so pretty!" So then, every time I iced something, she would say, "Good job, Mama!"

Our finished product:

The next morning, we were sitting at the counter eating breakfast, and the gingerbread house was situated in front of us. She was drinking milk and admiring her work, and suddenly proclaims, "Aww...so pretty, house!"

I think I would have to agree. :)

Our First New Mexico Christmas

2010-12-27T23:48:00.001-06:00

Despite all the chaos as of late, we really did have a wonderful Christmas. We tried to make it as special as possible, despite the fact that we are still living (somewhat) out of suitcases and boxes, and the fact that I just could not muster up the energy to decorate our entire house for Christmas. This was a very hard decision for me to come to, because I LOVE Christmas, and I LOVE having the house decorated, and having a beautiful, freshly cut tree...well, you get the idea. With so much stuff still not organized and in place, I just couldn't see dragging everything out, just to pack it all away again a week later. So there you go.

BUT, a very sweet couple at our church, no doubt sensing that our poor home would be completely devoid of any sort of holiday decor, gave us the sweetest little mini tree (ready to go with lights and ornaments even!) and the most beautiful Christmas quilt, so I was able to use the tree as the center piece for our table, and arrange all the gifts around it. It actually made it a very special and unique Christmas, and honestly, with such small children around, it was probably better to have everything up out of reach anyway!

And of course, the kids got to open presents, so we all had a blast!

Discovering her new Dora backpack!

Takin it out for a spin

Perfect fit!

Playing with his new toy, still in the box

Listening to the fun music!


And now, just playing with the box. ;)

And of course, baby girl was just as content as always, and had a nice relaxing morning before our lunch with friends.

I hope that your Christmas was joyful, memorable, and most of all, a reminder of what Christmas is really all about. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who was born in the most humble of circumstances, lived a perfect, sinless life, and then died on the cross to save His children.

God Bless!

I'll Love You Forever

2010-12-27T00:05:00.000-06:00

A mother held her new baby and very slowly rocked her back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.

And while she held her, she sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.

The baby grew. She grew and she grew and she grew.

She grew until she was two years old, and she ran all around the house. She pulled all the books off the shelves. She pulled all the toys out of the toy box and she took her mother's keys and threw them in the trash can. Sometimes her mother would say, "this kid is driving me CRAZY!"

But at night time, when that two-year-old was quiet, she opened the door to her room, crawled across the floor, looked up over the side of her bed; and if she was really asleep she picked her up and rocked her back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.

While she rocked her she sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.

Happy Birthday beautiful girl! I can't believe you are already TWO! We love you SO much and we're so very proud of you!

*Adapted from the book Love You Forever by Robert Munsch*

Settling In

2010-12-26T17:54:00.000-06:00

Whew! Moving out of state with three babies under two is without a doubt one of the most exhausting things I have ever done! But we are here now, and trying to get settled. On the top of my list was getting internet at our new home, and I cannot even tell you how happy I am that we are finally connected! But considering this weekend was not only Christmas Eve AND my baby girl's birthday, and then Christmas day, everything else on the list has gotten put on hold. :) But no worries, one thing at a time.

So far, everyone has been very welcoming to me and our small herd of children, but of course, I knew they would be. And my kids absolutely LOVE playing in the nursery, which was one of the reasons I knew that this was where God needed us to be. I know that sounds silly, but if any of you have ever left your child screaming at the top of their lungs in a nursery or daycare, you know what a big deal it is when your baby walks right in and makes herself at home!! So yeah, so far I think it's a good fit. ;)

Unfortunately, with this being the week of Christmas I have not had a whole lot of time to explore the town, but I plan to remedy that very soon. Now, it is a small town, so I don't know how much there will be to explore, but I've been told that there is always something to do. So we shall see if that's true!

Well, that's all I have for now, because small children are calling me. But I will definitely be sharing pictures soon, because my beautiful firstborn just turned TWO, and my newest love is growing like a weed, and changing everyday. :)

I'm looking forward to sharing new adventures with you!!

Together Again!

2010-12-12T16:29:00.000-06:00

Well, I apologize for my absence, but I'm sure you can imagine just how little time (unfortunately) I have for blogging these days. Thankfully, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, as moving day is quickly approaching, and we will soon be (somewhat) settled again! :)

But in the midst of our packing and sorting and planning and the five million other things that have to get done, we had a visit from some very special friends.

I really can't even tell you how wonderful it was to see our friends and their beautiful daughter again and for them to have the opportunity to meet our new little bundle before we head out.

All the babies played together, and I was able to spend some MUCH needed girl time with my friend!

It was so sweet to see all the kids together, and to see how much everyone has grown.

But I have to say, as wonderful as it was to see them again, it was not any easier to say goodbye. Especially knowing we will now be even further apart. But I am thankful for the little bit of time that we did have! :)

Two Whole Weeks!

2010-12-02T14:18:00.000-06:00

I can hardly believe it, but our sweet little girl is already two weeks old!

She is doing great, and growing everyday.

I feel so incredibly blessed, because she is BY FAR the easiest of our three babies.

Most of the time, she's so content, you wouldn't even know she's there!

And we love her SO MUCH!!

Goodbye Texas

2010-12-01T21:56:00.000-06:00

We arrived in Texas all the way from the east coast in June of 2008. Two and a half short years, our first house, and three babies later, we are saying goodbye.

As excited as we are to embark on our new adventure, the move is definitely bittersweet. We are settled here, we found a church we love, and we have friends here. But God is calling us to a wonderful, new ministry opportunity, and so off we go!

I know there may be some people who don't understand our move, or wonder why in the world we were here in Texas for such a short time, and so on and so on...but I really don't think I can say this enough. God's plan and His timing are perfect. And I know that even more clearly now than I did two years ago when we felt Him calling us to Texas. The past three months have been difficult, but it has been so clearly preparation for what's ahead, and I'm so thankful for God's wisdom in the direction of our life. We couldn't have planned it out any better ourselves if we tried!

And although our time in Texas has been brief, we have loved it here, and I know there are so many reasons that we have been here for this specific time in our lives. Most of which I probably will never know or understand while here on earth. But one thing is for sure. We were in Texas, in this specific location, during this specific time, to have our beautiful, amazing children. Being in the "big city," we have been incredibly blessed to have access to the very best health care. Considering everything my son has been through, and considering what a high risk pregnancy I had this last time around, we needed to be in a place where that kind of care was available. It's hard to believe that in the past two years I have given birth to three children, and I have sometimes wondered why God gave them to us so close together, but I have no doubt that part of the reason was so that they could be born in Texas.

But now? Now we are saying "Goodbye, Texas," and "Hello, New Mexico." That's right, this east coast girl is moving even further west. I will now be closer to California than to my home in Virginia. It's going to be a new experience, but I am sure we will grow to love our new home just as we have grown to love and appreciate the uniqueness of Texas. :) And for anyone who has ever been through a big move, I'm sure you can attest to the stress associated with selling your home, and packing everything in sight. Add taking care of three babies on top of that, and let's just say, we could use a few extra prayers! So thank you in advance, friends, your prayers are truly appreciated!

Three Under Two

2010-11-27T23:03:00.000-06:00

We now have

THREE children

under the age of

TWO.

And it's very difficult to get a nice picture of the three of them together. :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T20:22:00.000-06:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! After a ridiculously long night with a feisty child who refused to sleep (oddly enough, NOT our newborn...) we were pretty wiped out today. Combine that with the icky, cold weather, and you get one very lazy family.

But it was a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving nonetheless!! We relaxed, watched the parade, and were blessed to have our incredibly generous friend share her Thanksgiving feast with us, so we didn't starve. :) I also had plenty of time to think about just how much I have to be thankful for this year, and boy, I don't even know where to start! But here goes:

1. An AMAZING husband who has been home helping with the babies more than I could ever ask for.

2. Three BEAUTIFUL children who spent the entire day with me.

3. Spending a nice, relaxing holiday all together as a family.

4. Spending today AT HOME, and not in the hospital!! (In the past two years, we have spent Christmas in the hospital twice, and Thanksgiving in the hospital once.)

5. So many loving and generous friends who have filled our home with delicious meals and baked goods for the past week.

6. Cozy evenings on the couch with my husband after my babies are (usually) in bed.

7. A sweet, good-natured baby girl who is happy and healthy.

8. Cell phones, facebook and skype, which allow me to stay in touch with friends and family who I was not able to spend the holiday with.

9. Truly amazing "blog" friends who are such a TREMENDOUS encouragement.

10. God's amazing, infinite love for me, even though I don't deserve it, and His amazing and perfect timing in all things.

Have a wonderfully blessed weekend, and a joyful and thankful Thanksgiving!!

Oh So Pretty

2010-11-24T16:53:00.000-06:00

50 FREE Holiday Cards

2010-11-24T14:42:00.000-06:00

This holiday season, Shutterfly, a photo storage website, is offering 50 FREE holiday cards to any blogger who writes a post about their new holiday card collection and this special offer. Being a long-time user of the site, and having been very pleased with their products and services, I was thrilled to share with you, and of course, even more excited to earn some free Christmas cards!

The selection of holiday cards at Shutterfly.com is fantastic, with various sizes and styles, so there is definitely something for everyone. I have greatly enjoyed sorting through the different styles and trying to decide on what will be the best fit for our family. This year, because our daughter was just born, we don't really have time to get a nice, formal photo of our entire family, so in order to narrow down my search I decided to look for a design with three photos. That way I can include a beautiful individual photo of each of my babies. Then I decided I would like a card that says "Merry Christmas," and has Christmas colors, because I guess I'm just very traditional like that! I also looked at the 5x7 cards, since that is the size they are giving away to bloggers. Therefore, I began my search here, and then refined my choices to fit what I wanted for our family.

Then I was able to find a few designs that were simple, and allowed for a picture of each of my babies:

Peppermint Bliss

Scarlet Frames

Candy Boxes

And since I was already planning on ordering our family Christmas cards from Shutterfly, I am super excited to receive 50 cards for free! If you would like to know more about this offer, just go here, and if you would like to check out Shutterfly for yourself, just go here!

Some other great products they have this Christmas season include: Calendars, Christmas Invitations, Address Labels, and Gift Tags.

An Amazing Birth

2010-11-23T13:10:00.000-06:00

Well, things are starting to settle down as we get adjusted to having a new little baby in the house. She is doing wonderfully, spending her days sleeping, eating, and then sleeping some more. In fact, as I type this, all three of my babies are napping. At the same time. Pretty impressive, huh? So I thought now would be a great time to share her birth story with you.

Let me preface this by explaining (in case you aren't already aware) that labor tends to happen very quickly for me. And if you think I'm exaggerating, just go and read the story of when my son was born. And even though I really thought I would have a little more time this time since she would be a bigger baby, not so. This was the fastest labor yet. Seriously, it might be a record or something.

So anyway, Wednesday afternoon I went to see my doctor and check the progress of my little girl. In a week I had gone from 2 centimeters to 2-3 centimeters. So my doctor (not being a fortune teller) could simply shrug and say,"Well, given your history, I would guess you will not last another entire week, but there's really no telling exactly when you will go into labor."

And so we continued to wait. I spent the afternoon relaxing, then Wednesday evening ran some errands. After the kids were in bed, I even went grocery shopping! Once I was home, and everything was done, I spent the rest of the evening relaxing and watching Psych, still feeling nothing, and planning on going to bed, because we had a very busy day planned on Thursday.

Just after midnight, however, I started to have the occasional contraction. Now, for the past several weeks, I have had occasional contractions, so I waited to see if changing position, drinking water, etc. would stop them. Nothing worked. So we made the call to our friend to come and sit with our other two, and started getting ready to head out the door. At this point, the contractions were only slightly uncomfortable, not incredibly painful. But I had no idea how far along I was or how quickly things would progress, so we booked it to the hospital.

We were checked into labor and delivery at 1:15 am. At this point the contractions had gotten much more intense, so I quickly tried to explain to the nurses that labor happens quickly, and we needed to hurry. I don't think she entirely believed me, but she got me in a room and hooked to a monitor and finally checked to see just how far I was. Seven centimeters.

She immediately called my doctor, who arrived within minutes. At this point, the contractions were VERY painful, and I had about five people coaching me through each one. My doctor went ahead and broke my water to keep things moving. Even knowing my history, I don't think anyone thought things would then happen quite as quickly as they did. It was either the third or fourth contraction after my water broke that she was born. Not even ten minutes later. And just like that, labor was over, at 1:57 am! She was beautiful and healthy and oh so tiny.

Once she was born and things started to calm down, we began to talk with the nurses. The nurse who helped with delivery was the same nurse who delivered my son. And the Children's hospital transport nurse who had spent so much time with us the night he was born, and calmed us down and answered all our questions, was also there to check on my baby girl (since technically she was a little early as well). Turns out, they all still talk about that night, and we're kind of a legend. During our stay, nurse after nurse came in to say, "Oh my gosh, that was you??" or "So you popped out another one??" or "So are you going to be back here next year?"

Yeah. We heard it all.

And so we survived. We have a beautiful, healthy baby girl, and we are finally all home. Honestly, aside from being afraid she would come too early and we would have another child in the hospital, my biggest fear was that my water would break before we could make it to the hospital. I have spent the last nine months praying that would not happen. So I am so incredibly thankful that we made it safe and sound and did not deliver at home, or in the car, or some other place that is NOT the hospital!

Thank you all for your prayers as well, God heard and has blessed us with an absolutely beautiful daughter!

A Big Sister's Love

2010-11-19T17:22:00.000-06:00

She's so in love.

36 Weeks-CHECK!

2010-11-18T19:03:00.001-06:00

Well, I officially made it to 36 weeks, which was my doctor's goal, but that's as far as we got! Yup, after going to the doctor and finding out that in the last week I had made virtually no progress, we still had no idea when this little girl may arrive. Then all of a sudden, I went into labor, and she is now here!!

I will share her amazing birth story soon, but tonight, I just want to share a few pictures of our first day together.

She was born at 1:57 this morning, a petite 5 pounds, 1 ounce and 17 inches long.

More soon! We are both doing great!! :)