Children

I am 15 weeks pregnant with my 4th baby. We are very excited to welcome this new addition to our family. I have to admit though that this was a big surprise to us. Because of the difficulty especially with the last pregnancy, I just could not imagine my body going through that again and surviving!! Thankfully, though God knows how much I can handle. Even on the days when all three kids are having bad days, and I don't think I can make it through the fighting or bickering or crying or whining, He gets me through. The day always starts new with His grace and mercy poured out on me!

I had a rough 1st trimester, very nauseous, and tired, and Noah and I ended up getting swine flu so that added to the drama in our house. We both survived, but it was a difficult time. For everyone!! Now I am in my 2nd trimester, and I am feeling sooo much better! But one thing I have noticed with this 4th pregnancy is wow, hello belly already!! I already have to wear maternity pants/jeans to feel better and not so restricted. I haven't gained any weight, but the belly is coming out! Very strange feeling!

Sometimes I lay awake at night and wonder how both my Grandmas had 11+ kids!! I am wondering how it is going to be to have 4 kids running around here. I wish I could go back at time and see a glimpse of how they did it. I asked my dad how his mom potty trained all of those kids and he said they just did it themselves. If they had an accident then they would have to wash out their own pants in the creek. Wow, we have had it so easy compared to those times. We are so muck more spoiled even now. I have tried to teach my kids to be very independent, but they still have their own areas where they have been spoiled by us.

Alexa and Noah have both professed Jesus as their Savior, and are continuing to learn and grow in what this decision means. We are so excited that they have done this at such a young age and pray that Emma and our next little one will also accept at an early age. Children are such an amazing gift from God, we are so thankful for all of ours and take training them in God's ways seriously. Pray for us as we go on this next journey with our 4th, we really feel like there are going to be some major changes that will also come along with this.

In Sickness & In Health

Once upon a time there was a girl and a boy who had fallen in love and got married. They had both gotten teaching jobs at a Christian school in the area, one working upstairs and one working downstairs. Almost immediately in the marriage, the girl became sick from migraines and colds to kidney infections. The girl was used to being waited upon hand and foot because that is how she was treated as a child, but the boy was not accustomed to this kind of treatment and had a difficult time taking care of the girl like she wanted. There were many tears shed and many a harsh word said that first year of marriage. There was such a misunderstanding of what each one was to do when these types of things happened. Through it all though they did continue to pray together and they did learn to communicate and share difficult things with each other. Their marriage grew so much that first year through all the sickness and through all the sad times.

As the years have gone on, the boy has grown in love for the girl and the girl has grown to love the boy more. There are times still that the girl will ask the boy to do something that the boy will visibly look annoyed at, and the girl will get her feelings hurt, but overall their marriage has grown in leaps and bounds. The girl tries to not place expectations on the boy and the boy has tried to love the girl as Christ loves the church.

They are not perfect, but they do love each other a lot. For some reason the girl has had numerous illnesses and things happen to her body that have caused her to not be able to function well all the time, but the boy has not had many ailments at all in their ten years of marriage. The girl sees the boy as a strong leader, because he is usually healthy and able to take care of her and now their three children. She looks up to him because he loves God and spends time talking aloud to Him, he makes it a priority to read God's word and to teach his family about God's love. The girl loves the boy very much and would do anything for the boy, but lately has felt too weak or tired to do anything special for the boy.

The only thing the girl could thing of to do for the boy was to write this and say thank you.

Thank you Wade for loving me for who I am, for knowing my ins and outs and still loving me. You give me a small example of how much God loves me, if He knows my every thought and action and yet still loves me the same. You daily show me God's love, thank you for being patient with me and for understanding me as much as you can!!! You are my best friend, and I still cannot believe that God has allowed me to be with you on earth--you are amazing!!!

My first time

I have thought about doing this for awhile now, but I don't like unfinished things, and I was afraid that I would get started and then I wouldn't keep up with it. But here goes a try.

I have had a rough week. I have been losing patience with the kids and I find myself counting the days until they go to school. I love them a lot, but I have not really enjoyed this week with them in general. However, I am so thankful to God for giving me those special little moments even amongst the craziness of having three little ones!

One of those special times was with Alexa who is 6, and getting ready to start first grade, we had a "girls night" last night. We went to Target & Wal Mart for some essentials and school supplies, picked up a movie, and some sugarless gum, which was one of her highlights! We got our snacks ready and got into my bed to watch, Hotel for Dogs, and throughout the movie she just kept saying, "I love you, Mommy" actually throughout the whole evening she would say this.

I am close to my parents, especially my mom, but I did not grow up saying, "I love you" to anyone. We only really said it when someone was traveling, or if someone was sick, having surgery, or something like that. Wade and I have always told each other we love each other a lot, throughout the day. Always on the phone, whenever we walk out the door, etc...so this is what Alexa age 6 is expressing. I love that! In fact our 23 month old, Emma already says, "I love you" at bedtime and when someone is leaving the house.

So when I think about the Lord, it makes me want to just be telling God, "I love you" all the time. I am learning priceless lessons from my 6, 5, and almost 2 year old. I want to love God how they love me. He loves me so much more than they do. Throughout scripture, He demonstrates His love for me.

I struggle sometimes with loving Wade more than God. Not in my mind, but with my actions. I really want to love God first every day above all things. I pray that is your desire.

So with a rough week, God shows Himself through many blessings, lots of laughs, priceless memories, and countless trials.