Finally Walking!

She did it! Missy Blue Eyes is finally walking at 18 months! She has been teasing us with attempts for the past 4 months but has taken her sweet time progressing to actually walking on her own. Now while I know most children are walking much earlier (as 3 of my boys were) in no way was I in a hurry for this milestone. I do not mind having a baby who is not extremely mobile. Missy has taken her time in many of her milestones. Last summer we wondered if she would ever crawl as we could set her down in a room and she would not move from that spot but was content to just watch the world go on around her. That makes for a really easy baby! Missy is so proud of herself and no longer wants to hold our hands.  Watch out world, her she comes!

Another Blessing!

God has decided to bless us with another baby! Admittedly in the beginning it was hard to adjust to the thought as we weren’t necessarily “ready”. Mainly because I finally now feel normal after my previous c-section 18 mos. ago. While others may not share our thoughts we believe that God is in control of our family size. We do use natural family planning to try and space the children which some may say is taking control away but yet even in doing that God always does decide when we will have another child. As we see so clearly in scripture God will open the womb when He decides to.

Again I struggled with the thoughts of my sister who has been trying to have another child for almost two years now and committed this to much prayer. She had a difficult time getting pregnant with their first child also and I easily was pregnant with our Tank at that time. Why does God choose to bless us but not them or other friends who so desire a child? We may never know but I was so thankful that the Lord prepared her for my news and as I cried, she laughed.

The boys are thrilled with the thought of another baby, especially George who wants us to have at least 9 children! As we tell more and more people it helps to build our own excitement at the thought of another little life. I am nauseous and tired every day but never experience it as badly as other women that I know. Bland food is what we seem to live on at this moment but this should last maybe only a week or so more.  I am due around November 10th but will have the baby via c-section two weeks prior. (See info on our twins birth as to why another c-section).

Psalm 127:3-4  Behold, children are a gift of the LORD; The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.

Wear Your Love

As I read a post by my friend KindredHeart last year I was inspired to purchase something for myself for my husband’s birthday. I bought a t-shirt that expresses my love for him. My sister was equally inspired and decided to make the same type of purchase. They differed slightly based on the taste we felt our men had. (My sister bought an “I Love My Geek” shirt which is perfect for my brother-in-law).

The Saturday morning of my husband’s birthday I got ready and put on my new t-shirt and went to greet him. At first he didn’t notice but when he did really look at me he wore the biggest grin on his face and was ready with an immediate embrace. The rest of the day was enjoyable and I was thrilled to see how something as simple as expressing my love in a creative way made such a difference. While I am not typically a t-shirt kind of girl, I also have found that wearing it in the public eye really gives an extra burst of encouragement.

I have recently read the book “For Women Only” by Shaunti Feldhahn which is an easy and enjoyable read. It is about the things that we may not understand about men and so clearly explains what it is that men really desire from us and why. This was not based on her own experience or opinion but from a professional survey of hundreds of men. The biggest emphasis was on how we need to respect our husband which is the way they feel loved. There is a reason why the bible says in Ephesians 5:33 “Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband”.

Speaking of KindredHeart, she was nominated for two blog award categories so stop by and visit her site and be as encouraged as I always am! She really does “Live-what-she-believes”! A few other blog friends have been nominated also so stop in and visit them as well.

Hospitality and Willing Helpers

I love to entertain and have people over to our house whether it is having people overnight or a baby shower with a group of women. I remember all of the many missionaries and guests that my parents entertained while I was growing up and how I would take pictures of them to remember their visit. This left an impression on me.

While I may enjoy entertaining, I haven’t always kept it up being as it can be a lot of work to get your house in order when there are little ones going before you in seeming destruction mode. “Do you think the floor is a garbage?” I often mutter. I would usually get frustrated with the preparations not going as I plan and the last minute rush to get everything sparkling and smelling fresh. Lately we have taken to the thinking that the more we entertain the more our house will stay clean and in order so we continue to invite people. I have loosened up my expectations as it really shouldn’t matter to people if there happens to be dust on the lamp or that the windows are smudged full of sticky fingerprints. This after all is my life right now. Last weekend I was hosting a bridal shower for a young lady from church. As I told the children of the approaching event I explained how we all need to work together to get things clean and in order. This isn’t only a job for Mommy. George then says, “Why do you always have showers here? Don’t you know it makes more work for us?!?”

The week of preparation went so much smoother than I imagined. I didn’t yell once! The children were willing helpers which shocked me. George especially went out of his way to do anything he could to help me and I thanked him over and again. While my house wasn’t perfect, I know we all worked together to clean and did the best we could do. The boys were just disappointed that they couldn’t be at the shower. Why do Mom’s get all the fun? This month we are having some students from a Bible college up north who come down to help out at church on Sundays stay overnight. I enjoy this as the children are learning how to interact with new people and are starting to open up more. Now our youngest, Tank loves people and considers the guys to be his “friends”. The children are also learning to practice hospitality.

 

A Sunday afternoon of playing games with two college students over for dinner.

 

1 Peter 4:8-10  And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Happy 65th Anniversary Grandma and Grandpa!

Grandma and Grandpa's Wedding Picture in 1942

This past weekend we celebrated my Grandparents 65^th Wedding Anniversary! We had quite a group gather to honor them and give tribute. It was such a special time with family and old friends.

Grandma and Grandpa with most of the family (they had 6 children)

We had a short program which was a highlight. My Dad and uncles sang in harmony some of the songs that my grandparents love including a song I will always associate with my Grandpa, “Soon and Very Soon”.  On that note he went up to add his tenor voice along with them and had us all join in. The great-grandchildren, which included my children, sang “The B-I-B-L-E”, and my Aunt wrote a skit called “This Is Your Life” which had various family members acting out the different times in Grandma and Grandpa’s marriage. Missy Blue played my Aunt as a baby and was quite a little doll in her bonnet.

Missy Blue playing my Aunt

Everyone joined in choruses and then my Grandparents spoke. Grandpa shared how they had been through so much in their time together but the things that kept them strong were Grandma and the Lord. He told of the support and helpmeet she has been to him through all these years and I have seen that evidenced so clearly. Grandma shared one of her favorite verses that has carried her through, Psalm 46:1 “God, is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” The thing that really brought tears to my eyes was when they told how when they lie in bed at night they sing together the chorus…”Thank You Lord, for saving my soul. Thank You Lord, for making me whole. Thank You Lord, for giving to me, Thy great salvation so rich and free.” They love the Lord and put Him first, they love each other, and they love their family. They often remind me that they are praying for us and how they pray for each one in our family. What a special couple! I praise God for the example they have been to us of a marriage with Christ at the Head. My cousin sang the Steve Green song which summed it up best. “Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful….” My grandparents have truly been faithful and have touched many lives.

Grandma and Grandpa today

Spring at last!

Spring has arrived! My husband and I stood out on the porch last night feeling the breezes blow listening to the distant thunder and taking in that wonderful scent that only comes in spring. Ahhh! It was an above normal “warm” night for us in March at 55 degrees. That always amuses us with the fact that in fall at that same temperature it would feel chilly. My Grandma L. said a few years back that she enjoyed the winter for the fact that when it was over she appreciated the spring and summer all the more. I definitely agree. Without all of the dreariness and cold of winter would I take as much delight in each sign of new life we find? How exciting to watch the trees beginning to bud, to see green grass finally poking out among all the brown, to watch the birds building a new nest and to know that God has ordered all of this. This brings the words of my Grandma E.’s favorite hymn to mind…

How Great Thou Art
O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy pow'r thro'out the universe displayed......

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee;
 How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my sou, my Savior God to Thee;
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

One Less Diaper!

The topic of potty training elicits so many different responses from people. Some potty-train their child early as a toddler while others wait until the child is getting to the point where people question what is taking so long, and still others I have heard of will train their baby (parent train?).  It took our twins until they were close to four years before they were potty-trained. That wasn’t for a lack of trying as we did attempt it numerous times. It was difficult with them as it was twice the mess to clean up and they just never seemed to understand why they were getting wet in the first place. Then of course there are some mom’s who feel the need to offer their opinion which often isn’t always very encouraging.

I finally decided that it was time to potty-train Tank who turned three in January. It is never my favorite thing to do, (is it anyone’s?) and I realized that I hadn’t tried because I didn’t want to deal with the hassle of it. My husband agreed that Tank was probably ready but we were being lazy. So, we began a week ago and amazingly enough it took about three days and only two accidents! I would say that he was ready! That is the wonderful thing about a child being truely ready; it isn’t as much work as when trying to train them early on. This is the first time in five years that we have only had one diaper to change and it is an amazing feeling. It makes me almost ready to start training Missy Blue (almost). Tank is now a "big boy" and is pretty excited about that and all of the other things that big boys can do.

'I'm a big boy!"