The (almost) Big Sister

I'd say miss Lily will only be able to count herself as the baby of the family for about 48 more hours. Unless something changes we are planning on going in tomorrow night to begin the induction process, so Lord willing there will be a baby sometime on Friday. I'll let you all know when Baby makes his/ her arrival! 

In the mean time, here are some pictures taken from the last couple of weeks.

This picture cracks me up. Lily looks like she's saying, "Bubby, teach me your ways."

Anna can now claim herself as the baby of the family the longest- a whopping 17 months!:)

Lily trying to see if she's missing out on any excitement.

She must have decided Jack and Anna weren't doing anything too exciting.

Sorry this one isn't very good quality, but I thought it was too cute watching Anna "fly" around the house pretending to be a butterfly princess(who obviously needs her sunglasses while flying.)

Jack being a bat.

Anna being a bat.

Anticipating getting outside in the sprinkler.

Super Jack. :)

Give them Grace

Wow. I'm only a few chapters into this book by Elyse Fitzpatrick and her daughter Jessica. But wow. So far it is absolutely amazing. If you're interested, here is a quote from the introduction:

"What would things look like if Satan really took control of a city? Over half a century ago, Presbyterian minister   Donald Grey Barnhouse offered his own scenario in his weekly sermon that was broadcast nationwide on CBS radio. Barnhouse speculated that if Satan really took over Philadelphia(the city where Barnhouse pastored), all the bars would be closed, pornography banished, and pristine streets would be filled  with tidy pedestrians who would smile at each other. There would be no swearing. The children would say,"Yes, sir" and "No, ma'am," and the churches would be full every Sunday...where Christ is not preached.

This is scary- mainly because most of what Barnhouse describes is what most of us want for our children. Jesus or no Jesus we want them to obey, be polite, not curse or look at pornography, get good jobs, marry a nice person, and not get caught up in really bad stuff."

Tattling{on your children}

"I never tell anyone else's bad news."a mother of five once told me in reference to how she manages discipline issues at her house.

At the time, I didn't completely understand what she was talking about, but I definitely see where she was coming from now.

Let's face it, taking care of little ones day in and day out is exhausting. The temptation is real after my husband walks through the door at the end of the day to start venting about whichever child has made my life difficult that day.

But I'm sure we all know what happens when we do that. The second we tell our husbands how disobedient one of our children has been that day, our husband usually starts feeling frustrated with that child for making his wife's day so miserable. And then we might get angry with our husband for being too harsh with that child, when all he thought he was doing in the first place was helping his wife after a long day.

I'm not advocating keeping secrets from your husband, I'm just saying that griping about a particular child the second your man walks through the door might not be the best way to handle the situation. Maybe even wait to discuss it after you've cooled off and the kids are tucked in for the night. That way if there is a problem a solution might be easier to come up with.

I don't like my kids to tattle on each other, so doing this might be a better way to practice what I've been teaching.

Pregnancy Update:)

 This picture was taken Sunday evening, and I am about 37.5 weeks along. I'm actually feeling decently well for being this far along. Perhaps I'm crazy a  tad more emotional at times, and I am a little uncomfortable, but honestly I can't complain too much. 

It's looking as if next week sometime there will be a baby. I always have to be induced early because of the diabetes, and it's a little crazy realizing that I will not in fact be pregnant forever. I think the kids are getting excited, Jack especially. He likes to put his hand on my belly and talk to the baby. We have several names picked out for a boy or girl, and Jack doesn't quite understand that I don't actually have five or six babies growing inside of me. :) 

Nesting has kicked into high gear, and I'm itching to start freezing meals. I have an ambitious list wrote out of everything I want to freeze and chores I want to accomplish before next week. I am interested to see how much of it I actually get done! 

I'll admit I'm getting a little anxious as labor approaches, and of course I'm a little concerned about how the kids will do adjusting to a new brother or sister. But in a few weeks this will be over, and hopefully we'll have some sense of a new normal. :)

Counting my Blessings

I can't believe it's been over a week since I last posted! Life has become very busy between twice a week doctors appointments(I have gestational diabetes, so I virtually live at the doctor's office the last two months of pregnancy) and trying to stay on top of house work, training and loving my kiddos, and spending time with Erik. Tomorrow I'm *hoping* to post some pictures from the last week, and maybe, if you're lucky(ha!), I'll post a picture of myself at 9 months pregnant ;). But we'll see.

Anyways it's been an emotional week for me, but not because anything bad has happened necessarily. I'm simply struggling with waiting on the Lord's timing for different things in my life. In light of that fact, I thought I'd follow in Ann Voskamp's foot steps and write out some of the blessings of the last week.

1. Watching Jack and Anna pretend sticks are everything from swords to horses.

2. Jack getting excited about having another little boy come over so they could "fight the bad guys with their swords."



3. Hearing the kids pray for the new baby.


4. Seeing Lily fold her hands to pray before dinner.

5. A husband who pushed a double stroller with two kids in it while carrying his little girl on his shoulders to ensure that all his kids got to see the animals at the zoo, and making sure I wasn't overdoing things in the process.

6. Being reminded we go through trials not because God has forgotten us, but because he loves us.

7. Surprising the kids with a snack of doughnuts and chocolate milk.

8. A tornado warning that never turned into anything other than the loss of power for a few hours.

9. Nightly date nights on the couch with my husband catching up on some of our favorite tv shows(we love hulu at our house!)

10. Being able to listen to an excellent sermon on the way home from the doctor.

11. Getting one on one time with each child before the new baby arrives.

-As of late I've been enjoying just having one child in diapers(during the day).

-As of late I've been feeling as if the days are passing slower and slower.

-As of late, I'm trying to remind myself that once baby arrives I'll want the days to pass slower!

-As of late, our new house is truly starting to feel like "home."

-As of late I'm thankful for three little helpers who love to load the washing machine and dryer, and find watching the washing machine spin almost as entertaining as watching Dora. 

-As of late I've been incredibly convicted by reading the book of James.

-As of late I'm thankful for the first day in a week I've had my computer back! Just in case you were wondering spilling coffee all over you lap top is NEVER a good idea!

-As of late I'm thankful for a husband who knows how to fix just about anything(including coffee drowned computers), and who hasn't made too much fun of me because of it. :)

Glorifying in the Waiting

Life right now is full of unknowns for my little family. Erik has just finished school and we are anxiously awaiting the next step, but we aren't quite sure what that will be. We don't know if we'll be moving, we don't know exactly the field he'll be starting out in, heck we don't even know if we're having a boy or a girl next month! Right now we are definitely in a season of waiting. We are learning patience and contentment. We are learning to use our lives to glorify God even when we feel as if His timing isn't corresponding with ours.

It is hard. Really, really hard. But God has been faithful to us time and time again, and we know He will continue to be. It's just a matter of truly relying on Him and not worrying the day away.

"11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord;

yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
12 I will ponder all your work,
and meditate on your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy.

What god is great like our God?"

Psalm 77

The last two years have been full of many seemingly impossible situations. We have been amazed at the ways we have been provided for, and it all points directly back to God. Right now is another lesson in waiting on the Lord's sovereign timing. But when I become anxious, all I need to remember is how faithful the Lord has been to us and I can wait with hopeful anticipation.