Sorry for the fuzziness. I think my camera is dying. Probably because a certain 3 year old likes to sneak off with it, play with it, and drops it quite frequently. Oops.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
23 Weeks PHOTO!
I must be getting brave, posting pregnant photos! Yikes! Only having gained 2 lbs so far is a contributing factor I'm sure. Had I already gained more, then maybe this wouldn't be up, lol!
Sorry for the fuzziness. I think my camera is dying. Probably because a certain 3 year old likes to sneak off with it, play with it, and drops it quite frequently. Oops.
Sorry for the fuzziness. I think my camera is dying. Probably because a certain 3 year old likes to sneak off with it, play with it, and drops it quite frequently. Oops.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
23 weeks! and our going ons
Wow, is it 23 weeks already? And is it ONLY 23 weeks? How can time during pregnancy go so quickly and so slowly at the same time? Although, I do think this is the "fastest" pregnancy I have had as far as time seeming to just fly by. I wonder if that is due to this being my 3rd ride on this roller coaster, or if its just because I'm older now, haha. Let's go with 3rd ride. I like the sound of that better than "older".
So am I ready for this baby yet? Nope. So I'm certainly glad that I still have many more weeks to go. I do have clothes for this little guy, and the cloth diapers are already ready. I decided this time around to make it easy on myself and cloth diaper at home, but use disposables outside of the house. I think this will be less stressful for me, but will still give us a big money savings. We have a few toys and things I have gotten out and cleaned that were Will's. I have a little baby shelf prepped with all the diaper stuffs and early toys. But... yah that's about it. Haha. I obviously have so much more to do. Like - buy a car seat! And I do want to get a pack and play this time around, but really there isn't much else we "need". I still have my lovely baby wrap that Will was in constantly for about 6-9 months. There are a couple other things that I WANT to have, but are not necessarily at all required. I'm sure I will get everything I need to get before Aaron decides to join us. Hopefully!
As far as how I am feeling and doing, its actually pretty incredible! I started some meds to get my depression issues in check during the pregnancy and before his arrival - and that seems to be going well after a short adjustment period. My PPD was so bad after Abby was born, that my doctor and I really have tried to reign things in and get in under control before Will was born, and now before Aaron too. But really I am feeling just wonderful! I don't think I have ever been this mobile during a pregnancy. So far I am still up and running around with no issues, no swelling (sometimes I feel like my feet are starting to swell, maybe some of you know that weird tingly feeling that hints it is going to happen... I dunno) but so far I've been able to keep it at bay by propping my feet up throughout the day and taking it easy when I feel it happening. I am measuring big - I always do, thanks big children... and I feel WAY bigger than all the other pregnant women I know who are due around the same time as me! No real pain, been able to sleep fairly well considering I am typically a tummy sleeper, and just going about our business. I still get nauseous occasionally, but it isn't so bad (I have never had nausea go on so long before!)
So that's about it. We're just hanging about and doing our thing. We had a stressful week last week, but that has all settled down and things are back to normal around here. Until this weekend when company arrives from Florida for a week - so we will see how that goes! The kids want to take our guest to the zoo, and I am sure she will want to go to some of the art museums around here. We're going to go to the antique shops nearby and just spend an afternoon having a yummy lunch and browsing around and hopefully enjoying some beautiful Spring weather while we are out. Looks to be a fun time!
Oh, and on a side note - I got the kids their Easter outfits from Zulily. Spent hardly anything, and they are going to look really fancy, haha. I guess I didn't realize how long and poofy that dress was from the picture... so Abby is going to look a bit royal, haha. And Will in his outfit looks like a little English gent. Its hilarious! I can't wait to share pictures in a couple weeks. =o)
So am I ready for this baby yet? Nope. So I'm certainly glad that I still have many more weeks to go. I do have clothes for this little guy, and the cloth diapers are already ready. I decided this time around to make it easy on myself and cloth diaper at home, but use disposables outside of the house. I think this will be less stressful for me, but will still give us a big money savings. We have a few toys and things I have gotten out and cleaned that were Will's. I have a little baby shelf prepped with all the diaper stuffs and early toys. But... yah that's about it. Haha. I obviously have so much more to do. Like - buy a car seat! And I do want to get a pack and play this time around, but really there isn't much else we "need". I still have my lovely baby wrap that Will was in constantly for about 6-9 months. There are a couple other things that I WANT to have, but are not necessarily at all required. I'm sure I will get everything I need to get before Aaron decides to join us. Hopefully!
As far as how I am feeling and doing, its actually pretty incredible! I started some meds to get my depression issues in check during the pregnancy and before his arrival - and that seems to be going well after a short adjustment period. My PPD was so bad after Abby was born, that my doctor and I really have tried to reign things in and get in under control before Will was born, and now before Aaron too. But really I am feeling just wonderful! I don't think I have ever been this mobile during a pregnancy. So far I am still up and running around with no issues, no swelling (sometimes I feel like my feet are starting to swell, maybe some of you know that weird tingly feeling that hints it is going to happen... I dunno) but so far I've been able to keep it at bay by propping my feet up throughout the day and taking it easy when I feel it happening. I am measuring big - I always do, thanks big children... and I feel WAY bigger than all the other pregnant women I know who are due around the same time as me! No real pain, been able to sleep fairly well considering I am typically a tummy sleeper, and just going about our business. I still get nauseous occasionally, but it isn't so bad (I have never had nausea go on so long before!)
So that's about it. We're just hanging about and doing our thing. We had a stressful week last week, but that has all settled down and things are back to normal around here. Until this weekend when company arrives from Florida for a week - so we will see how that goes! The kids want to take our guest to the zoo, and I am sure she will want to go to some of the art museums around here. We're going to go to the antique shops nearby and just spend an afternoon having a yummy lunch and browsing around and hopefully enjoying some beautiful Spring weather while we are out. Looks to be a fun time!
Oh, and on a side note - I got the kids their Easter outfits from Zulily. Spent hardly anything, and they are going to look really fancy, haha. I guess I didn't realize how long and poofy that dress was from the picture... so Abby is going to look a bit royal, haha. And Will in his outfit looks like a little English gent. Its hilarious! I can't wait to share pictures in a couple weeks. =o)
Monday, March 26, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Homeless and Hurting
This post is going to be pretty personal, which caught me off guard when I realized how close to my heart it truly hits. I had been thinking of posting about this topic for a while, as it was something that recently has been just hitting mine and Adam's hearts at the same time in the new area we live in... but until recently I didn't realize how truly connected I am and have been prepared for this cause. Its odd, because I don't really have any true experience with this issue, but so many things that have happened in my life are the same troubles that affect so many of the people who are in the position I am about to talk about. So please, I am going to ask that if you do choose to comment, be careful with my heart.
As you know, we have moved recently to a new part of town and are finally in a home of our own (albeit owned by my parents technically, but still "ours"). We have been so blessed and are so thankful to be here, we truly are. However, the area we live in is not considered "wealthy". We are near the edges of a couple very wealthy parts of the city, but we are a suburb of those I guess you could say! However, I wouldn't call our area particularly dangerous or anything either. Its fairly normal, but it is definitely more city like than we were accustomed to where we lived previously. Almost anytime you go somewhere, you will see a homeless person. Usually they are on the side of the road near stop lights asking for money or food, but you can often see them just wandering around, camped out off to the side of a street, or eating some cheap food in a parking lot.
It really breaks my heart, because some of these people are out there just because they can't find a job in this economy and one thing led to another and they ended up on the streets - which hits so close to home because when I was pregnant with Will, Adam lost his job unexpectedly, and was unable to find work for almost 6 months. If it had not been for unemployment, and both of our families giving us money to live off of every month, we would never have made it, and would have been homeless ourselves. But I know there are other homeless people out there, who are homeless because they aren't looking for a job, or can't hold one down. I know they suffer from mental disorders, alcoholism, drug addiction, and it wounds me. I want to reach out to them even more and hug them - because I know what it is like. I myself have never been an alcoholic or drug user (let alone abuser). But, my dad has. And I do know what it is like to suffer from depression and other mental illness, which makes it impossible sometimes to just go about your daily life. On days when you can't even hardly drag yourself out of bed, and even if you are awake you are unproductive and your hours just disappear, it is impossible to hold down a job in that condition. All you want to do is run away and escape and hide in bed. It just all seems better alone and in bed, because everything else doesn't seem to matter anyway. Either that or it just hurts. My heart breaks and wants to reach out to these people who are suffering in their bodies, minds, and spirit. I know what it is like to cry out to God to be healed of these problems, or for Him to grant healing to someone you love and need in your life so desperately, and for that prayer to seemingly go unanswered.
But I have learned that all of the trials and hurts we all go through, all of our deepest struggles, will be turned from evil and pain into goodness for God's purposes. Someday we shall all come out of these struggles and God will be glorified when we see the wonderful healing and purpose behind all of these things. One day recently, after church, my little family had gone to lunch and were heading over to a gardening store to browse and grab a few things. As we passed a spot that I often see homeless people asking for food or money, I said to Adam that I felt like we needed to do something for them. I had heard before of the idea of making little bags filled with food, snacks, notes of encouragement, Bible verses or a Bible, bottled water, etc. to keep in the car and hand to homeless people as you pass by them in your vehicle. I brought this up to him, and he without hesitation said DO IT. He had been having the same thought in his mind recently that we needed to do something to show these people that we care.
So, our family has started our own little tiny ministry if you will. We have paper bags that we have filled with things, and we have a little plastic box in our car that we keep 3-4 bags in at all times, so that whenever we happen to pass someone, we are ready to show them the love of Christ. Our first bags were not perfect or what I ultimately want to give out, but they had water, and some snacks, and a little note in there with a Bible verse and letting them know that we had said a prayer for them. I don't tell you this because I want you the attention or pat on the back for doing something... but this has just been touching my heart SO much lately, and it is such a simple thing that can be done by any family in any place in this country. If you feel at all pulled towards these people, who are children of God and still in need of His and our love, I would ask that you consider doing this with your family as well. My children have benefited so much from making these bags as a family, and are always so excited to hand one out the window to someone in need and to tell them that God loves them. We are saved to do good works, we are called to love our neighbor, and we are called to serve the least of these.
As I give these bags out, and pray for each of these people we meet, I am reminded how if not by the grace of God, that could be me. That could be my Dad (thank God he is not homeless, although he and his family all struggle greatly day by day). That could be any of us, but by God's grace. I am more thankful for the things I do have, the people I have, the love and grace of God. I have no many struggles and personal sins to deal with and get over. Oh my they are so great! But I feel healing in this ministry. I feel hope and love and peace and goodness. And I pray that even just 1 soul is helped by a silly little bag I threw together in my kitchen, and that just 1 person out there is as blessed by it as I have been.
As you know, we have moved recently to a new part of town and are finally in a home of our own (albeit owned by my parents technically, but still "ours"). We have been so blessed and are so thankful to be here, we truly are. However, the area we live in is not considered "wealthy". We are near the edges of a couple very wealthy parts of the city, but we are a suburb of those I guess you could say! However, I wouldn't call our area particularly dangerous or anything either. Its fairly normal, but it is definitely more city like than we were accustomed to where we lived previously. Almost anytime you go somewhere, you will see a homeless person. Usually they are on the side of the road near stop lights asking for money or food, but you can often see them just wandering around, camped out off to the side of a street, or eating some cheap food in a parking lot.
It really breaks my heart, because some of these people are out there just because they can't find a job in this economy and one thing led to another and they ended up on the streets - which hits so close to home because when I was pregnant with Will, Adam lost his job unexpectedly, and was unable to find work for almost 6 months. If it had not been for unemployment, and both of our families giving us money to live off of every month, we would never have made it, and would have been homeless ourselves. But I know there are other homeless people out there, who are homeless because they aren't looking for a job, or can't hold one down. I know they suffer from mental disorders, alcoholism, drug addiction, and it wounds me. I want to reach out to them even more and hug them - because I know what it is like. I myself have never been an alcoholic or drug user (let alone abuser). But, my dad has. And I do know what it is like to suffer from depression and other mental illness, which makes it impossible sometimes to just go about your daily life. On days when you can't even hardly drag yourself out of bed, and even if you are awake you are unproductive and your hours just disappear, it is impossible to hold down a job in that condition. All you want to do is run away and escape and hide in bed. It just all seems better alone and in bed, because everything else doesn't seem to matter anyway. Either that or it just hurts. My heart breaks and wants to reach out to these people who are suffering in their bodies, minds, and spirit. I know what it is like to cry out to God to be healed of these problems, or for Him to grant healing to someone you love and need in your life so desperately, and for that prayer to seemingly go unanswered.
But I have learned that all of the trials and hurts we all go through, all of our deepest struggles, will be turned from evil and pain into goodness for God's purposes. Someday we shall all come out of these struggles and God will be glorified when we see the wonderful healing and purpose behind all of these things. One day recently, after church, my little family had gone to lunch and were heading over to a gardening store to browse and grab a few things. As we passed a spot that I often see homeless people asking for food or money, I said to Adam that I felt like we needed to do something for them. I had heard before of the idea of making little bags filled with food, snacks, notes of encouragement, Bible verses or a Bible, bottled water, etc. to keep in the car and hand to homeless people as you pass by them in your vehicle. I brought this up to him, and he without hesitation said DO IT. He had been having the same thought in his mind recently that we needed to do something to show these people that we care.
So, our family has started our own little tiny ministry if you will. We have paper bags that we have filled with things, and we have a little plastic box in our car that we keep 3-4 bags in at all times, so that whenever we happen to pass someone, we are ready to show them the love of Christ. Our first bags were not perfect or what I ultimately want to give out, but they had water, and some snacks, and a little note in there with a Bible verse and letting them know that we had said a prayer for them. I don't tell you this because I want you the attention or pat on the back for doing something... but this has just been touching my heart SO much lately, and it is such a simple thing that can be done by any family in any place in this country. If you feel at all pulled towards these people, who are children of God and still in need of His and our love, I would ask that you consider doing this with your family as well. My children have benefited so much from making these bags as a family, and are always so excited to hand one out the window to someone in need and to tell them that God loves them. We are saved to do good works, we are called to love our neighbor, and we are called to serve the least of these.
As I give these bags out, and pray for each of these people we meet, I am reminded how if not by the grace of God, that could be me. That could be my Dad (thank God he is not homeless, although he and his family all struggle greatly day by day). That could be any of us, but by God's grace. I am more thankful for the things I do have, the people I have, the love and grace of God. I have no many struggles and personal sins to deal with and get over. Oh my they are so great! But I feel healing in this ministry. I feel hope and love and peace and goodness. And I pray that even just 1 soul is helped by a silly little bag I threw together in my kitchen, and that just 1 person out there is as blessed by it as I have been.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
The Ten Commandments meet Pachelbel
So, I really love Pachelbel's Canon in D. When I was looking for a song to help Abby memorize the commandments, I stumbled across this. SQUEAL!
Enjoy!
Just call us the Blabbermouths
Well, we ended up sharing the baby's name with most everyone we know anyway (fail on us, guess we can't keep a secret, lol). So I might as well share it with everyone. ;o)
And the name is......
And the name is......
Aaron Josiah
It took 14 weeks of debating, but we got there. I'm glad to be done with that part! Now to stock up on baby things... most of which we gave away after Will outgrew it since we didn't have room for storing it, and so many people we knew were in need at the time. I figure it will all flow back in somehow as we need it. God always seems to have it worked out just fine.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Photo Catch Up
Hooray! I got my camera and computer to speak. Apparently a video on my camera was causing problems because it was corrupt or something, so I had to delete it. So sad! At least my pictures are all ok. So here we go!
On Valentine's Day we made some sprinkled pink cupcakes! Abby loves to bake, and did great!
I was brave and even let Will help put icing on a few of them. He was our master sprinkler though.
Here are a few of our goodies from that day.
Yum! They turned out great!
Our new internet provider came out to install that day, so we shared a cupcake with him. The kids were so happy to do so, and I think the guy was a little bit excited to get a cupcake too, haha!
Will turned 3! This is him at his family birthday party - and we still had 27 people in the house.
Will was SO excited to get this slide for the backyard! We are so glad he enjoys it. Small enough not to scare Mommy, big enough that it will get used for years to come still. I HIGHLY recommend this slide if you are looking for a good one for the backyard.
And here is me! I am about 18 weeks along in this photo, at 20 weeks now, but me and baby are both measuring at over 21 weeks! Guess I get to have another big baby this time around.
Oh, and we found today that...
It's a BOY!
Name is all picked out, but I don't know if we are ready to share. I will keep you posted. =o)
p.s. Forgot to add, baby looks great and healthy! Only thing is there is an echocardiac focus in the heart (basically a little calcium deposit in the heart). Some of you may remember that Will also had this and we knew about before he was born. This baby seems to only have 1 spot, whereas Will had many. Basically, what this means is absolutely nothing. Babies with down syndrome have the deposits more often than babies who do not, but just because a baby does have the deposit does not mean down syndrome is indicated. From all other indicators and measurements, our baby does not appear to have down syndrome. Of course, we are praying for a healthy baby and that indeed the deposit means nothing as it did in Will's case (and Will's case was much more concerning, because there were so many of the deposits), but even if our little one is indeed born with down syndrome, we would be equally thrilled with this sweet life God has entrusted to us.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Catch up
Well, I have been WANTING to post some pictures and whatnot, but my camera and computer do not want to communicate with each other properly! It is very frustrating. So many pictures to share, and the inability to do so. Hopefully soon I can get them cooperating again.
In other new - tomorrow we find out the gender of this new little baby! I am SO excited and can't wait!!! We even have names picked out, for either gender, so we can start calling baby by name right away too. =o) We might decide to share. I don't know. Only if you all promise to pretend to love the names no matter what. Haha! Any guesses? Ellen, you already know so you can't guess!
And as a side note, we got wings for dinner tonight. Yum! Although, this preggo is having spicy food issues. Its like hormones or something have magnified my mouth and skin reaction to spiciness, and its very difficult. I still eat it anyway, cause I just love spicy things oh so very much.
AND, my bedroom is clean. Even the closet. It feels so good to have it back to ...clean. I was going to say normal, but yah, clean is probably not the normal in this room. It seems to be the catch all shut the door and hide it all away room. So its nice to have it back to what I WISH was normal.
Oh, and we got Abby her own cell phone and line. I feel crazy and said I would never get her one so young. But, she is the oldest, and I often send her in little gas stations real quick to grab things, and she runs over to friends houses to play now (ones that we know and approve of) and we just feel safer with her having a phone. Plus if we need her to come home right quick, we can just get her on her phone or send her a note, rather than having to dig out so and so's number or go down to fetch her. She only has approved numbers programmed in her phone, and she has tons of rules with it, but I do have to admit that I feel safer with her having it for me to contact her, or for if something goes wrong for her to reach me really quick from wherever she is. Plus - I am paranoid about kidnappers. I'm sure its growing up just seeing all the stuff in the news and the tv shows about it...but I am. So her phone has family "tracking" on it, and wherever her phone is, I can locate her. If anything horrible ever did happen and she was in some kind of danger, then hopefully she would be able to keep the phone on her person somehow or atleast near her location, so we could find her. I know that's probably so ridiculous sounding... but it comforts me. I worry far too much, obviously...
In other new - tomorrow we find out the gender of this new little baby! I am SO excited and can't wait!!! We even have names picked out, for either gender, so we can start calling baby by name right away too. =o) We might decide to share. I don't know. Only if you all promise to pretend to love the names no matter what. Haha! Any guesses? Ellen, you already know so you can't guess!
And as a side note, we got wings for dinner tonight. Yum! Although, this preggo is having spicy food issues. Its like hormones or something have magnified my mouth and skin reaction to spiciness, and its very difficult. I still eat it anyway, cause I just love spicy things oh so very much.
AND, my bedroom is clean. Even the closet. It feels so good to have it back to ...clean. I was going to say normal, but yah, clean is probably not the normal in this room. It seems to be the catch all shut the door and hide it all away room. So its nice to have it back to what I WISH was normal.
Oh, and we got Abby her own cell phone and line. I feel crazy and said I would never get her one so young. But, she is the oldest, and I often send her in little gas stations real quick to grab things, and she runs over to friends houses to play now (ones that we know and approve of) and we just feel safer with her having a phone. Plus if we need her to come home right quick, we can just get her on her phone or send her a note, rather than having to dig out so and so's number or go down to fetch her. She only has approved numbers programmed in her phone, and she has tons of rules with it, but I do have to admit that I feel safer with her having it for me to contact her, or for if something goes wrong for her to reach me really quick from wherever she is. Plus - I am paranoid about kidnappers. I'm sure its growing up just seeing all the stuff in the news and the tv shows about it...but I am. So her phone has family "tracking" on it, and wherever her phone is, I can locate her. If anything horrible ever did happen and she was in some kind of danger, then hopefully she would be able to keep the phone on her person somehow or atleast near her location, so we could find her. I know that's probably so ridiculous sounding... but it comforts me. I worry far too much, obviously...
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