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Friday, August 31, 2012

Precious Sounds

As I write this I'm listening to Lauren act a fool, her usually MO, with her daddy upstairs. I so much enjoy the sounds that fill our house right now. In fact, yesterday Lauren and Matt went to the store for an hour and I was surprised that I didn't embrace the quiet as much as I usually do. I missed their crazy antics and the silly noises that accompany them.

The other precious sound I heard this week was my sweet baby's heartbeat. This past Wednesday I had an appointment and although I remember being less stressed and more faithful during my pregnancy with Lauren, I feel that I still get extra antsy right before each appointment with this one. So I was so happy and enjoyed listening to the "whoosh, whoosh" of his/her small and tender heart. 

Matt made a comment this week that has really made me quite reminiscent. I watched my good friends children on Tuesday since she starts back to school as a teacher before her children start back to school as students. Her oldest is 8, her middle 6, and her youngest is 2- and the older ones were so much more independent. Entertaining themselves and not following me around as I tended to lunch and such. Matt talked about it like- wow, can't wait for the day. And I was thinking, don't rush it buddy! Before we know it that will be Lauren and we'll miss her following us around. I'm not ready for her to be independent and off on her own (she will often do this but for short stints of time- which suits me just fine). 

Just wanted to share how blessed I felt this week with my sweet babies (yes, babies- love saying that)!

"Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure." Psalm 16:5


Sunday, August 26, 2012

"Fun" little trip...

So...last week things were going normal (whatever that is...). I was getting ready to take Lauren to swim lessons- feeling like crap. But if you've read any of my post recently this is my new "normal." More specifically I was having chest pains and shortness of breath, as well as my arm pit going numb. I needed to get us out the door and I'm so used to having one issue or another I just dismissed them. We scurried out the door and before I knew it the symptoms were gone.

Fast forward to lunch time. Lauren and I are out playing in the kiddie pool in the back yard. We decided to eat, so I head in. While making lunch the symptoms come back. I sit down and think I should call Matt and see what he says. He tells me to call the doctor and they'll tell me it's nothing...aka I'll move on. So I call the doctor's office and talk to the nurse. She does the exact opposite of what Matt assumed. She told me I needed to get to the E.R. She even informed me that she felt I should call 911. I however didn't feel that my issues where anywhere near bad enough to warrant to ride in an ambulance. She said she couldn't force me to do anything but I should get there soon.

I called Matt back and told him to get home. I called around and found a babysitter fairly quickly. And off we went.

When we arrived they hooked me up to an EKG and told me within minutes I wasn't having a heart attack. This I figured, but was glad to hear it aloud. Then they finished checking me in and set me up in a room. The nurse and doctor came into help me, and they were the same ones we had when we went into the E.R. back in April. They were so sweet and I was grateful for them, again.

We were there for just under five hours and walked out with the diagnosis of acid reflux. It had gotten so bad that it was causing my esophagus to spasm, hence causing the chest pains.

Once I walked away with this knowledge I felt like God opened a window I didn't even know I had and that it shed some light on so many things. First off, most meals I had eaten left me feeling ill- especially dinner. When I would feel ill I would lay down. Ding, dong- laying down only made the acid reflux even worse. I think that the acid reflux made the usually yucks of being first trimester prego even worse. Hense why I was just not myself the last six-seven weeks and so gosh darn miserable. 

I have to say now I'm feeling like my old self again. I have more moments that make me smile than make me want to scream. I have a decent amount of energy. I look forward to outings and doing things. My house is getting tended to (still not up to par but getting there). I have more penitence and enjoy my family that much more because of this. I've been better about dinners and grocery shopping. Life is just looking half full now a days and I'm so grateful.

"...for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." Philippians 2:13

Friday, August 24, 2012

SPLASH!!!

There has been lots of splashing around here since Lauren started swim lessons. I'm sad to say that my tendency to be an over involved mother got the better of me the first lesson- as I jumped in the pool with her. But I have since brought a book with me and allowed poor Graham to do his job without my help (wonder what was going through his mind on that first lesson...).

I know she's too young to be swimming independently but I've always felt that you can never start swim lessons too young. She loves the water and has been "swimming" in the bathtub for quite some time. After taking her in the pool a few time at the beginning of the summer and seeing her love for the water I started talking to Matt about getting her some lessons.

Now Matt, at first, thought she was too young to glean anything from a swim lesson but after talking to some guys at work, one whose sons are older and struggling with learning, Matt was on the same page as me.

I talked with a few the swimmers I know from the church youth group and Graham was the lucky winner! I'm quite spoiled because she has lessons with him all by herself. She has learned to be a better kicker, she blows bubbles into the water, and has started to paddle with her arms. I've enjoyed watching her be so cute splashing around the pool.



I'm so glad she loves the water because it's something I love too!

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Confessions of a Pregnant Mama...

Well here they are...


  • I dread taking showers and have created a two day schedule, where Day 1 I wash body, face and hair. Day 2 I wash body, face, and shave. I feel like I do less and don't stink as bad as skipping them all together
  • Some days I lay on the couch for the better half of the day. But I've gotten quite inventive at ways to play with Lauren while in this comfortable position
  • I often, 4 out of 5 nights, get so yucky feeling while eating dinner that I asked to be excused half way through the meal to again assume the preferred position on the couch
  • I have given in and have used caffeine to make it through the day
  • Sometimes I spice up life and lay on the playroom floor and play with Lauren- still helps the nauseous feeling go away, but not as comfortable and squishy as the couch.
  • I dread making dinner and eating it for that matter (something I love to do when not in my pregnant state)
  • I haven't worked out in about 8 weeks which is making my flabby belly look more pregnant that I did with Lauren (might also be caused my flabby ab muscles that pre-Lauren were nice and tone)
  • I fall asleep before my daughter each night
  • My house has tumble weeds (aka Annabelle hair mixed with dirt) that have taken up permanent residence on my floors. Some days I wonder if I should name than and then demand rent
  • There are some days my sweet husband does more around the house after Lauren and I are sleeping than I do all day
  • Even with all that said I'm thankful to God everyday for the sweet, precious baby He has blessed Matt, Lauren and I with!!

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Fun Picture Post

Here are some pictures of what we've been up to in August. Well the first picture is the end of July, but you get the drift.

 LebCamp eating with the campers. The funniest thing was after LebCamp ended we went to church the following Sunday and she was asking if we were going to "eat." I had to be the meanie and tell her no. But she loved all of her buddies.

 My helper baby just started folding the laundry, when I came into the living room I was just in awe of how precious my little girl is.

 We ventured down to visit some friends. We found a seat that was "just right." Thanks to Jackson for sharing.

 Jackson and Lauren enjoying a teeth brushing party. Amanda and I couldn't get over how precious these two were together. 

 Lauren, Nathaniel, and Jackson at the Science Museum- checking out the train car.

 Checking out the Cho-cho train before we hitch a ride.

 The faces don't do a good job of showing their excitement, but hey I was happy they were all looking at the same time. Small things make me a happy mama.

 Lauren found some rocks to climb on. She would have stayed here all day.

 Then she found this...she was in Lauren heaven. All the rocks a little girl can dream to collect.

 And collect she did...

 Eating dinner with her new best bud.

 Playing in the water in her awesome Nemo swim suit. Thanks to Grandma B! It's a smig too big, but when you're in your own back yard, anything goes!

 Water make us happy!

 Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming...

 LOVE. THIS. PICTURE!

 Food break.

 Girls day out with Heather and Aliana. Enjoying the beautiful flowers.

 Mommy and Lauren

 Heather and Aliana

 Swimming with Daddy and Nemo

 Proudly showing her swimming pal off.

 She just dove right in and started "swimming"!

Yes, mommy was there having fun swimming too.

"Little" feet...

The feet of a certain little one have been growing again. In the middle/end of the season even. I've been such a tired mama that I have procrastinated going to my favorite second hand store to look for some new ones. I hate that she has no shoes to wear with all her pretty summer dresses. 

So off to the store we went after having to try and find another church outfit to go with the one pair of church acceptable shoes that still barely fit. And we came up with nothing. The trip left me grumpy and frustrated. So I hit the internet. "God Bless..." new shoes are too expensive. So I called my sister and MIL and asked them to look at the stores in their town. I hope they come up with something. Because I just can't pay over ten-twelve dollars for shoes she could possible grow out of in a month. 

I also feel so lucky when I think of all the clothes and stuff I get for her second hand. She will never go without clothes. It might be my frugal nature or the fact that I've pretty much been spoiled with hand me downs and garage sales finds that makes me cringe at the thought of spending so much on shoes. Plus, I remember not so long ago that we didn't have the money to spend more than ten dollars on shoes for a baby. 

Hopefully the stores in other cities will be more fruitful than ours. Amen for family!

"If the shoe fits, wear it." ~unknown

Wonderful Wednesday!

I know it isn't Wednesday, but I'm just getting around to writing this (it's Friday, but if Lauren wakes up who knows when I'll actually hit the publish button...oh 'tis life). Anyway "Wonderful Wednesday" indeed...because we had another ultrasound revealing a happy, healthy, hiccuping baby! 

I think I'm actually allowing myself to believe I'm pregnant and we're going to have a baby! Our appointment was with the specialist ultrasound people (I'm sure they have a better, more technical name than that, but that's what I call them). I love this place since you get to watch a flat screen TV as they do the ultrasound. No waiting for them to turn the monitor your way. Since I'm such a lucky lady and have had all the issues I have we will get to go there again for the next, and final ultrasound too. Mid September we'll find out boy, girl and get to see that sweet baby bopping around in there again.

It is such a treat to have that glimpse of them moving and grooving in there. What a blessing from God. I can't tell you the countless prayers that are being answered every time we go to one of these appointments and see a heartbeat and dancing baby. It is God true miracle- life. Something I pray I don't ever take for granted.

"The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life" Job 33:4

Friday, August 10, 2012

This, that, and everything in between

It's been a bit since I last wrote. As always, it's been a bit busy here. We had two set of visitors. My sister, nephew and brother-in-law were here for a few days. Then they left and the very next day we had friends from back home visit. The two kids I babysat in high school and then was a nanny for each summer during my college  years and their parents came for a brief but wonderful visit. Wow, it blows my mind that Lauren is going to grow to be that old too. They were just her age a minute ago- what happened? The day after they left LebCamp started.

I'm going to be as honest as I can, because I've never before done work for the Lord and felt so miserable in my life. This is my fourth year of helping out with this camp full time. I have felt so blessed and over come by God's presence each year. This year though I was crawling home begging for sleep, sleep, and more sleep. Yes, I had a good time. Yes, I felt God's presence. Yes, I look back and feel like I was where God called me to be. But I don't know how I did it. I was so sick and so tired and I was putting in 18+ hour days. Thanking God for a wonderful husband, daughter, and good friends who supported me the whole time. Let's just say that next year I won't be taking such an active roll (this year I was co-director)- or I pray God doesn't call me to such an active roll because I just barely made it out alive. (I know I can be a bit dramatic at times, but drama aside I'm telling you the bitter truth here).

I have to add something very important here. Thursday after giving my sh-peal during evening worship one of the youth came up to me. He was visible upset and wanted to talk to me. I pulled him aside and he started telling me how he was in a relationship with a girl. They were the best of friends but he had started feeling more for her. She was off dating other boys and drifting away from him. This was upsetting to him, as it would be to any teenager, and he didn't know what to do. I was praying the whole time for the right words to calm his anxious heart. What I told him, I have to take to heart myself when reflecting back on the week of camp. I told him to rearrange his relationships. Put God first, self second, family third, and friends fourth. If he focused more on God and himself that God would eventually show him the right path. If I put God first that week, which I feel like I did, then God will be sure to help me down the right path for me. So, tired or not, ready to give up and go to bed, I put God's plan first. A plan on pray I continue to carry out.  

Still, it took me the better half of last week to recover. And when I was just feeling like life might return to normal...Lauren and I got sick. It started for her on Wednesday with a stuffy nose and yucky boogers and I fell victim to the nasty about 24 hours later. We had planned a nice trip to visit some great friends who live 2.5 hours south of us. Amanda's husband was on a missions trip in Africa (very cool). We decided since it was just a stuffy nose, we'd keep our plans. Well that was the best decision I've made in forever. We had such a great time. She feed me like I queen, we chatted and got caught up and Lauren loved playing with the boys. By the time we left (less than 48 hours later) I felt like a new woman. It was like just getting away from home, the dust bunnies taunting me as they rolled by me, was all I needed to get my feet back on the ground. My head out of the clouds, and my emotions back on track. Oh, I'm so glad we took that small but significant trip. 

After getting back home the weekend went well too. Lauren and I played outside in her kiddie pool while Matt took care of our poor lawn (neglected for about a month, it looked like the weeds had taken us over). We just enjoyed ourselves. Then Sunday we enjoyed church and then came home and Lauren and Matt helped me wipe this house into shape. I conquered the upstairs while they battled the downstairs. By the evening I felt like my life wasn't in shambles and I could take whatever the week had coming. 

As tired as I was, God found a way to rejuvenate me. In ways I didn't figure he give me the strength, calmness, and stability I was lacking. What an awesome God we have! 

So now onto summer, where we relax, kick back, and enjoy the sun...right?