Just a moment...

I have just a moment to write a quick recap of the funny that is our lives. So here I go...

Today I had Brooke, so with all three kids in tow I headed to the library to pick up some books I had on hold. After the library we headed to the park to meet Esther and kids. Now I was running a few minutes early, yes you read that right and no I have no idea how I managed that, so I decided to make a right out of the library parking lot to see if I could find a different, faster route to the park. And that I did. I was very pleased with myself and arrived to the park early too! 

So I had almost everything unloaded (it's quite a comical mess of stuff that comes with us when we head to the park, especially on days like today when we were going to eat lunch there) when Esther and her two cuties pulled up. This is when the crazy really started. Olivia was on the verge of a nice morning nap but was needing a little extra help so I was holding Brooke in my arms, while I rocked the stroller back and forth to calm Olivia. Lauren was reading her Thomas book in the front seat of the double stroller. I was standing in the parking lot running my mouth with Esther while she unpacked her kiddos. She was only half way done when the first bee showed up. He was buzzing around my water bottle. I was not excited to see him and, while trying not to panic, I quickly walked away to see if that would send him on his merry way. Well it didn't. It's hard enough to push the double stroller with two kids in it when you have two hands on the handle, but I'm freaking out with one kid on my hip and only one hand for the stroller. At this point I had quickly given up on trying not to panic and I'm pretty much standing in the middle of the parking lot dancing to try and get the bee to go away, who is now swarming me.

Esther watching this wonderful sight tells me to put Brooke down and she'd come get her. So I listened as I keep one keen eye on Mr. Bee. He leaves my side only to head back to the stroller. OH. NO. YOU. DON'T. buster- so I swoop in and grab the stoller- thankfully now with two hands and rush it out of the way. Then he's back flying around me- so I find myself dancing like a fool trying to get him away again. It was one for America's Funniest Home Videos. I think I had the winner and Esther will verify it. Finally we lose the bee and the man in the car watching this whole show was rolling his eyes I'm sure.

So all kids ready to go and Mr. Bee is now gone off to bother someone else. Now we're ready to play, or so we thought. We make our way over to the playground and I notice how nice a desolate it is. Oh how I love it when we're the only ones at the park- it makes it so much more fun for me since I have two kids running off in two different directions and I'm trying to push the stroller around and keep my head on straight. 

Well we start playing and it isn't even ten minutes and Mr. Bee and his friends are back. That's right he brought his friends to partake in the fun too. Are you kidding me!? This was a bit much. We attempted to go to the nature center at this park, but no luck since it didn't open for another hours. I looked at Esther and I said- hey lets hit the road this is crazy, and she agrees 100%. So we head back to the cars and as we approach I notice my car is being swarmed by at least four bees. Great, how am I going to get the kids in the car and myself and the stuff without letting a bee in or getting stung?!?! 

Well this is another one for the video archives. I pretty much open the back hatch- toss Brooke in, close the hatch fast. Open Olivia's door, toss her in and close the door. Open Lauren's door, toss her in and close the door. Open the passenger door toss my arm full of stuff in and close the door. I put my stroller in Esther's van- since for whatever reason there didn't seem to be as many bees around her and then jump into the car myself. I then proceed to climb all over the place inside the car to buckle everyone into the car seats, praising God for not allowing any bee in the car and no one getting stung.

So the fun doesn't end there. Esther pulls out of the parking lot first as we head back to my house to enjoy playing in my 'bee free' backyard and eat in my 'bee free' house. When she leaves the park she heads towards the highway like she's going to her home, so I drive fast to get ahead of her so she doesn't take us out of our way. Well the way she took us, I quickly realized, lead us right to my new, fast, awesome route past the library. Excitedly I get in front of her and lead her down the first road. While I'm driving on it I suddenly realize that I can't remember the name of the road I need to turn onto. Mind you we're in a housing, subdivision area so there are lots of small roads so I was easily confused and got us going all over the place.

I tell you I just started laughing. I didn't know what else to do. I had no idea how to get us out of this subdivision and the whole excursion of heading to the park had been one big trip to the goofy house. Lauren in the back seat kept saying "Mommy, what you laughing for?" and I just kept replying I'm laughing at all the crazy, mommy doesn't know what else to do so I'm laughing.

After many wrong turns and one uey, we finally made it to a road I recognized, which wasn't far from where we had intended on going. So all was well. We got to our house, enjoyed a few minutes of fun outside before the lunch bus started, then it was a few minutes more of play and time to say goodbye to our friends and start the nap routine. 

It was a crazy afternoon and oh if they had a video camera pointed at me today it might have been worth a watch...well at least for the parking lot scene. 

Amen for a sense of humor and for perspective on what really matters, that we all arrived back home, safe, sound and in one piece.

"She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come." Proverbs 31:25

Here we go again...

Okay, I had a week free of cloth diapering. I desperately needed a break since they were inducing anxiety attacks every time I would wash a load and find more mold. If you missed the beginning of this saga you can read about it here. So after one week away I was ready to try again to conquer the mold once and for all.

So what I did. Well I walked away and that was the first big thing that helped. Then I talked to a wonderful friend at church, Kathy. She cloth diapered all of her children when she was raising them (many moons ago) and asked her what to do and the first thing out of her mouth was "Borax." This was already an avenue I was thinking about so I jumped on it. First I googled it and then I purchased it and many days later I felt motivated to try it out. 

In my google search I read that you can mix vinegar and Borax together and no nuclear explosion would occur so I decided that the combination together would give me a better chance at killing the mold spores. So I filled up my bathtub with the hottest water my tap would create, then a poured a fair amount of Borax into the tub. The directions said one cup for every gallon of water but I was not going to be exact since that seemed like a lot of effort for such a big task. I let it dissolve and put my cleaning gloves on and swished the water around. Then I took my vinegar and dumped a bunch in, again not an exact amount. Then I threw in the inserts and the two diapers that were affected. At this point I realized I could ruin the diapers but didn't care since to me they were no good anymore moldy so might as well see if this worked. I soaked them for a while and then went through and squeezed them/hand washed them in the solution. 

From there I tossed them into the washer and put them through the wash cycle. Then I removed them from the washer and took them to my kitchen sink. Here I went through them with a "fine tooth comb" or more literally a toothbrush. I poured straight bleach on any and all of the black spots I could find. I would say over 80% of the inserts were affected with at least one black spot and of that about 10% were pretty bad. It took me about an hour to do this and my head was spinning, most likely from the fumes. After this I put them through the wash again with a second rinse cycle. Then I hung the two diapers up and put all the inserts in the dryer on high for 40 minutes. After taking them out of the dryer I inspected each insert for any spots and found none. I then stuffed the diapers. 

I plan to start using them again on Monday. Today we were out of the house the whole morning at the church workday and then tomorrow we have church all morning and then we plan on going to the pumpkin patch in the afternoon- and there is no rush in my mind. 

My friend Heather gave me the idea of separating the poop diapers from the pee diapers in two different wet dry bags. This would help me to see if it is the poop that is causing it by inspecting them prior to putting them into the washer to see if I see any mold on them. For the most part now though, Olivia has been having solid poop so I don't think this will be necessary. Plus, I still plan on using the flushable liners until I'm confident that the mold is gone for good. 

So Tuesday will be the day of reveal since that is when I'll wash diapers. I will hopefully be following up with good news!

"God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised." Hebrews 6:10-12

Giving my Hubby some props

So if you follow my blog at all, then you know that I've been working on changing my perspective and being the person God intended me to be. One way I've been doing this is by intentionally showing my husband how much he truly means to me. You know how it is, in the hussel and bussel of the day and in the stress of life's moments it's a lot easier to get caught up in the crazy- and forget to really lift up and support our spouses the way we should. Why it seems so much easier to do it with the little ones and not our spouses sometimes baffles me. So here I am lifting him up and sharing with you:

TOP TEN LIST:
TOP TEN REASONS MY GUY IS THE BEST...

10. He does the dinner dishes! 

9. How he tolerates my backseat driving and even jokes about it, I know I'm working on this one ;-)
8. The way he's a big goofball and just does the silliest things with the girls and me 
7. When he holds my hand in church as we listen to the sermon
6. The way his hug can melt away the rest of the world and make me feel safe and loved
5. His ability to be selfless- and put others first without hesitation 
4. Helping me out all. the. time. with our crazy life - he's a great partner!
3. Being a great father to our two girls- everytime I catch an 'outsiders' view of him with them it makes me fall in love with him all over again
2. Being able to make me laugh, really laugh, even when I'm tired and cranky
1. Loving me unconditionally, daily and sharing this journey with me

Finding the EXTRAordinary in the Ordinary!

I caught myself the other day. I caught myself being a nag. I don't like that I can get that way. I feel like I just need to get EVERYthing done at this one moment and it can't happen fast enough so I start nagging those around me. I find myself struggling to juggle it all. And am I surprised? NO! I can't get it all done and there isn't a human being on this earth that can, so why I hold myself to a higher standard is beyond me. So when I caught myself I turned my head up and said "God help me. Help me PLEASE."

As I was picking up the house later that day I was thinking how blessed I am and God did helped me that day. He helped me to give my house a look over with a different perspective. So as I watched the "tumble weed" of fur float under my feet and I thought what a blessing it is to have those. Those wonderful bundles of fur that litter our floor regularly are signs that a sweet, loving cat lives here. And she's such a snuggly good cat. Those fingerprints on the back door are reminders that a sweet toddler lives here and how she loves to run and see daddy at the back door when he gets off work. The crumbs of past meals that have taken up residence under the table are just God's little reminder of meals eaten, shared, and enjoyed. Dirty dishes too! The wipes and diapers and saliva soaked toys make me think of the giggly baby fast asleep upstairs. The piles of socks, underwear,  pants, and shirts remind me of my loving, wonderful husband who works hard to be the best he can be for us. The rumpled bed sheets remind me of a peaceful, restful nights sleep. 

I'm blessed beyond measure. After I called Matt to apologized for being the "nagging wife" I made sure I thanked him for all he does, day in and day out for our family. I prayed that God would help me lift him up and say thanks more regularly for all that he does do. In fact, later the next day he laughed and said something about how I've been praising him a lot. 

My life didn't change, but my perspective sure did. 

Yes, maybe it's taking us two weeks instead of one to get through our school stuff for 'E' week, but what a joy it is to have Brooke over our house. To give her a safe, fun place to enjoy her days while her parents are hard at work. What joy she brings to us! Helping us learn to share and having a friend to play with.

I might not get it all done, but what is most important is that we are happy. I saw that this past Friday. When I didn't feel like making another meal and then cleaning it up I was hoping to find a friend to go out to lunch with. Esther was busy packing to head out of town, Robin was busy with prior plans, and Matt had too much going on at work. I drove home bummed, but then I was blessed beyond measure as I ate with my two girls. Lauren helped me prep the food and helped with the clean up. She rinsed every dish in the sink so I could put away what was clean in the dishwasher and then all the dirty dishes were ready to load. It didn't feel like a chore at all. Perspective.

May you God always open my eyes to show me the many blessings that surround me and remind me to take a breath and enjoy each moment on this earth. Life isn't perfect and neither am I, so Lord I ask that you guide my days so that they are exactly how you would have them, finding joy in each 'imperfection.' My house might not be the cleanest but it's filled with life- your life breath fills this house with each loving member in it. Thank you for my family and thank you for loving us in a special way only you can. I ask for your hands to hold and protect us. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Scrumptiousness

So what's been going on around here? Lots and little. We've been keeping busy enjoying our cooler days together as a family but not too many big things happening- can I hear an Amen! The last few weekends have been blessed with time to enjoy our home and each other. Last two weekends I've done lots of cooking. For church, for us, and for fun!

So what have I been cooking? Lots these days since our littlest one is in full swing of solids and finger foods. Oh do I have some money saving tips for all of you who are also doing the solid thing with your little ones. First, naturally baking things yourself is lots cheaper than buying them at the store pre-made- I know this is a given. In fact, when I started staying home I asked a dear family friend, who stayed home when her daughter was little (now she's a freshman in college, yikes) and she told me baking things herself instead of buying pre-made stuff is one of the biggest ways she saved money. It's pennies to whip up your own blueberry muffins and dollars to buy them at the store. So one of the things I was making was muffins. I found this yummy blueberry oat recipe in one of my Pampered Chef cookbooks. I was looking for something with a little less sugar than my MIL's wonderful, taste like cupcakes, melt in your mouth recipe- very hard not to be glutinis with those bad boys on your counter. Then this week I made pumpkin muffins- lots of sugar but so yummy! Olivia has loved them both. She enjoys anything she can pick up herself and put in her chubby cheeked mouth! She's been enjoying banana, peaches, and pear chunks. Also a favorite is Gerber Puffs, cheerios, and cracker pieces. She still prefers her veggies over fruit and will eat up her pea, carrot, or green bean puree with a big smile and moans of happiness.

So money saving tips for baby food. First you need to get yourself an immersion blender. I asked for one for Christmas last year after Esther informed me that they are great for making baby food and oh yes they are, but we'll get to that in a minute. Instead of buying small, expensive jars of baby food, I purchase cans of adult food and blend them. Go down the can food aisle in your store and look for the can of peas and green beans that says No Salt Added on the can. Check the ingredients label and you'll see that the only ingredients are water and peas (or green beans). Once you're home you open the can, dump it into the little cup that comes with the blender, pop it in the microwave for a minute or two (depending on the power of your microwave) take it out and blend it. Voila- you've got baby food at a fraction of the cost! I've found that you need most of the water in the can for the peas to have a good consistency but drain most of the water off for the green beans. For carrots, I just buy the baby carrots, boil them in a pot on the stove until fork tender, put them in the cup with a little water from the pan and again yummy baby food for lots less. 

I've microwaved apple slices until they are tender and I've also made homemade applesauce too. I can't wait to try squash this fall and my next shopping trip will include sweet potatoes. 

You can store them in the fridge or buy ice cube trays and freeze it. One cube is 1 oz. of food. That makes it easy. I freeze the fruit but not the veggies since she just has a spoonful at lunch and then again at dinner until that veggie is gone- which is less than a week, so I skip the freezing step. I also mashup banana for breakfast or now I just give them to her in little chunks. Sometimes, to get her fruit in, I mashup a small bit of banana and mix it with pear or peach for breakfast or lunch. If you need more instruction than this a great website is Wholesome Homemade Baby Food. I got that from Brooke's mom- there are some neat ideas there. I use a handful of cookbooks my MIL picked up at garage sales too.

She likes to make a big mess of herself but it is with joy and lots of paper towel that we clean her grubby face up!

Also on the topic of food is school! On C week we made cake for Daddy's birthday and then this week our bible story is Moses and the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus) so I found a fun craft on Pinterest that we made last night as Matt mowed the lawn. I got the idea from this blog. She had a great time with both fun activities. She'll tell you the best part has been eating it! She was super excited to eat up Moses- it sure beat last weeks baby Moses in a basket craft. We also made sure to enjoy some yummy eggs since it's E week. So much fun with food around here!

"Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything." Genesis 9:3

Going Bonkers

So I'm finally getting around to writing a post about how cloth diapering is going this time around. Now if it was going well...I wouldn't need to write this post and I'm also hoping and praying for a solution to my persistent and annoying issue.

First, I need to say that Olivia is a heavy wetter and we found after just a week or so of getting her up each morning with pee soaked pj's that we had to scrap the idea of using them at night. I'm sure there is some ultra absorbent thing out there, but I'm just not interested in purchasing it so we've resorted to putting her in a disposable pampers at night. One diaper a day is no biggie and it is just easier all the way around.

Now onto my issues, well not my issues per-say- we could be here forever on that topic and I'll spare you... So about the end of July I noticed some black spots on the diapers and at first I thought nothing of it. Then one day I took off one of her diapers and the spots were very predominate and on the diaper and the insert. This is when it caught my attention that something was wrong. After further investigation I came to the conclusion that it was mold/mildew. I was HORRIFIED!!!! We are very good at caring for and tending to our diapers. We wash a load every other day and have never had a problem with it. My mind was racing with what I had done wrong. Here is a list of what I might have done, but the God's honest truth is that I have no idea what happened.

• Our clothes pins were left outside in one of the many flash rain showers we had this summer. They were then put away wet and got some mold on them. The clothes pins were then used to hang the diapers. So could it have been that?
• Olivia started solids around this time and her poop changed due to the food change so did I not do a good enough job of removing the poop and as it sat for 24 hours or so the mold took hold?
• We've kept a wet/dry bag in the bathroom downstairs- we shower in this bathroom and therefore the moisture level is higher, maybe causing the mold to have a better growing environment?
• We've had a very damp summer and I've hung the diapers outside a lot, could the mold in the air transferred to the diapers?

Now I need to say that the majority of the black mold spots are on the inserts, not the diapers. Only a few diapers have been contaminated and only one of them seems to not go away. I've done SOOOO many things to try and get rid of this issue. Here's what I've done.

• I bought new clothes pins right away.
• I started using the flushable liners to make sure the majority, if not all, the poop was being flushed away and not sitting on the diapers until wash time.
• I bleached the inserts to kill the mold- and I've done this a billion times it feels like. I've hung them outside to bleach them. I've used bleach in a soak load and then washed them and triple rinsed them. 
• I used a mixture of lemon juice and salt and hand scrubbed each spot and then let them sit for a half hour prior to washing them.
• I've put 3% Hydrogen Peroxide in the rinse cycle.
• I've put them in the dryer on High heat for 40 minutes.
• We moved the wet/dry bag out of the bathroom and into the bedroom

Now nothing has completely gotten rid of the mold. I was about to throw a holy temper tantrum this week because I'm at my wits end. I've devoted so much time and effort doing extra loads and taking extra time to try and solve the problem and no matter what I do it won't go away. 

I need to back up and say that often times when I bleach them they come out clean and look great. 99% of the mold is gone, but then I use the inserts again and when I take them out of the laundry there the spots are- taunting me. 

This morning I pulled a load of "clean" diapers out of the dryer, that when I stuffed them they looked clean to the naked eye, and 6 out of the 7 had a black spot or two or three...on them when I investigated them. I looked at Matt and said- that's it I need a break, I'm going insane over this issue and I can't take it anymore. I'm putting her in disposables until I figure it out. I can't keep doing this. Are we really saving money at this point? I mean come on.

I've found most of the "possible solutions" on message boards on the internet. I'm not the only one who has had this problem. In fact, one person put the same issue down word for word. She said how they kept coming back no matter what she did. I've also been very frustrated since the internet is the internet and some of the advice has been "don't use a pal, use a wet/dry bag" and then you read "don't use a wet/dry bag use a pail." There seems to be no solution out there.

I'm devastated that this has happened. I hate to think I've caused it but have no real way of knowing where it originated from. I hate to think I've just ruined hundreds of dollars of diapers. I hate that I'm not finding a way to make it all stop so I can continue using them. 

So if you're reading this and have heard of or have had this issue and conquered it PLEASE let me know!! I will continue to try and find a solution. In the meantime I'm going to purchase some more disposables to get us through this insane mess. Prayers are needed!

"...we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Romans 8:37b

Yesterday & Today

Yesterday I was standing in front of the kitchen sink, doing the dishes while the girls slept and I thought of twenty different posts I wanted to write about but ran out of time to do so. And now here I am today enjoying the quiet house- with time to write and blank goes the brain, go figure. So I'm sure this post will be a haug-paug (I have no idea how to spell this word, so roll with me here) of this and that, as I try and remember today all the things that seemed so important not to forget yesterday. 

Yesterday I was remembering how fun it was when we went grocery shopping together as a family this week. I used to have a routine about when I'd go grocery shopping but then Olivia was born (proud mama smile on display). Now I do what works best for the week when I need to do it. Sometimes that means we all go. Sometimes I go alone in the morning before Matt heads to work or at night after putting the girls down. Other times I take one of the girls. Anyway- you get the point- no routine is my new routine (hey that has a catchy ring to it). We had so much fun. It was a BIG trip so it took us two hours from pulling out of the driveway to pulling back in. The girls and Matt hung in there with me. Lauren enjoys shopping so much. The fun thing is the car cart. I avoided them until Olivia came along, she seemed old enough then to handle the responsibilities of the 'car cart.' She got out in aisles that weren't as crowded and took things I gave her back the cart #2 being pushed by daddy and occupied by the groceries. Then she'd load herself back into the car as we navigated to the next aisle. The best part is the reward at the end- M&M's at the checkout. We eat them on the ride home to celebrate a job well done. It also helps after looking at all the yummy food throughout the store to have a sweet treat.

After arriving home- past both girls bedtime, opps- Lauren helped Matt unload the car while I put Olivia down. Then Lauren continued being mommy's helper as she unloaded the bags of food. She just amazes me- when I came into the kitchen she had the freezer stuff in a pile in front of the freezer and stuff for the pantry in a pile by the pantry. This girl's too smart! She was saying "Oh" after pulling each item out of the bag as if she was so excited and thankful for each new package she encountered. It just was a glimpse of how we all should be as we unload our groceries, thankful to God for each thing we have. Like Mana to the Israelites, God provides it all. What a gift! 

Yesterday after a sweet friend gave me the nudge I needed, Olivia Jean went down to three nursings a day. I remember being so ready to drop every nursing with Lauren. Being ready for her to move along and I'm finding myself to be sooooo not that way with Olivia. I think it's because it's happening so much faster with Olivia. She's a good nurser and gets all she needs in a short time so she's progressed along a lot faster than Lauren did. Not to compare them but to show why it is I don't feel ready. 

It all came about the end of last week. She gets three meals of solid food a day and last week I started noticing how she wasn't interested in the solid food and that she was nursing more. I thought at first it was just a phase but that little girl was not getting enough solids so she was more hungry at nursing times. It was a vicious cycle that lead to her waking up earlier and earlier each morning one hungry baby girl. So this weekend it got very obvious to me as she was putting her hand in front of her face at meal times and pressing her lips together. She would moan for food (think I got a video of this because she was a goof with her moaning noise) and then when you went to feed her the food- hands in front of her face and closed lips. But you put a puff on her tray and the girl would reach for it and stuff that sucker in her mouth like a rabid beast. My first thought was, OH NO I got her hooked on puffs, she's not going to eat anything else! What have I done?! Then I realized the girl just wants to feed herself. So then I tried giving her cheerios and the reaction of "happy hungry baby stuffing her mouth" is what we got. I also noticed she didn't mind the stuff on the spoon as long as there was something on her tray for her to feed to herself. So this morning I put small cut up pieces of banana and cheerios on her tray and then feed her peach puree. That little girl ate like a champ. I also reorganized the nursing routine since I cut out one nursing. She now nurses when she wakes, before nap, and then before bed. She eats her solids after her morning nursing, lunch, and dinner time. So far so good. Just goes to show me how very special and different each of my little ones is. Amen to that!

Yesterday I was enjoying the feeling of contentment. This week has been an answer to prayer in so many ways. We were running ragged this summer- in both good and not so good ways. But now with vacations behind us and cooler days ahead of us I'm sure glad for the slowness of this week. I didn't have anything planned for Monday except house chores. We ended up taking an unexpected trip to the doctor for Lauren, but that fit right into "D" week. Then Tuesday we just took a small trip to a friends house to see her ducks- well we saw horses, chickens, a bunny, a dog, and a lizard too but the intention was to see ducks for "D" week. She got to feed them and pet a duck. She was so brave with all the animals coming up to her for food standing firm and not yelling out in fright. So far school has been going great. I really need to sit down and do a post all about what we've done, maybe...someday...hopefully. But yesterday continued with the relaxed, easy feeling as we're stepping back into routine. We went to library time (don't think we made it there all summer) and then the children's museum, which was so deserted I think Esther and I could have stayed there forever and let the kids play. Even with the unexpected trip back home for the forgotten lunch bag- it was still a wonderful day. I have contribute it all to God.

Yesterday I was also thinking about the study on Jonah I just started, and oh is it a wonderful study. So applicable to my life right now. I think Priscilla Shirer wrote this study after clearly jumping into my brain and seeing all the crazy up in there! This is my first study with her and I'm very impressed. I'll have to tell you more as I go through it- I'm looking forward to study group tomorrow- so much to share and I can't wait to hear what the other women are think too. Such a blessing!

Today I was thinking about how God has worked this relaxing yet productive week in just when I needed it most. He has helped me through the unexpected events of dropping one of Olivia's nursing, which I wasn't feeling very ready to do but it has worked out wonderfully. He was there when I realized I had forgotten our lunch as we pulled into the library parking lot, with not a moment to spare. He was there when I went to pick up my very full cherry pomegranate juice only to have it slip from my hands all. over. the. floor. He was there in the moments I just couldn't get enough of- playing with Lauren and doing school with her. Watching her smile and laugh. Run and be the super silly girl that she is. He was there as I rocked Olivia and built blocks with her just so she can squeal with delight and knock them all down. When she was happier than a clam watching Lauren play about around her. He was there in the few quiet moments Matt and I get to enjoy each other as husband and wife, with laughs and sweet embraces. We have such a loving Heavenly Father who provides what we need, when we need it- even if what we need is to drive a ten minutes back home to get the lunch we so absent mindedly forgot. 

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." Revelations 1:8