Tomorrow is the BIG Day!

I cannot believe that tomorrow morning we will begin the induction process to bring this miracle child into our arms! I'm so anxious to meet her and hold her, to smell her and snuggle her, to nurse her and share her with our older children. I have butterflies!

I'm anxious about the pain of labor, especially one induced with pitocin. I'm anxious about the increased chance of a c-section with the use of pitocin. I'm not looking forward to the recovery weeks after delivery either.

Thankfully, all of the anxieties are greatly overshadowed by the fact that I will soon be holding my last little lady in my arms! I'll get to see who she looks like, what her personality is, and finally tell her face-to-face how much I love her and how we longed for her to join and complete our family! I'm so excited for her to join us and make this family whole!

I can't wait for my older children to meet her! I wonder how they'll react to her. How they'll react to Mommy being gone for two days. How they'll react to little lady's noises, movements, sounds, and the fact that she'll be taking more of my attention. I can't wait for them to hold her and kiss her!!! I am excited to see how Shaelyn responds to the Baby she's always talking to and kissing in my womb!

I'm trusting the Lord for protection and health for this little lady and myself. I'm praying for an easy transition for my children and my Husband and myself. I'm believing this time will bring us closer together as a family and renew our zeal for the family the Lord has so graciously blessed us with! I honestly can't wait!!! Sleeping tonight is going to be a chore!

*I will post pictures and stat's as soon as possible! Thank you for your prayers!

To gift or not to gift...

With our induction date quickly approaching I've been thinking about Sibling gifts from Baby. I know plenty of people who give gifts to the older siblings from their new baby and I know plenty of people who don't give gifts. We never have. When my first became a big brother he was only 15 months old and I didn't think he would even understand a gift from his brother, much less need one.

When my second became a big brother he was only 12 months old and again, I didn't think he would even understand why he was getting the gift.

Now that my oldest is almost 4, my second is 2.5 and my third is 1.5, I'm wondering if a gift from their new baby sister would help ease the transition. On the flip side, I think of their sister as a gift and don't feel the need to give them extra gifts…

So, here I am, trying to figure out if we do give a gift what should we give, why would we give it and what will that show our children? I'm still on the fence about this one. I'm thinking I'll just carry on the tradition of not giving any gifts and just make it very exciting for them to be the Big Brother's and Big Sister. I hope they'll be just as smitten over their little sister as we will be. Hopefully offering her hugs and kisses will be enough of a present for them! I guess we'll see…

Your turn! Did you or did you not give older siblings gifts from their new baby sibling? WHY or why NOT?!?

Really Frustrated

Last night I had an acupressure/acupuncture treatment done.  I ended up having contractions every 4 minutes for over an hour and headed into L&D.  I arrived around 6:00pm and was dilated to 3cm.  I was monitored until 6:30pm and then able to walk until 7:30pm.  At the 7:30pm check I was 4 cm.  At this point I was put back on the monitors and my blood pressure taken.  Unfortunately, my pressures were up again at 158/102.  An IV was started because I was feeling very nauseous, wanted something to settle my stomach, and with my hemmorage risk needed an IV for precautionary reasons.  Following the 3 IV attempts I then got into the tub.  At this point labor pretty much fizzled out.  I was checked again around 10:30pm and was now 5 cm but not contracting well.  So we headed home. 

I'm really trying to trust my body and my baby but all I feel like doing is crying.  I'm so frustrated that I'm already dilated half way but am not actively contracting.  I so badly want to meet this little lady and no longer be pregnant.  I want my body and hormones back.  I want to be pain-free again.  

I have an appointment with my OB today.  Monday brings a medically induced labor.  I'm upset, disappointed, frustrated, tired and overwhelmed.  I guess we'll just wait and see what happens between now and Monday.  

The end is near!

On Tuesday I had my 38 week check up.  I've lost 1 pound, which isn't a lot but after gaining as much as I have with each pregnancy - it feels nice to not go up anymore! Baby sounded good and is still very active, to the point of causing pain!

Unfortunately, my blood pressure was up again this week.  My OB sent me to L&D for monitoring and to check labs to rule out pre-eclampsia. The labs came back normal but my blood pressure was around 148/102.....far too high.  So, for the health of myself and little lady we will be inducing labor on Monday.  I'm praying labor will start on its own before then.  If it doesn't I'm hopeful that simply breaking my water will cause active labor. 

At my last appointment I was dilated to 3 cm and about 50% effaced.  4 cm is considered active labor so we don't have far to go.  I would definitely appreciate any prayers for a fast, safe & healthy labor and delivery.  Especially for no hemorrhage. 

So now it's a waiting game! I'm so anxious to meet this little lady and see what she looks like and what her personality is! I'm insanely excited to breastfeed her and develop another bond with a precious gift from God!

*I wonder who she will look most like! Cobi is top left. Micah is top right. Shaelyn is bottom left.

Make it Work with Q-Tips

Today's Make it Work is with Q-Tips

*Painting
- Dip q-tips into paint and dab onto medium for fun art projects!

*Medicine Application
- Use q-tips to apply anti-bacterial creams to cuts, etc.

*Cleanse Pierced Ears
- Use q-tips to cleanse pierced ears! Works for new & old piercings.

*Spot Cleaning
- Dip q-tips into the cleaning solution of your choosing and clean in small spaces, such as the vent above the microwave.

*Umbilical cord care
- Use a q-tip to keep the umbilical cord area clean & dry.

10 Reasons to have a Home Birth

This does not replace advice from a medical professional. I'm simply one Home Birth Mama who wants to share why I loved my home birth so much! Here are my top 10 reasons, although there are plenty more!

1) Your Turf
- You'll feel more comfortable in your own Home!

2) Your Germs
- No worries of Hospital Germs affecting You or your Baby! You've built, and passed on to your Baby, immunity to the germs in your home.

3) Your Rules
- You can Eat, Drink, Sleep, Move, etc how you want! Your home = Your rules!

4) Your Bed
- You get to sleep in your bed with your pillows & blanket vs a very uncomfortable hospital bed!

5) No Packing
- No need to pack up a hospital bag since you won't be leaving home!

6) No Car Rides
- You won't have to worry about transitioning in the car or trying to deal with contractions while bouncing around!

7) Your Food & Drinks
- You'll be able to eat and drink whatever you want, whenever you want, throughout your entire labor!

8) Everybody Allowed
- You can have anybody and everybody you wish attend your home birth! There's no restrictions on how many people or even how young/old!

9) Cost Effective
- Home Births are statistically cheaper than hospital births!

10) No Fighting Staff
- You won't have to fight off nurses who need to take your vitals at all hours of the night. You won't have to worry about unnecessary testing or even unwanted interventions including vaccinations. Best of all, your chances of having a c-section are drastically diminished!

My Home Birth Daughter never was away from me and didn't cry like this once. This is my firstborn who was delivered in a hospital...

38 Weeks!!!

Today we reach 38 weeks pregnant!!! I've had some questions regarding my Due Date so here's the LD on when this Baby might arrive: We lost Aubrey on Christmas Day, 2011 and did not have a period before becoming pregnant with this little lady - so our initial due date was calculated based on Christmas being the first day of my cycle. This put our due date at September 30th. If we go with 9/30 as our EDD we are 39 weeks 2 days. Our second EDD was based on the first ultrasound we had which showed us due October 11th - what a cool due date 10/11/12!!! We had another ultrasound two weeks later, due to bleeding, that showed a due date of October 4th - another cool due date "10/4 Good Buddy". Anyway....my OB somehow came up with an EDD of 10/08/12 so we are currently 38 weeks exactly today. I "feel" like she's going to be born on the 4th but I've never guessed correctly so we'll see.

Regarding the pregnancy, little lady seems to be doing well! She's quite active and growing like expected. Unfortunately, she's currently lying in the posterior, or "sunny side up" position. Posterior is not an ideal labor/delivery position and can cause a long and extraordinarily painful delivery. I has acupuncture done last week, hoping she would turn, but she's comfortable where she is. I just pray she comes as "easily" as her big Sister, who was also posterior.

I'm in a lot of pain from sciatica and SPD. Basically my pelvis always feels like it's raw and on fire. My back hurts mainly when I move and causes my legs to buckle due to shooting pains. I'm not sleeping well due to the pain and am very much looking forward to getting my body back!

With this being our last Baby I'm trying to relish every bit of this pregnancy. All this pain is just confirming how done we really are having more Babies! Our perfect little sib-set of two older brother's and two younger sisters! It's God's perfect plan for our family and I couldn't be more excited for what the future will bring!

So, literally any day now we could meet this little lady! My OB said he will break my water at 39 weeks, if I would like. I'm hoping I'll have the strength to continue on until she's born of her own timing. I'm just praying that timing is very near!

Hospital Vacation!

I think this is the first time I've ever looked forward to a hospital stay. I'm in so much pain and have zero patience left for anything and anybody. I'm literally drained and it takes every ounce of grace that God gives for me to get out of bed in the morning. I feel like my kids are testing every single limit and pushing every button they can, literally & figuratively. I feel guilty because I'm not the Wife or Mom I want to be right now. My house is a disaster, dishes are piled in the sink, laundry is overflowing the basket and I have vacuumed in too long. I'm done!

I need a vacation! While being stuck on an uncomfortable hospital bed, with an IV and nurses bugging me, doesn't really sound like a vacation - I'm really looking forward to no responsibilities aside from feeding, cuddling & loving on this little lady! I won't have to plan, prep & cook any meals for two whole days! I won't have to do dishes or laundry, vacuum or make beds. I won't have to clean up toys or hear any back-talk for TWO WHOLE DAYS!!!!!

To top it all off when I see my kids again, after Baby is born, I'll be full of loving hormones and will forget about how hard these last few weeks have been. I'll miss my kids and look forward to seeing them again. I'll have a new-found sense of love for my kids again and a renewed energy to be the best Mama I can be.

So yes, I am, very much looking forward to my hospital vacation! I plan to take full advantage of every service offered and just soak up newborn bliss! I'm hoping this vacation comes SOON!!!

Praising Him through it all!

It says in God's Word that we're to praise Him without ceasing. In other words, no matter what is happening in our lives, good, bad, ugly, etc. we are to praise Him. He is perfect, never-changing, always gracious. He is worthy of our praise, whether we feel like it or not.

Today I'm not feeling much like praising Him. My back is hurting really badly and making it almost impossible to walk. I literally cannot sit down or I have a hard time getting up and walking again. I have three small children who rely on me for pretty much everything still and being in pain or laying down all day is NOT an option. I just keep praying that either this Baby will be born or God will heal me of these physical discomforts. I am so frustrated that neither is being granted.

Instead of getting angry, ok…after getting angry at God, I dug into His word to find some verses I could pray specifically from His Word! Here's what I found and I'm clinging to them!

James 5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

I'm trusting God for my complete healing and until it's manifestation I will praise Him regardless of how I feel! I will praise Him for who He is!

Well Child Check-up Results are in!

Shaelyn had her 18 month well child check-up today. Yes, she's technically 19 months but we don't typically do well child checks anyway so this was just an excuse to get her into the Dr. She's currently getting 8 teeth, yes EIGHT, all at the same time. She's got a runny nose and low-grade fever so we wanted to make sure all was well and it was just related to the teeth.

Turns out she's perfectly healthy! Praise God! She's just shy of 35" tall - or in the 99% for her height! She's just shy of 30lbs or in the 97% for her weight! She's off the charts in terms of her development both physically and mentally. We're thrilled she's doing well! We're so blessed by her!

Make it work with Hair Binders

Today's Make it Work is with Hair Binders/pony holders! The obvious use of holding hair back is not the only way to use these elastic rings! You can also use Hair Binders to:

Wrangle Writing Utensils
Wrap a hair binder around pens, pencils, colored pencils, crayons, high-liters, etc to keep them all wrangled together!

Expand Pants
Loop a hair binder through the button hole and wrap around the button on jeans that are a little tight to expand their life!

Accessorize
Wrap cute hair binders around your wrists as bracelets as accessories!

Tie Dye
Use Hair Binders to create Tie Dye shirts, onesies, blankets, etc.

Napkin Rings
Use funky or classy Hair Binders as napkin rings!

Chip Closure
Tie a Hair Binder around chip bags to keep them sealed and fresh!

Racerback
Loop a Hair Binder through a regular bra to create a racerback bra!


Your Turn! What are your double duty tips for Hair Binders?!?

Content in this pregnancy

Maybe I'm the only Mama who goes through a 4-5 week period, during pregnancy, that I just can't stand being pregnant. I'm not talking about the normal achey feeling - I'm talking about irrational thoughts of, "how can I get this Baby to be born…NOW". I seem to hit this point in each of my pregnancies and just cannot get out of the slump, no matter how hard I try. Thankfully I've finally passed that point and am now contentedly awaiting this little lady's arrival! Don't get me wrong, I'm still very uncomfortable and sore but finally have the mindset that Baby will come in God's perfect timing and when she's ready! As much as I am beyond excited to meet her, hold her, smell her and hear her little sounds, I am ok with waiting for her perfect delivery date! I'm trusting in God to bring her into this world when it's the best time!

I had my 37 week check up today and aside from some high blood pressure everything looks good! Baby is measuring big, which is typical of my kiddos, and is head down. Her heart rate was great. I've not dilated any further but it really doesn't matter. I know better than to let that get to me…thankfully! So we simply wait. We have our next appointment next Tuesday at 38 weeks.

My older kiddos are definitely ready for this Baby to come as well! Cobi keeps praying that God will bring Baby out!! I am anxious to see how they'll respond to her arrival. I guarantee that I'm going to sob like a Baby, pun intended, when I see my older children for the first time after this little lady is born. They're going to seem so huge and grown up. I'm sure it will be a whirlwind of emotions, especially considering this is our last Baby.

So as of right now we wait! We continue to pray for a safe and healthy delivery, Baby and Mama. We trust in God to work everything out for His glory and can't wait to praise Him for this perfect being in our arms!!!

10 Verses to Brighten your day!

We all have down days where we need encouragement! Here are just 10 Verses you can meditate on to help brighten your day and spur you on!

1) 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

2) Lamentations 3:24-25
I say to myself, "The Lord is my potion; therefore I will wait for Him". The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him.

3) Isaiah 41:10
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand".

4) Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.

5) Psalm 9:9
The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

6) Psalm 23:4
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

7) Psalm 55:22
Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you, He will never let the righteous fall.

8) Matthew 11:28-30
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light".

9) John 16:33
"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world"!

10) 1 John 5:14
This is the confidence we have in approaching God; that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

37 Weeks! Full-Term!

Ooffdah! Today marks 37 weeks into this pregnancy! We're now full-term so Baby can come anytime she is ready! I'm beyond done being pregnant but seriously thankful for the blessing that is this child growing in my womb!

Every time I start to feel "woe is me" I simply remember those who are unable to have children. Lately I've been focusing on Psalm 127:3-5 Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from Him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate.

I am anxious to meet this little person, to see what she looks like, to smell her and hear her little baby sounds! I'm excited to see my older children respond to her and love on her. I'm excited to have my body back!

Sleep has really become a dreadful time. My SPD is flaring up and it's incredibly hard to get comfortable lying down. I just pray for the continued strength and endurance to finish this pregnancy!

Hopefully soon we will get to meet this little lady in person! Until then, I praise God for a healthy pregnancy and will trust in Him for the perfect timing of her birth!

37 weeks! The belly button has popped out - I'd say that means she's done! Don't mind the wood chips - I had just been sat on by a certain 19 month old, Shaelyn after she fell in the backyard!

Community!

I am so thankful for the women in my small group at church. They spur me on to be a better Wife, Mother, Daughter, Sister and Friend. They encourage me to seek God and are such an inspirational group of women! I am so blessed to do life with them! We've been on break over the summer and I have truly missed the sense of community I have with them. Fortunately, we start up again on Tuesday and I cannot be more excited to see them all again and dig into Gods word together!

One of my small group members is currently battling cancer and WINNING! She's such a strong woman of God and gives Him all the credit for her healing! She's seen miracle after miracle during this fight for her life and she continues to seek and trust God! I'm believing for her full recover and praise God for her continual healing! What an awesome God we serve!

She's such an encouragement to me to not worry about tomorrow or what it MAY or may NOT bring! She lives out Matthew 6:34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own!"

If you would, please join me in lifting her up in prayer for her continued healing!




Photo Credit

Glutton for Punishment!

Today my Mother and I took my three kids and my HUGE pregnant self to a Gopher's Football game! We were blessed with tickets to a nice suite and hoped we would be able to watch some of the game. Obviously we know my kids are FULL of energy and probably wouldn't sit still for very long. However, there was food provided (so we didn't feed them breakfast beforehand, hoping they would be hungry enough to sit and eat), we hoped the live band would catch their attention and we brought a laptop with movies for them to watch. Unfortunately the fact that they're 3, 2 and 1 took over and they would NOT sit still. Two of the three of them banged into the counters, more than once. Shaelyn dumped over someone's beer.

Cobi tried to water a plant, that turned out to be fake, and made a huge mess. Micah was just being Micah and getting into EVERYTHING!

We made it to just past half time and then gave in. The half time entertainment was my favorite part because they honored the members of each branch of the military! I love how creative our band is when it comes to their half time shows!

I guess we are glutton for punishment but it was a fun outing that the kids enjoyed!

Funny thing is that their favorite memory from the day is the tattoo's they were given.

My Sustainer!

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:29-31

I think everyone can relate to that exhaustion that sets in when you try to do it all on your own. It's easy to become weary when relying upon only ourselves. We weren't created to do it all on our own. The Lord calls us to lean on Him and He will renew us! It's a daily requirement that we must look to God for our strength or we will not last.

God promises to sustain us throughout all the days of our lives! "Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you". Isaiah 46:4


So how do we obtain this sustaining strength? We ask for it! "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened". Matthew 7:7-8

Feeling run-down, overwhelmed, exhausted, weary? Ask God for his sustaining strength to renew your physical, mental, emotional, spiritual self and He WILL provide!!!







Photo Credit

The Reality is....

My 3 year old is not potty trained yet, my Dog hasn't been trained to do anything but potty outside, my kids have poor attitudes often and I'm exhausted trying to keep up with everything it entails to be a SAHM. The reality is life is not as perfect as it looks in blog-land. The reality is life is messy, stressful and overwhelming. The reality is only God can provide me with all I need to be the Wife, Mother, Daughter, Sister and Friend that I desire to be!

It says in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

It's in my times of exhaustion and overwhelming stress that God is most powerful in my life! God didn't say my life would be easy. In reality, God said it's when my life is hard that he's most powerful! His grace is sufficient and He is powerful to save!!!

Make it Work with Cinnamon

Today's Make it Work is with Cinnamon! We all know and love cinnamon used in baking. Did you know that there are quite a few other ways to use this little gem of a spice? You can also use Cinnamon to:

Repel Ants
Sprinkle powdered Cinnamon around entry points for ants and they'll be less likely to enter your home!

Kill Mosquitos
Add powdered Cinnamon to water and mix in a spray bottle. Spritz on Mosquitos and watch them vanish!

Freshen Rooms
Boil Cinnamon in water, Add to potpourri, or Mix with water to spray around Rooms for an instant Air Freshner! You can also glue cinnamon sticks to candle jars and the warmth will spread the cinnamon scent throughout the room!

Moth Free Closets
Mix broken Cinnamon sticks with Cloves and Black Peppercorn. Fill any satchel, tie shut & hang in your closet for a yummy smelling Moth Repellant!

Mouthwash
Mix Vodka and powdered Cinnamon, allow it to set for 2 weeks and you've got a home made mouthwash!

Your Turn: What are YOUR double duty tips for Cinnamon?

10 Ways to Remember 9/11

Today is the 11 year Anniversary of the September 11th Attacks. It was a terrible day in our nation's history that we refuse to forget. For all the families and friends affected personally, our prayers go out to you today and everyday for the peace that only God can provide! Here's a simple list of 10 ways to Remember 9/11:

1) Fly our Flag
Proudly display the American Flag - not just today, but everyday! If you do fly a flag make sure it is at half staff today.

2) Light a Candle
Light a candle, or 11 candles, in remembrance of those who lost their lives.

3) Write a Letter
Write a letter to a Soldier currently fighting to ensure an attack like 9/11 doesn't happen again. They're fighting for YOUR freedom! Take a minute to write a letter thanking them for their sacrifice!

4) Tell your Children
Teach your Children about that day and what happened. Explain to them why forgiveness is an important part of our nation's healing.

5) Reach out
Look for ways to support those who were personally affected by this tragedy. You can send monetary gifts, cards, etc to those who lost loved ones or were injured in the attacks.

6) Donate Blood
The amount of blood needed to save lives during those attacks is staggering. There's always a need for more blood donations! Donate in memory of those who lost their lives.

7) Forgive
The attacks have affected every single American and how our country is run. We all need to forgive those that were involved in taking away our feeling of security, family and friends, etc.

8) Visit your local firefighters
While your local fire fighters were probably not involved directly in assisting with the attacks, they are working everyday to protect you and your community! Stop in with fresh baked cookies, cards or even a handshake to say thank you!

9) Moment of Silence
Observe a moment of silence for those who lost their lives, are still recovering or are fighting for our freedoms. I've heard of people holding moments of silence every hour on the 11th minute. 1:11, 2:11, 3:11, etc

10) PRAY
Last but NOT least - Pray for those involved, our leaders, our nation, our freedom's, for God's will to be done in our country! Pray!

36 weeks!

Today marks 36 weeks into this, our final, pregnancy! I'm thankful that the timing of her birth is not up to me! I'm feeling very physically DONE and am convinced pregnancy lasts about four weeks too long!! God knows what He's doing in creating this life so I'll trust in Him and wait patiently for this miracle to make her entrance!

This past weekend we were blessed with tickets to a Twin's Game! The boys, all three of them, had a great time! It was COLD, which I loved! We rode on the light rail to get to the stadium.

It was our second trip on the train and the kids did great again! It was standing room only on the way out to the stadium and Micah was truly in Heaven getting to stand, or rather fall, during the stops and starts!

Our seats were up rather high but it was still a great time!

The Boys ended up watching movies on our phones more than the actual game but they were really well behaved so it worked out great!

Tomorrow is the start of weekly OB visits which should help this final month go by a little more quickly! I've been having loads of prodromal labor, which is basically just lots of practice contractions - not braxton hicks but really painful contractions. I've had prodromal labor with every pregnancy so I know not to get too worked up about it but it is exciting to feel my body "doing" something. I'm praying this labor and delivery will be smooth and we'll both be healthy!!

Happy or Holy?

Lately I've heard a lot of people mentioning Holy vs Happy. God doesn't necessarily care that we're always happy but he does want us to be continually Holy. So I've been thinking, what exactly does it mean to be Holy?

According to Dictionary.com Holy means: dedicated or devoted to the service of God, the church, or religion: a holy man.

So God wants me to be devoted to His service and His church. Right now, in my current season of life, my family is my main Church. While doing laundry, dishes, and changing diapers may not always make me happy, it's a service to Gods children and that makes me Holy!

Nowhere in the definition does it say perfect, it simply says devoted! In serving my family I am being made Holy through service to His church.

It all comes back to not always doing what feels good or makes me happy but doing what God has called me to do! Who knew all the chores, midnight wakings and corrections were being used to make me Holy?!?

Nap Boycott

Lately sleep has been hard to come by with a sore back and frequent trips to the restroom during the middle of the night. So naps are a precious commodity around here. Unfortunately for me, the boys decided to boycott their naps today. This wouldn't have been a problem but it resulted in their little sister not sleeping very long, thus I didn't get a nap at all. Needless to say, I was one TIRED Mama! I was feeling overwhelmed and on the verge of a pity party when I simply knelt before my God and pleaded for the grace and energy to make it through the day!

While we were outside, trying to get them to run off their excess energy, I turned on a Christian station on Pandora! Have I mentioned how much I LOVE Pandora?!? Anyway, the song "Your Grace is Enough" by Chris Tomlin came on and I was once again reminded that I'm not doing this thing, called life, alone! I am blessed beyond measure to have God's grace and it's ENOUGH for me!!!

"Your Grace Is Enough"

Great is Your faithfulness oh God
You wrestle with the sinner's heart
You lead us by still waters and to mercy
And nothing can keep us apart

So remember Your people
Remember Your children
Remember Your promise
Oh God

Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me

Great is Your love and justice God
You use the weak to lead the strong
You lead us in the song of Your salvation
And all Your people sing along

So remember Your people
Remember Your children
Remember Your promise
Oh God

Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me [x2]

So remember Your people
Remember Your children
Remember Your promise
Oh God

Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me

Your grace is enough
Heaven reaching down to us
Your grace is enough for me
God I see your grace is enough
I'm covered in your love
Your grace is enough for me
For me

Make it Work with Newspaper

Today's Make it Work is with Newspaper! We read it for the stories, weather or coupons but did you know that there are plenty of other ways to re-use your newspapers? You can also use Newspapers to:

*Move
Wrap valuables in newspaper to prevent them from breaking during shipping.

*Arts
Make collages, paper mache, etc out of newspapers.

*Weed Barrier
Put newspapers down under mulch in your garden to prevent weeds from growing.

*Fire Starters
Roll up a piece of newspaper to use as a fire starter.

*Gifty
Shred newspaper to use in gift bags!

*Boots
Put a roll of newspapers inside boots to keep them upright!

*Window Washer
Use newspaper and your window washing spray to get clean windows vs using a roll of paper towels!

Your turn! What are your Double Duty tips for Newspapers?!?

10 Things to be Thankful For

I think it's easy to take life for granted. I think it's even easier to take things in our lives for granted. So here's a quick reminder with just 10 things to be thankful for! There's so many many, here's 10:

1) Today
Just being thankful for the opportunity to see another day!

2) Modern Luxuries
It's so easy to take modern luxuries like air conditioning, heating, dishwashers, washer and dryers, etc for granted. Be thankful for these things that make day-to-day life easier!

3) Dishes
Be thankful that you have dishes to wash because it means you had food to eat!

4) Laundry
Thankful for clothes to wash because it means you had clothes on your back!

5) Chores
Thankful for a toilet to clean, a carpet to vacuum and a table to wipe off because it means you've got a home!

6) Bills
This one sounds a little extreme but be thankful you have bills to pay because it most likely means you have an income!

7) Errands
Be thankful for the errands you had to run because it means you have money to spend and a life to live!

8) Rising Early
Be thankful for the ability to rise early because it means you have something to live for and the means to wake early!

9) Tears
Did you know that Humans are the only creatures that shed tears for emotional reasons? Did you also know that we physically shed toxins from our bodies through emotional tears? Be thankful for the ability to rid our bodies of stress and grief through our tears!

10) Salvation
And of course, be thankful for the salvation brought to you by Jesus' death on the cross! Be thankful for the life it affords you and the grace, peace and joy you've been blessed with thanks to His sacrafice!

35 weeks!

Today marks 35 weeks into this pregnancy! I'm so thankful that Baby girl has been moving like crazy again! I'm thrilled with each kick, jab and squirm to reassure us she's doing well! I'm definitely feeling the space crunch and really don't know how I'll stretch for another 5 weeks! I'm beyond exhausted and have been needing naps daily, which thankfully I've been able to get in! Keeping up on household chores is becoming more difficult but I'm convinced that's why God gave us the "nesting instinct" so things still get done! My blood pressure is beginning to rise so we're praying for a healthy ending to this pregnancy!

We had family photo's taken and while the kids weren't totally cooperative, the photographer did an excellent job getting some cute action shots! I really like how they turned out considering my kids just wanted to run around and play in the water fountain. All in all, it was a great evening! Here's a sneak peek!

This last one was taken by me just showing what they would rather be doing!

Sunday Smiles!

My Kiddos were in an extra good mood after nap time today! So here's a quick post with some Sunday Smiles! I hope they brighten your day a little! They sure melt my heart!

Shaelyn

Micah

Cobi

Nothing Nice to Say

During Jury Duty I was able to read, from cover-to-cover, a book written by Joyce Meyer, 'Living Beyond Your Feelings'. It was such a good read! I highly recommend you take the time to read it!

One of the main points I got from the book was that speaking your feelings only makes them seem worse. I've really been trying not to complain about the aches and pains of pregnancy. I don't have easy pregnancies, by any means, but I'm blessed to be pregnant. After losing two Babies and the recent scare with this Baby - I really am thankful for the aches and pains.

I'm putting out the call for accountability! I need to reign in my complaints and not focus so much on the down-sides of pregnancy, rather focus on the miracle that is forming inside my womb! I'm too blessed to be stressed and praise God for what I've been given.

Please call me out on any complaints you hear from here on out!