November 9, 2009
Just thought I would share a few good things happening. Of course, I’ll start out with a potty post 
Our 4 year old continues to WOW me with his successes. He has consistently been going #2 in the potty and not going in his pull-ups at naptime. I pray this is IT….ya know, that fact that he’s finally gotten down. I am certainly not expecting perfection or never any accidents. I am just very much ready for this to be permanent.
We’ve been praying, and asking others to pray that we would be able to find a bigger vehicle to fit our family of 8 into. We found one! A 1999 black GMC Suburban. It’s BIG. And much to my surprise, I LOVE driving it. We’ve been out doing errands as a family and the kids love it too.
I was able to visit with church family this morning a bit, and many got to see our baby for the first time. The votes seem to be unanimous that baby looks like her 5 year old sister. My husband and I thought so right when we brought baby home from the hospital and were looking at her siblings baby pictures. Fun, fun.
I think this is good…kind of still waiting to see. Our oldest daughter has been forgoing her afternoon, self-imposed quiet times. She has gotten sick quite often in the past and has pretty much demanded (in her own way), to be put to bed in the afternoons. She just gets that tired. Well, for whatever reason, lately she’s been wanting to stay up and play. It’s been going okay. She’s been pretty obedient during the afternoon. The only thing is that I hardly get any kind of downtime to myself. I guess that’s supposed to come in the evening. Yet, now I am in the season of having a newborn who likes to be held in the evenings and is now cluster feeding before bedtime. I am tired. But, it really does make me happy to see our oldest child happier. In a nutshell, that’s all I want for her anymore in this lifetime…to be happy and not struggle so much with ongoing health issues.
And I forgot to mention…baby slept completely thru the night two nights ago! Didn’t happen last night. But, she’s only been getting up once a night lately. I’m praying for an early sleeper.
November 3, 2009
I was in the middle of a bit of schooling today when I heard a knock at the door. I had kids doing all different things, and I was on the floor with my special needs child trying to color a picture with her…okay, really I was trying to keep her from happily chewing on our new crayons. My 4 year old and 2.5 year old were squabbling over something, and I could feel my pulse quickening…Argh! Anyway, I finally made it to the door and found a pretty little gift bag awaiting me and saw a van pulling away from our home. I was so pleasently surprised to find that my sweet friend and teacher who oversees our homeschooling and her daughters, had left this beautiful quilt. It was a baby gift, a personalized quilt. My heart melted and my frustration left me. Thank you Lord for thinking of me…again. And boy, do I have some sweet friends.
October 31, 2009
It’s exciting for me to see and hear our just turned 4 year old do new things. He’s been doing better with his comprehension of what we ask of him (he’d been struggling with this a bit), and he’s been chat, chat, chatting up a meaningful storm. Although, he still runs around and acts out his wild, musical imagination….crazy kid I do get a kick out of this.
Also…his potty training has been coming along great. Nightime isn’t much of a concern of mine at this point. I think that will just come with time. But, daytime has been going very well. Our biggest challenge during the day has been at naptime. But, now that seems to even be less and less of a challenge. Things seem to be clicking more in my little boy’s head. Yay!
October 30, 2009
Things are crazy here…at the same time, they are simple. I am so thankful for these gentle days as I raise my little ones. We’ve had a few challenging days with our special needs daughter. Most likely due to a combination of coming down off of seizures and valium, along with getting the seasonal flu mist. It didn’t go over well with her. Even though we’ve been struggling, I’ve also felt the steady hand of the Lord upon our family. No one can understand the daily life of living with a child with special needs unless they live with it day in and day out…long term. It’s hard and it wears on parents and the family. No one understands the longevity and the reality of this long term commitment to our child. We don’t even comprehend it fully, but God gives us the grace daily to take it in, bit by bit. But, I am so glad that the Lord has given me wisdom and discernment as a mom when I ask to know how to guide my children and family during the days. Sure I mess up at times! But, how awesome it is to call upon the Lord to give me strength, pull me and dust me off when I need it (daily!) I also think I see sometimes the beginning of sweet fruit in my other children because of the lifestyle the Lord has called us too with a child with special needs. There is always the flipside of that too. I am just always needing my God’s strength even in these gentle days and even not-so-gentle days.
October 26, 2009
…is up to 11 lbs. at one month of age! She was 7 lb. 11. oz. at birth. She’s gaining well, and I am loving every little ounce of her. Unfortunatley, she is struggling with trush at the moment. She’s on medication now 4 times of day. Looking foward to getting thru this soon!
October 19, 2009
Oh my…how the days are flying quicky by! I am sort of happy about it. I am cherishing my baby’s newborn days. BUT…I am looking foward to when she starts sleeping thru the night. Also, this may sound funny, but I am also cherishing my last pregnancy *now* more than I did when I was pregnant. I’ve been using a Moby Wrap to carry baby around in each day. I typically use it around lunch time. Baby seems to have figured that out too. She loves it. The minute I put her in she zonks out completely. I am typically able to get lunch for all of my kiddos and feed my oldest special needs child too with the wrap on. I even eat lunch myself. Sorry baby for any crumbs on your pretty little head!
My fourth child had a birthday coming up next weekend. Four years old! We have his cake thought out and he is very excited for his special day. I had my 7 year old son make a paper chain today to count down the days this week until his little brother’s birthday. I have to say that I have been praying that the Lord would help me connect with my almost four year old in a special way. We’ve been trying to navigate thru some of his quirks, which has frustrated me at times. He is such a loving child. He also has a huge imagination and loves to be loud and sings A LOT. I’ve been longing to converse with him more, so I prayed about it. Lo and behold…it’s been happening! He melts my heart with his questions and just the way he talks. I find that most of my frustration is just wasted emotion. God has His hand upon my son and I can rest in that. We’ll have good days and bad days and it’s all a lot of work in the end. I am thankful that the Lord is allowing me to enjoy my children!
I am looking forward to the holidays coming up and the special things we do as a family. Hopefully I won’t be so sleep deprived when that time rolls around! Right now, we are surviving. Praying the flu stays away from our home and we’re trying to enjoy this season in our lives…having a new baby and lots of little kids. I know the Lord is gently leading us and wants gentle and simple things for our family. Life is crazy without many or any outside activities at this point, and even in the future. Simple is the answer 
September 30, 2009
I thought I would update! We had our baby over a week ago. She is just precious and doing wonderfully. She is of course a typical newborn and we are sleep deprived. It seems that everything has kind of been a blur to me up until maybe yesterday or the day before. It’s amazing how when arriving home from the hospital you realize a few things a few days later. Like…just how much you were able to rest at the hospital and how helpful the nurses were at keeping up on a mom’s pain medications and such. Things definitely caught up with me once we arrived home and I had to take on the role of being a mom to now 6 kids. A wonderful role! But, an exhausting one after a c-section. So, here we are!
We’ve been abundantly blessed thru family and friends…whether they have cared for our kids or provided clothes and even furniture for our baby (we’d given much away after baby #5.) God has worked thru so many to love us thru very helpful and practical ways. We certainly are grateful! We have meals coming thru our church family…h0w helpful!
Our kids are smitten with baby sister I think that our almost 4 year old and 2 year old are finally showing a little more emotion over everything the last two days. Not at all acting out toward baby ( I cannot keep them from kissing baby sister!), but rather just extra emotional. That’s okay. I thought it was too good to be true to NOT have anyone express extra emotion over a new life coming into the home. We’ve had a small cold making it’s way around the kids too. Nothing huge…sore throat, stuffy, sneezy and tired. It’s hard to tell what a child is battling at times…whether it be emotions over a new baby or fighting off a cold.
I love snuggling our baby. She is just so precious. We wish we could bottle this season of life up to go back and revisit. It goes by so fast! We are so thankful and just cannot get enough of our new addition.
September 7, 2009
…that I am going to be done blogging for a while. We’ve been trying to get our oldest daughter back on a good track of health. Wow…it’s been hard. But, I think she may finally be getting better. She had croup a month ago, and then that of course took a while to take it’s course. Then a stomach bug that’s been hanging on for a while and even as of two days ago…crazy! Also, seizure activity both last week and the week before with her. My prayer is that we can FINALLY get into a longer period of good health with her and sustained good health for our entire family as the baby arrives!
God has reminded of a few very precious friends that I have in my church family. To be honest, I haven’t been counting my blessings in this regard enough. I *know* that I am blessed. Last night, one of these friends called me and we talked a long time and she prayed for me long and hard. It felt so good to openly talk about the joys and struggles of my walk with the Lord with a like-minded sister in Christ! And her phone call and conversation was really God’s way of answering a particular prayer of mine this week. I feel so encouraged and blessed to have had my conversation with her, especially before baby’s arrival.
I am really drawing in and focusing on my family’s needs right now, and also trying to mentally and emotionally prepare for surgery and the baby. It’s hard for me to think of being back at that place of post c-section. But, I know the Lord is with me and will sustain me and my family. Here is a verse that I am growing to love: Psalm 63:7-8 –”Because You are my help, I sing in the shadow of Your wings. My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.”
I am *already* seeing a few trees changing color! How can this be? Fall will be upon us before we know it. I hope that everyone who reads this post has a blessed September. Weird to think that cooler weather is not too far from us.
September 1, 2009
Woo-hoo! It’s finally here….the last month of my pregnancy. It feels so good to say that baby will arrive this month. In reality…she could arrive tomorrow and I would be fine with that. I feel that I am still struggling across the finish line. I have many, many mixed emotions about this pregnancy. It’s precious to me…sacred ground. I’ve learned in the past that I’ve opened up and shared too much info. And then, I’ve also learned what *would’ve* been appropriate ways to better respond to certain comments. A word of advice to other moms…”Be *very* selective in who you share information with about your reproductive life. It is such a precious topic. Not for anyone to make any serious comments or decisions about outside of you, your husband and of course…probably your doctor. But, even then, a doctor could influence a woman in such a way that she might really leave her feeling unsure and even unprepared in the aftermath of any decision concerning this area of her health. Our culture certainly will. I would advise, never to make *any* hasty or rash decisions. I know I am being vague Pray, pray, pray.
Anyway, I am also on edge at times because I have had a baby come a month early, 3 weeks early, and 2 weeks early. I’ve had one come a day before a due date, and our last made it to the c-section date. I tend to have painful Braxton Hicks toward the end of my pregnancies as well. I don’t tend to have stable patterns. Either way, it’s all in the Lord’s hands.
August 23, 2009
Our two year old…she is just cracking us up lately. She’s been saying stuff like this a lot more lately. But, yesterday she was talking to her daddy. I overheard the conversation. After I had fed her lunch she walked up to her daddy and said, “I say to mama….Mama, I want some more apples.” “Yah…that’s what I said.” So, she was telling her daddy about the dialogue she had with me at lunch. She then did the same thing with me this morning, telling me what she had told her daddy at breaktfast. She’s not even quite 2.5. What a girl.
