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I want to be better at a lot of things. My dream list is endless, but here are a few things I am trying to tackle recently.
- hugging my boys every time they eat (they are so precious, why not?)
- flossing my teeth (a tip/scare from an older and wiser sister)
- not being a crab to my hubby (why oh why is this so hard?)
- getting up earlier (yuck, but I have so much to do)
- Praying for my kids and hubby every morning (love this)
- Eating smaller meals (need to slide back into those size 6's again)
- Using gracefilled and fruit of the Spirit words (Is that promoting peace? Are you being gentle, kind? no, no, no you are not!)
I need to write them down so I can check back on my progress. Slowly but surely...
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Three Little Paths to Holiness
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Oh my....I had only written those two words and I have already been interrupted. Spencer: "MOM, Jack is knocking down the fort. PLEASE COME." Up from the computer, fix the fort, tell Jack no knocking the fort down, leave the room, come back to the fort to help Spence fix a blanket, finally back to the computer. This is the story of my days and to be honest, I was really struggling with having a patient and loving attitude. How can a human being live like this?
I get up in the morning, feed Abigail, make Justin's lunch, get the boys bottles, change diapers, clean up a little, change a BAD diaper, take someone to the potty, stop a fight during my breakfast, feed Abigail, have to stop to wipe bran muffins off the boys hands, pj's, table, floor, wall. Pick up a now screaming Abigail, nurse some more, finish nursing only to find every cooking utensil and the silverware drawer emptied in the kitchen. When do I find time (interruption: comfort a crying boy who hurt himself on something, pat, pat, on the head) to do my devotions and make sure I have time to a quiet time to pray.
By God's grace, I have realized in the last few days that every season of life is going to look different. I may not get an hour to do my devotions and pray, but I can use the moments throughout the day (interruption: break up a fight over who gets what blanket) to choose righteousness and patience. I can read a short devotion during a quiet moment locked in the bathroom. I can call (interruption: stop jumping on your brothers head, it is not kind) a sister and be encouraged by a short conversation. I need to look for the little miracle moments in my day so that I can have a heart of Joy to fill my home with.
My little paths to holiness:
I get up in the morning, feed Abigail, make Justin's lunch, get the boys bottles, change diapers, clean up a little, change a BAD diaper, take someone to the potty, stop a fight during my breakfast, feed Abigail, have to stop to wipe bran muffins off the boys hands, pj's, table, floor, wall. Pick up a now screaming Abigail, nurse some more, finish nursing only to find every cooking utensil and the silverware drawer emptied in the kitchen. When do I find time (interruption: comfort a crying boy who hurt himself on something, pat, pat, on the head) to do my devotions and make sure I have time to a quiet time to pray.
By God's grace, I have realized in the last few days that every season of life is going to look different. I may not get an hour to do my devotions and pray, but I can use the moments throughout the day (interruption: break up a fight over who gets what blanket) to choose righteousness and patience. I can read a short devotion during a quiet moment locked in the bathroom. I can call (interruption: stop jumping on your brothers head, it is not kind) a sister and be encouraged by a short conversation. I need to look for the little miracle moments in my day so that I can have a heart of Joy to fill my home with.
My little paths to holiness:
Monday, February 14, 2011
Abigail Grace Bartlett
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It has almost been a week since Abigail was born and I am just getting around to putting up some pictures. She was born 2/8/11 at 2:34 in the afternoon. She weighed 7lbs and 8oz and was 21 1/2" long. She was the biggest and the longest of all our babies and definitely the hardest to deliver. We found out almost 5 weeks ago she was breech and even though she was covered in much prayer she never flipped and decide to come into the world upside-down. We delivered her at home with a midwife. This was our first time having a homebirth and everything went better then we could have ever imagined.
The boys love her. They ask about her when they wake up from their naps and take turns holding her and getting her a pipe when she cries. Our home seems filled to the brim with joy as our new family of five fills every corner.
The adjustment has been very interesting. I lost quite a bit of blood after the delivery and my hemoglobin level dropped well below what was average. I have been babied by my mom for the last week and this week I am continuing to take it easy as my boys go to their grandparents and cousins houses for a few days. Abigail and I are already enjoying some special mom and me moments.
We have learned quite a bit with this new little one, most of all to trust our Saviour and be grateful every moment for our health and the health of our beautiful children.
OUR NEWEST
It has almost been a week since Abigail was born and I am just getting around to putting up some pictures. She was born 2/8/11 at 2:34 in the afternoon. She weighed 7lbs and 8oz and was 21 1/2" long. She was the biggest and the longest of all our babies and definitely the hardest to deliver. We found out almost 5 weeks ago she was breech and even though she was covered in much prayer she never flipped and decide to come into the world upside-down. We delivered her at home with a midwife. This was our first time having a homebirth and everything went better then we could have ever imagined.
The boys love her. They ask about her when they wake up from their naps and take turns holding her and getting her a pipe when she cries. Our home seems filled to the brim with joy as our new family of five fills every corner.
The adjustment has been very interesting. I lost quite a bit of blood after the delivery and my hemoglobin level dropped well below what was average. I have been babied by my mom for the last week and this week I am continuing to take it easy as my boys go to their grandparents and cousins houses for a few days. Abigail and I are already enjoying some special mom and me moments.
We have learned quite a bit with this new little one, most of all to trust our Saviour and be grateful every moment for our health and the health of our beautiful children.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
The day before????
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This is the problem with going overdue (which we have never done before)... you never know when it is going to be the last day.
I keep thinking, "What should I do today, because it might be the last day before the baby comes."
- Should I clean the bathrooms, because I don't want to be having contractions in a dirty bathroom?
- Should I give the boys a bath because they are going to be at some one's house and I don't want them to be stinky?
- Should I balance my checkbook for the 100th time because I don't want to get any overdraft fees?
- Should I do laundry so that Justin has enough clean clothes?
- Should I just sit and cuddle and read with the boys because I am going to have new little one soon?
- Should I clean out my fridge... it is just plain nasty?
- Should I make a few meals to freeze for after the baby?
- Should I mop the floor again... I just did it yesterday, but it is gross again and I don't want people coming into my house seeing that?
- Should I sit on the computer and whittle the time away in hopes that a big bad contraction will come at any minute?
The real problem is that I am inpatient and I want to see this little one. I also like to have a plan and a schedule and at this point those are impossible. So, as much as I hate to say it, God may keep me asking that question for a few more days because it is refining me. Argggg.
I keep thinking, "What should I do today, because it might be the last day before the baby comes."
- Should I clean the bathrooms, because I don't want to be having contractions in a dirty bathroom?
- Should I give the boys a bath because they are going to be at some one's house and I don't want them to be stinky?
- Should I balance my checkbook for the 100th time because I don't want to get any overdraft fees?
- Should I do laundry so that Justin has enough clean clothes?
- Should I just sit and cuddle and read with the boys because I am going to have new little one soon?
- Should I clean out my fridge... it is just plain nasty?
- Should I make a few meals to freeze for after the baby?
- Should I mop the floor again... I just did it yesterday, but it is gross again and I don't want people coming into my house seeing that?
- Should I sit on the computer and whittle the time away in hopes that a big bad contraction will come at any minute?
The real problem is that I am inpatient and I want to see this little one. I also like to have a plan and a schedule and at this point those are impossible. So, as much as I hate to say it, God may keep me asking that question for a few more days because it is refining me. Argggg.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Tot School
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One of my hopes for this year was that I could do a few more Tot School activities with the boys each day. We get the name from a fabulous blog www.1plus1plus1equals1.com. I just love all of the ideas of things we can do.
So I started off getting organized. I put all of our "games", as Spence calls them, in a large drawer that he can open. Now he can pick a game and then go put it away before he gets another one out. I think we have over 15 different activities that include cutting, counting, coloring and our personal favorite... dumping. Thanks a swap of several bags I made with my sister Sarah and friend Holly we have quite a few different options and the boys never get bored.
Spencer is definitely old enough to do a lot of the packs with little supervision and assistant, but Jackson on the other hand, wants to be in on the action and has very little coordination.
Here are a few pics from our "noodle dumping" today.
So I started off getting organized. I put all of our "games", as Spence calls them, in a large drawer that he can open. Now he can pick a game and then go put it away before he gets another one out. I think we have over 15 different activities that include cutting, counting, coloring and our personal favorite... dumping. Thanks a swap of several bags I made with my sister Sarah and friend Holly we have quite a few different options and the boys never get bored.
Spencer is definitely old enough to do a lot of the packs with little supervision and assistant, but Jackson on the other hand, wants to be in on the action and has very little coordination.
Here are a few pics from our "noodle dumping" today.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Breech Baby
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In the last three weeks we have found out that this little one is breech. It was quite a surprise to me since our boys went head down so easy and stayed that way quite a few weeks before birth. I kept thinking when we got to the ultrasound it wouldn't really be breech, but then there was the little head resting right under my ribcage.
We are hoping to have this little one at home so that made a big hole in our plans. Now I was faced with all of the questions like, "Do we go to the hospital? Can we deliver breech? What are the dangers of a breech delivery? Do I need to have a c-section?"
I never thought I would say this at the beginning of all of this, but I am thankful for this trial. I have had to really trust our great Saviour so much more then if this baby would have just been in the normal position. My husband had been a huge source of blessing and encouragement. I have had to give my attitude to the Lord and be thankful for the extra car time to be praying and praising him. I have had to give up my plans and trust the Lord know what we need and at the same time believe that he can flip this baby if he wants to.
Thank goodness for a walk with the Lord at times like this. We will keep you posted on where the Lord places this baby when we go into labor. Keep us in your prayers.
We are hoping to have this little one at home so that made a big hole in our plans. Now I was faced with all of the questions like, "Do we go to the hospital? Can we deliver breech? What are the dangers of a breech delivery? Do I need to have a c-section?"
I never thought I would say this at the beginning of all of this, but I am thankful for this trial. I have had to really trust our great Saviour so much more then if this baby would have just been in the normal position. My husband had been a huge source of blessing and encouragement. I have had to give my attitude to the Lord and be thankful for the extra car time to be praying and praising him. I have had to give up my plans and trust the Lord know what we need and at the same time believe that he can flip this baby if he wants to.
Thank goodness for a walk with the Lord at times like this. We will keep you posted on where the Lord places this baby when we go into labor. Keep us in your prayers.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
3 weeks or so...
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The belly is definitely showing how much time we have left to go. It is HUGE. I would post pictures, but I know I will look back and wonder why I did that to myself. Just to fill you in on some of the huge belly heartaches... I can barely reach my shoes to tie them, I can't change the boys crib sheets, a normal shirt is above my belly button, and I can't get the bath water high enough to keep warm. That was a little memory jogger for all of you past pregnant mommas and a little sneak preview for those who are looking forward to the big belly days.
Our "due week" is the 20th - 27th. We are going for a date range instead of one day this time because we are never exactly sure on one day and to save myself the heartache of feeling like I am overdue.
Keep my in your prayers. I tend to get a little crabby near the end because I am sick of being tired... and slow... and unable to get up from a lying down position. Also, I want to meet this next little one so badly and see my boys and hubby holding him or her. Hopefully the next post will hold pictures of our new family of five!
Our "due week" is the 20th - 27th. We are going for a date range instead of one day this time because we are never exactly sure on one day and to save myself the heartache of feeling like I am overdue.
Keep my in your prayers. I tend to get a little crabby near the end because I am sick of being tired... and slow... and unable to get up from a lying down position. Also, I want to meet this next little one so badly and see my boys and hubby holding him or her. Hopefully the next post will hold pictures of our new family of five!
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