Grace is 2

a glimpse

This is nothing out of the ordinary, a normal routine of ours. We are at the breakfast table awaiting the noise of the garbage truck. As he gets closer the kids squeal with anticipation and eagerly ask (demand) with loud voices, "Can I get down, I want to see!" I act silly and frantic while trying to get them out of their chairs and run crazily to the living room with them. They both run as fast as they can to the window in the front of the house. The garbage truck pulls in front of our house and they scream and holler and point and yell and jump up and down and announce that he has arrived. The garbage truck moves on to our neighbors house and Nathan runs to the other window to get a better look. I actually hear him pant like a dog with excitement. Grace waddles with her arms flayling in the air just trying to keep up with her brother.

All for a garbage truck. Not sure why this event is so special to them every Tuesday and Friday morning but it has become a special ritual for me to sit back and watch them enjoy something so simple and mundane as picking up the garbage. It's funny how much joy it brings me to see them having so much fun. I think this little glimpse into our day could be over looked as I'm sure I overlook many other opportunities to delight in my kids. So...4 day count down until Tuesday morning.

Reality

So...I've always wanted to be a mother and have always loved children whether it be babies, my 5th graders, even middle schoolers. I grew up walking around church as a girl looking for mothers who would offer their baby to me. My mom laughs as she recalls me having a baby in each arm. I may have had a few running thoughts of what it would be like to be a mom...playing filled with laughter, getting hugs and kisses, hearing "I love you mommy" or "thanks mom, you're the best." And although this dream does become a reality here and there, being a mother of a 3 year old, almost 2 year old, and a 5 week old looks a little different. My days are filled with the same 100 words, trying to avoid getting poop on my hands, making my 1,000th PB&J, cleaning the same dishes, and trying to fit a shower somewhere in all the mix.

I can't believe how busy it is taking care of 3 little ones. And although I'm exhausted every night (and morning and day), I wouldn't change my life for anything. I love my reality. To be honest, I don't love all the sacrificial work but I do love these 3 kids.

Tonight, I was siting on the floor in Grace's room playing with her new kitchen set(thank you Aunt Erin). We poured tea for each one of her babies and asked if they wanted sugar. We burped each one of their backs gently and then gave them baths. Then we gave each one of them dinner and Grace made sure that we washed their hands. I don't know if there was a smile on my face (probably because I was too tired) but there was a smile in my heart. What joy it is to see your daughter filled with life, wanting to learn, and passing on all the mundane chores I do with her during the day to her babies. She rocked them with care and kissed them goodnight.

Reality has been challenging these last 5 weeks since Stephen has been born. It is a lot of work but moments like these make it a joy.

October Fun

I love that the holidays are almost here! So much fun stuff to do with the kids.

We visited some of my family down in West Palm last weekend. We had a great time and the kids loved it! This is probably my last trip before having Stephen.

I'm 33 weeks and can't wait to have this baby :)

Here are some pictures from our family time!

Update...

I haven't kept up to much with blogging. Everyone is well and growing, including mommy who is 27 weeks pregnant. (wish I was 37!) Grace is talking a lot more and is a little social bug who loves her brother NaNa. Nathan loves to learn and do "school." He turned 3 and loved his birthday party at the pool!

We found out we are having a baby boy!!! Stephen Micheal James. We are naming him after our dads. Can't wait to have another baby and meet him!

I finally got my mini-van! Something I thought I would never drive even 5 years ago. Now I'm in a bit of car heaven.

We are looking for a church here in Orlando and look forward to where we will end up.

That's all the major changes. Here are some pictures of our life..

Summer Fun

I can't believe we are already in the middle of summer. Grace is 15 months old and beginning to talk more. She now says momma which blesses my heart along with words like "all done, please, baby, doggy." She loves her brother Nathan, dolls, purses, and babies.

Nathan will be 3 at the end of July. We are planning a red Thomas the Train birthday for him at the pool. All of his favorite things. He talks about it all the time.

Baby number 3 is growing. I'm 19 weeks pregnant and will get an ultrasound soon. I think we are going to wait until he or she arrives to find out if it is a he or she. Can't believe we are going to have 3 kids!!!

Grace's Birthday Party!

Aunt Annie

Aunt Annie came from Michigan and visited for a week! We had such a great time and the kids loved her!

Sea World

Thanks to Grandpa James and Ms. Gloria, we got to go to Sea World over the break. We had a blast!

December

Who Knew a Remote Could Be So Much Fun

Fun Weekend!

We decided to participate on Saturday night in our neighborhood. We thought it was a great opportunity for Nathan to practice giving and sharing. He was so excited to give out candy to the kids and I loved watching him looking for kids down the street and running to the candy bowl eager to say 'here ya go' and put it in their bag. Plus we were able to see and meet some of our neighbors.

On Sunday, we dedicated Grace Whitney at church and had some of the family over for lunch. We had a great time together; especially all the cousins! In the last week Grace has started crawling, can go from laying down to sitting up, and yesterday I found her standing in her crib! Ah!! she's growing up way too fast.

for a Glory and a Covering

Thanks to Miriam I'm reading this book by Douglas Wilson about marriage. There are several things that have stood out to me just today as I read it. One is on gratitude:
Wives are to learn from the Church how to be wives, and gratitude is one of the central characteristics of the bride of Christ. Christian worship is a eucharistic service, a service of thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is therefore at the center of femininity. Moreover, thanksgiving to a husband (who works, provides, protects, and leads) is closely related to respect, which wives are also called to.

I thought how much am I really grateful, opposed to complaining or wanting more from my husband. And do I think of it as this? The center of femininity?

I am commanded to respect my husband. Wilson makes the point that we sometimes substitute love for respect.
Love and respect are not the same thing. The Bible tells men to love their wives, and wives to respect their husbands....The wives are specifically called to respect their husbands. So while love includes acceptance, security, commitment, and sacrifice, respect involves honor, admiration, and deference. This respect should be directed toward abilities and achievements. Wives who are in a troubled situation should not try to fix it by giving to their husbands only what they as women would like to be receiving (that is, love), because their husbands need respect foremost. Not only is it not going to work, it is not what God said to do.

That is a difficult thing to do, especially the deference part. How wonderful it would look for me to respect my husband all while being joyful and full of gratitude. He would lead and I would follow and it would become so natural (for me) that who is leading and who is following is not the center of our (my) gaze.