My friend Jackie

My friend Jackie from high school has a totally amazing and somewhat intimidating blog; you should check it out. Especially those friends of mine that are 'foodies'...which is pretty much all of you!

It's called Domestic Fits! Enjoy!

A little rant...

So, I know I have four kids.

And if I go somewhere during the day, well, I have to take them with me.

So...if one more person says to me, "Wow! You have your hands full!" or "You need an extra arm!"

I...might...go...postal!

Why don't they just say, "Crap lady... you have a lot of kids!"

Besides four isn't that many. And they pretty much behave themselves...I mean they don't go ballistic in the store and I keep track of them.

SIGH...sometimes I just need to get these thoughts out of my head.

Hank is officially 4 weeks old today and waking only 1 time at night! We are getting a good 5 hours of sleep in a row! Yeah for Hank!! It is like a whole new world is opened up to me. Now if I could just get Lucy to go to bed before 9 I would be in great shape. This daylight at 9pm stuff has its pros and cons.

But in the last week or so I am just really having an opportunity to be grateful for my children. God is showing me things and revealing to me the heart that is required of a mother. When I look at Henry I just say to Him, "thank you so much for this child". I said that about all my kids but just really thinking about how much He blesses us with each child we have. That I am so very grateful to have him(Hank) and how already after 4 short weeks I can't imagine my life without him. Having not known what new blessing he would bring to my life but believing that he would bring something precious. Because my Father in Heaven tells me that He blesses us through our children.

Casey told me about a conversation he was having with a couple of friends and one said that he only had two because that was all they could afford. Casey was thinking about that and realized that the Bible tells us children are a GIFT from the Lord and by definition a gift is already paid for. Therefore we can rest assured that each child God gives to us is ours to care for and train in His way without worry about how we will 'afford it'. Because at this point in my life as I look at each of my children and the unbelievable wisdom I have been given through having each of them; I can't afford NOT to have them in my life.

Daisy changed my whole life virtually overnight. It has been a struggle ever since. Am I being molded and shaped into a better person because of being her parent...absolutely. I can't even begin to list the number of things that are at work in me because I have her in my life. But here are a few...unconditional love (for real), patience, grace, mercy, motherhood and daughterhood.

Jack also changed my life overnight. I looked at him when he was two days old and said, "I get it!" If he ever rejected me or turned his back on me I would die-literally. My Heavenly Father does love me...and even more than I love this child. Wow!

Lucy, Lucy, Lucy. She is my mother all over again...or so they say. What a blessing my the creator of all things to allow me to have this little girl and understand something new about my mom. My Heavenly Father wants me to be made new and He wants to heal my broken heart.

Henry (Hank) has given me a complete picture of what family and love and life is all about. I have learned that it doesn't matter what the world may say. Do it God's way. You will be blessed and better for it-guaranteed.

Two Weeks with Four kids

We are at two weeks and Henry is doing great. He weighed 9 pounds at his check on Tuesday...so no need to worry about that. Momma's milk is doing the job!! That is always a relief.

Casey has been around most of the time the last couple of weeks and I am getting anxious for when he will be landscaping again full time. He is going to be gone all day today until late so pray for me. I am doing well but having him around to take some of the time or just so I don't always have to take everyone with me when I go somewhere or whatever has been a huge blessing. We just aren't quite used to four kids yet. It is especially hard when I am nursing and then Lucy cries or is just trying to climb on me and see Henry and then Jack yells from the bathroom that he needs help wiping! That is the moment I feel the strain of four kids. But I won't be nursing forever...but God-willing for the next year.

I am learning though. I am glad that I thought to push Daisy a little bit in school so that we didn't have that much to do when Henry came. I am learning to say YES to just about anything anyone offers me. Like dinner or taking my kids or whatever. I used to always feel like I had to really NEED it to accept help or whatever from someone. But I have just been saying yes and my dear friend Tanya who organized meals for a whole week just made it happen and I realized at the end of the week how grateful I was and how it really did make a difference in my ability to just do what was really necessary. I didn't have to spend a half hour or an hour in the kitchen. I have been feeling pretty good but just having people care for me has been a huge blessing. I am really learning to take opportunities to rest.

You would think resting would be easy but it really isn't. Even at night when I am exhausted but waiting for Henry to eat before I go to bed I feel like I should "get something done". You know laundry, picking up, dishes, anything really. But I am learning that resting and doing nothing is as valuable as doing my chores! I know that a lot of the women I know probably struggle to rest. I think it is more mental than physical but I believe now that we have to rest physcially to allow mental rest. I am also just trusting and resting in the Lord that I can do this and that each stage of life that we are in He cares for us and will take care of us. He has given us all this and if we are mindful of Him we will be more at rest. When I really think on my favorite verse of Phil 4:13-I can do all things through Christ whom strengthens me. I remember that I am not called to do this life under my own power, but under His.