2013

A new year is starting and the one thing I want to do is keep track of what my kids are doing!  I wish I could put each day into a time capsule and relive the fun moments I have with my children!!  I could never imagine what a blessing and joy these little ones could give us!!

It's been 2 1/2 years (I think) since I last blogged... and so much has happened in that time!  In May of 2011 I took a leap of faith and changed jobs.  I went from being a Cardiac Nurse to a Postpartum Nurse... and it's a choice I will never regret!  My job brings me such joy and less stress then my last job, and the people I work with are AMAZING!  I hope to be that nurse that has been on her unit for 40 years!

In April of 2012 we welcomed Gabriel Joel into our family!  Yes, we are now a family of 5 and we are crazy and busy and enjoying every moment of it!!  Gabe came on the day of his scheduled C-section... but at his own time :)  We dropped the kids off at Grandma and Grandpa's on the 19th and Josh and I went out on one last date.  Well, contractions started during dinner and just intensified and got closer together within hours.  So, at 11:00 that night we headed off to the hospital.  Around 2 in the morning, Gabe was born weighing in at 9lbs 1oz and 20 1/4 inches long.  He was a laid back baby  and not very demanding, which is good because we were very busy with the other two!

Through all of this, Josh and I continued to serve in the grOve (our church's youth group) and grow together as a couple serving God.  I actually took the 2012 year off for 2 reasons: my kids and my job.  I had taken a new position on my unit that had me working on Wednesdays, and with only Hannah in AWANA and a new baby, it was a commitment I couldn't make 100%.  Josh stayed on as a youth sponsor and I supported him and went to some of the activities we had.  In May of 2013 we graduated our first class!!  After a year off, I felt like God was calling me to head back into the grOve and serve... once again, my job had changed and I am able to make sure I have Wednesdays off.  Hannah is in Cubbies, Sam is in Puggles and Gabe is able to go to Nursery... so Wednesday nights are really a family event now!!  Being part of the grOve has changed and challenged me in so many ways.  Believe it or not, I am not an outgoing person.  I am most definitely an introvert and would prefer to stay out my house with my family!!  But God is growing me... challenging me weekly through the teens to look outside of myself to serve others for Christ and grow and know him more!  It's amazing how God works!!

This past April, for Gabe's 1st birthday and Hannah's 4th birthday, we were given the privilege of going to Disney World for the first time as a family!  Oh what fun we had!!  I will have to write some of my thoughts and things I learned in another blog.  We are taking the plunge and going again in 2014 with just our family.  Last trip we went as a group of 12, which was fun and challenging at the same time.  This time it is just us 5... Josh and I are on our own and I am really looking forward to it!

And the kids are amazing... each child deserves their own post!!  We are daily stretched and challenged as parents to raise the children in a loving and God fearing way... and I feel we fail at this all the time.  But I keep pressing forward, knowing God can work in amazing ways!  Christmas this year was so much fun with them!  They are at the age where they are so thankful for anything they get and do not demand certain toys or gifts from us!!  And I also realized that this is the year that they begin to form opinions about what Christmas is about... and that is overwhelming!  I'm sure I don't always keep that in perspective!  Thanks to Disney, Hannah thinks Christmas is about Friends & Family... and although I don't want her to think it is about just presents, I do want her to know that Christmas is about the greatest gift... JESUS!!  I want her to know that he came from heaven to earth to die for our sins!!  Pray with me that her heart will be open to the gospel and that she will realize her need for a Savior!!!  I pray that for all of my children, but I really feel like she is coming to that time of understanding.

 So, 2014 is one day away!!  I'm not making a goal about blogging... I won't keep to it!  I'm not really making any goals... because I won't keep them.  I'm just praying this year... praying that God will give me a heart more like Jesus and that I will grow closer to him every day of this year.  That is my only New Years Resolution... to be more like Jesus!!

Goodbye 2013... It's been an AWESOME YEAR!!!!

I'm Back!

Well, it's been almost two years since the last time I blogged!  I kept meaning to get back to it... but it never seemed like a good time.  I dropped off blogging in March of 2011 because there were some big changes happening in my life and I wasn't sure what to do except pray!  In May of 2011 I had a big job change... going from a Cardiac nurse manager to being Postpartum (after you have a baby) floor nurse! And it was the best change I ever made!  God was definitely working in my plans out!!  I now work with a bunch of awesome nurses and I get to hold little creations of God every day I work... it's amazing.  I'm once again back in management and working three days a week (instead of the two night shifts on weekend option) and so thankful for the opportunity I have to serve others!

In April of 2012, we welcomed the 5th addition to our family, Gabriel Joel.  By far the happiest and most content baby of all and unbelievably cute!!

He makes parenting easy... well, they all make parenting easy!  They are such good kids.  Of course, they have their moments (don't we all?) but all in all they are so well behaved :)  In the days to come, I will update you on each kid.

So excited to be back!!

First Week of Spring

March 21, 2011

First day of Spring!!  And a beautiful spring day it is!  This morning, as I took Hannah's PJ's off, I found a big wad of stickers stuck to her belly.  I don't know what it is, but she is obsessed with putting stuff down her shirt!  Sam is sooooo incredibly close to crawling.  He is always getting up onto all fours, and he will move a leg forward, but he just can't get those arms moving!  Tonight, as we put Hannah up to bed it took her a while to follow asleep.  About an hour after we put her to bed, we let the dogs outside and they were barking as they went out.  When Hannah heard them, we heard in the monitor, "Stop barking, Oreo."  Haha!  Cracked me and Josh up...  No, we don't have a dog named Oreo... but my in-laws do.  And even though Hannah knows what a dog is and she knows our dogs names, she still calls our dogs Oreo :)  It's so cute!

March 22, 2011

A day of many firsts!!!  Sam started really army crawling.  He can make it across the living room in no time now... I turn around and he is missing sometimes :)  We also went for a walk and to the park for the first time this year!

We went swinging and down the slide a lot! It was great to get out and get some fresh air!  When we got back I gave Sam some puffs... his first ones!  He actually did pretty good with them, but he really didn't like eating them!  Then this evening, Hannah crawled up on the couch for the first time by herself!  This is a HUGE accomplishment for her!  With how short she is, it has taken a long time for her to be able to crawl up on anything!  She just started crawling up on chairs by herself... but I have to watch out.  She crawls up on anything now that she realizes she can do it.  She crawls on furniture, up on tables, the coffee table, and the back of the couch.  Oh my... My mother-in-law thinks she'll be the first to break a bone, and she's probably right!  :)  And I found Napoleon on top of my Kitchen table twice today!!!  I couldn't believe it, he has never done that before and I was soooo mad!  I hope he doesn't try to make that a habit!

March 23, 2011

So Hannah is in this really bad phase of tearing tissues and napkins into little pieces and throwing them on the floor.  Tonight I found Hannah at the kitchen table doing it once again (for the third time today) and after I disciplined her and made her get down on the ground to clean them up, she says, "Wait Mommy."  She then reaches into the top of her shirt and starts to pull out about 5 tissues, one at a time.  I couldn't help but laugh!

I cleaned the downstairs today and opened all the windows to air it out!  I feel so energized by the warm weather and sun... but tonight I feel depressed knowing that the cold weather is only hours away :(  Oh warm weather, I will miss you!

Day to day

So, I don't like to post short, one liner blogs :)  So over the last few days, I have recorded a few thoughts and fun things about the kids...

March 15, 2001

Had Sam's 7 month appointment.  Here are his measurements:

19 lbs
29 1/2 inches

He is really growing so fast!  I'm thinking about putting his 9 month clothes away, but he has a lot of onsies that barely fit, but I still want him to wear.  I hardly have any onsies in 12 months :(

March 16, 2011...

Sam held a sippy cup all by himself and drank the whole thing!  My little baby is taking big steps to becoming a toddler!!  He can also get up on all fours and rock a little... I predict that he will be crawling in less than a month.

Hannah told Josh, "Bye, Bye Dada.  I love you,"  all on her own without us prompting her.  I could tell that it melted Josh's heart :)

March 17, 2011...

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

This picture is from last year, but it was a very special day for us and that is why I put it up right now.  One year ago, we found out we were having a little boy!!  From about 8-10 weeks into my pregnancy, I knew I was having a boy.  Josh was convinced it was a girl, even thought I tried to tell him differently.  At the ultrasound, we almost didn't find out what we were having and at the last minute he turned and spread his legs.  There was no doubt that we were having a boy!!

So fast forward one year, and we now have two precious children!  Sam is bigger than Hannah in this picture, never would have thought that would be possible.  Sam is such a joy to our lives.  He is a happy, content baby and love to laugh and giggle.  The only time I see him upset or frustrated is when he can't move like he wants too.  As soon as he starts crawling, he will be following Hannah everywhere and there will be NO stopping him :)

Pure Cuteness!

  Well, it's been a few weeks since I've posted anything... and honestly, not much has happened in all that time!  I've been busy at work... extra shifts, meeting, and mandatory education has kept this mommy busy!  Daddy has been working extra hard at work too trying to catch up on some of the things he got behind on, and has been putting in 60-70 hours for the last few weeks.  So proud of him for the hard work he is doing right now!  He has even been getting up at 6am so he can come home on time and spend time with the family :)  I love him so much!

  So over the last few weeks, we have either been home, at Grandma's or church.  I know most people get cabin fever by this time of the year, but honestly, I have thoroughly enjoyed being home with the kiddos!  We have such a great schedule going, I have been able to keep up with my Bible reading and pleasure reading, and I have started down the road of cloth diapering (for money saving purposes, and I will write more about cloth diapers later).  I haven't truly grocery shopped in probably 6 weeks, and today I am using my last frozen meal!  Supplies are getting low and I think on Sunday I will have to make a pretty big trip to the grocery store.

  I am learning right now to enjoy the pure cuteness and precious times I have with my children.  Their outlook on life and joy in learning the basics of life bring such laughter, joy and love to this house.  The fact that God created these precious lives to allow Josh and I to care for and raise to Glorify Him is a gift beyond measures!  And you know what?  Your kids don't care how you look or how dorky you are... they think you are the coolest person ever!!  I think it boosts your ego a little when you have kids too :)

  Our pastor said something in a sermon the other week, and as I've thought about it... I know it must be true.  We think God gives us children to raise them, but really God give us children to raise us!  Josh and I agree this couldn't be more true, because as we had Hannah and Sam we have grown spiritually sooo much!  There is no way we could ever be half decent parents without our GREAT GOD :)

  Love you all!