What Kind of Bananas?

Ronnie and I went out on a date last night before small group. It was really fun. Before Gaby was born, we were really diligent about going out once a week. It hasn't been so easy or convenient over the last year plus with first a newborn, then Weapons School, and lately, just life. Anyway, we had a very yummy and relaxing dinner together before joining our awesome small group friends.

Just before we left, as we were hugging the kiddos good-bye, Thomas told me that I smelled good.
"Thanks," I said, "I did take a shower today."
Just for fun (and because it's Thomas), I decided to ask, "What do I smell like?"
He thought for a moment, and then offered, "Non-rotten bananas." (Dead-pan face and all!)

Ronnie, the babysitter, and I were all cracking up. What?! Non-rotten bananas! The only thing I could think to respond with, "Better than smelling like rotten bananas!"

Where does he come up with these things?

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In other news, I've finally succumb to the sick bug. Definitely a cold at this point, possibly a sinus infection. Either way, it stinks. Moms are not supposed to get sick....ever! Glad it's Sunday and Ronnie is graciously playing Mr. Mom, taking care of the kiddos, letting me nap, and even going to Costco and the grocery store. Love that man. Hoping and praying I will be good enough to fly solo tomorrow.

And Here We Go Again....Again

Another trip to the doctor!!! (Insert scream here! Can you hear it? I'm still screaming!) Gaby was pulling on her ears again this weekend, along with trying to stuff bits of food and tissues in there. By Monday afternoon, she was a crying, tired, miserable mess. We went back to the doctor today....again. Double ear infection is back or probably more likely, never died off in the first place. She's back on a new antibiotic. (Yep, still screaming!)

The constant trips to the doctor are exhausting. Too bad I've only got like six more scheduled in February between the ear infection rechecks, speciality appointments for all three, and my OB check. It's like a full-time job just carting us around to the various doctors.

Please, Lord, heal us up.

Here We Go Again

Just had my 28 week check-up this morning. As I suspected, Baby is breech; even a footling breech. I know it still has lots of time to flip, but this is all too reminiscent of a certain little girl born 16 months ago yesterday. This baby was breech at my 20 week ultrasound and I'm quite certain has never turned because I've never felt kicks anywhere other than right on top of my cervix. Stinker! Just signed the form today indicating I was going to go for the VBAC.

So, if you'd like to pray for a little flip, I'd so appreciate it. :) Just not a c-section lover. At all.

Catching Up

Lots to catch up on. Haven't been a loyal blogger lately. Have been working more on myself. It's been a tough few weeks for me. Had a resurgence of the grief and hard times that struck about 13 months ago. But feel I'm finally really on the road to recovery. I'm so thankful for that. After meeting with a friend a couple weeks ago, she shared a prayer with me that she prayed while walking through a very challenging season. I promptly stole it and have watched God answer it in a mighty way. I prayed for God to put people, books, and circumstances in my path that would speak to me in exactly the way I needed.

First stop--a book that I've had for at least a year or two that I've never read, Get Out of That Pit by Beth Moore. Realizing I have lived in a pit for most of my life. This book came to be the chosen reading after Gaby emptied off a couple bookshelves in the family room. I've cleaned that pile up a million times and never even considered reading this book until now. Just that divine nudge.

Second stop--a wise woman who has provided me more insight than I've ever had about my (mostly destructive) patterns of thinking. If awareness is the key, then I'm in a really good place. So thankful.

So now, on to much more fun stuff. Updates on the kiddos!

#1

Clayton won first prize for his science fair project on paper airplanes. When he got the news last Wednesday, he bounded off the bus with an excitement in his step I haven't seen in quite some time. It was heart-warming. Love seeing my kiddo that excited. And....it was neat to see him rewarded for all his hard work. A science project is quite an undertaking for a second grader (and his parents!)




#2

Thomas has continued our never-ending trips to the doctor as the latest to fall victim to illness. Since he broke his arm in November, we've had someone sick or injured pretty much constantly. Not at all typical for our family (thankfully) and I'm so hoping we're on the backside of all of this. He has a double ear infection and sinus infection. Well, he's on the rebound now, having been on antibiotics since Wednesday. He pretty much self diagnosed last Saturday when he came down for breakfast and declared, "I think I have an ear infection because my ear hurts." He was on and off with pain for the next few days, never any fever, so we rode it out until he told me on Tuesday, "Mommy, it hurts way deep in my ear." Got appointment. Sure enough. The doctor offered him a job.

He's also written and illustrated his first comic book. I will be keeping this thing FOREVER! It is hilarious! I actually wrote it out, but he dictated it word-for-word for me to write to go along with the corresponding drawings. I forgot to take a photo, but here's one page. (Actually, it's chapter two and the one that makes Ronnie and I laugh the hardest.)

Super Ducky and Victor, the crocodile, are both fighting Black Spider man. Black Spider man got scared because Victor's teeth were so big. Super Ducky had a plan. He said, "Let's make our plan." Victor said, "OK. What's our plan?" Super Ducky said, "Victor, you scare him off and then, I will get cage power going. Then, he'll be trapped." Victor said, "Black Spider man, we've got a plan and you're not in it!"

A photo of him doing his other favorite thing these days, building forts.

Oh, and he's learned how to skip and skips all over the place. It's one of my very favorite things to see. It just fits his personality. So light, carefree, joyful. All.the.time. I love his spirit.



#3

Miss Gaby. She has developed a personality all her own over the past month. She's full of joy too. Lots of smiles. I mean, lots of super cute smiles! Loves to make her brothers laugh. Loves her some Dada something fierce! Loves to be read to. And I love her beautiful curls!

She's still not walking, so she'll be evaluated next month to check on that. She's been two to three months behind with all her gross motor milestones, so I'm not super concerned, but it's probably good to have her checked on. I didn't think she'd walk before 15 months, but....just in case.

Starting to talk more and more. Her budding vocabulary consists of: Dada, Mama (not said nearly as often as Dada!), Cay (Clay), TaTa or Toss (Thomas), kilk (milk), ba (ball), toy, nana (banana), mo (more), go, hi, bye-bye, no (of course), da (dog), woof. Think she has a few others, but that's all I can recall right now.



Just loving and enjoying them each and getting so excited for the newest one to be here soon. It will be crazy and hectic; I have no doubt. But it will be so wonderful to have another precious life amongst us. Thomas has been hugging me lots lately (only one of my favorite things) and when I asked him the other day why I was getting all these extra hugs, he replied, "I'm just so happy we're gonna have another baby." Me too.

An Excerpt

From a book, The Land Between, read at just the right time on a dark day for me this week. It's long, but it's something I want to always remember.

The Blessing of the Land Between

A serious athlete submits to a rigorous training program to reach his or her full potential. What is true for the runner or wrestler or gymnast is also true for the disciple. Dramatic growth requires pain. Remember this when you find yourself in a maddening detour. Remember that God is at work in all things, that he desires to shape and transform you. Resist the temptation to zone out, numb out, or check out. Pain is purposeful when we respond to God with open and receptive hearts in the midst of deep trial. God intends to grow something beautiful and deep and lasting, but we must cooperate with God for the season of hardship to work its intended transformation. Don't let your detour go wasted. You are in training, and God is up to something good.
The climate of the Land Between can be so harsh that neutrality is not an option. The conditions have a way of either drawing us toward God or driving us away from him. While the desert is the ideal climate for transformational growth, it is also the place where faith can shrivel and die. Refuse to cave to a pattern of complaint. A spirit of complain is lethal to the trust that God intends to grow. As you journey through the Land Between, remember that God desires your trust more than anything else. The question he will ask repeatedly is the same question he asked Abraham, Joseph, and Moses: Will you trust me? In the barren landscaped of wilderness God desires to forge a relationship of trust.
Remember that God cares deeply for you. Remember that nothing can separate you from his love. He sees, he knows, and he is concerned. In your weary fatigue, pour out your heart to him. His shoulders are strong enough to bear your confusion and frustration. Turn toward God and speak candidly about your pain and disappointment. He really wants to hear from you and can absorb whatever it is you have to say. But turn to him in trust and hope, believing that he is there, that he is wise, and that he is at work. Trust that God will provide. In your season of shortage, open your hands to receive his blessing and provision. He loves to provide. It is a refection of his generous giving heart.
As you travel through the Land Between, if you experience the disciplinary hand of God, trust that he is at work to rescue something. Good parents discipline the children they adore, and God's discipline is an expression of his merciful love.
In the Land Between, a remarkable phenomenon occurs. We come to possess a vital faith that allows us to be at our best when life is at its worst. We emerge from a season of profound disappointment, unnerving chaos, or debilitating pain with faith worth having. We learn that the Land Between is about a journey of trust and that something flourishes there that could not be produced on any other soil. We discover that the place we most want to escape has produced the fruit we most desperately crave.
The Land Between is fertile ground. Welcome to the Land Between.

3 For 3

We're three for three. Have had all three kids to the ER at some point over the last 44 days. First was Thomas of course, with the broken arm. Then, in the middle of the night a couple weeks back, Clayton had another upper respiratory infection which was triggering what we presume will soon be an official diagnosis of asthma. And last night, (again in the middle of the night), Ronnie ventured off with Gaby who had spiked a fever of 103.8. She has a double ear infection and tonsillitis. Poor baby! Poor us!

She hasn't been quite right for the past two weeks or so with a cough that's persisted longer than that. We've been trying to get her into the doctor since before Christmas and on each of the four occasions we've called, they insist they have no appointments. Knew we'd end up in the ER with her at some point. Unfortunately, she's had no specific symptoms (aside from the on/off cough) until late last night. Antibiotics and a hefty regimen of Tylenol and Motrin should do the trick. And we hope to stay away from the ER for a long, long time! (So glad, at least, all the kids have had very different things. I'm sure they'd have called CPS on us by now!)

A picture of the sleeping cutie on her way home from the hospital.

Help and Random Pregnancy Thoughts

I'm interested in trying the blog book thing, but have no idea how to do it, where to go, anything....any tips?

Just one of the random things I'm thinking on after getting four hours of sleep (not consecutive) last night. Sleep doesn't usually escape me until much later in my pregnancies. This does not bode well.

Speaking of pregnancy....how do we only have 103 days left? That baby ticker may have to go! Scaring the daylights out of me! Although I admit, as much as I LOVE feeling a baby move on the inside, I'm already longing for my body back. Another thing I don't usually feel this early. Probably just the (what feels like anyway) back-to-back babies which is very new for me.

Random thoughts over.