Thanksgiving and Birthday Pictures

I am finishing up grading for the day, waiting on Mariah to do some correcting and thought I would post some pictures

.Thanksgiving day ended up being a very peaceful day and the weather was beautiful.  I was very excited when we sat down to eat and I realized that I could get the entire Thanksgiving meal done myself!  My girls were a help though.  Madeline was in charge of the pumpkin pies.

 

 McKenzie getting ready to make mashed potatoes!

 The turkey!!!  It turned out great! :o)

 McKenzie snapped this picture of my dad during the prayer.  I thought it was sweet.

 (This is a very worn out cowboy hat.  Myles rarely goes without some sort of hat on!)

 Just a few days after Thanksgiving we celebrated Marc's birthday.  McKenzie went to stay with my dad for a few days, so she wasn't there with us.

Well, I need to run...... school work to finish up and dinner to fix!!!

30 Weeks...

 It is hard to believe that I only have ten weeks left!  I know I will get more miserable towards the end, but right now I feel good and I don't want it to go by so fast!
I went to see my midwife today.  I was really dreading the scale since we had Thanksgiving and Marc's birthday!  I was pleasantly surprised that I lost two pounds!  I am pretty much doing what I always do though.  I usually pack on the weight between weeks 15-25 and then stop.  By week 28 with Myles I didn't gain any more weight.  I think the major indigestion with everything I eat has something to do with it! :o)  The baby's heart beat was strong (with all of the kicking going on these days I wasn't surprised!)  I am going every two weeks now.  I love my midwife so it is always fun to get to go see her more often.  McKenzie is out of town and Matt had to work today so Myles went to my appointment with me.  Thankfully, he was good while we were there and didn't act up until we were at Kroger.  He didn't take a nap today so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised!

The "bathroom mirror self-portrait".

This picture is kind of a joke.  I have always made fun of all of the young girls (and some not so young) that take bathroom self-portraits and post them on facebook.  I took this and McKenzie dared me to make it my profile picture.  I couldn't bring myself to do it but thought it was funny, so posted it on here instead.  I know............ you all are jealous and wish you had the "egg shape" going on too! :o) 
Well..........I am off to bed!

Happy Birthday, Marc!

 

Today is my husband's birthday!  I thought in honor of his birthday that I would write things that I love about him.
He has been a faithful husband and father.  He truly leads our family courageously!  It has been a tough year for our family in so many different ways.  He has never wavered from doing the right thing, even when it was hard. He is willing to make unpopular decisions when it is best for our family.
 He was put to the test in an area that we had never been through before.  His love and protection for our daughter made me love and respect him more than ever.  I have never seen a person pray and agonize over a situation more than he did. 
He is a hard worker and good provider for our family.
 He loves his children and loves to spend time with them.  When I am at my wits end with one of them, he calmly takes over. :o)   The silliness of the girls never seems to get on his nerves.  Even when I know he is exhausted, he always has enough energy to play with the little boys, read their Bible story and tuck them in at night.  He worries about being a good daddy and spending time with each one.  He takes me out often on Friday nights to eat and shop.......... and he actually enjoys it! (at least he acts like he does! :o)  Spending time with his family is all he cares about!
I love him for these reasons and many more!!!  Happy Birthday, Marc!  I pray that the next year will be one of blessing and peace!

Thanksgiving....

This is going to be a very different Thanksgiving for our family.  My children have always "gone to grandma's" for Thanksgiving.  This year grandpa is coming to our house for a few days.  I will be cooking (with the help of my girls) the entire Thanksgiving meal!  I have been a little intimidated but I have things going and I hope it will all turn out fine!  We are sticking with the same menu that my mom always did.  Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potato casserole, corn casserole, green beans, cranberry sauce, homemade rolls, pumpkin pies and chocolate layer torte!  I am using all of my mom's recipes.  I pulled out the sweet potato recipe tonight to go ahead and get that made.  Seeing her handwriting made me sad.  We sure do miss her!

I thought I would reflect on some of the things that I am thankful for this year.  It has been a hard year and I could easily get into a "funk".  I saw on facebook a post from a lady that I know from the past.  She is at least fifteen years older than me and she wrote about how she was getting with her mom to start fixing Thanksgiving food.  My first thought was,  "That's just not fair!"  The preacher at the church we visited yesterday preached a sermon on the ten lepers.  One thing that he said that really struck me was,  "Ingratitude is the leprosy of the soul."  I do have so much to be thankful for.

I am thankful for my salvation.  I am thankful for Marc and his willingness to lead our family even when it is hard.  I am thankful for my children.  McKenzie, our firstborn.... She is dependable, hardworking, loyal and fun!  Matthew, our oldest son.... When I think of Matthew, I think of loyalty.  He has been so easy to raise and is growing into such a Godly young man. It is neat to see spiritual growth in him.  Madeline..... She is our gentle encourager.  She is very eager to come along side me to help around the house.  Mariah.... She is energetic, hardworking and brings lots of joy.  Malachi.... He reminds me of Matthew with his loyalty to his daddy.  He wants to be a "man" so bad.  He is eager to help and keeps us laughing with the funny things that he says.  Myles.... Our "baby" for now.  He is so sweet and very loving.  When Marc puts him to bed at night he has to say,  "I love you.  Good-night, sweet dreams,  strength and honor!" over and over and over...........  Marc doesn't always think it is funny, but I do! :o)  I am also very thankful for our newest little one due in about ten weeks!  Life is such a miracle and I don't take it for granted that the Lord has blessed us seven times!
I could write a list that went on and on, but I need to get busy.  Thanksgiving is only two days away and I have lots to do!!
Happy Thanksgiving!!!

He conquered the bike....

and is SO very proud!!!

 

Raising Godly Men

The following picture and link below it were shared on facebook recently.  I thought they were both good and worth sharing on my blog.

 

 

http://club31women.com/2012/09/raising-mr-right/

 

Marc and I fervently pray for our daughters' future spouses.  Our prayer is first that he would love the Lord with all his heart, that he would remain pure both physically and mentally and that he would love and cherish our daughter(s).  We also pray that our sons will grow up to be those kind of men!  Parenting is a FULL time job!  Going to the "right church", reading the "right books", conferences, even homeschooling isn't going to guarantee that your children "turn out right".  I think those are all important things, but it takes lots of prayer, training, communication and hard work too!  Sometimes it is humbling that the Lord has entrusted (soon to be) seven children to Marc and I to raise.  I pray that with His grace they will all grow up to love Him with all of their hearts and live their lives honoring to Him! 

 ^"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." 3 John 1:4

Randomness...

I am officially into my third trimester!  It is flying by and I really don't want it to.  I am feeling good for the most part.  I get pretty tired by the evenings and I love to crawl into my bed as early as possible.  I usually have a child or two that follows me and I end up staying up later, but it is still a great feeling to lay down!   My older children like to talk in the evenings and that is always sweet.  My younger ones have realized that if they offer to rub my feet, they usually get to stay up a little later! :o)

I had an appointment with my midwife last week.  I had the glucose test done and for some reason was anxious about it this time.  I have always passed it "with flying colors" (as my midwife says.)  I was grateful that I passed it again this time.  I guess since my last two babies were big, I just know how the nurses at the hospital like to freak out over the blood sugar thing.  The baby's heart rate was good and strong and I feel lots of movement which is always reassuring.

I have been in a "nesting" mood lately.  McKenzie and I have cleaned out a ton and have been busy painting.  We have filled our trashcan and hauled stuff to Goodwill.  It is a great feeling to get rid of stuff and get things organized.  We have most of the trim done in the downstairs and hopefully will at least get the hallway done upstairs.  Marc is being so sweet and painting the laundry room on his day off.  We painted it about two years ago and I have never been happy with the green that we used.  He is painting it khaki and it already looks better!  The kitchen and our bedroom will be next.  I want the kitchen a  darker green and our bedroom will be khaki.  I realized the other day that I have had the same bedding/curtains and wall color for 9 years!  I am ready for a change!  Thankfully, Marc doesn't care when I change things. :o)   I will try to post pictures of the results.

McKenzie got a good laugh from me trying on some of my old maternity clothes the other day.  It is so funny how much the styles change.  I have found that it is better to buy a few new things each pregnancy that you like than to have a pile of clothes you feel horrible in!  Some of my favorite finds this time are:  The black skirt in the above picture that I ordered from Old Navy.  It is called the "black Maxi-skirt".  It is very comfortable and goes with most of my tops. I got a knee length "flouncy" black skirt from Kohls that I have worn a lot.  I actually found a pair of maternity jeans that I love from Sears of all places.  I got desperate one day and went in there to see what they had.  I ended up buying the jeans, a pair of black dress pants and several shirts.  Both pair of pants have the belly band that can be rolled down and are very comfortable!  I don't want to look like a pregnant "frump" but comfort is nice too when your belly is growing! :o)

 

On a different note.... I wrote a few weeks ago about McKenzie and I being chased by a wild animal and that we thought it might have been a panther.  Well, the next week a cattle farmer that lives down the road from us stopped me one morning when I was out running.  He told me that he had seen a panther one morning right around the corner from where his property is.  That same week while I was out running (in the morning) a huge bobcat ran across the road just feet in front of me.  It really freaked me out!  Marc has ordered a can of mace for me to clip to me when I go running. 

 

Wow, this post really was random.  Marc is still painting, McKenzie is teaching one of her piano students and the rest of the kiddos are picking up pecans.  It looks like it is going to be an abundant year with pecans!  I am thankful, but it is a lot of work!  Better go get busy........

Six Months

Six months ago today my mom left this earth and entered into eternity in heaven.  In some ways the time helps, but in some ways it is still very hard.  There are times when it is like a punch in the stomach.  The holidays coming up are going to be very hard.  She always made things special and it will be really hard to fill her shoes!

There are always several times a week that I will have a fleeting thought of, "I am going to call mom and tell her about that."  Someone told me they don't think you ever get over that.  I can't imagine going through this without the hope of Christ, knowing that she is in heaven and that one day I will see her again!  As sad as it is for us, I wouldn't wish her back here!


Revelation 21:4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Splish, splash, I was taking a.....

....SHOWER!!!

 Myles' first time in the shower and he loved it! :o)

 (Yes, he has a busted lip.)

 Thirty minutes later.......

I finally drug him out. :o)