Luke is Seven Months

Another month has passed by too quickly.  I say this every month, but I truly can't believe that our baby is already 7 months old!  I wish that I could slow down time and keep him a baby for just a bit longer.  Although, I do have to be honest here and admit that I am anxiously awaiting sleeping through the night again.  One thing Luke is not is a good sleeper.  I keep thinking that with each new change Luke will sleep better, but alas NOT!  But don't worry, we still think he is the best little guy around.  In fact, today at the eye doctor the staff was totally in love with our little guy.  Dr. Jacobs kept telling me that I could leave for a few hours and they would love to watch him for me.  When our visit was complete, he carried him through the office stopping at each open door and showing him to the individuals inside.  He would say to everyone, "Isn't he just delicious!"

 

You are wearing 6-9 month clothes

Size 3 diapers

You are still eating stage 1 foods.  I tried to move you up to stage 2 and you started throwing up.  I don't know if it was a coincidence or not, but I went back to stage 1.  You really aren't a food guy as of yet.  I really have to patiently work to get a jar into you at breakfast and again at dinner.  You still prefer Mommy's milk over everything.

Your nap schedule hasn't changed much.  You usually get up around 6:30-7:00 am.  Then you will go back down around 8:30 and again around 11:00 am.  You typically nap in the afternoon anywhere between 2:00-3:00 and then go to bed around 7:00 pm.  I need to work this month on getting you to sleep longer periods and take less cat naps!

You are enjoying being in your bouncer for longer periods and have started to pay attention to the toys on there.

Absolutely everything ends up in your mouth!

One thing is for sure, you are cementing your place as the baby of our family!

You love to be held and would be perfectly content to be in my arms 100% of the time.  Your face crumbles when you can feel yourself being lowered into any sitting position.

We love every ounce of you Buddy!

Happy Seventh Month

 

Lord,

The depth of your love for Luke is more than I can fully understand.  I pray that you will never let him become far from you.  Be a shield for his heart and mind and do not allow any evil to enter.  I pray that he is content with everything you bless him with and lives a life full of joy.  I pray that Brett and I will never be far from You and that we seek your wisdom as we navigate the blessings and challenges that we will encounter as we seek to raise Luke to love and fear You.

In the name of Your precious son,

Amen

 

"Every word of God proves true."

Proverbs 30:5

 

Gratitude Journal

*For God's faithfulness each day these past seven months

*For the simple smiles

*For the ability to make Luke feel safe and secure in my arms

 

 

 

 



Christmas 2012

Merry Christmas

Our family enjoyed a low key Christmas this year.  I am disappointed that most of my pictures did not turn out well at all.  My camera isn't working, so I used my iPhone to take the pictures and the light from our dining room made a glare in all the pictures.

Luke's first Christmas

He was under the weather and a bit cranky, but still looks cute in his Christmas PJ's!

First reactions of the morning

 

Traditional Christmas morning picture before the unwrapping begins.

Loved having the tree in our dining room, but it was not a great placement when it came to taking pictures and opening gifts.  Next year the tree will have to find another spot again.

opening our stockings

Caroline was actually under the weather also.  She was not interested in opening any of her presents.  She really just wanted to watch Dora.

After opening presents, the kids spent the rest of the day in the playroom enjoying their new toys

 

"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord."

Luke 2:11

 

Gratitude Journal

*For sharing dinner and conversation with our neighbor. 

*For thankful, content children after Christmas

*For relaxation, vacation, and time to spend with my kids and husband

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Christmas Eve 2012

Twas the night before Christmas....

When all through our house,

not a creature was stirring,

not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care

in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

 

I'm just taking a moment to sit and relax after a very full Christmas Eve with the kids and Brett at home.  The monkey bread is made and rising on the stove, ready for our traditional Christmas morning breakfast.

Carl is getting ready for his final flight home to the North Pole tonight.  It has been a full month for him keeping the kids on their toes each and every morning all month.

This morning when the kids awoke, they found Carl testing out the fireplace for Santa's arrival tonight.  He left them a sweet note and brought them each a package from Santa himself.

 

Traditions- new Christmas PJ's

 T

Traditions- baking Christmas cookies

Traditions- watching Christmas movies

The Santa Claus 1, 11, and 111

Elf

Polar Express

Frosty the Snowman

Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer

Traditions- Attending Christmas services at our church and pictures by the tree

 

Looking forward to celebrating the birth of our Savior tomorrow morning.

Praying for contentment and thanksgiving with my children as they unwrap each gift.  I pray for their heart to understand the blessing we share this holiday season.  That everything we have belongs to God and has been entrusted to us to bring glory to Him.

 

Happy Christmas Eve 2012

 

"While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.  She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manager, because there was no room for them in the inn."

Luke 2: 6-7

 

Gratitude Journal

*Thankful the yummy treats we baked today

*Thankful for a quiet holiday shared with my family

*Thankful for the fire in our fireplace

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Another Adventure with Carl

Carl has stayed busy since we last wrote about him.

Carl lost track of timing and we caught him in the shower this morning!

Wishing Matt a happy 7th birthday!

Hanging upside down on a candy cane trapeze in our doorway!

Taking a marshmallow bubble bath in our pantry!

Playing with the ornaments high in the Christmas tree!

Drawing funny faces on our family pictures!

Carl wanted to put his toes in the sand.  Our Christmas advent candle jar was the closet he could come to finding sand!

 

" There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit."

Isaiah 11:1

 

Gratitude Journal

*For the first batch of Christmas cookies

*For a day to sleep in

*For cold December days making it feel like Christmas 

 



Another Chair, Another Fall, Another Arm

Last night, Caroline and Kate were sitting together on our living room chair.  When Caroline went to get off the chair, she lost her balance and fell.  She cried for a moment, but all seemed to be fine with her so we put her to bed.

This morning when she woke up, she was way crabby and favoring her arm so I suspected that she had re injured it.  Honestly, I thought she had hurt the same arm as last time.  So she and Daddy were off to the orthopedic urgent care.  Within an hour, she was on her way home with the same diagnosis as last time.   We did find out that it was actually the other arm this time.

The bone in her right arm is what they call "buckled".  This time they put her in a Velcro splint and wrapped it with tape.  This way we can take it off to bathe her and then put it back on.  The bone should heal fine on its own.  The splint is really only there in case she should fall again to protect the arm from further injury.

The blessing in this....our deductibles have been met for the year!

 

"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord."

Luke 2:11

 

Gratitude Journal

*School is out for Christmas break

*For my favorite dinner, Chicken Cordon Bleu

*For quick, efficient treatment

 

 

 

 



Blessings

With 2012 winding down, I have been reflecting on the many blessings of this year.  Without a doubt, our number one blessing this year is this sweet little guy.

 It is so true that with each additional child, your heart just grows fuller of love. This little guy is my joy. God continues to use him to bring me to Him. He is working on my selfish motives and areas of pride to teach me that what matters to Him is that I raise this little one to love, serve, and trust Him above everything else.

It is my words, actions, and interactions with my him that say more about God than any Christmas devotionals, weekly bible verses, or getting to church every Sunday. When I choose to love and serve my family using Jesus as my example, Luke will grow up to believe and trust the promises learned through the devotionals, bible verses, and lessons heard at church on Sunday.  

 As I reflect on 2012 and look forward to 2013, I pray that I give my children to God for His glory and His purpose. I pray that I continue to give thanks for the blessings He gives me and use them to grow closer to Him.

 

"Very truly I tell you," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!"

 

Gratitude Journal

*For the successful completion of Jake's first semester of high school

*For the upcoming vacation days

*For the gift a baby born in a manager years ago offers me today



 

 

 

 

 

 



Happy Birthday Boys

Happy Birthday to our Irish Twins who turned 6 and 7 years old last week.  We have always celebrated these two together.  I questioned this joint celebration this year, but truthfully these sweet boys have shared much in their short lives and although they are quite different in personality they are great friends.  They share sweet conversations from their bunk beds at night, they play together, share clothes, and look out for each other.

Celebrating their unique personalities and interests.  Andrew is a lover of cars, trucks, buses, basically anything with wheels.  Matt is a sports boy at heart.  He is dreaming of playing football.

God,

I pray that you will reveal yourself to my boys in a powerful way.  Grip their heart and allow them to see that your love for them is beyond any imaginable love.  God I pray that your light would shine long and bright through their life.  That through their example, others would come to know you and of your great love for them. 

God, I pray for their future.  Protect their hearts and minds from all that is evil.  I pray that they would seek you in all their decisions.  That they will live joyfully and know a peace that comes only from your spirit filling their life.  God, I pray that their trust would be completely in you and never waiver.

God, I love these boys from the depth of my soul.  Thank you for entrusting their life to Brett and I. Give us the grace to parent them according to your will.  To teach and parent them using the example of you son.

Amen

Happy Birthday Boys!

 

"Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love."

Psalm 33:18

 

Gratitude Journal

*For the peace and hope available through the spirit

*For fellowship and laughter with friends from our small group

*For the blessings of being a parent and the opportunity to recognize and take hold of them each day.

 

 

 

 



Our Tiny Beautician

This is our beautiful Kate!

I kept her home from school this past Monday because she hadn't been feeling well.  We found out later in the week this was due to an ear infection.  Kate loves to work on art projects.  One of her favorite things to do is color and cut out pictures from her coloring books, so when she asked for a pair of scissors I didn't think twice.  Well the phone rang and I wasn't paying attention to what Kate was doing until I heard her call my name.

"How do you like my hair Mom?"

Kate cut her own bangs!

We went straight to the professional beautician, but there just really wasn't anything she could do since Kate cut her bangs all the way to her scalp.  She trimmed up the top and shortened the back quite a lot and told me hairspray was my new best friend.  After a quick stop at Walmart for new hair accessories, this is our Kate.

 

"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, through you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."

Micah 5:2

 

Gratitude Journal

*For the proper perspective

*For my Thursday morning bible study and the opportunity to learn and share about God's word.

*For early morning time with Luke even though I would love to sleep in.  I know these times will be short lived.

 

 

 

 



Our Elf has been busy

Carl took a self-portrait

Missing the North Pole, he made snow angels on our counter.

He accidentally got locked out!

 He hung from candy canes on our dining room light.

 He took our stockings down and replaced them with underwear.

 He went fishing in our fishbowl.

He brought us a treat from the North Pole......a new Christmas movie and popcorn

 

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."  

Isaiah 9:6

 

Gratitude Journal

*For the hope that my faith in Jesus Christ gives each day

*For the opportunity to celebrate the birthdays of our boys

*For Pandora and the discovery of the Jim Brickman station