New Developments

Time is running short until I make my trip to Denver. We are certainly enjoying each day together as a family and I am sooooooo glad that Andy is on break from school right now. God has great timing!

We did end up trading in our van...the main reason was because the sliding doors kept freezing shut. It was really frustrating for me to get the boys through the front or one side that was working, then either crawl in myself or have to lean over from the front seat to buckle them in. No fun! We felt like we got a good deal on our trade-in, so bye-bye van and hello Dodge Journey! I'm excited because we'll be able to fit the kids in 3-across the middle seat, and it has a flip-up third row in case we have friends (or more likely my parents) along for the ride. We ended up getting a red one...not my favorite but it looks nice and was worth seeing the excitement on Andy AND Brady's faces. :)

On Saturday my doctor called me (herself) and left a message. This seemed a little out of the ordinary so I started to wonder what was wrong now. I got a hold of her on Monday and she told me about the results of my glucose test. Boo! My sugar levels were so high that I don't even need a retest...I'm diagnosed with gestational diabetes. The good news is that about 98% of women who get this during pregnancy "get over" it after the birth of the baby. Whew! In the meantime, this seems to explain why I feel so hungry all the time. I have to eat every couple hours and get certain nutrients each time I eat. I'm still learning about how this changes things, but my doctor wants to keep a tight reign on this since it can effect the baby's lung development (which is crucial to us delivering at 35 weeks). I meet with the diabetic center at the hospital on Thursday of next week.

Today is a special day because a sweet lady from church is coming to help me cook a bunch of meals to freeze up for Andy and the boys. Since I could be gone as long as 2 months, I have been concerned about caring for my family. I am excited to get this accomplished today and couldn't do it without help. I have about 5 different meals lined up, so it should be a busy day!

Savoring the next two weeks with my family!

Talk about a long day! Yesterday of course were my appointments. But we started the day very early (getting up at 6am), drove to Evergreen and got the snow tires put on our car. (And its a good thing because it was snowing all day!) Then on to Denver to Walmart to fix the tire for our van. Then to a car dealership to try out a new car. And finally off to the see the specialist. Unfortunately lunch did not fit into the time schedule and we were both starving by this time. The appointment with the specialist was supposed to take about a half hour...turns out it took an hour. And I know what you are thinking...they were behind schedule, etc. Well, no. I was actually being seen for an hour. By the end I had a total of 4 ultrasounds! The specialist was very nice, as was the tech. There was apparently a lot for them to see and it was concerning enough for them to take their time and really get it right (which I appreciated!). When we finished with them, we were a little confused. We weren't quite sure what the exact results were...although we did see the baby again and Baby looks great! They did a very thorough check on the baby and we saw the heart working, all 4 chambers, the kidney and stomach, and even saw the baby take a big ole yawn. Baby is about 2 1/2 pounds right now and measuring right on target for my due date.

Okay, on with the story. We quickly left the office as we were running late for my appointment with my regular doctor across town. Unfortunately the snow was still coming and someone had plowed over a light pole at an intersection backing up traffic for a long time. Slowly we made it across town to my doctor's office...about an hour late. I hurried into the building only to find the elevator was jammed...so up to the fourth floor by stairs! (I secretly enjoyed that since I have been told not to exercise!) I had my blood drawn for a glucose test and felt pretty faint at that point since we still hadn't eaten! Crazy. The nurse gave me juice and that helped a bunch. So we consulted with my doctor via phone and her practitioner in the office. And the results now became clear. I have a complete placenta previa. This means they are concerned about getting me to 35 weeks without bleeding. I also have the blood vessels crossing the cervix...which I believe they called vasa previa. This condition is much more threatening to the baby if those vessels were to get disrupted. This is much more serious and they are requiring me to relocate to Denver in 2 weeks. Thankfully they are allowing me the holidays at home with my family under strict orders to be very very careful. As long as I don't bleed I will not have to stay in the hospital. Any bleeding will land me in the hospital for as long as the baby can stay inside safely. It sounds like a day to day thing...so we will continue to pray for no bleeding. Right now we are both doing just fine. (Other than my baggy eyes...we got home safely through the snow storm, arriving home around 10:00pm...oh, and we finally wolfed down some food around 7:30pm!) After my next appointment on January 6, I will have to see my doctor once a week! (That was a big signal that this is serious too) Thank you again for your prayers for my health and the baby's! Also, please continue to pray for the details we are trying to work out since I'll be leaving the boys at home in 2 weeks. Thank you to all who have offered help. We are truly in debt to you all!

I am VERY thankful to be spending the holidays at home with my family. After that, we'll deal with what comes next! Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you have a wonderful day and blessed time celebrating the miracle of Christ's birth with your loved ones.

Reflections on 2009

2009 has been quite the year for the Paugh family. Definitely NOT uninteresting or uneventful! The common theme throughout the year has been God's Grace...and today at church, Pastor Doug defined Grace nicely for us. He described it as "the stronger coming to the aid of the weaker." I think that could be our theme for 2009.

In January I noticed a lump on Brady's cheek. Most of you know the story, but that lump sent us on several doctor visits, a couple of specialists, and finally to the hospital for surgery. In those days before the surgery I remember watching Brady, my little 3-year-old, playing and the thought occurred to me that those few precious days before surgery could be our last "normal" days for quite awhile. The thought of cancer treatments, hospitals, sickness, trips to Denver, etc. loomed before us. Thankfully the surgeon was able to remove two lumps without damaging any facial nerves, and later we found out that they were not cancerous. We received the best possible outcome...God generously gave us grace in the life of our little boy. We were weak...the situation was not in our control...and God reached down and handed us grace.

In March, not long after Brady's surgery, Andy's grandma passed away. She lived a wonderfully long life and enjoyed good health and state of mind right up to the end. She flew to Jesus at the age of 103. We were able to drive to Ohio as a family and stay for a week with Andy's family. It was a blessing that we could all go together and have several days of fellowship, to comfort and encourage, laugh and cry, and miss Grandma together. In times of death we are all weak. We are not in control...if we were, we would probably all selfishly ask that Grandma stay here with us. And yet, in our weakness, God reached down and handed us grace.

Summer came and with it the joyous news that I was again pregnant! We were very excited, but were soon overwhelmed. I was extremely sick with the pregnancy and could scarcely function. I lost weight, was often dizzy and faint, and had little strength. This put a lot of pressure on Andy...to work, take care of the boys, take care of me...and everything else. In the midst of this we received the news that Andy's brother died in a car accident. It was August, but school had not started yet and we were once again able to travel back to Ohio to be with family. My parents were very helpful and kept our boys for the week we were gone. The money we had been saving for the summer turned out to be how God provided for another unexpected trip. Again it was such a blessing to be able to go together, to fellowship with family, tell stories, laugh and cry, and simply be there for each other. Again we were weak, and God reached down and handed us grace.

As we approached Thanksgiving I began to feel much better. I made it through nearly 4 1/2 months of extreme sickness. I was at my weakest. I literally could not mentally face another day with the way I felt, and yet how did I make it through? God, my strength, my fortress, reached down each and every day and handed me grace. In November we took a trip to visit my sister as she anticipated the arrival of her second child. It was such a blessing to be with her and her own family. When we returned home I had to face yet another challenge.

I had an appointment with my OB doctor in early December. The news was overwhelming. I was diagnosed with Placenta Previa...a condition that could endanger the life of the baby growing inside me, and possibly my own. This too is out of my control. There is nothing I can do that will "fix" this condition. As I've tried to digest the news, I am looking ahead to my appointment with a high risk doctor on the 23rd. It has occurred to me that these few days before my appointment just might be my last "normal" days for awhile. This condition is something that could take my baby's life...even take my life! Or I could go through the rest of the pregnancy with no further problems, deliver a healthy baby and recover normally. In that case some might be tempted to say, "What was all the fuss about in the first place?" But make no mistake, no matter what happens, no matter what the outcome, I am thoroughly convinced that God has His gracious hand in my life, and the life of my child. He is strong, and EVERY DAY He is reaching down and coming to the aid of His weak child. God's grace has infiltrated our lives this year and we are so thankful.

Today we made it to church...the first time in quite awhile. I was literally overwhelmed by how many people came up to me, hugged me, told me they were praying for me, and encouraged me. And I reflected on how many have brought meals, cleaned my house, loaded my wood box, committed to helping with the boys...and so on, and so on. Up until today I have simply been repeating the words the doctor used...calmly explaining to the best of my knowledge the condition with which I have been diagnosed. But this morning it began to sink in that what has been just words, will soon become events. I will soon face whatever is to be. I sang, and listened to so many fellow believers sing around me, and I felt the overwhelming presence of God, His overwhelming love, and His overwhelming grace. I have never felt so loved and so supported as I did today...surrounded by my own family, surrounded by my church family, and surrounded by God's grace.

High Risk and Sustaining Grace...

Today I went to Denver with my mom to my monthly OB appointment. I had an ultrasound to check the location of the placenta. Apparently the placenta has not moved. My doctor (who is awesome, by the way!) described it as covering the cervix and sorta wrapped around it. At this point the likelihood that the placenta will move is "highly unlikely." Good thing our God specializes in the "highly unlikely!" ...And He also specializes in those who are "high risk"...which is what my pregnancy has become. So either way, I think I'm well covered!

From here on out I will have appointments every 2 weeks. I joked with my doctor and said, "Oh good! Would you like to see me on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?" We laughed...and then scheduled me for the 23rd. :) She is also referring me to a high-risk doctor who I will also see on the same day. Here is the cool part: When she named the high risk doctor she works with...my brain started spinning. When I was in labor with Luke, he was in distress, my midwife was kinda acting like a deer caught in the headlights, and all the nurses around me started prepping for a c-section. One nurse stepped out into the hallway and called for help. This same doctor came in and helped me deliver Luke safely and naturally in 10 minutes! He was such a huge blessing to me! It really just feels like God has carefully lined all this up ahead of time. I feel very calm at this point.

Okay, so back to whats ahead for me. There is a wide variety of things that could potentially happen. Basically the danger is that I will start bleeding. If I don't bleed, I will go through the rest of the pregnancy feeling fine. We will do an amniocentesis to check the maturity of the baby around 35 weeks...if all looks good then we'll do a c-section that week. If I start bleeding then things could get dangerous very quickly for me and the baby. As a result, my doctor is asking if there is any way for me to be closer to the hospital starting in a month's time. Yep, that means living in Denver until delivery. Also, if on the 23rd they discover there is a blood vessel crossing the cervix then she said (her words), "We'll have to park your butt in Labor and Delivery for the duration." Yikes! My orders are to "take it easy." Bleeding could start at any time...provoked or not. That seems tougher than it should...I feel totally fine and that makes it hard to make myself rest and not do some of my normal everyday things.

Well, I think that is about it. I hope this makes sense...my head is still kinda spinning trying to take in all the info. This past Sunday I watched Charles Stanley preach on TV...the topic was God's Sustaining Grace! He talked about how God sustains us when He chooses not to take away our trials. I know that He will sustain the baby and I through the next few months...I just prefer my bed to the hospital's! But whatever He has for me, it has already been SO obvious that He is working on our behalf, caring for us, and even going before us. Thank you all for your prayers! I will keep you posted!

Florida!

So much to update on! Our Florida trip was incredible. The weather was awesome and it was so fun to see Courtney, Jedrey, Leyton and baby Leila, Aunt Rachel, Grandma, mom and dad, and Rich and Diane. We spent a lot of time in the pool, at the beach, and the playground. Leyton, Luke, and Brady enjoyed playing at the beach. They just never got tired of it, and I loved just letting them play without boundaries! Luke was captivated with Leila. Can't you just see the pride on his face! He hounded his Aunt Courtney ALL the time to hold that baby! He loved that "baby girl" as he called her. I know I'll have to be on my toes when our baby comes, because Luke loves babies! Our condo had a shuffleboard court and the boys played one day with daddy and grandpa. They really liked learning a new game. We also had some nice evenings at the beach with the sunset. It was even better when Andy joined us! He is a beach bum too, so he and the boys had a great time :)

Shock!

Last night I took the boys to Awana. I stayed because it was "Kid Lead" night...so we reversed roles. At snack time they typically have a "counsel" session when they learn a bible story or some sort of lesson. Well, since roles were reversed, the kids were supposed to share something. A few kids had been chosen ahead of time to share...some did, some got shy and backed out. Well, Brady turned to me and said, "Mom, when is it going to be my turn?" I looked at him with much skepticism...he is usually really shy for things like that and plus he's only 4! I whispered, "you want to share something?" He looked at me and nodded and said, "Yeah, I want to tell everyone about Samson!"

Again, I'm thinking....he is going to drag me up there, and then chicken out and not say anything...

Well, this was out of my hands. Brady proceeded to raise his hand and patiently wait to be called on. Since he wasn't one of the "planned" speakers, he had to wait awhile. He persisted and continued to raise his hand until someone called him up. (The adult leader looked at ME skeptically, and all I could do was shrug and smile!) Brady marched up to the front with a confidence I didn't know he had. He turned toward the entire group, raised his arms up and flexed his muscles! His "story" went something like this:
"Well I'm going to tell you about someone strong. I'm talking about Samson! He just pushed down the walls of a building and all the people just died." (He added in motions and actually looked like he had rehearsed!) He smiled, people clapped, and he came back and sat down.

Wow. I gave him a high-five and tried to choke back my tears. What a guy. I was so proud of him...that was ALL him...none of it was me and it was precious to watch. God is working in that little guy...I'm so glad I was there.

Ultrasounds, ultrasounds...

So, I went to the doctor yesterday for my big ultrasound (I say big, since I've had 2 short ones already!). I'm 21 weeks now...feeling the baby swim around and feeling not so bad! So this was the ultrasound where the doctor measures everything, checks for all the body parts, organs, etc. Baby looks great! I am very thankful that God is forming this little one...especially since I don't feel like I've been able to control much about this pregnancy. The baby measured right on target for my due date, and we even saw the little one take a big yawn! Of course, we don't want to know if its a boy or girl, but the doc said she couldn't tell anyway! Baby had its legs crossed throughout the whole ultrasound :) Andy, Brady, and Luke were all in the room and enjoyed seeing the newest Paugh show off a bit.

Next, the boys left the room and my doctor continued the ultrasound. She discovered that I have a slight placenta previa condition. Basically this means that my placenta is very low and currently covering my cervix. Generally these conditions improve as the uterus grows, and eventually the placenta grows up and out of the way. So there is time for this condition to change. However, according to my doctor, this needs to occur before 28 weeks, and it needs to be a full 4 cm away from the cervix in order to be cleared for a vaginal delivery. If it doesn't move by 28 weeks, she will send me to a high-risk doctor and I will have to have a c-section. At that point the goal is to get me to full-term (36 weeks) without bleeding. If there is bleeding that brings in a whole new set of complications that we won't talk about for now. I return to the doctor in a month for yet another ultrasound to see if the placenta is moving. Currently I just have to take it easy, be careful about lifting, etc. and pray that I don't have bleeding and that the placenta will grow out of the way. Thank you for praying with me!

It seems that I keep learning the same lesson over and over. When I had my first miscarriage I realized that even with my best intentions, sometimes I am just not in control! Can you imagine? :) After that loss, God really sunk the message home: "I am in control. I know the little one inside you, I am forming that little one and love that baby more than you could ever know. I know what is best. Trust me!" And as that sunk in, I determined to be thankful...for each moment God allows me to be pregnant, for each day I get to experience the joy of feeling a baby move inside me, for even getting to experience labor, for the exhilaration of a birth experience, for each day spent with one of my kids, for each day of life. I choose to be thankful whether I get to be pregnant for only 12 weeks (as with the first), or whether God gives me a lifetime to enjoy my kids. Each day is precious and simply not guaranteed. God continues to hold me to that...through my pregnancy with Brady and my fear of losing a child again...through the fear that comes when my child gets hurt or sick, or runs out of my line of sight for the first time, or falls down the stairs, or gets a bloody nose for no reason at all...through the fear of the unknown...sickness, fever, when should I take him to the doctor?, finding out from the doctor that my firstborn needs surgery and might have cancer...I could go on, and on. The point is, I am never in total control. And when I think about it, PRAISE GOD for that! And so, as I wait to see what the outcome of this pregnancy will be, I am determining to be thankful for each moment I have, and trusting the rest to my loving Lord.

Too much candy!

Whew! I am Halloweened-out! Its been a lot of fun...but with 4 events in 4 days...I'm ready to move on to the next thing! Wednesday was our Mom's Club party...Luke was too sick to go, so I took Brady and cousin Megan. Brady was Spiderman and Meg was a Lion (same one that Courtney wore when we were little!) They played a couple games, colored trick-or-treat bags, made a craft, trick-or-treated around the room while pretending to be different "spooky" things, decorated cookies/cupcakes, and had some snacks (fruit tasted awesome after all that!). It was a fun party.

Thursday afternoon was Brady's preschool party. Its not his normal day to go, but we were invited anyway. I gave him the option of me dropping him off, or that I could stay...he said he wanted me to stay with him and that was great to hear :) Brady was Batman for this party. (thankfully these were all pass-me-down costumes!) We had a lot of fun together and it was great to see him in his classroom setting with his teacher and classmates. They played games, did the "spooky walk" song, had snacks, and paraded around the school to show off their costumes and get yes, more candy.

Friday night was the Grand Lake Elementary Carnival. We love going to this because it is safe, indoors (nice when its freezing outside), we see lots of friends, and the kids have lots of games to play. We were there the entire evening. Luke was finally feeling well enough to participate. He dressed as a Mummy. He loved the music playing in the background and strutted his stuff around from game to game. He was fun to watch! Brady was Batman again and spent most of his time in the jumpy castle. Eventually he did make it around to all the games though. We again got tons of candy...but we were able to eat dinner there too. It was a good time!

These costumes were for Saturday...see description below!

Saturday...well, Andy had a basketball game to coach, and I was thoroughly exhausted so I didn't plan on going anywhere...however, my mom called and told us about a costume contest and trick-or-treating around the town businesses at noon. Dad promised to go with me and help with the boys, so we decided to go. This time, since we were outside, we used the "warm" costumes we had. Luke was a bumble-bee and Brady was a stinky skunk! Everybody loved the skunk costume (homemade by Susan Grogg....thanks!). And of course, it doesn't really matter what Luke wears, he always attracts attention with his dimples! The boys had a good time, got TONS more candy, and wore Papa and I out! We are really ready to move on towards Thanksgiving :)

Weekend at Arrowhead Manor

What a weekend! We started off on Friday morning and headed to Denver. We were planning a quick stop at Wendy's for lunch....but went past a Red Robin and couldn't resist! We had their specials for 5.99...awesome. And we got stuffed by topping it off sharing a Rookie Magic milkshake. I'm drooling with the memory! Next we did some Christmas shopping, and we were both pleased with the outcome. A quick stop at Sonic for a tasty drink and we headed up the mountain a bit to our bed and breakfast, Arrowhead Manor. We stayed for two nights. We watched movies using the TV and surround sound setup in our room. The Manor had free movie rentals and free popcorn! Our room also had a private jacuzzi tub and massage bed! After a relaxing night, we headed down to the great room for a delicious breakfast (Crunchy french toast, omelet, potatoes, fresh fruit, pastries, juice). After breakfast we headed out to see the nearby town of Conifer, and then went for a hike. It was a beautiful day. We ate lunch in our room followed by football and a nap. Then headed into Denver (only about 15 minutes away)...did a bit more shopping, hit a matinee movie, and topped it off with dinner at Applebees. Turns out the Applesbees cooks were struggling big time...we were within earshot of about 4-5 tables who ended up getting something for free! We could have as my meal was brought out wrong, twice. I ended up just putting it in a box and taking it with us...which was okay since we all know its better to eat S-L-O-W-L-Y when you are pregnant! Ha! After dinner we tried to walk it off by shopping at Babies-R-Us for two "coming home" outfits, one boy, one girl. It was fun to pick them out together and anticipate our little one. We had another relaxing evening followed by another mouthwatering breakfast (bacon, eggs, potatoes, country fried steak and gravy, fresh fruit, muffins...yum!). The weekend was a wonderful time to hang out together...something we haven't been able to do in a long time! An added bonus...I never threw up and felt pretty decent all weekend! :)

Green beans anyone?

So its 9:30 in the morning and Brady just said, "Mom, when can I eat some green beans!"
Uh, excuse me?
"Moooom, I need some green beans so I can get strong!"

Well, I happened to have some leftover beans in the fridge, but my first response was, "No way, thats gross. Its breakfast time."
That didn't fly with him, he was set on eating green beans.
My second thought went something like this....
"Casey, are you nuts? Your son just asked to eat green beans and you said No? What are you thinking! (besides being overwhelmed at the churning in my stomach with the very thought of eating green beans at 9:30 in the morning) Okay, okay, maybe I should reconsider."
So, I got out the beans and warmed them up. Now my son is happily eating his green beans and is thrilled at the thought of how strong he is going to be!
Sometimes you just can't go by the book.

17 weeks!

I'm now 17 weeks into my pregnancy! I just had an appointment yesterday which turned out uneventful! I like those! The baby's heartbeat was strong...I'm still dehydrated (which was no surprise to me)...but otherwise doing well. I've started to regain some weight. I still get sick, but am finally able to keep down food, so this is good! I'm definitely feeling the baby move around and I love that! Yesterday was really the first day I felt like I was being stretched...it always seems like these things happen in one day, and then nothing for awhile. Well, yesterday I think the baby tried to grow a couple inches in one day...just my opinion though :) I really should post a baby bump picture but I have yet to take a shower and get dressed...oh well.

Yesterday after my appointment we went to the Denver Zoo. My mom and dad and the boys were with me and we had a great time. The weather couldn't have been better...sunny and about 70! It seemed as though every animal we saw was posing for us and putting on a show. It was one of the best zoo experiences I've had! (I'm not a big animal fan...especially smell wise!) One polar bear in particular stood up on a rock, faced the audience and did all kinds of silly things. It reminded me of Alex the Lion on Madagascar. It was funny. Of course my mom and I BOTH left our cameras in the car. Oh well (again). It did take us about a half hour to find a parking place, but once we were in the zoo the crowds weren't bad. All in all it was a good day...minus the fact that the boys were exhausted by 3:30 (no naps) and Brady had a melt down. To be expected I suppose. It was a lot of exercise for me which was good...but today I just feel like curling up with a movie...do you think the boys will feel the same? Ha!

Sinking In and Bubbling Up!

So, how often do moms feel like they are beating their heads against the wall...I mean...you are trying to teach your kids a lesson, or a virtue, and it just isn't sinking in? Well, I feel like that often...although I've realized its not something they are going to get perfect the first time and I never have to revisit the issue. Ha! I wish. Instead, I've found these things S-L-O-W-L-Y sink in over time...often much more time than I had hoped. Lately I've been encouraged by a few virtues that must be sinking in...because every so often they come bubbling to the surface.

Example #1
This week we went to church on Saturday night. After the service I went to pick up the boys from their classroom. As we were standing in the hall, Brady and Luke's teacher had picked up a baby swing and was attempting to move it. Well, next thing I know, without a word, BOTH boys each grabbed a leg of the swing and helped her pick it up. They led her out, around the corner, down the hall, through many people, down to the baby nursery and helped her set it down. I watched in awe...and yes, a bit of shock! MY boys....my sweet boys, saw a need and were determined to help...without being asked! As I reflect on that moment, I can see the fruits of many lessons I've tried to teach bubbling to the surface.

Example #2
Saturday morning I felt a bit better, and the sun was shining, so I took the boys to watch Andy's football game. We sat in the bleachers and the boys quickly found two little girls to play with. The 4 kids made a game out of running all the way across the bleachers, from one rail/fence to the other. I told Brady to be careful and not lean on the fence...it didn't seem especially safe, and I didn't want them to slip through and fall to the ground. Well, they played for awhile, and I noticed that Brady was slowing up to stay near the littlest girl. He looked at me and said, "Mom, I'm just going to stay by her and make sure she doesn't fall and get hurt. That way you can just watch the football and you don't have to worry about us."
!!!! I'm thinking, "What did he just say? Was that for real? He is showing concern for someone else, caring for a little girl, caring for me, thinking about me and knowing I want to watch the game?" I managed to pull myself together just in time to thank my son for being so kind before they continued on in their play.

Now, lest you think I simply have shining stars for children, I'm sure you can guess that I could write a whole book about my parenting frustrations. However, isn't it better to dwell on those special moments when all your/my hard work comes to fruition...even if just for a moment? I hope this encourages you parents as it has me. If we keep at it, and look carefully, those lessons we are trying to make sink in...okay sometimes pound in...will eventually come bubbling back up to the top! Here's to more bubbling!

Mommy's Pride

Tonight the boys went to Awanas...yes both of them! Luke is a "Puggle" and Brady a "Cubbie." I was so proud of them tonight. Neither cried when we left, and both had a good time. Luke said his verse, "God made everything!" over and over...before and after Awanas. Brady said his verse, and we were there in time to watch the awards at the end. He was so happy and proud when he got his new patch. He told us that he had "an even better time than the last time!" I'm so happy to see smiling faces when we come in to pick them up. AND, I sewed his little patch on his vest tonight...so I don't lose it (I've lost several from last year due to procrastination...) So, pat myself on the back! :) I remember many verses from my Awana days so many years ago...I know that God's word does not return void, and that my little guys are hiding His word in their hearts for a lifetime. What a blessing for a tired mom!

On another note, tonight in the car Luke asked for a drink of water. We didn't have anything so I told him to wait until we got home. He declared, "you don't never give me water!" I had to laugh. In fact, it reminded me of Courtney saying we never fed her. :) It was funny...but then it made me think. Wow, my little guy is only 2! I can't believe his verbal skills and his thought process. He definitely keeps me on my toes. My little guys are growing up fast. I love watching it happen, but it also makes me really thankful to be blessed with another little one on the way. I do love the baby stage, and it seems like both my guys didn't stay that way for long. Even as I write this, I'm listening to the precious sounds of Luke praying as Andy puts the boys to bed. He loves to pray and thank God for just about everything he can think of. I surely am blessed.

Preschool days

Brady is loving preschool! I'm so glad. It has been really interesting to watch him and listen to him talk about it...although it usually takes me awhile to get him to talk about his day. He is definitely boy!

It takes us about 10 minutes to drive to "his" school...and on the way I try to reinforce the idea of him being the best "obeyer" at school. :) And I try to talk up the things he might get to do so he starts to get excited, and hopefully not clingy! So far it is working. Luke has fallen asleep on the way several times which works out nicely. I take Brady into his class, he finds his name on his cubby (he can recognize it now!) and hangs up his stuff. Then I get a kiss and hug (yeah! In front of everyone too! :) and he heads off to find out what they are doing first. Piece of cake! When I pick him up, (if he is done) he runs over to me and I get a big hug...and sometimes an added, "I love you mom!" If he isn't quite finished yet, he usually stays put and smiles and waves. What a sweetie :)

I had a chance to observe him in action last week...I pulled up about 5 minutes early and the class was walking across the park back to the classroom. I sat and watched...I am SOOOO curious about what he does when I'm not there...I SO wish I could be a fly on the wall! So the kids were walking in a somewhat single file line in between the two teachers. Brady, however, was somewhere in the middle of the line...I noticed because that is where the line fell apart! He and a little girl were running around, messing around...generally not behaving. I watched and wondered who that little girl was that was making my son misbehave (haha). After preschool I told Brady I saw him disobeying. His eyes got real big and he said, "You saw me from way over there?!" We talked a little about respecting his teacher and obeying, but it didn't go over well. He was very frustrated and finally said, "But Mom! I wanted to be by that girl! She is nice."

Oh heaven help me! Not already!!!!! :) I smiled at him, and let the matter drop...deciding to figure out my best attack and wait for a non-conflict moment to finish the conversation (per our Growing Kids God's Way class :).

So, the next day, before preschool, we talked again. I explained that he could obey his teacher and help his friend obey too...suggesting that if he wanted to be by her, he could ask her to walk in line by him...solving both issues. We also talked about the "why" of it...I explained that Jesus wants us to respect authority. Of course he had no clue what "authority" meant...but I explained it was an adult, such as mommy or daddy, or his teacher. So Brady can respect his teacher by obeying, and help his friend by showing her how to obey too. Brady really got excited about this now...He is soooo much into asking "why" that when we do really explain things so he understands, he really is satisfied. I also told him he needed to respect his friend and his teacher by asking their names and remembering them.

Okay, so off to preschool for another day. I was anxious to hear the report at the end of the day. I was so glad to hear that Brady followed through! He informed me of his friend's name, his teacher's name, and that nobody disobeyed that day and he showed respect. Whew! I know that won't be the case everyday, but I'm so glad the lesson sunk in!

A few other things about Brady...it is hard for him to remember what he did during the day and actually articulate that back to me. So we play a little game. Instead of drilling him on every last minute of his day (like I want to do!), I ask him what his favorite thing was, and what was the thing that he didn't like to do during the day. (We try to do this with each of us, so we all play) Somehow putting it in game form helps him remember and I get a few precious details! Yesterday his favorite thing (and he even said it was better than the playground!) was holding the door for everyone when they went outside, and helping his teacher stack the chairs! I was so proud...my sweet little helper...if only that were the same at home! :) I could tell he was proud to have some responsibility...which got me thinking I might try some of the same concepts at home.

Boys and Bellies

I did a fall photo shoot with the boys. Brady loves to find a good spot for a picture, and Luke loves to cheese it up!

My sister was in town for a week...and since we are both pregnant we decided to take a belly picture. (Too bad we waited til the last day, after an exhausting night in a motel=two unhappy kiddos and very little sleep!) Court has a few weeks on me...she is due in November, me in March.
Oh yes, and I AM pale. No, your computer screen is not messing up. I know. Lately I've been feeling very faint. I'm sure its due to my low blood pressure and lack of proper hydration. We are working on that! I have some scary days though when I can hardly stand up at all. When is that "honeymoon" phase of pregnancy again?

Growing...count the ways...

Yes we are growing...

Our family is growing...Brady is 4 now and very tall. This year he started preschool, two afternoons a week. He is so brave and is learning so much already. I am just so proud of him I can hardly stand it! He is growing in his maturity and is beginning to be a BIG help to me. He gets Luke's diapers, puts his dishes in the sink, dresses himself, randomly says "Mom, I love you.", asks "why" all the time but seems to be satisfied when he really understands something...I could go on and on. My firstborn is growing up!
And Luke...he is 2 and very spunky. I often say he is either sunshine or rain...and there is no confusing the two! He is speaking in sentences and is doing so well I often am not sure who is talking, him or his big brother! He always wants to know what "Bree" is doing, is very attached to his daddy, absolutely loves 4 wheelers, Hermie, and eating! He is a compassionate kid and I think he will be very good with this baby.
Speaking of baby...yes, our family is growing to be 5! The baby is due in March. We are very excited, but are running in survival mode right now as I have been pretty sick so far...hopefully growing out of that stage soon!

And lets see...we are growing in other ways too. Andy and I recently celebrated our 8th anniversary and are continuing to adapt and grow in our marriage. We just started taking a class called "Growing Kids God's Way" to help us in our parenting journey. And personally, I have been growing...a continuous process...and learning that God is in control. Simple concept, right? Well, God continually sees fit to show me that He is also in control of our family...from my first miscarriage, to Brady and Luke's births, to Brady's potential cancer and surgery, to the severity of "morning sickness" I've had with this pregnancy and the fear that I'll lose this baby...
Through it all, God has continued to show me how to be thankful for every moment spent with my kids, my husband, my unborn child. I don't know how long each of us has, but whether it is one trimester with this unborn baby, or a lifetime of memories...I hope to capture it all and never forget God's love and care over us.

Getting Started!

I'm so excited to get this going! Our family is growing and so much is going on, I can't wait to start recording it all and give our friends and family a chance to keep up with us!