A Month for Giving Thanks- Day 5

Day 5

Today, I am thankful for the people who dare to go deep, who dare to tackle the stuff of life that really matters and share it with others.  I read this post today and love it!  She is one of those people I am thankful for.  Be sure to read this post of Ann's too, somehow the music on her blog opens my heart to deeper places too.

A Month for Giving Thanks- Day 4

Day 4

 

(Travis brought each of the girls a rose home after work one day, because Chloe had left him a tearful message at work saying she missed him)

At around 4am this morning, I was suddenly awakened by an aweful cramp in my calf.  All I could mutter to Travis was that I was having a bad cramp!  He quickly wanted to know where, thinking I was talking about a contraction, so I eked out "calf".  I finally got it to release, when Sawyer woke up.  I like to think he sensed his mama in peril, but it was probably just a coincidence.  Travis jumped up to tend to him, but I soon heard calls for "mommy" that I couldn't roll over and ignore.  He just needed a little reassurance from a bad dream I think, as all it took was a few rocks and he was ready to be put back in his crib.  Not even an hour later, we heard Emma calling for me in panic, so once again Travis jumped up from bed and ran to her.  Then I hear racing feet coming back down the hall and Travis say, "she's going to throw up!"  They made it to the toilet, but once again, it was mama Emma wanted.  Travis tried to convince her that I was pregnant and needed my rest and that he would fill in as back rubber and hair holder, but I could tell she longed for me in that moment, so out I rolled.  She was on an every 15 minute roll, so I made a bed for myself on the bathroom floor and closed my eyes in pretend sleep as I rubbed her back.  After about 30 minutes, Travis appeared at the door and said he'd take a shift, so I went back to bed.  As I snuggled in, I listened to the sweet words Travis whispered to Emma, that he loved her and would take good care of her and she would be okay.  After a few more rounds over the toilet, she fell asleep in the make-shift bed on the bathroom floor, so Travis returned to bed.  The next time she woke up, it was Travis she called for.  And this leads to what I give thanks for today, Travis.  Not only did I mention him yesterday as my dearest friend, or the day before that as our provider, but today I celebrate him as my mate and companion, the servant leader of our home.  He loves and cares for us with such selflessness, it can only come from one place, Christ in him.  I often call him my night time hero as he has never been the type of husband to lay like a rock in bed as I tend to all the kid's night time needs.  In fact, aside from when I am nursing a baby, he is the usually the first one out of bed to answer our kid's calls.  He sacrifices his own sleep for mine and never tries to make me feel guilty about it.  Especially when I'm pregnant, I SO MUCH appreciate this way he selflessly loves me.  And selfless love illicits selfless love, does it not?  Nothing makes me want to serve him more than my gratitude for the way he serves me!  I delight in doing his laundry and making him meals and keeping the house clean, because these things bless him and I just love him so stinking much!  Thank you Lord for Travis, You love me so well through him, I really don't deserve it.  Show me ways to love and bless him even more as I fill my tank with Your love for me.  Amen!

A Month for Giving Thanks- Day 3

Day 3

Friendship.  Such a commonly used word and yet there are so many different interpretations of what it means.  Today, I am thankful for the true and Godly friendships God has blessed me with in my life.  With my husband and with the beautiful women whose hearts I have come to know and love.  Friendship, to me, is what God describes in scripture as true brother/sisterhood in Christ.  Relationships where we offer forgiveness before it is ever asked for, where intimate accountability is desired and offered in love as we both desire to grow more like Christ, where humility and servanthood are given, without the expectation of equality.  It is a place where we can be real and open and honest, a listening ear for breaking hearts, an encouraging word in times of despair, a challenge towards righteousness in times of our weakness, prayer together when the best place for us is at the foot of the cross.  Friendship is the closest extension of God's love for us we can come to in human form, more and more beautiful the closer we draw to Him.  It is pouring out our lives for each other, considering each other more important than ourselves.  To all of you who have been and are this type of friend to me, I want you to know how very thankful I am for you!  I praise God for you and pray to grow more and more in my love for you.  You are gifts from above, God with skin on to me, He has used you in ways you will never know to bless, challenge, and grow my heart.

A Month for Giving Thanks- Day 2

Day 2

Today, I am praising the Lord for His provision.  Specifically, through the hard work of my husband.  God has blessed Travis with work since the day we brought Emma home from the hospital, he has never been without it, even in this sketchy economy.  Not only that, but God has provided well enough for us never to have to consider me needing to work to supplement his income.  I have been able to be the full time homemaker I have always wanted to be, and because I know there's no guarantee this will always be the case, I am flat on my face with gratitude!  We have a home, food in our pantry and fridge, clothes on our backs, cars to drive and far more wants than we deserve.  My prayer is that as I ponder the tremendous blessing of God's provision, I would be moved more and more every day to give and overflow to others in need.  That I would have a spirit of true contentment, of understanding that nothing is mine, but all the Lords.  I am but a steward of every material and non-material gift He has given me.  I pray that I would be a good steward, that greedy or materialistic would never be words to describe me.  Thank you father, for abundantly providing for all my needs!

Amen

A Month for Giving Thanks- Day 1

I'm doing this for me.  I know that every day benefits from an attitude of gratitude, but it's so easy to forget.  So for the month of November, I'm going to daily count my blessings here.  My theme verse for his month is:

1 Thessalonians 5:17-18- 

"Pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Day 1

I'm so struck by how surprisingly overwhelmed with joy I am about this little baby girl within my womb.  And not that the joy pregnancy in general, of life growing in my womb, surprises me.  But little Autumn Mae is such an unexpected blessing in that, I never envisioned four children being a reality for me.  Travis and I always said that four would probably be our max, but that three was most likely.  As I feel her moving and kicking within me, there are times when I just feel overcome with joy!  Daughters are so special, they are the heart and heritage of their mothers, the crown of their fathers.  I dream of holding her in my arms, nursing her in the wee hours, of her first smiles and laughs, of watching her little unique personality emerge, even of the adult relationship we might have some day as we grow into dear friends.  Thank you Lord, for blessing us with another baby girl.  May we be good stewards of these four tremendous gifts.  Give us grace and wisdom for the journey...Amen.

A Blogger's Prayer

I came accross this prayer through a friend's blog and I simply must share it!  This is my new prayer, both for this blog and every word I utter on facebook or otherwise.  Thank you Lord for the way your are speaking through Ann Voskamp!

21 weeks

Here we have my growing girth at nearly 21 weeks.  Chloe took this picture this morning.  I could nit pick about how puffy and tired my eyes look, but they look that way for a reason due to little sleep last night, so I digress.  Travis and I have been staying up way too late each night watching the Pillars of Earth series and then of course, the kids are up at their normal early time.  The news that a little princess is on her way is sinking in around here, the girls are already calling Autumn by name and are very excited to have a little sister.  I don't think Sawyer really knows what's coming, but I'm banking on his mellow personality to get him through without too many hardships;).  Housework is calling my name at the moment, so until next time...

Indroducing...

Autumn Mae

 Her beautiful profile!

 Showing us her dancing (or soccer) legs

 Little foot

 Hi!

 Here's looking at you

A proud and excited big sister:)!

A Repost- "We hope for YOU!"

I wrote this post at exactly the same point in my pregnancy with Sawyer over two years ago.  It really captured my heart then and truely fits now too, so I thought it was worth a repost:).

For those of you who don't already know, we're having our diagnostic ultrasound this Thursday and yes, we'll be peeking to find out if it's a boy or girl. Going into Thursday, I can't help but feel a sort of pressure that I just have to talk about here. When you have two girls, it seems almost inevitable that everyone assumes you are hoping for a boy, and vice versa if you have two boys. This seems to be especially true since this will most likely be our last, Lord willing of course:). Now while we'd be lying if we said we're not curious what a boy would bring to the mix, what it would be like to parent a child of the opposite sex, I can't say that we're "hoping" for anyone other than exactly who God created in my womb. In our own limited view of our lives, and in our simple human logic, of course we've thought, it would be nice to have a boy. As I've dialogued with Travis about it, we understand how natural it is to desire a child of your own sex, someone "like you", to teach and train in "the ways of man or womanhood". I know that if I had two sons right now, I would be diligently praying for a daughter, but again, that would be in my own wisdom and understanding of what fulfills my life. And don't get me wrong, it's not just Travis who desires a son. I too would love to know that special relationship between mother and son.

But all this brings me to where our hearts are at a mere two days before the big ultrasound. And please know that these are not just words we've convinced ourselves to believe. This is really, truly where God has us, and it feels really good, all glory to Him! We know, that before this little baby in my womb was created, every hair on his/her head was numbered. Every day of their lives was ordained for them before one came to pass. Our precious Father, in His infinite wisdom, even took into consideration our family dynamics. And here's the part that fills my heart to bursting! He decided that Travis and I, full of weaknesses and faults that stretch a mile high, would be just the parents for this little life. That we needed this baby in our journey of growth towards deeper intimacy with Him, and that this baby needs us. Humbling? Incredibly so! And so don't you see? To "hope for" anyone other than exactly who this person is, girl or boy, seems pretty arrogant and silly. Do we really presume to know better than the God of the universe? The God who loves us so much that He sent His own son to die for us? The God who loves us more than any human love can match? Certainly not! We already love this baby, for exactly who they are. Thursday to us is an exciting chance to get to know this little one just a little bit more, and we can't wait! And we can't wait to share our news with you as well.

Baby (insert last name), we want YOU! We hope for YOU! We can't wait to see YOU on that ultrasound screen! Love, Mommy, Daddy, Emma, Chloe, and Sawyer xoxoxo

The Big Week!

I woke up this morning a bit more giddy than typical for a Monday.  Today is a "normal" day, but this Thursday we have our 20 week ultrasound and get to find out just who has been swimming around in my womb for the past 18 weeks!  On one hand, I can't believe it's already here, but on the other hand, I know each day of this week is going to drag by as I anticipate Thursday.  I want to see this little one so bad, to make sure they are healthy first and foremost, but also to see that precious little profile, the little kicks and turns and maybe some thumb sucking:).  And of course, those little parts that reveal our big surprise, the boy or girl news!  We've had people ask us if we're going to wait til the birth to find out since this is number four, but I have to say, we've so enjoyed splitting the surprise between two dates in the past that we have no real desire to wait.  I also love to name our kids at the 20 week ultrasound, this way we get to call them by name for the rest of the pregancy and feel like we know them just that much more when they actually get here. 

We had a wonderful weekend with my mom this past weekend, she came for a fall visit.  Lots of enjoying the outdoors, some Go Fish playing, watching movies, laughing and soaking in our time together.  I also got the chance to take some "professional" pics of her and the kids, they turned out so great!  I can't wait to get some with Connie and Lee and with Grandpa Dan too!  Cousin Lupe had the idea that I should make a collag of all these pics with the grandparents for the kids bedrooms, great idea Lupe!  Here are a sampling of the pics we took.  And I'll be back on Thursday for our big announcement, so stay tuned:).