Pumpkin Carving 2009

Condi's new bed and nap spot :)

More to say....

I gotta tell you.... I feel like I should have so much more to say then I really do.  I mean my life is pretty full, right?  I am so incredibly busy ALL the time.  Who wouldn't be with 2 busy, BUSY little girls and another angel on the way.  Oh, that's right.... I haven't even taken a moment to say that we are having another beautiful little girl :)  And we COULD NOT be more EXCITED over her!  We have decided on a name too.  Jace wants to name her Maggie.... thus in a few short months you will all be able to meet our very own, Amanda Margaret, aka "Maggie."

I keep getting this one question though.... "are y'all going to try again for a boy?"  I feel like people are implying that in no way could 3 beautiful, vivacious daughters ever be enough for Trey and I.  And I've been having this feeling for weeks now that our family is complete...  and I don't know how I feel about it honestly.  I feel guilty thinking that Trey and I may not have more children... doesn't that sound strange???  It feels strange too me...

Oh, and why can't the stork bring my babies I ask.....  cause I know pregnancy is suppose to be a beautiful thing, but truthfully I abhor it.  BUT, I do so like what pregnancy brings me---- my children.  Who would I be without them I wonder sometimes?  I was born to be a mother.  I honestly feel that way.  Other people dream all their lives about being a doctor, lawyer, teacher, etc.  I dreamed about having children.  There was nothing that I wanted more... and I feel that a mother's value has slowly been undermined and lessened over the years.  And I am saddened to think that because I am not out punching a time clock that I have less value in some people's eyes, or that they think they are better than me because they have been "MORE" than "just a mother."

whatever.  eloquent, right? yep... that's me.  I'm just a mother and I'm better for it.  I'm doing exactly what I was born to do, and exactly what God wants from me.

Prayer to keep the Presence of God

"Lord, God Almighty, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day. Defend us today by your mighty power, so that we may not fall into any sin, and that all our words may so proceed and all our thoughts and actions be so directed as to be always just in your sight. Through Christ our Lord. Amen."

Babies 2008

Rory Beach 2009

St. Ignacius Loyola

"Teach us to be generous,

        good Lord;

Teach us to serve You

     as You deserve;

To give and not to

    count the cost,

       To fight and not

     to heed the wounds,

To toil and not to seek for rest,

        To labor and not

     to ask for any reward

Save that of knowing we do

Your will.

Amen."

Agatha Christie

"I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable... but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing." ~

A few things....

Well, the beach was fun---- for the 2 days we were there!  We went on Sat. but Monday morning I started bleeding.  I though I was having a miscarriage because there was so much blood.  And in the few hours before I knew the baby was okay I was almost inconsolable.  I realized then that you can always say you empathize with someone who's lost a baby, but you can never truly know how they feel- the utter devastation, loss, and heartbreak.  I thank God that I didn't lose my baby.  Even though I wish I knew why I had bleed so much....  I didn't do that with the girls so it really scared me.  Vicki brought Trey to come get us and bring us home early after I got back from the ER.  I am thankful for them and for Michelle and Jennifer, who helped me enormously then.  I know they thought I was having a miscarriage too, and that I scared them.  Sorry, girls :)

Jace was NOT happy we left the beach early, but it was good for me to be home.  And it was nice to know that others were praying for us, and thinking of us, Lauren brought us dinner the night after we got back---- thanks Lauren.  Of course we were home a week and the flu hit our house :(  Trey got it first.... and then the girls.  I gotta tell you.... I am not one who runs to the Dr over every runny nose, cough, or fever, but the girls fevers wouldn't come down and were getting higher.  When I took them to the Dr Jace's was 103.6 and Rory's was 102.4 :(  Not too mention they spent the majority of that day laying ON me, Jace curled up in my side under my arm, and Rory laying on my chest.  Hours were spent this way.... and anyone who knows my girls KNOWS THEY ARE NEVER STILL!!!  So a little scary indeed.  But took them to the Doc (where Jace threw up :(..... and found out they had the flu, and got some tamiflu.  Which helped them tremendously!!!  Which it should've since it cost so much!  LOL  It still took a few days to get their strength back and appetites but they're great now!  And thanks be to God that I never got sick!!!  And also during this time we saw the power of prayer too,  from our family and friends.  I think their prayers really helped the duration and all of our abilities to deal with being puny!  Our friend Stephanie even brought us dinner one night for which we were enormously grateful, so thanks Stephanie :)

We went to the girls' open House at Frazer last week to meet their teachers.  I am so pleased with Frazer and the teachers that the girls will have, especially Jace's.  I really think I have made the right decision in putting Jace in this year, and I think she is going to have a TON OF FUN!  We went thursday for her one hour introductory class... she was all for going to school---- until we got there and she saw all the people.  Then she decided she wanted to go back home instead :)  But we ran into Presley and Sharon when she was starting to cry and Presley gave her a hug and told her not to be scared.  That she was going to love Mrs. Kohn and have so much fun.  I think that helped enormously, although she still cried when I left and her teacher had to hold her.  But when I came back Mrs. Kohn said she quit crying immediately and did great!  And Jace was so excited and said she had so much fun and really liked Mrs. Kohn.  So I feel good about it.  She'll probably cry for the first few weeks when I drop her off but it's only for 3 hours and I think in the long run she's really going to love it!

Yesterday was my mom's bday!  She's coming to visit on tuesday---- Yaay!  She'll be here for a week for a visit and all her check ups that she has to do every 6 months.  She got some news on thursday that could potentially not be wonderful.... so if we could all just add a general prayer for her to our lists that would be wonderful :)  I'll share more when it's appropriate too!

My poor husband has been working so hard and so much that it's barely left him any time to do anything at home.  Especially because when he is home he wants to play with the girls NOT do boring routine household chores.  But it can't be helped today..... he's got some stuff that he's got to do, especially before my mother gets here :)  But first we are going to a pancake breakfast for a fundraiser for Emily's (Michelle's daughter) dance team!  That'll be fun!  Then we are going to come back here and do some stuff.... my ever industrious MIL, Vicki, is going to come and help us.  It's nice to have someone who LOVES to clean, and is just simply generous with their time :)

Look what 10 minutes can get you with a 3 yr old and 1 1/2 yr old......

I was only doing some laundry.....

this area's not TOO bad......

ah.... here it is...... the crowning glory of their destruction.....

the oldest culprit..... man... she's just POOPED after her unbridled chaos.....

the youngest culprit.... she's hiding her face in shame...... (NOT!  she's really laughing at me under those little hands.)