Christmas Reflections

I haven't yet posted anything about Christmas because I left my camera at my parents' house so I have no pictures to show. We had a great time, though. Little Sissy got over her "pukes" by Friday morning. I was so glad because Saturday we got together with Hubby's family. His brother has 4 children, and I didn't want to pass them anything. Everything was going well, we had presents opened, sweets eaten, and were starting a game of Canasta (family tradition) when Big Sissy started her round of the pukes. She tried to warn me in her 3-year-old way. She said she had a baby in her belly moving all around. I just thought it was cute since we had just been watching my belly move all around. She said that if I picked her up to wash her hands it would hurt the baby and then *kaboom*. It happened. After I got the bathroom all cleaned up, I emerged covered in vomit (again). Thankfully that was the end of that. I went to church briefly Sunday morning. Hubby kept the girls home just in case, but everyone was fine.

We spent all day Sunday packing our stuff and all our groceries for baking the entire weekend and went to IL for my mom's family party on Sunday night. Monday night we had Hubby's dad's family party, then Tuesday morning we did Christmas with my family. In the afternoon we met with my dad's family. It was busy and we were all exhausted, but it was good to celebrate with everyone. Wednesday I literally didn't get out of my pajamas all day (neither did the girls). We all had a nap, thankfully, and today I feel kind of back to normal. I spent last night at Target trying to figure out a way to organize all the girls' new stuff. I'm not sure I'm happy with the outcome, but at least it mostly all has a home.

On another note, I had a doctor appt. today. I'll be 33 weeks on Saturday. Of course I gained too much weight. I fully expected that at a visit 2 days after Christmas. My nephew got a new "Green Machine" toy that has a weight limit of 180. Let's just say it's a good thing I didn't get on. Wearing shoes might have put me over the limit. Yikes!!! I've gained as much weight already as I gained by the end with the girls. Hopefully the next 6 weeks will be minimal in that area. I'm very ready to have this child. Of course seeing every family member possible in the last few days, I had lots of reminders of how big I am. Let me just say....I KNOW!!!! My grandma even called me the next day to say she just hates to see me so big. Not sure what I can do about it now, Grandma. :) I purposely haven't taken any belly pictures, but I'm thinking I should just to remember this. Every time I went Christmas shopping I wondered if security thought I was smuggling basketballs or something. Oh, well. It's all good. In the end it will be a beautiful child and my belly will be forgotten (or at least faded from the limelight). I thought a lot this season about Mary and Joseph. Mary must have been a very strong woman! And I think I have things to complain about, like the nursery not being ready. Mary puts it into perspective for me.

I'm not trying to switch the focus from Baby Jesus to Mary. We all know who the key player is in that story, but I'm thankful this year that Mary is favored by God for the part she played. It's an encouragement to me. I hope you all had a blessed holiday and that your New Year is full of hope for the future and thankfulness for blessings past.

Mommy Test

I feel like I've been tested as a Mommy tonight. I've been really fortunate that my kids don't get sick much. Big Sissy has only vomited once, and it happened in her bed. Hubby was there, and we just worked together to get her cleaned up and sheets changed, etc. But tonight...oh, boy. Hubby is working double shifts, of course, and Little Sissy has SOMETHING. I've been vomited on numerous times. Every time I get something cleaned up it happens somewhere else. Thankfully she went to bed at 7, so I've been cleaning and disinfecting things. Lamby took the brunt of it. Of course she was holding on tight to him since she didn't feel good, but then once he was drenched she still wanted to suck on his tail. Eeeeewwww. He is clean now, so I have to hurry him upstairs before she wakes up and notices. I'm sure her bed is a mess. At the end of the day, when Big Sissy and I were FINALLY sitting down to supper (around 7:30), I asked her what her favorite part of the day was. She said, "Helping you clean up the floors." There's something both sad and endearing about that. Could be a long night.

Indian Princess

Our cousin in Malaysia sent Big Sissy an Indian princess costume for her birthday. It arrived today. Both girls loved all the bling bling. Here is our little Indian princess. She had a little trouble keeping the straps up. Thank goodness for the little shawl! :) I don't know what this look is in the 2nd picture, but look out Indian princes!

Christmas Snow!

We got our first real snow of the year this weekend. Yeah! Big Sissy had a great time playing in it and building her own snow man/mound. Little Sissy tolerated it. She sat in it and held Lamby until I took her in.

Big Sissy's Moving Story

Tonight Big Sissy was feeling very chatty, and she started telling me a story that she made up. It started out very silly and she was giggling about her baby doll named Baby Molly who was pooping all over everything, etc. She went on and on, though, and after a while there was a shark who came along in the big ocean and ate her mommy and daddy and Little Sissy. The doctor had to get her a new family. Then she fell into the ocean and started to sink. She called for Mommy, but it was her new Mommy, etc. The next thing I know she actually had tears in her eyes. She was making her own story so sad it was making her cry!!! She's had some nightmares lately, and I can see how her vivid imagination can just completely get out of control. I wasn't sure what to do. I didn't want to thwart her imagination, but I didn't want her to be getting so emotional over a made up story, either. I tried to help her think of a happy ending, then I quickly said, "The End." Yikes! Any ideas for how to handle this kind of imagination?

Our New Nativity Scene

I don't have a "grown up" nativity set. There's probably something wrong with that. That's on a to-do list for someday--to find one I like. Big Sissy is really learning the Christmas story this year, though. The only problem is that she gets Baby Jesus confused with Baby Moses sometimes. They're both in these basket-like carriers in all the pictures. I've tried to explain that Baby Jesus is much more important than Baby Moses, but she still kind of likes Moses better (probably because there's a princess in his story).

I saw this cute Little People nativity set in the Christian bookstore ad, but apparently they're quite the hit. The store has been out of them since October and can't even order more. Once the lady told me I couldn't have one, I was determined to get one. I found it on sale through the Fisher Price website for much cheaper than the bookstore was selling them, so I was very happy about that. We didn't do any kind of formal "unveiling of the nativity." I just let the girls tear into it. After I left the scene of the excitement, Big Sissy ran down the hall to tell me a piece was missing. Thinking we already had a donkey lost in the couch, I asked her what she meant. She said, "I looked and looked, and there's no King Herod anywhere." I don't know if she knows that from her Toddler Bible we read from or from church, but I am always amazed at what she already knows.

Random

I often find things in weird places with 2 toddlers--toothbrushes in the hamper, remotes in the toy box. I was sitting down to use the bathroom (try not to picture that), and I looked up to see this on the door. It just made me laugh.

The Rest of the Christmas Card Saga

I FINALLY got Christmas cards out today. After a disappointing session at the portrait place (see previous blog entry), I decided to use what I had and order cards through Snapfish. It would have cost almost $200 to get enough of the cards I really wanted, so I settled on something else. I was OK with that; it just meant that I had to send a separate "Brimm Family letter." (The other one was newsletter style). So I typed in my few lines of text and ordered them. They arrived just after finals--perfect timing--but the top half of the first line and the bottom half of the last line was completely cut off. AAAHHH!!! Why didn't Snapfish just give me a message saying, "Sorry. You don't have enough room to keep talking, Mrs. B"? Because it's already well into December I decided not to fight it and just print labels with the words I wanted to put over the messed up words.

Then I printed 80 of my update letters only to discover a huge typo when I was stuffing them into envelopes. I have a mental list of exactly who will notice and who will give me a hard time about being an editor and all, but after having to refill the ink cartridge twice in this process, I decided to just go with a "tacky Christmas" theme. I finally got them all addressed and took them to the post office today. My number was 99, and they were currently servicing customer # 78. I took the first available seat (I'm getting quite large and off-balance these days) and struck up a nice conversation with an older lady who actually should have been sitting on the bench. When I looked up at the digital screen, they were on 03. Somehow I missed my number being called. Thankfully, 04 let me go ahead and cut in to get my stamps and I hurried home before anything else could possibly happen with these Christmas cards.

So if you don't get a card from me, just assume it's lost in the mail. :) I actually do love sending Christmas cards; this has just been a strange year. May you have a warm and joyous season of celebrating Christ's birth! And may you avoid the post office if at all possible.

It Is Finished

It is finished, and it is only just begun. I took my last final for my Master of Arts degree tonight. I'm breathing a huge sigh of relief because it has been a difficult year trying to do school with 2 little ones. After the final I had to go home and revise my testimony I turned in 9 years ago when I applied to Covenant. I am humbled to have had the opportunity to sit under the tutelage of the godly professors here, and I feel like the work in my heart has only just begun. I want to share with you one paragraph from my testimony.

Sometimes I get restless in my desire to be more involved in ministry. I dream of writing Bible studies, teaching, and doing some missions work. When I look at the context God has placed me in, though, I realize this is not the time. For now I am called to show God’s love to my children and teach them His ways. This is sometimes a daunting task because there are no holidays, no time off, and certainly no monetary compensation. It is through this that God is teaching me some new things and continuing to sanctify me. I am learning contentment, patience, service, and joy in the mundane. For a person who likes new challenges this is quite an adjustment. I feel so blessed, though, and truly feel called to be mama to these children.

So seminary is done. It is bittersweet for me because even though it was hard, I loved it. But the learning is only just begun. Now my teachers are just 3 years old and under. It is humbling and amazing at the same time. May I never stop learning and growing.

Let's Hug Forever

I think I've posted on this subject before, but Big Sissy has been quite a challenge for the last several months. She's learning to be independent, but if she needs help or you do something for her that she wanted to do herself, it turns into a full-blown tantrum/ordeal that sometimes ends in tears for all of us (literally). I keep thinking it's getting better, and then Monday she did it at Chic-Fil-A. How embarrassing. I felt like everyone was watching to see if (1) my child had some kind of disorder that would make one behave that way and (2) what I would do to handle it. I hate being watched. She literally kicked off her shoe in the tantrum, and some kind lady kept it on her table until we returned from the tantrum in the bathroom.

But...she still has her sweet little girl moments, which gets us through the hard days. Tonight I was hugging her good night. She gave me the sweetest hug and said, "Mommy, I wish we could just hug forever." Oh, how I wish we could too!!!! I love those moments. Let's just hug forever and forget potty training, learning to get dressed, eating vegetables, and trying to get anywhere on time. What do those things really matter anyway?

Trampoline Tricks

You know that new trampoline we got for Big Sissy because she loves to jump so much? Turns out she'd rather jump on her bed/the couch/our bed/anywhere but the trampoline. Here's what she does with the trampoline.

Organization Tips

Today at MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) the speaker was a professional organizer. I was soaking it all in. I think I used to be organized, but now I am usually in survival mode. I did get some great ideas, though, so I thought I'd pass them on.

* Get a "tickler file." She uses an accordion-style folder that has each section labeled 1-31. If you have a bill due on a certain day, put it in that day's number. If you have a birthday party on a certain day, put the invitation and directions in that day. You get the idea. Then have a master planner that just gives the basics (ie. Joe's birthday party). I hang EVERYTHING on my refrigerator, so this would really help the clutter!

*Hang a "mommy inbox" by the front door. This is where mail, report cards, permission slips you need to sign, and anything you need to take care of goes. Take 15 minutes at the end of each day to go through it, then file what needs filed, sign what needs signed, put things back in the kids' backpacks, throw away things. Go through it every day.

*Try a cleaning schedule. Either you can tackle one task per day to make sure it all gets done weekly, or you can schedule 40 minutes per day and just decide what needs done that day. That way it doesn't pile up. Kids can help--maybe even do a 10-minute "blitz" with a timer so it's kind of fun and competitive.

*Always keep a box for give-away items. If you don't use something, put it in the box. If you get something new, put 2 things in the box. Every time you pass a Goodwill or your favorite charity, take the box with you. This keeps clutter from staying in your closets.

*Tackle one room per month for deep cleaning/organizing. Just don't try to organize while you're cleaning or you'll never get done. Keep them separate.

*Keep a basket on each floor of your house for things that don't belong on that floor. Instead of putting things away one at a time, throw them in the basket and then take it with you when you're done. Then you can put everything else where it goes.

*Always keep a running grocery list and "everything else" list. That way you don't have to take the time to look around or try to remember when it's time to do shopping. (My sister made a great grocery list on Excel that you can just print and circle your regular items).

*Make the most of your minutes. Plan to be early to things in case you get stuck in traffic. If you are early, use that time to jot your thank you note, make a phone call, make a list, etc. Clean the bathroom while your toddler is playing in the bathtub. You have to be in there anyway.

*Have an under-the-bed storage box for each kids' artwork. Only keep the masterpieces that they would appreciate later. Rotate the rest from the display area to the trash.

There was more, but these are the things that stuck with me. I LOVE organizing tips. If you have any others, I would love to hear them.

Christmas Photos

We planned for today to be the kids' Christmas photo day, where we were going to get some really cute pictures of them at Portrait Innovations and get Christmas cards made. Little Sissy fell asleep on the way there, unfortunately. Luckily, we had planned to get some made of Big Sissy by herself since she just turned 3. Those turned out great. She was a little ham. Once Little Sissy woke up, though, she never really stopped being clingy and her nose kept running and her nose was turning more and more red. We didn't get a single "Christmas card worthy" photo of the 2 girls together. I'm not sure if we'll try again or what. I hate to keep spending the money on more pictures! Anyway, here are the ones that turned out well. They are cute. Too bad they couldn't do a card with 2 pictures on it. Then we would just put the 2 individual pictures on there. Bummer! Enjoy the cute pics, though!

Thanksgiving Memories

Four blogs in one day...must be finals week. :) That's usually when I catch up on everything else I need to do. Aunt Saundra and Nana usually organize a craft for the kids after the meal on Thanksgiving, so here are some shots of craft time. In case you're wondering about the little "hippie" girl, she put her headband on all by herself.

Meanwhile, Little Sissy was playing with toys and Aunt Darla in another room. Poor baby had a bloody, runny nose all day. Silly mommy should have wiped it BEFORE I took all the pictures. Oops. I just thought she was so cute.

OK, one more. This is Big Sissy preparing a feast for all her babies. How cute is this?!

Sleeping Friend

While at the circus I noticed that the "night" setting on my camera didn't work. I thought it might be because of the other little lights around (exit signs, ring of fire, etc.), so I tried it out at home. It's weird to use this setting because it has to be totally dark, so you can't see anything through the viewfinder. I got lucky and captured my sweet baby snuggling with her lamby as she slept. I love these moments.

Circus Pony

I haven't blogged much lately because I'm supposed to be focused on school, but I need a break and I want to write something fun. Last Saturday we went to the circus, and Big Sissy got to ride a pony. Hubby's parents went too, and they bought her a blow-up Dora the Explorer on a stick. Why they make toys on long sticks for children I cannot figure out (especially when the seats are close together the sticks are longer than the allotted space between people). Anyway...she had a great time. We couldn't convince her to ride an elephant--maybe next time. Here are some pics of her on a pony.

Black Friday

My sisters and I always shop on "black Friday," which is a great time for us to hang out and get that last-minute shopping done. I must admit that sometimes my mood is a bit black at the end of the day because I don't love crowds or waiting in line, but today was really nice. Instead of shopping in Illinois, where there is basically one mall for the entire Metro-East area, we shopped in St. Louis. Maybe people were afraid of the highway construction or afraid of the crowds and lines, but we got to the Galleria at 7 and had tons of options for parking. We ate breakfast inside the mall and got our food right away. Then we shopped and had normal weekend-type lines but no worse than that. We were actually ready to switch malls by 10 a.m. The Mills was definitely more crowded, but then it's often crowded on the weekend. Still we hit Bed, Bath & Beyond, Old Navy, Burlington, Archiver's and were eating a nice lunch at Chevy's by about noon (with a very short wait). The only thing black about today were my shoes, which were black in color but also rubbing blisters on my feet all day. That was my fault for trying out new shoes on a shopping day. It's kind of like trying a new recipe on a day when you're having company...not a good idea. Anyway...I love this day to catch up with my sisters. And my shopping is very nearly done.

Hubby didn't fare so well, unfortunately. He was kind enough to take care of the girls until I got home. Big Sissy was especially whiny and clingy, which was hard, but by lunch it became clear that she had a fever. Her volunteering to "rest" at several points during the day was proof that she wasn't feeling well! She fell asleep on the couch at around 8 and didn't even whimper when we carried her to her bed. Little Sissy was also grabbing her blanket and lamby and reaching for her bed around 8:30. Weird...both kids begging to go to bed. It's kind of nice but I wish they would do that and feel well at the same time.

I feel like I soaked in Thanksgiving, which might be my favorite holiday, and now I'm ready for Christmas. Too bad I still have 12 chapters of a commentary to read, a 5-page paper to write, and a final exam to study for in the next week. After that, though, I will be exuding Christmas Spirit! :) So Black Friday was really quite bright for me. For America's sake, hopefully the stores are also in the black after today. What would happen to our economy if everyone stopped buying Christmas presents and made homemade gifts? Hmmm...I guess that's a subject for another blog on another day.

Happy Thanksgiving

I've been so busy (and hormonal) lately that I have forgotten to be thankful. I am forcing myself to take time to think this through because I really do have so much to be thankful for!

* Thanks that I only have 2 weeks left of school!
* Thanks that we get to have a 3rd child soon.
* Thanks for a wonderful family to celebrate with.
* Thanks for Hubby's job and the provision for our needs.
* Thanks for a church to call home and friends to walk through life with.
* Thanks for health in our family. Little Sissy has a cold right now, which I hate, but it's nothing compared to the life-threatening and debilitating diseases many moms have to watch their children suffer through.
* Thanks for salvation. So many live in utter darkness and helplessness.

We've been having Big Sissy tell God thank you for something every night. She almost always says, "Thank you, God, for all my books." It seems so simple, but it's a good lesson in thanking God for the little things. My own prayer is simple. Thank you, God, for my books, and light and heat and a coat to wear and a car to drive and people to love. Amen.

Happy Birthday, Big Sissy!

Our baby girl turned 3 today. We have been counting down the months/days for a long time now, so today was very exciting. Nana and Papa took her to McDonalds and Build-A-Bear workshop for a special day. She got a mama AND a baby kitty, which she was so excited about. Mom said she wanted everything sparkly, so the kitty has a sparkly shirt and pink sparkly shoes, but she also is wearing jeans and a cowgirl hat. I think I have a little Texan on my hands. :) She came home to a birthday party complete with a Hello Kitty cake, balloons, cake, ice cream, and about 17 family members congratulating her. Mommy and Daddy got her a fun trampoline with handles, which she and Little Sissy just went to town on. Happy Birthday, big girl. You are our precious gift from God!

Our Toy Story

For several months Little Sissy has been attached to a cute little Baby Gund, what-used-to-be-pink lamby. It used to say "Now I lay me down to sleep..." when you pressed his belly. Thankfully that stopped working long ago. Today even the little blanket that was attached fell off. Several times I've taken it away after she fell asleep in order to wash it. She inevitably wakes up in the middle of the night looking for it, though, so I've had to put it back in her bed soaking wet several times. Unfortunately, it has been discontinued. I finally found it online, though, and ordered her a new one. I couldn't believe the difference between the new and the old. Instead of being excited, though, she gave the new one a kiss, threw it on the ground, and then snuggled with her old one. I guess I'm going to have to start roughing it up if I have any hope of having a replacement.


Here's a picture of the difference. Notice the particularly nasty tail on the old one. This is her chewing spot. The 2nd picture is Little Sissy with old lamby. I can't figure out how to put labels under the pictures...

Bedside Manner

I am kicking myself for not switching doctors before now. I'm nearing the time that I have to see him every week, and he is SO RUDE!!! When we were struggling with infertility, we got a particularly bad test result and his response to me was, "See. It's a good thing you never got pregnant because you'd never be able to carry it full-term anyway." What encouragement. Today he said, "You better start watching your weight. I see you have on your BIG clothes today." Uggghhh. I am definitely seeing a woman after this. It's just that for the past few years every time I started thinking about switching, I was pregnant again. My file must be a nightmare, so I need to commit to a new one before I ask for all that paperwork to be copied.

So, just for the record....never say these things to a pregnant woman.

Deceptively Shallow

We spent the weekend with our good friends that I knew from my days in Springfield. It's so refreshing to be with that group. We had good food and good conversation. I love that this group can talk about theology, finances, nutrition, exercise, and even grammar. One conversation we had centered around the phrase, "The pool is deceptively shallow." Does that mean the pool is deep or that the pool is shallow?After looking it up on dictionary.com, we found out that it is truly just vague and that it can go either way. I love that I can even have this conversation with people. Hubby usually makes fun of me for thinking about grammar. So thanks, guys, for indulging my love for fun, conversation, and grammar. I'm not sure if you are deceptively shallow or not, but I had a great time!

Health Assessment

I had to take a health assessment for UPS to get a $50 credit towards our flexible spending plan. I'll do nearly anything for money (within ethical and legal boundaries, of course), so I just spent 20 minutes realizing how lethargic I am. Yikes! I don't even do moderate exercise one time a week right now. Amazing how circumstances have changed my life. There was a time when I was single (and had nothing else to do, apparently) when I worked out for an hour and a half every day, then went for walks with my friends in the evenings. I was good with yogurt and granola for breakfast, veggies for lunch, and salad for dinner. Then I got married, and after a yummy salad for dinner, my husband said, "That was good. Now what's for supper?" Maybe I can blame him for the 15'ish additional pounds (when I'm not pregnant). Anyway...it's a good thing I don't smoke or drink and wear my seatbelt or we may not qualify for insurance. :)

This is a bad time to sign up at the gym, but I am determined to do it once I have this child. Anyone want to join me? I'll try again to motivate you after the holidays are over, I'm recovered, the frozen tundra has thawed outside, etc. In the meantime, Sam's Club has a Cheesecake Factory Pumpkin Cheesecake that looks perfect for Thanksgiving. Yum...

Reminiscing Last Halloween

Halloween has been a good reminder of how quickly the children are growing up. Last year, for example, Big Sissy got a banana at each Grandma's house and was TOTALLY excited about that. Little Sissy just slept mostly. This year Big Sissy knows to beg for candy, and Little Sissy at least wants the good kid snacks. Next year I'll have a 9-month old at this time. What a whirlwind!

Trick or Treat

Since our kids are still little, our trick or treating consisted of going to Nana's house for some nice mommy-approved treats. Big Sissy worked hard at being good all day long so she could have candy (she had acted ugly at the zoo and had to forfeit her candy on Saturday). She was totally excited to have vanilla pudding and a kitty cat (Kit Kat). Little Sissy got cinnamon sticks...yummy.

Mini vacation

Hubby's brother and his family came to visit from Indiana last weekend, so we all went to the Magic House and the Butterfly House together. After the weekend was over, I realized we took very few pictures. None of them are especially post-worthy, but I'm posting them anyway for the sake of the memories. It was lots of fun, which is probably why we forgot to take pictures.

Our "new" clothes

When I was young, I always thought I would be a missionary. I pictured getting barrels of people's hand-me-downs clothes and letting my kids rummage through them for their new treasures. I'm not a missionary, but we still get bags of clothes from some sweet family members and friends who are finished with them. It's always fun going through our "new" clothes.

It's Football Season!

I have class on Monday nights, so I leave the care of the girls to Hubby while I'm gone. Lately I've noticed that things don't get picked up like they used to, sometimes there's no time for a bath, etc. I haven't complained because I just need a night out. Tonight Big Sissy gave away what's really going on while I'm away. She laid down flat on the couch, turned the TV on, and said, "I'm watching football." I'm pretty sure she didn't come up with that one on her own!! This is what happens on Monday nights. Aaahhh....football season.

Trophies

Tonight at church we had an "egg drop contest," where the kids built a contraption with a given set of materials to see whose egg could withstand a drop at 6 ft., 9 ft., etc. At the end of the contest, one of my little girls was in tears because she "just doesn't have a talent." Her brother has won trophies for basketball, her sister has won trophies for singing, and she couldn't even win a trophy for an egg drop. I sort of know what she's talking about. I have won a few trophies, but they're all for spelling bees. Once you're my age, no one really cares if you can spell. As long as I can read to my children, they're happy. There's spellcheck for everything else. But it occurred to me that some of us just have talents that will never be trophy-worthy. In the ministry (at least the way I grew up), you need to be able to sing and play the piano. Boys need to be able to preach and play sports. But what kind of talent is God wanting to give trophies for? Obedience, faith, trust in Him, sacrifice... The world would never give trophies for this, so it's hard to convince someone of its value. But for those of us who are not athletic and would rather hang by our toenails than sing a solo or play the piano in public, hope is not lost. My prayer today is that the Holy Spirit would develop these things in my life, knowing the reward will never be seen by man. In the meantime, my goal is to look for things in others that may not be trophy-worthy but are clear marks of God's handiwork in their lives.

Time Machine

I feel like someone put my daughter in a time machine the last 2 months and skipped her ahead to somewhere in the pre-adolescent years. First of all, her moods have looked like a very hormonal young woman lately. If she could storm off and speed away in her car, I'm sure she would. All of a sudden she wants to do EVERYTHING by herself. If I turn on the light in the bathroom, she goes back and turns it off so she can turn it on by herself. Tonight when it was time to potty, she said, "Mommy, can you stand outside so I can have some privacy, please?" What in the world?!!! At least she used manners, but what 2-year-old won't let her mommy in the bathroom because she needs privacy? I obliged because I was about to laugh. We're definitely leaving the baby years behind. Every now and then she still wants to sit on my lap and cuddle, and I'm cherishing those moments.

Scary Night

On Wednesdays Hubby and I help with the kids' program at our church. It's geared for the neighborhood kids, and they have parenting classes to entice the parents to stay. As an extra incentive (for all of us), they serve dinner at the church beforehand for only $1. It's a beautiful thing. So last night I'm taking Big Sissy through the line while Hubby gets Little Sissy situated in one of those chairs that hooks right onto the table. I'm walking back to our table when I see the pastor's wife, one of the nurses in the church, and several other people gathered in a circle around something (or someone) on the floor. Then I see the chair on the ground. Apparently the little latch that keeps the chair from falling off just broke and down went Little Sissy to the ground. Of course I panicked, but she calmed down fairly quickly once I took her and right away after that started chowing down on the mostaccioli. I think she's just fine, but FREAK OUT!!! Big Sissy had her "lovey" on the floor, a stuffed cat, and I'm wondering if maybe that shielded Little Sissy's head when she fell. God's angels are busy in our family, and I'm thinking they must have a special angel team for children who use those chairs that hook to the tables. Right before church I had given Little Sissy her first "big girl bath" with no baby seat in the tub. She was sliding all over the place, not really knowing what was going on. She must wonder what kind of parents would put a naked baby in a slippery tub and then put the same wiggly baby in one of those crazy chairs. Maybe tomorrow we'll put her in a wagon, push it down the hill, and see what happens. (just joking, DFS!!!)

Ultrasound

I'm now 20 weeks pregnant, so today we got to go do the big ultrasound. All along I've been saying how sure I am that it's a girl because everything feels the same as my other pregnancies. I'm not sick at all, I feel some movement but not excessive, I'm huge, etc. Hubby got to go with me to the appointment today, and just on the way there I finally admitted that God might surprise us. "You know," says I, "if we're ever going to have a boy, this is the last chance." We hope to adopt someday, but it would be from China probably and so probably a girl. This is my last biological child, which I'm a little sad about, but I can't keep having c-sections. Anyway...I was just thinking how cool it would be if I didn't really have it all figured out. So the ultrasound person starts looking for spina bifida and ask she's going down the spine I think I see something that I've never seen before. Of course, I don't know what I'm looking at so I ignore it. But then the moment of truth....clear as day. There it is. It's DEFINITELY a boy. He (baby boy) was so proud to show off for us, and he (daddy) was also pretty proud. :) I feel a little giddy, partly with fear of the unknown but mostly excitement that I actually am surprised. I don't always like God's surprises, I must admit, but this one is awesome. Poor boy just might be wearing pink for a while...

One Night with the King

Big Sissy was watching the Veggie Tales version of "Esther," where all the girls were performing to win the title of Queen. She got inspired to do her own rendition of "Wheels on the Bus," which was just so cute. Doesn't every king love "Wheels on the Bus"?

Two Thoughts Converging

Last night in my class we were talking about kingdom theology. This is the idea that we Christians are to seek first the kingdom of God and to pray that his will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In Ancient Near Eastern culture, one way the king established his dominion was by multiplying his image throughout the kingdom (typically statues, etc.). God, our King, is establishing His dominion by multiplying His image through humans, those made in His image. Thus the command to be fruitful and multiply, subdue the earth and rule it, etc. As Christians, we actually have a responsibility to have children and to train them to follow God. Interesting, isn't it? In our world where children are viewed as an inconvenience and more than 2 is definitely viewed as odd...

So today at MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), we had a panel discussion on homeschooling vs. private schools vs. public schools and the pros and cons of each. It was really enlightening, and no one was overbearing in their opinion. My "take away" thought, though, was that no matter what we choose we have an obligation to be involved. Even if we choose private school, it is no one else's job to train our children in the things of the Lord. If we choose public school, we better be getting our little tails over there to get to know the teachers, the principals, the curriculum, our children's friends, etc. I'm not saying we shouldn't let our children breathe, but we need to know what other sources they are being influenced by. I always say I will never homeschool. I'm still not sold on it, but after today I'm more open to the idea. There are so many more options out there now (ie. doing a hybrid with the public schools, community college, professionals in the area willing to teach a certain subject, etc.).

I started to get a little smug last night that I was doing my part in building God's kingdom (having 3 children in 4 years), but then the weight of the responsibility sunk in. First, I'm just thankful that God has allowed us to have children. Not everyone can, and that doesn't make them less obedient to God. But then bearing the children is only the beginning. Now their souls are at stake, not to mention the souls of all the others God has placed in my life (and in missions fields). Thankfully God is in charge, not me. I would be crushed under the weight of all this, but it is a little sobering to think about how complacent I have become. God has initiated this covenant with me; now it is my turn to respond. What does this mean exactly? I have no idea, but I am at least motivated to start seeking the answer to that question.

Pictures from the Park

These are some cute pictures from the park last week. We tried to go to the Butterfly House, but they are closed on Mondays. They still had fun just playing at the park. In the last picture you can barely see Big Sissy, who was supposed to be "holding" Little Sissy while they went down the slide. I don't think that really happened, but all turned out well.

Weekend Update

We had a GREAT relaxing weekend. It was crazy for a little while Friday while all Hubby's family was here to have a birthday party and we were still packing the car, trying to show them where everything was in the house, give gifts, cut cake, etc. But once we got there, it was so relaxing. My homework just didn't get done. Oh well. There's always next week.

Saturday morning Hubby and Big Sissy did their first letter boxing and geocaching outing. Big Sissy loved going for a walk to look for treasures. She did get an ouchy when she fell on the trail, but she still felt like a big kid for getting to go. I stayed back with the napping little one, but later I got to go on a boat ride with Big Sissy while Daddy stayed back. The kids and daddies went fishing that night, and some of them caught some catfish in the lake. Sunday morning we had breakfast duty (the families took turns being in charge of the meals). After that was over, we worked together to clean the place and then my family went to the outlet mall for a little while before we headed home. I wish I always had 3 other families helping me clean and cook!

We still haven't heard whether Hubby has to go to Salt Lake City. I hope that means he doesn't have to go or it's going to be really crazy tomorrow! At least I feel much more relaxed now and ready to face a new week. It was great to be able to spend time with our small group, getting to know them better, and time to just hang out as a family.

What Am I Thinking?!

Today I am completely overwhelmed with all I have to do, so instead of doing it, I'll just tell you about it. Now that fall has started, Mondays I have class. This week alone my assignment is to watch 2 video lectures, fill out the accompanying study guides, write a 2-4 page paper over each lecture, memorize 11 crucial dates in church history for a quiz on Monday, read the entire Book of Hosea, read the intro to the study Bible I had to buy just for this class, and read 4 chapters in a commentary.

Tuesdays I go to MOPS, which has no homework (thankfully). Wednesdays I am a shepherd for our kids' program at our church. That just means I stay with the same group of girls and guide them through applying the Bible time, help them do their crafts, etc. They're really cute girls. They're K-2nd grade. Thursdays Hubby is trying to spend time with us. This week on Friday (tomorrow) I'm having a friend over for lunch, then my in-laws (all of them, including the 6 from Indiana) are coming to our house for my niece's birthday party at 3, then we leave for the lake with our small group at 6'ish. I'm really excited about all of this, but this means I need to be cleaning my house (the in-laws from Indiana are staying at our house all weekend while we're gone), grocery shopping, writing papers, packing--all tonight. Since it's already 10:30... It feels like finals week all of a sudden.

Oh, and to top it all off, Hubby told me tonight there's a chance UPS might send him to Salt Lake City, UT, for the next few months. He'd come home only on the weekends. Some kind of emergency there and they "need" him (what about us?!) If this happens, he'll leave Monday. He gave them our sad story about a 2-year-old, a 1-year-old, and I'm pg, but UPS does what UPS wants to do. This seems like a good time for a chocolate donut binge with lots of coffee. Since I'm pg, I guess I'll go have some chocolate milk and try to focus on the tasks ahead. What am I thinking?!

Last Class

Tonight I started my last class at seminary. I've been working on this degree for 8 1/2 years, so this is a victory that I've arrived at my last class. It's a little sad at the same time. For one, it's a guaranteed night out each week. Now that Little Sissy is weaned (yeah!), it's much easier to put her to bed so Daddy is happy about that. Also, I just love classes. Right now I'm taking OT Prophets, which I'm totally intimidated by. I may not do well in the class, but I need to just go where I've been scared to go before. I'm scared partly because I just don't understand it and scared partly because I've grown up with all the charts and evangelists and bad predictions, etc. This class is sort of like medicine; it kind of tastes bad going down but is really good for me. Poor Hubby has to wait until I get home at 9:30 to go to work. This is the latest he's ever worked. We'll see how it goes... Tomorrow we start MOPS, so at least we'll be out of the house for a few hours in the morning while he sleeps.

Baby Dedication

Today we (finally) had Little Sissy dedicated. I wanted to do it before she was a year old, but we've had so many dilemmas in the past year...like do we baptize or dedicate? For that matter, where do we even go to church? We moved in January and have been bouncing around ever since. Just last month we finally decided to go back to the church we attended a couple of years ago. Of course there are some things I don't love about it, but that's always going to be the case. The important thing is that the people love God, teach the Bible faithfully, and love us well. It feels like home to be back.

Hubby got to take the microphone briefly and talk again about the grace of God in our lives allowing us to have 2 children after such difficulty even conceiving the first one (thus the name of our child). And then we got to share the news that we're having another one, which I'm sure answered many people's questions since I am really starting to blossom. :) God's grace is so amazing, and today was another reminder as we stood before a congregation of people and promised again to give our children to the Lord for His service and to teach them faithfully about God. What a responsibility! Little Sissy was quite the charmer and I'm not sure the people got to hear all of what the pastor was saying. She was working the crowd, waving to everyone. I missed much of it too, because Big Sissy was sitting spread eagle on the platform when I noticed that she wasn't right beside me. Both sets of grandparents got to attend, and that was special to us.

Busy Week!

We've had a super busy week and I haven't had time to post, so I have a lot to catch up on. Monday was Labor Day, and we drove to my hometown (for the 3rd time in 1 week) to go to the Homecoming. It's a tradition there. Friday night is the homecoming football game and then there's a carnival in town that the whole town attends. The last few years I have had to go to the beer tent to see most of the people I graduated with. They are always surprised to see me there but too drunk to realize I'm still not drinking. Anyway, now many of us have children and so I get to see people from high school at the kiddy rides.

Wednesday I took Little Sissy for her 1 year doctor visit. She's healthy but gained less than a pound between her 9 month visit and 12 month visit. She's dropped down to the 37th percentile for weight. That's a big shift, since we've always been around the 90th percentile! Thursday I went to the doctor to check out Tiny Baby. I heard a good heartbeat, and the next visit I'll have the big ultrasound to find out the sex. Exciting!!!! Then Friday we took Little Sissy for her big one-year photo shoot. We discovered a new place called Portrait Innovations, which I love. They do everything digitally and print them that day. We were there about 2 hours and spent WAY too much money, but this is the first time we've ever had really good pictures of Little Sissy. I got to keep the "free" CD, so I can legally post some of the pictures.