The middle child...

You know that phrase "good thing you're cute?" I say that (and think that) constantly about my little terror, ahem, I mean, middle child! I should have known at his birth that this was not going to be easy. He was probably the easiest pregnancy, labor, and delivery a mother could have hoped for. But boy by two weeks old I KNEW I had an adventure on my hands. And now? Well, I just NEED to write down a few things he's done in the last couple weeks so I don't forget these hilarious toddler events, albeit at the time they occurred I may not have laughed...

~Today at lunch we're sitting there eating our randomness, with my Harry Connick Jr./ Micheal Buble' pandora station playing in the living room (not that we could hear it, or so I thought). So there we are, chomping on celery and leftover bread sticks and Evan stops chewing, looks at me like he's really thinking, and yells out "wephomph!" Finish chewing and try again. "Nemo!" He gets down and runs to the living room and then starts crying and flailing and carrying on because Nemo was NOT on the tv. BUT, no thanks to Micheal Booby, 'Somewhere Beyond the Sea' WAS playing. (Which is the credit score for Finding Nemo in case you haven't watched it twenty times like some people.) Problem is it's only at my dad's. Arghh....

~Evan has gotten very temperamental about Luke talking to him. Or singing to him. Or looking at him.
"Don't. Talk. Me!"  "Don't. Sing. Me!"  "No! Me! Talk!" I do believe his first correct sentence was
 "He- hit-me!" Ok, I did discipline Luke for that one. But come on, kid, your brother is allowed to talk.

~ We've had our fair, scratch that, UNFAIR, share of colds this winter. At one time last month I was doping them up on meds three times a day- Luke for cough, Evan for congestion, and I came in one morning to find the medicine cabinet open and all the cough syrup drunk. At first I panicked...I'm an awful mom, how had I left a cap only partially screwed on? Am I going to have to have Evan's stomach pumped?? Then I realized there was only like a third of a bottle left in there, so...eh, he'll be fine right? At least he won't cough. Phew. Crisis averted. The stinkin' kid LOVES medicine! I have to force it down Luke's throat and then Evan just goes and guzzles it like juice? Oy.

He has also been known to: Eat toothpaste right out of the bottle. Climbed up on the counters to get into the peanut butter jar (which he told me happily after I came downstairs and found the remains on his cheeks and sleeves). Also chocolate truffles. Also has marker-ed on the walls, curtains, and futon cover. Of course himself too. (P.S. did you know those magic erasers thingies take marker off walls?! Give that inventor a treat!).

But then he wins over my heart every day with his little eyelashes, his little sentences and the way he says things. Falling down in what looks like a catastrophic way and then getting up and yelling "Ta-da!" like he meant to do that! The way he says "Ratatouille" (his new favorite movie). And 'wasp'...sounds like 'whops'. The way his little arms always get stuck when he's trying to get his shirt off. The way he looks for something and then says 'there i- is' when he finds it. "That's siwwy." He'll sneak up on me and then roar "ah-ha-ha"...

Love that little man.

(p.s. 1 in these photos, he's 2 1/2 now, but I just love these!)

Perspective

As the creepy old food critic guy in 'Ratatouille' so rightly demands, "I would like some fresh perspective. If you can give me that, I will go away a happy man." Or something like that.

Sometimes that's what we need. Nothing earth shattering, just summer squash prepared in a slightly different manner. Something that can make us stop and reflect, and be better for it. Here are a few such instances that have occurred for me in the last month or so. There's no plot or connection, just true stories to freshen up your spirit...

Perspective 1: Several weeks ago in a Bible study I attend, several of us young moms were going around the prayer group divulging our felt yet untrue failings as moms. "I'm so overwhelmed." "Please pray I have the self control to not yell at my kids!" "My son has some discipline issues I need wisdom with." You get the idea. Now I will say the one thing I love most about this group of ladies is the diversity. I'd say 25-85 is the age range, with everything in between. Our dear eighty-something member, who I'll call Mae just because I want this to be confidential, pipes up after a few of our 'please pray that I don't pull my hair out' rants. This is what she told us, with tears running down her sweet cheeks:

"I truly hope you won't be offended when I say you girls have it so good. Your kids have it so good! My mother told me everyday I was growing up that she didn't want me, that I was a mistake. I would come home from school and she'd be drunk. She used to beat me in her drunken rages with a cat-a-nine-tails. When I got my first job I would bring home my pay check and it went straight to her and I only got to keep any cents leftover. I do remember when I was about 16 I wanted to go out with a girlfriend somewhere. I asked my mother if I could go and she lost it (she had been drinking). I finally got up the courage to stand up to her so I sat on the couch and put my legs straight out so she couldn't get me. She never whipped me after that. I came to Christ two decades later, but it still took me longer than that to forgive my mother. You girls LOVE your children. And your children love you! Yes there are days you're not going to like and times when your kids are driving you nuts, but overall there is love in your homes!"

Perspective 2: At the playground today (thank you God it was nice enough to go outside!) we started at the wooden castle, then went on to the tot lot, and finally we checked out the blue playground just to get them all in...it has been forever! So as we head over to the blue one, I notice a group of handicapped men and women in the pavilion next to the play area. As I observe it seems there are 4-5 young women my age-ish taking care of severely handicapped people ranging in age from about 20-50  (about 5 of them). One of the young men who I'd say was 20 but had the intelligence of a 3 or 4 year old came to play with Luke and Evan. I asked the woman watching him what their group was and she said she's part of a day care program for disabled people to give their parents/ caregivers a break  (Supportive Concepts is what the agency is called). Extreme cases of autism, mental handicaps, Down's, as well as severe physical disabilities are what they specialize in. All I could think was 'wow- what a job'! I am so blessed to have healthy children, and I feel ashamed to complain about their simple colds when there are so many families out there (and I know several) that have disabled children to attend to on top of everything else. I made a point to show Luke the wheelchairs and to tell him that some people can't use their legs and arms or their brains like we do, but that God loves them just the same. I know he probably didn't understand or take much notice, but I pray he grows up with a heart of love for everyone God made, even, like Jesus said, "the least of these."

Perspective 3: I recently watched October Baby (and was a crying mess). I don't want to spoil it if you haven't seen it. Please watch it and you will be refreshed with how God can indeed work his healing into the most painful circumstances we humans can experience. It made me want to hug my babies a bit harder, and a bit longer, and tell them I love them a bit more often.

And when I screw up, God's always there, whispering in my tears: "I forgive you."


That's it for now.  Enjoy these beautiful summer-is-really-coming days!

Daddy-Daughter Date

At some blessed points in the cloudy skies of motherly weather, the sun shines (or the stars shine in this case) for a brief and wonderful 'time-out' that helps detract from the cold snowy spring days of misery. I exaggerate slightly. Or do I?? (Oh Spring, where art thou??!!)

At any rate, as fate would have it, I was driving my dad's truck this past Thursday, (that's another story) and he had the radio tuned to a Reading station on which was playing an interview with the conductor of the Reading Symphony Orchestra. Very interesting. Then they mentioned the concert for Saturday and I thought, why not? And, how can I go? With a poor sick mother and a tired and not-too-overly-thrilled-at-classical-concerts husband, I decided to invite the one man that fueled, paid for, supported, and still to this day encourages my passion for music. My dear father. Just the two of us on a memorable evening out!

On the program? Some amazing piece I had never heard of before by a man I had never heard of before, Grieg's A minor piano concerto (which I played...can it be...10 years ago with this very same orchestra), and Dvorak's New World Symphony!! What a great 2 hours for my ears and my heart and my sanity being restored! Uh, well, at least temporarily...

PLUS, half time proved to have a delightful surprise hidden in it as I literally almost bumped my dear friend Kate whilst in line for my peanut M&M's. How special to run into a friend somewhere where you're pretty sure you won't know a soul! (Like when you run into friends at Hershey Park randomly!) Plus she was with a friend who I had never met before that was also sweet and lovely. Plus, they had a lovely reception in the third floor ballroom afterwards where we all got to eat SWEET STREET!!

Ok, break for a snotty, crying, sick baby...Transpire 4 hours...

Now I'm so tired I don't trust myself to form any kind of beautiful sentences so I will leave you with a few pictures to prove my story true. And a few more simple sentences that even Luke could read.

It was grand. I love my dad. I love great music. That guy's name is William Wolfram. He is tall. He plays a mean piano. Dvorak's melodies at times remind me of Star Wars. I love mini eclairs. I love Kate's hair. The end.

Diary of a pooped mom...

Dear Charis, 
In 10 years when life is rolling along with a whole different set of issues and troubles, but when you have help setting the table, the children can do their own laundry, and maybe even MAKE DINNER THEMSELVES, I want you to remember that God and his grace got you through these days. So many women say they can't remember the whirlwind of life with toddlers and babies, but I want you to remember. I want you to honestly remember the good, bad, and the ugly, so at the end of a long day in 2023 you can say "Well, God got me through THAT, so he can get me through THIS."

So let's just list the accomplishments in any given day of the past 3 years, or at least 3 days:

Wake up to Luke crying "Evan is eating all the chips and making a big mess!"
Go downstairs to a happy Evan, who had indeed eaten half a bag of corn chips with shards all over the floor to prove it. He didn't eat hardly a nibble of his second breakfast.
Suck vac the crumbs. Get the kids cereal.
 Wipe snot from their noses.
 Get Kelly, whose awake now and crying to prove it. Change her pee'd through outfit (no one around here ever gets changed unless they are really, truly dirty). Nurse her, never fast enough. Go back downstairs to Evan screaming because Luke is shooting cheerios at him like a gun. Unload the dishwasher, with their help. They have only broken 3 dishes in the whole time (at least a year) that they've been helping do this.
 More snot.
Tell them to go play. Wash dishes. "Mom, Evan's poopy!" (no wonder with all those chips). Change Evan. Make him sit on the potty. Go back to kitchen. Start washing dishes again. Kelly starts crying. Feed her cereal that looks like cement. She loves it. Luke asks "can you read to me?" Not now. In a little bit. "Like in 2 minutes or 4 minutes or 1 minutes?" "Like in an hour- go play."
 But I help him wipe his nose first. And then force some meds down his throat so he'll stop coughing.

 Clean up kitchen table. Start a load of laundry. Exercise, maybe, if it looks like I can squeeze in 20 minutes. Change Kelly's poopy diaper. Have the kids clean up the mess of toys they've made so far. They watch Winnie the Pooh while I shower and Kelly takes her short morning nap. (The showering only happens 2-3 times a week. Gross. But that's my reality.)
 Wipe snotty noses.
Get lunch ready: sliced apples, graham crackers, pb&j, rice cakes, whatever. Sometimes read them a Bible story while they are sittin' there. Go get Kelly. She plays nicely for a little while I eat and the boys go play. Oh yeah, pay the credit card. Go through the mail. Change out the laundry. Settle a toddler dispute. Put on kids praise songs (please dear God get some of this stuck in their heads!). Sit and play with them for 7 minutes.
Help Luke wipe his snotty nose.
Put Evan down for a nap: change him, read to him, rock him, 8 minutes flat. Nurse Kelly, change her again, put her down for a nap. Ok. I can do this. Finish cleaning the kitchen. Pick up and vacuum. Fold laundry. Pass out on couch for 20 minutes while Luke watches a little show. Check e-mail, catch up on news, write grocery list, another round a laundry. Teach Luke for 10 minutes how to write his letters. Savor the next 1/2 - 1 hour of just him and me. My most productive 1 hour of the day. Usually try to tackle a few things of the never ending 'list.'
Help Luke wipe his snotty nose.
Before I know it, Evan's up. Put him on the potty. Start dinner. Settle an argument (already, why can't you guys just get along?). Go back to dinner. Get Kelly (how can 3 hours go  by so fast??). Wipe her snotty nose. Change her and cuddle her for 2 minutes. Go back to dinner. I think I can squeeze in a blueberry coffee cake while I'm at it. Nurse Kelly when she's tired of playing rough with the boys.
Wipe Evan's snotty nose.
Stick on another show for the kids so I can finish dinner. Ed is hardly ever home when we eat. But I try to somehow get them all around the table and try to teach them manners: Eat your food, I don't care if you don't like it, stop crying, just eat it!, feed Kelly her mushy goo, Evan spills his juice, yell at him, clean it up, apologize to him cause he's still crying, no more drink for you, forever! 4 more bites if you want a treat. Oh you don't want blueberries in your cake? Too bad. Do I eat? Somewhere in there.
 Wipe some more snot, but ran out of tissues. Whatever, just use a cloth napkin. Perhaps read them another Bible story.
Start cleaning up. Luke suck vacs this time. Evan puts their dishes in the sink. Then they run wild while I try to clean up the kitchen. Again.
Pray: Dear God, help me. I'm so tired. I'm so tired.

Ed comes home. To a big mess made in the last 15 minutes. Not a cushion is left on the couches. Now I can do even more chores without the kids buggin' me. Fold and put away some laundry. Run to the grocery store. Come home and put stuff away. Nurse Kelly and put her to bed. Wash more dishes. Get Ed's lunch ready. Go sing to the boys Away in a Manger (Ed usually puts them to bed though). Watch a show with Ed and eat snacks. Brush my teeth (let's be honest, sometimes). Go to bed and pass out. (No sleeping pills needed here!).

Note: this was written in winter when I did not have the car most days, Ed was working long hours, and the kids were sick off and on for 3 months. I CANNOT WAIT FOR SUMMER! Yet, we did occasionally get to church, and we got in a few play dates, went to Bible study most of the time, visits with grandparents existed... So it wasn't all so mundanely tiring!


And now for a song ( to the tune of These Are a Few of My Favorite Things):

Puke-colored oatmeal meets bibless disaster

Toddler is running with boy roaring after

Dry erase markers all over the sheets

Little black sneakers on opposite feets

Glasses are crashing and baby is crying

Suck-vac is broken and snot just keeps coming!

Dishes and dusting and more endless chores

Little hands helping but making mess more!

When the boy bites, when the kid whacks,

When I'm feeling MAD

I strain to remember my favorite things,

And then I don't feel so bad:

 Favorite things: When they run and laugh and squeal with delight, when Luke sings, when Evan hugs, and when Kelly cuddles with me. Also, Ed's face. It's pretty amazingly good looking. Making cookies with the kids. Playing War and Go Fish! with Luke. Singing with them. Playgrounds. Summer! When they make those grunting noises while happily eating. Little baby butts. Date nights. Silent nights. Popcorn. Looking forward to fun things.


So there it is Charis. A bit of reality of my life in the winter of 2013. I'll look back and laugh. I know I will. Sometimes I laugh now. I'm learning to embrace the craziness. I grew up swimming in a clean, clear, indoor pool, back and forth. But white-water rafting is a lot more exciting. Harder, yes. But adventurous! So here's to the life-long adventure of mothering...

(My hour is over, and a fresh poop scent is wafting down the stairs, beckoning...)

I give you: The humble PT

Paper Towel, for those of you who may not know my mother's shorthand for the grocery lists.
This humble creation has several uses in my home, from the normal soaking up of spilled anything, spit-up/drool cleaner upper, rougher snot wiper, and even occasionally stands in for when its cousin, TP, runs out (I'll leave you to figure that one out on your own).

The other possible uses are apparently abundant enough to take up a total of at least 7 hours (and counting) over the last couple days (that is, if you are 4 or 2) -

 The Raft:

 "Build me!" Meaning, I built it!

 And what new thing did we learn today? That if you put round foam blocks down the middle of the roll, it sounds like snorting (and again, you can figure out what word that substitutes!)

 There are actually quite a few more pics of their imaginations at work, but I think you get the idea...

Someday when I'm old and gray I'll probably cry remembering these days with sweet and fond thoughts... Right now I'm in survival mode, but I am earnestly trying to see and savor these little discoveries (cheap as they may be) and not be too distracted by the other bagillion things to do.

  

"My hands were busy through the day, I didn't have much time to play

The little things you asked me to, I didn't have much time for you.

I'd wash the clothes, I'd sew and cook, 

but when you'd bring your picture book and ask me to share you fun, 

I'd say 'a little later son.'

But life is short and years rush past and little boys grow up fast

No longer is he at your side, his precious secrets to confide.
The picture books are put away, there aren't any games left to play.

No good night kiss, no prayers to hear, that all belongs to yester year.

My hands once busy, now lie still

The days are long and hard to fill,

 I wish I might go back and do those little things you asked me to."

-Taken from my memory from a little hand written plaque

 in my parent's bathroom that I learned by heart from a very young age...

an especially pertinent reminder to in my season of life!

Now to heat up some leftover frozen pizza for the hubby, cause that's how tonight is rolling...

Blessings to you and yours these bleak winter days!

December...And Happy New Year 2013

Now that December has come and gone (really? that fast?) I've been trying to desperately hold onto some sort of schedule after the festivities have subsided. And by festivities, I mean three days of forcing myself out of bed to spend time (i.e. sit on the couch) with my family while trying not to get them sick. In fact Christmas Eve and Christmas Day I was so sick I went nowhere and Ed took the kids to his folks and the Christmas Eve service and such...oh well. Sicky holidays happen to all of us. But I digress...
Lowe's has a whole buttload (yes, I love that word) of totes with a big banner that says something along the lines of "Ring in the New Year by Organizing your Life".  Hah! I'm lucky to just stick to a weekly routine of feeding my children remotely healthy meals and cleaning their clothes. And weeks like this week, when all three of them are sick, even less gets done. Well, actually, LOTS gets done:

1. Lots of TV is watched

2. Lots of snot is wiped

3. Lots of books are read

4. Lots of sheets are cleaned

5. Lots of prayers are prayed

6. Lots of medicine is administered

7. And Lots of cuddling is performed

Nonetheless, every January I find myself trying to instill one new good habit into my life. Something attainable. Something manageable. I don't need more failures to add to my list of non-accomplishments (who does?). So how about one thing that I can succeed at? I think so. So in the midst of all the above LOTS I did manage to carve out 15 minutes to write a letter of encouragement to someone. I know, it doesn't seem like much, but that is my New Year's Resolution: write one letter of encouragement every week. That's hopefully 50ish people this year that I will uplift via snail mail (give or take, I always give myself lots of grace with resolutions). Why am I telling you this? Because in the midst of all that Facebook, e-mail, twitter, etc. has to offer, there's nothing quite like a real handwritten note, no matter how simple it is, that can bring a genuine smile to someone's face.  So maybe it's something that you might want to try along with me??

I do believe life as a mother of three young ones is teaching me that even though 95% of my life is consumed by needs and cares and precious little sleep, there still is a little time leftover. And if I choose to make it a priority to bless others in that time, now matter how small it is, God will use it and indeed bless others. Plus I reap a bit of joy too, which never hurts =: )

So cheers to another fresh year with plenty of chances to bless those around us!

"Be careful!"

I was just lying in my bed last night thinking of all the things I didn't get done, all the things I did get done, just, you know, things, when my mind starting thinking about my children. Baby Kelly, cute as can be, Evan clinging to me with all the zeal a little two year old can knowing his days as my baby are pretty much over (although I still rock him every night...I/he just can't give that up quite yet). Then I thought of Luke, and, I don't know, something hit me. He's not even four and already we've been dealing with the sin starting to come out. It scares me. It scares me how I handle it (most of the time in a sinful way). It scares me how Evan copies everything he does. Everything I do. SIN. It's just plain nasty and I'm scared for my children growing up in this awful world. How on earth am I going to be able to do this? Parent these little cuties so they aren't sucked in to all the sin this world will throw at them every second? How?! Ahhh! God help me! How!?

So that's exactly how my thoughts spiraled downhill in no less than 2 seconds. It's amazing how much can go through your mind in such a short amount of time!
And then it came.
Immediately, I might add.
In the still. In the quiet. The only sound audible is husband's soft breathing.

 BE CAREFUL. 

Somewhere tucked away in memory from 20 years ago:
"Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,  making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:15-16

Does God meet us right where we are? YES! Does he speak to us when we cry out to him? Yes indeed! Those are his words to me: BE CAREFUL.

Then, words from the kids little cd of songs: 

"Stop! 

Christ is speaking.

 Stop! 

Children listen-

every boy and every girl in the corner of the world- 

you gotta stop! 

and listen to the Lord!"

So this is me sharing my challenge - no, Christ's challenge- of being careful, most careful, how I raise my children. Taking every opportunity to love them, cherish them. Yes, the world is evil. But I must take heart, because Jesus has already overcome the world! But it is so hard, and it will take everything I have to raise these children to love God. Everything I have. But Jesus has already showed me how to do it, I just got to be careful and obey him. Lead by example.

"Everywhere and every way, 

every minute of the day,

 you gotta stop

 and listen to the Lord."

 He'll always show me the way. 

 Plus I have an amazing husband to help me do the job! 

Time to go give Luke some one-on-one jumping on the couch cushions time...Thanks for taking time to hear how God is working in this mom's life...

Til next time~ God bless!

Of Hairs and Cuts

I've always thought my mom is beautiful (and I've always thought my dad is handsome, but that's another story =: )... Inside and out, my mom is one of the sweetest women I know. She is so often helping others (myself especially), that she often puts her own desires on hold to bless those around her. But it was high time she had something done for HER.

Last week our dear friend Nancy (who knows a thing or two about style and fashion) was visiting my mom, and in very blunt terms (for she had permission to lavish her experienced opinions on my very eager mother's ears) suggested what my mom could do to enhance her life. Lots of talk about home decorating, self expression, shopping, etc., but one of her comments, in her sweet southern accent,  went something like this: "Linda, you NEED to go to a hairdresser and get your hair done by a master stylist."

Now my mom has ALWAYS cut my dad's hair, her five children's hairs while we were in the house, and even has mostly cut her own hair. Dad has frosted her hair for years, so as far as frugalness goes, hair was one of the things that our family always saved money on because of her talents. But let me tell you, I cannot remember the last time she went to get her hair done. I mean, really DONE. Now she did tell me she would go get her hair done right before the birth of each child, but heck, that was 27 years ago then!

Her lifestyle in that way has passed down to me too, seeing as I have only gone to a hairdresser maybe, oh 4 times I think!

So last Saturday we did it: we went and got our hair done! Now I know many people go to the salon every month or two, but for us this was a real treat. A mother daughter date of going out without kids and husbands and getting our hair washed and blow-dried and brushed brushed brushed, cut, and in mom's case, colored.

When we walked in to the salon that neither of us had ever been to, I wondered what super spiky spunky hair lady was going to do to my dear mom's head. But after two hours, the results were amazing, and the stylist was so sweet and professional...The best part was seeing my mom's face when it was all finished- she was HAPPY with her new look!

So here she is Nancy! What do you think?

Pretty lady!

"I am...an accomplished maker of pancakes." Dan in Real Life

Pumpkin pancakes, apple cider, some fresh pears, and a cute kid...Welcome fall! I love you!

Do you want to have some pumpkin pancakes too? Yes? Well, roll up your sleeves, put on your apron (or not), and enjoy a brisk, beautiful morning flipping a few with your kids! Enjoy!

P.S. Just don't go publishing this, as I will definitely be putting this in my cookbook (that I'm compiling in my spare time... to be finished in oh, let's say, 5 years).

The Best Pumpkin Pancakes EVER:

Serves 4-6

1 1/4 cups buttermilk (or milk with 1 TB vinegar added, I do both and it doesn't make much difference)
2 Eggs
1/4 oil
1 cup pumpkin
~ Mix above together in a large bowl with a whisk, then add:
2 TB Brown sugar
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. salt

And whisk until thoroughly blended. Drop by 1/4 cupfuls onto a lightly greased skillet or griddle set on medium heat and cook for 3 minutes per side, or until deep golden and cooked through (don't cook too high or too fast because the inside will still be wet and the outside overdone!)

Gobble up!

Have a great morning!

I am a child of God...

Tis a rainy day where my kids are sleeping a little longer than usual (thank you God!)...
So here's a bit that's been on my mind. Notice how this blog will be made up of very short sentences. That's how I've been thinking as of late. The simpler the better.
God's been speaking to my heart these simple words here and there as I call out to him in even simpler, much more childlike cries:

i am exhausted

I AM EVER-STRONG

i am frustrated

I AM PATIENCE

i am not in control

I AM

i am failing (or so it seems)

I AM SUCCESS

i am anxious

I AM PEACE

i am tired

I AM HELP

 

i am a child

I AM YOUR GOD.

Father, you're all I need

 My soul's sufficiency

My strength when I am weak

 The love that carries me

Your arms enfold me

 til I am only

A child of God.

                                

                        Kathryn Scott

Kelly Grace

~ THANK YOU GOD FOR OUR BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER~

Kelly Grace

7.3 lbs. 19.5 inches

7/10/12

Today our little Kelly is 4 weeks old. To me she was born yesterday. Tomorrow she will be 15. So in the meantime, here's a few pictures and what I can piece together of her birth story at 6 in the morning. Lucky for me, this is the first morning that she's even been remotely awake at 6, but that could be due to the fact that I let her sleep from 8-11 last night. Silly me...

This labor was totally different than Luke and Evan's, which I was expecting, but I was not expecting to have false contractions for four nights leading up to her birth. Seriously, Thursday night 4 days before she was born I had 3 or 4  severe Braxton-Hicks. Between 1 and  5 in the morning. Friday night? 5 or 6. Saturday night? Every hour from 1-7. Finally by Sunday night I was thoroughly discouraged. Ed and I went to a movie and dinner for our anniversary and I had contractions every hour and all through the night. Monday? No contractions all day until 5 or 6. But still not 'it'. Ed came home and took the boys out and told me to go take a bath. He could see how discouraged I was. So promptly after he left I went out and weeded some of the garden, washed all the dishes, swept the floor, and took a shower. So much for resting =: )

By 11 pm finally I knew. But discouraged as ever because I had prayed so earnestly that for once I could have a day labor. But oh well! I called at 1:30 am to let the midwife know, and she told me to call her back in a few hours if the contractions continued to get worse and closer together. It's the weirdest thing that by that point I was just craving and praying for them to get worse and closer together!! I was ready to have her out. I just wanted her out! So when I called Robin back at 4:30 she thankfully said 'get here as fast as you can'...so I called my parents to come be with our sleeping boys and off we went in an hour!

Looking back, I had a very smooth labor that continued to progress very nicely so that by 8:30 I was 8 centimeters dilated and I knew it would be soon. My emotions were quite raw with having no sleep and knowing the real pain that was yet to come, but Ed never left me the whole time and was very encouraging and handsome as ever. I cannot imagine all the women in the world who have their babies without their husband around or a strong supporting friend. I could not have done it without him. I really felt like a wimp emotionally with this one, but he kept reminding me "you're not a wuss Charis, you CAN do this!"

My parents stopped by with some food and the boys at 9:30, and shortly after they left I started pushing. Not all the time, but by 10ish I was fully dilated and given the go-ahead by Robin to push whenever. So Kelly was born into this world at 10:47 in the morning on July 10th...a very sunny, beautiful day. Our little girl!

When the boys came I just melted with the look on their faces...they were ENAMORED with her! How precious! Even in the midst of sheer exhaustion, I think the 2nd and 3rd births are more special with other older siblings doting on the new member of the family. And these brothers continue to be doting even now.

Luke was very inquisitive about her umbilical cord/ belly button...and Evan couldn't take his eyes off her. Ed's parents, my parents, aunt Rachel and Seth, and uncle Mark all got to come see us at the very homey birthing room where Evan was born not even two years ago. The same midwife who delivered Evan also delivered Kelly too, so I was very comfortable with her, at least in that familiar way (one can not be too comfortable pushing out a baby!)

My mother with the task of dressing her for the first time:

That morning the whole birthing center was packed with their maximum of three labors going on at once, so Ed and I were alone most of the 5 hours I labored there. Which was fine with me. The only thing that I think the neglect hampered was giving birth sooner. The two midwifes that were going back and forth with me kept saying they were going to break my water once I started pushing, but they never did until 10:45. She was born 2 minutes later. Looking back Ed was annoyed they didn't break it sooner so I could have potentially had her a little sooner. But it is what it is. That's the only thing I could think of to complain about. So that's pretty darn good!


Praises:

I had a very healthy, normal, and all natural labor and delivery. No drugs, no tearing, no complications. Our baby girl is rosy and growing. She has a full head of hair and looks like Evan. As soon as she came out I just kept thanking God over and over again. That he permits us to experience these miracles is amazing. Painful, but amazing! And that I have had three of these miracles sometimes just brings tears to my eyes. Happiness! 

Organic, human and divine: there is true joy in bringing another human and soul into the world!

I went home only 4 hours after she was born. I love that about the birth center! I also really liked my nurses. I had two that were no more than my age, and totally laid back and kind and comforting.

After coming home, my mom came almost every day for a week straight! I couldn't have stayed sane without her help. Thanks a million times over Mom!!!

This sight below happens all the time. Evan runs to the couch and gets his pillow and pounds his hands into it and demands "Keyee! Keyee!" Too cute!!

Above is a very proud grammy with her first granddaughter and daughter of any sort! It is so special how having a baby can make my two mothers and families so happy!

I can't seem to keep the boys off her. They want to play with her, they want to play with her clothes, her blankets, her shoes, even her hair accessories!

One of the best parts about Kelly's coming in July was that my two sisters were able to come out and visit shortly after she was born. We had a wonderful time just relaxing and holding Kelly. Rebekah especially soaked in some very sweet auntie bonding time! Rachel got to hold her too before and after Rebekah's visit =: ) I wish my sisters lived closer though. I miss them already!

Thanks to all you who prayed, encouraged, babysat the boys, brought us meals, and helped to cloth Kelly. Having and raising children is truly a community effort, and I am in NO way lacking...So thank you again my dear family and friends!!

Life's little accomplishments...

 
 Anyone who has been or is a mother of young children will understand that some days are harder than others, especially as far as feeling like you accomplished anything in comparison to...anyone (or so it can so easily seem sometimes). And being two weeks or so away from bringing another baby into this world, my accomplishments each day are getting simpler and simpler. Which is good in some ways I guess. I'm really trying to rest and enjoy this time I have with just my boys and take care of little odds and ends here and there.

So here are a few accomplishments that have been made in this household this week that I can look back and smile on:

~ Fresh strawberry crepes...BY MYSELF! Thanks Mom and Dad for a little alone time, and the strawberries that I cannot pick this season!

~ Fresh picked flowers from my garden:

~Very likely the only fruit tart I will make this summer, but boy was it a good one! Sorry for not sharing!

~ Choosing a boy name (just in case) and narrowing down our girl list to some final contestants =: )

 ~ Teaching Luke how to spell his name.

 ~ Embracing imagination: Scrabble tiles as ice cubes and the holders as straws for wine! That's right, wine! So tasty...

~ Filling up Evan's love cup after Luke goes to bed. He loves his one on one mommy/daddy time!
~ Organizing pictures from Hawaii and finally getting around to making a photo book from our trip.
~ Mopping the floor...a rare but 'happy feet' feat!
~ Bringing the boys to the pool =: )

Also, after Luke, Daddy, cake, hot, juice, and duck, Evan finally says Mommy or something to that effect. I'm so glad I'm so high up on the list of important names to learn!!

Thanking God for these little joys and enjoying frozen pizza tonight so I had time to share with you...Until next time!

~Charis

Matt and Leah's Wedding

 On Saturday, my dear brother-in-law and his bride got MARRIED! From Thursday night to Sunday afternoon, we celebrated in Winchester VA with a whirlwind of parties, perfect weather, and organized, stress free preparation for the big day. (I say that for everyone that was not also taking care of two youngsters in the midst of the festivities...but actually, as exhausted as we were, stressed we were not!)
The only con in a family wedding that you and your husband are in is that you don't get very many pictures. But I assure you we had a great time and are so happy for Matt and Leah.

So here are a few of the memories we snapped when we could:

I got to contribute a cake to the cause...which turned out great even after a three hour drive =: )

 These little guys danced the night away until 10 pm! That dance floor could not contain such energy!

 Leah's whole concept for the wedding and reception was just gorgeous: Hanging lanterns, little vases of flowers and books decorated the tables with burlap napkin holders and lace accents, wonderful music, a candy and cookie bar, a signature Hawaiian drink (they're moving back there on Thursday so Matt can finish up his time there serving in the Navy), an absolutely delicious array of food...I really don't think I've been to a wedding that went more smoothly or was more thought out with such beautiful personal touches!

 Aside from family, we got to see a few friends too that made the drive... Fun fun!

Fun with Daddy:

We will all have such wonderful memories to talk of for years to come, that's for sure =: ) Congratulations Matt and Leah!