Today and Easter and What's Coming Up

Today Shane stayed home for his Easter holiday.  It was a much-needed productive day and I am wiped out tonight.  We have some students over this evening (it is spring break here, hence the significant increase in students being at our house till the late hours in recent days), Shane is hanging with them, and I am recovering from the days' work.  Tomorrow I have another doctor's appointment and I expect we will start to discuss delivery options if our little man doesn't come on his own soon.

Our Easter was low-key in a good way this year.  Shane and I were grateful for the down-time and family time.  Shane's family always celebrates Easter together the week prior, on Palm Sunday.  That was right in the middle of all the kids being sick but we decided Silas was well enough to go.  He enjoyed getting to hunt eggs with the other children in the extended family.  Simeon and Lieren stayed home for a nap and didn't know the difference.

I was thankful to wake to children who were well on Sunday morning...

Aaaaand this was as good a picture of the three as I could get.  Which I why I usually don't even make an attempt.  Ha!  I was actually amazed I even got all three in the same frame...

Worship on Easter morning at our church was especially meaningful.  I am sure yours was, as well.  Judy and Lee were at church with us, then we all went to lunch together.  It was a nice day and since we were parting ways after lunch, we sat outside for the children to get their baskets from Grandma and Grandpa.

Like I said before, I don't think I look much different this time than when I was nearing delivery with the twins.  Here is a picture of me in the same dress I wore Sunday, if you care to compare.

My parents will be in the country this weekend, which I love.  It's nice to know they will be just a plane ride away, not an ocean away, should I go into labor before they are scheduled to come to our house next week.  I am looking forward to knowing they've landed.  It's always reassuring to my heart to know they are close.  They got to be with us for my two previous deliveries and we would all love it if the Lord let us have that one more time.

Our One Fun Thing

In the midst of all the sickness we had recently, we all got out of the house for one big fun thing.  Silas' friend Jack turned 4 and his family planned a swimming party to celebrate.  I was going to be so disappointed if we had to miss, so was glad when we woke that morning and everyone was well enough to go.  All three of our children absolutely loved it!  We hadn't been swimming since last summer so I really didn't know how they would act in the water.  Simeon and Lieren showed no fear, splashed around and played with great joy till the very last minute.  Silas was trying out his Puddle Jumper (seriously the best floatie invention ever) for the first time so spent most of his time in the deeper water with Shane.  I waded and played with Sim and Lieren in the shallow waters.

I really love the photos of Simeon.  It is how I picture him when I think of him in my head, but I can never capture that excited passion on camera.  Finally I kind-of did...

Baby Blaise

Dear Baby Blaise,

You and I have spent over 38 weeks together now.  I told your big brother Silas that it might just be about 10 more sleeps until you arrive.  He is so excited to meet you.  We are so excited to meet you.

I will tell you honestly that this was not the easiest week.  Your brothers and sister have been sick for a week, one after the other and overlapping and probably passing something back and forth.  I told your Daddy yesterday that we've only done one fun thing in about 7 days.  That means that everyone not only feels cruddy but that we are getting bored as well.  This morning some friends came over and I couldn't have been more relieved for us to have something to do!

On top of the sickness, we had a big surprise with you on Monday.  I went in for what I thought would be a routine ultrasound and we found out you were breech.  After not having a c-section with Simeon and Lieren, I was completely disappointed to find that I might be having one with you.  But the midwife I met with after the ultrasound told me we could try to get you to turn.  So on Tuesday we went in to the hospital to give it a try.  It was a pretty amazing experience.  It was painless.  And took mere seconds.  We were in the operating room just in case something went wrong and of course there was a crowd; reminded me of when Sim and Lieren were born.  When the doctor announced you had turned so easily, the crowd cheered.  God is so good to answer our prayers.  So now you are in a great position and we're just waiting for you to come.  I have a bag packed.  Any day, sweet boy.  Any day.

Last night your Daddy was telling me one more thing about the man whose name prompted yours...Blaise Pascal.  He was one of the first to voice the idea of The Wager.  His proposal was that no one can know 100% for sure that there is a God and that those who choose to believe in the God of the Bible, His Word, and His promises risk nothing.  But, those who choose not to believe risk everything.  Because eternal life hinges on what we do with Jesus.  My prayer is that the Lord will grow you into someone who is convinced that God is everything He says He is and that you are willing to risk everything in this life for what you know about Jesus.

As I sit here late tonight, there is a crowd of students downstairs.  Silas has just finally fallen asleep.  Simeon and Lieren went to bed before the party even started.  And you are wide awake, kicking to your little heart's content.  As for me, I am weary from this week.  Weary knowing it might be two weeks or more until your arrival.  Weary with my own limitations.  Weary with reminders that life is not as it was created to be.  But preaching to myself even now that many of the things that weary me are the signs of God at work in His timing, a full house, ministries, and preparations for your little life...good things.  We already love you, baby Blaise.  And like I said earlier, we can't wait to meet you.

She's Living My Life

Sweet thing all of a sudden showed up right in front of us with three babies in her cart, a number of bags on her arm, and cleaning supplies close at hand.  I felt like I was looking into a mini-mirror!

Being Away and Being Back

Shane and I were gone for part of the past weekend.  Now that we're home, my nesting has shifted into high gear.  I will be 37 weeks tomorrow.  The day I turned 37 weeks in my last pregnancy was the day I delivered Simeon and Lieren.  Surreal.  But I can pretty much guarantee you I won't be having this baby boy tomorrow!

For what it's worth, Shane and I recently realized that I had never been away for one night without the children since Silas was born.  The first night I was not with Silas was when I was in the hospital with Sim and Lieren.  So we finally made it happen.  

Shane's mom and Lee came to stay with the kids and we took an overnight to Indianapolis last weekend.  It was refreshing to be away.  We stayed downtown and started our weekend off right with a stop at Chick-fil-A before making the short walk to an NBA game.  The Pacers were hosting the Suns, who just happen to have one of Shane's favorite players...

                            

Nash is our Simeon's middle name, after all...

It was a great game.  Steve Nash had a season record in assists and the Pacers had a last-second shot to put the game into overtime.  They missed and the Suns ended up winning.  We sat about 7 or 8 rows behind the Suns bench and moved even closer right at the end.  Larry Bird was even in the house...

After the game we hung around for a while, ended up chatting with some of the Sun's player's wives (who came up to us confessing that they were in a debate about how soon I was due!) and Shane got to shoot on the court...

It was a fun night.  We both agreed we're glad I can enjoy a basketball game and he can enjoy some shopping.

Speaking of which, shop we did on Saturday.  We started at one mall and ended the day at outlets.  In the middle of it all we went to a little restaurant that had been featured on the show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.  Like most places on that show, it wasn't anywhere we ever would have found, nor would we have thought to stop if we had seen it from the road.  But the food was as good as they said it was!

As we were leaving Shane took what is possibly one of the only pregnancy photographs I have this time around.  Tonight we decided there is no way I was much bigger with the twins.  No wonder everyone keeps asking me when I'm due!

We've gotten a lot done the past couple of days since being back:  I have the children's closets all ready to go with spring/summer clothes, although I still need to pack up what they've outgrown recently.  Baby clothes are washed and put away.  The dogs had baths.  Swings are clean, the carseat is ready to be installed and there is a pack-n-play set up on my side of the bed.  Like I said earlier, it's surreal.  Baby boy is going to be here soon.  And I haven't even told you his name!  I will have to dedicate a post to that soon.

My Non-Highlight Reel

Our baby boy is due one month from tomorrow.  Now that we are about 4 weeks out, I feel like time is flying by.  I don't mind for this time to go quickly, but the moment I have him, I will want time to stop.

This week has been a wonderful gift.  The weather has been unseasonably warm...hot even.  We finally broke down and turned the air on yesterday.  I cannot express how much getting to be outside has helped the mood in our home.  Everyone gets giddy when I announce it is time to go out.  And it is wonderful to just be able to head right out without messing with coats and hats and socks and all the rest.

A good friend of mine and I were recently talking about kids and mom stuff and meals and everything in between.  At one point she said something like, "I feel like one of the hardest things about being a mom is that I am comparing my real-life to everyone else's highlight reel."

I agree to some extent.

For me, I have struggled with wondering how everyone else seems to be doing it all; getting everything done.  Cause I'm not.

But the Lord has been teaching me, probably over the past 9 months, that everyone is not doing it all.  Everyone is making choices:  prioritizing what they want to do, selecting what they want to get done, and making (whether consciously or not) decisions about where they are investing.

As much as I am tempted to hear that every other mom is doing more and doing better, I am grateful that the Lord keeps reminding me, no one is spending quality time with their husband, fostering their relationship with the Lord, playing with children, educating their children, making time for fun outings, cleaning house, staying on top of the laundry, caring for pets, having babies, participating in ministry, cooking from scratch, completing crafty projects, and sleeping all at the same time.  No one.

Personally, I am only doing a few of those things.  I mean, I just recently created a new laundry system so that, since we can't seem to get the laundry put away, at least we can find what we are looking for.  There are baskets for adult towels, kid towels, adult clothes, kid clothes, a separate basket for kid socks (which were always so difficult to find!), and kitchen linens.  And then I had to go buy another one for the overflow.  Honestly, I don't really see it as a fault, it is just our reality.  Laundry is low on the totem pole these days.  When Shane realized the beauty of the new system he said, "Yes! Now we never have to put it away again."  Sigh.  And smile.  Whatever.  At least it works for us.

I just keep praying that I am prioritizing the right things.  I certainly don't always choose right.  And in the midst of it all, there are things that simply have to be done:  I change diapers and clean up after sick children.  I plunge toilets and wonder why my phone doesn't have service (again).  I wash dishes, realize I have to make dinner (again), and try to get the stains out.  Thankfully, there is grace.

Here is what I mean by that:  grace doesn't mean that my phone miraculously starts working.  Or that the dishwasher is fixed instantaneously.  But it does mean that as we do our part, God is gracious to walk us through it.  Shane went to the store.  And God graciously provided us the means for me to get new phone service.  Shane went to another store.  And our landlord let him pick out a new dishwasher.  Grace.  It's grace that keeps me from needing our reality to be a highlight reel.  I'm learning.  We can just be us...

Speech Lesson

I know it is the eve of a time change and I have an enormous sink full of dishes to wash.  (Our dishwasher gave out a couple weeks ago so I've been cleaning up the old fashioned way as we wait for the repair to be completed.)  But I just want to remember these little things so much that I had to sit down and document them before I forget.

All our children are changing quickly right now, saying all kinds of new things.  Every day they surprise me...

Silas - Last week Si asked me what he might be when he grew up.  I told him he could be anything the Lord called him to be.  He said maybe a fireman or a train guy.  I told him those were great options and reminded him that his Grandpa Mike is a train guy.  Then I said, "Do you know what your Daddy does?  He tells people about Jesus."  To which Silas replied, "Maybe I'll just be a train guy."  Ha!  Then I said that  he could absolutely be a train guy and tell people about Jesus.  Silas has also just started having conversations with his "guys" (all the animals he sleeps with and carries around).  It is fun to see his imagination.  Today I heard him during his rest time, "I want you to pray to God, to Jesus, so that you will make a good choice.  And they will say 'ok!'"

Lieren - The day before Valentines Day, Lieren came up to me unprompted and said I love you for the first time.  Melt my heart.  She also can now count to 10 all by herself.  She surprised me the other day and began singing along to a CD we had playing:  We cry holy, holy, holy; We cry holy, holy, holy is the Lamb.  And then:  Holy, holy, Lord God Almighty; Worthy is the Lamb that was slain...  The tune is unmistakable and she has many of the words right.

Simeon - This boy, who was later to begin talking than the other two is taking off by leaps and bounds.  He is beginning to use many novel two-word utterances.  We say Sim loves to rehearse the things he knows, whether it is the alphabet sounds or his favorite characters from Sesame Street or Toy Story.  He is also singing a lot, which can make for quite a chorus in the car between the three!

These videos are simply common occurrences around our house these days...