What Happened to my Baby?

Four years ago today, God blessed us with our little Boogie. She was a bit of a surprise to us on many counts. We weren't necessarily "trying" to have another baby. Fortunately for our family God had other plans. Her big brother and sister wanted to have a baby in the house and prayed for Boogie. Big brother wanted a little brother and sis wanted twin girls to help her clean her room. For those who don't think God has a sense of humor, I beg to differ. I found out I was pregnant the day after the kids prayed for a baby.

My pregnancy was filled with days of the big kids arguing whether it was going to be a girl or a boy because both had petitioned God and sent in their requests. We had made it our policy to not find out the sex of the baby during ultrasounds because we truly loved the surprise. The bickering back and forth became pretty intense. Sis was very adamant that it was a girl and was not having it any other way. In a moment of weakness somewhere around the 8 month pregnant mark, I broke down and asked my ob nurse what we were having. They had the results of the ultrasound in my chart. Steve and I didn't share with anyone what we knew, we just felt we were a little better prepared to talk with sis more and prepare her "just in case." Going into delivery we smiled at each other, feeling proud of ourselves from keeping this little secret. The big moment came when the tiny baby was delivered. Both of us were anxious to meet our precious son....but wait...those were girl parts. The joke was definitely on us.

I have to admit, we have the best of both worlds in Boogie. She is a pretty little princess on most days, but belches, toots and acts like a boy on others. She has an awesome sense of humor and is very quick witted. God makes no mistakes. He created an amazing child just perfect for our family.

When her brother and sister were finally able to meet her, the arguing immediately stopped. She had everyone's heart wrapped around her delicate little fingers. She still does to this day.

So today, we wish a very happy birthday to our little Boogie. We pray that God would bless her this upcoming year and always.

What I've been up to...

Just thought I'd give you all a glimpse of what I've been up to since the family left.

• I went to Joann's and bought fabric on Friday evening for a couple of projects
• Went home and butchered the fabric...have to buy some more on Saturday
• I went to the bathroom (many times) with no one barging in
• I took a shower and a bath. Again, no one barged in or had to poo (that ALWAYS happens when I decide to take a bath). I sang loudly in the shower and no one was around to complain about how bad it sounded
• I slept in until 8:45 am
• I walked up to get the mail this morning and managed to lock myself out of the house for about an hour.
• I successfully broke into my house (that is scary)
• I finished almost all of my Christmas Shopping today!!
• I made it through a bunch of stores without having to drop everything and run to the bathroom, tell the little on a million and one times that I am NOT buying her everything she sees, yelling at the older 2 to stop arguing, shushing anyone and hearing about tired feet and being bored.
• I replaced the fabric I butchered
• I splurged on a hot mocha from Starbucks
• Thanked the Lord 10 times over for watching out for me today. Prayed for my family to be safe while we are apart. Thanked God for his greatness today.

I really thought that I would have a difficult time with the family being gone. Turns out, it hasn't been that bad!

Home Alone

I don't believe this has happened in about 10 years, but tonite and all day tomorrow I will be home all alone. Just me and my dog Zeus. Steven is taking the kids up north to Grandma's to bake Christmas cookies while him and his friend go snowmobiling. I've kind of been stressing about it a little, as this is such a rarity. The quiet of the house with no children is sometimes deafening for me. Hopefully I can get finished up with some of the Christmas stuff that is going on! I just might have to take a bubble bath, too.

Thankful Heart

Today I write with a thankful heart. There are so many things I am thankful for, so I thought I'd post about them here today...(please note that this is a bulleted list, not a numbered list. I have not placed these in order...it is also not a complete list.)

• I am thankful for my husband. He loves the Lord and takes his responsibilities as provider of our family very seriously. He loves our children with immeasurable love and is not afraid to show it. He teaches them how to love the Lord. He sacrifices himself daily for his family.
• I am thankful for my children. They bring me joy almost every minute I am around them. They, too, love the Lord and want to do what is pleasing to Him. They are caring, kind and compassionate children with a great sense of humor. They honor the Lord in their school work and with their attitudes toward school.
• I am thankful for my home. Though it seems small at times, I feel blessed to be so close to everyone in the house. No chance of losing anyone here! It is warm and cozy and within our means.
• I am thankful for my Savior. He knows me in and out. He has blessed me with home, family and food on the table. He has sacrificed himself so that I may live. He hears and answers all of my prayers, he provides for me. He gently reprimands me when I misstep. He wraps me in his arms of grace when I am down and restores me to complete.
• In these rough economic times, he has flooded our doorstep with work. My husband and I have just praised and praised the Lord for his goodness over the past few weeks. I am not sure how long this busy streak will last, but today I am very thankful.
• I am thankful for our service men and women. They sacrifice their lives, spend huge amounts of time away from their families and lay everything on the line to protect my freedom and defend my country.
• I am thankful for the spouses and children of our service men and women who are separated during deployment. For the extra slack they pick up when a loved one has been called away. For the strength and stability they show on the home front and for faithfully keeping the "home fires burning."
• For the parents who faithfully bring their children before the Lord and train him in his ways
• I am thankful for the Christian school my children attend. For the caring and dedicated staff who pray over my children. For the love that is shown to them daily
• I am thankful for the tough times, for the sickness. I am reminded to be thankful for the days when we are all healthy and prosperous, for everything can change in an instant.
• I am thankful for vivid memories. They are sure helpful when losing a loved one. I am thankful for the assurance of heaven for those who have a relationship with the Lord.
• I am thankful for snow days, Christmas Vacation and time spent with my family.
• I am thankful for stores that are busy and full of pretty much whatever I need, for I know that is not the case in other countries.

Today I am very thankful. My prayer is that the Lord would keep me ever mindful of His blessing and that I would approach him with a heart of thanksgiving for the great things He hath done.

Fall Pictures...Take 2

Last post showcased the goofy side of our picture taking experience the other day. This one will focus on the ones that turned out a little bit better!

How Many Clicks?

So just how many clicks does it take to get the perfect fall picture of your rambunctious children? One?
Two?
Three?

Four?

Five?

Six?

Seven?

The world may never know.

I got out of the PJ's

This morning I actually got dressed and took the kids to school. It was totally worth it to put on clothes to go and vote! The most awesome thing...I walked right past everyone in line to my precinct, which had no line! Filled out my paperwork, walked right to the booth and was out in about 10 minutes.

I don't know what it is about voting, but I tend to get kind of emotional. I think about the years that women were allowed no voice in the elections, I think about the sacrifices made (and being made currently) by our soldiers to protect our freedoms and give us the rights to make our voices heard. I think about the oppressive countries in which people are not allowed to own a Bible or attend church, let alone cast a vote and take part in deciding the future direction of the country in which they live. All of these things make my heart swell with pride to be a citizen in the United States and even more so to be a chosen child of God. Regardless of how this important election plays out, God's plan will continue to move forward. He will never change. He has made promises that He WILL keep. There is no propaganda, no lies and no empty promises where he is concerned. He will not sell his soul to gain your vote. He has given himself willingly.

So, if you haven't, get out and vote! Don't let the threat of long lines or having to take small children with you deter you from exercising your right to cast a ballot. You might get lucky, some nice lady working the election in your precinct might just have a nice chocolate chip cookie for your child who is holding your leg while you vote...

Not Me Monday on Wednesday

It has been a really bad week for me so far. It has been very stressful, which I have not been dealing with really well, so my Not Me Monday Post is actually happening today, Wednesday.

I've often felt that my dog and my daughter are twins. They act a lot alike most of the time. It seems that every time I turn around I trip over one or the other. When it came time to let the Mighty Zeus out to go potty that the following conversation ensued:

"Zeusie...do you want to go outside?" Of course he did not answer me with words, he just danced in a circle at the door. (Let's just call that a yes). "Okay then, you'd better get your shoes on."

I did NOT tell my dog to put his shoes on to go outside. To do that would be to admit I've finally lost it.

Once you recover from that confession, please say a few prayers for me. I really need for the Lord to help me manage the stress I'm feeling right now and to provide relief from all this strain I'm feeling!
Have a great day!

I don't know how I could forget this, as she has inspired me to confess my sins weekly to the blog public, but McMama had her baby this am and everything looks great! So far the NICU is hard pressed to find ANYTHING wrong with him! Praise the Lord!

Not Me Monday

Yep, it is Monday again already. I have to admit, for the most part, that I did behave myself this week.

On Tuesday I had to go down to Consumer's Energy on behalf of a customer and do a little bit of complaining. Because it is right down from the road from where the big kids go to school, I went right after dropping them off. Because I am so together in the morning, I did not pull Boogie straight from bed and stick her right in the car without her going potty. 15 minutes into our ordeal at Consumer's Energy (while we were standing there waiting in the metering department) she did not start doing the little dance telling me she had to go potty. I did not advise her to start thinking about something else. She did not start going cross-eyed from having to go so bad. I truly did not scope the place out well, we were in the metering department, which translates into huge warehouse for Consumer's Energy Equipment. Knowing that the real bathrooms were quite a ways away, I did not scoot her out to the parking lot to pee. I most certainly did not hold her next to the van to pee in the parking lot that faces Court St. She did not get any down the back of her pants. I did not have to take her pants off and make her ride home with no pants on with my sweatshirt covering her. What kind of parent would do that?

We buy chickens from the Amish folk that live near my father in law. Just so happens that last Tuesday these chickens were ready for me to pick up. With my faithful side kick Boogie and a huge cooler for the Chickens we headed off to Gladwin. We were met at the door by an older Amish Lady. No one told me that this lady had a pretty full beard and mustache. If they had, I would certainly have prepared my little one for the sight. I did not have to shoot multiple arrow prayers for the Lord to keep my Boogie silent. Thankfully he heard those prayers. Thankfully I did not have to cram a granola bar in her mouth. Thankfully, she waited until we were in the car to ask why this lady had a mustache and beard.

Make sure to check out McMama's Blog to read about her "not me" moments!

Latest Boogieism

I tell ya, this girl is just full of funny stuff. My other two were very sharp too, but I never had the smarts to write the funny stuff down.

In a conversation today...

Boogs: "Hey mom, can I have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?"
Me: "Sure"
Boogs: "Wow, this looks really good. Mmmm...it tastes good too. Is this no-bake toast?"
Me: "Why yes, yes it is!

Makes sense to me!

Boogieisms

For those who might remember, Boogie attends Princess school. For a while, she had quit going to Princess School because the kids there used such bad language. They actually said Pee and poop quite a bit, which offended Boogie. She left the school and started Fairy School. After going for about 2 weeks, she decided that the kids had cleaned up their language enough to start back at Princess School.

Yesterday Boogie and I took a little road trip. I asked her how her Princess School was going. Her response:

"Mom, remember my friend Hannah?"

Me: "Hannah who?"

Boogs: "You know, Hannah Poblis from Princess School?"

Me: "I don't remember meeting her...but any way, tell me about
Hanna Poblis"
Boogs: "She picks her nose with her tongue."

How do you respond to that? This girl slays me with her imagination. She gives her imaginary classmates first and last names and super power abilities! A beautiful princess in training who picks her nose with her tongue.

Not Me Monday

It's that day again, the day that I purge my soul of things I didn't do all week long.

• I'm not sitting here in my pj's (after dropping off the kids at school this am) picking my toenails. That is a gross and disgusting habit.
• I did not eat a piece of coconut cream pie for breakfast with my cup of coffee this am. It did not taste good, either.
• I did not sneak a small ice cream cone last night. I most certainly did not hide it under the desk when Boogie came in so I wouldn't have to share.
• I do not have a problem with sweet stuff.

That's all I've got so far. Visit McMama's blog for more "Not Me Moments"

Not Me Monday...Again

Since my first Not Me Monday post was so liberating, I thought I would confess again and further liberate my twisted soul...

• I did not leave the house on several occasions to take the kids to school in my pajamas.



• To further back up point number one, I have never had to stop at the supply house and pick up material to deliver to my husband's job while not wearing my pajamas.



• I have never had to call him and tell him to have the guys at the counter to deliver the material to my car because I didn't have on the proper restraining garments under those jammies and was too embarrassed to walk inside.



• I most certainly did not forget to put on my shoes when leaving the house the other day and did not drop off the kids wearing my slippers.


• Last, but certainly not least, I do not have my cordless house phone out in the van. I was not talking on the phone as I was leaving the house. I most certainly was not thinking I was on my cell phone.
  

If you were even remotely amused by this freeing of my soul, visit McMama, the organizer of this little confessional and read some of her "not me" moments.

Not Me!

So after such a rambling heavy-hearted post Thursday, I thought I'd play along with McMama and create a Not Me Monday post. I am digging way back and not confessing some of my innermost not-me moments.

• I most certainly did not eat a bite of cheesecake of our visiting pastor's plate after lunch one day. After he ranted and raved about how good his wife's cheesecake was and how I should try it (meaning get a piece of my own), I most certainly did not reach over with my fork and try his piece of cheesecake. That would be rude and very uncharacteristic of me.


• In the days BC (before Christ and Children), I most certainly Did Not get intoxicated and try to pee in a refrigerator thinking it was the bathroom...absolutely NOT!


• I, in no way, shape, or form was responsible for my husband getting a speeding ticket. 'Nuf said...it was NOT my fault.


• This is a doozie, I still feel bad about not doing this one when I was playing at a neighbor's house...I did not put Compound W on a night crawler...It did not blow up like a balloon. I certainly did not cry about that one.


• I did Not wet the bed when I was in high school after having a dream about going to the bathroom...that's just gross.


• After listening to my two oldest children fighting All DAY, I most certainly did not tie them together with a hankerchief and make them clean each other's bedrooms. They did not have to put an arm around each other and coordinate walking with 3 legs. They certainly did not have to learn anything about working together. I would have never done anything like that. They didn't end up with bouts of giggles all afternoon either.

I'm just saying...that would all be pretty bad.

A Mixed Bag...

Sorry things here have been a little dry...It is not normal for me to have absolutely nothing to say! Ever have those times where there is so much swirling around in your mind, but as hard as you try, you can't get the swirling to stop long enough to make something sensible? That is pretty much how I am feeling.

I am overwhelmed by God's mercy and compassion. He shows himself in so many ways and is so mindful of the little things...

I am thankful for my salvation, my husband, my children, my family which includes the body of believers I worship with...

I am saddened by the true sin nature of people who are lost.

I am broken by those who themselves are broken under the heavy weights life has placed on them, but overjoyed when I see them cling to the Lord and see the way the Lord blesses themand holds them up.

I am in awe of God's creation.

I need a vacation.

I'm missing summer already

I know that temps are supposed to be around 70 this week...which truly is perfect for me. Not too hot, not too cold. But I've seen some trees changing and have had to wear sweatshirts in the morning! I'm really not ready to let go of summer.

Not ready to give up some of the sights...

...or days of relaxing by the water
Or time spent conquering Bertha

Or running around in bathing suits and bare feet, listening to the giggles of the kids as they dump each other out of the center of Bertha...

...Or the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks...

...and building castles in the sand...

...or the debate of what to do next. Swim, swim, or SWIM?

An Award? Aww Shucks...You're too Kind!

My blogging friend Tracy has nominated me for a cute little award. I thought it was very kind of her to send it my way. I didn't start this blog with the intention of winning any accolades from anyone. I figured I would start posting silly little stories and pictures with the hopes of capturing "a glimpse" of our daily lives to share with our family in Florida.

Through blogging, though, I have found an outlet, a therapy of sorts to channel thoughts and feelings. I have found new friends and have seen thousands of the world's prayer warriors mobilized to bring comfort both in times of sorrow and joy. I have seen the Lord work in many lives and have seen him glorified time after time in the stories of strangers. In coming up with these silly little stories of mine, I have realized that my life is far from boring and mundane. Most of the time when people call and ask how life is or what we've been up to, normally the response is...not too much. Life seems to move by so quickly that you forget to savor the little gems and jewels scattered about in a day. This blog has been a great outlet for me to savor the moments.

So anyway, back to the award...this is how it works:

1. The winner can put the logo on his/her blog.

2. Link the person you received your award from.

3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.

4. Put links of those blogs on yours.

5. Leave a message on the blogs of the people you’ve nominated

Here are my 7 Favorites:

1. My Sister, Sara. She is my best friend and has been through the fire in her life, but always comes back stronger. She is a great mother and an advocate for her children. She doesn't get a lot of traffic on her blog, which is sad because she always has such good stuff on there.
2. My Sister in Christ and Friend Julie. Julie is hilarious. I've known her for quite some time. She is someone who really gets me. We are alike in many ways and have a very similar sense of humor.
3. Another Sister in Christ and Friend, Cindy. She has the best laugh in the world. I love to hear this person laugh! She values life. She values that which many people in America believe they can throw away, give away or terminate. She is a wonderful person through and through striving to be the best mom of 12 and wife and honor God in all that she does. She appreciates the gift of family and counts each moment as a blessing.
4. Again, a Sister in Christ and Friend, Amanda. She is the girl who has the amazing ability to take the lemons in life and make sweet lemonade. I didn't really get to know her well when she lived here in Michigan, but have had the opportunity to get to know her through her blog. She is a great encourager, always sending Godly wisdom and advice in my comments section. She is a pillar of strength in her family while her husband is deployed, raising her boys and teaching them about the Lord.
5. This person I don't know personally. I am just a stalker who is captivated by her writing and her relationship with the Lord. Angie Smith. She has the sweetest heart and spirit that are poured out everytime she posts.
6. I don't know this person personally, either, but again, her writing and her personality just shine. I'm sure that if she lived in the neighborhood, we'd be friends! I love to see how the Lord is glorified in her writing. McMama...
7. This gal...she is just awesome. I have been following her blog for about 9 months now. She just amazes me with her strength and zest for life. The Lord has blessed her greatly with a new set of lungs and a new lease on life. Her spirit is refreshing...Alice.

So that's it...those are my seven. I could probably have listed about 7 more.

Back to the Grind!

This week marks the end of another furiously fast summer and the ushering in of yet another school year. This school year is another milestone for our family. Sissy officially moved to "The Big Kid's Hall" at school. We no longer have to fight the parking frenzy in the main parking lot. We can retreat to the side of the building where things are much calmer, more laid back. Big Bro. is now in the 5th grade and is beginning his last year at the elementary building. He is one of the kids the little ones look up to, the role models of the building. It is hard to believe that this time next year he will be over at the Junior High building (**sniff**sniff**).

Here are my shining stars outside of the building all ready for their first morning at school after spending a summer sleeping in. Sissy is very happy indeed. I am sure that on the inside she is just downright giddy.

Boogie is the picture of cool and collected, containing her sadness with the "Sibs" heading off to school Again, Sis, busting on the inside, full of glee and excitement as she begins the year as a 3rd Grader!

The awesome part about being a 3rd grader in the "Big Kids Hall" is getting a locker. Most kids can't wait to get that beautiful blue locker. The best part about it is her locker partner is her BFF A***. Her BFF is also in her class this year, which is a huge blessing. Sis has been in a split class for the past 2 years and is beginning her 3rd year. She has only had about 4 girls total in her class each year. We have prayed for her to have a Bestie in class with her. Our God Rocks!

Big Brother is ready to go. He is the picture of cool and confident. I have to say that I am truly proud of his spirit. Helps that he has his dad's bright and smiling disposition in the morning. (Unfortunately, Sis takes after me)

Here he is stuffing his stuff in the locker.

I have to admit that this first day of school has not been as hard as years past. I didn't attend the "Boo-hoo Tea" this year, no tears were shed. Next year, well next year will be another story...

A Sweet Sister Moment

It's moments like this...

That truly make you appreciate moments like this...

My Little Gift From God

I have received the most awesome little gift from God. To give you a little background...I LOVE flowers. I love their colors, fragrance and brilliance. I love the way they can perk up your mood. Usually my girls and I plant flowers in the pots on our porches. This year we didn't. I kind of went on strike. I didn't plant flowers, I didn't plant a garden. The critters around here constantly try to plant their walnuts in my flower pots and dig up my flowers, the deer eat my corn and the woodchucks eat my lettuce. It all gets very frustrating! Secretly, I have been a little upset with myself for getting so discouraged about feeding the neighborhood wildlife. God sensed my frustration and sent me this... A lone single sunflower that grew up in my flower pot on my front porch.
I've been watching it grow from a small sprout for many weeks...

...Into a beautiful flower

I am forever reminded through things like this that God sees and hears everything. Not only does he know the number of hairs on our heads, our thoughts and desires, but he pays attention to those little details and responds in ways we can't imagine. Sometimes he sends a person or a song. Sometimes he simply sends a lone sunflower.

My Little Super Model

So a few years back I pretty much swore off taking my children to the budget portrait studios for their baby pictures. It seemed like I was always waiting, babies were cranky, the backgrounds were boring and the photographers were cranky. I was usually unhappy with the end result because I didn't feel that the photographer adequately captured the personality of my children. They would settle for fake smiles because they didn't know my child enough to know what was real or fake. They would pose them in positions totally unnatural for my children. When the older two children were 3 and 5, a friend took me to For-Mar in the fall in took some of the best pictures I had ever seen. It was pretty much at that moment, I decided I would forego the studios and try things a little differently.

A couple of years ago my husband bought me a very nice camera. Since then, I've done Boogie's pictures. We are a little late getting these done, as her 3 year old birthday was in December, but the landscape this time of year is so much nicer! So without further adieu, here are Boogie's 3 year pictures....

It was so fun taking her pictures. She pretty much posed her self and I sat back watching her play. Let me know what your favorites are...I am having a hard time deciding for myself which are my favorites.