Virtues and naughtiness

Wow. It's been so long since I've blogged.

I've missed it, but it never seems to fit into the day.

Between homeschooling, and kicking things into a pile on the floor 

so I only have to bend once, I'm tired. 

I've got six more weeks of pregnancy, and I'm just struggling for normalcy every day.

I'm huge, and that's not my personal opinion, it's everyone's.

People are nice when they think you're due in the next day or two,

so that part is fine with me.

Life has been good though.

So good.

I look back on where we were last year, and my heart just swells with gratitude.

So thankful to God that we can look back and say that we grew through it all.

But onto these little ones:

Eden's maturing.

Obviously.

But it's so cool as a parent to watch things progress, to watch as thoughts sink in.

She cried at her first movie last week, and also decided she was ready to have her ears pierced.

She gives her little brother portions of her dessert because she "really wants to be nice",

and has told me lately that I'm beautiful though I feel anything but.

Today she helped Micah get on his shoes when I had no patience and just walked away, she rubbed his back and spoke kind, gentle words to him.

Teaching me and showing me how I should've responded instead of how I did.

It's amazing.

Life's not always peachy by any means, and we have our fair share of issues around here.

But the good is so abundant and I can't remember a day lately where I haven't cried tears of joy

over the blessings God has given me (yes, that's probably hormones). 

Micah's been sweet lately too.

 He's pretty emotional, and at times, it seems to get the best of him.

Today, though, I cried on the way home from the store.

We were in an aisle, I was looking for the perfect snack.

Another lady came along, ordinary from the outside. 

Lately we've been talking a lot around here about how people are beautiful no matter how we see them.

How God made every person and He made them beautiful

I never know if Micah's listening, but apparently he is.

This lady walked down the aisle, perusing just as we were.

Micah looked at her and said "You are so beautiful".

The lady looked like she might cry, and then I thought I might (those hormones, I'm telling you).

She said, "I've just had the worst day, and you made it so much better."

My heart just soared.

My little boy teaching me.

Just to keep things real though, about ten minutes earlier, he was throwing the fit of a life time.

I love it.

I'm blessed beyond anything I could've ever imagined.

I think that thought often as I hear "mommy" called out by little voices.

Micah thinks I don't have any other name than that.

I love it.

I want to remember...

...how Micah lifts up my shirt over my belly, points to my protruding belly button and asks if that's the baby's face

...how Eden concentrates when she's sounding out words to read

...that when Micah throws a full blown tantrum how he changes when you scoop him up and snuggle him and tell him how much you love him

...how Eden craves showers

...how Micah talks about his baby sibling as a girl and how he wants to be a big brother

...how Eden comes up with crazy creative situations either on paper or through acting things out

...how much I adore them and love them so much it hurts

Excuses

I'm so bad at blogging.

I guess I kinda thought that by this time of year, I'd be back on track.

Perhaps now that I've admitted it, I will be.

There's just so much to do, only little time to relax.

I guess that's just life happening.

 I need to write a post about homeschooling Eden. Two words: love it.

I'm being serious. Perhaps it was my expectations that have been exceeded, or just

watching her little brain busy at work, I don't know, but it fascinates me and it's fun.

 Micah and Eden have been best little buds lately. She gets in these little play modes where she treats him like her baby and they just laugh and laugh and laugh. 

Sometimes I'm just on the other side of the wall doing nothing but listening.

This is how I hoped it would be. I know kids go through all these stages and this one may leave before coming back again, but I'm gonna love it while it's here.

 She's so creative in everything she does. Give her a blanket, she'll make you a home; a book, she'll make up a story; tell her a story, she'll draw it out on paper. It's  just everything she does and I adore her so much.

Micah, I think if I had to pick one word to describe him, it'd be 'joy'. He's happy when it's inappropriate, happy at meal times, happy the minute he wakes up, and the minute he goes to bed. I think he's happiest though, when he's with Eden. Those two together, I tell you, it's just bliss watching them.

Here's to keeping up more this fall!

Happenings or not

life around here lately, seems busy

and this computer is hanging on by a thread

thus the sporadic and unpredictable posts

yet:

Micah jumps off everything, height is not an issue.

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Eden is like an art genius.

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 Mike still smells his socks when he unrolls them,

and yes, I'm sure he'll appreciate me sharing that.

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I've quit eating a pint of ice cream a day,

hello tons of baby weight.

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 Micah tells me probably no less than twenty times a day 

that he's going to put me in jail.

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Eden loves to write "I love you" and writes it IUO heart (I love it)

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 Mike and I are obsessed with planting trees.

Total for this summer: 9.

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I'm in week 22 of pregnancy.

WAHOOOOOO!

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Eden and Micah have started doing chores.

Another woo to the hoo.

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I started meal planning and it's going quite well, thank you.

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Micah walks around the house clapping and today told me he loved my coldness.

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I wish I had a pint of ice cream right now.

A big first for Eden

Last night, moments before I went to bed, Eden was squealing with delight in bed thinking of her first day of homeschool kindergarten. It made my heart sing.

Tonight, I'm ready for bed, anxious to lay down and almost headed up the stairs. But there's something about those moments when they're written down fresh. I don't want to forget, and perhaps if I write them they'll stay fresh for just a little longer in my mind.

 A few months ago, Eden and I were going through a phase. I hesitate to say it was her, because there is always something I can do as a parent, better. I remember praying every night, wondering how on earth we'd go through this homeschool thing. I didn't understand how it would work. 

Prayer answered.

Eden and I began having long talks, deep talks, and coming to a better understanding with each other. It wasn't a long phase, but it was a hard one. And I remember being desperate.

Desperate to have that closeness with her again and just have fun instead of opposition.

Prayer answered.

 I'm an emotional person to begin with, so when Eden and I started off our little morning with prayer, I cried. Definitely tears of joy, relief, and so thankful for this 

beautiful little girl that is my best little girlfriend.

She called her daddy right after school, told him everything she learned.

She was so teachable.

Prayer answered.

My heart is so full.

And I'm so happy that I can look back and see those prayers definitely answered.

Little moments

I've been thinking a lot lately

just about how summer's nearly over

wishing that perhaps we'd done something big

take a trip

have an adventure

but then I got to thinking

we had a really good summer

made up of so many rich little moments

I loved it

and I wouldn't trade it for a trip or an adventure

they're so happy being home

with such simple pleasures

I know it won't last forever

and soon they won't be as easy to please

a few weeks ago Mike took Micah down the big slide at State Fair

he was all smiles and me and Eden loved watching

but as soon as he realized it was over

he wasn't thrilled

he actually threw a fit

it must have been quite the thrill

then there was the moment at the fair where I just had a moment of my own

such gifts

as hard and difficult as they sometimes make something

they make life so beautiful

enchanting at times

 then I saw this picture

and I almost ran upstairs with a scissors

thinking I'd just cut his hair in his sleep

then I realized it's Eden's hair

and she's just sitting next to him

phew

I was so scared that I could be that oblivious

these little moments though

they're just everywhere

in nearly every picture that I look back on

there they are

I'm in awe

thrilled

and so glad that I'm not the only one that thinks so

My road to Emmaus

A few weeks ago, I think I had a panic attack.

Maybe it wasn't full fledge, but it was the most anxiety that I have ever felt at a given moment.

It's something semi-new to me, being fear struck, and realizing how much control I don't have.

Then, a few days after that episode, I had the exact opposite emotion.

I was reading in my devotions about the road to Emmaus. The passage is in Luke 24 and talks

about how the disciples were on the road to Emmaus talking about Jesus, was he the Son of God and did he rise from the dead. Then a man was walking with them and they were talking, they invited him to dinner, and when he broke bread, they realized, THIS is Jesus.

But quickly, I need to describe the scenario of my so called panic attack.

I remember driving with Mike, clutching his hand, and realizing in only minutes, my life could quickly start another chapter that I had prayed against.

I will never forget Mike praying, and trying so hard to concentrate on his words because my heart, it felt, was just beating out of my chest.

I remember sitting outside of the doctors office, waiting minute by minute. Mike and I not talking,

only looking at each other trying to have hope.

They called me back.

Weighed me.

Took my blood pressure.

Said the doctor would be right in.

More waiting.

He came.

He put the doppler on my stomach after I laid down and Mike and I quickly reached for each others hands. 

Immediately we heard it.

That familiar sound that I longed to hear for so so long.

Our baby's heartbeat.

Mike and I both lost it.

So many happy tears.

The doctor was about to take the doppler off and I asked him to wait.

Just another minute.

Mike and I left there verbally thanking Jesus in the hallway.

The weight of fear, gone.

Just like that.

And what does this have to do with the road to Emmaus?

Alot, actually.

I will never forget when I read that in my devotions that morning.

I brought it over to Mike with tears in my eyes.

So convicted, and shocked that I was.

See, we have prayed for pregnancy for so long.

God answered.

And now here I was, walking with Him, talking with Him, yet not focusing on the enormous blessing that He placed in our lives.

Just like the disciples.

But then, something happened, I read this story in the Bible, and I understood.

There are so many situations that I can apply this to.

God answers prayer, and is so present, it's just me who forgets both of those things.

Pet Peeves

Mike always falls asleep before me. 

I would just lay there and lay there, thinking and thinking,

doing anything but sleeping.

Then, we came up with a little game.

The Pet Peeve game.

We would take turns telling each other

new and old pet peeves.

We would laugh, my mind would

relax, and at last I would sleep.

We haven't told them to each other in a while,

so here are a few new ones, some are silly, some are NOT.

 having to move the trampoline every week to mow the lawn

 my posture, for real, one of my biggest pet peeves, it's plain awful

 these  new "too short" bangs, thanks to my sista

 when Micah wears his helmet like this, it's so safe 

 Eden making this face when she's told to do something

sand in the house, and having gritty barefoot feet in my own home 

 not being able to find scone mix anywhere except World Market

(this seriously does annoy me)

 not having enough time with cousins

rain when we're planning on grilling out

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now you try

My two little favorite people

Some summer

life around here,

is lots of bike riding in the driveway,

Eden learned to ride without training wheels,

some drum sessions while cleaning the basement,

a tag along bike finally set up,

silly dinnertime still continues,

a few still life pictures of candy,

climbing, hanging, anything to be silly,

and with her, it's always art.

love summer.

and them.