First Signs of Spring and Ballet

Well, yesterday it was 82 degrees out.  We loved being outside and the kids were so excited that they somehow with all their exuberance convinced their father to get out the baby pool.  To say the water was a little chilly would be the understatement of the year.  I asked the kids for a picture and while Zeke was totally unaware I had spoken at all, Gwen decided to do some posing of her own choosing.  It cracks me up so I shared several of her poses.  

Daddy splashing the kids.  They had so much fun.  I was having fun too until they threatened to splash me and I made a mad dash to the kitchen.

I've been singing with the ballet.  They are doing "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and the ladies from my choir are providing the fairy voices.  We are in the orchestra pit with the instrumentalists and it is beautiful music.  I love Mendellsohn.  He's my favorite composer.  Anyway, I saw this sign up tonight and decided to take a picture of it for you all to see.  Make sure if you are an adult fairy that you sign in.

Meeting the Heavenly Homemaker

One of the highlights of today was being able to meet a fellow blogger.  Her name is Laura and she writes the blog heavenlyhomemakers.com that I check out every day.  I feel like I know her and her family and we just met for the first time today.  When I met her I told her two things... that my little girl on the way there asked if there would be a roller coaster where we were going and that her turkey sausage recipe has been life changing.  :)  She has a cookbook that just came out and I got it today.  I'll have to make my way through it. 

I've paid more attention to my blog lately and noticed my lack of postings because I'm taking a break from facebook.  I haven't been on there since Tuesday and I feel like I am on the computer so much less.  It's a good thing actually.  I don't want to spend my days looking at that stuff when I can connect with my family or friends or my Lord.  Ya know?  It's a beautiful day here in Kansas City today and we were able to get outside and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air with friends.  The best things in life actually ARE free!  What a revelation!  

Yes, I'm wearing a maternity shirt even though I'm really not showing.  It looked comfy.  The kids were in an adjacent room putting on a puppet show.

Kindness

I'm in Alabama visiting my mom and dad.  My mom is about to start chemotherapy.  She had a small lump that they found in a mammogram that they took out and they took out some lymph nodes.  We thought she would only have to have radiation... but we were wrong.  Some of the lymph nodes came back having cancer cells in them, so they are going to do chemo and radiation.  We don't really know what the future holds of course, but we are optimistic and she has a good prognosis.  

I was looking through some cards that she got recently that she had on her counter and found this one from her mail carrier.  I was so touched that her mail carrier took the time to send a card and even know my mom.  I don't believe my mail carrier knows me.  This is the remarkable thing about the south I think.  People want to really know you.  Everyday kindness like this makes a difference.  

Snow Again

Today I made Mexican gypsy fingers.  I saw it on TV last night.  You roll out a piece of sandwich bread flat with a rolling pin and then put in a filling (peanut butter, or jelly, or nutella) and then roll it up.  You dip it in a mixture of 1 egg and 1/2 C milk and then put in a skillet over medium heat.  Turn over with tongs.  I couldn't have them since I'm doing the gluten free thing, but the rest of them liked it.  It's like french toast almost.  They dipped theirs in cinnamon sugar.  

We got MORE snow last night.  This is nuts for Kansas City to get this much.

Zeke Singing

Snow!

We had quite a snowstorm last Thursday and we are awaiting another big one tomorrow evening.  I have never seen so much snow in Kansas City before.  When you are inside looking at it you think... I don't want to get out in that (inner old person), but once you are out there and picking up snow and looking at it and walking through it your inner child comes out.  When I lived in Miami I missed seeing seasons and that even includes snow for me.  I really do love it and how it glitters in the sunshine and how it is so beautiful.  Here are some pictures of our recent snowstorm.

Ben worked from home on these days, but he saw the neighbors out shoveling their drives and he couldn't handle watching... so he helped and then they helped each other.  Here they are chatting.

Zeke playing with playdough.

We measured and it was 11 inches at our house.

Zeke looking out at the snow...:)

Zeke helping daddy shovel our drive.

Ben's concoction.  He gave away all of his shoes to a homeless shelter, so he has two pair of socks, a plastic bag and his sandals on.  :)  He said it worked just fine.

We filled spray bottles with water tinted with food coloring.  They enjoyed "decorating" the snow.

Ben lifting a large snow chunk.

Things the Kids Say

Gwen has been very inquisitive about the baby in my belly.  She asked the other day...
When you go pee pee in the potty does the baby come out?  I told her that God made my body to hold the baby in there until the right time.

She told me out of the blue the other day... "I know what God looks like"  I asked her what He looked like thinking she might describe the pictures of Jesus that she sees in her children's Bible.  She said, "purple, with a ring of white around Him".  It basically rendered me speechless.

Both of the kids have been praying a lot lately and frequently put in "and thank you for the soldier that died on the cross."  I think they may be confusing a local soldier that died in the war and a thief on the cross.

Zeke likes to sing "I like to move it move it, I like to MOVE IT" a lot.  In fact, if I hear that or "who let the dogs out?" one more time I think I'll scream.

I bought new toothbrushes today for the kids... the spin brush kind.  Yes, I know, they are expensive and overrated.  I could hear the kids cackling with laughter while I checked on their sick daddy and I asked them what they were doing.  They had turned on the spin brush and put them in each others ear.  Zeke especially liked it. He is getting into that mischievous three year old stage.  He is getting disciplined much more and saying "no" more to my requests which leads to more discipline.

They are both growing fast... and I'm trying to keep my head about me so that I can enjoy them in each stage they go through.  Now, if I could get over this nauseated feeling!

Be Still, My Soul

Yesterday we sang this song at church and I was struck by the words. I hope it blesses you today:

Be Still, My Soul
Words:  Katharina von Schlegel, 1752
Music:  Jean Sibelius, 1899

Be still, my soul:  the Lord is on your side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to your God to order and provide;
In every change, he faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul:  your best, your heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul:  your God will undertake
To guide the future, as he has the past.
Your hope, your confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul:  the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.

Be still, my soul:  when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shall you better know his love, his heart,
Who comes to soothe your sorrow and your fears.
Be still, my soul:  your Jesus can repay
From his own fullness all he takes away.

Be still, my soul; the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul:  when change and tears are past
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

Gwen at Aldi

What do you do on Saturdays?  Well... we went grocery shopping as a family today and I found my camera in my purse (no, I don't have a smart phone!) and decided to take a couple of pictures.  Here is Gwen, my little grocery helper.  She loves putting all the items on the conveyor belt for me.  Zeke was also in the store earlier... um... before he walked off and folded his arms and refused to come back.  Ah... three year olds!  Ben took him back to the car.  I told Gwen to smile for the picture and these are the faces I get.  I look at these pictures and marvel at her skin and how perfect it is.  

Chair Redo

We painted our kitchen chairs and recovered the seats with new vinyl.  

Regalia

Get a load of all the stuff this girl goes to sleep with every night.  We've got two unicorns, a care bear, and her "decorations".  She loves decorating her bed in elaborate arrays of all her toys and dress up stuff.  I just think it's hilarious.  There's barely any room for her!

I have been slow in blogging lately because I am feeling very queasy and tired.  Green apples and other fruit and soups have helped and are easy.  I take naps when the kids do... but that means I don't keep the house up like I normally would.  I am thankful for a husband that is understanding and kind.  Here's a look at the first ultrasound of baby #3 at 7 weeks and 5 days... the earliest I've ever seen any of my babies.  I am 9 1/2 weeks now.

Questions

Psalm 13:1-2

How long, O Lord?  Will you forget me forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?
How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
Having sorrow in my heart daily?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

Have you felt like this lately?  Do you know someone that has?  Something this passage taught me lately is to be authentic with God.  He can handle our questions and our raw emotions.  He knows our thoughts anyway.  Also, what "thing" has been winning over me... what enemy?  It can come in the form of many things... worry, anxiety, not exercising, ungratefulness.  Did you like how I sandwiched not exercising in there?  HAHA

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.  Psalm 139:1-2

The Lord knows the thoughts of man, That they are futile. Psalm 91:11

More Questions

²⁴ 
Job 31:24-28

“If I have put my trust in gold
    or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,’
²⁵ if I have rejoiced over my great wealth,
    the fortune my hands had gained,
²⁶ if I have regarded the sun in its radiance
    or the moon moving in splendor,
²⁷ so that my heart was secretly enticed
    and my hand offered them a kiss of homage,
²⁸ then these also would be sins to be judged,
    for I would have been unfaithful to God on high.

Have I put my trust in money?
Do I think I am "self made"?
Do I secretly put anything above God?

Tres Leches Update

I went to the doctor for the first time today.  I thought I was 9 weeks and some days and I had convinced myself there must be twins in there.  I am 7 weeks and a few days and there is one baby in there.  I found out my due date is September 9th.  My Grandmother's birthday was September 8th and Ben's birthday is September 2nd, so maybe this one will share a birthday.  The best part of all was seeing its little heart beating.  Even though I've experienced it before, I never want to take that miracle for granted.  I am looking forward to seeing if we have a boy or girl this time...but don't get overly excited, we'll have to wait and see.  Ben likes the surprise on the day of the birth for the gender to be revealed.  Until then I will refer to this baby as Tres Leches which in Spanish means "three milks" and is a dessert.  :)

Gwen Singing

She didn't know she was being observed until the last little bit.  If you can hear any of the words.... it's very, stream of conscience. :)

Questions

26 Then Job replied:

² “How you have helped the powerless!
    How you have saved the arm that is feeble!
³ What advice you have offered to one without wisdom!
    And what great insight you have displayed!
⁴ Who has helped you utter these words?
    And whose spirit spoke from your mouth?

How have I helped the powerless?

How have I saved the arm that is feeble?

What advice had I offered to one without wisdom?

What insight have I displayed?

Whose spirit spoke from my mouth?

Mustache Party

I recently had a mustache/fondue party.  I signed up for it before I knew I was pregnant and let's just say with the queasiness I've been experiencing that quite a few times I asked myself what I had signed up for.  But, it was lots of fun in the end.

My friend Holly and me

Ben and Gwen and Katie Beth

In the Helicopter

Ben got a ride on a helicopter for my birthday.  One year he wanted to buy a ride on a glider (airplane with no engine) and I forbid it, so he was tentative about whether I'd actually get on it.  I did and it was a lot less nerve wracking than I imagined.