Barely Keeping Up

If you've wondered why I haven't blogged lately, you are about to get your answer.  A lot is going on here at the Barreth home and it is a lot to manage.  I'm doing my best to keep everyone bathed, fed and learning and respectful.  That, my friends, is a full time job.  Can't even imagine working an outside job on top of mothering!  YIKES!  

We got a new dishwasher.  This is a huge deal as we use it frequently.  Lots of cooking going on here all the time cause we rarely eat out.

Zeke and I have gone gluten free again about 3 weeks ago.  Me cause I want to keep arthritis from coming back and I felt some twinges.  I feel much better now and my knees are fine.  Zeke cause he has bad eczema and a cyst on his ankle and constant fever blisters.  I don't know what to contribute all of this to, but he's got a lot going on with his poor body.  We are trying to figure it out.  So far, his eczema is slightly better, fewer sores on his mouth and his cyst burst and is going down.  I'll give it a few months and we'll see.  If you are a peanut butter lover like me this stuff is a must.  They took peanut butter, took out 85% of the fat, powderized it and viola!  PB2 is great in smoothies or you can add water and it's peanut butter.  Whoever did this deserves a presidential award.

Class picture day.  She insisted on this shawl.  I had one like it as a kid that I wore every Sunday to church.

When we were doing flooring all the furniture was in the living room.  I lived this way for 2 + weeks.  I was starting to lose my mind.

and Ben thought he was losing his mind... but he did it.

We are still trying to get Romy to eat.  She just looks at me and clamps her mouth shut.  She doesn't seem to be "thinning out" or anything. :)  She is fussy a lot in the day now.  I think teething is the culprit.  I DO NOT LIKE TEETHING! There, I feel much better.

My gorgeous.  His skin and lips looking much better.  He's doing pretty well with the no gluten.  Poor kid.

Like a Weaned Child

Someone showed me this verse in the last few days.  I like the idea of calming myself like a satisfied child at a mom's breast.  Tonight Ben and I went out and left all three with a babysitter.  The babysitters called us back early because Romy just cried the entire time. (fussy teething baby) When I came back home I took her into her room and nursed her and she quieted right down.  I thought of this verse... that when I am so tired and cranky and beyond myself if I can just get alone with the Lord even for a minute to quiet myself with His presence, the milk of His Word.  Is this getting weird?  ok, I'll stop :)

Psalm 131

A song of ascents. Of David.

1 My heart is not proud, Lord,
    my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
    or things too wonderful for me.
2 But I have calmed and quieted myself,
    I am like a weaned child with its mother;
    like a weaned child I am content.

3 Israel, put your hope in the Lord
    both now and forevermore.

A Little Late, but you understand

Ben and I had our 10th anniversary in early November.  I never got around to blogging about it, but I was looking through one of my writing tablets (I have many filled with grocery lists, to do lists and Scriptures, prayers, ect) and found this poem I wrote to Ben.  I am no poet, but I do love Ben.  We went to a concert the other night and it was so nice just to have a night with no kids and sit by each other and laugh.  These years since having kids have been tiring years, but we are committed and enjoying each other.

A Decade Devoted

A decade devoted

to that man of mine

that makes me laugh

until I'm cryin'

Years of laughter, a few tears

fits from me and the kids

three miracles joining along

Gwen, Zeke and Romy joined our song

you melt my heart

with your tenderness and wit

I'm not really sure how to rhyme with wit.

Keep dreaming big and take me along,

because with you my heart forever belongs.

Easter Blessings

My Gwen... independent, strong, funny and caring.  Loves to ride her bike and play with friends.

My Romy...heartbreakingly sweet, smiles easily, loves to bounce, enjoys people

My Zeke... funny, cuddly, appreciative and sensitive

March Activity

Lots of bike riding lately.  Gwen is changing so much and growing out of clothes.  Case in point, these shorts!

We are getting new flooring... so I thought I'd paint.  This picture was my color inspiration.

This is our kitchen before the floors were ripped out.

The floors were ripped out and there were a gazillion staples in the floor.  Here are the kids helping to get them out.  They thought it was great fun.

Notice the bedclothes, shoes and winter gloves.

Ripping out floors = one tired daddy.  Ben always tells me with each home project that he doesn't want to start another one for a few years.  That never quite works out for him.

Grandma stopped by and visited us today.  Romy is teething so she is chewing on something most of the day.

My Girls

Gwen has learned how to ride her bike without training wheels.  She saw neighbor children that knew how so she was determined to learn.  She is so proud of herself and Ben and I are too.  I love her dearly.

My baby girl still has no interest in eating food.  She's quite content to just drink milk.  She does like moving puffs around on her tray and trying to get them in her mouth and spitting them out on her clothes.  Love her so!

Small Things

A flower brought to me by Gwen.

Purple cauliflower that we had for lunch.  What a novelty!

The Gospel and Everyday Life

I've been thinking about how the gospel impacts my every day routines and thoughts.  My heart so easily gets preoccupied with my own comforts and my own agenda.  I came across a blog today where this guy says this prayer every day to keep his heart focused on the gospel teaching.

1. In Christ, there is nothing I can do that would make You love me more, and nothing I have done that makes You love me less.
2. Your presence and approval are all I need for everlasting joy.
3. As You have been to me, so I will be to others.
4. As I pray, I’ll measure Your compassion by the cross and Your power by the resurrection.

I understand everything but the last one.. so I'll have to think about that more, but I was inspired by this prayer.  I've heard recently that your children become who you are and I'd like them to be able to see the value of giving your life away for the sake of the gospel in practical application from me.  I know that's a whole lotta Christian talk for I'd like them to be able to do what God says because they know that's the only way to living an abundant life.  I'm seeking the Lord on a few things now and asking Him to make my path obvious to me.  

Family

Romy is getting lots of love and attention from Grandma.

and others too!

Those teeth are coming in and she likes to chew on her hand.  With Aunt Beki.

This is tonight when Ben was reading the Bible to the kids.  Moment like this you just have to tuck into your heart.

Today has been a good day.  A baby shower for a friend that adopted (and cuddling the newborn) and learning my kids will have a new cousin coming in the fall.  Congratulations to Jake and Melody!

The Winter

This has been a long winter to me.  I'm ready to get outside and feel some sunshine.  I know, I know, just a few more months and I'll be complaining it is too hot.  Isn't it in everyone's nature to not see the beauty in each season?  

Dieting tips from me... you gotta find foods that wear your jaws out so you can't eat too much of it.  Case in point, shredded wheat.  Another tip, cabbage!  It's the poor man's brussels sprouts!  We've been eating a lot of it stir fried.  The kids love it.  Next up, I've gotta come up with a cabbage roll.  

This beauty is six months tomorrow.  She has two little pearly teeth poking through and growing in and she is a joy to me.  She is easy and delightful and beautiful.  I just can't say enough about this kid. She grabs everything she can get her hands on now.  She especially loves reaching for my hair and for my coffee cup and while nursing will grab my nose and eyes and lips.

Here's a video of Ben playing with her.  This is how she laughs.  I still haven't heard her truly belly laugh.  She just kind of does this sound.


Gwen has been asking lots of really deep questions lately and it really is interesting.  Zeke has gotten into this thing where he'll say, "really mom?" when I ask him to do something.  I respond and say "yes, really".  It's wearing a little thin.  They are both into legos at the moment.