New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve is one of my favorite nights of the year. My dad was always terrified that one of us would get in a car accident on New Year's so long ago he started bribing us all to spend the night at their house. He provided an AMAZING meal and lots of fun.
I'll admit that the nights aren't quite the same without him there but its still a night I look forward to every year.
Our celebration tonight will include Nick, Stacie, Olivia, my brother Jordan, mom and us. This year we are doing something a bit different and going out for a big meal which we never do as an extended family. Then we'll head back to our house for games and trying to stay up to watch the ball drop. I promised Lauren and Avery they could stay up till 12. We'll see how it goes!

Happy New Year!

The aftermath

It really looks like Christmas threw up all over my living room dining room and den/playroom. It is embarrassing. Both the mess and the sheer amount of STUFF that we have.
I do not even begin to have the storage for all of this. And I want my tree down. NOW! I want this all put away. YESTERDAY. And I want someone else to come and do it.

Ok, so obviously that wont happen. So I declared today, Get It Done Day!
Jordan called awhile ago and I think he might be scared to come home. Nothing is safe. I feel like I am pregnant or something and nesting. Like if I dont get this taken care of I might literally blow up or something.

Pray for me. Or maybe for Jordan!

Other Christmas pictures

She is suddenly very old. Can time please stop and keep her seven? I really love seven.


Sullivan was extremely difficult when it came to pictures all week. I think this was the best we got of him!


Love my girls!


Oh my...

Gifts

Sullivan is pretty obsessed with this toy. When he doesn't know I am watching he holds Handy Manny like a baby and tells him he loves him. VERY CUTE!

The one thing Avery asked for this Christmas was a guitar. Grandma Cindy came through...both girls LOVE them! Our house is really LOUD!





Uncle Nick got the girls scooters. We went to the school so the girls could test them out, they are ready for summer now.

Baby's First Christmas

This little sweetheart was so very good through all the sickness she has dealt with this week. It started with the RSV diagnosis on Tuesday. She really acted practically normal except for some VERY long sleeping spells. Tuesday she slept all night and then in the am on Wednesday I fed her at 6 and she went back to sleep until NOON! Then on Thursday she slept till 10:30 and we had to wake her up at that time. Then Thursday evening she started running a temp and acting fussy. She just wanted to be held and rocked.
Now a smart mother would have taken her to Urgent Care on Friday. But I thought we'd wait it out. Well after NO sleep on Friday night I knew we had to go on Saturday. So what did we wake up to on Saturday? An ice storm. GREAT! So Jordan and I loaded up the two little ones, sent the big girls to my mom and off we headed to Waterloo to Urgent Care. Tess was diagnosed with an ear infection and a sinus infection. POOR BABY.
By Sunday evening she seemed to be back to herself again.
Besides the sickness Tess really got into opening packages, mostly so she could eat the paper...she may have ingested some while we weren't looking.

What a sweet girl!

Christmas 2008

Back last week - which seems like a month ago- I said that this wasn't going to be the Christmas we expected. Jodi commented that it might not be what we expected, but it was the Christmas that God wanted for us. The one He planned for us. I really need to thank Jodi because after reading that my spirits were lifted and I felt very excited for what was in store for us that week.
And truly, we had a wonderful Christmas Eve. It was hard not being at Jordan's parents with all the family and the kids and the fun...but we had an amazing night of just being with us. We got to actually play with the kids new toys, we made homemade pizza and decorated cookies. It was totally laid back and completely stress free. I haven't had a Christmas like that since I started having kids. And when I look back on it, Jodi was so right, it was exactly the Christmas that God had planned for us. I think He knew that we needed that. Just one night.

On Christmas Day we were able to go to my mom's with my family because my kids are the only kids under 15 there...so we did have a lot of fun celebrating with my family.

My kids were so totally spoiled that I am sure they will never need a new toy again. The girls big gifts from uncles and grandparents were scooters and guitars. I love and hate both gifts! Sully's big gifts were a Handy Manny truck and tools and some Thomas take-a-long sets. He LOVES them. My brothers also gave us our first guns...2 nerf guns for Sully. Although if you came to our house you would see that these gifts must have been for Jordan. He is having a BLAST with them!

We spent the day and evening at my mom's and just had fun. But as always there was that big empty spot sitting there. It doesn't get less obvious that my dad isn't there. It seems to become more obvious with each passing year. There is a void. A void that used to be filled with his smile, his laughter, the look on his face as he watched us opening gifts, the look that showed so much love and pride as he watched his children. The void that used to be filled with his bigger than life spirit. Christmas wont ever be the same. And I think what I realized this year is that even when I'm the one sitting around surrounded by MY grandchildren...there will still be a void, he will still be so greatly missed.

My greatest blessing...

Jordan has been working some crazy hours lately...just like the end of every year. I complain about this to him because it inconviences me...I get a greater load with the kids and the house. I am selfish and snotty about it...

Last night he was at work until it was just about time to get back up for the day. When I got to work today I saw that at 12:30 am he had emailed me. I opened the email and it simply read, 'I love you'.

He is much more self-less than I am. He gives more than I do. He worked basically 17 hours yesterday. And yet, he found the time to be sure that I knew he was thinking of me.

I don't know why God chose to give him to me as my spouse, but I do know that he is my greatest blessing. And I don't deserve to be loved like that...but I am so grateful that I am.

I'm in trouble...

I just saw a headline that read;
"Women in crowded households have greater risk of heart disease."

I didn't read the article. I was scared enough by the headline.

It works to get mad...

I have lots of Christmas pictures to post and stories to tell but for now, I've got this:

My washer isn't working...still. We bought it in March and it hasn't really worked since October. They were here on Friday AGAIN, temporarily fixed it, ANOTHER part ordered. I went to do laundry tonight...nada.

I lost it.

I have been VERY patient, very understanding with these people. But that ended.

When the girl answered I said, "Hi. You might as well get your manager on the phone because it will save us both a lot of time." She got her manager.

When the manager got on the phone I said, "Sir, I dont know what you have to do to get me a new washer but you might as well start the process because I am not getting off the phone until I get one."

He sent me DIRECTLY to 'new machines'.

I have a new washer coming this week.

Period. The end.

Snow day pics

Here's a couple of pictures from our Snow Day at my mom's this past Sunday. My kids are so lucky to have all these fun uncles!


Uncle Nick and Contessa


Uncle Jordan and Avery listening to some tunes.


Uncle Robert wrestling!

Pics from our gift opening last night

The kids had a really good time last night. I love our Christmas with them. It is so special and I love watching their memories be made. I love our fancy supper, Jordan reading the Christmas story and the kids eyes as they see their gifts.


Ready to eat!


Tess liked opening gifts!








Singing Happy Birthday to Jesus.


Lauren and Avery got this 'sister' wall hanging for their room and the PB&J necklaces that Cassie introduced me to. The wall hanging says, "Sister will you...make believe, play dress-up, let me be the princess, tell me stories in the dark, always be my friend?" Before bed last night Lauren told Avery that they have those necklaces because they are best friends...forever. (Easily my favorite part of Christmas!)


Singing Jingle Bells and Away in the Manager.

So this is Christmas?

Well things are unraveling at a rather rapid rate.
Tess has been really congested...carrying around the virus that has been in our house for a week or more now. Well yesterday I heard that RSV was really flaring up and that it had been in our daycare.

Sullivan was in the hospital at 2 weeks old with RSV and it was one of the worst things I've ever dealt with as a mother...so I take the virus seriously.

I made an appt for Tess yesterday afternoon. I was fully expecting it to be a wasted trip. No such luck. She's got RSV. And the dr. made me feel like we should be a little more worried about her than we were. She's on the nebulizer now and seems to be doing fine. Actually she is very happy, continuing to sleep through the AWFUL cough and loving the nebulizer.


However, since she has a confirmed case of RSV that means we are basically quarantined from other kids. Yep, no Christmas Eve at Grandma Cindy's with all the cousins. I actually cried.

Then things got worse. Avery woke up at midnight with a very high temp. and a sore ear and headache. She and I were back at the doctor at 8:30 this am. Yep, bad ear infection. The dr. said if we hadn't come in we most definitely would have been in an ER tonight. (I've done ER's and Urgent Care's on holidays - and I'm SO glad we didn't wait.

So our Christmas Eve will look a little different. We already opened our gifts with our little family so tonight we will play with toys, make homemade pizza and decorate sugar cookies. Lauren said she and Avery can put on a play of the First Christmas and we can read the Christmas story again and again. (She's so cute.)

And I'm actually excited. We will make this a memorable Christmas for the kids and turn our focus to the baby in the manager instead of the gifts under the tree. And as we all know, that's the way it should be anyway.

Sullivan's first Christmas Program

Last night we attended Sullivan's first Christmas program. As we were walking down the hall to take him to his classroom I almost yelled, "I forgot the camera!"
I couldn't believe it. He looked SO cute in his red and black sweater and new black shoes - that he calls either, "daddy shoes or Christmas shoes".

I was amazed that he actually stood in front of everyone. I think it was likely only because he couldn't find us in the crowd to come running to!

He stood there very nicely. With one finger in his mouth, starring at the railing next to him. At one point he started crying. Luckily his favorite teacher smiled at him and gave him a thumbs up and that calmed him back down and he went back to his finger and the railing. Lauren and Avery kept telling us that they felt so sorry for him.

Then they passed out the bells for the kids to ring as they sang Jingle Bells. Sullivan held his bell in his free hand and did nothing with it.

It was ADORABLE! I was proud of him. I had tears in my eyes as I watched him. Like most of the kids he had no clue what they were even doing standing there in front of a room full of people...but I was still proud.

After the program Jordan said, "Sully, what songs did you sing?" He started singing Jingle Bells perfectly. Go figure.

So in love with that little boy!

The greatest event in history

One of my favorite things about Christmas is getting Christmas cards in the mail. Its the only time of year I care about mail at all. During December I literally fight Jordan to get the mail. I am giddy when I see all the cards.

Today was a good card day, I got lots.

One of my favorite to get every year is from the Pastor who married Jordan and I, Pastor Palser. He was my Pastor when I was growing up, he lives in Kansas now and he's just a great guy.

This year his card made me stop and think. It brought tears to my eyes. Here's the part that did it, "I trust you're all well and enjoying this special time of celebrating the greatest event in the world's history - God, the Son, taking upon Himself all that is human to become "God with Us - Emmanuel."

Christmas isn't about presents, it isn't about trees, it isn't about snow or even about family. Its about Emmanuel, God with Us. How awesome is that? He became Man for us. The ultimate gift.

Here's to celebrating the greatest event in history...Merry, merry Christmas!

Snow Day II

Well with the blizzard still in full force we had another snow day. Church was cancelled as well as the Christmas program for the kids tonight. I can't express Lauren's disappointment.
However, one of my crazy older brothers and his wife decided that they were brave enough to drive the 1.5 hours here to spend the day at my mom's with us and two of my younger brothers. He said he wants to play cards.
So we're off for a day of cards and sitting in front of the fire!

Tag

So I tagged myself. I saw this on a couple other blogs and thought it was fun. You open up your photo file and post photo #4.
This one was mine, from March 12, 2005. Its Melanie, giving Lauren at age 3.5 a hair cut in our kitchen. I vaguely remember us having them over for supper that night and saying, Hey Melanie, why dont you cut Lauren's hair while you're here.

Its so funny how fast time flies by...Lauren's 7 now. How does that happen?

Anyway, to the rest of you who check my blog, consider yourselves tagged!

I knew it!!!

So all week Sully has continued to be cranky, have a poor appetite, and to not sleep the best. I woke up today and said, He has an ear infection, I know it.
I took him to the dr. today and yep. Ear infection.
Poor kid, we haven't been the most patient with him through out the week. Poor kid!

Tesser

Tess didn't see what all the fuss was about with the gingerbread house. She found her walker to be more fun.
I couldnt decide which picture I liked best so I posted them all. She has so many cute little expressions...

Snow Day

Well the latest report is that we received over 8 inches of snow. Its fair to say that we are snowed in. Jordan put on snowpants and boots and walked to work. Luckily its only like 4 blocks and I'm sure Papa will be here soon to dig us out.

The kids were really excited for the snow day...we put together our gingerbread house. They took it very seriously!

Contessa - 5.5 months

Tess has been stuck on 8 hours of sleep at night for about 3 months or more.
But the past week she has finally started to stretch it out. Last night was close to 10 hours. YEAH!

My other kids all slept over 10 hours at like 10 weeks old. I have told myself that the reason Tess didn't sleep like this was she wanted to make sure I knew that just because I THOUGHT I knew all about babies...I wasn't right.

She is also trying to get up on her knees to crawl. Maybe she'll skip the army crawling stage?

She's getting to be a ton of fun for the other kids just in time for Christmas. She absolutely lights up for them. Everyone comments on how much she obviously adores them. Very cute.

Perspective

The past day or so I've been letting myself get a little stressed about the holiday which is fast approaching.

But I was given some perspective tonight from a blog friend and it reminded me that what doesn't get done - doesn't matter. I can't make it perfect and if it was perfect I probably wouldn't want it that way anyway.

Right now is my only chance to enjoy THIS Christmas season. I will never again have it like THIS. My kids will never be THIS age at Christmas again.
THIS is Christmas and I am going to enjoy it!

AGAIN...Are they kidding?

Winter Storm Watch is in effect for the entire viewing are for Thursday into Friday morning. While we clean up after 2 to 5 inches of snow fell across Eastern Iowa on Tuesday the next system is approaching from the southwest. This will bring warmer air moving over the new snow on the ground. That will lead to freezing rain and sleet before changing over the snow. The northern counties may only have snow, but there will be enough moisture that some areas near the Minnesota border may receive up to 8 inches of new snow. There is the potential for half an inch of ice to accumulate as well as an inch of sleet. This will create hazardous driving conditions and may produce power outages. The snow will move out Friday morning, but another storm will move in for Saturday and Sunday. This will have much colder air with it so it should fall as only snow. Arctic air will settle over us for a few days for next week.

Are they kidding?

A WIND CHILL ADVISORY is in effect for today as Arctic air has taken over the Midwest. Combine the cold with a strong wind and wind chills will be 15 to 30 below today. The wind will lighten up this evening letting our highs today (near 5) to fall as low as 10 below zero by morning. Tomorrow a WINTER STORM WATCH will be in effect. Snow will develop in the morning and continue through the day and end tomorrow night with accumulations of 3-6".

Pressing on

The house is picked up, disinfected and somewhat back in order. There are loads and I mean loads of laundry ready to be put away - when you start laundry at 11:30 at night and proceed to do a load almost every hour for 12 hours - you get a lot done.
I enlisted both Avery and Sully to help clean. They were little cleaning machines with those clorox cleaning cloths let me tell you.

We are ready for naps. I think everyone is doing good. Avery never threw up so I dont know if its still coming from her or not. Lauren must be doing well at school....

At least we are getting this out of our systems before Christmas!

Monday

We had a wonderful weekend with the perfect mix of activities and relaxing.

Then Saturday night the stomach flu decided to invade our house. I was first. Sick all night and feeling really awful all day Sunday. Jordan did an amazing job keeping the kids all away from me and I basically slept the entire day.

I went to bed feeling pretty crummy last night but I woke up for some reason at like 11 and thought, hey, I feel better. Then at 11:30 I heard the cry. All mom's know it. The cry that means someone else in the house is now sick.

It was Sullivan's turn. POOR POOR BABY! He threw up like 6 times between 11:30 and 4:30. But he woke up at 7:30 acting really good. So now he's had a bath and is laying on the couch - only because I'm making him stay there.

Avery says she doesnt feel good but she says its her throat that hurts. She doesnt look real good though. We'll see.

I'm focusing on the positives:
1. It seems to be a very fast acting bug
2. There is no fever.
3. I have plenty of towels, blankets, wash cloths and water
4. my washer and dryer can run all day

Innocent

Its INNOCENT. Good news, the news we were praying for.

The day went well, followed by us all meeting up for a ENT Dr. recheck for Lauren and then heading to my mom's for her birthday supper and tree decorating. I'm beyond tired and ready for bed.

There was one hour of the day where I really thought Tess might lose it, right before the test, but really she did amazingly well going with no food.

Thank you for your prayers and encouragement and help with our kids!

Kingdom Work

Today is the day for Tess's echocardiogram. It didnt start out the best. Tess gets up at 5:30 EVERY MORNING, eats and then goes back to sleep for 2-3 hours. We dont set an alarm clock anymore, we have Tess. This was going to work perfectly for having her done with a large feeding before 6:30, then sleeping a good chunk of the morning and having a feeding of water before 10:30, followed by nothing until probably 2.
Well today of all days the kid slept till 6:30! Come on!
So I still fed her because I felt like I had to...

Anyway, I hope that is the worst thing that happens today.

I've been thinking about this role of motherhood a lot lately. I talked to my cousin recently and she really got me thinking. She has 6 children. 3 biological, the youngest of which is 2 months. Then they have 3 adopted children, one with a learning disability and another with much more severe disabilities. They are an AMAZING family and she inspires me. She never complains. She never acts like she is put out.
She said to me, "Becky, this work you are doing with your children is kingdom work. You are being used by God to shape His kingdom - your children."

I've been thinking about that and I know I am so not the one He should of chosen! But it also helps me to keep in mind that I am not in this alone! My Savior and the Master of the Universe has all of this in control.

And so that is my focus heading into today. He's got me, He's got Tess right where He wants us.

God sent TJ

Looking back at the time of my dad's death we all marvel at the things that God so perfectly had in place for us.

My parents were in California when he passed away and of course my brothers and I's biggest concern was, Mom's ALL ALONE out there.

How do we get her back? How will she even get to an airport? She has to be in shock, what are we going to do? We have to rescue her.

But God knew. He had that in His plan. He hadn't forgotten my mom. Rather He had her in the safest place of all, Safely in His Arms. He was doing the rescuing that day.

God sent TJ.

TJ was a grief couselor at the hospital my dad was taken. My mom was sitting, praying, asking for guidance and strength before she called each of her seven children to tell them that their Dad was gone.

And guess who came and sat down? Guess who started praying right along with her?

TJ.

TJ is a born-again believer. Of all the counselors that could have come to my mom's side, God sent TJ.

She prayed with my mom, cried with her and not only that, she helped her get on a plane home...to us.

Later we found out that TJ is actually from Iowa! (Try telling me God didn't have this in His plan!) She grew up here and her mother still lives here. My mom and TJ have gotten together one time since my dad's death and it meant more than anything in the world to my mom.

Today I got to meet TJ.

She is in Iowa with two of her sons, visiting her mom and she made the trip to my mom's for lunch. My mom invited us over too.

When I walked in TJ stuck her hand out to me and I couldn't help it. I said no and I went in for a hug. A big one. And I don't know if it told her thank you like I wanted it to, but I hope so.

TJ, God sent you, when we needed Him too. He sent you when we couldn't be there. He sent you in my mom's biggest hour of need. He used you to rescue her. To seven children waiting anxiously for their mom to return...you are an angel no doubt. And for that I am forever grateful to Him and to you. You are one of God's children sent to do mighty work.

I'm so thankful that God sent TJ.

Asleep

I bet I can count on one hand the # of times this girl has fallen asleep when she was not in her own bed. It just doesnt happen.



Today she and I were cuddled on the couch during Sully and Tess's nap time and I started to realize that she felt heavier and my shoulder felt kind of wet. Sure enough, she was out. 15 minutes later Tess woke up. It may have been one of the hardest things I've ever done when I got up and left Avery on the couch. I could have stayed there all day.

For Alexa

Sully wore this shirt just for you today Alexa!


He can't wait to see you on Sunday!

Little Moments

I had the best lunch with Avery and Sully at my mom's today. Its moments like these that I want to bottle up and never forget. Times when I think, why have I been so blessed? When they say and do things that to most people would sound ordinary but to their mom, they are priceless.

I told Sully I loved him as we were eating. He responded, "I know that already mommy." In his not too easy to understand two year old speech.

Then I took Avery to preschool. Just as her teacher was opening our van door for Avery to jump out Avery says, "Dont worry, I wont touch anybody's snot and get sick today." That alone was hilarious but when you combine it with watching her small little body carrying her big backpack and her little pink boots its adorable. Then when you add in the two kleenexes that were stuck to the bottom of her boot as she walked in the door the whole encounter becomes unforgetable.

I'm so happy that they are 2 and 4. And I'm so happy that they aren't perfect. I thank God for that. Because how boring would perfect children be anyway?

(feel free to play the Brad Paisley song, 'Little Moments' as you read this post!)

Baby Sister

I find this truly amazing. Sullivan is really not very nice to his older sisters. He loves to torment them and make them scream. It is really fun to him.

But with Tess he is a different boy. He is soft and gentle and he talks to her in the sweetest voice. He will bring her toys and say, Here you go my baby. If she cries he will get down beside her and try to comfort her. If that doesn't work he will demand that I take care of the issue. He does not want his sister to cry.
Every morning he wants to know where she is. When I tell him that she is in bed, he is mad. He wants her up.
One night last week he was having a hard time falling asleep and so Tess and I went to check on him. For fun, I laid her in his crib with him and he wrapped his skinny little arms around her and told me to leave. He said, "Tess stay, you go mommy, you go!" He was really upset when I took her out.
I am sure that this will change but for now I love the brotherly protectivness that I see in him when it comes to Tess. I don't want to forget how cute he looks when he kneels down beside her to read her a book or pat her tiny head. And someday I want to be able to show this post to both of them so that they will know that at one time, they really did love each other!

The weekend

We have had a VERY lazy Saturday. A few members of the family who shall remain nameless are still in their pjs. Those who have taken the initiative to get dressed chose sweats! Except for Avery who got all dolled up for a Christmas cookie decorating Birthday Party. She was SO excited. It was adorable. Melanie came over and we worked on our adopted family for church but other than that I haven't hardly gotten off the couch.

Here are a few of my favorite pics from the last couple days.


She is Little Missy Snuggly Pants


If it weren't so cute I really could be jealous over how much she loves him.


I couldn't find Tess or Lauren this morning. Lauren had decided to show her all her school stuff from the week. Come on, how cute is the back of Tess's head and her staring up at Lauren's work? And how great is Lauren? Seriously sweet.


Tess does not take a binkie. None of my kids ever have past about a month old. But I figured that it might really save us next Friday in the hours before the echo test. So I'm trying to convince Tess that they are fun! She likes it for about 6 second intervals and then would rather play with it with her hands and stare at it. Cute.

From the Two year old

Sullivan was struggling to finish his lunch today and I asked him why he wasn't eating.
Here was his response: "Cause, I wanna pout."

Well I guess at least he was being honest about it! Sometimes we just feel like pouting!

Tess update

We took Tess to the pediatric cardiologist today. We walked out of the office what felt like 7 hours after walking in. We had Sully and Avery with us too and it was a LONG time to be in a small room with three kids. They all actually did very well but it was still a long time!
Tess had a physical exam and then an EKG. After all this the cardiologist agreed with our regular pediatrician...the murmur is most likely an 'innocent murmur'. But there is a still a chance that there is a hole in one of the walls of her heart. He wants an echocardiogram done to rule that out.
I will take Tess to that next Friday. Her test is schedule for 1 pm. She cant have any formula or cereal after 6:30 am. Then she can have water till 10:30 and then nothing till the test is over and she comes out from the 'sleepy drug'.
So that should be FUN! I will definetly not take any other kids with me to that exam.
While I am confident that this will turn out to be the 'innocent murmur' I would appreciate prayers for that outcome. And maybe a few for my sanity and Tess's stomach the day of the test!

Two things I hate...and I did both today.

1. changing all the bedding. Its just a lot of work and by the time I'm done I'm tired.

2. going to the dentist. Total hate. I'd rather go to the gynecologist. Not kidding. I would never go if it were up to me. Jordan literally makes the appt. for me and comes home to watch the kids and forces me out the door. But luckily I got a clean bill of oral health. Seriously though, can you imagine thinking, you know what? I want to clean other people's teeth for a living. NO WAY!


On a happier note; Tess has been SO fun today. I thought she was a vocal baby before but suddenly she is constantly making noise and it is SO sweet. And she is laughing at everything. I told you, if all babies were born at 6 months old(she's getting close), I'd have 12.

Happy Thursday.

Five months

Tess turned 5 months old on Monday. She is becoming more and more of a little person and less like an infant. The other kids are loving this transition. They love how she laughs at them, they love to watch her roll over and attempt to eat cereal. They love to listen to her babble. She laughs the most for Lauren and smiles the biggest and gets most excited to see Jordan. A daddy's girl just like her two older sisters.
She isnt crawling yet but she is close. I swear she actually can crawl, she just doesnt show us! I find her in some strange spots in her crib!
One thing I know is that I'm not sure how we ever got along without her.


She gives us this little smirk quite a bit. I'm pretty sure she is wondering how she got stuck with such a funny bunch for her family!