Ian's reading

One thing that is really tough about my 3rd born, the 4-year-old, is that he always wants to do everything that his older brothers do.  It often leads to frustration and major temper tantrums because he tries to do something that he's not ready for developmentally.  Sometimes, however, he proves me wrong.  For example, in September he started riding a bike with no training wheels.  Nate didn't do that until he was six; Kyle didn't until he was five.  Go figure...Ian can go, go, go on that Diego bike like he's been riding it for years!

Often he fights with me about reading.  He wants to read a book that is just seriously too hard for him, but since he saw Nate or Kyle reading it, he wants to read it.  I mean, he's only four.  He's not even in kindergarten.

Okay, so a few days ago, I heard him getting all frustrated in his room about something.  I went in there, and he was holding Dr. Suess' Green Eggs and Ham and told me that he just couldn't figure out all the words.  I told him that that book is actually in the first grade reading list, so please don't be so upset.  Let's try something a little easier.

Well, the next day, which was yesterday, he brought me the book again to read to me.  I couldn't believe it; he practically read the entire 62 page book without any help.  Tonight, he did read the ENTIRE book without any help.

So, I guess Ian is just going to keep proving me wrong.  I've got to watch this little guy.  When he's determined and puts his mind to something, he's going to get it done!!!

What a blessing he is!!  I can't wait to see what God has planned for Ian's life!

teeth brushing

me:  hey, has everyone brushed their teeth??

Kyle:  Yes, I brushed 3, I mean 4, spits.

me:  WOW!  They look great!  (inside laughing...that kid is funny)

I love my kids!!

infected

All week I have been feeling kind of light-headed and dizzy with a dull, lingering headache.  Well, on Friday, I woke up with a crazy headache on the left side of my head, especially below my eye. 

At the prompting of Andrew (our college student friend who is spending his winter break with us), I went to the doctor.  Yep...you guessed it.  I have a sinus infection.  By the time I left the doctor (who I have decided I don't really like, she's not very friendly), I was running a fever and just wanted to crawl into bed.

Anyway, today was a little better, but I am still staying home tomorrow and doing nothing.  I need to menu plan for the rest of December; hopefully I'll fill up to it. 

du-funkifying...

YES...I know, I totally made up that word.  I used to make up words a lot.  So much so that I should just have a Margo dictionary. 

Anyway, I may have found the source of some of my funkiness...TRADITIONS.

Well, or maybe not being able to keep traditions is a better way to say it.  Our traditions are being threatened this year, and it has really, really got to me.  I like us to be home on Christmas morning.  Actually, the only Christmas that we weren't home in the morning was the year Nathanael was 10 months old and we went to Houston for Christmas. 

Here is how we have celebrated Christmas in the past.  On Christmas Eve, we go to our church's Christmas Eve service.  We went in Maine.  We have gone in Oklahoma.  Then, we come home and have a birthday party for Jesus.  Then, we have the "What God Wants for Christmas" nativity set that we do with the kids.  We also pick one present for the kids to open. 

Then, on Christmas morning, Santa doesn't come to our house.  Sorry guys...we don't "do Santa" in our house.  We just don't.  We wrap Christmas ALL around Jesus...no fairytales here.  I'm not anti-Santa; I have some decorations of Santa and will gladly respect your decision to "do Santa".  I just want my kids to know that God loves us unconditionally and gave us Jesus and that we love them unconditionally and have chosen to bless them with a few gifts...not because they're naughty or nice, because we LOVE them.  We are so blessed by God to have our four boys and just want to love on them. 

But back to the gifts...yes, I said a FEW gifts.  We do not go crazy at Christmas for a couple of reasons...first, we don't have a crazy amount of money to spend on gifts.  Second, we want our kids to understand that it really just isn't about getting, getting, getting.  It's really about JESUS.  And, just as I will respect your decision to "do Santa," I surely hope that you will respect our decision not to "do Santa."  (Okay...typing "do Santa" so many times has started to bug me, but I can't think of any other way to write it.)

So, on Christmas morning, the boys run into the living room to find gifts from dad and mom (and from other family members).  However, we don't just go crazy with opening the gifts.  First, Michael reads Jesus' birth story from the bible.  We pray, thank God for His Gift to us, THEN we open gifts.  

Then, usually, we eat a breakfast casserole that I have prepared the night before that has to soak overnight in the fridge...I just throw it in the oven before gift-opening and it's ready to eat after. 

Then, we play with the new toys and build Lego sets and enjoy family time.  Lunch or dinner is in there somewhere.  This year I was really excited to make a Christmas lunch "my style"...you know, with yummy, REAL foods...no partially hydrogenated somethings lurking about.

Well, this year we may not be here for Christmas Eve or Christmas day and I'm really upset.  I mean really, really upset.  This year, before knowing about the possibility of not being in our home for Christmas, we started an advent wreath devotion.  Now, I have lost all desire to even continue it.  I'm just bummed.  We more than likely will be going to a home where Santa is preferred over Jesus and where I will have no say about the menu.  I'm just bummed. 

hmmmmmm....

I'm in a funk.  Do you know what I mean??  Do you ever get like that??  It's where you just feel, well, BLAH. 

The actual definition is "a dejected mood."  Dejected means disheartened or low-spirited.  Yep.  That's it. 

BLAH.

Well, it occurred to me yesterday that I haven't been talking to God like I have in the past.  Typically, I naturally talk to God throughout my day.  I mean constantly.  So, when did this stop and why??  When did this no longer become typical?  I have no idea.  Is my new typical NOT to converse with God all day?  I sure hope not. 

Anyway, I'm just rambling, but I think that is exactly what blogging can be sometimes.  So, I am choosing to be purposeful and intentional about talking with God all day.  I sure am hoping that this will once again become my "typical" and that I will get out of this crazy, annoying, blah-ful FUNK. 

Psalm 121

 ¹ I lift up my eyes to the hills—
       where does my help come from?  ² My help comes from the LORD,
       the Maker of heaven and earth.
 ³ He will not let your foot slip—
       he who watches over you will not slumber;
 ⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel
       will neither slumber nor sleep.
 ⁵ The LORD watches over you—
       the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
 ⁶ the sun will not harm you by day,
       nor the moon by night.
 ⁷ The LORD will keep you from all harm—
       he will watch over your life;
 ⁸ the LORD will watch over your coming and going
       both now and forevermore.

Classical Conversations

We are part of a new homeschool community this year called Classical Conversations (CC).  It is teaching children by using the "classical method."  Here is a GREAT article about this method of education if you would like to read about it further!  It has been AMAZING to see what my little guys can learn!

One part of the program is learning a history timeline from creation to now.  What I LOVE about this method of education is that it is truly, truly God-centered.  Instead of learning ancient world history as one subject and bible as another subject, it completely integrates the two into one subject!  So, instead of just learning about Moses and the plagues, we also learn what was going on in Egypt when that actually happened!! It's awesome!

Anyway, we start our CC day with an opening ceremony where we pray, say the Pledge of Allegiance, have a family presentation, and recite the timeline as a group.  On Monday, our family led the timeline part of the ceremony, and I just HAD to share it with you.  It is recorded and then put on our community blog so that families can work on it at home.  Anyway, Kyle and Ian were trying to help me by holding up the timeline cards.  Well, as you will see in the video, that didn't go as planned and they actually provided some comedy relief!!  Nate helped with the motions while Caden just stood there like a statue!!  It was awesome!!  Here it is...


I love these boys!!

bad blogger

I'm getting so bad at this blogging thing!!  We have had such big things happening in our family, and I haven't even blogged about it!!

For example, last week, Kyle lost his first tooth!!!  The day before that, I caught him outside in his UNDERWEAR swinging from swing chain to swing chain.  I asked him what in the world he was doing.  He replied, "I'm George in the jungle."  They had just checked that movie out from the library.  What a character he is!!!

Then, last weekend, my brother Bill proposed to his girlfriend Amanda!  I am SO excited and so praising the Lord for bringing her into his life!  What a "beauty from ashes" and "mourning into dancing"-type story!!!  I was able to drive down last Saturday and be there for the proposal.  She was so surprised and it was such a sweet, sweet proposal.  I am so glad I was there!!

Then, yesterday, my Ian started riding his new bike ($5 Diego bike from a garage sale) WITHOUT training wheels!  He's only 4! This is way earlier than the older two boys!  It's amazing how different they all are!

Now, Mike's sister Maria is here for a short visit!  See, there is tons and tons going on in our family...I need to get on this blogging thing and get some pics off my camera!!!!!

Happy Fall!! (a very scattered-brain post )

Fall is here.  Already!  Where in the world did summer go??

I've noticed that colder weather (ha...that makes me chuckle because what I say is "colder" here would still be HOT if I lived in Maine) brings the game of soccer INDOORS in our household.  I really don't mind, actually.  I guess I'm a crazy mom or something!!

And Mike's job...he's been going at the new job for almost 3 months now.  Praise the Lord!!!  It has been SUCH a blessing for our family!  I continually pray for God's blessing and favor upon Mike!

As for me, I am learning to truly DELIGHT in Jesus!!  I have felt incredible joy and freedom in Him...joy inexpressible!  I am experiencing a true excitement and celebration of WHO HE IS and who I am in Him.  He is sovereign and good!  He establishes my steps and DELIGHTS in me! 

1 Peter 1

³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, ⁵who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ⁸Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Oh, and PLEASE read Psalm 37:1-9 and 23-24!  God DELIGHTS in His children!  He is holding our hand when we stumble!  I LOVE that!!!

Okay...see, this is a crazy, crazy post!!!  Oh, and I just got my tonsils out.  OUCH!  I'm off to bed!

a lesson learned

I've got to keep this short...but let me just tell you that God is SO GOOD and is our PROTECTOR!!

"'Because he loves me,' says the LORD, 'I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.'" (Psalm 91:14)

When leaving a friend's house this morning, my older three boys went to get into the van before Caden and me.  Before I knew it, Kyle ran into the house and told me that Ian had just MOVED our van.  I ran outside, and YES, there was our van sitting in the driveway across from where it was.  Somehow, Ian got his foot on the break and moved it into neutral.  It backed out of the driveway, across the street, and up into the other driveway.   

All of the "what-ifs" are still just flying through my head. 

I just praise God that the boys are safe, the van is safe, and everything around the van is unharmed.  I praise God that no one was walking down the sidewalk or driving down the road.  Praise God for protecting my boys!


So, the lesson learned is NEVER allow my kids to be in my van alone.

to blog again and more

I really need to start blogging again! I just thought I would let you know that...well, I don't know if there are any "yous" left reading this!!!! However, if it is only to scrapbook my family happenings, I need to do it!

More to come SOON...hopefully!

Oh, and PRAISE GOD for Mike's new job!!!!!!!! We are one week into it and LOVING it! If you do read this, please pray for his transition. This is all new to him and there is quite a learning curve! I know, without a doubt, that with God's help, MIKE WILL BE GREAT in this new role!!!

My new favorite verses are from 2 Samuel 22... (this is David speaking after God delivered him from the hands of Saul and all his enemies)

³⁰"For by You I can run upon a troop;
By my God I can leap over a wall.
³¹"As for God, His way is blameless;
The word of the LORD is tested;
He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
³²"For who is God, besides the LORD?
And who is a rock, besides our God?
³³"God is my strong fortress;
And He sets the blameless in His way.
³⁴"He makes my feet like hinds' feet,
And sets me on my high places.
³⁵"He trains my hands for battle,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
³⁶"You have also given me the shield of Your salvation,
And Your help makes me great.

I so desire to be a great mom, a great wife, a great teacher, a great friend...and you know what God showed me through these verses? I can be great. I WILL be great, but only if I am seeking refuge in my heavenly Father, only if I am resting in Him, only if I am looking to Him for help!!!

God's help makes me great. AMEN!!!

Kyle

I love my Kyle! We are having a kind of random July thunderstorm right now that has caused the kids' swim lessons to be canceled.

Anyway, Kyle was just outside on the patio. He came in and said to me, "I didn't get struck by lightning because I had something on my head." To which I asked, "What did you have on your head?" He said, "A frisbee."

Funny kid. It's funny, yet scary all at the same time. Little ones just think they are invincible!

my family

I love my boys. I absolutely LOVE my boys. What blessings from my heavenly Father they are!!

Something about watching 4 little guys watching fireworks and waving their own little sparklers just gave me chills. They are AWESOME, wonderfully created, BLESSINGS!!!

Father, help me to never, ever forget that they are a reward, a gift, a blessing from You. You chose each of them to be my son. Please, oh please, help me to be a mom who is led by your Spirit and pours Your love on them everyday. Even when it is so hard and I just don't think I can do it anymore, be my strength, my peace, my joy. With You, I can be the mom that you have called me to be. I am honored to be their mom! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Caden singing

The boys worked on memorizing this for Michael for Father's Day! He was pleasantly surprised!! It is AMAZING what little ones can memorize and how quickly when it is put to music..and what better than the WORD OF GOD! The boys learned this in about 3 days! (pause the music on the right)

Here is Caden's video:

This blesses me and I pray it blesses you!

SIGNED!!

Praise our heavenly Father! Mike received and signed the offer letter today!!!! He should be starting June 1...just a couple of weeks away!!

becoming a reality

On February 16 of this year, Mike was offered a new job within his company via a verbal offer. Well, today, almost 3 months later, it is becoming a reality!!

Parked in our driveway is the previous account manager/sales representative's car for Mike to start using for customer visits!!

And, in the third bay of our garage, are TONS of files that were unloaded from the trunk of that car.

EXCITING!!!

Yet, I'm still praying fervently for protection over the offer...he should SIGN an actual offer letter this week!!

Thank You, Father for taking such good care of our family!

a happy Mother's Day with green smoothies

Well, today started out rough. I walked out of my bedroom at 5 minutes before 6am (I have to be at church at 7:30am), and Caden was already screaming in his crib. Oh, the frustration. I was excited to start breakfast, applesauce bread (which was YUMMY), and then sit at the Lord's feet for a few minutes. Yeah, that didn't happen. Instead, I mixed the ingredients for the bread with a screaming 2-year-old at my feet.

The day definitely got better (except for our computer crashing...I'm using the boys'). When I got home from church, the boys and Mike gave me my gifts! Before the computer crashed, Nate and Kyle both made me cards on the computer with 5 reasons why they love me, pictures of themselves, and pictures of tulips...my favorite flower!! It was really sweet! Mike got me an awesome card and a Passion '06 worship cd. It is AWESOME!!

Then, Mike told the boys to go get my other gift out of his closet.

They got me what I asked for, this...
so that I can make green smoothies!!!! So, for dinner tonight, we had popcorn chicken (which Mike made and was AWESOME!), mashed potatoes, and smoothies. The kids LOVED them and wanted more!

Here is what I put in our smoothies tonight:

1 cup chopped carrots
2 handfuls of fresh spinach
2 apples, cored and chopped a little (I left the peel on)
2-3 tbsp orange juice concentrate (canned freezer kind)
2 bananas
10 strawberries
1 cup crushed ice (our refrigerator crushes ice)
1/2 water

Blend, blend, blend!!!!

Like I said, they were really YUMMY and so good for you!! And since my new blender has a dispenser, it just made it even more fun to fill up the cups mess-free!

So, my dear blogger-readers, I hope you had a wonderful day celebrating your mom and being celebrated if you are a mom! We have a tough job! But, because it is tough, it causes me turn to my heavenly Father for strength, wisdom, and guidance!

Oh, and between the revealing of the blender and the actual usage of the blender, I took a LONG, LONG nap ;)

Menu, May 10-15

So, I already overspent last week...we were JUST SO OUT OF EVERYTHING!! The good thing is that we didn't actually eat everything as planned last week, so I don't need much this week at the store! Plus, I need to use the rest of my grocery budget this week to shop for camping next weekend!!

I don't have enough time to add links this week, but if you want to know how to make something, check out last week's menu. I put links on most of the items on that menu!

Sunday, May 10
Applesauce bread, fruit
fish, rice, salad
Popcorn chicken, biscuits, salad
PREP: Prep oatmeal, make tortillas

Monday, May 11
START CROCKPOT
Soaked oatmeal, fruit
Quesadillas, carrots
Chicken taco soup in crockpot, salad, tortillas

Tuesday, May 12
Eggs, toast, fruit
Ian’s pre-school lunch…sandwiches, carrots, pretzels
SMALL GROUP…spaghetti, salad

Wednesday, May 13
START CROCKPOT
Cereal and fruit
Creamy Mac and cheese, carrots
Whole chx in crockpot, veggies, potatoes

Thursday, May 14
iMom @ CFA
sandwiches, fruit, carrots
chicken quesadillas, salad
PREP: prep oatmeal

Friday, May 15
Soaked oatmeal, fruit
Sandwiches, fruit, carrots
CAMPING

God will supply

Right now, I am clinging to scriptures such as these:

Paul writes in Philippians 4...

10But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity.

11Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

12I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

13I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

14Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction.

15You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone;

16for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs.

17 Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.

18But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.

19And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Paul is telling the Philippians that just as they have provided for his needs and his ministry, God will also supply for their needs!

I love that!

God will provide, and I will be content. I mean, for real, Paul who was majorly persecuted and actually did know what true hunger was, could say he was CONTENT! Shouldn't I be able to say the same, when in reality, I have SO much?

So, if you're wondering what has prompted this type of blog, our oven broke...or so we thought.

On Sunday, before I left to run an errand, I put dinner in the oven. A little while later, Mike called me to ask if I had ever seen "e2 f3" on the oven display followed by it shutting itself off. Well, no, I have never seen that.

Well, today I had a repair man come to fix our oven, which is a Whirlpool Gold top of the line that came with the house TWO years ago. The service call costs $75 for the first hour and then it just starts adding up after that...wonderful :( Wouldn't you know that the error message DID NOT make its appearance and the oven worked like it should?? So, while gritting my teeth, I write my check for $75 and send the super-talkative and a little richer oven repair man on his way.

URRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Then, I started crying. That's right, crying like a baby...a mad, upset, disappointed baby.

I mean, why?? Honestly, it kind of makes me wonder what in the world God is doing. I mean, we are trying SO hard to be diligent with making very wise decisions with what God has given us. We definitely don't have a line for "have a repair man come and then not fix anything...$75" in our budget. God knows that. And, as my incredible husband pointed out, at least we didn't have to pay $75 plus the cost of a part. But, STILL....urrrrgggghhhh!

Okay, I'm done.

I know that God is BIG and awesome and an incredible provider. I am thankful, so very thankful for His provision. I am very, very, very undeserving of God's love and mercy and grace and INTEREST in little, broken, falling apart me.

He LOVES me.

And I LOVE Him.

a movie with the boys

After this morning, I spent some time praying over my boys and my family while I was taking a meal to a lovely family who just had a little baby boy! Anyway, I decided to just spend some time with the boys tonight! We didn't go to prayer service at church...we just hung out at home. Mike actually had to go into work for month end stuff...he left around 7pm and it's 10:38 and he isn't home yet! I will be SO EXCITED when he has transitioned into his new job.

Anyway, the boys are REALLY into Chronicles of Narnia right now because my awesome sister-in-law Maria bought them the Focus on the Family Radio Theater version while she was here in March. They LOVE it!! It is awesome...instead of just reading the books, they have different actors acting the parts. It is very well done.
So, I requested movie The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe from the library and we picked it up yesterday. Tonight was the perfect night for a movie!!

Well, Caden was dressed like this...
Now, look closely...those are Kyle's shorts, and Caden put them on all by himself! He has his waist through one of the leg holes and the waist band of the shorts and the other leg hole are hanging down...HILARIOUS!! Notice the big boy underwear? Well, don't get too excited because not too long after this picture he had an accident!

And the boys looked like this on the couch...

Notice Nate disappeared UNDER the blanket because of a scary part!

Well, the movie ended around 9:30, and then guess what?? We had ICE CREAM!!! Then, I read one chapter to them from The Magician's Nephew, which is chronologically the first book in the Chronicles of Narnia series.

It was a fun night! I love that Nate pointed out to me numerous times how the movie is like the Bible. He really is a great kid!

I love my boys! I look forward to watching God work in each of their lives.

two worlds collide

Today, two of my roles collided in a bad way....Worship Leader Margo and Mommy Margo.

Well, I wish I could say I handled it gracefully, but I so did not.

Because it was my last Sunday to help out at New Hope, all six of us made the trip to Mannford. Mike and the boys had never gone with me before to this church. Since I always have told the people there that I would bring them some day, today had to be the day.

Everything was fine until Sunday School and church actually started. The boys really didn't want to go into class, and then there wasn't children's church. It was just a little crazy. On top of this, they all sat on the FRONT row less than 2 feet from me and the piano. It was just so hard for me to play, sing, and WORSHIP.

You see, usually, my drives to Mannford are just me and God...praying, worshiping, and listening to an awesome sermon on my iPod (the one that was stolen.) So the service is usually just bathed in prayer by the time I drive the 45 minutes there, and I am feeling so ready to lead others into worship. Then, the services go well and God really speaks to me through Pastor Manuel's message. I leave REFRESHED and RENEWED and BLESSED.

It just didn't happen today. Today, I left FRAZZLED, EXHAUSTED, and EMOTIONALLY SPENT. I just wanted to cry.

So, what have I learned today? I have learned that my ministry as a mom needs to be first. Not that I can't serve in other areas, but I need to minister to my children while serving in other areas. Today, I just felt like they were in my way...how horrible is that? I could have just rolled with it instead of getting a little angry with them...after all, they are still very young and were in a totally new place with all new people.

God has given me these 4 amazing sons to lavish in His love. That is so my heart's desire...just to love on them and enjoy them and serve them and minister to them. I never, ever want them to feel like they are in my way. They are truly blessings, gifts, rewards from my Heavenly Father.

these were taken a couple of weeks ago on a Sunday afternoon drive, Lake Oologah

Father, help me to remember that my boys are a blessing, a gift and reward from You. I praise You for your grace and forgiveness. Help me to love on my boys today...to enjoy them, to laugh with them, to play with them, to serve them, to point them to You in all that I do. Thank you for Nate, Kyle, Ian, and Caden.

around the house

Caden is potty-training. He is doing extremely well!! Yippee!! We even ran to the bank, post office, library, recycling, Wal-mart, and Target, and he didn't have any accidents! How exciting!

I am going to throw a party when he is COMPLETELY trained because I have been changing diapers for over 7 consecutive years. At one time, I had three in diapers!!!! I am SO EXCITED!!

Let's see...also, it has been thunder storming and raining like CRAZY here! I guess a house in our neighborhood got struck by lightning this morning...that's crazy.

Oh, and I found out last night that the church in Mannford where I have been "supplying" (filling in because they don't have a worship leader) just hired someone. So, tomorrow is my last drive over to Mannford to lead at New Hope.

AND, the boys are fighting like crazy again. It's amazing. They just yell at each other a lot. Because of all the rain, I can't just send them out to play. It's driving me nuts.

I so desire to have a peaceful, joyful, loving home. So, that is what I am going to diligently praying about...that God will just give me wisdom in how to make our home more peaceful.

Finally, I overspent grocery shopping, but I am just going to divide the next 3 weeks with my remaining budget for the month. I was SO out of things, so it will work out!

Weekly Menu, May 2-9

Last month, I ran out of my grocery budget 2 1/2 weeks into the month. Since Mike only gets paid the last day of each month, that made for a definite mustard month. This month, I am determined for that NOT to happen again!

So, I am going to divide my money into 4 grocery envelopes, one per week, versus one for the entire month. Then, I will NOT pull out the next envelope until said time.

Another change I am going to make is to start planning our breakfasts and lunches...I really, really think that will help!!

Oh Lord, please give me discipline in this! Help me to be a better planner and steward of the money You have given us!!

Saturday, May 2
Soaked oatmeal, fruit
leftovers
chicken quesadillas, salad

Sunday, May 3
cereal and fruit
Salmon Patties, veggies, salad
Stacked Chicken Enchiladas (x2), salad

Monday, May 4
applesauce bread, bananas
LUNCH WITH MOM :)
Popcorn chicken, potatoes, veggies

Tuesday, May 5
eggs and toast
Creamy Mac and Cheese, carrots
fish, mashed sweet potatoes, salad
PREP for tomorrow: soak oatmeal, soak rice for Wed. and Friday

Wednesday, May 6
Soaked oatmeal, fruit
"lunchables", fruit, carrots (ham and cheese crackers)
whole chx in crockpot, veggies, rice

Thursday, May 7
iMom at CFA that's next week...cereal and fruit
sandwiches, fruit, veggies
Small group....Spaghetti, salad
PREP for tomorrow: soak oatmeal

Friday, May 8
Soaked oatmeal, fruit
"lunchables" and sandwiches
easy pizza, salad before Lydia's wedding!!

Saturday, May 9
pancakes, fruit
leftovers
Spicy Beans over rice, salad

Okay, I can do this!!!

First lost tooth--LOTS more to lose

After lots of wiggling, crying, bleeding, wiggling, flossing, crying, bleeding, and more flossing, Nate lost his first tooth today!!! He is very excited! Don't you LOVE the gum in the picture?!

The root of the tooth was as long as the tooth itself...crazy! I tried to get a picture but couldn't get my camera to focus on something so small!

I'm off to leave some money under his pillow!

some soul searching...

Introverted. Reserved and private. Little interest in small talk. Not socially-oriented.

So, I just got the results of a personality test that I took for our praise team at church. The above words are a few of the words/phrases that were on MY RESULTS.

I'm thinking....WHAT????? Seriously. Honestly, I was a little upset. And, since God is working on freeing me from a tendency I have to obsess over things, I feel as if I need to think about this ONLY TONIGHT and then move on. Somehow.

Actually, I'll probably lose sleep over this, because that's how I tend to be.

You see, I really have NEVER thought of myself as reserved or not talkative. Now, please don't get me wrong; it's okay to be that way, but it is SO OPPOSITE of what I think I am. My husband is usually more of an introvert and I am the extrovert. I have had to take many personality tests over the years, and this one just came back different.

But, then again, upon further reflection, I AM DIFFERENT.

Ten years ago, I loved being the life of the party and talking to everyone there at least 25 times. Now, although I do enjoy a night out with friends occasionally and hanging out with my close friend over coffee, I love being home with my husband and sons. I love it.

Also, I look forward to and long for some alone, quiet, down, ME time. I love my Sunday drives to Mannford, just me and God. I LOVE long, quiet, relaxing baths. I love curling up with my favorite book. I love going on walks alone. I feel like I give, give, give all day every day, so if I get a chance to sit quietly for a while...AWESOME.

Now, these situations sure don't happen very often, so maybe this personality test picked up on the fact that I DESIRE more alone time...therefore, I am an introvert.

So, it's not that I'm unfriendly or unsocial, I'm just in a totally different place in my life now.

And, I'm okay with that.

I do, however, have the capability of being a crazy, outgoing, loud, fun person who LOVES dancing with the kids during kids' worship at church! It's in there. Maybe it's just a little deeper in there these days.

To close, here is the beginning sentence of my summary:
"Margo is an intense, results-oriented person, whose drive and sense of urgency are tempered and disciplined by her strong concern for the accuracy and quality of the details of any work for which she is responsible." hmmmmmm.....

flour tortillas!!

For the first time ever, I made my own flour tortillas!! They turned out so yummy; even the kids ate them :)

Here is the recipe I used. I used an organic all-purpose flour for the flour and coconut oil for the oil, but you could use anything. I also left out the Lecithin, since I don't have any and don't even know what it is! Seriously, this was the EASIEST thing ever and SO CHEAP!! It only is flour, water, baking powder, salt, and oil! If you have a rolling pin and a pan or griddle, you can do it!!

Our friend and old pastor in Maine told us once that he remembers times as a child when he only had mustard and bread in his refrigerator because times were so tough. So now, when we are having a tight month financially, which is actually pretty often, and I need to be creative with what ingredients I already have in my pantry, I call it a "mustard month."

It's amazing how God provides during these "mustard months" and how He spurs on my creativity! For example, two Sundays ago I led music at a little church out in Mannford. The pastor of the church has chickens and left a container of eggs for me on top of the piano. I was ECSTATIC!!! Good-for-you-no-hormones-added REAL EGGS, FREE!!! Yippee!!! Can you sense my excitement??

And now, tonight, because I was completely out of my totally good-for-you tortillas that are slightly overpriced, I took a shot at making them. Yes, I ran the risk of creating something that didn't even resemble a flour tortilla. But because I had all the ingredients and really needed them for dinner tonight, I thought what the heck! See, THIS is a benefit of a "mustard month"!!!

By the way, dinner tonight was SUPER easy! I just threw 3 frozen chicken breasts, a couple of cups of black beans that I cooked and froze on Sunday, and cup or two of salsa in the crockpot and let it cook all day. Then, I cut up the chicken into small bites (the meat kind of just falls apart actually), put it back in the crockpot, stirred it all up, and then served it with my flour tortillas! Easy!!!

Next, I want to try another way to make yogurt!! I gave up a while ago, but this looks like it could be promising!

Caden's friends

I have SO many blog ideas going through my mind, like our time with Mike's sister Maria (in March), Easter, Earth Day, etc. Well, instead of playing catch-up and trying to blog in chronological order, I am starting FRESH hoping that I can just add in those other posts as time permits.

Anyway, what I really want to write about today is my sweet, precious Caden. He is such a big boy these days (not with potty-training yet) and just a joy to be around. He loves, loves, loves his big brothers and always wants me to "hold you" (for me to hold him) especially after nap times and bath times.

Well, on Saturday, I was wrapped up in a blanket sitting on the couch because I was very feverish.

Little man walked up to me and said, "Mommy, I want to go outside and play with my friends."

A little confused because it's not like I just let my 2-year-old (or actually any of my kids) go wander the streets with the neighborhood kids, I said, "What friends?"

In the sweetest voice ever he replied, "Nate and Kyle and Ian."

Oh my goodness!!! How sweet is that!! They were all outside helping Mike wash the cars in the 50 mph wind!!

My "brainwashing" is WORKING!! I tell my boys often that they are BEST FRIENDS!! Well, I think my 2-year-old gets it!!



Oh, and I am totally aware that he needs a haircut! That's in NEXT month's budget!!

flashbacks...

This is our family in April 2006.

We still lived in Maine at the time and because there was probably 15 feet of snow on the ground at this time (slight exaggeration), our church Easter Egg Hunt/outreach event was held indoors! This was after the festivities during clean-up. Nate obviously had been running around and working off some energy, and he had just shoved a piece of candy in his mouth!!! By the way, I was about 3 months pregnant with Caden at this time!

Also, 10 years ago today was Mike and I's first date! I'm totally the type to remember things like this! We have never really talked about it or celebrated it, but since it is the 10th, I decided to do something to remember the event...

On our first date, he took me to a place in Moscow, Idaho, called Winger's. Upon the arrival of our server, Mike promptly ordered Buffalo Chicken Wings, not knowing that I didn't really eat chicken off the bone (I don't mind it so much now). He eventually figured it out as I was trying to cut the chicken off the bone with a fork and knife...then it was FUNNY!!!

this was just a couple of weeks later...we look SO young!

So today, I asked if we could go eat lunch at Chili's (this was un-budgeted, so I said it could come out of my grocery budget) after church (it was an awesome Easter service). As we were walking to our table, he decided to go to the bathroom. Our server came while Mike was gone, so I ordered Buffalo Chicken Wings. When the server brought us the wings, Mike was surprised and we talked about our first date! I told the boys how much I really, really, really liked their dad all those years ago!!

Fun times!

The Last Supper

Last night, we remembered the Last Supper with our boys. I used this http://www.ebibleteacher.com/children/lessons/lastsupper.htm as my guide.


Michael started off by reading Mark 14:10-25 and talking about betrayal. Then, we talked about how Christ's sacrifice was foreshadowed by the Passover.

Tenth Plague	Christ's Sacrifice
Firstborn of all men and animals killed	Firstborn of God killed
Only the blood of the lamb saved Israelites	Only the blood of Christ saves us
This plague freed the Israelites from slavery to Egypt	This sacrifice frees us from sin
Commemorated by all Israelites in a feast	Commemorated by Christians in Lord's Supper

Then, we broke bread, drank from the cup, and prayed.

After that, we sang Jesus Loves Me, which was a RIOT!!

The whole thing ends with a game that you print from that website...it was fun and ended like this:

It was a special time, something that I would definitely like to do as a family every year. Wow! I think I may have just started a tradition!! I know our boys are young, but I think this is the perfect time to start!!

highlights:
Nate wanting some more yummy bread
Caden doing jumping jacks during the game

I'm still here

I'm still here...just a little silent these days, I guess.

Life is life...ups and downs, highs and lows, but through it all God is still my God and I will sing praise!

I just got home from worship band practice and I LOVE that God totally speaks to me, even in a practice! Check out this song and WORSHIP our loving, victorious, AWESOME Father!

poop and blood

Today was just one of those days that I don't like very much...as the title suggests, it involved poop and blood.

Nate had a well-child check-up today. It's kind of funny that it is called that because actually I had to talk to the kids' awesome doctor about Nate's stomach problems...so, he wasn't exactly "well." Anyway, Dr. Brian decided that we should get a fecal culture to check for possible bacteria or lactose intolerance or a few other things. Also, he decided that he wanted to check for celiac disease, which is gluten intolerance. This was blood work (I thought it would be from fecal culture but I guess not).

The doctor's visit ended with an unexpected immunization that involved me having to physically restrain Nate. Fun times.

Emotionally and physically drained, I left the doctor's office equipped with rubber gloves, tongue depressors, a poop bucket that conveniently fits into the toilet, three little specimen collection jars, and instructions to fill the jars to the marked line (hence the gloves and tongue depressors.) We then needed to take the filled jars within ONE HOUR of collection.

You know, pretty much EVERY time I ever say I have done the grossest mommy job ever, it is topped by something even grosser...today's task WAS PRETTY GROSS.

So, within an hour of the collection and after dropping the boys off at a dear friend's house, we arrived at the hospital lab to drop off the sample and to have blood drawn. Mike met us there because there was no way I was doing this alone. This was definitely a two parent job!!

All the way there I talked to Nate about David and how scared he must have been to fight Goliath but how God gave him LOTS of courage and strength. We prayed in the hallway before going into the lab. But, I must confess, I was still scared to death that he was going to freak out.

Nate was incredible! God sure gave him some courage. He sat there while the wonderful phlebotomist Debbie did her magic...Nate didn't even know the needle was going in! It was amazing!

My 7-year-old is a pretty amazing kid!

craziness

Today, our homeschool co-op had P.E. We have a YMCA instructor who comes and does the class. I have heard NOTHING but good things about it.

We missed the first time she came because of illness. Last Friday I did not attempt to go because my boys did not want to go. Weird. My very athletic, energetic boys should love P.E.

So when today came, I just told the boys that we had homeschool gym time and get ready to go. We drove out to the church where it is hosted, and my boys ran inside all excited. Their excitement stopped in the lobby. They WOULD NOT go inside the gym and line up with the other HAPPY kids.

Why? Why? Why?

Nate, my 7-year-old, actually was sitting on a chair CRYING. What in the world is going on?? So, then 5-year-old starts crying because he saw the jump ropes and says he doesn't know how to jump rope. I said, something about that is why she is TEACHING P.E....she will help you learn! He proceeds to start CRYING, also. OH THE FRUSTRATION!!!

So, what do I do?? I say, "WE'RE LEAVING!" The crying turned into WAILING, seriously...LOUD WAILING. Fun times. At this point, we are right by the church offices. I just start walking to the van with 3 of the 4 wailing. Of course, they wanted to stay at that point. There was no way I was going to allow them to stay...NO WAY.

I am very sad to say that I completely lost my cool and raised my voice at them in the van. I hate to say it, but I was embarrassed. I mean, shouldn't my kids be perfect? I mean really. Shouldn't we all just be perfect?? The perfect little family with kids that never act out?? Well, that just isn't going to happen, ever.

We are all fine now...I have asked for forgiveness from them and from my heavenly Father. I HATE when I lose my cool with them. I have written often about my short fuse, but God really, really has been doing a work in that area of my life. The fuse is growing, for sure...I have been much better at applying "a gentle answer turns away wrath." I love these boys SO MUCH.

I have told them that 100 times since this morning...I pray that they remember me as a loving, fun mom. I am resting in God's grace for sure.

My uncle Mike just reminded me via Facebook that my love for them is UNCONDITIONAL. Thanks for that reminder...he also wrote that one day they will be afraid of ME embarrassing them...smile.

a little confusion

Just now I told the boys that it looks like we really are going to Houston in a couple of weeks. I said, "Do you know who lives in Houston?"

Ian VERY sweetly and sincerely asked, "JCPenney?"

With a smile, I said, "No honey, we are going to the new JCPenney when daddy gets home. Your cousin Bryce lives in Houston!"

You see, we have been talking all day about going to check out the new JCPenney that just opened here this weekend. We even got a $10 coupon to use on any purchase more than $10...sweet!

I ENJOY MY KIDS SO MUCH!!!

another song that I want to share....



It looks as if we may have long road ahead of us with Mike's job. I really, really do trust God and know that He never lets go of us and has a plan!

Let's CELEBRATE NATE!!!

My Nate is 7 today...seriously, I can't believe it! We started today with making him a 7-shaped pancake!

God is growing him into such a sweet, loving, kind, helpful, intelligent, athletic, hard-working kid. He is SUCH a great big brother, especially to Caden. Caden just adores Nate.

I am blessed beyond belief by Nate! Thank You, Father for my sweet Nathanael David!!

as a newborn

1st birthday

2nd birthday...DID NOT want to blow out the candles :)

3rd birthday

4th birthday as BATMAN!

shortly after he turned 5 (we had just moved to Oklahoma)

6th birthday

Happy birthday Nate!!!

God is SO good, in case you need a reminder

MIKE GOT THE JOB!!
(this was originally written one week ago but I never posted it because the job got held up in Humans Resources. So today is the day that we can ACTUALLY say he for sure GOT THE JOB!!)

We are SO excited! I got Mike a congrats card that says something like this "You DID it! I am so excited it's like I did it!" Well that is so true, we are SO excited because this will drastically change our family life for the better!

Before I write more about his new job, I first must give all glory, praise, and honor where it is due, to our Heavenly Father who works all things together for our good! We are so blessed by Him!

You see, the interview did not actually go as well as Mike was hoping. He just didn't feel that good about it. A friend of ours called him after the interview and suggested that he send an email to the man interviewing him to thank him for the opportunity. In this email, Mike wrote how excited he is to be able to do the new job if he were given the chance.

Anyway, it made for A VERY LONG VALENTINE'S WEEKEND, since he was told he would know on Monday! I actually was beginning to feel some guilt, like I didn't pray right or didn't pray enough...like it was MY FAULT! I know, I know...totally not true.

So, Monday afternoon, his new boss called him and explained to him that he just didn't see excitement in Mike during the interview. He wanted Mike to OWN THE JOB and be all excited and act like he already had it and say HE IS THE MAN for the job. Well, Mike IS so excited, he is just not very good at tooting his own horn, if you know what I mean (plus he was exhausted and had already been awake 9 hours and working 8 hours before his interview at noon). So, his new boss told him that it wasn't until he received the EMAIL on Friday morning at 5am, did he see the excitement in Mike. That EMAIL IS WHAT GOT HIM THE JOB!!!!!!!

You know, how many times you hear in your heart, "I should call that person" or "I should send that person a note of encouragement"? Well, our friend heard "I should call Mike" and he DID it! God used our friend as part of the plan for Mike to be offered the job!!!

Praise the Lord!!!

this is it

This is the week. This is the week that Mike interviews for a position that could drastically change our family's life for what appears to be way BETTER.

I am praying hard. I am trying to not be anxious, but to just give it to God continually.

Please join me in praying for Mike and our family this week.

My hope is in my compassionate, loving Father who knows best. I'll keep you posted. (following is a video of the worship song that God is really using in my life right now called How He Loves Us...I can't get through it without crying...listen to the words and worship our loving heavenly Father!)

Flashback Friday...Maine Memories

This month marks 2 years since we left Maine. It's hard to believe it's been 2 years! Here are some random pics from Maine...

The huge moving truck in front of our house (and the two houses on either side...it was a LONG truck!) (2/22/07)

me and Sue at my going away party; a bittersweet night (2/1/07)

my boys with Cameron and Colby, Nate's best little buddies (1/31/07)

me with my awesome more-than-just-coffee friends, Jen, Lisa, and Shannon (check out Lisa's awesome blog here) I miss these girls and our Friday morning coffee! (1/31/07)

Mike and me looking for a Christmas tree (11/26/05)
(it sure doesn't look like this in OK)

Lilian, me, Angela (5/12/05)

Jordan, Ian, JonJon, and Nate...my kids LOVE these kids... looking for a Christmas tree, this time with NO snow :) (11/24/06)

JonJon with Nate (summer 2004)

judged???

Have you ever had one of those days where you just really feel like you're being judged? You know, someone is questioning your mothering, your wife-ing (made that word up, I know), your housekeeping...or anything else to which you can add an "-ing"?

Well, that is how I felt today. Unfortunately, it was my mothering. I do not respond well to that, AT ALL. I left a place today feeling so defeated...crying actually...and mad at my boys, unfortunately.

This is something I really need to give to the Lord over and over and over and over again.
Because really, God knows that I am trying...He knows me. He knows me better than anyone. He knows that I bathe these boys in prayer after prayer. He knows that I rejoice when they rejoice. He knows that I weep when I mess up. He knows that I get teary eyed when they do something new for the first time or write me the sweetest note EVER. He knows how badly I want them to grow up to love Him and serve Him. He knows that I am trying my very best to be more than even a wife and a mother, but a homebuilder who points them to Him continuously.

So, why is it that when someone makes a comment about one of my boys I feel so defeated and start questioning God? Today, I actually said to God, "why did you give me these boys? I just can't do it. I am not a good mother." What lies! I am a good mom...I am. I am. I am.

I am just a sinner saved by God's awesome grace who is trying to raise four boys who are also SINNERS! We are not perfect. My boys are not perfect. They will disobey, throw fits, hit other children (gasp); they will sin. All I can do is discipline in love and pray for the Spirit's guidance.

Oh well if someone questions me. Oh well if someone acts like my child is HORRIBLE because he didn't obey immediately...oh if it was only that easy. I lose sleep over things like this. I dwell on things such as this; can you tell?? Give it to the Lord; give it to the Lord...

Oh Lord, help me to remember that You look at my heart. Help me to move on and forgive. Help me to be sensitive to others and not to judge if someone does something differently. Father, thank You that you know me so well.

Sledding and scripture

Today my boys tried out their new sleds for the first time. We started out going down our driveway a few times and then eventually moved to a bigger hill in our neighborhood. They had a blast!!! It was a beautiful, sunny day...just VERY cold (upper teens/lower 20s).

They had a GREAT time! Ian went down the hill once...he went extremely fast! He said he had fun, but didn't want to do it again! Here are Nate and Kyle going down...which ended in a collision!


My sneaky five-year-old had the privilege to write the following scripture TWICE today.
I don't know how well you can read it, but it is Proverbs 14:2 which contrasts an upright and a devious person.

Well, Kyle is one SNEAKY guy!! I walked by his room today and could very clearly hear the "Star Wars" theme song coming from his supposed-to-be-quiet room. When I tried to open the door, I had to push pretty hard because a blanket was at the bottom of the door to "block the sound." He was playing a game on the computer after I had specifically told him that he couldn't. Sneaky, sneaky!!

Anyway, things like this have been happening pretty frequently with him...pretty normal for this age, I think...you know, like taking gum out of my purse and then denying it while smacking away. I've been using this verse with him, reminding him that because he says he loves God, he shouldn't be devious. Today was the first time I had him write it (twice because he later hid a candy cane under his shirt and asked if he could go take a nap...I knew that sounded pretty fishy.)

I have a feeling he is going to have this scripture written on his heart in no time.

the story of Ian's arrival

Shortly after Ian was born, I wrote the story of his arrival. It's kind of a long read, but I wanted to share it here. It was really good for me to read it again and to remember how God took care of our family during that scary time! Parts of this story Mike and I both didn't even remember! Plus, Ian has been quite the screamer lately; you may have even heard me comment that "he's driving me nuts!" Well, reading this is a great reminder of what a blessing Ian truly is!!

The Story of Ian’s Arrival

Ian Christopher Lowry was born at 8:58 a.m. on January 23, 2005. He weighed 5 pounds 12.8 ounces and was 18.5 inches long. He arrived 3 ½ weeks early!

Itching. The story of his early arrival actually begins 5 days earlier with me waking up scratching. My whole body itched. I mean REALLY itched.

In one out of 1000 pregnancies, women are affected by a condition called Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy (ICP). I never win anything, but it seems as if I had become that unlucky one in 1000.

ICP, otherwise known as Obstetric Cholestasis, refers to a specific liver condition in which the normal flow of bile is impaired in a woman's body resulting in severe itching. ICP is associated with many risks, with the greatest being stillborn birth. I was a nervous wreck.

That Wednesday morning, January 19, I went to my OB’s office and they did a nonstress test, took a whole lot of blood, did an ultrasound, and told me that I was on complete bed rest. To my relief, the baby sounded great and looked good in the ultrasound. He was just really small. The estimated weight was 4 pounds 12 ounces, which is in the 14th percentile for a baby 35 weeks and 6 days. I went home in shock. I couldn’t believe that something actually was going wrong in my pregnancy. I also had begun losing weight instead of gaining.

I went back Thursday morning and Friday morning for more nonstress tests and blood work. My doctor, Dr. George, really wanted to hold off on delivering the baby until I was 37 weeks, which would have been January 27. He was concerned that the baby’s lungs wouldn’t be developed enough for him to breathe on his own. Meanwhile, like I mentioned before, I was on complete bed rest and was supposed to be monitoring the baby’s movements. If he wasn’t moving enough, I needed to go to the hospital immediately. Talk about pressure. I was so scared that I would miss him not moving and that he would die inside me. I just wanted to see our baby and hold him and kiss him and nurse him. I felt like this was going to be the longest week of my life.

My two dear friends here in Waterville, Lisa and Sue, set up a schedule to be at my house with my boys and to make sure I was in bed. They are such a blessing. I really was able to rest in bed and drink lots of water, all the while still itching like crazy!

God must have known that I couldn’t handle all the pressure because my water broke early Sunday morning, January 23. At 4:30 a.m., with Sue at my house with Nathanael and Kyle, Michael and I went to the hospital.

Because I wasn’t in active labor, Michael and I had a decision to make. I could either start drugs to induce labor or I could have c-section. My first son was born by cesarean birth, so the risk of my uterus rupturing increased with inducing labor. I was just so ready to hold my son that we opted for the cesarean. Just a few hours after we got to the hospital, I heard Ian Christopher Lowry crying and got to see him for the very first time! I was just praising the Lord and thanking Him for our little miracle!!

When Ian was just four hours old, a nurse brought him to me for the second time to try to nurse. He just couldn’t do it. He was snorting and grunting a lot. The pediatrician on call then came to tell us that something wasn’t right and that he needed to be put on oxygen. In an oxygen hood is where he would spend the first 3 days of his life with me in a room down the hall.

The doctors weren’t sure what was wrong with him. They had to tell us every possible bad thing it could be. They mentioned the possibility of moving him to a larger hospital with a neonatal intensive care unit. I was an emotional wreck. I just wanted to hold little Ian. It just didn’t seem right to not have my newborn baby with me. I couldn’t nurse him, couldn’t hold him, and couldn’t change his little diapers. It was hard for me to even get to see him at first because I had a major surgery and couldn’t walk. Everything just seemed to be going wrong.

Tuesday afternoon brought good news. Our pediatrician, Dr. Peters, diagnosed Ian with transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN), which was the least scary of all the possible diagnoses. It basically is rapid breathing due to premature birth and fluid in the lungs. He said it usually lasts 2-7 days and then is over and the baby is fine. So I was ready to possibly be in the hospital for another 5 days.

On Tuesday night, Michael and I had our “Dinner for Two” that the hospital makes for the new parents. We had a date right in my hospital room. Our good friends Chris and Julie came to see us that night. Sue came to see us. Raychel, one of the girls from our church youth group, and Kelley, a lady from our church came to see us. They surrounded Michael and me and prayed for baby Ian.

On Wednesday morning at 5 a.m., Ian began to breathe on his own. It turns out he was on the short track of TTN. He stayed in the nursery for monitoring until around noon, and then I finally was reunited with my son. I was just praising the Lord all over again. I was able to nurse him and hold him and love on him! It was great. Big brothers Nathanael and Kyle came to see him that night and we took our first family picture as a family of five!

Ian and I were both discharged from the hospital the next day!

God is so good and so faithful to us! I praise Him for our little miracle.