Tables Turned

Everyday it seems like I am constantly challenging and encouraging our children in their faith. So many lessons to be taught.

But today the tables were turned. Today our son taught me a life lesson and challenged me in my faith.

He was generous to a neighbor when I would have held back. He told me that God blesses us when we give. On the outside I smiled, for I didn't want to discourage his sweet faith. But on the inside I knew the facts, plain and simple. So and so many chickens which laid so and so many eggs a day....times the people that needed eggs by the weekend.....equaled not enough!!! Plain and simple.

But I was about to be put to shame...for I had just limited God. A God Who wanted to show himself real to His child...a God Who cared about the little things in this young man's life.

What happened? More eggs than we have ever gotten in a single day...almost too many eggs for what seems possible.

And what did my son say to me...in a matter of fact way??? See Mom... I told you.....God blesses us when we are generous and give.

And I smiled again. But this time it was a different smile....a smile for a son who believed and was shown in a tangible way that God cares about the little things...a smile for a Mama who was reminded that God cared enough about her to teach her something through the faith of a child.

I will probably never look at an egg again without being reminded of our lesson in generosity today....the day the tables were turned!

Easter Memories

Easter was always a big deal in my family while growing up. Sadly though, because my parents were not believers, it was all about bunnies and easter eggs in those early years.

But one of my most vivid memories of Easter was the one when I was around 10 yrs. old. It is a day I  will never forget.

First a little history of my family. I am the 2nd oldest in a family of 5 children. But because my older sister was born mentally handicapped and was sent to live in a home when she was 1,  I was the oldest living at home, and for 8 years I felt like an only child. My brother was born 8 years after me, my sister 12 years, and my brother 16 years, So with the exception of my older sister and I, we were very spread out.

I never really knew my oldest sister. She had left our home before I was born and because of distance, we rarrly went to visit her. And when we did go visit her our conversations were very one sided as she couldn't walk, talk or eat. About all she could do was make grunting and moaning noises...but still I hoped she recognized me and tried to talk with her.

Because it was 8 years before I had a sibling at home, I often felt very lonely as a child. My mom did a great job at spending time with me and including me in her daily activities, but still there was that void of not having a sibling. And what made this void even worse in my heart was knowing that I had a sister that was just 19 months older than me and yet we couldn't be together. I spent many hours dreaming of what life would be like if she were around....oh the fun we would have together! How I longed for this.

It was around the time my brother was born that my mom became a believer. This changed a lot if things in our home. Mom did a lot of talking about God and praying to Him. There were many times I remember coming in the house and hearing her crying out to God for things....especially the salvation of my dad (which was answered a few years later!). One thing I learned from my mom during this time was that God was real and He cared about our everyday lives. Her faith and trust in God definitely rubbed off on me and I grew in my love and devotion to Him as well.

Even though I was absolutely thrilled that I had a baby brother, my heart still longed for my older sister. It just didn't seem fair to me that we couldn't be together sharing our everyday lives.

And this brings me to my most memorable Easter. I am not sure when it all started or even how I got to this point, but it was a very real experience in my life. Like I said before, my mom's zeal for the things of God was affecting me in the same way. I remember spending hours and hours in my little "prayer closet" praying and many hours reading my picture Bible. I was hungry for God and it seemed like I could never get enough. One of the things I prayed regularly for in my prayer times was healing for my big sister. Because I read the Bible  and I knew that God was the same today as He was back then, I knew that He could still heal. In fact my mom and I saw many prayers being answered and so in my heart I had the faith of a spiritual giant. I knew that there was NOTHING that my God could not do. So I would pray day after day, time and time again for the healing of my sister.

And when this particular  Easter was approaching, I just knew that the time was soon coming that my sister would be healed and whole. I shared this with my mom and I told her that I believed that her healing would come on Easter day, which was just a few weeks away. I don't really remember how I got to this point, why I thought she would be healed on Easter, but I do remember that my mom never doubted or discouraged me from believing this. She prayed right along with me. A few days later on one of our shopping trips I asked my mom if she could buy my sister and I matching dresses so that when she was healed on Easter, we would be matching. I can very clearly remember exactly what those dresses looked like. Mine was blue and white  and hers was burgundy and white. I was so excited and so full of faith just knowing that on Easter day my sister and I would be reunited and together like we always should have been.

Easter morning came. I put on my dress with a smile on my face....I was so excited!!! We went to church and then to my Uncle and Aunt's place for a family gathering. I had a really hard time concentrating on anything that day besides waiting for the phone to ring. You see I had made sure my mom had called the home where my sister lived and had given them the phone number where we would be for the day. That way when my sister was healed, they would know how to get hold of us and we could go pick her up. The day turned into evening and still no phone call. Still I did not loose hope. I was so sure that today would be the day!!! Eventually it was time to go home and in my little heart I started to wonder if I had heard God wrong. Was it just my wishful thinking that got me to this point? Then there was the embarrassment of being wrong. How could I have been so silly. I don't remember much more of that evening. My mom was very good about it all. I remember apologizing for making her get another dress because I knew that we didn't have extra money for such things. She didn't make me feel silly....she just loved me. I know she would have been disappointed too.

I don't remember ever questioning God....probably more myself for not hearing right. I was sad....my hopes had been raised too high. I was sure that I would be playing with my sister after that day.

My sister did end up being healed a few years later.....in heaven. When she was 14 years old she went home to be with the Lord. It was a time of rejoicing for us knowing that she was finally whole. Those last couple of years of her life were so sad. She just lay there and she was so brittle that even moving her would break her bones.  I could just imagine her now running around in heaven picking and smelling the flowers (that's what I had planned we would do together). Who could be sad about that? The day after the funeral I returned to school and one of my non-Christian friends said to me, "How can you come back to school the day after your sisters funeral...aren't you sad?" I then explained to her that my sister was in a much better place and was healed and whole. How could I be sad about that?

I think of this time in my life a lot. When I hear people talk about healing and the belief out there that some people don't get healed because they dodn't have enough faith...... this makes my upset. Because I know that I know that I know that as a child that Easter Sunday I had the faith that my sister was going to be healed. I was so, so, so sure and there was not a doubt in my mind....not one.  This proves to me that it is not always a matter of lack of faith. It's a matter of a God Who is in control and Who knows what is best for all mankind.

Do I believe that God heals today? I sure do. I have been blessed to witness a few physical healings in me and my family. But I also believe that God does not always answer our prayers that way that we think He should. I thought my sister should be healed and we should be together...obviously God had other plans. I don't know why.....but I don't need to. I just need to trust in His perfect will and plan. I will not always understand why He chooses what He does....but I don't need to...I just need to trust. As a young girl that Easter Sunday I didn't understand why God choose not to heal my sister....but that didn't stop me from praying to Him and trusting in Him. I knew in my heart that He loved me and knew what was best for me. I still spent hours in my prayer closet and reading my Bible. I never once even thought of being mad at God....it wasn't an option in my mind....I loved Him and I trusted Him.

And I still do today. There are still times when I pray for something and I have complete and total faith that it will come to pass....but it turns out differently than what I prayed for. But that doesn't stop me from praying. It makes me realize that I see such a little picture of my life and the life of others but God sees the BIG picture. He knew what my sister's life would have been like if she was healed....and obviously He thought it was best not to heal her. And I love Him for that....I love that He does what is best for me and others rather than what I think is best.

So this Easter season, as that Easter season so long ago I choose to trust. To trust in a God who sent His only Son to be crucified and to bear the sin of the world. So much of the Easter story doesn't make sense to the natural mind....but to God it made perfect sense. It was His plan all along that His Son would rise again! His plan was perfect then and it still is today. He knows what's best for me....He knows that plans that He has for me....and they are for my good!!!

Elijah's Birth Story

It's hard to believe that Elijah was 3 weeks old yesterday! And that it's taken me 3 weeks to write his birth story!!!


If you're not into birth stories....you will want to skip this post :)


As most of you know our daughter and son-in-law got married on Mar. 3rd. I know a lot of people were praying that baby would hold off being born until after the wedding. I have never, ever been early (without being induced) and so we weren't too concerned when we set the wedding date 2 full weeks before the baby's due date. But as we went to app't after app't and my measurements were consistently 2-4 weeks ahead of time....we started to wonder how this was all going to work out! I have always been very close in my measurements on other pregnancies....so this was something we weren't sure how to take! But we knew that God's timing was perfect and began to go through the "what ifs". Really there was not a thing we could do but wait and see how it all worked out.


The morning of the wedding came and I was relieved to know that I was not in labor and I would indeed be able to see my daughter married off! My labors are quite long so I knew that I had at least 24 hours.....plenty of time to enjoy the wonderful day!


And enjoy the wedding I did! It was a really great day and.....they got married (the goal of the day:) By the end of the day I was feeling very exhausted....we were all exhausted!!!! But still no labor.


Sunday, Monday and Tuesday came and went. These days were spent cleaning up the wedding stuff, getting the house back in order and getting ready for baby to arrive. I hadn't done a single thing to get ready for the baby before the wedding because I felt all my energy and concentration needed to be for wedding plans! After all, how long does it take to wash a few clothes and buy diapers?


Usually by this time in other pregnancies I was driving my family crazy in my "nesting" stage! But not this time....I was enjoying getting back to normal....our "new" normal.


Tuesday was a great day. We had our whole family together for supper and we had a nice time visiting. I felt pretty tired...and pregnant...but happy :) and not even thinking that I was only a couple of days away from meeting this little bundle!


At 1:30 Wednesday morning I woke up and realized that my water had broke. It took me awhile to wrap my brain around this because in every other pregnancy I have been in very active labor before my water breaks so I really didn't know what to expect. I was up and down all night knowing I should try to get some sleep yet anxious about how this labor was going to progress. If I would have known the lack of sleep we would have had over the next couple of days I might have tried harder to sleep :)


I waited until morning to tell Mark that my water had broke (no use both of us being tired!). I still was having no contractions to speak of so I dug out the baby clothes and car seat cover and started washing  them. In between washing I crocheted a couple of hats....a boy one and a girl one. By lunch time there was still no progression so I called my midwife and gave her a heads up as to what was going on. We asked her a few questions about what happens when water breaks before actual labor and how much time we had to get into active labor and if a water birth would still be possible. Then we told her we would keep her updated.


After lunch I busied myself folding clothes and packing my bags (yup, hadn't done that either :). Around 2:00 we decided to head to our midwife so she could listen to the baby and make sure things were OK. After that we then headed to the place where we planned to have the baby and played the waiting game. Oh yeah, and I bought diapers :) and a few other things we needed.


Our midwife had told us that if i wasn't in active labor by 1:30 am Thursday that she was required to consult a Dr. because apparently the risk of infection increased the longer my water was broke. So we followed her suggestions trying to get things moving but.....to no avail! We went out for supper and still nothing. Our midwife checked me a couple more times in between but by the time 11:30 rolled around there was still no labor to speak of. So she consulted a Dr. and came to tell us what he said. Because of previous c-section and this being #13, he basically didn't want to deal with me at the local hospital and said I needed to go into Winnipeg. It was then that my heart dropped.....this was so not the way I wanted this labor and delivery to go. If I had to be in the hospital, I sure didn't want to be in a city one. But my wonderful hubby calmed me down and assured me that all would be fine, and after a quick nap we packed up our things and followed our midwife to Winnipeg.


On the way I thought of the email I had written my dear friend Laura in the morning letting her know my water had broke. In it I said, "I feel at peace knowing God is in control and not focusing on my "perfect" idea of a birth! I pray God will be glorified in this birth." And so this is what I focused on.....letting go of my perfect ideas and instead focusing on glorifying God in whatever lay ahead." 


We got to Winnipeg around 3:00 and then got checked in and hooked up to a monitor. There were ladies in labor everywhere...it was crazy!!!! And of course because I wasn't in labor I wasn't top priority so there we sat. Eventually I got escorted out of my temporary bed into the waiting room and it was there we spent the remainder of the night. My wonderful midwife sacrificed a good nights sleep and sat with us in the waiting room. We drifted off every now and then only to be awakened by the constant trickle of ladies in labor. Every once in awhile we would just look at each other in disbelief and we just had to laugh cause we knew crying wasn't going to do us any good :) The thing that really got us was the fact that we had to come right away into the hospital because of risk of infection after 24 hrs.....yet there I sat and no one attended to me!!!! Finally, finally, finally at around 9:00 am Thursday morning I got a room...we were making progress!!!


Around 10:30 they finally started the meds for induction. They started things off very slowly and so it took awhile for things to progress. In the meantime the sweet nurse felt sorry for me and got me some toast for breakfast. Because of my c-section with Josiah they are pretty picky about me eating when I am in labor. Thank the Lord for nurses who have some sense :) I think it's just cruel to let a lady labor on a liquid only diet. That was the best piece of toast I have eaten in a long time!!!! 


The rest of the afternoon is a bit of a blur. I do remember lots of laughs with our midwife as we visited and waited for things to pick up. I tried to get a nap in but it seemed every time I would drift off someone would be there to wake me up and ask me questions (nurses, doctors....), and it was always the same questions! I wonder why they can't get one person to ask the questions and then relay it to the rest of them????? So needless to say, rest eluded me! 


Finally around mid afternoon things started to really pick up and we were no longer able to visit ....it was time to get down to some serious business!!!! When things started to get really tough I asked for an epidural. I think it took about an hour for the anesthesiologist to show up and by the time he did I was in real serious labor!!! I have only ever had an epidural once before....that was with our last one, Jaden, and I remember the pure relief that came when it kicked in. So I was looking forward to the same experience this time.....but it was not to be so. For after the epidural was in and I waited for the relief to come, things just got more painful. We really are still not sure why or what happened, but I just know that it didn't take the pain away!!!!! The jury is still out on whether it helped at all.....


But it was all good because by 5:55 we said hello to our precious little boy.....Elijah Hudson. 


And so once again, a very different birth than what I had hoped for....this seems to be the theme for us lately. The last 3 births were very different and not at all what we had planned. But this is the way it happened and so instead of choosing to grumble and complain...we choose to enjoy the little blessings that we got from it all!!!!! 


God's ways are not our ways......and when we choose to rest in Him and in His plan, things will be alright! I refuse to let my mind dwell on the negative of this birth....yes, I will tell the story...the whole story.....but as I look at this precious little bundle in my arms I will just be thankful! How could I not be?

What Spring Humidity Brings....

Curly Jaden

2 WEEKS

Elijah is 2 weeks old! In a way I can't beieve how fast those two weeks have flown by, but on the other hand it seems like he's been part of our family forever :) And now I can't imagine our life without him! 

Here he is for the first time in "big boy" clothes!

The Siblings

I almost did it!!!! I got a picture of "almost" all the siblings with Elijah! Even without our photographer :)
I just need to get Joshua (oldest brother) and Henry (son-in-law).....so guys, you are on my hit list :)

Rebecca (sister-in-law)

 Jennifer (20)

Megan (18)

Kerri (17)

 Caleb (13)

 Zachary (11)

Jesse (9)

Nathan (almost 8)

 Brooke (6 1/2)

 

Mikaya (almost 5)

Josiah (3)

Jaden (1)

 And nephew, Andy (2)

My parents

Brian & Geraldine

Elijah is a very loved and well cuddled little boy! 

How blessed he is to have so many family members to love on him!

Our Little Man

Just a quick update on our lives here. Having a wedding and a baby within 5 days of each other made our already eventful life even more eventful!!!! It's hard to believe all that has happened in the last couple of weeks! How truly blessed we are :)

I am so thankful that God gave us a few days to regroup after the wedding before we met our little bundle! I had a couple great nights sleep with just enough time to get ready for Elijah! I had not even started getting baby stuff ready, not one thing, until Monday...but once we got started it didn't take long to get everything together! We moved Jaden into the girls room downstairs on Monday, so the baby room wasn't empty very long! And we pretty quickly went from 10 children at home back to 11!!!

So far Elijah has been a very content little guy. He likes to eat and has been very alert since day 1. He has decided that between 2-6 am is a good cuddle time for him and mama!!! Knowing that this season of our life will not last forever makes me treasure these one on one moments with him even more! Of course I can easily say all this knowing that my amazing daughters will send me for a nice long nap during the day to make up for it...that makes it more bearable too :)

The rest of the kids love him. They can't get enough of him. I think Josiah (3 yrs.) got the concept that the baby he was kissing in my tummy was no longer there and he could kiss him in real life! Fun to watch these little guys process everything! The younger ones are trying to master his name. Jaden (the name master in our home) almost has it! What a blessing to watch as they joyfully welcome this new sibling into our family!

Yesterday I started to feel somewhat normal again. I tell ya, this isn't as easy as it used to be! My body doesn't rebound quite as quick as before, and it lets me know of muscles I didn't know I had before too :) But because I have been able to get lots of rest, I feel I will be back to normal (whatever that is!) pretty soon.

On our way home from the hospital we stopped in at our daughter Megan's place and she did a quick photo shoot with him. She just posted them on her blog. Seriously, how could we not love this little bundle :)

Thanks again for all your congrats and prayers. They mean a lot to us! I hope to post Elijah's birth story soon.

~Elijah Hudson~

Just on Time!

5 days after big sister's wedding and 9 days before due date, on March 8th at 5:52 pm our sweet baby boy arrived!

He's 8lbs 14 oz. and 20.5 inches long.

We still haven't decided on his name yet but will let you know when we do!

Thanks for all your prayers!

Sorry the picture is so dark, I took it with my phone.

They Are Married!!!!

Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Henry and Megan Froese!

Pictures courtesy of the photographer, Dave Guenther. Thanks Dave for giving everyone a sneak peak :)

Things are Coming Together!!!

The bride's and bridesmaid's dresses are fitted, the families clothing is altered and ironed, the menu is planned and the food is bought, the decorations are made, the flowers are ordered, the rentals are rented, the house renovations are completed, the hair trials are almost done, the baby is staying inside mama :), and the "to do" list is getting shorter and shorter....YEAH!!!!

And today begins our week of "lasts" with Megan living here at home. So again it is with bittersweet emotions that we look forward to this week and the final preparations that need to be made for Mar.3/12, the day Henry and Megan will become husband and wife!!! We will enjoy every moment with Megan  here and with joy we will help her prepare for the "big day"!

So if you think of us this week please pray for us for:

~Strength for everyone, but especially that this pregnant mama will be able to keep up with the pace. So far I have been feeling really, really well and know that it is only by God's strength that I am able to be this busy and not be totally exhausted!

~For Henry and Megan as they prepare their hearts for their wedding day.

~For our family as we adjust to a new normal. When you have a large family, things have to be designated and scheduled to prevent chaos!  Megan will leave some big shoes that need to be filled and we are going to have some re-organizing to do...especially with a new baby on the way VERY SOON!!!

~That the new baby will stay in it's cozy home until after the wedding :)

~That I will not bawl like a baby through the whole wedding!!!!! Being pregnant and very emotional, this is going to be a hard one for me :)

~For good health. Jaden woke up from his sleep last night with the stomach flue. Today he seems fine but please pray that this will not spread and that everyone will feel well this week....especially on the day of the wedding.

~For God's hand to be on this special new couple. We love them so much and are so happy for them!

Thank you so much to all of our faithful friends. I know we have not been doing much updating as there has been NO TIME!!! But we feel your prayers and support. Thank you!

Updates :)

When I started this blog a few years ago I decided that I wouldn't blog unless I had something worth saying. I wasn't about to write a blog post just "because" or in order to keep my readers. Often my posts have come as a passion burning in my heart, I sit down at the computer to write and within a few minutes I have it published. But lately this hasn't been the case....so I haven't blogged much. And I also decided I wouldn't let blogging get in the way of caring for my family. If I was too busy....the posts would have to wait.

Well my lack of posts in the last few months have been because of these reasons exactly. I haven't had a lot of those "I just have to share this" moments lately. And I have also been too busy to blog!

But today I thought I would take a few moments to give an update of our lives :)

My last post was about the changes that have been taking place in our life when our 3rd child, Megan got engaged. Well since then we have set a wedding date and are now BUSY making plans!!! Henry and Megan's wedding has been set for Mar. 3rd. This is a real exciting time for all of us and we are having a lot of fun! So far the invitations are made, the bridesmaid dresses are in the making, the church has been booked, the meal has been planned.....and the list goes on :) It's always nice to check things off the list as we get it done!

Henry bought a house a couple of months ago and so our family has been helping him renovate it and get it ready for them to move in after they are married. That's also been a big job that has taken time but it has been so great to be able to pitch in where we can as a family! Things go a lot faster with lots of helpers!

We also had a quick visit with our Tennessee friends, the Munck's, when they came to visit us this past week. It was so great to see each other face to face again and catch up on all the little details of our life. It was hard to say good-bye, but we look forward to seeing them again....hopefully sooner than later!

Today marks 33 weeks of my pregnancy. My blood pressure has been great, and my blood sugar as well so that has been an answer to prayer. Baby is still growing and kicking and letting mama know it's in there! We did have an ultra sound last week because I was measuring a little bigger than I should have been. Of course ultra sounds are not very accurate at this stage in pregnancy so I am not sure it helped out much. The tech said that the dates can be off 3 weeks (give or take) and off almost a pound (give or take) so it's no use going by the info we got! But for the record I was 35 weeks and baby was 5 lbs. 6 oz. So we'll see how far off that actually is! I guess OUR goal is that the baby will stay put until the wedding is over. I don't care if I go into labor that night.....but please Lord, not before :) But in my heart I know that God's timing is perfect and we will rejoice with whatever time He chooses! I have never been earlier than a couple of days before (except for the times I was induced) so I am not too worried :)

We are also teaching a parenting class this winter so that has been a lot of fun! We have a great group of parents that are so eager to put into practice the things they are learning. And of course, as always, we are learning right along with them! It is always refreshing to go through this course and to encourage other parents that it is possible to have children that you can enjoy parenting!

And other than this, it's been the regular everyday routine of life in a large family. I am noticing as I get older that my brain gets tired quicker than my body somedays! Of course now we have every stage in our family, married, engaged, adult, teens, adolescence, children, toddlers and soon to be infant, so there's a lot to keep up with. Yup, life is full :) But we love it!!!!

And that is my update for today. Hope your weekend is going well!

Changes

From the day our girls are born I pray for the man they will marry someday (Lord willing). And as soon as they are able we train them daily in preparation for the day they will marry and have a husband and a home of their own to care for.

And even though there are all these years of planning, training and dreaming, nothing can quite prepare you for the day it becomes reality!

As you know we had our first wedding almost 3 years ago when our oldest son Joshua married our wonderful daughter-in-law, Rebecca. Their marriage was the beginning of the changes that were to come to our family. Our family unit as we knew it would never be the same again. So as happy as it was, it was also kind of sad that this phase of our lives was over! I think you have to be a parent of a married child to truly understand these mixed feelings. Of course we would trade nothing for this new phase. Adding Rebecca to our family has been a huge blessing....it's like she has always been here, she fits into our family so perfectly. And as a bonus we now have two wonderful grandchildren as a result of this marriage.

But just when you think you understand and have adjusted to change.....things change again! And so has happened to our family in the last month. Another change.....a very happy, but yet a little sad, change.

And this is where a dear young man, Henry, comes into the picture, the day he asked to court our daughter Megan, and the day we gave permission. A day that we remember fondly. Yet a day that we realized another change was about to happen. For us as parents, and particularly for three sisters whose bond had grown strong over the years. But the day we had dreamed, prepared and prayed for Megan had come.

And once again, we have gotten used to change and are thrilled with the results! We have grown to love Henry as our own son. In fact it now feels like he has always been part of our family. I just love how God puts these things together so perfectly!

Which brings us to today, the day Henry proposed to Megan and asked her to be his wife! We are so excited and happy for them. What a blessing to watch a young couple who desires God's will for their lives. Henry has been such a blessing in the way he has respected our wishes as Megan's parents and has shown himself trustworthy in his relationship with her. He is a really great example to all young men in a courting relationship. And Megan as well has been so careful to continue to let her Daddy guard her heart until the day he gives it over to Henry. Again, a wonderful example to the young women around her! It's truly been a beautiful thing to watch and be a part of.

We love you both, Henry and Megan and we are excited for you as you prepare for your life together. We look forward to this new change and season in our lives as we know it will bring great things!

And as for my blog readers, I will try to keep you up to date with things as they progress! I know my blogging has been very sparse lately....but maybe now you see part of the reason why?????

And this about sums it up.

BUSYNESS

Wow, once again I say "Where is time going?" I keep waiting for things to slow down....but now I am beginning to wonder if they ever will!!!!

I am noticing that we are in a new season in our lives. One that seems to be a little busier. Not that we have taken up anything new, but just that LIVING is busier.

Of course having many children always makes for busy....but this is a different kind of busy...and not even one that I can put my finger on! But as our children grow, they each spend time developing their gifts and talents that God has given them.....making us busier!!!! Not sure if this makes sense??????

And then you add some wonderful little grandchildren on top of that...yes, different season....busier! It seems that having your own children it just comes naturally that you spend time with them throughout the day as they are around all the time....but with grandchildren it is different. Time spent with them doesn't just always happen, sometimes you have to make it happen!!! Again, a different kind of busy....a wonderful, super duper busy!!!!!

And as our boys grow up, things are not just as simple as making sure they are fed and clothed any more.....there's the matter of keeping them without too much EXTRA time on their hands and helping them to be productive with their time. And as they grow up a little more time is spent with them to listen, help, encourage, train, disciple.

And then of course there are still the little ones who need the cuddles, loving, discipline and training! We still have them too!!!! Busy???? Yup....but I wouldn't want it any other way :)

But that is what makes life so fun and enjoyable. I always used to think that someday I would miss the hustle and bustle of the busyness in our home.....but now I wonder if that day will ever come? For there will hopefully always be some child to visit, make meals for, babysit for.......I think this is our new busy......and I like it!!!!

So even though somedays I feel like my head is spinning and I am needed at 10 places doing 10 different things at one time.....my heart is full....and I am satisfied!!!!

Nothing will ever replace this time in our lives. It will never be the same again as it is TODAY....things are changing all the time. And so I will live today like it will never be the same again. I will enjoy what God has put on my plate today, and be thankful for the busyness in my life right now. Because this is where God has placed me, this is what He chose for me, this is His perfect plan.....and I am glad :)

And as I finish up this post...one of my dear children ask me, "Are you busy still?" Yup...my point exactly!!!!!!

So if you don't hear from me for long periods of time, chances are.....I'm OK....... just busy :)

Family Picture Time!!!!

Yesterday we finally got our act together together and took family pictures.

Here is a preview :)

Blessed....Again!

Well little did I know on Thursday when I wrote my post about waiting on our grandchild to be born that a few hours later we would get the news that we have been blessed with a precious little granddaughter!

We are so overjoyed to announce the safe arrival of MAKAYLA FAITH. She was 7lbs. 14 oz. and born right on her due date....November 10, 2011!

I've had a few cuddles with her aready. We are so thankful to the Lord for bringing this little life into the world. God is so good!

Congratulations to Joshua, Rebecca and Andy. We love you guys, thanks for another grandchild :)

Where Has Time Went?

Wow, just realized it's been over a week since my last post!
Where does time go anyway?

Well here is some of what has happened around here in the last week:

We got our machine shop cemented 

(Yeah for that being done and yeah for all the helpers....it was a big job!)

We celebrated our grandson, Andy's 2nd birthday. 2 years ago from now we were wondering what his future would be like. Being born 10 weeks early, plus being diagnosed with 22q deletion syndrome a little while later was all something we were not prepared for. But God in His mercy has brought this little man so far! He is growing, walking and I'm sure it won't be long until he is talking! All glory to God for this precious little guy!!! We love him to bits!!!!

We welcomed a new little niece to our family. My brother Jeremy and his wife Laura waited 6 long years for Elyana to be born! What an amazing answer to prayer! We went to visit her yesterday, and she is truly a little sweetie!!! I had fun making this little hat for her :)

We got the last of the cows home. And everything went great! We chose to chase the herd home again this year. We had 3 vehicles, a four-wheeler, and a tractor with a bale of hay on the back. Last year it didn't go so well....this year....IT WENT GREAT!!!! So much easier than hauling them all, as long as it goes well! So all the cows are safely home and munching happily on hay :)

We started a parenting class. We are excited once again to be able to mentor young families in raising their families according to God's Word. We always come away from teaching these classes feeling like we received more than we gave. What a blessing to be able to do this!

We butchered the last of our chickens. This was a job that I was not looking forward to, but on Saturday we were motivated by the forecast (SNOW!) and figured we better get it done. As usual the thought was worse than the actual doing it. So glad they are now in the freezer :)

First snowfall happened on Sunday. We are thankful the weather has stayed so nice this long. But looking outside I am thinking winter might be here to stay!!!

Rebecca's due date was yesterday and we are still waiting to meet our 2nd grandchild! Looking so forward to another little one to love on! Please keep them in your prayers!

-My pregnancy is going well. Baby is growing and moving lots! I am feeling very well. So far my blood pressure is behaving itself. I am trying to walk 2.5 miles every morning and I am hoping and praying the exercise will help me stay healthy.

-Tomorrow we are going into the city with a group from our church to record a few songs. I am most excited to see how a recording actually takes place. The girls and I have wanted to record a cd for many years now but have never known quite where to start. I am hoping tomorrow we will find out if this is something we really want to pursue!

So that is our life in a very quick nut shell this past week. Of course there was the regular every day life that we lived besides this, making life go by very fast! But it's better to be busy than to be sitting around twiddling your thumbs wondering what to do with yourself :) I don't see those kind of days being in our future any time soon .....and I am glad :)