A trip to the Museum

Last week I was able to go with Maddie's class to the Museum of Science and Industry.

Maddie has been beyond excited about this field trip for a very long time now. That is all she has talked about for weeks.

Well, that and the Hunger Games.

The kids couldn't wait till they saw a glimpse of the Sears Tower. (Maddie had my camera at one point and I think I have 20 pictures of it.)

The 5th Grade class. We are thankful for a safe trip and that no one got lost during the day.

I remember going to the museum when I was a child. Maybe even about the same age as Maddie is. I remember the baby exhibit from all the years ago. I was excited to see it again. It is a pretty cool exhibit.

I was really nervous about taking little Emma. I just didn't know how she would do with the long bus ride and the long day. But she did superb. I was pleasantly surprised with just how good she did. I don't think she even really cried.

We moms, um, enjoyed the farm exhibit.....

Maddie liked the submarine exhibit. It was pretty cool watching how they made the exhibit. They brought the submarine in first and then built the museum around it.

I personally am thankful that we brought the stroller. And I think everyone else was also. What else would you do with it when you are carrying the baby around half the day??

I don't think I am the only one who enjoyed the baby. :)

When we got home that day, let's just say, I crashed.

this moment

My Internet friend Shanda, asked if we would post a "this moment" picture today.

Here is my "this moment" picture........

what does your kitchen look like when you are getting dinner ready, and making baby food??

5 months

Now that I am 5 months old.......

Mommy is still my favorite person. EvEr.

Daddy and I are getting along better now while Mommy is working. He says it's because I am taking the bottle better and I haven't cried as much. I really like it when my Daddy talks like Donald Duck to me. I laugh and laugh.

I really like my Grandpa. He sits and holds me and laughs at me when I cry. He hugs and kisses me all the time to. I love him so much.

I sometimes like to eat oatmeal. But only when I'm in the mood.

I have tried avocado and I like that.

Mommy says that I am going to try carrots soon.

I love it when my big sister and brother talk to me. They are so funny and make me laugh. They like to push me around in the stroller.

I am allergic to dairy and eggs. Mommy tells me that although she really misses ice cream that I am worth it.

My mom keeps asking me when I am going to roll over. I keep trying to tell her that I don't want to roll over. I like to just lay here and watch everyone. I especially like it when Bells comes and lays beside me. I think Bella really likes me. But Mommy says that she wants Bella to go live with someone else.

I still wake up in the night. Some nights I just want to cuddle with Mommy and some nights I am really hungry. Mommy doesn't get mad at me. She just hugs and kisses on me.

The only time Mommy gets mad is when I scream and cry in the car. I try and tell her that if she would just let me out of that stupid car seat then I wouldn't cry. But Mommy doesn't listen.

I love my bath time. I like to kick my legs and splash the water. It is so fun. Mommy tells me that I am going to really love swimming this summer.

My best friend is Madelyn. She is so nice.

I like to play with my rabbit blanket and my little butterfly toy. I also like my birdie toy. Once, I was in my car seat and Daddy gave me a pop bottle and I really liked to play with that. I didn't cry at all that day!

Mommy says that 5 months have gone by way to fast. And that time needs to slow down.

Mother/daughter banquet 2012

Friday night we had our annual mother/daughter banquet....ladies tea....whatever you want to call it...

It was on a friday night this year instead of the traditional saturday afternoon, and I really liked it.

I was in charge of the cooking part this year and was quite nervous about it. Thankfully everything turned out just fine.

Beth was able to help me cook and I am so thankful for that.

We had a lot of fun together.

The theme was China and beyond. It was a story of Amy Carmichael. We had Chinese food for the meal.

We made sweet and sour chicken, rice and sauteed vegetables.

A lady in our church brought this little dress and Emma was able to wear it.

She looked so cute in it.

It was nice to have family there....

I am blessed to have a great family on my side of the family and also on my husbands side.

I think at this point of the night, Emma was like....get me out of this goofy dress and into my comfy pjs.

It was also nice to have my friends there....minus Lorrie.....which was my fault...I didn't even think to invite her. SoRrY Lorrie......

We were practicing our karate.

and of course..... our charlies angels.....

cuz....

can't you see that we look just like them???  ;)

And....

the best news of the night.....

Emma didn't cry on the way to church or on the way home!!!!!

That was the best gift ever.........

cologne

Nathan arranged his cologne collection  last night. Yesterday he traded his Drakkar for  the Black by Kenneth Cole which was Jeremy's. He said that his Uncle Doug wears Black...and it SMELLS GOOOODDDD. (I don't know if that is true or not, but lately Nathan has been obsessed with what Doug is wearing. If you know Uncle Doug you can see the humor in that. ;)

Anyway, I just thought it was funny that a 9 yr old boy is so interested in cologne.

He says he wants to smell good....for the ladies.

Well, maybe 1 lady...an adorable litle 1st gader who I'm particularly fond of. But, I promised I wouldn't reveal his secret. ;)

Anyway.......

Happy Friday.

And I hope Nathan doesn't make all the kids on the bus choke in the morning.....too often. ;)

Messes

I saw this on Pinterest today. Some days I feel like this is my life..

Like today, I feel like I am going from one mess to another. I cleaned off this table and turned around and it looked like this...

Nathan.....nuf said. :)

Speaking of Nathan.....and the mess. This is what he was doing. Drawing a picture of Emma. I guess the mess was worth it. Do you like her hair??

Looks kinda like a lions head if you ask me! ;)

Happy Thursday.

Emma's Dedication

Sunday night we had a dedication service for Emma at church.

It was such a sweet time.

I am so thankful to all the friends and family that were able to attend. It meant so very much to me.

Jeremy's Dad read some scripture.

Psalm 127:3-5
³Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
⁴As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
⁵Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

My Dad gave a testimony and a  prayer of Dedication.

And Uncle Kelvin (our Pastor) read some scripture and gave a prayer of Dedication.

Luke 1:5-14
⁵THERE was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
⁶And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
⁷And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
⁸And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,
⁹According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
¹⁰And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
¹¹And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
¹²And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
¹³But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
¹⁴And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.


Emma Elisabeth......what a complete joy she is to me.

I really honestly never thought we would have another baby.

Jeremy and I tried for 7 years to have a baby. 7 long years. 7 years full of trusting in God and knowing that is way is perfect. Years of trusting that whether we would have a baby, God was good. And if he decided to not give us another child, that God was still good.

Writing about this isn't easy for me. It all sounds so perfect now that she is here. But the truth of the matter is that there were many, many months of tears and heartbreak and begging and pleading.

Many months of begging God to take the desire from me. That if he wouldn't fulfill this desire, that he would give me peace about not having a baby. That he would take the desire from me and that he would fill the empty space in my heart.

I know it sounds silly to have felt like that,  because I already had 2 children. 2 beautiful children. But still....I felt like something was missing, that it just wasn't complete yet....does that make any sense??

These years of....I don't know what to call it.....infertility....not God's timing?? were not easy for me to talk about. A few close friends knew. Some would see tears. Some would just hear my heart.

There was a Sunday in particular, where I really thought I was pregnant. I was a week late.
I was an emotional basket case.

We were late for sunday school and standing in the foyer, just Jeremy and I. His cousin Lindsie had just had a baby, and the I heard the baby crying in the room next to us.

When I heard that little baby crying I lost it. I felt....I know it sounds stupid, but I felt like a baby was crying out to me.

That morning Kelvin preached out of Luke. I don't remember much about the sermon,

But I remember these 2 verses...

¹³But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
¹⁴And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

I felt like God himself was speaking to me. Could I dare open my heart up to a promise of another child??

I knew then, that if we would have another baby, that I would give that baby back to God. He will use this baby as he deems fit.

 For God had heard my cry.

There were many mornings spent sitting in my chair in the living room, and so many mornings, during the waiting game of wondering if this month we would be pregnant.... with tears streaming down my face, I would feel the presence of God right there with me.

And I knew......

I KNEW GOD TO BE A COMFORTER.

and

A HEALER OF BROKEN AND HURTING HEARTS.

To know that about my God, was worth the wait.

I don't know if I can quite put into words what I felt that morning  when I found out I was pregnant.

What pure and utter shock.

What pure and utter J.o.Y.

And now she is here.

God's timing is always the best timing. I can see that.

God has showed himself faithful to me time and time again.

And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

My cup runneth over.