A quiet weekend

I was able to help with picture day last week....and that meant spending just a little bit of time with my dear friend Reitha. My Reitha is so very dear to me. We spent a lot of time together a couple years ago. I miss that time. I miss the heart to hearts we had.

I found it very neat that Reitha and Emma share the same birthday. Emma was quite taken herself with Reitha. :)

The American Girl Doll magazine came in the mail the other day. Maddie made Emma sit and look at it with her. Maddie has already shared her Bitty Baby with Emma. Bitty sleeps in Emma's crib with her. In the morning, I will go and and find Emma playing with her Bitty.

My Emma girl is growing so quickly.

She is into everything these days. She especially likes to try and play with a plant and my box of books I have in the living room. She still thinks "no" is a fun game. When we say "no" to her sternly, she will look and stare at us and then laugh and laugh.

Little Miss Thing is such a happy baby. I am so very blessed.

She is also trying to stand by herself.

She was thinking that she was big stuff!!

And then she did it!!!!

She stood all by herself for a couple seconds before falling into Daddy's safe arms.

It has been a quiet weekend. I think I needed it. I have a busy week ahead. Good week, but busy week. We have gotten the laundry and housework caught up (you know, just so we can get it messy again!!) and I have enjoyed doing a little extra cooking this weekend.

Church was good today. We have so been enjoying church. With hesitation we followed the Lords leading and left our church that we have called home for the last 10 years.  It was a tough decision, but with my changes in work, we knew we needed to find a church closer to home. We needed to worship together on Sundays as a family. We pray the Lord continues to make his way known to us.

I am tired now, Emma  and Nathan are finally sleeping. Maddie stayed the night at Grandma's tonight. My warm bed and Hubby are calling my name.

Have a great week.

I don't know what you are facing this week. I don't know what I am facing this week. But as you look forward, remember, fear is not of God. Remember the truths of God and walk in those. You are a child of the King.

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.........

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.

Roller Skating

Wednesday night we had our annual church roller skating night. My kids look forward to this night so very much. And honestly....it is a fun night. Although I hate it when Hunny isn't there. I really do feel like half of me is missing.



Brother was a little unsure....just for a second. :) Then he was off. I couldn't get Dada to hold still for a second to snatch a picture of her. The thing she talks about most is going around with Tim and Amber...2 of the college kids. She said that she had never gone so FAST!!



Not everyone goes to skate. But what I love about our church is that it doesn't stop people from coming to fellowship with each other. Don't want to skate?? Let's play phase 10 then!! :)



Zach. My heart still melts at his smile.





Before you feel to bad for Beth b.c I posted this picture of her. Just know that she purposely posed with that face. (I think it was b/c Brad might have stunk.....he he)

College Kids

Last Sunday we had the opportunity to have the college kids over. What a fun day we had. I enjoy having the college kids. Its a day for them to just chill out. They can finish homework, take a nap, chill out....OR visit the local goodwill!! ;) They have no pressure on them to do anything other then have a great time. They do enough serving at our church I say!! When they come to our house it is a time for our family to serve them.



I had found a great deal on turkey a while back and had great plans of making shredded turkey sandwiches for the college kids. BUT....if you know me at all, you realize how forgetful I am. I forgot all about the fact that they were coming over until Friday. I didn't think it would be enough time to thaw and cook a whole turkey.




So plan B went into effect.

I figured....college kids.....what do college kids like that they don't normally get on a Sunday lunch. PANCAKES!! Who doesn't love pancakes!?!?



And a hit they were. I thought Lori might wet her pants when I told her what we were having!! :)



I made apple cinnamon, banana walnut, choc chip, and regular pancakes. Everyone chose their favorite and dug in!!



For some reason I failed to get a picture of Brian. Sorry!! :(



I will have to tell you that I. LOVE. PANCAKES. Especially banana walnut pancakes. I ALMOST broke down and ate 1. But thankfully Lori and Mary literally would not let me. :)



So instead...this is what I ate.



After all were stuffed to the very top of their heads....Lori and Tim jumped up and started the dishes. They didn't ask. They just started doing it. And refused to let me cut in. I so appreciated that.

Lori and Tim will be married early summer. I am hoping to be able to make the trip to the wedding. I have grown to really love my dear Lori and will miss her dearly when she leaves.