Goodbye 2008

Wow, I know...I say it all the time but this year did pass by rather quickly. I guess the speed puts new meaning to all the sappy country songs like "don't blink". I actually find myself tearing up listening to those songs and my children aren't even all out of diapers yet!

This year has proved to be an easier one. And we have so much to praise God for! I will list only a few.

-Sean has had a steady job with lots of work for the entire year. He has worked hard to "not be at the bottom of the ladder" and God has graciously put him into a company that would never have an intention of letting him go. This stability is something that we have NEVER had in our marriage.

-I have been blessed through my work with Uppercase. It is more than just extra money to me. I have met women with whom I have become great friends with and shared my passion for creating a feeling in a room that you can't achieve with a can of paint. These words are just stickers on a wall but for some of us they have become a reminder of why we keep moving forward. Ever since we put up our first expression (Carey, faithful to God and Each Other), I have been reminded to be faithful to God first with everything I do and then to each other. It is a good thing.

-The twins continue to push forward in reading and writing. I am not sure if I have shared this before but they both have been lagging in these areas. The great thing about them is that they are really excited about learning and haven't given up. God has encouraged us and them through positive reinforcement and talks about how "God gave us all different strengths". These are life lessons that you just don't get in a classroom. Sometimes struggle rs prevail!!!! (I was a struggler)

-Kyla got into all day kindergarten. Again, this was not a selfish decision to put her into the lottery, but because we both knew she was more than ready. During conferences her teacher(whom we love) shared with us that our Kyla is excelling in reading and writing(probably because she has been watching the twins). She also said that Kyla is really focused and driven by her tasks. This is exciting because it might mean that she is a completely different learner than her older sisters. I am sure she will also have struggles but we have yet to find them. God knows that we have enough with the twins at the moment!

-Gracie is potty trained! There is not much to be said there...but she is and it is great! She is also a delight to be around and about the cutest thing you have ever seen!

-Kendell...well, she is cute too. We went through some really difficult days and nights with her. She is strong willed like her mother and UNCLE KYLE and that is proving to be quite a challenge...but we are talking about praises!!!! So, she is showing improvement. The good thing about my girls is that there "terrible twos" stage seems to be from year 1 to year 2 so I am praying she follows suit! Being number 5 is probably not the position she would have voted to be in!

-We also began recovering a relationship with Sean's parents this year. For those of you who knew that situation that is a HUGE praise!

So that about sums up some of my praises.

My friends, you are a constant source of support and unconditional love in my life. Without you I am not me. I pray for all of you to have an awesome praiseful 2009!!!

Prayers Please

I don't know why I am asking...but I feel the need to ask you to pray for April and her baby girl. This week coming marks her 27th week of pregnancy, the one that she gave birth to the boys in.

Please pray that her doctor moniters her progress correctly(it wasn't done properly with her first pregnancy), that the shots that she is taking push her furthur and furthur towards term, and that her baby remains healthy and perfect.

When she had the boys it was a real reminder of how twin pregnancies are not casual expected perfection. I was very niave when I was pregnant with the girls. I expected them to be delivered close to term(and they were) and I expected them to come home with me(and they did).

This was not the case for April's boys. I was so pulled out of the bubble of perfection when I visited the NICU to see April's boys. God has been gracious to April's boys. They are perfect little stinkers and are now almost 3. Things couldn't have gone better for them despite their early arrival.

I thank you my friends so much for your prayers. I have witnessed her heartbreak while the boys were in the hospital and pray that she never has to experience that again.

Oh my how they have grown

I happend on these photos that I thought were long gone on a hard drive crash...crazy how fast our kiddos grow!

Kiara

Gracie

Gracie

Kendell


Kellyn and Kiara


Kyla and Kiara


Kyla


My mom and Gracie

Kyla's Weekend!

Here are some pictures of Kyla's weekend. She had alot of fun and it was great spending time with just her!

Help!!!

Ok, I have searched the web with no answers so I was hoping someone out there might be able to help!

I am looking for a kids cooking class for my two almost 8 year olds. One of them is particularily fond of cooking and chooses to watch the food network over Hannah Montana(weird...I know!). The other one although seems interested in helping isn't as obsessed.

So, do you know of a class??? Do you know someone who would be willing to do classes???

I know...I should be doing this...and I do. I let them help with different dishes and non-frozen ;) items, but I know that if they went to a class they might get a different experience than...mom!

So, please!!!! If you know...leave me a comment!

THANKS!!!

Here it comes!

K3 is turning SIX!!!!!!!! WOWZA! When did that happen!

So, to celebrate her sixth birthday Sean and I asked her if she wanted to go to the waterpark hotel like her sisters did. Just Sean, K3 and I will be going...and she said..."no".

She doesn't like the water like her twin sisters do. She is the "holds onto the rail" kind of kid and that is ok with me(not as ok with my water loving husband!).

So, instead of the water park hotel we are going to Pheasant Run for an overnight and then to the Mariott Lincolnshire theater to see Aladdin!!!!!

And because she LOVES clothes I got her this to wear!


I am not sure who is more excited. Honestly, I just LOVE spending time with one child at a time. There is something that happens that is typically amazing. You learn about that child as an individual. This is why we do "dates" with our kids. Ever since the twins were old enough we have been taking only one out with us.

So this is Kyla's birthday gift! Shhhhhhhhh! ;)

Updates

Thank you everyone who has been praying for my grandma who has cancer.

She had her kidney removed on Friday in Peoria and was doing quite well after her recovery.

Unfortunatly a very different picture was painted when I called my brother Kyle to ask if the flowers we had ordered had arrived yet.

When I got him on the phone he sounded very out of breath and at first thought, I figured he was out in a field with my dad in Peoria taking pictures and had been running around a bit in the cold. But then I realized he was crying...

I said..."Kyle, what's wrong" and after a very labored pause said "someone just died". "Someone just died?" I asked? "grandma?" and he said "yes".

After that all went blank. I remember wailing on the floor, the girls running down the steps to see what was wrong and instantly crying because they had never seen me so upset. I remember setting the phone down after hearing Kyle wailing on the other end. And I remember hanging up the phone.

And then as I was holding my three oldest girls the way a mother lion would hold them tight to her so that the world couldn't get to them, I prayed. I told God that it was ok. I told God that I didn't understand his plan but that he had a plan and I knew that. And then I couldn't stop saying "I'm so sorry" to the girls.

The thing is, Grandma has really recently been able to be a part of our lives again. In fact, she has been at my parents house more in the last two years than probably in all my years combined. She had been taking care of my grandpa since he got sick when I was a preteen and that devotion to him kept him alive, but also kept them a bit distant. So having her in our lives now has been such an amazing gift. Not only to my mom, dad, brothers and sisters but also to my girls.

I have written about her before. She is a different kind of grandma. An amazing one and when I couldn't stop saying "i'm so sorry" to my girls it was because I thought they had just lost someone that they had just started to spend a good amount of time with. Even the younger ones were starting to become really comfortable with nanna being around.

So, flash back to yesterday afternoon. After I held the girl for a few minutes, I called Sean and told(wailed) that he needed to come home and he was on his way.

No sooner had I hung up the phone that the phone was ringing. It was my brother kyle calling.

and he says "she's back, they got a pulse".

I didn't realize it but she hadn't been dead for awhile but had just coded when I called. The worst possible timing.

The news unfolded throughout the afternoon and Grandma is doing quite well now. They think that her respatory arrest was due to a medication issue and are expecting a full recovery.

I told the girls when I found out that she was going to make a full recovery "Now, don't you ever forget this day. If you ever in your life doubt that there is a God, remember this day"

My life changed yesterday. The "stuff" went foggy. The Christmas glitter, toys, money, cars, things...just went foggy. There was no "thing" that mattered.

I am resting in his promise, as I started when I first found out that she had cancer.

He has a plan and his plan is for good!

Thank you all for your continued prayers. I am sure that Grandma will want to be up and running soon, but please pray that she is able to do things in the proper timing and that she doesn't experience any more lapses.

Out of the mouth of babes

So this morning K1 walked into my bedroom and said-

K1-"mom, do you know that the Christmas tree is like God?"
Me- "what?"
K1-"the Christmas tree is like God?"
Me-"what?"
K1-(now agrivated) "the Christmas tree is like God?"
Me- "oh...like God."(I couldn't tell what she was saying)"why?"
K1-"well, the tree is like God and the lights are like his angels surrounding him, and the branches show us how he can change our lives"(seriously...direct quote)
Me- "K1, did you hear about that in church or read it?"
K1- "no mom, I was just thinking about it"

Ummm...seriously...wow.

Beatmyprice.com

This one is for all you deal seekers out there!!!

I think I just found my very favorite new web site.

I think everyone knows just how obsessed I am about getting the best online deals for items. In fact...sometimes I spend days waiting for the price to drop on certain things.

So, if you like me are doing some christmas shopping online WAIT to click submit until you check your item on this new site.

What you do is go to www.beatmyprice.com and fill out the simple form. No need for registering, giving your name, or buying from them. They are a people powered website which provides website where you can get your item cheaper.

And, if you don't already know about these other sites be sure to check them out as well.

www.slickdeals.net
www.retailmenot.com

I never hit submit without checking these two...now three sites!

Enjoy!

Day Three of Preperation

If you read my blog prior to this about the advent calendar on Willows website you may have read today's "preperation message". If not you can check it out here.

I reflected on this message today and had a thought.

How amazing is our God to allow us as women to be the ones to share in the experience of child birth the same way that Mary did.

Ok...maybe not the same way. I realize that modern medicine has made things...well....ahem....easier! But my point really is that as mothers there is a common thread. An unspoken bond that typically occurs after one has delivered their first child.

How amazing that our God chose to link us to Mary. I sit here today knowing that if she were to knock on my door at this very minute, she would know as I know what it was like to bring life into this world. She would know what it was like to hold the small hand of Jesus and feel his sweet breath on her face as she looked over his amazing features.

She would know what it was like to feel bonded to a stranger just moments after his arrival.

This is something that our God chose for women. What a priveledge!

An Invitation...by God

This season is so hard. Whether your life is going well or going more difficult than years past, this season intensifies just what is going on in your heart.

So for a minute, forget the hustle and bustle, the friends and family and all the lists that you haven't checked off yet.

For a minute reflect on where you are with God.

Do you still hear him? Do you long for him to change your life or the lives of someone close to you? Do you seek him only to find that he is silent? Do you want more of him?

Or like me, do you rush through your day thinking you can do it all by yourself and find that you are more stressed because you didn't invite God to help you through it all?

Yesterday at church, we were ushered into the the prescence of God only to be given quite a gift.

Do you have an advent calendar??? Maybe like me your children love putting on the different items, pulling open little boxes or finding the small chocolate or trinket inside each day.

What if each day you had an advent calendar of sorts with God? What if each day you opened up your heart to prepare ROOM for God? Would your Christmas be different?

I am taking the Prepare challenge delivered to us yesterday at church and signing up for the daily advent email. I don't know what is in store but I can promise you that I have never seen anything that wasn't God inspired from this church.

So if you like me would like to see what this is all about go here.

And then if you are "in" maybe you would like to join our family for a Christmas Eve service at our church. I know you won't be disapointed. In fact this christmas service has been the most life changing tradition in our family for probably at least 15 years now. I promise you won't be disapointed. And I would bring all children with! There is childcare for children ages 5 and under(although I think a 5 year old and probably a 4 year old would love it). There are services at 1pm,3pm,5pm and 7pm on Christmas Eve, so if you already have plans perhaps you can still fit this in. Again, I can't stress to you just how amazing it is.

If you want more info let me know.