Monday, April 30, 2012

I'm not ignoring anyone....Blogger won't let me comment anywhere....

The Story of Two Sisters

Remember I told you about Ava?  She's on my sidebar, for Reece's Rainbow and she
has a sister who misses her. Well, she is not a biological sister, but a sister of the heart.
  Her name is Gabby.  You see, Gabby was adopted.  They were in
the orphanage together and many months later Gabby still remembers her.  So Gabby's parents are
trying very hard to bring Ava home to Gabby, home to all of them, because they all love her.

You can read Gabby's mother's story here 
(Click on here)

Read her story.
Pray and ask God what He wants you to do.

Friday, April 27, 2012

Thankful We All Have "Stuff"


I watched this video over at Monica's blog and thought it fit with the post in my head, beware,
you will cry lots of tears watching this one.  Thankful I'm a mama and I have lots of stresses.
 Lots of "stuff" as I call it.
We all have stuff.
You know, all the stuff you worry about within yourself,
in your own little world of you.
The "stuff" you think no one else feels or has to suffer?
The "stuff" we don't want?
Last Friday, I brought all my "stuff" to Jesus in our Adoration chapel, 
with Simeon, after his doctor appointment.
I needed to see Jesus, I knew He would protect us from germs
(we've made it 4 months without hardly going anywhere with Simeon, except the doctor)
I need help with my "stuff"
Sometimes (and this is one of those times) in life we have hard things.
Hard things on us all
 Thankful I have older kids that watch the little kids while I pump every 4 hours.
When I say that "every 4 hours" it doesn't sound like that much.
but it is.
It has forced my kids to help me alot.
It has forced my husband to help out alot more than he was already helping
 Supper is almost always late, my goal is to eat at 6, but if I have to pump close to that time,
well, I have to do it, so quite often, we end up eating at 8pm.
Then there are no bedtime stories or wind down times,
it's jobs, jammies and bedtime.
 In the morning it starts all over again.
Thankful these 2 fell asleep at 4:30 the other day at the same time...for about 5 minutes,
I was headed to the kitchen to finally get some lunch for myself and then
I realized it was time to pump again. 
then my little fussbucket started fussing again.
I question God why He gave us a fussy baby.
Can you believe that?
I question the God who healed my baby of his kidney obstruction.
I question the God who gave me these beautiful gifts of life to cherish and love for always
 Thankful for girls who peel my carrots, when I seem to have not a moment to spare to do so.
(I love carrots)
 Thankful for brand new workout shoes and a Cellerciser to try my best to get on
 when I 
do have a moment to spare.
Thankful for my good friend who told me about this
(More on this later)
Thankful for a husband who lets me get it
(I promised to give up my coffee for a year to help pay for it)
 Thankful I'm here for every fight and disagreement to help them work it through
even if that is constant and seems neverending,
 and I question what I'm doing wrong.

 Thankful that Spring will come if I'm ready or not
The world will keep going whether I have "stuff" or not
 Kids will always love flowers and making bouquets
I'm not missing it, 
it's still happening even if I've barely got a moment to spare.
and I'm Thankful.
 Thankful I'm here for this 12 year old boy, who is still 
just that,
a boy
who is growing up so fast
I wonder every time he hugs me, 
or
wants to sit next to me in the big chair,
(really close)
if it will be the last time.
And I wonder, 
have I done enough?
Have I done too much?
Have I lifted him up or crushed his spirits?

 Thankful I have a beautiful little girl preparing for her First Holy Communion 
and I wonder if I've taught her enough with all the pumping and taking care of a fussy baby
and all it takes to take care of a family of 8
(here we are practicing hair styles for her big day)
Have I done what God wants of me?
I don't think I am, I think I could do better.
and
I question God again
"Why do you think I can do this?"
"I'm not doing it right!" 
 Thankful it's that time for feet and hand washing at the sink, 
see?  Spring and Summer will come anyway
whether I'm ready or not
Time keeps going.
 Thankful I have big kids who can watch my sweet baby after he's been fed,
 while I shower
and bathe the next 2 youngest
 and pump
and finally come down to make breakfast...
 (no, this is not breakfast)
Thankful for V-8 farts
I may not be able to have Fiber One, but I've got you V-8!
and I ask
"God, how much more are You going to ask of me?"
"I've given up my whole way of eating, and I'm not complaining, 
I'm just tired and counting the months I have left of pumping and eating nothing but 
yogurt, smoothies and popcorn"
 Thankful that this sweet little 2 year old is such a mama's girl,
(who refuses to take off her new "horsey jammies" to get dressed in the morning) 
 when I sit down to feed Simeon after pumping and cooking and laundry,
and all I want to do is sit down and well...just sit there, 
 she gets so close to me, it's not close enough for her
and I just give in and love.

What's one Spring where I won't have time to water and take care of flowers? 
I'm growing something much more important than a pretty mailbox.
(years past mailbox, not this years)

And God answers me.
He says 
"Trust."
He says to me in Adoration,

"Trust and be Thankful for these crosses"
"They are gifts"
"Hard things are gifts from Me"

And somehow those crosses, that "stuff" doesn't seem so hard anymore.
Somehow it seems so worth it.
That "stuff" has a purpose.
Somehow, there's joy in there.
It's still hard, but there are no more questions.
and 
I'm thankful.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Our Lady of Lourdes Novena for Simeon

I've decided on Our Lady of Lourdes Novena for Simeon.
I had a hard time deciding and asked God to help me decide today.
Yesterday (or the day before) Becky told me she wanted to make Simeon a
special rosary and the centerpiece we decided on is Our Lady of Lourdes.
(isn't that wonderful of her?)
Then, today, in the mail we got those free Mass cards that always come,
and they were, (yep, you guessed it)
Our Lady of Lourdes Mass cards.
And
 not just Mass cards, but a novena prayer card too.
An Our Lady of Lourdes Novena prayer card.
(Prayer answered)

Our Lady of Lourdes it is.
I put the novena on my sidebar
If you want to pray this novena with us, 
We would appreciate it so much.

Please don't feel you have to
Many of you are non Catholic, 
and I know God hears all our prayers.

A novena is a prayer prayed by many or just one, for a series of days, 
usually 9 days, for a specific intention.

This novena starts tomorrow, 
Wednesday, April 25, and goes til Thursday, May 3rd.
Simeon's surgery is on Friday, May 4th.

Thank you and God bless all of you.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

4 Months Old and 9 Pounds 9 Ounces!



Yay!!  Simeon is 9 pounds 9 ounces and has been eating a ton lately.
The doctor gave him the "go ahead" for surgery!  If he's not 10 pounds in 2 weeks, he will be close enough!
Thank you for all your wonderful prayers, I don't doubt it for one minute he's gained this weight because of your prayers!

He will be 4 months old Sunday.  I have to say, it's been a long 4 months, keeping him home and away from germs and the possibility of getting RSV, pumping constantly and trying to fit that into our already busy school days and busy home, filled with 6 kids.  Balance, life is all about balance.  In all things.  I really believe this, but sometimes for short periods of time (like baby's first year) that balance is sometimes hard to find.

Of course he was all smiles til I took out the camera, so no smiles on video!

We started taking him to the Chiropractor a week and a half ago for his fussiness and it's helped quite a bit!
Our Chiropractor's assistant has a 7 month old who had the lip surgery 4 months ago, her daughter also had the bi-lateral cleft lip and looked just like Simeon before her surgery.  She showed me pictures of her daughter afterward and she looked wonderful.  Lindsey, (the mama) answered a million questions, I didn't even know I had in my head!  It was so good to talk to someone who went through the whole thing.
It was so good to talk to her, I went home actually, almost excited for the surgery.  All my nerves soon took over though!

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Thankful Thursday!

 Happy Birthday Christine!!!  (you ol' lady!)
We went and visited her today, our first visit, with all of us,
 anywhere since Simeon has been born
(except the doctors)
Thankful for good friends like Christine 

Thankful for window clings!!  These kept these littles busy for a long time! 
 Thankful for big sisters reading bedtime stories to littles
(look at those sweet girls)
 Thankful for an early spring here in Minnesota, buds are blooming everywhere
 See?  I have a bag.  But my bag has sleeves!!
Thankful for babies in bags, on a blanket made by Barbara!
(How's that for B's?)
 Thankful for this, above, well, how do I even put that one into words, except thankful?
 Thankful for this beautiful, wonderful smile!!
 Thankful for kisses (lots and lots of kisses)
 Thankful for big tubs 
and 
Thankful for bubble baths
 Thankful for cute little baby tongues
 Thankful for dishwashers
 Thankful for spring popping up despite the fact I haven't had the time to rake or cut the old plants yet!
 Thankful for mud soup
And
Thankful for red baby hair!!
(click on the picture!)

Have a great weekend everyone!

(I'm not liking this new blogger composing screen-not thankful for that change)

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Introductions and Hands

Tom and I are splitting Mass up every week, 
because of Simeon and the germ thing.
Tom usually goes Saturday night 
which is another parish in our cluster.
I usually go to our regular Mass at 10:30 on Sundays
Last week, I switched with him
(to be nice, I do that sometimes)
Well...the other parish does that thing at the beginning where you
are supposed to turn to your neighbors and 
introduce yourself.
No one introduces
Everyone just says "hi"
and people, (at least I) start to move our right hand
out to almost shake, but then pull back, realizing it's not "Peace" time.
This is so forced.
Does anyone really like to do this?
I don't, 
Don't get me wrong,
I love to talk
(I'm sure you've figured that out by now)
I love to smile and say "hello"
Just not right before Mass starts.
Not when I'm thinking, trying to pray, trying to ready myself 
for everything that is about to happen.
Because afterward, I'm thinking about 
what I'm writing right  now, 
how forced it is and that no one really 
"meets" anyone that way.
Wouldn't this be great to be done after Mass?
What about the "Our Father"?
(during Mass)
Do you hold hands with your neighbor?
Do you hold your hands up high, like the priest?
Do you hold them up to God?
Or
do you do like me?
Hold your hands in prayer, to yourself?
I'm kind of private that way.
I have to say, I'm with Father Z!
(Click on Father Z)

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Simeon


 Simeon's first surgery will be in 2 1/2 weeks, 
Friday, May 4th
The more I think about how close it is, the sicker I get!!
I just feel so sick to my stomach thinking about it.
I know it is for the best, I know he needs this done.
It's just nerves
It's the unknown maybe.
We love him the way he is, it's hard to imagine 
how he will look afterward.  
Gardenia reminded me about praying a novena for him,
so I'm looking right now for one.
I'm leaning on a Sacred Heart one.

I just realized this morning that all that milk I froze back in January, 
has gluten in it.
I am having a hard time parting with it.
I guess I need to start freezing again, 
my new gluten free milk.
This time I will freeze it in the deep freeze and save it for when he's a year,
and quit pumping then!

We've also been taking him to a Chiropractor to help with his fussies...
I think he's the same, but I know it's good for him.

Monday, April 16, 2012

What are these for?

OK, now what are these "bags" for?
(I know, babies)
But, their arms are out, and I just don't get it...is it supposed to be 
kind of like a blanket, that doesn't cover their arms yet keeps their bodies warm?
I don't get it.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Thankful Thursday

 Thankful for the Divine Mercy of Jesus
Oh, how I need it.
This year the 3 oldest kiddos are praying the novena with me!
 Thankful our egg coloring this year went really good!
The kiddos are growing up so fast, they hardly need me
(haha)
But seriously, I could totally picture them doing this in a few years 
and me? 
sitting on the porch catching a sunset....
 Thankful I saw Valerie's blog post just in time for us to make these beautiful 
child's crucifixes on Good Friday.
Thankful for fresh cut flowers--have I told you how much I love fresh cut flowers?
(roses are so over-rated!)
 Thankful for finding this adorable little sweater set on Etsy
Jennifer did such a wonderful job and it fits perfectly
(He's not strapped in yet, because once I strap him in, he starts crying and I wanted to get a picture!)
Thankful for girls who can now bake start to finish without mama!!
Which means, I'm thankful I let her do it.
(I have control issues) 
 Thankful those cookies were Gluten Free Monster Cookies!!!
 About sitting on that porch....Thankful Tom and I caught a sunset on the porch last night.
Thankful when we told the kids "just us" they only each came out once
to see what we were doing and what we were talking about.

Look at that sunset...how could anyone not be thankful, even if your day was 
awful?

 Thankful for wonderful helpers who help so much with the baby!
 Thankful for creative girls
(notice the table is up on the chairs)
and
Thankful when the table fell, as I knew it would, they did not get hurt!
and
Thankful they only tried it one more time. (Before I got really mad!)
 Thankful this little fuss bucket was much better today
Thankful he's reaching for toys!!!
Yesterday he fussed all day.  Literally.
The front carrier does not work, on days like that, nothing works.
(that's when I beg for Divine Mercy!)
 Thankful for cute babies sucking on cute little fingers!!
Thankful for good friends (my friend Sarah in Fargo) getting me back on
Weight Watchers!!  I started today!
(We are just doing it on our own--we know the diet well!)

God bless you all,
Many blessings wished full of God's Divine Mercy!