3 Months Later

 Ok, ok.  Confession time.  I have seen these big, poofy headbands on babies and have thought they were a bit much.  I may have even thought they were ridiculous.  Maybe.  Until now!  I still think they are ridiculous - ridiculously cute!!  Look at this sweet little love!

 I have had the hardest time getting pictures of her that I feel do her justice.  My friend who took all the beautiful photographs on my blog said she probably needs lots of natural light.  So today I trekked outside under a tree and captured some great pictures of her.  Her eyes are just dreamy, aren't they?

 Normally such a smiley baby but this was the closest we got to a true smile.  She was so pensive while we were making fools of ourselves trying to get her to smile.  Complete fools but who really cares! 

Three months ago today she arrived on our doorstep.  Complete gift from God!  If you are around me very long you will hear me say that I think everyone needs a little Naomi in their life.  Such sweet tenderness surround this little soul.  Everywhere we go people comment on her sweetness.  I fall more in love everyday and that is saying something.  For one who isn't normally a big baby fan I am enjoying pretty much every minute. 

Oh and Jenny.......only a month until you can snuggle her close.  You get first dibs on her at the cabin.  :)

Everyday Life

 My busy days have left very little time lately for me to think past the here and now.  Most days if I think past the next moments I can quickly feel overwhelmed.  This time of year is just so busy at our house.  The man of the house is working long 6 day weeks right now.  I have a whole new appreciation every spring for single parents.  Having to feed the kids every evening by myself, getting them to help clean-up from the days activities, refereeing the squabbles........how do people do it by themselves day in and day out?  Mark did make sure I was intent on finding someone to help me at least 1 day a week so that I could have a small break.  He doesn't expect me to do it all by myself.  We have learned long ago that everything runs smoother if I have some time either to myself or with less demands.  And yesterday, it wasn't that I even had time alone.  I just had one child with me at the grocery store and two children to the eye doctor.  I didn't have to take all 4 of the little ones which is a huge blessing. 

 This was my floor by 8:00 one morning.  I love that they dig into the creative, crafty stuff often.  I make sure it is accessible to them so they can create anytime they desire.  The clean-up can be a little difficult sometimes.

 This past Saturday our boys elementary school had their annual 5k walk/run and spring festival.  Judah loves to run and wants to sign up for 5k's as soon as he knows one is happening.  He and his friend pictured here ran together and decided to cross the finish line together so they would be tied for first place!  Judah ran a personal best of 25:55 minutes!  He was pretty excited and is gearing up for another race on Saturday. 

 This was Shane's first time running a 5k and he also teamed up with his friend.  He did great as well and finished in 38 minutes!  Such sweet boys!

 And our darling geese have become a complete nuisance at this point!  How is it even possible for them to poop so much?!  And they are taking to running through my garden. 

The excitement of the week has been the sighting of a bobcat and also a bear!  This is the second time a bobcat has been spotted at our house (I haven't seen it yet) and the first time we saw a bear.  We knew the bear has been around since I have had to clean up the mess it has left behind a few times.  Heidi went out on our front porch right before she was going to bed, came back in with huge eyes and tried to tell us about the bear through her constricted throat due to her fear!  I looked out the window and yelled for the boys to come quickly.  The big ole' bear meandered through our yard slowly.  It was beautiful to watch but if it hangs around we will be called the game commission.  Makes me a little uneasy with my children who like to play outside a lot.

And my sweet baby is already 13 weeks old!  She is still so pleasant and loves to be snuggled.  I still have to fight my way through the other kids who are basically smothering her with love so I can hold her.  They get downright grumpy with me sometimes when I tell them it is my turn.  How she loves her fingers!

Hope your week is running along smoothly and that someone who is reading this is getting to enjoy sunshine since the sun seems evasive around here!  I was just thinking this morning how much I would love to live where the sun shines everyday! 

Sacrifice

 Yesterday, on the day set aside to honor mothers I was very aware of the sacrifice made by other mothers who I have never met.  I looked at this picture of me with my girls last night and was simply speachless upon realizing they all have a different birthmom but all so completely my girls!  We speak with Eden about her first mom often but there is a finality there since her birthmom is no longer in this world.  We still honor Alemnesh for loving her daughter and giving her life.  And all through church yesterday and as we stood to have Naomi dedicated I thought of her birthmother and how this mothers day is vastly different for her.  I am the one who is kissing her cheeks, seeing her smile and holding her close.  May God bless her dear birthmom for her sacrifice!!  Look at those sweet girls!  How funny that 5 years ago I was hoping we would have a daughter in a couple of years. 

Sometimes driving in the car just tuckers you out! 

And for the record, I tried to get my boys for a pictures but decided I wouldn't torture them.  We had a splendid day!  We had a relaxing morning, went to the later service at church, had Naomi dedicated and then spent a fun afternoon/evening with my Aunt Tina, Uncle Glenn, cousin Brianna and her boyfriend Brandon.  They are probably my kids new favorite!  They blessed us tremendously yesterday!!  Thank you a million times over for spending time with us! 

I started this Monday morning with a full cup!  That hasn't happened in quite a while.  Mark and I had an evening out on Friday and were treated to a beautiful dinner by my Uncle Elvin and Aunt Molly.  We spent hours talking, being encouraged and laughing!  If everyone who has dinner with them leaves feeling so encouraged, wow!  And then yesterday spending time with another aunt/uncle!  Blessed beyond measure.

 Even though we live on a few acres, have a humongous swing set (thanks Barb and Marshall), plenty of space to run, a sandbox........some days still call for a run to the local park.  Our boys had a day off of school so we packed up after lunch to run off excess energy.  How it is even possible for kids to have so much energy is beyond me!  Should be a crime. 

 Heidi asked for sunglasses for her birthday so the next week Eden went looking in Mark's truck to find a pair.  She found herself a pair and was thrilled! 

 Just cute!  End of story.

 Whoops....he is cute too.  Now end of story!  Seriously though.  Isn't he handsome?

 And look who is growing? 

 This was not staged folks!  Heidi was sharing her blankie with Naomi.  I do have to watch her closely since she likes to cover Naomi's face with her hands, blankets, whatever covers her and makes her squirm.  I am thinking about doing the same thing to Heidi in hopes that she realizes how uncomfortable it is but am afraid she will think it is fun.  Those types of reverse pyschology situation always backfire on me. 

 And look who has found her fingers!  She has almost completely given up her pacifier and has transitioned to being a finger sucker!  Since she self soothes now she sleeps for long periods of time at night.  I hesitate to tell you how long she has slept the past three nights in fear that she will switch it up on me.  Maybe next week I will tell you.

 Here are the newest residents on our property.  We have two different pair of geese and their goslings hanging out in our yard.  We like watching them peck around. 

If they start digging in my garden my fondness for them will change rapidly!! 

We are gearing up for summer around here and the countdown until the end of school has happened.  I am lining up some help for myself this summer so we survive.  I finally accepted the fact that I cannot do everything that needs done.  Go ahead and congratulate me for admitting to my limits!  I was buried under office work last week and am slowly digging my way out.  This time of year is just a little on the busy side at our house. 

And I am looking forward to a night out with my sweet husband this weekend!!  Date night gets sweeter and more necessary with each child we add to our family.  Know what I mean? 

City Serve

Every April the church we attend cancels all services for the weekend and people sign up to serve all over our "city".  This year 10 other churches joined with us hence the name city serve.  It really is an awesome thing to see so many people working together to bless lots of non-profit organizations as well as helping those that may not be able to have work done on their homes without it being voluntarily done.  Yards get raked, beds get mulched, homes get painted, decks get replaced.  This year there were 840 volunteers who helped 120 organizations or individuals. 

 So....how did we end up with a crowd of kids this size at our house you ask?  There is a trailer park 1 mile down the road from our house and there were numerous groups in there doing various projects.  Putting new aluminum skirting on a trailer, removing an old  rickety porch/deck and building a new one, etc.  There was one dear woman whose husband committed suicide a few months ago and needed some repairs to her trailer due to damage that happened during the suicide.  So a whole bunch of people converged on these homes to work and love our "neighbors."  Again, how did we end up with this crew of kids at our house?  And what are they looking at?

Mark took one of his trailers down and brought back two loads of debris from the old porch as well as loads of kids both times!  It was awesome!  The kids worked together to unload the old wood, ran around the yard, did the zip line, climbed the mountain and burned all the debris!  Our boys have asked numerous times if all the boys could come back every weekend!  They have plans for air soft wars, hikes, hunting, you name it!!

I am in the midst of a book right now called "Barefoot Church".  I am not too far into the book but I am liking what I am reading.  The crux is a church in Austin who goes out and is the church to the community.  They cancel services 4 times a year (any time there is a 5th Sunday in a month which pans out once every quarter) and do projects around their city.  They also have their life groups, community groups, small groups, whatever you want to call them groups initiate and do projects twice a month!!  I think that is awesome!

Briefly brainstormed last week with 2 ladies in my kitchen about what else we could do at the trailer park.  Things like.....take a load of mulch in and see who wants their flower beds spruced up, an ice cream social, more aluminum skirting replaced.  Building relationships and working together.  Isn't that what we are called to do?  I want to be a part of something is known for loving, helping and serving rather than consuming!

Smattering of Pictures

I am having strange issues with blogger since they changed the formatting of things.  My pictures are showing up all out of whack and things seem to appear and disappear.  I am going to blame it on blogger solely.  Not my lack of computer skills.  Or stress.  Or sleepiness. 

 Every single time the camera is out Heidi has to get her own shot somehow.  And then she proceeds to confiscate the camera and take extremely flattering pictures of me.  I will keep them to myself though.  You can thank me later.

 Eden has participated in a dance class for the past semester and has enjoyed every single minute.  I bet you can't tell.  Click on the picture to view it better since it is so dark.

 Oldest and youngest child!  Love knows no age or color!  Just love!

 And what a little love she is!  Not so little anymore though.  At her 2 month checkup this week she weighed in at a whopping 11.9 pounds and was 24 inches.  This means in the span of one month she gained 2.9 pounds and grew 2 inches!  She is rolling from belly to back and scooting all around her crib.  She smiles pretty much as soon as someone is withing eyesight.  She nearly goes ballistic when she sees and hears me now.  Makes me happy!  There is something altogether different this time around.  It is the most amazing feeling that she knows me as her mama!  She really does!  She loves me, prefers me, snuggles into my chest and squeals happy sounds when she hears me.  And I love her! 

 Every time I turn around someone is touching and talking to her.  Not even kidding!

 See what I mean?

 One of my favorite pictures.  I was cleaning up the breakfast dishes and turned around to see this.  Something melts in my heart when I see my "big" boys loving their littlest sister.

Eden has instructed me to send this picture to Naomi's birth mom in the next batch of pictures.  And we are on the cusp of the possibility of meeting her birth mom.  She has to initiate and then we will comply.  We shall see.

And just to keep it real:  life isn't all as rosy as these pictures are portraying.  Hard days lately at this house.  Believing that He will continue to heal one little heart.  As the words of Natalie Grant's song "Alive" say:  "Alive!  Alive!  Look what mercy's overcome.  Death has LOST and LOVE has WON!!" 

We will hopefully be hitting the hiking trails this afternoon since the boys are home from school.  Not sure if the weather will cooperate.  If not I will need divine inspiration to come up with a second option!

So Far Today......

* I have eaten a caramel cadbury egg with my coffee.  Yes I did.
* I have marveled that my son thinks I am being too strict when I ask him to put his dirty laundry in the basket.  I was under the assumption that was called self-discipline.
* I am also marvelling that another son is so meticulous that he even wants his dirty muck boots lined up under his bed with his other shoes.
* I have breathed deep the smell of a baby.  Still amazed at His goodness in bringing her to our family.
* I am amazed that I can get annoyed by the incessant need for food from my children.  They are growing, right?
* I got to kiss my boys and rub their heads as the bus was approaching while they protested in case someone might see my affection.  Every day this happens and every day I smile while loving them.
* I broke down and let the kids have a small bit of candy.  By 8:30.  What is wrong with my head?
* I sat and read a bit more of my new books:  Keeping Chickens and Canning for a New Generation.  Thinking spring, impending chick arrival and finalizing garden plans.  And tricking myself into thinking I am a pioneer woman.  Because it makes me feel productive.
* I have watched two ducks swimming around and have a hunch they are making a nest nearby.
* I sat in shock as my child who has seriously been non-compliant 98% of the time over the past few weeks responded positively to 2 requests within the first 2 hours of being awake!  Miracles really do happen!  And this mama needs a serious miracle in the relationship with said non-compliant child.
* I have wondered how it is possible to love your children so much you would die for them but in the same breath not like them much at all.  Make sense?
* I have voiced my gratitude to my Maker that His mercies are new every single morning!! 
* I have wondered why someone would choose to pee their pants 5 times in a single day?  Wouldn't you feel pretty gross all wet and smelly?  Apparently when you start feeling gross you just opt to pee on your bedroom floor.  I may join them someday soon out of sheer frustration.
* I have realized how blessed I am to be at home with my children and to meet my boys as they get off the bus.