Easter

So this post is late as usual, but we had a sweet little Easter celebration as a family of five this year.  We didn't get to do much egg hunting or crafting this year...things are still a bit chaotic and unpredictable over here...in fact let's just admit, we are still in survival mode most days.  But hey, I was just proud of myself for getting the Easter decorations out on Good Friday...two whole days before Easter.  Anyway, although we didn't get to do much celebrating prior to Easter, we did get to talk to the boys about Jesus' Resurrection almost daily in the days leading up to Easter and that is what is most important anyway!  God gave us rain on Easter Sunday this year.  For some reason it just doesn't seem right to have damp, cold weather on such a glorious day, but nonetheless, we had a great day.  Here is how we celebrated the Easter season this year....

Dying Easter eggs while sister attempted to nap...

Notice the cute Pirate Easter eggs the boys made...of course this motivated them to spend the rest of the day in pirate costume...

The day before Easter we headed to Cheekwood to hunt for Easter eggs and visit with the Easter Bunny.  Yes, my children are dressed in winter attire because it was freezing that day....

While the boys hunted eggs, sister did this...

Braden so happy that he found the golden egg -

Asher digging in his Easter basket -

 Braden, excited that he got a small Lego kit and a shaving kit in his Easter basket -

 My sweet babies on Easter morning -

 Attempt at a family photo -

 Papa holding Amelia -

Austin giving his girl lots of kisses -

I spent my Easter Sunday holding sweet baby Amelia while she napped...would not have spent it any other way -

And on Easter Sunday, baby girl turned 2 months old.  Cannot believe she is so old already!!! She truly is such a joy -

Introducing Amelia Katherine

Sweet Amelia Katherine made her very quick appearance into this world on January 31, 2013...almost two months ago now.  I know, I know, I should have posted seven weeks ago, but we are still in the newborn fog which means survival right?  Anything outside of making sure everyone is fed, slept and pottied is considered unnecessary and nearly impossible at this stage of the game.  Not to mention we've had pneumonia, double ear infections, high fevers and two stomach bugs among the boys and one terrible cold from the little lady between now and then.  Ugh, how I hate sickness.  We seriously stayed healthy most of my pregnancy and then all the sickness came like a flood after little girl's arrival :(

Anyway, back to little missy's arrival...my labor woke me at 3:58am and she was born at 7:45am, weighing 8lbs, 8 oz, and measured 19 inches long.  Her birth story is a true testimony of God's goodness in that He ordained all the details that I had been so anxious about over the past 9 months.  If you know my birth story with Asher, then you know how truly traumatized I was about laboring for another child.  Thankfully God knew my anxiety and in His graciousness granted such peace and gave me a beautiful healthy delivery of a beautiful baby girl.  To say that we are smitten by her presence would be an understatement.  Amelia is truly a gift and a blessing to us and I am so grateful for her sweet, quiet presence in our lives.  I cannot imagine our family without this precious child...

Here are some pictures of our day...

Breathing deep and feeling some rough contractions....

Holding my baby for the first time...that is a crazy, unbelievable moment for any momma to meet and hold that little one whom you've felt moving inside of you for months on end...truly a miracle from God -

First family shot with Amelia - 

 Austin holding his baby girl for the first time...love his big smile as he meets his baby -

Oh my goodness, she is sweet -

The boys meeting Amelia...I can't even imagine what they were thinking as they saw her for the first time -

 This looks just like my baby picture -

 The littlest men, exhausted after their first day as big brothers...I CANNOT remember the last time that Braden fell asleep in the car.  Taking care of a babe is exhausting work as you know...

 Here is sweet baby girl, ready to go home -

 First family of five picture -

 My three little ones...

 And we are home...and exhausted...and so very blessed...

Lately...

Well Christmas has come and gone and once again I have done a terrible job of posting pictures.  I have hundreds of them probably, but I can't seem to find the energy to actually go through them and post them.  One day I will regret that, I know this is true, just like I know I will regret the fact that I've let my 5 year journal go and have somehow forgotten to take a single picture of the boys with my camera this entire month of January.  But the reality is that we are expecting baby girl Madison in 6 short days and to be honest I just haven't had the extra energy.  I've been soaking up every last minute of this pregnancy and every last ounce of time with my sweet boys and I have to say it's been such a sweet month.  There has been a lot of togetherness with cold weather, sickness and holidays, but it has been such a joy spending some slow, down time with sweet little ones that only keep growing daily.  We've had a lot of pajama days, we've started some new traditions like Friday morning breakfasts at Krispy Kreme, we've built a lot of legos this month and played a lot of games, but the gift of slowing down has been such a blessing. 

It's so hard to believe that we will meet our daughter any day now...the boys are so very excited!  Braden daily comes and touches my tummy, talks to the baby and asks me when I think she is coming out.  Asher loves to ride on my "bump" as he calls it and I find him patting me on the tummy and laying his head on his sister almost daily as we read books.  What an incredible gift to have life in your womb and I am feeling so very blessed.  I know this transition will be exhausting and grueling at times, but I pray and trust that His grace is sufficient for even this momma as she begins to learn how to care for, love, instruct and guide three little lives.  Here is our latest and probably last family picture as a family of four...it was taken Christmas day -

Christmas Programs...

The boys had their Christmas programs a few weeks ago and it was so sweet to watch them as they relived the Christmas story.  Asher was a cow this year in his program and Braden was a shepherd in his program.  Braden even had a speaking part in his program and considering that he had been sick for the two weeks prior to the show, I was a bit nervous that he wouldn't remember his parts, but he stood up in front of everyone and said exactly what he was supposed to say.  It really is so sweet to relive the story of Christ's birth through the eyes and voices of a child. 

The cutest cow I've ever seen - 

 My boys -

 So thankful that Grandparents live close by and can come and watch the boys in their school performances -

 Asher holding "Baby Jesus" -

And a cute little Shepherd...

Who was all smiles during his performance -

They rushed the kids off the stage when the performance was over so I never did get any family pictures with Braden in his costume. 

Well, hopefully I can get some of our Christmas pictures posted before baby girl arrives.  She is due in about 3.5 weeks, but I'm not sure she will be in there that long...the doctor seems to agree. 

Braden's Debut...

So Braden made his debut as a ring bearer a few weeks ago in my brother-in-law's wedding and I have to say the little man looked pretty handsome.  He actually made it down the aisle without tripping, talking, laughing or falling which in my books means that all was a success.  Sitting through the hour long ceremony with him was a different story, but his first trip down the aisle could not have been better.  Here are some pictures of him in his cute little "work suit" as he liked to call it.  He was so excited that he looked just like Austin for the day...

Here is the little man looking like, well a little man - 

 Braden, Alex (the boys newest cousin) and Asher before the wedding -

 Braden, Asher and Austin's sweet dad, known by the boys as "Coach" -

 Love them -

 Our only family shot of the day...keep in mind this was taken at 10:30pm and the boys were beyond exhausted as you can tell by Asher's face -

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving!  I don't know about you, but I love Thanksgiving.  I love the simplicity of it...the whole day revolves around being with family and celebrating all that we are thankful for.  Around our home this month we have been talking a lot about the verse in I Thessalonians 5:8 which says "...give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus..."  Giving thanks in all circumstances...the good, the bad and the mundane...sometimes that's hard...really hard.   However, as we have focused on that, I have come to realize how truly blessed we are.  To help the boys visualize an attitude of thanksgiving and gratitude and as a way to count down the month of November, we made a little "Thanksgiving Tree" for them.  I found the idea on Pinterest...anyway, the basic idea is that every night the boys sit down and write one thing that they are thankful for on a leaf and then we place it on the tree.  I was shocked at how much they have enjoyed this activity...Braden often reminds me at the end of the day that we need to do "our Thanksgiving leaves."  I love that their, (okay let's be honest) "our" hearts are revealed in this activity and that we are practicing what the Bible teaches us.  On our Thanksgiving Tree this month you will find written that we are thankful for anything from "our house," to "paint," to "grandparents" to "God's Sovereignty," to "baby C," (our sweet little one growing in my womb), to the fact that "batman flies," or that "F-14 planes get the bad guys," to "police" and "model airplanes" and let's not forget "the couch."  Anyway, we have lot's to be thankful for...

Here is Asher anxiously awaiting his turn to put a leaf on the tree - 

 And Braden practicing his writing on a leaf to put on the tree -

Reflecting back over this year, I found so much to be thankful for...

...like sunsets...

 ...and brothers...

...and for laps to sit on when there is clearly no more room in the house...

...and for laughter, the take-your-breath-away kind of laughter...

 ...and for Grandparents...

...and for those that are wiser and older then we are and the privilege of looking up to them -

We are also thankful for the gift of making memories with those we love most -

 ...and the big yard we have with huge trees and lots of leaves for little boys to jump in...

....and for an imperfect marriage to my very best friend whom I've walked beside for 16 years now...

  ...and for "Smores Fridays" at our house around the firepit...

 ...and for sweet friendships with those in the same stage of life as we are...

 

I am thankful for the opportunity to slow down and hold little ones while they sleep, for I know soon they will be too big to hold and too busy to cuddle...

 ...and I am thankful for huge imaginations and for little boys who love to pretend they are super heroes and fighter pilots who are practicing their survival skills in the wilderness...

 ...and I am thankful for the God-breathed life of this little girl growing in my womb...

 ...and for sweet, protective brothers who cannot wait to meet this little one...

 ...and for big messes that remind me that I am privileged to share my home with little friends and for the reminder that the days as mommas are long, but the years are short...

 ...and for a country that allows us to dream big...for this guy, that dream is to fly one of those fighter planes someday....dream big little boy, dream big...

 ...and finally, we are thankful for an empty tomb and a Risen Savior...and for innocent childlike faith that encourages me daily...

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!