I completely overdid it

Yesterday was the last day of 'free movies at the lake'. Every summer, the local country station sponsors about 5 weeks of free movies on the lake. One night a week, they will play a movie on a giant blow up screen. They have food vendors and games. It's just a really nice time!

Last night, I went with Nolan, Gideon, and Haddon. They were playing Alvin and the Chipmunks, and if you know my kids...they really love that movie.

We arrived around 7pm. We had to park soooo far out. I didn't realize that there would be so many people!

I hadn't been planning on bringing the stroller, but I figured it would give Haddon a place to sit during the movie and it would give me a place to put everything when the kids got tired of carrying it.

The radio station handed out free toy guns, lol. They asked me ahead of time if it would be okay, and I said yes. I spoke to the kids that they were only allowed to shoot birds, bugs, and large animals...oh yeah, and DOGS! Gideon kept stalking this dog that was on the blanket next to us!

We met up with some friends and had a really fun time! The kids each had their special treats they had picked out and were loaded with sugar, as every kid should be on special occasions!

I didn't realize how sore I was until I got up to get things cleaned up before heading to the car. By this time, it was 11pm, and I'm sure I was quite the sight. I could barely walk as I pushed my 40 pound three year old in a stroller to the very end of the very long row of cars.

We did make it and made it out in good time.

I had a horrible night of sleep, since everytime I would turn my body around, I would gasp in pain as everything seemed to hurt and throb all at once. Today, I am hobbling around like an old lady and feel like my body is going to tear in two!

I guess I'm just not up for this kind of thing...being as pregnant as I am, waddling around as I do, having as many children to chase after as I have.

I hope I recover in time for the 4th of July. I really don't think I can handle many more nights like this!

I love my husband

You see, a couple of days ago, I received a speeding ticket.

I will not make an excuse for myself...except for the fact that I am pregnant, my brain is currently mush, and I seriously believed that the speed limit was 10 miles an hour higher than it actually is.

I am still fairly upset about it. Just disappointed in myself really, cause if I catch myself going higher than the speed limit, I immediately correct it. That's probably the reason I haven't had a ticket in about 10 years.

I really hated having to tell John. I know that it's not that big of a deal, but still, it really upset me that I got it.

So instead of telling him when I received the ticket, I waited. I didn't even tell him last night when he got home from his mission trip. I did it in an email. Yeah, call me a chicken, but if you could only be inside my hormonally challenged body right now, you would realize that I probably wouldn't even be able to get the words out before I looked like this.

Anyway, he has been nothing but gracious and that means a lot to me.

Oh, and the boys were pretty excited to meet a real police officer. I didn't really tell them what was going on, because I knew that would be the topic of conversation for weeks to come. They sat in the car looking around for the bad guys. I wasn't about to tell them it was me!

My Haddon

Is this not the cutest hat?

At the mall last week, I made my usual stop at Gymboree. I usually don't buy much of anything unless the price is right, but in their 99cent bin, Haddon found this hat. Regular price on it was $14.50, but since it is an older line, it's been marked way down to just get rid of it.

He loves it and wears it all the time...and I think he looks pretty cute!

Reflections

Reflections on a Home

This blog entry from GirlTalk really resonates with me. Not the moving part...we are going to be in our home for many years to come, Lord willing. I really understand what Carolyn Mahaney is talking about when she says:

But most of my days looked pretty much the same.

I got out of bed each morning so that I could do everything I did the day before.
I washed the dishes so they could be dirtied again.
I ironed the clothes so they could be worn and wrinkled again
I wiped noses so they could run again.
I picked up toys so they could be played with again.
I mopped the floor so mud could be tracked on it again.
I cooked meals so that I could go to the grocery store again.
I made beds so they could be slept in again.

Some days I wondered: if I do all I do, only to have it undone, am I really doing anything?

I can't even begin to tell you how often a stay at home mom has these thoughts. There are some days when it feels like nothing is accomplished. As I pick up after my family, moving from room to room, those little precious boys of mine seem to follow me, making mess of what I just spent time cleaning.

I love that she summarizes with this:

I realize that all of the mundane, repetitive days were actually full of significant, enduring work. A home was being built. A family was being knit together. Four souls were being shaped for eternity.

It is easy to lose perspective. It is easy to be selfish and not want to do anything. It is so much more rewarding and obedient to keep our eyes focused on God, the plans He has for our family through our daily chores, and that He is to be glorified in all things...

All Creatures of Our God and King

As performed by Nolan and Gideon...with a little Haddon thrown in and a few whines from Jamison.

I heart Carrabbas

If you don't live near a Carrabbas, then I truly feel bad for you. If by chance, one crosses your path, eat there.

You see, every now and then, I get an itch for good Italian food. I don't just mean good...I mean melt in your mouth Italian food. I can't say enough about their caesar salads. I could seriously live off of them if I had enough budgeted for that.

A few weeks ago, John and I had Carrabbas for dinner. We watched a movie and ate by the light of the tellie. My salad was superb. The bread melted in your mouth. And my Pollo Rosa Maria was....chewy? Was it the cheese? maybe the proscuitto? the mushrooms?

When I looked at it more closely, I could see that the top of the chicken breast wasn't cooked all the way. Since I had already eaten half of my main course, I just hoped I didn't get sick and was very disappointed.

The following day, I decided to call them up. I was very nice and told the manager that we love Carrabbas and have never had problems with the food. I described what happened the night before, and he thoroughly apologized. He took my name and address and said that he would take care of this.

I figured maybe I would get a free appetizer or some sort of buy one get one free dinner.

I was wrong.

I opened the mailbox today to find a gift certificate for $20.

I'm sure you can guess what I'll be having for dinner tonight!

A Message for Reformed Christian Rappers/Paul Washer

In Memory of Maria

On May 21, 2008 tragedy struck the Chapman family in which young Maria
Chapman died . But through this tragedy, Steven Curtis and Mary Beth
Chapman continue to think of the many orphans in China. In order to let
the world show how much they loved Maria, Angel Covers has been asked to
accept donations in honor of Maria for baby bouncers. These bouncers
will provide hours of interaction and fun to the babies cared for at the
Shaohannah’s Hope Healing Home (SHHH), a new project in China, of the
Chapman’s organization.

Because of a partnership between the Chapman’s and Dr. Joyce and Robin
Hill, this 60,000 sq ft facility will care for 128 medically fragile
infants and toddlers . One hundred baby bouncers are needed for SHHH in
order to help provide these babies with the best care possible.

Maria was a beautiful little girl with a huge smile and contagious
laugh. Please help us spread her joy for life to the children of SHHH.
Only $10 purchases one of these bouncers and will bring countless hours
of happiness to these needy children. Please feel free to pass this post
along to any groups you'd like. We want to provide as many bouncers as
possible.

Click here for information on how to donate: Angel Covers

Please pray for the Rainey family

Heartbreaking

update

Um, no thanks

NC 'Big twins' tip scales at a combined 23 pounds

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. --They aren't America's heaviest newborn twins on record, but they certainly tip the scales: Sean William Maynard and Abigail Rose Maynard weighed in at a combined 23 pounds and 1 ounce at birth this week, a North Carolina hospital announced Friday.

Freda Springs, spokeswoman for Forsyth Medical Center, said the twins were delivered two minutes apart by Caesarean section on Tuesday at the center's Sara Lee Center for Women's Health in Winston-Salem.

The boy weighed 10 pounds, 14 ounces; the girl, 12 pounds, 3 ounces. Springs said both babies are in excellent condition after their birth to parents Joey and Erin Maynard of Winston-Salem.

The combined weight of the twins is about four pounds shy of the combined weight of twins born in Arkansas in 1927, the hospital said. Those twins weighed a total of 27 pounds, 12 ounces, hospital researchers said, adding they could find no public record of any heavier twins than the Arkansas pair born since 1900.

They said the Maynard twins topped a 1997 delivery in North Carolina of big twins weighing a total of 18 pounds, 10 ounces.

Sean, tucked in a blue blanket, was held by his mother and his sister, swaddled in pink, was cradled by her father at a hospital news conference Friday. The infants slept quietly through their first public appearance.

Charlotte Observer

I will be just sooooo happy with an 8 pound baby, thankyouverymuch!

A shout out to the Tums people

Over the past few days, I have been suffering from extreme acid reflux/indigestion/heart burn. Pregnancy related, of course!

It has affected my sleep. I can no longer lay down flat and have been woken up countless times because of the hold being burned into my throat.

No matter what I did, nothing was helping. Yesterday, I didn't eat anything after 6pm...and still...around 10pm it started up.

I recently saw a commercial for Tums Quik Pak, instant dissolving powder. I had a couple coupons, so I figured I would get a box and see how it works. I am the kind of person that hates chewing on tums. I hate the chunks in my teeth, etc. Now, with the powder, I don't have to deal with that problem!

It also helped tremendously with my acid reflux! When I searched for it, I discovered that you can find a coupon for $2.25 off a box...which is about half price! If you click the back button really quick, it will let you print off the coupon twice!

Run to your nearest drugstore and get it! Click here and on the left hand side, you'll see the button to click to get your coupon!

Mexico Mission Trip, part 2

I just spoke to John on the phone. They are having the pastor's conference today and had 3 pastors show up, as well as some members of their congregations. They are pleased with the turn out!

Unfortunately, last night, John woke up with some sort of stomach bug that has prevented him from being able to speak today at the conference. He hasn't eaten anything that should have upset his stomach, but he woke up in the middle of night with horrible cramps and has gotten visited by the great revenge of Montezuma!

Please pray that the pastors are ministered to and that their hearts are open to the teaching they hear today.

Also pray for John that he begins to feel better! And thank the Lord that he remembered his toilet seat...he says he wouldn't know what to do without it!

33 weeks...

7 weeks to go.

In a few short weeks, it's crazy to think that they won't stop labor if it were to begin.

Although, with my history, the count down should be more like 8-9 weeks until arrival.

A quote

There is no nobler career than that of motherhood at its best. There are no possibilities greater, and in no other sphere does failure bring more serious penalties. With what diligence then should she prepare herself for such a task? If the mechanic who is to work with "things" must study at technical school, if the doctor into whose skilled hands will be entrusted human lives must go through medical school... how much more should the mother who is fashioning the souls of the men and women of tomorrow, learn at the highest of all schools and from the Master-Sculptor Himself, God? To attempt this task uprepared and untrained is tragic, and its results affect generations to come. On the other hand there is no higher height to which humanity can attain than that occupied by a converted, heaven-inspired, praying mother.

~Anonymous (quoted in The Shaping of a Christian Family by Elisabeth Elliot)

I have to say that this quote is very convicting. Motherhood is not something that is done last minute with no planning. Instead, it should force me to open my Bible more to be better trained to raise my children.

A trip to Lifeway

I am usually not one to voluntarily go into Lifeway Christian Book Stores. I believe that some of the books and resources they sell are downright unbiblical.

Anyway...

The kids like going in, and very rarely do I ever buy anything...but I did today.

First off, if anyone is interested in what hymnbook we use for our family devotions, you can find it there. They have it on sale for a couple dollars off. It's the update Baptist Hymnal. I'm thinking that we might pick up a few more to have more of a collection...especially since the kids like to each have their own to look at.


While we were there, I thought to look at the music section and see what kind of selection I could find when it comes to hymns. It's kinda hard to find, especially since they are all mixed in.

I'm usually not one to condone the WOW music series either...but I guess today is a day for exceptions. I bought the double WOW hymns cd. It has a lot of the kids favorites!

If you are interested in checking it out click here WOW Hymns. The kids were so excited to hear Holy Holy Holy and were singing along. Nolan was pretty happy to hear Trust and Obey...and that's all we were able to get to in the car on the way home. He asked me if I could bring the music into the house, so that he could listen to it in the cd player.

I have a feeling he's going to be sitting on the kitchen floor, hymnbook in hand, singing along....

Mexico Mission Trip, part 1

I spoke to John last night. They had just met up with the rest of the guys going on the trip, which is good news!

Best of all, I reminded him about a very important purchase:

Yes, that's right...a toilet seat. Believe it or not, where they stayed in Mexico last time, has no toilet seats! No matter where they went or how nice of a place they were visiting, there was a toilet but no seat. The guys seemed pretty affected by this and thought it most important to get one before they go over the border. So no worries, their rears will be properly taken care of.

For the last couple of nights, John and a few friends from home have been staying in a large room, set up like a bunk house. The other guys from St Louis had some travel delays, and they were finally able to meet up with the rest of their group. They'll be leaving this morning to head over the border. Please keep them in your prayers as they have to go through border patrol.

I'll be keeping you updated as much as I possibly can!

Behold I stand at the door and knock....

The Sinner's Prayer

The eccentric Dr. Robert Morey talks about decisional regeneration, the sinner's prayer, and manipulation in child evangelism.

from Reformed Voices

A Father's Day Gift

(My head isn't really chopped off in the original picture...it's just that the scanner doesn't scan 10x13)

Obamatopia

"Subtitles? What do I need subtitles for?"

Desiring God: The Power of Words and the Wonder of God

Seeing this makes me that much more excited to be in attendance this September!!!

My mommy radar is alive and well!

Imagine this....

You are asleep in your bed. You have the ceiling fan whirling above you. The door to your room is closed. Your husband is snoring ever-so-slightly (ha) next to you.

But, for some reason, you are awakened. You sit straight up in bed and listen again. You immediately know that one of your children is calling for you and is crying.

It's Nolan. He is all the way downstairs in the basement, yet you were still able to hear his whimper.

It's called Mommy Radar!

You see, it is something that a mom is blessed with. It is very rare for a daddy to have...I'm not sure there has been even one well-documented occurrence. Which is not a fault...it just isn't one of their gifts.

A mom can be watching television and immediately press mute, and though dad has no idea why...when he hears the sound of a child crying, he knows he has yet again experienced Mommy Radar!

Now that Nolan is settled in on the couch after his vomitting episode. His sheets, pillow, and blankets are in the washer, in the process of getting cleaned....and here I sit, waiting to see if he throws up again.

I thank God for my mommy radar. It's comforting to know that in the midst of whatever a mommy might be doing, she has super sensitive hearing when it comes to her children.

I almost feel like I should don a cape.

I rent movies...a lot of movies

When John is out of town (like he has been since Sunday), that's time for me to rent movies. A few weeks ago, when he was gone, I had great success at choosing cute movies that I would have no issue recommending to people.

This week...my choices took a turn for the worse.

I guess if I have never heard of a particular movie, there is probably a reason why. I've figured out that reason. Because they are just BAD MOVIES.

It's pretty bad when I have had to just turn off the movie because of the content...I really need to do more research and read the back covers more closely. Last night I was 0-2 and couldn't watch either movie all the way through.

I hope next week brings better flicks.

And if you have any recommendations on what I should rent...please share!

John is almost a celebrity

And here's the proof!!

Hi daddy

A gift from her big brothers

I knew that I wanted the boys to get Paysie something...and since we've never gone there, I figured, let's head over to the mall and go to The Wacky Bear Factory.

We were not disappointed!

It didn't take them long to find the perfect animal for stuffing! It was the sheep :)

They took turns pushing the pedal with their feet to fill it up with the stuffing! Then, they jumped on one foot, touched their toes, knees, elbows, and head...turned around in a circle and jumped again...then closed their eyes...and when they opened them, there was a tiny flicker of a heartbeat in the sheep. It was very cute!

We chose out an outfit for her to wear and Nolan named her Piper. Appropriate, no?

She is squishably soft and a great choice for a gift for their little sister!

Oh, what a morning

For our family devotions, we begin by singing a hymn or two from an old hymnbook I had gotten last year from ebay. It is very old, and I bought it so that I could remove pages from it, frame our favorites, and hang them on the wall. We have a wall of hymns in our dining room.

The only problem with that, is our hymnbooks are missing our favorites because they are no longer in the book!

Last week, John went to a local bookstore...the kind that smells like old books the moment you walk in. He purchased 3 matching hymnbooks, so the kids would have an easier time singing along.

The boys were so excited to get new hymnbooks!

This morning, Nolan wanted to go on the computer, and I thought to show him Cyber Hymnal. We sang several hymns together, and when I went to take my shower, he remained at the computer, singing his favorite hymns.

When I came back out this is what he said to me:
"Hey mommy! I have a great idea! How about we sing hymns ALL DAY LONG?!?"

What could I possibly have said other than:
"That sounds like a GREAT idea!"

A little flashback to the 80s

What Jesus meant when he said "You must eat my flesh"

By John Bloom at the Desiring God Blog

The day before, Jesus had fed 5,000 people with a few loaves and fish. Then that night he walked miles across the Sea of Galilee before catching up with his disciples in their boat. The crowd had seen him send his disciples away in the only boat available. So the next day, when they found him in Capernaum, they knew he could have only got there miraculously. They wanted him to be their king.

Then he went and ruined everything. To his adoring fans Jesus said,

Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal (John 6:26-27).

Confused, they asked him how they could work to please God. He replied, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” (John 6:29). (God isn’t looking for workers. He’s looking for believers.)

Jesus was a hero to the crowd because he had fed them. But Jesus discerned something very wrong about their enthusiasm. They wanted more “bread from heaven.”

But wanting the blessings Jesus provides is not the same thing as believing in him. Indeed, Jesus had come to give them bread from heaven. But not that kind of bread.

So to test them he began to make statements that sounded very strange. He told them that he was the true bread from heaven that gives life to the world and whoever eats this bread would live forever.

Then he said, “And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh” (v. 51). This sounded like cannibalism. His listeners balked. He pressed it even further:

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink (John 6:53-55).

The “Jesus for King” campaign evaporated. The people walked away shaking their heads. The crazy man wants us to eat his flesh! They completely misunderstood what Jesus was saying.

So what did he mean? Here are the clues:

How do you labor for the food that endures to eternal life? Believe in me! (v. 27, 29)
“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me [in faith] shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” (v. 35)
“For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (v. 40)
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.” (v. 47)
For Jesus eating is believing; drinking is believing. He promises eternal life to those who believe in him. Believe what?

Believe that his death—the breaking of his body and spilling of his blood—pays in full the penalty for our sin and that his perfect righteousness is freely given to us in exchange for our unrighteousness.

Believing this is how we “eat” Jesus’ flesh and “drink” his blood. This is why he instituted the Lord’s Supper: he did not want us to forget the very core of what we believe.

When the crowd took offense at his gruesome talk, Jesus exposed their unbelief: “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe” (vv. 63-64).

Let’s you and I be like Peter. He didn’t walk away, but instead said to Jesus, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know that you are the Holy One of God” (vv. 68-69).

31 weeks

A few people have told me I look like I'm carrying lower...

For Gramma and Grampa in Maine

How do people find my blog?

I often like to go to my sitemeter and see how people found me. It's always interesting when they find me through their searches on google.

I think the most interesting I've seen yet are:

1. pregnant woman in leotard (um, sorry, no pics)
2. mouse squished between toes (ewww)
3. quotes that start with smell of death (morbid?)
4. how to decorate lover's room (wha??)

Who would have thought?

Bring The Rain

I came across this blog and it has brought tears to my eyes more than once. It is a story of a mom who found out at her 20 week ultrasound that her baby girl would not survive. The sadness is profound, but so is her faith.

When her ultrasound began and they found abnormalities in their baby, her response was:

"I think that my Jesus is the same as He was before I walked into this room. He's no different, it's okay, He's no different..."

Read her story and thank God for His faithfulness.

Bring The Rain

Baby born twice...what an amazing story!

Medical marvel: Baby Macie Hope was born twice

103 degrees

It's only June 6th, right?

I was driving down the road and saw a bank flash 103 degrees.

Now, I know that the thermometer was probably right in the sun...since every other scrolling marquee read only a measly 93.

But just seeing 103 made me dread the next couple of months.

Come on, it's only June!!

A church sign

I saw this at Crummy Church Signs and had to share, lol.

Baby Development

Check out this link. You can scroll ahead and see how a woman's body changes and how the baby develops on a weekly basis.

Little Pink Booties...

Made with lots of love...

The Shack

Last fall, I won a book from a giveaway hosted on someone's blog. I had no idea what the book was about, just that the blogger who was giving it away raved about it and how it changed her life.

I received it in the mail and there it sat on my shelf for months, collecting dust.

Until I saw that Tim Challies had done an indepth review on it here.

I decided to grab it off the shelf and bring it with me on our trip to Maine a few weeks ago. I read it on the way up.

My only recommendation is to read what Tim says about it. It is a novel that many seem to fall in love with...yet, there are so many theological flaws in it. When I read it, I was dumbfounded at some of what was said. I have huge problems with the way it depicts the trinity, the way it misrepresents Scripture, and the way that it directly contradicts Scripture.

If you read it, be aware of these things. It is scary that so many people read this book and feel closer to God because of it...when it reality, the God of this book is not the God of the Bible.

I know that this book is not supposed to be a book on systematic theology. The problem I have is that it is being elevated as such by the church.

Read Challies' review...then read the book. Have your Bible handy and it will be easy to see why a lot of people are concerned about it's popularity.

"Gideon, you are going to hell"

Can you tell that John has been talking to the kids about how we are all bad and sinful and deserve to go to hell? And that it is only by the grace of God that we are saved and are able to go to heaven?

Obviously Nolan has been listening. Well, at least to the hell part.

Gideon was being chased by Nolan because he stole some toy from him. They ran over to me and Nolan was telling me that Gideon was going to hell because he was acting bad.

I told him that this is when you show him God's grace and point him back to Jesus who can help us.

There was an apology from Gideon and a little more hellfire and brimstone talk from Nolan.

Yeah, we've got here the makings of the next Jonathan Edwards!

17 hours later...

and we made it back home!

Sorry for the hiatus...I'll be back later today with some updates :)