Sunday, November 30, 2008

White Stuff.

Just Gwyneth and I taking advantage of a bit of leftover snow yesterday morning.
Ain't they purty?


Monday, November 24, 2008

Little Miss

She has an opinion about everything,
and makes no bones about sharing it.
She is spunky and sassy and unbearably shy all at the same time.
Her throaty giggle and husky voice are the most endearing I’ve ever heard.
She loves Mama like no other and happily spends every waking moment at my side.
She is quite the efficient little helper and does everything with a purpose.





















She has an amazing ability to memorize place names and will spout them off on our car rides. The other day we went shopping, just her and I. While we were still on the loop she shouted the name of the lake she saw through the trees and then added, “It’s made of lemonade!” So that’s why it’s always been so murky? That’s a whole lot better than what I’ve always thought it’s made from!

Then, while waiting in line at Starbucks she asked what I was doing when she saw me rummaging around in my purse. I told her I was getting money to pay for my drink. She said, “I need some money, too.”
“Oh, you do? What do you need money for, Sis?”
“I need some money to buy me some chocolate!”
HeHe. She loves the stuff and will periodically come up to me and beg for it, out of the blue. It’s not like we eat it all the time around here, but somehow she’s addicted already. And I’ll tell ya the secret to get her to warm up to you: Pump sugar in this girl and she’s a whole different person; wild, happy, flirty and outgoing!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Unspectacular...

Okay. I've been tagged!

I actually love these things, when it's other people!
I'm pretty boring, though.

6 unspectacular things about myself.
Hmmmmm...

1.) I love to bake. Something my dad instilled in me. Growing up, it was a rule in our house that we bake a new goody every day. Something about baking seems so wholesome and gives me a feeling of contentment.

2.) I hate swimming. I panic when my head is under water and I'm so miserably cold the entire time that my back cramps up from shivering.

3.) I can count the number of men I truly respect and trust on my fingers...almost on one hand.

4.) Starbucks is my all time favorite treat...that, or a massage.

5.) I long to be a brilliantly creative person...and for the energy and time to do it. I guess I need an outlet.

6.) I could easily be a vegetarian simply because of my lack of love for all things "meat". When I eat meat (of any kind) I can taste the flesh of the animal and it's really hard for me to get past that.

K.
My 6: I tag Crystal, Dana, Lance, Staci, Gami, and Ryan.
Make it good, guys!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Yucky...

Yucky, Yucky, YUCKY!!!

That's how everything in my little life is these days.
The "morning" sickness.
The pile of dirty dishes that never goes away.
My reflection in the mirror.
The 3 children peeing their pants and everything in a 3 foot radius.
The pile of laundry that never gets folded and put away,
even if it does happen to make it through the wash.
Etc.

I have had morning sickness to the point of feeling like I have the flu for a solid month now. Everything makes me sick: Eating, not eating, the computer, the tv, the car, music, whining. Every day seems like an eternity at this point. And it's only getting worse, so far! Usually mornings are my reprieve. I feel good enough to take care of the kids and clean up a bit. Then at nap I lay down and rest because I'm so tired. But not today. This morning I feel just as sick as I do every evening and all night long. It takes everything in me not to hurl. I get dinner finished and either watch the family eat it or just go to bed because I'm too sick to do anything else. The nights Lyle is gone at practice are torture for me....which happens to be tonight and I can hardly bear the thought of it after feeling this way ALL day already.

I know there's a light at the end of tunnel, but today has just been extraordinarily difficult.
I guess I'm taking lessons from Jude (;
Sorry about the whine-fest

I did get to hear June-Bug's heartbeat yesterday. Proof that someone really is in there making me so miserable. The kids are getting excited about the whole idea of "baby"
Camden is SURE, and I mean absolutely possitive, it's a girl and he says EVERY time that it's a sister. He can't wait to change "her" diaper all by himself and worries about whether or not he'll be able to find the right size. (: I told him the other day that there's a possiblity that the baby is a boy. He said, "Gwyneth can have a brother. I want a sister." At which point I begged, once again, "Please God, let it be only one." (:
Gwyneth is also begging for a sister. She can't wait to hold "her".
Jude doesn't want a baby. He gets so mad every time we ask if he wants a brother or sister and he says, "I want a car!"
"Wouldn't you like to hold the baby when it comes?" we ask.
"I want to hold a car!" he says.
We finally told him we'd get him a car when the baby comes because he's been so upset over it. Silly boy. Not sure how the transition will go for him. (:

Friday, November 14, 2008

The Painted Veil

Shelby's recent post inspired this (:

It's not a movie I would necessarily recommend to anyone as it is not "Christian" and there is some "questionable" content. I loved it, though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oevR8c35Qk

It was this movie that God used to show Lyle and I that He has something more, much more, for us to do with our lives. It hit us both like a load of bricks and we just sat there, stunned. It's odd to feel so compelled to do something, but still not understand quite what it might be. I've never been more sure of anything, though. We can feel God preparing us, even though we don't know exactly what we're to do. All the beautiful material things I've always wanted for my family suddenly don't matter, at all. Oddly enough, this new baby is the first step. In my heart they're strangely connected. Which is weird as it seems like just another thing to tie us down. I'm not even sure "missionary" is the right word. There is just an overwhelming burden to love people. People who desperately need to be loved and taken care of. And I get the sense that we dare not ignore it...

Charming

He was gifted with Mama's passion.
Every emotion we encounter we experience for everything it's worth.
Often it's not pretty.
Unlike Mama,
he has an incredible ability to influence the mood of those around him.
Beware.
I have yet to see one resist his charms.
And he knows it.
For sure and certain.
























What would I do without that sweet face to gaze at every day?
Mama is smitten,
to say the least.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Just Because...

Look what I found waiting for me to come home last night.

Just because.

I also got my back rubbed until I drifted to sleep...
the best sleep I've had in weeks.
Which left me feeling better than I have in weeks this morning.
Guys,
Note to self: (:

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Spooky...

Last night, 1:15am-ish, glass shattered somewhere in the house waking both Lyle and I up.
My first thought was that I didn't get the candle blown all the way out before going to bed, even though I distinctly remembered doing so. We checked the whole downstairs, finding nothing.
At which point our sluggish brains started at the thought that maybe it was a window... Just as this thought was beginning to form Jude started screaming from his room. Not a feeling I ever want to experience again. Lyle ran up to check on him without his gun, confirming my suspicians that when sluggish brains are in a panic guns are not going to do us any good. (If we actually have time to get to them when an intruder is present, we probably won't realize we need to do so...I rest my case.) I ran into the living room, where Tessa was sleeping, to check those windows and ask if she had heard anything. She hadn't. Jude was fine. Probably just scared after hearing us going through the entire house. Lyle checked all the windows upstairs, still finding nothing. Needless to say, I didn't get much sleep after that. I've checked and re-checked everything I can think of and have still found nothing. It's not like it didn't happen. We both heard it. So what was it?

Ready for more?
A couple of weeks ago as I was loading some laundry into the washer, someone called my name. I jumped about a mile and spun around, not really afraid, because I thought it was Heidi, but freaked out that she had somehow gotten into the house without me knowing...Only she wasn't there. No one was. I checked the whole house. I was so shaken up that I called her to make sure she was okay. Then I called Mom. Then Tess, as all their voices are similar. If I'm going insane, then I'm really going insane because I heard someone say my name, and that wasn't the only time. I'm starting to think maybe my time has come or something. Lyle said next time I should just answer it, like in the Bible. Do you know how crazy that would make me feel? (:

Anyway, just wanted to document.
If nothing else it's a good read.(:

Monday, November 10, 2008

Dashing

He can look at me
And I can look at him,
And without saying a word
We know what the other is thinking.
It’s always been like that.
I love it.
And I love him!

This boy is special.
I love him no more than my other babies...
But there is something about him that is so beautiful.
I can feel it radiating from him.
I think everyone can.
My theory is that his spirit is the reason being pregnant with him was so magical.
I felt so physically empty after he was born that I could hardly stand it.

He is my little gentleman;
always opening the door for Mama and taking such good care of me.

Dashing. He is.
How could anyone resist?






















All chimneys are "smokestacks"
He notices them everywhere we go, with the chilly weather, and it's, "Look at all the smoke swirling out of that smokestack, Mama!" every time we pass one by.

Have I mentioned before how much I love him?

Monday, November 3, 2008

The Name Game...

Those of you who know me well know that I have a thing for names. I will probably be discovering names I love for the rest of my life. So, it's no surprise that I had a list a mile long before we even found out about our June-Bug. Thought I'd share as it will be fun to look at years down the road while laughing and asking June-Bug, "Can you imagine? You were almost a _____!"

Some of these I adore,
some; not so much.
In no particular order,

Boys:

Adriel: of God's flock
Ezra: helper
Ellis: my God is Jehovah
Audin: old friend
Ainsley: place name

Girls:

Adah: lovely addition
Adair: ornament
Ethne: little fire
Elodie: white blossom
Eleanor: shining light

Looks like it'll either be "A" or "E" (Daddy, of coarse, has a say too.) In all honesty, this baby will probably not be named until we see it. I have a couple favorites but nothing that really pulls me...maybe I'm having more than 1? (:
Let me know what you like, and what you hate! I know what I love and I'm not easily swayed, but I love to hear everyone's thoughts...