Our girls ANSWERED PRAYER

Funny to be staring at these beautiful snow pictures thinking of summer, but that is where this story begins. 

I asked Brian in July or August, for my birthday present. I don't care one bit about gifts, so he knew this was unusual. 

I asked if he would go with me to Tennessee for a His Proposal conference. Of course, he agreed. 

So when September rolled around, birthday weekend, we packed for our weekend getaway. We left my friend in charge of all of our girls and Brian and I went to the mountains of TN. It was just the two of us. Such a TREAT. We were staying in cute little cabins at a conference center where we were holding the His Proposal conference. 

It was beautiful weather. So fun to be with just him. 

He stood by my side as I spoke at the conference and encouraged and helped and showered me with love. 

My birthday fell on the Saturday of the conference. I had to speak a few times that morning and that afternoon. Brian told me he had a 'little something' for me. 'Nothing big' he said a few times. So after lunch, we went back to the cabin. 

He pulled out a card.

For months and months the girls had been praying for another baby. I told them I wasn't so sure that Daddy was ready for another baby. So then they prayed for Brian. 

'God, I pray that Daddy's heart would change. I pray Lord, that he would want another baby.' 

So on September 14, 2013 Brian gave me one of my favorite birthday cards. Ever. 

In the bottom left hand corner he had drawn a stick figure family. First there was a tall Brian stick figure, then me, followed by one, two, three, four, FIVE little stick figures. I cried. He cried. 

He wanted another baby. 

What an answer to these little girls prayer. A tangible answer. 

It didn't take long.  

He/She was conceived at Thanksgiving.

And discovered a few weeks into December.

I wanted to tell him in a memorable way. Who gets to tell their husband they are pregnant for the 6th time?! What a huge deal. 

The other times I had made equally as memorable. 

We were at a big masquerade ball downtown on New Years Eve with dinner and a band. At 11:59:30, the lead singer said into the microphone, '30 SECONDS til the NEW YEAR!' 

Over the very loud crowd, I said '...Brian, I have something to tell you….'

We spent the last hour dancing, so he stopped dead in his tracks. He looked into my eyes and I think he just knew. I said it anyway. 

'Brian... I'm pregnant……'

He stared at me. And I watched as he processed such incredibly huge news.

I said over and over, 'I know…..I know.' I don't even know for sure what I was I know-ing. Except I knew that it had taken me a few weeks to believe we were having another child. Another baby. Another life. Another family member. And that our family would grow again. That there would be 5 to love and raise and protect and cherish. 

After a few seconds he started smiling broadly. Thrilled. Excited. Amazed. SO happy to share our family joy. 

Right then, the crowd started shouting 10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1………HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

As we kissed. 

It was as if no one else was there.  

He or she is cherished and loved from these first moments.  

The girls had no idea what was coming. I told them that we were going to take pictures in the snow. They put on their favorite pinky-pink lip stick and their sparkliest clothes for the event. 

 I've been 'carrying' a SECRET. 

My oldest Carlisle, said just a few weeks earlier:
'Mom, I think you're pregnant.' She had also said this with a previous pregnancy. Even before I knew. 

Our NEWEST Baby!

There was one important group yet to know. 

Our girls. 

 The Announcement. 
(You may have to click the triangle to make it start.)

I was filled with joy and anticipation. I was jittery. I was actually shaking with excitement. Completely and totally overwhelmed with the gift I was about to give these four sweet girls. 

So much so that it was actually hard for me to get my words out. I had known for so long. 

They had been praying for this baby. They got to feel the beauty of the Lord answering prayer!

It all came down to this moment. 

So thankful for my friends who love me enough to come and video and take pictures. It all was so thrilling I would have forgotten everything if it weren't captured here. 

 JOY!

My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. 

Psalm 28:7

 ELATION

'When the righteous triumph, there is great elation.'

Proverbs 28:12

 DELIGHT 

'Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.'

 Psalm 37:4

CHILDREN

 Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him.

Psalm 127:3

  BLESSING

They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing.

Psalm 37:26

FULL

'Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one's youth.

Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.' 

Psalm 127:4-5

And then, Yes. They dropped the baby in the snow. 
No one minded. 
Even baby. 

The rest I'll leave to the pictures. They speak for themselves as our girls each reacted to the news.  

Limitless joy. 

Thinking baby should arrive sometime this August. 
Thank you for sharing newness of life with us!

'Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
Yes, this will be the blessing for the man who fears the LORD.'
Psalm 128:3-4
Jennie 

Drink Up Girlfriend

BETTER. 


BETTER.


Our baby is BETTER. 


She is gaining weight everyday. I can literally see it happening. I haven't weighed her in a week. But there is a new fullness around her face. She is filling out. Still wearing newborn /premie clothes and newborn diapers. But it looks like she won't be wearing them for long. 


We are rejoicing. GOD is fixing the spitting up through the medicine she is taking. 


She is getting 7 to 8 meals a day. And about 3 ounces per feeding. So she is getting 21-24 ounces of breastmilk per day. Most of which stays down. 


She will be chubby in no time. And we do need more of her to love. These girls, namely Evelyn, cannot (I repeat, cannot) get enough of her. Evelyn puts her body parts in her mouth...fingers, nose, cheeks. She wants to consume her. I do too, so I just let her do it. 


Baby Bliss is unreasonably cute. Beautiful. We are desperately in love.


She is the most angelic little baby. Brian and I marvel at her. She is, without question, the easiest person in our family to care for. She sleeps like a rock star. Carlisle climbed into bed with me sometime in the wee-early hours of the morning and the baby was in the bassinet beside the bed. My alarm went off, and continued to go off for 30 minutes. We all three slept through it. Ignoring it as it beeped for 30 minutes. The bassinet is 2 inches from the alarm clock, and she gleefully slept through the ruckus. 

The bible says that we are to crave pure spiritual milk. 
'Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.' 1 Peter 2:2


Another version says it like this....


'As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby'


Of the WORD.


What is that? That is the WORD of GOD. That is our bibles. We have to crave it and DRINK IT. God chose to write His love to us and for us in the Word of God. So we are to read it. Consume it. LONG for it. Run away to be with the Lord with our bibles clutched to our chest. I like thinking of it that way. 


What a delight that we get to consume it. Read it. 


Consume it. Like milk. Like my little Sweetie drinks milk. 


First thing in the morning. She drinks milk. 
When she wakes up later. She drinks milk. 
When a few more hours pass. She drinks milk. 
Tomorrow. She will drink milk. 
Next week. She will drink milk.


What babies need in the first months of life. Is. Milk. Pure milk. Nothing more. Nothing. 


It's really simple. Not easy. But simple. 


Milk. 


Breast milk. It's the great nourisher. It's perfect. The right temperature. The right consistency. The right amount. It even changes to the needs of the baby. If baby is sick, it accommodates for that, if baby is growing, more is produced. It's fascinating. It's a healer. I've known a Mama to put it in her older children's eyes to cure pink eye. And yes, it works for even that. 


God's Word is the same. It has life. It GIVES life. It's always new. Always fresh. It's always just what we need. The right words for situations. It looks us dead in the face and pierces us right to the heart.  'For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.' Hebrews 4:12


And what happens on the other end of the spectrum? I have seen what happens when we don't. Consume milk. Both spiritually and literally. 


I've had all these babies and never seen that. They have all been great eaters. But God has given me the opportunity to see the flip side of it. What it looks like when we don't eat the 'milk.'


When our little baby was unable to keep food down, she got so dehydrated/sick/not well, that she stopped even desiring milk. It was the only thing keeping her ALIVE. AND. Yet. She stopped desiring it. She would have slept forever, never waking up. She didn't desire to even wake to eat. 


All she needed was pure milk. And she wouldn't/couldn't wake to eat it.


But what happens when WE don't? Consume our bible? OUR milk.


I will tell you. 


We become spiritually dead. Not hungry for the Word anymore. Amazing. It's what GIVES LIFE. Convicts us. Leads us. Guides. And we have it available. Perfect consistency. Perfect amount. Made just for us. 


Jesus is patient. He is kind. Jesus is more than enough. Run to him.


He brings joy to our souls. Inexpressible joy. 1 Peter 1:8 Try it out. Consume your bible. See if He doesn't make you 'hungry' for more. Of Him. And fill that void. Ask Him to guide you as you read with faith and hope. DRINK UP GIRLFRIEND.



My 6th Mothers Day was sweet. 


A big homemade card made by excited giggling girls, a cup of hot green tea brought to the bedside and a husband that helped make it so special. Smiling and precious ALL day long. 


He asked what I wanted to do and said, 'It's Mothers Day, we will do whatever you want.' 

This sign makes me happy. 

Brian goes to the old man barbershop to have his hair cut. I think he likes the chatter. He tells me later that he laughs at all the old man talk. Maybe all guys go to old-timey barbershops. I never asked anyone else. Yesterday when he was there, there were 2 old men waiting before him. So he sat down in a chair to wait his turn. He put his head in his hand and somehow his heavy eyelids shut. He proceeded to fall into a deep asleep through both of the old mens hair cuts. He woke up just as the barber was ringing up the second man. 

Littlest student beside biggest student. 

Best $14 dollars I've ever spent. HOURS of happy, splashing, laughing, giggling and entertainment. Dollar store pool. If you don't have one, get one. Trust me on this. 

I am learning with our sweet spirited, enthusiastic, high-on-life Evelyn, that the way to get her to hold still and learn during school is to hand her the baby. She stays still and kisses and coo's at Bliss while I teach her to read or on this day Carlisle did flashcards with her. 

Viv wears her swimsuit every day. Whether we are swimming or not. 

More reading. Different day. Same tiny baby. Same love sick Ev.

Still sneaking in a date EVERY week. 

Our favorite night of the week.

On a family fieldtrip to the farm. Sister lovin by the cows.

The view from my pillow in the mornings. Sweet little sleepy girls. Any variation of sizes and ages. 

I am so grateful to God that He has allowed me to be a mother. I will never, ever take that for granted and I want to be the best mom I can be, for the glory of God.

Motherhood is for HIS glory alone.