Broken arm and sickness

Yesterday was quite the day. Everything started out normal. Tim went to work and Mimi Jackson came and picked up Grace and Halle. On Wednesday's she takes Grace to school and Halle back to her house. It is a day I have with Avery and I am able to get "caught" up. Mimi was still at our house and Tim calls and says he isn't feeling well and is coming home. First clue that the day is going to be a long one! Mimi leaves and Tim gets home and falls asleep on the couch. I won't go into details of his sickness, but lets just say it was not a fun one and he was in bed or the bathroom for the rest of the day. Mimi calls me at 12:30 and says we have had a little accident. Papa and the girls were playing nativity scene and he was being the camel. The girls were riding on the camel and they both fell off. Grace landed on her elbow and is in a lot of pain and can't move it. We decided to let her sleep a bit and see how it felt when she woke up. She woke up and was still in pain. I met them at the urgent care right by our house. I had just put Avery down for her nap, so I left her sleeping with Tim on the couch. We got Grace to the Urgent care and they did x-rays. Sure enough it is broken. they put a splint on it and then put it in a sling. The referred us to an Orthopedic Dr. We go this morning to see where we go from here. I am praying she does not need surgery. To top of the day, Grace was supposed to sing at her preschool last night. She was determined to go. So I came home and got her ready, me ready and Avery ready. I left Tim in bed and headed to his parents. I got Halle ready over there and then had dinner. Grace was in some pain, but was going to sing! She knew family was coming to watch her and she was still excited. She did sing and she did a good job. She didn't smile much, but can you blame her? We stayed for cookies afterwards and she was a trooper. The nurse told me she had to sleep with me last night. I think Grace enjoyed that. We put
Daddy on the couch and Grace and I crawled in our bed (first changing our sheets not to get what Daddy had!). She slept pretty good last night considering. I didn't, but that is okay. I was just so happy she did! Tim is feeling much better this morning and we are praying Grace's appointment goes well today. When It rains it pours. I just kept telling myself - it could be worse. I knew Tim would get better and Grace's arm will heal. I didn't handle it the best all day, but tried hard to keep my focus. My prayer is now that our family won't get what Tim had and of course, for Grace's arm.

I tell you, I never knew being a mother could be so much fun! :) It is times like these I often wonder why God chose me to raise these little ones. I am then reminded He only gives us what we can handle. He knew I could handle yesterday. To be honest, I couldn't have done it without the Lord by my side!

Thankfulness

I know I am a day late, but I have an excuse. I had Thanksgiving at my house yesterday and was very busy. I was going to do this last night and fell asleep on the couch!

I have spent the last couple of days thinking about all I have to be thankful for. My list goes on and on and on. I feel bad even listing the things I am thankful for because there is so much I won't be able to mention. But, I will try and list the things that come to mind.

* My relationship with the Lord ~ I have been working through some things in my life this past year and have deepened my relationship with the Lord. I have found my need for Him is deep. I can't go through my day without Him. Trying to keep up with the kids, the house, the activities, the shopping, and so forth - I can't do it without Him. I also struggle with fear in my life. If I don't lean on Him to help me when I become fearful, I become a mess. I am so thankful He is there for me and cares for me!

* My husband~ I am SO thankful for Tim and the relationship we have. What a blessing he is to me. We are in this together and I am so thankful for that. He is involved with my life and all that I have going on. I love him so much and feel so blessed for the marriage we have.

* My church ~ After a long road of church stuff, we finally have found a home. We are settled and are very thankful for a solid Church with a solid staff. We love Pastor Kenny and the way he delivers the word of God. Grace and Halle are adjusted and like their classes. We are thankful for the opportunity to direct a small group. We are thankful for the couples that are in the class. God is good!

* My family ~ Both of our families are in town and it is such a blessing to us. They are a huge help to us and we are thankful that our kids know all of their grandparents really well.

* My friends ~ I have a couple friends who know me really well and who are there for me no matter what. They pray for me, encourage me, laugh with me, and cry with me. For this I am thankful. I don't have many deep friendships, but the ones I have, I cherish.

* My kids ~ I am thankful for the way they change me. It didn't take me long to realize that they pick up and everything! Good things and bad things! It makes me reevaluate the way I act and respond. For this I am thankful.

* People who have influenced me ~ On Wednesday night our Pastor encouraged us to thank God for the people who have helped us grow in our lives. It made me think of all the people who have influenced me. I thanked God for a long list of people - I am thankful for these people!

There is so much more to list, but time is short. I am not sure who all reads my blog, but I am thankful for the ones who have helped me grow, who love me, who encourage me, and who pray for me.

ER

So, do you think we have been to the ER a couple times too many???

I was making dinner and the girls were very busy playing in Avery's room. Grace came to me and asked for tape. I gave it to her not knowing what they were doing. I later went back to Avery's room, knocked on the door and entered after I was told to do so. Grace was taking care of "sick" Halle. An IV had to be administered and was properly done so.

The "nurse" then went over to her station to write everything down in the chart.

She then went back to cover the patient and check on her. She was such a good nurse! She even let Halle hold her baby!

Now back to the real world.....I had to take Grace to the ER in the middle of the night. She woke up and was struggling to breath and had a cough that sounded like a barking seal. I knew it was croup from the sound of it, but knew she needed help. They gave her medicine in the ER and we were sent home. She is much better and is now playing the part of the nurse and not that patient!!

Gracie and Daddy time

(Check out the 2 new posts below. I had some time to get caught up!)


Grace came up with the idea to roast marshmallows. She was so excited to be able to do this in the family room! She chattered away the entire time about how fun it was. I am so glad I grabbed the camera!

Grandpa

I just had to share these two pictures. I am so blessed that my Grandpa could be at Grace's party. These are moments I will never forget!

Gracie turns 5

My little girl turned 5 on Friday. Wow! I am still trying to take it in. Not sure where the 5 years went! I wrote Gracie a letter when she turned one, that I will give her one day. I pulled it out the night before her birthday and read it. Things were so simple then and I loved spending time with this short, chubby little girl. I loved spending all my time with her and it was just her and I. I miss those days, but I love what we have now. We have a relationship that is much deeper and I know her so much more. Grace has a strong personality and knows what she wants. At times that can be hard to work with, and other times it is nice to know what she is thinking and why. For the most part Grace is very caring and motherly. She is always worried about others and making sure they are doing what they should be doing (in a loving way). She loves life and loves to be busy. She can't really sit still (I think many would agree she gets this from me). She loves to be where the action is. I love this about her!!

We had a party for her on Friday night and it went really well. She loved every minute of it and couldn't fall asleep till 11:oo that night. She was wide awake at 6:30, ready to play with all her new things!












Dear Gracie,

I can't believe you are 5 now. Wow, have you grown. I remember when I was pregnant with you and Daddy and I were not sure what was up ahead. We didn't know if you would be a boy or a girl. Our lives changed on November 7, 2003. We had a new little girl that we fell in love with. It was all so new to us. We had so much to learn. We didn't have to learn how to love you though. That came so naturally to us. We have enjoyed watching you grow and learn. You are a smart little girl who knows what she wants. I love watching you learn and figure things out. I love our alone time together. I love taking you to Cubbies and hearing all about it as we drive home. I love going shopping with you. I love it when I pick you up from preschool and run to me. I love watching you interact with Halle. I love how you help with Avery and love on her. I love watching you love your Daddy. I love the relationship you have with him.

Thank you for loving me and forgiving me when I have not been the best Mommy. Thank you for being a great big sister to Halle and Avery. Thank you for the joy you bring to this family.

I thank God for you and pray that you will seek after Him and desire Him with your whole heart. I also pray Daddy and I can be the parents we are supposed to be.

I love you Gracie Girl!

My husband

I saw this on another blog that I read and I thought I would try it. These are 10 of my husband's favorite things.

1.) His Savior ~ Tim loves the Lord and loves to serve Him. I am so blessed that we both love the Lord and love to serve together. It makes our marriage stronger.

2.) Me/Us ~ Tim is committed to me and our relationship. For this I am thankful and blessed. We love being together and spending time together. He knows my days are busy with 3 little ones, and he makes sure I have time for myself. He is always encouraging me to get out of the house while he watches the girls. We are more then husband and wife - we are soul mates and best friends.

3.) His girls ~ Tim LOVES his little girls! I know Tim's heart and he was thrilled to learn Avery was a girl! He never had/has to have a boy. He wouldn't have minded it, but said he always saw himself with girls. He is so good with them and is so committed to them. What a blessing.

4.) Sports ~ Tim loves sports!! I love to watch him as he watches sports!! He can make any game look good! I love to sit and watch a baseball game with him.

5.) Basement ~ I know, odd title, but he is in the process of finishing our basement. He loves to work on it. I have enjoyed watching him as he has gone through the process. I am so proud of him and the work he has done. We both can't wait for it to be done - or maybe that is just me!

6.) Guitar ~ He loves to play his guitar! I gave him lessons for a present when we got married. I am amazed at how well he plays for only having a couple of lessons. He used to play for church and loved it. My prayer is that he can do it again one day.

7.) Hitting golf balls ~ Another odd one, but he loves to go outside and hit golf balls around in our yard. If he is ever missing from the house I just look out the window and find a ball whizzing by!

8.) Home Depot!! ~ He loves this place! He takes the girls on dates there! It is his home away from home.

9.) Summer ~ We both love summer and being outside in the sun. He loves the sun, sand and water.

10.) Life ~ Tim loves life and is a very optimistic person. He doesn't complain much and is very fun to be with. He is the love of my life and I want the world to know that! I love you, Timothy!

The girls.

I just had to share. Grace and Halle were playing on the kitchen floor last night. I was busy cleaning up the kitchen. I hear Grace say to Halle "Aren't we having so much fun?" Halle doesn't respond. They play a little more and then Halle says " I love you, Grace" Grace says, "Since you said you love me, then I love you!" I love moments like these. It just makes me realize they do love each other and they do have fun playing together. I can't wait for Avery to join in on their fun and conversations. I went in their room last night to put something away. They were both in bed, tucked in. They were sitting up and singing "If you're Happy and You Know it". Another cute moment...a sister moment!

Time for an update!

It has been quite awhile since I have posted. We have been really busy and Tim has been working a ton of overtime. I finally found some quiet time to sit down and download pictures and blog!


Grace is really liking preschool. She loves her teachers and has made new friends! Here is her first day of school pictures.












Avery started on solids last week and loves them, but is still getting the hang of how to eat! The Dr. said we should start on them since she was eating every 3 hours and still was hungry. This is her first time eating.




Grace loves to help mommy!







Halle, Avery and I are adjusting to Grace being at school. I can tell Halle enjoys time with me and her little sister. Avery wanted to watch Halle color!







And lastly, my Grandma's birthday was on September 30th. No one in the family had been to the cemetery to see the grave. The tombstone had just been installed and my uncle thought it would be a good idea to take my Grandpa out there on her birthday. We had a little memorial service where we shared memories of Grandma. I was glad we were able to be there with my Grandpa. It was hard to be there and it made me miss her more. I decided before I went that I wanted to bring a flower. I did some research and wanted to find a flower that meant "circle of life" or the meaning of her name and Avery's middle name. Margaret means pearl. I went to the flower store and after talking with the lady, we decided to get one carnation and include pearls in it. We put 3 groupings of the pearls in with the carnation. Avery and I headed off to the memorial service with our little carnation. I was glad Avery could be there with us. I decided to take the pearls out when we left. I plan on giving them to each of the girls as a remembrance of their Great-grandma. How special it could be to include those pearls in their weddings.

Give and Take

We got pregnant with our 3rd child around the time we were going through some tough things. God knew we needed a joy in our life at that time. Little did we know what this little baby would mean to us. I was very close to my Mom's Mom - my Grandma (and am still close to my Grandpa). My Grandma got sick this past December and was in the hospital for a week. She was then sent to a nursing home to go through some physical therapy and she was then going to be sent home if all went well. She took a turn for the worse on the Saturday before Christmas. She was admitted to the hospital and put into the ICU. She knew through all of this that she was dying. The nurses and Dr.'s said she was not, but she was sure that she was. On Sunday, the day before Christmas Eve, Mom got a call saying Grandma was wanting to see her. We left church early and Mom, Lynn, Tim and I all went up to see her. Mom, went in first to see her and then came out and told Lynn and I to go in and say our good-bye's to her. The nurses and Dr.'s still were saying she was not dying, but Grandma knew she was. Lynn and I went back in the room with Mom. We walked through the doors and Grandma said to Lynn and I "your Grandma is dying, girls". Wow...I will never forget those words. We spent he next 15 minuets talking to her telling how much we loved her and would miss her. She brought up memories of Lynn and I. We laughed and we cried. I told her I was sad she would not get to meet this baby. I was 16 weeks pregnant and we had not found out what we were having at that point. I told Grandma that I thought it was a girl, so that is what we would go with. She laughed and said it probably would be! She then asked for Tim. It was a precious moment to be in her room with my Mom, Lynn and my husband saying good-bye to her. God is good. Fast forward to that night - too many details to type out. I got home from our Christmas celebration with my Mom's side of the family and my Mom called to tell me that Grandma had died. Another moment I will never forget. Grandma did know she was dying - wow. I decided to meet the family at my Grandparent's house right after we heard the news. Up to this point in my pregnancy I had felt little flutters from the baby, but nothing that made me really stop and say, wow, that was the baby. We get over to my grandparents and we sit in the living room and start sharing memories of Grandma. As we are sitting there talking, the baby goes crazy and is kicking up a storm. It was the first time I KNEW it was the baby. It was as if God was saying to me "I give and I take away".


Tim and I agreed to find out the sex of the baby at the 20 week ultrasound. We decided to find out and not tell anyone. We did not find out the sex with our first two, so this was new to us. We went to our appointment 3 weeks after Grandma died and we found out we were having our 3rd girl. We were thrilled for many reasons and so thankful she was healthy. Weeks later Tim and I were discussing names and had a couple we liked. We both really like Avery, but couldn't settle on a middle name. One night we started talking about middle names. We use middle names that are after family members. So we listed the names we could use and Tim says what about Margaret - my Grandma's first name. I had never thought to use her name in the past. It then hit me like a ton of bricks - 1.) I told her we were having a girl, and she IS a girl. 2.) I felt the baby move right after she passed away. And 3.) at the funeral, my uncle gave the eulogy and ended with these words "AND SO WE CELEBRATE THE CIRCLE OF LIFE. MOM IS EXPERIENCING TRUE PEACE WITH THE LORD AND LISA IS 4 MONTHS PREGNANT WITH ANOTHER DESCENDANT OF MARGE AND GIL." After talking about all these things, Tim and I knew what her name would be ~ Avery Margaret. My Mom was in the delivery room when she was born and it was such an honor to be able to tell her we named her Avery Margaret. Tears were flowing.

I often look at Avery and wonder what my Grandma would think about her. I envision my Grandma holding Avery in her chair, just like she did with my other two girls.

(Grandma with Halle)

Avery will not know my Grandma and that saddens me more than I would like to admit, but she will carry on her name. What a special little girl Avery is to me. I find myself looking at Avery and reminded of Grandma. It is a constant reminder that God is in control and He does have a plan and a purpose. I am often asked if we were wanting a boy for our third because we already have 2 girls. How it hurts me when I am asked that. We wanted what God wanted for this family. He knew Grandma would die when she did and He knew Avery would be born when she was. He knew she would kick when she did and He knew I would tell Grandma it was a girl. So, did we want a boy? No, we wanted our little Avery Margaret!

Change

I have been wanting to start this blog for weeks now and haven't been able to come up with a title for it. I finally have it and feel like this title is appropriate for my life. We are in a constant state of change. As I tucked Gracie into bed tonight, and a tear slid down my cheek, I once again was reminded of change. So, I came right to the computer and started my blog. Tomorrow I send my little (big!) girl to preschool. Tim and I can't believe she is old enough for this. Where have the 4 1/2 years gone (almost 5)? I remember having her in the hospital, not realizing what was ahead for us and this little girl. Would we ever get over acid reflux? Would she ever sleep through the night? Would she ever get her first tooth?? (When she was good and ready - 16 months old!) Would she ever listen? Would she stop throwing tantrums and screaming fits? We have made it though a lot of these issues, but there are many we are still working on, and many yet to come. I can say though, she is a sweet, loving, caring little girl. What a blessing she is to this family.

This preschool decision was a quick one for us and it is now hitting me hard! All along we had thought we would home school. Because of this we were not thinking about preschool. We then felt like the Lord was directing us in another direction, and we feel (at this time) homeschooling is not for us. We then talked about preschool last year and decided not to send her this year, for various reasons. It was a decison we thought about, talked about, and prayed about. We both felt not to send her. The day after Labor Day - this year - I felt an unbelievable sense that she needed to be in preschool. I now know it was the Lord directing me. We of course could not get her into the school we thought she should be at. After 2 weeks of looking and knocking on different doors, an opening came up at a school that Gracie's best friend goes too. We went up the next day, looked at it and met her teacher. We made the decision the following day to send her. This is where God wants her, not where I thought she should be, but where He wants her. So, as I say good-bye to her tomorrow, I do it with so many mixed emotions. But, I know it is God's plan and God's timing. His ways are higher than our ways.

Like I said in the beginning, I have been trying to come up with a blog title for weeks. I went to Bible study this past Wednesday and the lady speaking said this year's theme would be around change. It hit me then that this was to be my blog title. Over the last two years, our family has gone through a ton of change. I won't get into it now, but a year ago I was sitting in church and the Lord spoke to me though the song:

"Blessed Be Your Name" -

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
In the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

It is was right then and there I chose to say "Blessed be Your Name". I don't understand some of the things we have gone through, but I am comforted in knowing He gives and He takes away. What a blessing this is to me.

Back to preschool - I am so excited for Grace. We love the school and love the teacher. It is such a blessing to us. It is so awesome to me to see Him work! So, as I kiss Gracie good-bye tomorrow morning, I will remember that change is constant. I will remember that this is God's will for our life, and I will remember to say "You give and take away, my heart will choose to say Lord, blessed be your name."