Sophia Elise

My sister Katie and brother-in-law Josh welcomed their 3rd baby girl into the world today at 12:30 p.m.

Sophia Elise, 7 lb. 10 oz.

BINGO!

One of Parker's new favorite games is Sesame Street Bingo. It is pretty funny when a 2 year-old walks up to you several times a day and says, "Hey, do you wanna play bingo with me?" Today after I got out of the shower he came running into the bathroom and yelled, "He is really scary and he won't quit bothering me!" And I asked him who he was talking about and he told me it was the Count.....So I was relieved that there wasn't some strange man who snuck in our house during my shower.....needless to say, I hid the Count Bingo card.....

When I was getting Parker dressed this morning we were going over Colossians 3:12-14 "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." And after I said the verse I asked Parker, "So what else does God want us to put on every day besides clothes." His response, "God probably just says, 'put your clothes on and get to church.'" Ha! I did laugh out loud and then explain the verse again.

I am now 31 weeks pregnant! So here is an updated picture to show you all that this boy is growing big.....fast....and I cannot wait to meet him in a few weeks! We have narrowed down the name list, but are still undecided on what his name should be. I am thinking we might wait to officially decide on his name until we meet him....as long as we have some options to decide from...right?!?!?! In the past few days I have heard from one person, "Oh, you don't look very big for being due in January." And, "Omigosh, you aren't due until January?" So what do you think? Do I look big or small for 31 weeks.....I would love to hear from you :)!

Have a great day and in Parker's words, "Just put your clothes on and get to church!"

"Why did God make you so small?"

Parker: Mommy, please carry me up the stairs....

Me: Parker, I can't. You need to walk.
(considering he weighs 35 lbs. and I have gained about 30 lbs. I can't bear an extra 65 lbs. on the way up the stairs)

Parker: Can daddy still carry me?

Me: Yes he can because daddy is big.

Parker: No, mommy he is HUGE!

We walk up the stairs and I thought that was the end of the discussion.

Parker: (In a disgusted voice) Why did God make you so small?

Me: Good question....(I really could use a few extra inches in my torso these days :)!)

Another week gone by...

I can hardly believe that tomorrow is Friday! It is strange to me how the days can seem so long at times, but the weeks seem to fly by? Time is weird if you really think about it. Everyday, except yesterday, has been cloudy and rainy and I cannot complain. I am enjoying it.

Parker's combine was "broke down" so he went downstairs and got his "welding tools" to fix it......Yeah, that is what he told me.


So Monday I wrote about praying for Parker 7 times a day, everyday....I am here to report I have done pretty well and some of the scriptures have become so alive to me! I love Philippians 2:14-16 and I find myself using that scripture constantly throughout the day with Parker.

"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that you may boast on the day of Christ that you did not run or labor for nothing." Philippians 2:14-16

We were at Kmart today and I think I mentioned that verse about 20 times as we walked around the store and he started arguing with me or complaining about something. In the check-out line he kept trying to say "arguing" and it was so funny....until he started screaming about wanting a sucker.....and then refused to hand the coupon he was holding to the cashier....now, Parker is usually pretty reasonable, but today was an exception. He screamed and threw the biggest fit I have ever experienced with him and I was soooooo embarrassed! Discipline ensued when we got home and I felt like he understood that he could not act like that.....HA! Since then he has had about 5 fits and I feel like we have done nothing BUT argue today! He went down for his nap without reading stories (BIG deal to him) and I am hoping he wakes up in a better mood.

After asking God, "Why, after praying for Parker all week, and using scripture to reiterate these truths throughout the day, do I feel more discouraged and Parker is more disobedient than ever?!?!?!?!"

His answer.....the enemy hates prayer....the enemy hates truth (scripture)....the enemy hates when we are victorious in our commitment to God....

So my encouragement today to any of you who are joining me in this prayer challenge. PRESS ON! Continue to pray for and with your kids, speak truth (scripture) boldly and with confidence all day long.... When I was talking to my sister this afternoon about how discouraged I was with Parker, she said this...."You won't see fruit right away, and you may not for a few years, but continue to do what you are doing...if you don't do it now how will you handle him when he is 10 or 15..." So true.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:11

Lord, may these scriptures encourage us to press on....that we would cling to you when we feel like giving up...give us patience and perseverance to wait for the harvest of righteousness in our children....you are a faithful God.

The call to prayer...

I think we all know how important it is to pray for and pray with our children, but when the house is a mess and there are no clean clothes to wear it is easy to be so distracted during the day....at least it is for me. I was recently challenged by Angie Smith's blog about praying for your children. (wife of Todd Smith of the Christian group Selah) Anyway, I placed the link on my sidebar that is the picture of the little girl praying and it says 7x7. Her challenge is for mom's to commit to pray 7 times a day 7 days a week and she gives specific prayers and scriptures to pray at specific times of day. I thought it looked like a great challenge because of many things.....

1. All of the prayers are scripture and there is nothing more important to pray than TRUTH!
2. Each scripture prayer correlates with things you are already doing throughout the day.
3. It is often during these times (getting kids dressed, bath time, meal time, etc.) that are sometimes the most stressful times of day for me and this would be great for me to take a moment and pray when I am at my wits end :)! I mean, it is hard to pray and speak the truth, unless my heart is right before God.
4. Repetition is a great way to memorize scripture, and Parker is like a sponge right now, so how great for him and I to be prayerfully learning 7 scriptures together.

I will let you know how I am doing on this challenge and I pray you would consider joining me. You can find her full entry about this prayer challenge by clicking on the button on the left side of the page. And her blog is really encouraging as well.....her story about losing a daughter to Trisomy 18 is very inspiring and she is full of wisdom!

Pray you are all enjoying the "wintry mix" outside today.

Big Day!

Big day at our house today......I took a shower and got ready this morning! oh, and election day and my glucose tolerance test (so pretty much the only reason I showered and got ready is because I had to go vote and go to the doctor) As you can see by this picture, Parker had he run of the house this morning while I was in the shower, and though I am happy to report he had no accidents in his underwear (and hasn't for the past couple days!!!!!) he went ahead and helped himself to whatever he wanted. I asked him what he was doing and he said, "I am just playing cards with my monies!!!!"

Parker also slept in his new room downstairs last night and did surprisingly well. He got up at midnight and said he didn't want to sleep in his new room anymore, but after Sean laid down with him for a little bit he went right back to sleep until 7:15 this morning! I think him sleeping in the basement was harder on me than him last night, but we all have some adjusting to do before we welcome baby #2 in just 10 weeks!!!!! I put him down for his nap in his new room, and I just checked and he is sound asleep! I am praying that each night just gets easier....on me that is :)!

Since I have my glucose test today I have been trying not to eat any candy, which is a huge challenge for someone who eats about 15 tootsie rolls an hour....hey, what can I say? it is left over halloween candy and I am not going to let it go to waste ;)! And I am hoping it doesn't backfire on me....watch my blood sugar be super low when I get it tested today since my body is used to so much sugar! Anyway.....this is just rambling so I will quit.

If you haven't voted yet today I encourage you to get out and vote.....and if you don't have a glucose tolerance test I encourage you to eat the rest of your leftover halloween candy.....

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." Proverbs 19:21

Thank you Lord that your sovereign will cannot be thwarted by the plans of men. We pray for your will to be done today in the election, and trust in you (not our government) to be our only hope for a better life, a better country, and for eternity. You alone are worthy of our praise!

Some say Boo! others say Moo!

Parker had such a fun time Trick-or-Treating with his cousins last night! However, he insisted that he only say "Moo!" because he was a cow....and clearly cows don't talk and say "Trick-or-Treat" or "Happy Halloween".....I am posting all the pictures we took to show that we tried and tried to get a good picture, but the excitement combined with the amount of sugar they had consumed made it a little tough!