Something to make you laugh....

The first thing Parker says to me when he wakes up from his nap.......

"Mommy, when I grow big like you I want to have a really big baby like you.....and have a big head like yours.......and a shirt like that........and eat peanuts......Okay? Now let's paint some sharks."

Choosing Surrender

It has been a long week and it is only Tuesday....I went into the Dr. yesterday with hopes and plans of being induced this week....so far that is not happening. I go back to see him on Friday and I am praying that something changes. Please pray with me!

So here i sit, 39 weeks pregnant, getting some pretty crazy ideas about how to make myself go into labor.

To pass the time Parker and I have been playing lots of slap jack....yeah, the card game. He learned it at his grandparent's house this weekend and seriously would sit and play cards for hours on end. I am finding it to be a good tool to teach him his numbers....and as an added bonus I can just sit in a chair and not move. So then after not moving for an hour we head down to the basement and take turns walking on the treadmill....and then that makes us hungry so we have to have a snack and play slap jack again....

Sean and I spent last weekend cleaning the house, going out for our "last date", and battling the dreaded stomach flu.....again! Seriously, this is the second time it has been a guest in our house this winter and I am SICK of being SICK!

I think the reason I am most frustrated that I am not being induced this week is because the house was spotless, the laundry was done, and the groceries were put away, and now we have to live here another week before the baby comes.....so the house will get dirty, the laundry will need washed, and the groceries will get eaten! Yes, I know, the many logical worries of 39 week pregnant woman. I guess I shouldn't have been praying so hard for a relaxed and laid back child this time around.......seems that he is a little too laid back....

Once again God is showing me that I have no control over soooooo many things in my life and once again I am resisting the lesson and choosing to cling to my frustration....and that is just what it is, my choice.

Lord, please help me let go of my frustration and choose surrender!

.....and here he goes again with the hiccups for the 45th time today....

Yeah...it really is January 7th 2009....

Highlights from the past few weeks......

1. Parker helped paint his brother's room......


2. Parker got TWO dump trucks, baseball bases and a tee, a horsey that really makes noise and about 293 other things for Christmas.




3. Parker learned how to clean a goose, and loved it.



4. I am now 38 weeks, as big as a house, and I am officially "nesting" and by that I mean laying on the couch doing as little as possible until the baby arrives :)! (Sorry, no picture to document this one, you will just have to take my word.)

Christmas was great and we got to spend a lot of time with family which is always fun. Parker had all of his aunts and uncles around to harass and spoil him and he is having a hard time remembering how to play by himself. Please be praying that I go into labor within the next week...as Parker was 7 days early and weighed 8 lbs 7 ozs and I am totally unwilling to have a bigger baby than that......unless of course I have to :).....

God has really been stretching me and asking me to surrender a lot of worry and anxiety and to trust Him in all things. I have been encouraged by 1 Kings chapter 3 and Solomon's wisdom. In 1 Kings 3:5 God appears to Solomon in a dream and says, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you."

And so what does Solomon ask for? He asks God for a discerning heart. (1 Kings 3:9) And God replies in 1 Kings 3:11-12, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart..."

I am beginning to realize that when worries overwhelm me it is easy to pray for God to ease the pain, bring comfort, give wealth and good health and long life, but that is not a wise request.....I need to be asking God for a discerning heart and the wisdom to know what to do in every situation He brings me to.

Lord, thank you for your faithfulness....You are more than able to impart wisdom and give us the ability to discern your will in all circumstances, if that is truly what our heart desires. May we know you more everyday.

P.S. I have been attempting to change my background and it isn't working....I will try and get the happy holidays background changed soon because whenever Parker sees Christmas lights of trees still up he says "Don't they know Christmas is OVER!"

Christmas Fun!

It has been a crazy couple weeks since Thanksgiving....and I can hardly believe that Christmas is next week....which means this baby is going to make his appearance soon....and so maybe we should also decide on a name sometime....but in the meantime we have been enjoying the Christmas season.

We took Parker to Disney on Ice a couple weeks ago and he LOVED it! He sat through all 2 hours of the show and was amazed. He couldn't stop talking about Pinocchio for days after we went! We went with another family and here is Parker and his friend Hailey.
We have made Christmas cookies and learned all the lyrics to "Frosty the Snowman" (thanks to cousin Hannah and grandma Diane's great Frosty costume)...you know, learning all of the important and meaningful things about Christmas!
Yesterday we had a little Christmas party over at Great-Gram Phelps's place and the kids had so much fun. They ran up and down the halls pretending to be Prancer, Cupid, and Rudolph and sang "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" to anyone who would stop and listen.

Some days I would love to just freeze Parker and Rebekah at age 2 forever....when they play nice together and have their "deep discussions" it is too sweet for words! I am so thankful for Parker having cousins so close!

I am looking forward to the next 2 weeks and having Sean home some extra days so we can finish up some things before the baby comes and do a little relaxing as well....Hope you are enjoying the season wherever you are, and remembering the TRULY important things to celebrate this Christmas season....Thank you Lord for the gift of your Son and His sacrifice so that we may have life! Hallelujah!

I'm just being a kitty...

I was trying to actually accomplish something today since most days I have zero energy...So I started some laundry early this morning and after I put it in I couldn't find Parker. I was looking all over the house for him and finally found him in the laundry basket "just being a kitty". During breakfast we read the story of Noah's Ark in his bible and have since then been pretending the story over and over and over....He built his ark on the couch and filled it with all of his animals, but was very distressed that he didn't have a turtle. He called me "mommy Noah" and he was "Parker Noah"....It eventually quit raining and the dove came back with an olive leaf, so we could leave the ark and do something else.

I had a doctors appointment yesterday and everything looks good. I go back in 2 weeks and I will be 35 weeks and I can hardly believe it! I am feeling very big and uncomfortable, but I have to constantly remind myself that it will be worth it in the end. However, the past couple days I have been struggling with anxiety and worry....I find myself constantly worrying about things that aren't even true....stupid things that waste my time and energy and it seriously wears me out...physically, mentally and emotionally. So when worry and anxiety start creeping into my thoughts today I am claiming this verse and I am believing that this truth will give me freedom from worry and anxiety today!

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Philippians 4:8

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!"