Fridays are Special Blessings

354. Siblings. I LOVE watching my kiddos play together. Today they were building with the pillows, blocks, legos, and using their big cars and trucks. They really have a good time using their imagination.

353. A friend was available to chat today when I needed someone to remind of God's Word.

352. Our new healthy living is going well!

351. Though the weekend is just beginning, I think we'll be UNDER budget for groceries this week!

350. Raquel came today. We've got clean bathrooms and a clean kitchen floor! And I was able to run to the store for a hot minute.

349. This is my 100th post on this blog. I think I'll go and reread some of the entries to remind myself just how good God has been to me.

348. Daddy's home. No meeting tonight! Whew! What a week it has been!

347. Autumn Glory is FOUR MONTHS OLD already! Ooooo and she's so adorable! Thank You, Lord, for her precious smile that melts my heart even during those 3am feedings. I've said it many times before, this has been the easiest transition we've had with a baby. Whether it's her being "an easy" baby or me having a very different perspective, the Lord has certainly blessed us with her.

Teaching, Dinner, Papa-son, & Cards

346. Wisdom 356 is going well. Ummm... or should I simply say J and S have good brains and learn despite me. I love teaching them! It's so neat how they memorize Scripture SO easily!

345. No complaints at dinner this evening. What a miracle! It was odd but so welcomed to have everyone actually eat. We did have a minor argument over who was going to pray but having my kids WANT to pray is a good thing!

344. Papa-son went to Trader Joe's before his meeting for me to stock up on some essentials and save me from having to go this weekend. Oh, Pops, you are GOOOOOD to me!

343. Played a card game with Joshua after the others went to bed. What fun! Of course, after we played I realized I taught him the wrong way to play. Guess I should read (and not skim) the directions next time!

Jammies, Cookies, Fellowhip

342. Kadin came into our room as I was feeding Autumn and asked me to zip his jammies. I did and he was so excited about his jammies he squealed and ran away all giddy and smiling! Oh, what sweet joy there can be over little things as warm jammies! Thank You for allowing me that moment, Lord.

341. Made cookies for a fellowship meeting this evening while trying to make dinner and they did not turn out as I had envisioned. I wasn't going to bring them they were so not good. But God actually worked a miracle as they were eaten! In fact, one guy loved them and took the extra home with him! Thank You, Lord, for Your hand on those cookies!

340. Fellowship. Experiencing true biblical fellowship, where you are transparent and other point you to the only One who can save and change you, is a gift.

New...

339. New chances. Yes, Your grace is available to me. Though I mess up in just about every area, you always provide for me and grant me more opportunties to trust You and learn from my mistakes and sin.

338. A new blog to hopefully focus my efforts and record God's faithfulness.

337. A new year, a new month, a new week... opportunties to grow in trusting God and in seeing God at work!

A Rare Moment of Silence

336. A rare moment of silence. Well, the dryer is running with my FINAL load of laundry. Yes, praise to God for no dirty laundry in the basement. Ah, that is amazing and purely a gift from God in our season. All 5 kiddos are napping... or at least on their beds... and quiet. Yes, a rare but wonderful rare moment of silence. I do hear the rain outside though... and the cars going by. But a rare quiet. No stinky diapers to change. No arguments over crayons. No spilled water. No screaming of anyone in anger. And in this rare moment of silence I hear You loud and clear. You are telling me, reminding me of what You've told me before... You deserve the glory. You have granted me the gift of children. You have allowed me to marry the husband I have. You alone are responsible for this brief reprieve from life's drudgery. So, my God and King, I thank You for this moment of quiet and realize that the quiet's good... but the noise of a house full of kiddos and a crazy husband is FAR better!

Good thing because kiddo #1 just came out of his room and is standing beside me saying, "Mommy, I napped." Of course, he didn't nap for I just closed his bedroom door 10 minutes ago!

October Thanks

335. My hubby planned the best bday for my 35th! What a wonderful man God has graciously allowed me to marry! And every year actually gets BETTER! He planned these surprise meals with people to bless me. The title was something like, "Finding Joy in the midst of Dirty Diapers and Drug Deals." The first meal was with a couple we knew back in Chicago shortly after we got married. They were a couple we were greatly encouraged and spurred on by. It was incredible meeting up with them again! The 2nd meal was with our pastor and his family. What was so neat about that time was it was almost exactly 3 years since we first had a meal with them on the our first Sunday visiting the church before we moved from MD. Autumn was in the hospital on the morning of what was to be our 3rd meal so perhaps we'll have another opportunity to get with that couple and their kids. But, Lord, I don't need any more. My husband has gone all out by organizing these events. Thank You for him and all he does and is!

334. Papa mowed the garden and the pumpkin patch. It's all pretty much gone. But what a fun experience! We ended up with 14 pumpkins! Not bad for a $1.49 pack of seeds! We had one little marconi pepper, a good amount of tomatoes, lots of zucchini, and some lettuce. The carrots, onion, and corn were a bust. But it was a great treat to watch the kiddos as they observed changes in the garden. Thank You, Lord, for the harvest. And thank You for my husband's excitement in thinking about next year. Yes, he already got the kids to help him plant tulip bulbs for the spring!

333. Our kiddos have a Papa who loves them so much that he installed a swing in our schoolroom! Yes, it looks crazy, I'm sure. But the kiddos LOVE it as they swing from the schoolroom to the foyer! Thank You, Lord, for giving my kiddos a father who adores them so much that he is not concerned with what's "normal." And how wonderful it is hearing the kids giggle as they play with Daddy!

332. Thank You, Lord, for allowing me to give birth to Autumn naturally. Though the labor was more intense due to the amount of time it took, it was a "better" delivery in that my recovery has been so easy. Lord, You are so kind to me.

331. I went shopping this afternoon and Joshua decided to come along. I went to Alid and then the Super Walmart. It was so nice having him with me. I love so many of his qualities... his attention to detail, his love for God's beautiful creation, his giddiness and excitement over so many things I would normally overlook, his desire to be near me at all times, his constant questioning and desire to know and understand... and more. Thank You, Lord, for Joshua Caleb and for creating him as you have. I adore my biggest boy!

330. Raquel, a genuine mother's helper! If you're local and are reading this you know who this young lady is. Wow! I am amazed that she comes WEEKLY (thanks to her mom from driving her every week!) to clean our dirty bathrooms and kitchen and allows me time to go grocery shopping without the whole gang or late at night. Lord, I pray You would help Raquel see how much she blesses me. May she feel and be assured of Your great pleasure in how she serves our family.

329. Our church family providing meals for us has been SO nice. I love to cook and always think it's unnecessary for others to provide meals for us. But, I am so thankful to all the wives in our church have done extra work and spent extra money to bless us by providing a meal. What a tremendous help!

328. Papa-bear was able to work from home the week Autumn was born and then take the next week off. We had a great time together, just the seven of us. Tomorrow will be an adjustment for all of us. But we are so very thankful to the Gift-giver for granting us this unique time together.

327. Autumn Glory is home with us and is no longer jaundice.

Autumn Glory

326. Autumn Glory... born Monday, October 5th at 3:14pm. Soooo much to say but I'd rather just enjoy this special new season. Hopefully I'll remember enough to document it all for later. Lord God, thank You for creating little Autumn Glory, for knitting her together in my womb, for granting me the privilege to carry her in my body and then to give birth to her not even a week ago. Thank You for granting a safe delivery, easy recovery for me, and for sustaining our littlest girls' life. Thank You that You are sustaining her and allowing her to grow and allowed her to come home from the NICU. We trust You to fulfill Your plans for her life which will be for Your glory and her good!