Joy

In everything find joy. . . .


A day in the life of me in the last 24 hours: 


Wednesday 4/7: 


Wake at 7:00 - brush teeth, hair, throw on cap - help Maddie get ready for school
7:30 load Avery in car in pajamas (this takes 10 minutes at least) 
7:40 load Jace in his carseat
7:45 drop Maddie off
8:00 back home - Avery breakfast, Jace feeds
9:00 Jace down for nap - Avery playing
ME - REST!! :) 
Wait. I wanted to, but didn't. :( 


Here's what I did instead: 
vacuumed, dishes, laundry, bills, facebook, blogging, check email


11:00 - Jace feeds again - Avery lunch
12:00 - Jace was suppose to go down for a nap - no such luck. 
1:00 - Jace is still awake - in and out, but not settled
2:00 - I feed Jace again and try to take a nap. 
2:30 - nap possibilties are fading fast. :( He's not interested in sleep. 
3:00 - I get ready again to go pick up Maddie
3:15 - load Jace and Avery
3:30 - get Maddie from school - Jace still awake and still fussy
3:45 - Jace sleeps for a minute so we take advantage and go to SONIC :) 
4:00 - I'm wiped. Why didn't I take that NAP EARLIER?!?
4:30 - make dinner - hotdogs - so much for that REVOLUTION
5:00 - dinner early means bed early. Feed Jace - again.
6:00 - Jace is still not really settled - might as well take girls to the park
7:00 - the wind drives us back home - ugh. Bathtime! 
7:30- Girls are in bed watching movies, lights are off, and Jace is still not settling. :( 
8:00 I head to bed, too, but Feed Jace once more. 
8:30 I'm crying now. I need SLEEP. :( :( :( 
9:00 Jason is finally home. Girls sleeping. Jace sleeping. 
9:15 Toss up between Sleeping or Shower....Sleep wins


4/8: 


12:00 AM Jace slept! YAY! Eating again. . . 
3:00 AM Jace eats again. . . 
5:30 AM You guessed it. . . .Sleeping again though...YAY! 
7:00 AM  I got that shower, girls up ready to go
7:50 AM Take Maddie to school
8:00 AM WE ARE OUT OF GROCERIES! Avery needs a drink for lunch - fast! 
8:15 Donut Shop - fast breakfast and a drink - Food Revolution, what? 
8:20 Feed Jace, do makeup, help Avery with shoes
8:50 Walk to preschool




I'm finally home sitting down, but that nap is still calling my name. 




Why did I share with you my day? 


Because no matter how stressful it is right now, no matter how sleep deprived I am, how long I go without a shower or a nap - I still manage to find joy. . .  


Jace will never again be this little. I will never again get time off to hold him. :) And no matter what - he IS sleeping well at night! :) 


Avery will never again be in preschool. She will always remember that we took time out to walk her to and from school. 


Maddie will not always want to talk to me about school, friends, and go to Sonic with me. 


Jason and I will not always share funny little moments, short sweet moments or rock/paper/scissors for diaper changes together at 2 AM & 5 AM. 




In everything find the joy. 


I'm pretty sure this is one of God's expectations for us during out life. No matter WHAT is going on. 


What's your joy right now?  

Worth the Wait

Introducing Jace Patrick: 

After a long ten months, Jace has finally arrived to complete our family! 


Life has been very busy to say the least, especially while still trying to keep up with 2 girls and a newborn! I have a new respect for moms with 2+ kids - getting older kids to school and still keeping baby on track is one of my newest art forms. :) 


Everyone has adjusted well to our newest member and by far he's one of the easiest babies ever - it might have something to do with me being more relaxed, more confident, and more patient than I was the first or second time. It might also have to do with the amount of help I have this time around. The girls and Jason have been A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! 


We are getting about 4-6 hours of broken sleep per night. He's great with baths, diaper changes, eating, and napping! Some of the things helping us are our rice pack (heated), swaddling blanket, Baby Whisperer and Happiest Baby on the Block techniques. 


For the most part we've taken up our normal routine - 


We've been walking everywhere! Love our jogging stroller (thanks, mom!) and our Sleepy Wrap. We're back at the park or track almost daily - sometimes twice in a day. Jace usually sleeps, but I know he is loving the fresh air! 


I've also started tracking my workout progress with my new Nike+ iPod. It tracks my runs/walks, lets me set goals, charts progress on the nike website and even makes me more accountable by uploading my runs and details to Twitter and Facebook! 


The good news is I've lost almost all of the weight I gained while pregnant, but I still have about 30 more lbs to lose, so we're following Jamie Oliver's trend and doing our own Food Revolution here. Last week, my family ate cauliflower. Wait. 


MY FAMILY ATE CAULIFLOWER! 


There. We never eat it, none of us like it, but adding some extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and throw in the oven and magically it all disappears. I also used the cauliflower to make a mashed potato substitute. YUM-O! Nothing left. :) 
***************************************
On a personal note, I love having my mobility back. I have never taken for granted the ability to move, walk, or run, so I do it enthusiastically! 


My recovery has been a lot faster this time around and I'm sure it has a lot to do with my mind being so determined to bounce back to my old self. 


Each moment of every day, my heart is abundantly filled with gratitude and love. I'm beyond blessed with an amazing and loving husband, two beautiful, helpful, joyous girls, and a healthy sweet baby boy. 


Looking back on my last 33 years, I realize that not everything worked out the way I'd planned; not everyone ended up being who I expected them to be; not everything comes easily, but always the things most worth being a part of my life have been worth waiting for; worth working for; worth the pain and struggle - worth the wait. 

March Madness

Remember way back when we found out Jace was coming? You know plans and all that? 


So, today is our last day before he arrives (and the 2nd day of spring I might add) and boy did we have a lot planned! 


This is what we woke up to just now: 

So much for PLANS! Looks like we will going to MINIMAL and NECESSARY places today - like to drop off the girls before the hospital in the morning. 

At least we will have a fun story to share with Jace about the day before he was born! 

Here are some more photos I took this morning: 

**thank you to Jason for my fun title this AM - by the way - WHAT HAPPENED TO KANSAS?!

Last Ditch on the Right. . . .

Have you seen this movie? The Last House on the Left? 

Yeah. I think the beginning goes something like this: 


Couple at home. Doorbell rings. Knocking begins. People outside ask for help. Couple lets people in and it's ALL downhill from there. 


Last night as I was trying to sleep - nothing new, an odd thing happened. I think I had just dozed back off after a bathroom break and was dreaming. In my dream, there was a doorbell. I woke up and immediately thought it could be Avery home albeit extra early, but it's happened before. 


I woke Jason up and told him the doorbell was ringing. He said "No, it's not." 


Ding Dong.


Right at that moment, he realized his crazy, delusional pregnant wife was right! :) 


We both got up and peeked out the window. There was no one in the driveway. The knocking continued and then yelling: 


"Hello? I know you're in there. I need help! My cell phone battery died!"

We both looked at each other and were both thinking: Whatever! WE SAW THE MOVIE!


(Jason's version of this is much funnier, but probably not appropriate content to post on my family blog.)


At that moment I was thankful for 3 things: 


1. Maddie was still asleep
2. Jason, even a tired Jason, could probably take anyone out
3. Jason has a handgun that he keeps out of sight, but if needed it was available. 


He told me to go to the bedroom and call 911. I did and explained the situation. From what I could see, the driver (and doorbell ringer) had completely missed the turn by our street and the front right wheel was stuck in our ditch. What we thought was a woman, didn't look like one standing in the street, either. Weird. 


After calling 911, the police showed up. We watched from the window, peeking through a crack. I even took a cell phone picture. After an hour of the police watching and looking at the car, they left and we both tried to sleep. It was a no go. :( 


You can't make much out from the picture and I was SO hoping that the car would still be there this morning. 

Even more, I'm now wishing I had that person's address, so I could show up this morning beating on their door and wake them up so they couldn't sleep. 


So, just in case anyone was wondering - yes, we get it - we are READY to function on only 3 hours of sleep. We would really rather not have any more crazy situations wake us at  3AM though unless it's a birthing baby or an already born baby wanting a diaper change or a feeding. 


Lesson? Don't open the door no matter WHAT THEY SAY! ;) 

AB List

AB = After Baby


My due date isn't for 2 more weeks and I'm hoping to avoid the whole induction process. Trust me, I'm doing everything possible, but I know Jace and my body aren't ready otherwise those little or big "nudges" would've worked. 


I have everything washed, organized, hung, packed and ready for Jace. I'm almost crawling out of my skin, though. I have no home projects, no big work projects. 

I've shopped til I dropped and walked more than I intended. Seen the movies I wanted to - did the whole family night/day out and date nights with Jason.

So, since all I've been doing is sitting here waiting, I decided to come up with a list of things I am ready to do. This lists represents things I love to do and have missed in the past 9 months. I plan to do them all as soon as possible "after baby." 


1. Walking for an hour/Running for an hour with my fast fun music blaring
2. Have a nice cold beer/margarita/shot of tequila
3. Being able to eat a whole meal w/out getting full after a few bites
4. Being able to wait for the bathroom instead of running around finding the first one I see
5. Having a fitness plan - I cannot wait to try the Nike/iPod fitness - getting ready for Nov marathon
6. Riding a roller coaster - six flags here we come. So what if it's the kiddie coaster with Avery. 
7. Wearing my famous black, red, and brown high heels! Oh, how I've missed thee!
8. Being able to hug people normally - not that "friend" or "church" from the side hug. :( 
9. The ability to shave and actually REACH comfortably.
10. Have sushi, sushi, sushi


Last and definitely something new. . . 


11. I WILL paintball or laser tag before the summer is over! :) 


I do know that no matter what - I will not be pregnant for anymore than 15 more days (40 weeks). YAY! 
(that doesn't mean you can't pray or send labor vibes for him to come sooner.....) 


Did I mention that we are READY? ;) 

To my Jace. . . .

I am so excited to meet you! After nine long months of wondering what life will be like with a boy, it's just a matter of days until you will be in our lives, in our arms, and forever in our hearts. 


Everything is ready. Your sisters are so thrilled to see what you'll look like and who's hair and eyes you'll have. They already know what they want to teach you and do with you. Although I do feel a bit sorry for you because they will be so very protective, they already love you so much and have prayed for you for a long time. Remember that no matter how old you are, they will always feel the need to take care of you. :) 


Your dad is so proud already and you're not even here yet. He already has big plans for you to spend lots of weekends playing sports and watching basketball games together and I'm secretly hoping you'll get his singing ability. You're going to have a such a great time with him. He's like a big kid all the time but always has great advice, too. I'm so confident in his ability to be a dad and a great role model. I know that he will always put you and the girls first and do whatever you need to be taken care of any day of the week. 


I will admit I'm a bit anxious. I'm so used to pink, hair bows, and baby dolls. I'm also use to drama and crying. Getting ready in the mornings, yeah, that takes a lot of energy, too. :) I think you and I will be great together. I cannot wait to take you out and play ball and chase you around the park, but also be able to comfort you when you need it. Everyone tells me about this "special" bond between moms and sons and so I'm looking forward to being in on that "secret." 


As we wait and and have so many people ask us daily now when we think you'll come, we all remember that God's timing is appointed. We may be ready, we may be anxious, we may want it to happen NOW, but we know that since the beginning, God has been in control and this isn't any different. We know that when it's time, you'll be here. We know that He is behind the scenes putting all the pieces together for that moment.  We trust Him and it is our prayer and hope that you will learn to lean on HIm and trust Him, as well. 


We love you and cannot wait for you to become part of our family and make us complete! 


love, 
mom, dad, little crazy sister and big protective sister

What? Pregnancy Lasts 10 months?!?

37 weeks. Yep. I've made it that long. When you think that pregnancy last about 10 months, knowing that I'm literally days away from meeting my new little man, seems surreal. 

It is an exciting time in our house, but the anxieties are closing in on all of us. We've discussed the "what ifs," the "what are you most excited about", the "what are you most nervous about," and we have everything ready to go at a moments notice. 

We spent this weekend doing family things: going to a movie, going to lunch, going to the mall. . . All of us aware that it could very well be our last time doing those things just the four of us. 

I will say that being in public in general is very annoying at this point. I'm not sure what happens to people when they breathe the same air as 9 month pregnant ladies, but something odd happens. Their brains sort of become paralyzed, I think. 

At the beginning of my pregnancy, I found a Due in March message board that I frequented a lot to refresh my memory about all the pains and joys of pregnancy. It's nice to be able to go to a place and read what other people are going through at the same time. 

Some of the things that I've enjoyed reading is how many of the ladies are just as annoyed about the same things as I have been. Here's a What to Do and What NOT to Do List for those of you that maybe "forget" how to socially interact with people like "us." (all in good fun, so don't take it personal) I've gathered things from my own experiences as well as those that I have read: 

What NOT to SAY/DO: 

1. Do not call or text every few hours asking how they are feeling. Assume that they are in pain most of the time and ready to be comfortable again. We know you mean well, but . . . 

2. Do not say "Wow. You're still pregnant?" Think it. Don't SAY it. 

3. Do not ask "How's your fat?" Seriously. Would you say this to anyone who was overweight? 

4. Do not think that the "belly" is public domain. You do NOT have a right to touch just because it's out there. 

5. Do not ask a zillion times "When is your due date again?" If you don't remember just ask which month we're "shooting" for......

6. Do not say "It must be any day now." You may think this is comforting, but not for the lady that knows she still has WEEKS left. 

7. Never, ever say "You are HUGE!" Why would you do that to ANYONE? Really. Do pregnant ladies not have the same insecurities are normal people?! 

8. Don't leave an interaction by saying "Good luck with that" while pointing to the belly. Don't add "I mean that in a good way." 

9. Don't act like we don't exist when you are entering a store and let the door slam in our face.

10. Don't ask us if we know when baby will be here unless we have a scheduled section or induction. We don't know. You know as much as we do. We look ready to you? Imagine how we feel. . . .

What to Do/Say

1. Do say that said pregnant lady looks great. (even if you're LYING)

2. Do send "I'm thinking of you messages." It is nice to know 

3. Do ask to touch "the belly." Chances are most will let you - just ASK. 

4. Do talk to us about normal things. We don't necessarily need to talk about everything baby at this point. Ask us about normal things like dinner, movies, music, work. . . 

5. Do hold doors open for us. Do stop while we attempt crossing the street. We KNOW you KNOW we're obviously pregnant at this point. 

6. Do remember what your mother said about staring at people - especially 9 month pregnant people. 

7. Do offer your seat if you see us standing up waiting for a table or at the mall. 

8. Do feel free to tell funny (FUNNY not SCARY) stories of your birth experiences. 

9. Do know that even though this is the happiest time in our lives, we still have depressing days where we've cried all day. 

10. Do assume that we will call you the minute something is "happening." :)