An Announcement... that probably won't surprise you.

That's right... we are expecting baby #5! 

Our family just got back from KS, where we made the announcement to all of our folks/grandparents.

Oddly enough...even though we had told everyone that we were done with #4... no one was really surprised by our announcement!  Everyone figured we'd have more... (shaking my head)...  apparently they know us better than we know ourselves!  ...kind of annoying... but it made me smile :)

Speaking of assumptions and number of kiddos...  While Jeremy and I were in Kansas we went to a Homecoming dinner for our old Alma Mater.  We sat next to an older couple and made pleasant conversation with them throughout the dinner.  When we were about to leave, the lady asked us if we happen to have any kids.  We told her that we had 4 and were actually expecting our 5th.  She gasped and blatantly looked me up and down.  Then she declared that I was too young to have that many kids.  She then turned to her older couple friends and told them her discovery.  They too examined me and shook their heads.  awkward!  Then the lady stepped forward and asked me one more question,  "Do you homeschool?"   I told her that I did. Then she stuck her pointer finger triumphantly in the air and exclaimed, "I knew it!"

Oh, you have gotta love stereotyping of large families and homeschooling :)
That too made me smile. 

So here we go down another crazy road of life!  I told my mother-in-law yesterday before we headed for home: "I've never experienced a more exhausting time of life... but it's so so rich."

We've never been happier :)

Here is the announcement I made from the photo to give our families....

 

Blessings to you all,

I want to remember this little girl.

Little Sadie.  My number 3... my miracle, my joy.
I want to remember that smile, the bounce in her step, that hair.
I know these days will be gone soon... and I just want to remember.
Summer days... filled with laughing and giggling, captured effortlessly and purely by my Sadie.

You can read more about little Sadie's story here... if you haven't already :)

Blessings,

Submission

I feel like one of the themes of my life these days is submission.... God keeps calling my attention to it lately.  You see, I'm learning submission one piece of my life at a time.  Five years ago God taught me submission in my marriage, and it has brought me amazing freedom.  Two years ago God taught my husband and me submission with our plans in life on a larger scale... and it has brought us amazing peace.  But today I'm struggling with submission on a daily basis in my home.  How do I lay down my daily life?  How do I give up my control... of my kids, of my schedule, of my work, of my stress?

I was talking to God about it the other day....

"Lord there is so much turmoil in life right now.... so much to fight against and resist.  I'm always struggling.  I never feel at ease.  There are always concerns, stresses, trials.  I'm always exhausted, confused, losing ground.  I don't know what else to do but keep fighting.... because if I don't, I'll drown....  I'll drown.  I'll die.....  Oh.  I'm supposed to die?   So is that what this is all about?  Me dying?  Me dying so that I can be raised to life anew in you?  I think I understand... But Lord, I don't know how to stop striving.  I don't know how to just stop kicking and let myself sink down....down into the calm quiet dark of you.  It scares me.  I don't know what's down there.  How do I know that you will bring me back to life in you?  Trust... I know.  But it's so hard.  Help me Lord.  Help me to trust you enough to stop kicking and fighting life.... Teach me to trust you, Lord... help me to submit."

I think I'm beginning to understand what I need to do...  now just to do it.
Definitely something to contemplate... have some more conversations with God about... as I go into this meaningful weekend.

Blessings to you this Easter season,

Spring Photo Session

I'm proud of myself! I actually got my Spring blog header up on time!  I think it's because I was looking forward to making a cheery pink and pastels header... I love Spring :) 

Last Friday, the sun came out and lit up our house.  Even though I had a busy day ahead... my parents were coming to visit and I NEEDED to clean... I knew I had to take the opportunity to shoot some pics on the kiddos for my new header.  So I put clean clothes on them... they usually run around in their underwear a good portion of the day... and quickly picked up their room.  The walls in their room are a perfect shade of pale pink and I knew they would be the perfect backdrop for some spring photos.  I also had this image in my head that I saw on Pinterest once... it was of two little girls laying on their backs with their hair hanging down over the edge of a bridge, I think.  It was darling and I knew I had to do that with my girls.  Well, there's no bridge in our house, so I figured if I double stacked their mattresses that would give enough height to let their long locks dangle down.  It worked!  And I love the results :)

Then V came in.  He started biting the girls' toes.  It was awesome. 

Spring it here... full of hope and new beginnings.  I'm going to let every little blossom and bud bring me joy.  I'm going to take each ounce of beauty as a sweet little gift from God... It's going to be a good Spring :)

"The heavens declare the glory of God;
   the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
   night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
   no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
   their words to the ends of the world." 

Psalm 19:1-4

"But ask the animals, and they will teach you,
   or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;
 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
   or let the fish in the sea inform you.
 Which of all these does not know
   that the hand of the LORD has done this?
In his hand is the life of every creature
   and the breath of all mankind." 

Job 12:7-10

Blessings,

V is One!

Tomorrow is my little V's birthday... I can't hardly believe it.  It really is true that each year goes by faster in parenting.  I feel like I just had him! 

Well, I'm going to be kinda busy tomorrow, so I thought I'd post his suitcase pictures today :)  My how he's grown...   He is such a joy and a blessings.  I never thought I could enjoy and adore a little boy the way I do.  God knew there was a part of my heart that ached for a boy, that I had no idea existed!  Praise God for his infinite knowledge that is so far above mine.  ... and Happy Birthday, Little Virgil.

Here are some of the other shots.... :)

Blessings,