Rader Report

Happy 2nd Birthday, my sweet boy!

2011-07-05T05:34:00.001-07:00

On June 16th, my son celebrated his 2nd birthday. When we found out that I was pregnant with a boy, we were very unsure about our feelings about that. We were so used to having girls. We knew girls. And we so loved them. So to throw a boy in the middle of all that was uncharted territory for us. I have to tell you...everyone was completely right. Having a boy is so much different than having a girl. He has so much energy. Everything is revolved around balls and trucks. He LOVES to wrestle and will throw himself on you if you're on the floor. He NEVER walks - it's always a dead run! And playing in the potty is one of his favorite things to do! Dirt is his best friend and he will do things that totally gross me out! But...he's my son! My snuggle-bug, loving, falls asleep on mama boy! And I love him for everything his is now and for everything he will be. God knew that we needed a boy among all the girls. And I'm so thankful for him!

Cole the day after he was born!

Happy Birthday, Cole! We never buy donuts, however, the girls were gone to VBS at their grandma's church on Cole's birthday. So, we needed a little something to celebrate. This was supposed to look like a catepillar, however, the frosting melted, shifted and looked like this by the time he sat to eat it. Oh well...he didn't mind!

Oh yum!

We celebrated his birthday with cake and ice cream two days later. We went out together to pick out his cake and this is what he chose - a hot wheels cake. Hmmmm...go figure!

You can't go through a birthday without presents. He was spoiled this year. He received a Chuck dump truck and bath toys from Papa and Mimi.

Some tractors and books from grandpa and grandma.

And a Mater (Cars tow truck) lawn mower that blows bubbles from dad and mom.

This kid is a GREAT kid! I couldn't imagine life without all the chaos and love that he adds to our family! I love you, Cole! Happy Birthday!!!

Winters/Rader Family Vacation - Gatlinburg, TN - May 2011 (Part 2)

2011-07-05T04:50:00.000-07:00

I apologize in advance for these pictures being totally out of order. I wasn't paying attention when I uploaded them so it's not going to flow the greatest. Anyway, on to finish the rest of our vacation!

Picture taken in the park of our entire family except my sister-in-law.

We went to the Wonderworks Museum (HIGHLY RECOMMEND) on our last day in Gatlinburg. Lily really, REALLY wanted to do the rock climbing wall. I didn't think she'd make it all the way up to the top -- TWICE!

My dad plays guitar and the kids LOVE it when he brings it with him on vacation. They love to sing with Papa!

My nephew, Luke, and me.

My brother, Dan.

The Wonderworks Museum had this really cool ropes course. So, the men decided to try it out. I didn't realize (until after I got on and then immediately got off) how far off the ground this is. And you're only held on by a harness. Oh, by the way, everything moves!

My brother, Brett.

My dad. He was a pro at this!

Marc

They also had what are called 360* bikes. Marc and Brett went on this ride. Needless to say, I will never go on them. They do exactly what their name says - goes in a 360* circle.

My sweet little Eva. She loves to pose!

Almost all of the grandkids.

On the way back from the park.

All of the grandkids ready to go for a walk.

Aunt Missy and Cole.

The Smokey Mts.

Towards the end of the week, my nephew really liked feeding Eva.

Cole doing what he does best - climbing!

Run Cole, Run!

Most of the cousins.

The reason they call it the Smokey Mtns.

We had such a GREAT time together as a family. We're looking forward to making an annual trip down here. God has blessed me with an amazing family. Looking forward to next year's vacation together!

Winters/Rader Family Vacation - Gatlinburg, TN - May 2011 (Part 1)

2011-05-22T16:13:00.000-07:00

This past week we met up with my family for a large family vacation. We rarely ever all get together at one time. With my parents in New York, a brother in Ohio and another brother in Texas, the chances of us all getting together in one place at the same time is pretty slim. Anyway, back in January we decided that we would vacation together this year. Gatlinburg seemed to be the only "central" place we could meet up. It was close for some but quite a distance for others (my parents had to drive over 16 hours). We searched tons of websites and looked at hundreds of "cabins" to find the perfect one for us. We needed something that would sleep 18 people. Finally we found one that would work. The picture below is the cabin behind us, but the one we stayed in looked almost exactly like this.

It was a beautiful place to stay! It had 7 bedrooms and a bathroom almost off of every room. The kitchen wasn't huge but the dining room table fit 12 of us. We brought a kids table and a few ate at the bar in the kitchen. There were 3 floors to the house. The top floor had a jacuzzi tub in which the kids LOVED taking their baths. There were 3 bedrooms up there as well. The main floor had the kitchen/dining room, living room, master bedroom and bathroom. Then the bottom floor had 3 bedrooms, laundry room, game room and hot tub. One of the bedrooms on that floor had a set of bunk beds and also a king sized bed. Since the room was so large, my 3 older girls slept in there along with my niece. Also, Eva slept in the closet (it was big enough for her pack-n-play to fit into). The game room was used non-stop as there was an air hockey table (that the kids used) and a pool table (that the adults used). The adults also took full advantage of the hot tub. We had a great time in there just laughing with each other. Anyway, on to the next pictures.

On Sunday we woke up and headed to a church not too far away from the cabin. It was a nice church and we really enjoyed it. That afternoon, after the kids got up from their naps, we went down to the park that was just down the hill from the cabin. The kids had so much fun there!!! Here are some pictures from that.

Our group picture - we were missing my sister-in-law, Emily, as she had to drive down (she has a broken foot).

Three of the cousins.

My Maggie Rose

My nephew, Luke.

My brothers, sister-in law and mother. I wish I could do that!!!

Cole - he LOVES to climb!

Run Cole, Run!

My nephew, Alex.

My dad with his two youngest grandsons.

My sister-in-law, Emily and her son, Jack.

My sister-in-law, Melissa and her son, Alex.

Marc and his two youngest.

Maggie

Lily

A few days later, we headed out to explore the town of Gatlinburg. We were house-bound for a few days as it rained non-stop Monday through Wednesday morning. My aunt who lives in South Carolina came to visit for a day. Anyway, we went out to breakfast and then took a trolley ride around the town. It was fun just being together.

Alex and Lily - our two athletes. They were together the whole trip.

Emily and Jack

Papa and Emma

Lily, Mimi and Maggie

Brett and Luke

Dan and Kate

Melissa and Ben

Aunt Karen, Cole, Eva and me

Maggie, Marc, Lily and Alex

The whole crew (minus Marc - he was taking the picture).

There is definitely a ton more pictures. Those will follow in a later post. All I have to say is: WE HAD A GREAT TIME!!!

For Mimi

2011-04-09T12:01:00.000-07:00

This video was originally made for mimi from Cole. He wanted to show mimi how he says his ABC's. He's very proud of himself. So here you go, mimi. A video just for you!

Family Pictures

2011-01-31T08:45:00.000-08:00

When were were in Texas for Christmas this past year, we were able to get our first family pictures taken by a dear friend of mine and also my sister-in-law's sister. We thought she did a wonderful job considering Cole didn't really want to cooperate (he had slept terribly the night before and was just out-of-sorts that day). Here are just a few of our favorites.

Our very first family picture.

Our many blessings.

(As you can see, Cole had already started to melt down.)

Sisters.

Cole (eating cheerios)

That was the only way that we could get pictures of him.

Our sweet Eva.

Maggie and Emma.

Sister giggles and best friends.

We had a series of pictures taken of Marc with all of the girls individually.

Here's the one of him and Emma.

Marc and Lily

Marc and Maggie

Marc and me

Daddy and his boy!

Eva and mommy

This was my most favorite picture out of all the ones taken!

Definitely Protected

2010-12-29T12:42:00.000-08:00

Anticipation was building as we were leaving for Texas for Christmas. We had been looking forward to going and had everything ready to go. The suitcases were all packed and loaded up in the van and all the gifts for the kids were packed and ready to be opened on Christmas morning. Marc came home from work and went to bed shortly after he came home so he could get some sleep as he was the first one driving and we were going to leave around midnight on Christmas Eve. It was a 16 hour drive down to my brother's house - no big deal, we've done that trip before. As always, we prayed before we left that God would keep us safe. Little did we know that that little prayer would pay off.

We decided to follow the GPS instead of taking the last route that we took this past summer. We never follow the GPS without anything else, but forgot to print off the directions before we left. The GPS took us through St. Louis (which was beautiful, by the way - the arch was AMAZING!). But just south of St. Louis, it started to snow and it was snowing hard! The roads got slick fast and we went from driving 70 mph to 35 mph. We did that for a few hours and then pulled off to get some gas and breakfast. Marc talked to some people at a gas station and we decided to take an alternate route that would put us south faster and get us out of the snow quicker. And it did just that. We were finally going faster, the snow was gone and it was raining out. We could deal with the rain. Then Marc asked me if we wanted to stop at the McDonald's, get the kids some lunch and then go from there. I decided we should wait just a little longer and we headed on. Little did we know that that was the road we were supposed to turn on. We kept going (in the wrong direction) and 5 minutes after I made the decision to not stop, we were hit by an oncoming car.

I had just closed my eyes and heard, "Oh no!". I opened them just in time to see a small silver car plow into the driver's side of the van. All of the kids screamed at the impact and then there was dead silence. She hit us hard enough that it sent us off the road. We went through a small woods (amazingly we didn't hit any trees) and came to a complete stop about 6 feet shy of plowing through someone's mobile home (wouldn't that have been a Merry Christmas for them). We did a kid check and found that everyone was o.k. I looked at Marc and he had a small bump over his eye (from his head hitting the air bag). The ambulance was called, the cops were called and there were people who saw the accident that stopped and helped. We pulled the kids out and had them checked out by the EMT's. The girl that hit us was o.k., too. The people who saw the accident, put our children in their warm vehicle (it was freezing out that day) and fed them snacks and entertained them for 2 HOURS!!! I couldn't believe that they did that! That was so nice of them. We called the insurance company and then the rental car company. Enterprise wouldn't bring a vehicle to us and we didn't know what to do. Then one of the EMT's said that he just happened to drive his wife's Cadillac Escalade to work that morning. We know that it wasn't a just happening for him - it was God playing a hand in this whole thing. One of the bosses drove us 1 1/2 hours down to the rental place - we waited 30 minutes for our rental and then had to drive 1 1/2 back north to get everything out of our van and into the rental van. So, our accident was at 10:30 am - and we didn't get back on the road to head to TX until 7:00 pm. We were off the road for 8 1/2 hours and still had 8 hours to go. It was a long day. What was supposed to be a 16 hour drive, turned into a 26 hour drive. We were wiped out but just so thankful that God kept us safe. The accident could have been so much worse. The car that hit us ran right into Marc and Eva. We could have been spending Christmas in a hospital, but we didn't. We were in TX on Christmas day!

God definitely protected us! We are so thankful our family is alright. Except for some minor bumps and bruises and no van, there would have been no sign that we were in an accident. He is so amazing! And we are so thankful that He kept us safe that day!

(The mobile home that we almost drove through - we don't know how we stopped in time)

(You can see the woods in the background that we went through. It's amazing that we didn't hit any trees or the wood piles!)

In the Midst of Busyness...

2010-10-17T12:41:00.000-07:00

...we have had some times of calmness. It seems that we have had no down time lately. It's been go, go, go without the stop. But in the few times that it has been calm, we've had some great family times. Nothing huge, nothing special - just times of quiet and calmness. And I've begun to relish those times. I used to hate it when we didn't go anywhere on the weekends. I hated just staying home and doing nothing. But lately, I've been looking forward to those times. Times of just sitting on the floor and playing a game with the girls and wrestling with Cole; times of just watching a movie and eating ice cream with my husband; times of just staring into the eyes of my littlest while she's nursing and watching her try to smile and eat at the same time. Those are the times I relish - the times that I wish I could just stop time and hold on to that moment and pray "Please God, don't let them grow up too quickly". But I can't hold on to a moment and they do grow up so fast. And I am privileged to be along for the ride. So here are a few of the moments we were able to grab on to.

Welcome Eva Jane

2010-09-12T13:43:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that one week ago in the morning before church, this was me...

...and that 9 hours after this picture was taken,

this happened...

Eva Jane ~ 7 lbs. 7 oz ~ 20 1/4 in.

Let me start from the beginning. Last Sunday, September 5, I woke up like any other morning. A little tired, but not too bad. The baby in my belly had been running laps during the night and felt like my ribs were a good place to plant its feet. But we were up and getting ready for church. I got the girls ready and Cole, too, walked out the door and headed to church to worship. During the middle of the church service, I felt a few twinges of contractions. Nothing huge and definitely no pain. Just felt my stomach tighten periodically. I spoke to a doctor friend after church just to get some questions answered. I just wanted to know what I needed to look for if I was going to go into labor on my own (I had been induced with the other 4). I had specifically prayed that God would allow me to go into labor by myself, but at this point, I didn't care if I was induced or not. The baby had run out of room and I was HUGE (refer to picture #1)! Anyway, I got my questions answered and we headed home after church. When we got home, I made lunch for the kids and Marc, but really didn't want to eat. I decided to go and relax and while doing so, I noticed that the tightenings were getting more and more regular and closer together. I gave Marc a heads-up and continued to monitor things. At about 1:45 I told Marc that I thought I was in early labor. We called his parents to come and watch the kids and headed up to the hospital - really hoping that I was indeed in labor, but not sure. We got to the hospital, checked in, went up to the labor and delivery floor to be monitored for a little bit. The nurse came in, asked me a MILLION questions and finally checked me. At 3:00, I was 3 cm. dilated. Not a lot, but it was more than at my appointment which was just 2 days prior. The nurse thought I would stay, but had to run everything by the doctor. They called her and I heard a little of their conversation. The doctor wanted me to walk for an hour and then she was going to send me home. I wasn't far enough along to stay. The nurse kindly reminded her that this was my 5th child and things could go pretty quickly. Also, I lived almost an hour away from the hospital. Was it really wise to send me home if things took off? I LOVED my nurse! She was FANTASTIC! Anyway, the doctor conceded and let me stay. They admitted me and I was brought over to my room. Since things were moving rather quickly and I was starting to have some pain with my contractions, I decided to get some fluid in me just in case I wanted an epidural. At 4:30, they checked me and I was already 8 cm. dilated. So, in 1 1/2 hours, I dilated 5 cm. Boy -- am I glad I didn't go home!!! I really wanted the epidural at this point as I was having TERRIBLE back labor. The anesthesiologist came in, poked and prodded me, gave me the drugs and.....nothing happened. The pain was still there. And stronger than ever. The nurse had me roll from side to side to see if we could get the meds to move. They didn't. At 5:30, it didn't matter. I was 10 cm. and ready to push. Five minutes later our baby was born! I heard the baby cry. Everyone oohed and aahed. And I heard, "That's a beautiful baby". But nobody told me what the baby was! Marc and I had decided that since this baby was a complete surprise, we would let it stay that way until the very end. And when I was wondering what the sex was, no one was telling me. I finally had to ask Marc! He moved the baby's leg and whispered, "It's a girl!". I was so EXCITED!!!! We had another girl! And she was just beautiful! During this whole process, Maggie was in the room with us watching everything! She was just in awe of her brand new baby sister! She couldn't get enough of her! She counted her fingers and toes and then said, "Mom, when you get home, the baby can sleep in my room!". Ummm....not just yet! This birth was a beautiful experience. Going from no contractions, to twinges, to heading up to the hospital, to labor, to having this beautiful little girl God created laying on my skin just staring into my eyes - I couldn't have asked for it to go any smoother.

Back in January when I was praying and asking God to make some changes in my life, I was completely blown away when I found out I was pregnant yet again. Excited, nervous, anxious, wondering how we were going to do it with 5 children. But now that I see her, it doesn't matter. God allowed this to happen for a reason and He is going to totally take care of everything. Now that she's here, I couldn't imagine life without her. She fits into our family beautifully. If you're wondering how Cole is managing all of this - let me just tell you that he's completely fine. He struts around this house like he's the king of the castle. Anyway, here are a few pictures of our newest and last addition (at least that's how I feel - if God changes that, well.....)!

Minutes after Eva was born.

Maggie in love!

Daddy is, too!

Our little Eva Jane!

Emma and her new baby sister.

Mommy and baby!

Eva's first Sunday at church!

We love you, Eva Jane, and can't wait to see how God is going to use you in our lives and in the lives of others!

8 years ago today....

2010-08-23T12:57:00.000-07:00

...we were blessed with this -- our first daughter. She made us parents for the very first time! And we were in love!

Emma Mae was born on August 23, 2002 at 8:58 AM. Her total labor lasted 7 hours from start to finish (though I remember pushing for 2 1/2 hours with her)! She was such an easy baby. She only really cried when she was hungry, tired or needed a diaper change. The smallest insignificant thing created hours of enjoyment for her. I remember one day not hearing her for awhile and going to check on her only to find that she was playing with a string that she found on the floor. That string entertained her for so long. Emma is my perfectionist. She HATES it when things don't go the way she wants them to. She is quiet, a little more outgoing (though she used to be painfully shy), smart, an avid reader, a lover of math, loving and sweet. She loves being a big sister and takes care of her siblings when I can't. She has a best friend who lives across the street from us but also counts her sisters in that best friend category. She adores her little brother who adores her right back. She's amazed by simple things and always asks 101 questions about everything. I miss her being so little - so dependent. But I am loving that she's becoming an independent young girl who takes pride in her work.

I found some pictures that I had forgotten that we had. So, here she is...Emma Mae Rader...from the beginning to the present!

Happy Birthday, Em! We love you!

10 years!

2010-08-23T12:49:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late in getting this post posted. It seems that by the time I get around to even thinking about blogging, my day is finished and the next morning has arrived. Anyway, on the 12th of this month, Marc and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary. We didn't celebrate it the way we originally planned. Our original plan was to head off to Italy for 10 days and enjoy our time together in a most beautiful country. But, it didn't work out that way. We spent our 10th taking our children to play at Burger King for lunch and eating off the dollar menu! And you know what? It was GREAT!!! We had a great time together as a family. I love this man. He's a great husband, a caring and loving father and a great provider. I'm so looking forward to spending the next 80 years with him! He's definitely not perfect....but he's perfect for me!

Another Birthday!

2010-07-08T06:54:00.001-07:00

I can't believe we're celebrating another birthday today! It seems like the time is just flying by and I can't keep track of everything! Anyway....Five years ago today at 5:24 pm, little Maggie Rose was born to us after 2 hours of labor (she was my shortest labor and delivery). I had already become used to the personalities of her two older sisters -- one quiet, sweet and easily entertained; the other more busy and outgoing. So, I just figured she'd be just like her sisters. Boy....was I WRONG!!! This little one made the busy one look like a walk in the park. She is my ornery, stubborn, strong-willed, out-spoken little one. But she is also my one that is most mothering and truly cares about the feeling of others (not that my other girls don't care - Maggie just seems to be the most sensitive in that area). She's an amazing little girl who keeps me on my toes all day every day. She asks a million and one questions and really NEVER stops talking! There is not a quiet moment when you are with her. There are days when I have to tell her to leave the room and go play. I feel bad doing that to her, but my ears need a break!!!! I can't imagine what life will be like when she's a teenager!!! But I'm sure it will be full of surprises! She is a mommy's girl, but loves her daddy dearly. She can't wait to start kindergarten (though, I can - her attention span is pretty short). She loves to help me bake. But above all - this little girl LOVES her baby dolls!!! I've never seen one kid with so many babies, but she takes care of them all. They're all named and we have to make sure that they're all tucked in at night. If you were to ask her what she wants to be when she grows up, she'll tell you "a mommy". She already has her children's names picked out (they're a little scary - I'm really hoping that she'll change her mind when the time comes!!! =) ). She is an amazing little girl whom I just adore!

Here are just a plethra of some of my favorite pictures of her. I took all of her baby pictures off the computer and downloaded them onto discs, so I didn't have any to choose from for this. So, these will have to do.

So....Happy Birthday, Mags!!! I hope your day is extra-special! We love you!

Happy 1st Birthday, Little Man

2010-06-22T05:08:00.001-07:00

I can't believe that Cole is a year old already! It seems like just yesterday we were praying that God would add another little one to our family. The road for him to get here was not an easy one, but it was so worth it in the end. He's an amazing little boy who doesn't cease to make me laugh on a daily basis. From day one, he was always a snuggler and responded so well to music - especially "You Are My Sunshine". He's always been a happy little dude, with the exception of teething. His sisters ADORE him! And he's got them wrapped around his little finger. They would do anything for them. He especially loves it when he gets up in the morning and the girls are sitting at the table eating breakfast and yell "Goodmorning Cole" as he comes out with me. It makes him grin from ear to ear and giggle, too.

He likes to get into everything. There are a few times where a little slap on the hand and a firm "No" come into play. But he generally plays with his own things and stays away from the things he shouldn't touch.

He LOVES it when daddy gets home. The minute I say "Daddy's home!", he gets a huge grin, his arms start waving and his little legs are kicking. And then daddy comes in and scoops him up and he usually gets a pretty huge bear hug from Cole. It's sweet to watch. Cole is still a mommy's boy, but he definitely has a pretty big spot in his heart for his daddy! And that's as it should be.

Cole recently started taking his first steps. He was pretty proud of his accomplishment, as were we. It's hard to believe that it's that time now, but it is and we're loving every minute of it. Actually, I'm so ready for him to walk. He needs to chase his sisters around and start torturing them! =)

Here are a few pictures from his birth to 3, 6, 9 and now 12 months old. His looks have definitely changed. But his sweet spirit hasn't. I can't wait to see what God has in store for my little guy! It'll be exciting to watch how he's molded into the man that God wants him to be.

Cole - June 16, 2009 (a few hours old)

Papa and Cole (3 months old)

Christmas 2009 (6 months old)

(9 months old)

Happy Birthday, Cole! (1 year old)

I thought our lives would change drastically when we had a boy. But, they really haven't. We've been introduced to cars, trucks and lots of boy toys. But he's fit right into our family beautifully! God knew exactly what He was doing when He gave us our son! We love you, little dude!

Miscellaneous

2010-05-14T15:30:00.001-07:00

I didn't realize how long it had been since I posted last. But it's been a crazy few months around here. It seems like things have been going non-stop. I've been super busy with school (concerts, play, elementary school tours, etc.). And I just can't wait for the end of the school year to arrive. I'm longing for it. But, since it's been awhile, I'll just catch you up - I promise it'll be the short version, though!

We've had a beautiful spring so far this year. Some super warm days (which I love), some downright cold days, rainy days, misty days and some good old-fashioned spring days. Here are a few pictures that were taken back in the beginning of April. The girls were loving playing outside that day!

Emma and Lily

Maggie, Lily and Emma

(look at all those knobby knees!)

Then Easter arrived. I LOVE getting my children all dressed up for Easter Sunday. And they enjoy it, too (well, I'm not too sure that Cole did, but the girls love it!)! We re-read the Easter story many times during the week prior to Easter Sunday. We don't read it too many times during the year after that, unfortunately. But it's amazing what kids will remember. They still remember the entire story and still are upset about the whole thing (Christ's beating, the crucifixion, etc.). Maggie kept asking me why people would do that to someone else. And I could only respond with an "I don't know.".

Lily

Maggie

Emma

Cole

My girls

We've also done some work around our home. The landscaping in the front of our house was something to be desired. So, we decided to concentrate on that this spring. It's almost finished. We worked so hard for a few weeks, that now we're completely pooped out. We're hoping to get the front steps finished soon. I don't have any pictures of that process, so here are just a few for you to enjoy.

Cole figured out one day how to climb into his little toy box. He thought it was GREAT fun!

Then Mother's Day arrived. I was so busy with the spring musical this year, that it just flew up on me. I was so tired that day (2 straight weeks of practice every night for a few hours just about killed me.). But I love these kids! They mean the world to me (for some reason, I didn't get a picture of Lily. But I love her, too!!!)!

Our Mother's Day brunch at the Tippecanoe Place! Cole ate everything in sight!

Things will be changing this year. In a previous post I mentioned that I have been praying for change. And, things will definitely change. I was informed in late March by the superintendent and principal of my school, that my hours were going to be cut. And it wasn't a little cut - it was a HUGE cut! I was REALLY disappointed! I LOVE my job! I love the teacher I work with! I love the students! And I couldn't believe how they could do this to me. They were cutting jobs all across the board and I couldn't believe I was on that list. I had done everything they asked - above and beyond. I was bitter for a little while. How could they expect me to effectively and professionally do my job on the hours they were willing to give me? Then I realized - here was a change that I was praying for. Not one that I prayed specifically about - but again, another change. And after thinking about it, I knew it was for the best. I prayed and prayed - should I keep the few hours that they were willing to pay me for or should I just completely resign? And after a few weeks, I made my decision. As of June 12, I will no longer be an employee of the school. And I feel great about that decision!!! I began to realize that this is what God wanted me to do. Lily's schooling has suffered this year because of my job. She's still doing very well, but she's behind. So, we'll be playing catch-up this summer. I was starting to be gone a few nights during the week for school purposes and I was missing out on the time that I could be spending with my family. Marc was being relied on more and more to fix the kids dinner and watch them until bedtime - also putting them to bed. I didn't know how much I was missing out on. Then I began to think about the up-coming future. We are going to be having another child in the late summer. How was I going to work and take care of this little one? And then homeschool three kids on top of that and chase around a running toddler? I couldn't do it. And I know I can't. I knew this job was just for a season. It fell into my lap with no looking or even considering a job from my end. And now I feel God is telling me that my time is up. It's time to move on. So, as I will terribly miss my students and the teacher I work with, I am so looking forward to just being a mom for awhile. I am blessed!

So there you have it...in a nutshell...my crazy life! But I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world!

Happy Birthday, Lily!

2010-03-16T10:06:00.000-07:00

Another year has come and gone. And it seems like just yesterday it was just Marc and I. On March 11, 2004 at 1:11pm, our second daughter, Lily Olivia, made her entrance into the world. I remember her labor as if it just happened yesterday. And the reason I remember was because it was my easiest labor ever. Now, don't get me wrong, all my labors so far have been easy. And even though her labor wasn't the shortest I've ever had (she was 4 hours from start to finish), she was my only labor without back labor. And it was FANTASTIC!!!! She just lights up our lives. And we couldn't imagine our family without our only blue-eyed girl! Lily has so much energy which she uses up in trying to make us laugh. She's got such a great sense of humor! She can run faster than any of her sisters, she's still learning to read (but it'll click soon with her), she's got a great smile and is very excited when she loses her teeth! Out of all my children, she was not my snuggler. But there are days when she'll just cuddle up next to us and we soak it up because it's such a few-and-far between event. She is a joy and I'm looking forward to seeing how she's going to grow in the next few years. I thank God for her.

She's grown so fast! She went from this...

to this....

to this...

and now this!

So, Happy Birthday, Lily! We love you so much!!!

Cole's New Trick

2010-03-16T07:41:00.000-07:00

Here is Cole's latest trick. He's been working on this for the last month but finally got it perfected last Friday. It's amazing how fast he is growing up. And this is just the beginning. I'm looking forward to seeing more of his "firsts".

Future Player

2010-03-15T08:50:00.000-07:00

I know it's been awhile since I've posted anything. But I just had to post this because I thought he looked so cute! Anyway, most of you know that I'm from New York. There are many GREAT things about New York - snow (lots of it!), my hometown, the city, shopping, the Statue of Liberty, etc. But the best thing about New York are the NY Yankees! My family and I are huge fans!! Before Cole was born, my brother sent this hat as a gift for him. It's still a little big, but it stays on. I LOVE it on him. We took him out in it both Saturday and Sunday and received many comments on it. Some good - some not so good. But I didn't care. We are Yankees fans. And maybe someday my son will be a future NY Yankee. But if not, that's o.k. We'll still be fans together!

Another One

2010-01-22T05:10:00.000-08:00

************UPDATE*************

I had an ultrasound this morning (January 27th) and found out that our next little one should arrive around September 14th. Baby looks great with a very strong heartbeat! We are so thankful to God for the little one.

I have decided that I need to be a little more specific in how I pray! Not because the things that God has given me haven't been great and fantastic, but because they were things I wasn't planning on and just came as a huge surprise. Though, surprises are good... Anyway, on New Year's Eve night, I decided to go outside and play in the snow. Yes, I know....I'm getting older and what 30 something woman goes out to play in the snow without her children? Well, I did. And it was more for the fact of getting out of the house for awhile. I had been cooped up for almost 2 weeks. My children had the stomach flu and I was just tired of being inside. So, I wanted to go out and build a huge snowman for them. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), the snow wasn't packy and I couldn't do what I wanted to do. So, I decided to go for a walk. For those of you who don't know, I live in the country and about 1/2 mile back from my back door is some woods. My in-laws own those woods and all the property in between, so I knew it wouldn't be a problem to go back there. I spent that time praying. Praying for change. And change in lots of areas. Change in my heart. I definitely need it. This year I want to grow so much closer to Christ. Change in the hearts of my children. Three of my children have accepted Christ and I want them to start to know and understand Him a little bit more this year. Change in the heart of my husband. Basically, the same change I want for myself. A change of address -- yes, I really want to move. I have had such a desire to live closer to family. When my parents are in NY, one brother in OH and the other in TX, well....you can guess how often we all get together. I am very close to my brothers and miss them terribly. Plus, I want to be able to see my nieces and nephews a little more than I do now. But the change of address is totally up to God. And there were some other little changes that I was praying about, but these were the biggies. I have to tell you, I felt really good after my conversation with God. It felt like He was right there walking right beside me listening to every word I was saying. I could almost see Him nodding His head and saying "Hmmm...." as I was talking. Almost like a friend would do. It was an awesome time together. And I loved it. However, the change I was praying for and the change that God had in mind for us was two totally different things. I'm not saying that He is not going to change my heart or that of my family. I'm sure He will. I'm thinking He just wanted to throw something else in our midst. Something wonderful! Something amazing! Something totally unexpected! Yup, He's giving us another one. Another little Rader! I am going to be a mom of 5! I can't believe it! The doctors told us that our chances of having any more children after Maggie was slim to none. Cole shouldn't have happened, but he did. I always wanted one more child, but was starting to become really content where I was - as a mom of three girls and finally one boy. But obviously God didn't think that was enough. So here we are, expecting another one, and we couldn't be more thrilled. I'm not sure when the baby is due just yet. But I'm sure I will post that once I know for sure (plus an ultrasound picture once I get it). Our plans are not to find out the sex of this little one. We found out for all the others but since this baby was a surprise gift from God, we want him/her to remain a surprise until the very end. So, as I said before, this change was not what I was expecting or planning on, but it is a change that I'm going to grab on to and embrace!

Hard to Believe

2009-12-20T12:12:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe another year has almost come and gone. So much has happened in our lives this past year - the two most important things being that both Lily and Maggie accepted Christ into their lives. And even though some people may think that's sweet and great, what they don't know is the amount of prayer that went into them both making that decision. I remember my mom telling me last year that her mom prayed for the salvation of not only her grandchildren, but her great-grandchildren. Before they were even thought of. I didn't get to meet that grandmother - she died of breast cancer even before my parents were married. But I know she would be proud. And I cannot wait to have the privilege of meeting that awesome woman when I arrive in heaven. But not only did she pray, so did my parents and so did Marc and I. Before they were even born. And from the time I held them for the first time in my arms. So, all three of my girls have accepted Christ. Now we're praying for Cole. That he would accept Him at a young age. But not only that - that he would have the desire and passion to want to obey and serve his Creator. I know it'll be a few years before he will understand - so I'll continue to pray.

We also had another awesome "miracle" in our home this year. The birth of our very first son! I've always had good pregnancies - great pregnancies, actually. And this one, after the first few months, continued on in the same way. No, I didn't have morning sickness. But there were a few times that I thought I was going to lose this baby. I won't go into details but I do remember one day specifically begging God that if He was going to take Cole, to please do it soon. I remember crying but having such a peace knowing that Cole would be with Him. For those of you who don't know...Marc and I had a really hard time conceiving Cole. With the girls, I could just think the word "pregnant" and I was. But with Cole, it was a completely different story. After 15 months of trying, I finally broke and just had a conversation with God. I laid it all in His very capable hands. I was done trying. Didn't want to try anymore. And if He wanted me to have another child, He would make it happen. Three weeks later I told Marc that I was expecting! I learned much in that time. Had some great conversations with God while we were trying for our fourth child. And it all came down to me just saying, "I can't do it anymore. I give it all to You". We were shocked when we found out that we were having a boy. We don't know anything about boys. What do you do with them? But now I can't imagine not having this beautiful little man as a part of our family. He's perfect in every way. And I am so thankful that God allowed Marc and I to have the honor of taking care of him.

School has been very busy for me this year. Seems like I'm always going somewhere, learning new music, recording more things...but I'm enjoying it. Tired...but enjoying it. I have some great kids this year. And I'm getting to know them all better. Some of them go to the same church as I do, so it makes it easy to bring up Pastor's message during class time. The last few weeks have been unusually busy for me. I've had around 10 concerts in the last 3 weeks. That's a lot! A lot of playing the same music over and over...a lot of being away from home in the evenings(Marc had to take care of them during that time from dinner time usually to bed time and after - thanks babe!!!)...a lot of being away during the day and having to have Marc's mom come and watch the kids for me ( I really do appreciate it, Sandy!!!). And now that it's over, I am really glad it's done! =) I love working with the music teacher (Mrs. G). She's a lot of fun and has so much energy. But she allows me to be a mom...to say "I can't come in today - my kid is sick"...or "I just can't come in today"...and she's o.k. with it. I am thankful for this job that just dropped into my lap.

Homeschooling as also gone well this year. Emma's in second grade and just doing wonderfully. She LOVES to read. I don't know of too many second graders that read the kinds of books she does, but she loves it and I'm happy with that. She's quite busy...has about 7 subjects that she does a day. It usually takes her about 4 to 4 1/2 hours. It's not too bad. Lily is doing well. She started kindergarten in the fall and loves school, too. She's learning how to write her letters better and also her numbers. She LOVES math - can't get enough of it. She's also learning how to read and doing beautifully with it. There are times when we're reading together and she sounds out a word and then laughs because it's funny. She cracks me up! Maggie is doing some pre-k things. She's recognizing letters and numbers and has projects to do with them every week. She's also learning how to write.

Marc and I celebrated 9 years of marriage in August. The time really did go by fast (at least I think it did...Marc may think otherwise=) ). We are continuing to get to know one another. Not on a surface level, but much deeper. God knew what He was doing when He brought Marc into my life. I couldn't imagine my life with anyone else. Marc is a great husband, daddy and provider and he has allowed me to stay home with my children. I couldn't ask for more.

Very recently my grandmother passed away. She did not have a relationship with Jesus. But I was able to share my faith with her. She was not an easy woman to get to know. In fact, she was quite the opposite. She pushed away some of her children and their spouses and most of her grandchildren. A very stubborn woman and set in her ways. I would like to think that there was a reason God gave her my father to take care of. My father who LOVES Christ, adores his wife, loves his children...why would He give that kind of man to a woman who refused to believe? I don't know. But quite a few years ago I decided that I needed to have some kind of relationship with my grandmother. So, while I was in college, I wrote her a letter telling her how much I loved her and also shared my faith with her. I waited for what seemed like forever before calling her and asking her what she thought. And she very politely told me that it was very sweet of me for being concerned for her, but she was just going to continue on in her own way. Earlier I stated that she was a very stubborn woman. Well, so am I. I inherited that trait from her - you can just ask my parents! =) So, no matter what she did or said, I was going to love her. I was afraid that she would be alone and just didn't want that. So, in my mind, I did it for her. Because she needed it. Little did I realize - years later - that I needed it. I called her every year on her birthday and after she answered the phone and I told her it was me, she said "I've been looking forward to your phone call. I knew you would never forget.". And I never did. The phone calls just started out for her birthday, but then it went on to other random days in the year and holidays, too. It was always hard to know where you stood with grandma - whether she liked you or not. But I know she loved me. She told me...on many different occasions. And grandma never said anything that she didn't mean. So, as I can't rejoice in the fact that she is in heaven (unless she made a last minute decision), I can rejoice that she gave birth to one of the most important men in my life who taught me about Christ and His love.

To end this lengthy post, here are a few pictures of my children all decked out in their Christmas outfits. But before I sign off, I just want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

I forgot...

2009-11-20T05:01:00.001-08:00

...and I can't believe I did!! A few weeks ago I asked Lily if she wanted to go grocery shopping with me. It was a Sunday afternoon. One of those GORGEOUS Sunday afternoons. She wanted to go and on the way up to South Bend, she started asking me a ton of questions about Jesus. Why He did certain things...why He died on the cross...and pretty much why He didn't strike all the people dead just before the great flood (she LOVES the story of Noah). I tried to answer her questions as best as I could and I could see the little wheels turning in her head. Then she asked about dying. What would happen to her? I told her that if she had a relationship with Jesus, then she would go to heaven and live with Him. But if she didn't, then that's not where she would go and I just left it at that. A long time ago, Marc and I decided that we weren't going to scare them into asking Jesus into their hearts. Yes, they would learn about hell and about how awful it is, but not for the purposes of scaring them into salvation. Anyway, she got quiet for a little bit and then in a very soft voice said, "Mommy, when I die, I want to go to heaven and live there.". By this time I was already in the Kroger parking lot. We talked a little more and I answered her questions as well as I could, and this little sweet, loving, ornery girl asked Jesus into her heart! I was so PROUD! I always thought, "O.K., my job is to teach them about Christ so that way they will accept Him and then that's it. Well, not really, but you know what I mean. But after Emma asked Christ into her life, I realized that my job is now so much greater. Now I have to mold these little minds and hearts and teach them as much as I can about Him. You know....this is one job that I don't mind doing at all!

Cole Laughing

2009-11-09T08:37:00.000-08:00

Cole has been laughing for about a month now, but never like this. Marc took this video yesterday afternoon while I was gone. This was my surprise when I got home. I LOVED it! I hope it puts a smile on your face today!

Boo!

2009-11-09T07:55:00.000-08:00

We had a great time trick-or-treating this year. Even though it was cold out and we didn't go to nearly the amount of homes that we have in the past, the girls still had a great time going to a few select places. They each picked out their own costumes this year with the exception of Cole. Here are just a few pictures showing you how cute they were.

Emma's been very much in the Harry Potter series. She's read the first book through 6 times and has seen the first two movies. As if you couldn't tell, she's "Hermione Granger".

Lily loved this costume when we first saw it on the internet. And there was no question who she wanted to be - "Strawberry Shortcake" - pink hair and all!

Maggie went back and forth and finally decided on "Raggedy Ann". I LOVED this costume and she now wears it almost every day!

My happy little man - a Tootsie Roll! Everyone loved this costume. I thought he looked pretty cute!!!

Hope you all had a very Happy Halloween!

Truly Amazing

2009-10-29T16:00:00.001-07:00

We had a few experiences in our home this week that I would really rather not ever have happen again. The first happened this past Tuesday. Cole had woken up early and he was a little fussy. His belly had been bothering him and since there was nothing I could do for him, I decided to let him cry it out for just a little bit. So, I quickly jumped in the shower and got myself ready for the day. It didn't take me that long, maybe 20 minutes. After I was done, I turned on the monitor and could hear him breathing. He had fallen back asleep. I started my day and then got the girls up and ready. Finally, I went in to wake Cole up at his normal time. I had gotten to his closed door and I could hear him crying inside, so I hurried in to get him. I noticed as soon as I opened the door that his cry was muffled. When I got to his crib, I saw what no mother would want to see. Somehow he had rolled over onto his back (he's been doing this for quite awhile now), scooted his body to the head of the crib, turned around and scooted back down to the end. In this process, his head got underneath his blanket. Normally I wouldn't be overly concerned, but his blanket had gotten wrapped tightly around his head! I don't know how that happened, but I immediately was in panic mode. I ripped that blanket off his head, scooped him up in my arms and we cried together. Under the blanket was about a foot circle of sweat and tears. I don't know how long he had been like that but when I took the blanket off his head, he was struggling to take in full breaths. It was hot under there. His entire head was covered in sweat and dripping down his face. His hair was slicked back. It was amazing that this little guy didn't suffocate. I've heard of babies dying for unknown reasons in their cribs. God totally had His hand on my son for that to not have happened to him.

Then, last night after I got home from the gym, we were putting the girls to bed. I tucked in Lily and Maggie and then was heading down to Emma's room to pray with her and say goodnight. I picked Cole up off from the living room floor to take him down with me. About 1/3 of the way down, my left ankle buckled and we fell down the stairs together. Amazingly enough, Cole never hit the stairs or the wall. He stayed in my arms the whole time. The only time he cried was when I was screaming to Marc to come and get him. God, again, had His hand on my son. The second time in two days. He truly is amazing!!! And I am thanking Him daily for protecting Cole.

Kercher's Apple Orchard

2009-10-29T15:46:00.000-07:00

A few days ago we took the kids to Kercher's Apple Orchard in Goshen. It was for a field trip for our homeschool group and we had a great time. Thankfully the rain stopped in time for the adventure. It was muddy, but it was warming up and the kids all had a great time. Each person was able to pick three apples and one gourd. The kids were also given coloring books and everyone had apple cider (which was AMAZING)!!! Anyway, here are some pictures from this great day!

The view around the orchard! It was gorgeous!!!

(Unfortunately it was still hazy out from the rain)

Posing in the corn maze.

Walking through the corn maze.

Daddy and his son.

Emma picking her Red Delicious apple.

Lily picking her Red Delicious apple.

Maggie picking her Golden Delicious apple.

We had a great time and we're looking forward to doing it again next year.

Miscellaneous

2009-10-23T11:27:00.000-07:00

So much has happened in the last few weeks around our home. Nothing major, but it just seems that we're always on the go. So, to sit down and spend some time on the computer is a luxury at the moment. I am babysitting for some friends, but the kids are all sitting down and watching "Wallace and Gromit". On a side note, if you want a cute movie that will make you laugh, you've gotta watch these. My kids love them and I think Marc and I love them as much as they do. O.K. On to the next thing.

Last weekend Marc and I were able to get away for a few hours without the kids. It's been a long time since we've been on a date. I know it's so important to date your spouse after you get married, but it's so hard when you have more than two children. Not because they're not well-behaved (they generally are) but because it's hard to find someone to watch 4 kids. And on top of that, it's hard not to pay out the nose for a sitter. So, it had been at least 5 years since our last date. Some good friends of ours watched the kids for us last Saturday night. We're going to take turns with them. They watch our kids one month and then we watch theirs the next. No calls to check on how they're doing...just enjoying our time together. And that's just what we did. We laughed and had a great time together. We missed each other. I brought my camera to take pictures and never did. Just was too caught up in the moment. I remembered some of the reasons that I married this man. And I would do it all over again.

I LOVE this man!

I had taken this picture of Cole and my dad when we were in NY for a big family visit. I love this picture of the two of them. I love my dad - so much so that Cole has his middle name. And I adore my son.

We had another first in our house last week. Lily lost her first tooth! It started getting loose on Tuesday and by Thursday she had pulled it out on her own! She was SO proud of herself.

We had to go out and buy the girls new winter jackets a few weeks ago. Maggie's came with and orange hat and she wanted to pose. Check out that ornery grin.

Mags and me. She wanted her picture taken with mom.

So did Lil.

They harvested all the beans last week. The girls love that time of year because they get to go for rides in the combine. Unfortunately I couldn't go and take pictures of them because I had to stay inside with Cole as he was napping. Hopefully next year he'll be able to go for a ride, too!

My son is growing so fast! Even though he only weighs 13 lbs., the doctor said it was o.k. to start him on baby food. So, the above picture is of him with his first taste of cereal. He really enjoyed it. The lower picture is of his first taste of squash. That took a little more of getting used to, but he loves it now! It's so hard to believe Cole's over 18 weeks old now. He's such a good baby. Only cries when he's tired, hungry or has a nasty diaper. He sleeps 12 hours at night and takes a 4 1/2 hour nap in the afternoon. He smiles all the time!

So, that's what we've been up to lately. Busy? Yes. I do wish it would slow down a little. But since it's not, I'll just have to enjoy what I can at this very moment. And right now I'm going to go and enjoy watching "Strawberry Shortcake" with my girls!

In Love

2009-09-30T13:21:00.001-07:00

Lately I've been singing "You Are My Sunshine" to Cole. It seems as if all my children, from the moment they were born, have been in love with music. It's soothing, relaxing, etc. But they all love it. So, when I started singing this song to Cole, he would smile, coo, try to giggle, make noises (I think it's his "joyful" noise). Now in this video, you will see him smile. He didn't really do any of the other things. It's funny, whenever I get the video camera in front of him, he becomes really timid. I know that's pretty common, but I wanted to show you his reaction. Of course, the singing isn't the greatest. I started a little too high for my voice and it's just not the best. But I wanted you to see what I see in this little boy. Pure love. Maybe not necessarily for music, but for his mom. You can see it in his eyes. I've been really busy these last few nights and Marc has had all the kids. Cole was a little fussy during one of these times and Marc decided to sit down and turn on this video so Cole could hear my singing. He said it was amazing - Cole knew it was me right away and stopped fussing. He knew my voice and tried to find the sound. Kind of how it states in John 10:27 - "My sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow Me.". Am I just like Cole? Do I know the voice of my Savior and do I do whatever I can to find Him and follow Him? Sometimes I do, but there are times that I ignore that voice. I know that time will be coming with Cole - a time when he hears me call to him and he decides not to follow. But right now I'm relishing in the time that he does try to find me all the time. Maybe that's a little bit of how Christ feels when I decide to follow him. Like a proud, loving parent.

Vacation

2009-09-01T08:17:00.000-07:00

It seems like it's been so long since I've blogged. And it has, really, been awhile. Recently we took a vacation to New York. I've missed being home so much! But the most awesome thing about it was that both my brothers and their families could be there at the same time. This is the first time in almost 2 years that we've all been together. So, it was great! Now, I'm not saying that every moment was perfect. Of course there were personality clashes, disobedience from the kids, but it was great nontheless. The kids played so well together. They just enjoyed being around each other. This was also the first time that my brothers were able to see Cole. So, he made a huge hit! Anyway, here are some pictures from our week at home.

This is what I woke up to in the van on our way. We left at 3 AM Saturday morning to start out our trip. This picture doesn't do it justice, but it was so cloudy and this little patch of sun was shining through giving the area around us that glowing look. I love that look. I always thought that this showed where heaven was. A beautiful brightness and glow among the darkness.

My handsome man doing most of the driving.

All the grandkids (minus Cole and my nephew Ben) sang at my parents church on Sunday morning. They all wanted Mimi up there to sing with them, so she did. They sang "This is the Day" and "God is so Good" accompanied by my dad on guitar.

Mimi and Kate - I just LOVE this picture!

My brother, Brett, and his son, Jack. Jack just adores his daddy!

My gorgeous man again! I just can't seem to get enough of this guy! =)

My brother, Dan.

My dad and my grandmother (his mom). I haven't seen her in such a long time. I do love my grandma.

My dad with his dad and stepmom (my grandma, too). When my grandfather first saw me when we were home, he stood up, kissed my cheek, hugged me, and then asked me who I was! It's been a few years since I've seen him and with the black hair I have now, he didn't recognize me. That's o.k. I thought it was so funny! And I just adore my grandfather!!

All the most important men in my life (excluding my husband and my son).

From left to right - Dan, Dad, Grandpa, Brett

I think they're a handsome group!!!

It was just gorgeous while we were in NY. So much so that the kids were able to go in the river and ride around in the kayaks. I wish I would have gotten more pictures. These aren't the greatest. Also, my brothers and I were able to go kayaking, too. Didn't get any pictures of us either. Oh well. My brother got some videos that I'll have to post when I get them.

More kayaking kids - and dogs, too. Yes, my parents have miniature daschunds, and they go kayaking and biking with my parents.

Dan

Brett

Marc

My sister-in-law Melissa and my nephew Ben. I just love these two!

On our last day in NY, we took the girls to the marina close by. They had so much fun looking at the boats and wandering around on the rocks. Here are a few pictures of our excursion there.

Marc wanted me to take some pictures of the rocks. We thought they looked pretty cool!

Lily

Maggie

Emma

I didn't take too many pictures of Cole last week. I don't know why, it just didn't happen. I would have loved to have gotten some pictures of him on the rocks, but being that he's so small still, that didn't work. Maybe soon. But for now, this picture of him roughing it will have to suffice.

The girls looking at the boats. They loved every minute of it!

It was so nice being with everyone, but also great to be back in our own beds! We miss everyone so much and we're looking forward to maybe doing this again next year. So, for now...

We miss you...

Papa

Mimi

Uncle Dan

Aunt Missy

Alex

Kate

Ben

Uncle Brett

Aunt Em

Jack

Baby to be

Grandma LePage

Grandpa Winters

Grandma Winters

...and love you, too!

Growing Up

2009-07-27T06:13:00.001-07:00

O.K. So, last night we had some friends over for dinner - just a cookout, but with something a little different - NY style hotdogs! Now, you can't get these hotdogs anywhere - just in NY and from the area I'm from. They have a different smell, look and taste - but they are FANTASTIC! Anyway, this has nothing to do with this post, but I just had to throw that in. Anyway, we had friends over. And after they left, we were trying to get Cole to smile. He's starting to smile more on cue now - a sign of growing up. Well, this is what I got.

Cole after I told him to smile the first time! Not really what I was looking for, but still a cute picture.

This was just after I told him to smile the second time. Much better and getting cuter.

And this is what I got after I told him to smile the third time just after he got rid of all the gas in his belly. Must be a boy thing to think it was funny!

Pictures

2009-07-22T17:13:00.001-07:00

Well, since I had a few minutes tonight to sit down, I figured I probably should get some pictures on here that I've taken in the past few weeks. A lot has happened lately. Of course, the birth of Cole, Maggie's 4th Birthday, my parents visiting and a new deck being put on. So, I thought that I should get some pictures put on here to show the different events. Emma's room is almost done, too. Just the chair rail and base molding to put up and then we're done! Yay!!! But then it's on to Cole's room. Anyway, enough of that. On to pictures.

Daddy and Cole

This is the way Cole always sleeps when he's on his back. The arms are always up above his head. Looks a little uncomfortable to me, but now that I think of it, my dad, Marc and my brothers all sleep this way. Must be a man thing!

Bright eyed

Mimi and Cole. She's trying to get him to burp for me.

Papa playing guitar. The girls always love it when he plays. Actually, I love it, too!

The decorations for Maggie's birthday.

Her chair

Maggie wanted a poodle party. I think we did pretty well!

Happy Birthday to you...

A new dress

Happy Birthday, Maggie! We love you so much!

Mimi reading her card

One of Maggie's gifts from Mimi and Papa was a red Adirondack chair that they had made for her. Red is her favorite color. She now uses the chair all the time!

One of her gifts from grandpa and grandma. I have a sling that I carry Cole in. Maggie wanted one to carry her babies in. Grandma made it for her.

My dad working on the deck

Still working...

The almost finished product. We still have to work on the handrail for the stairs.

We LOVE our deck! Unfortunately, we haven't been able to use it much because of the rain. But we use it whenever we can! Thanks dad and Marc for all of your hard work!

Family Visit

2009-07-19T19:57:00.001-07:00

I will post pictures soon, but for now I just wanted to write. My parents were here visiting us this past week. And we had a great time together. But needless to say, it was definitely a working vacation for my dad. My dad - he's such a great guy and I love him so much. Marc and I wanted to build a deck off the back of our house. But we really didn't know how to start this process. So, we decided that since my dad was coming for a visit, we'd ask him to help us. Now, for those of you who don't know my dad, he's a perfectionist. And that's someone that you want working on these types of projects. Anyway, Monday afternoon Marc came home early from work and he, my father and a friend of ours started on this project. My dad then got up every morning and started working on it whether Marc was home or not. By the time my parents left, the deck was 98% finished. All we have left to do is finish the handrails for the stairs. My mom also helped when my dad needed it. But she was more of a help to me. She helped keep the house clean and watched the girls when I needed to take care of Cole. And she was also more than willing to hold my son during some of his cranky times in the evening. And yes, I love my mom, too.

Since they came out so close to Maggie's birthday, we decided to celebrate with them. Mom and Emma helped me decorate the kitchen while Maggie was down for her nap. When she woke up, Maggie was so excited to see her "Poodle Party". We had a great time. Mom and dad got her the cutest little sundress. But the best was the little Adirondack chair they had made for her - painted red - her favorite color. Now that chair is on our new deck and she LOVES it!

It was great just to sit and talk with mom and dad. That's the part I miss the most. I don't get to do that very often anymore. Not when the visits are few and far between. But the best is yet to come. It looks like both my brothers and their families and Marc and I will all be going to my parents house for the same week in August! I CAN'T WAIT!!! I am so excited to spend time with all of them and just have a great "Winters" week (for those of you who don't know, my maiden name is Winters). I sometimes think it's so funny that a family who adores each other live all over the US. But there are so many families who can't stand each other that live in the same town. Do we wish we lived closer together - oh yes. But we all know we are exactly where God wants us to be. And even though that's hard, it seems to make our times together so much sweeter. So, I had a great week with my family here - the girls did, too. The adore Mimi and Papa. And I'm looking forward to our time together again soon!

My Boy

2009-06-27T10:15:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe my boy is almost 2 weeks old already. He's such a good baby! He's a GREAT sleeper, only gets up once during the middle of the night to eat and is generally really content. I can lay him down on his back or tummy while he's awake, and he'll stay that way and just look around for quite awhile. Needless to say, mommy's in love! His big sisters are great helpers. Getting things when I need them and talking/singing to him if he's crying. They always want to hold him. This little guy is so loved. He spends time with daddy especially when we're trying to keep him awake. Marc is really good at keeping him awake. Probably because he can't get anything out of daddy and as soon as he starts nursing off me, he falls asleep. So, we're very thankful for daddy's help! Our lives haven't really changed much since Cole arrived other than the obvious - diapers and nursing. Other than that, it's still the same old thing every day.

Well, here are a few pictures. The first one was taken in the hospital. The second was taken on Father's Day. That was Cole's first day going to church. He was ooh'd and aah'd over and held for most of the service by friends. I didn't mind. I love that other people love him, too. We didn't get a picture of Marc and Cole that day. The morning was so rushed trying to get everyone ready and out the door on time. Oh well. We'll get the morning's down in no time.

Mommy and Cole - so in love!

Cole on Father's Day

Birth Story

2009-06-17T11:15:00.000-07:00

I figured since the girls weren't here right now and Cole was having his hearing test done, that I would get some pictures posted and try to go into his birth story. So, as I stated in the previous post, we had to come in Monday night to have Cole delivered. The ultrasound showed that he was doing fine, but since he hadn't been moving much, he needed to come out sooner rather than later. So, after the ultrasound, we came up to the labor and delivery floor and were put in a triage-type room. Not a room to labor in, but it had a fetal monitor and one chair. We had been told that there were a ton of women that had been admitted that night due to the same thing - no fetal movement. Marc and I sat in the triage room for 3 hours before I was finally able to get into a labor and delivery room. During that time, Marc went home to pack our bags and to also pick up Emma. When he was gone, they came in to start my IV (I tested positive for group B strep - a pretty common thing among pregnant women). Now let me just go on record to say that I HATE NEEDLES - and even more so...I HATE IV'S!!! They put the IV in my left hand and everything was going fine, for a few minutes. Then the vein blew out! I didn't feel it. Just got this big puffy area on my hand where the antibiotics was collecting. So, they had to pull that line out and insert one in my right hand. O.K. Could that part get any worse? But, this one worked and everything was just fine.

Marc and Emma showed up and we had "Chatty Kathy" in our room for the longest time. All Emma did was talk. And talk non-stop! But she was so excited and we loved having her there with us to share in Cole's birth. We were admitted to our room at 11:00 pm and we still had more things to do. I had to answer a ton of questions - not a problem - I didn't mind. But it was the second time I had answered these exact questions. Hmmmm.....anyway, they gave me some meds to sleep. Ambien pills and Benadryl by IV. Now, let me tell you, Benadryl by IV is great!!!!! I was feeling so good. But it still took me a little while to fall asleep. Emma fell asleep at midnight and I feel asleep sometime between 12:30 and 1:00 am. At 3:00, they came in to start the pitocin. I didn't mind. I was contracting, but didn't feel anything. I fell back asleep and at 5:00 they came in to break my water. Again, not a problem. I still wasn't feeling anything. But at about 6:45 I woke up to some very uncomfortable back labor. The doctor came in to check me and I was 4 cm. I was able to breathe through them for awhile, but then they became really intense. I've had back labor before, but never like this! The contractions never went around to the front. They stayed completely in the back. And usually there's a little while in between contractions. But I had just a few seconds before the next contraction started. I couldn't relax or concentrate. And I definitely couldn't get on top of the contractions. So, I did something I've never done. I requested an epidural. Yes, for those of you who know me well, I've never asked for an epidural. But I needed one this time. The anesthesiologist came in at 9:00. Just before he did his thing, they checked me again and I was 6 cm. At 9:20 I told my nurse that I felt quite a bit of pressure and needed to push. She checked me and I was ready to go. I did two practice pushes with the nurse and she told me to stop. She had to get the doctor. Cole was coming. The doctor immediately came in and two contractions later, he was in my arms.

If I had to do this all over again, I wouldn't change a thing. Everything went perfectly. My son is here and I love it! He's fantastic and so cute. He's a great nurser and hasn't really vocalized much. I know that will change as soon as we get home. But that's o.k. He is so loved by Marc and me and his sisters can't get enough of him.

So, now that that part is done, here are some pictures of our newest addition.

Just shortly after he was born. He's a little guy!

Emma spent most of the time holding him. She watched the whole birth and was just fascinated by the whole thing. She was fantastic! So obedient and never questioned us about anything. The only thing is, she didn't want to give him up! Hmmmm....I don't like to either!

Checking out dad.

Soooo cute!!!

Still not wanting to give him up.

Could Lily's grin get any bigger?! =)

My little mommy-in-training. She adores Cole. She's even talked to him twice on the phone already. It's so sweet to hear her talk to him.

My beautiful son - Cole Stephen Rader

My favorite picture so far! I love the bond that's between them already.

He's Here!

2009-06-16T11:16:00.000-07:00

I so did not think that when I put up my post yesterday that I would be sitting here today telling you that my son has arrived! After my dr's appointment yesterday, they hooked me up to a fetal monitor because he hadn't moved in 24 hours. That was unusual for my little boy, but didn't really think much of it because I knew he was running out of space. I was on the monitor for about an hour and still no movement. So, they sent me over to the hospital to have an in-depth ultrasound done. Now, before I continue, let me just say that even though he wasn't moving, his heart rate was still really good. Anyway, still no movement during the ultrasound. The heart beat looked great. He was practicing his fetal breathing. Lungs, umbilical cord and all the other major organs looked great. Just no movement. So, they sent me up to the labor and delivery floor to be induced. I will go into his birth story on a later post (I'm really tired right now), but everything went so well. Emma was able to be a part of this story. And we were so glad she was there. But...before I sign off...here are his stats.

Cole Stephen Rader (middle name is after my dad's middle name)

Born: June 16, 2009

Weight: 7 lbs. 3 oz.

Length: 20 1/2 inches

Time: 9:28 AM

I will put up some pictures soon. But I just have to say, he's so cute!!!! And no, I'm not partial! =)

Almost Done

2009-06-15T09:52:00.001-07:00

It's so hard to believe that I am almost done being pregnant with this little one. Where has the time gone?! I am just now over 38 weeks and it seems like just yesterday I said I still had 20 weeks left to go. I have enjoyed every minute of this pregnancy - well, almost every minute. But now I'm ready to meet him. I'm ready to see what and who he looks like. To hold him and love on him. I'm done. I've stretched to the point where I don't think I can stretch anymore. I feel like I'm sitting on him. I'm tired and worn out and he's not even here yet. But still, I will miss being pregnant with him. I thank God every day for this little one that He's created. And I thank God that He's entrusted this little one to Marc and I. Am I ready? Well, in some ways I am. I'm not ready for the long nights and the unknown reasons as to why he may be crying. But I am ready to add a little boy to our family. I'm ready for the girls to have a little brother. I'm just.....ready!

18 weeks pregnant!

27 weeks pregnant!

38 weeks pregnant!

Me and my family of girls (for now)!

Bike Ride Fun

2009-05-20T07:36:00.001-07:00

Since it was so nice outside last night, we decided to take advantage of the gorgeous weather. We took the girls on a bike ride. They love riding their bikes. The hard part is that we live on a busy street, so we have to go down to grandpa and grandma's road to ride. Not the easiest road to ride on, either. I have noticed that most back roads in Indiana are not flat all the way across. They slowly rise from the shoulders to form a hump in the middle of the road. Our girls don't know how to ride without training wheels just yet. They're getting close. But it's hard when we don't have any flat surfaces to ride on. Oh well. It'll happen. We gave them an incentive, though. If they can learn to ride their bikes without training wheels before August, then they get to take their bikes to Mimi and Papa's house in NY and go on a bike ride with them. Mimi and Papa love to bike and are looking forward to that trip. Anyway, here's our motley little crew before we left (minus daddy, mommy and the dogs).

It's supposed to be even warmer here today (in the 80's). Maybe we'll take the girls to the park tonight and bring the bikes with us. I'm loving this weather!!!

Progress

2009-05-20T07:21:00.000-07:00

We have been trying to get some things done before the baby arrives next month. It's hard to believe that he'll be here that soon, but with the projects we have, it still seems like forever. Since we found out we were having a boy, we decided that he's going to need his own room. Right now, Emma and Lily share a room and Maggie has her own. Well, that's going to change. Maggie is going to move in with Lily and Emma will move to the basement. Her room down there will be big enough to use as a guest room, too. We'll put in a queen-sized bed, and when we have visitors, Emma will move back upstairs and sleep on the floor in the girls room. She doesn't mind that. She loves sleeping on the floor. Anyway, we had a good friend come over and help Marc frame up the room. It didn't take too long. Just two evenings. But then we decided to hire out the drywall work. The men should be finished with that part today. Then it's on to hanging up wainscoting (just on the bottom half), chair-rail, floor molding and then having the carpet laid. Still a lot of work, but hopefully we'll be able to get it done quickly. We're going to wait on getting the ceiling done for a little while. I'm going to have to start on our boys room as soon as Emma's room is finished. Anyway, here are some pictures of the progress so far.

It is a good-sized room (about 360 sq. ft.). Plenty big for a 6 year old and will be fine when we have guests. I'm so looking forward to this project getting done. And so is Emma. She's ready to be in her own room. I'll post more pictures after some more work has been done.

Hair Cuts

2009-05-20T07:15:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we took the girls in to get their hair cut. I couldn't believe how a little cut (little for Lily and Maggie, 8 inches off for Emma) could make the girls look so grown up. But it's funny, their cuts really fit their personality. They love them. I love them. It takes a little longer to do their hair (now I have to blow dry), but it's worth it. They really do look cute!

Maggie

Lily

Emma

My sweet girls!

Zoo Fun

2009-05-20T06:56:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've blogged anything and I have a ton of pictures to get on here. So, I'm going to try and play catch-up today. We have had some beautiful weather lately. And on one of those days, we took advantage of taking the girls to the zoo. We have a family pass for the summer and are very excited to use it. The day we went, it was about 85 degrees outside, but not all of the animals were out yet. They wanted to make sure that we wouldn't go back into the colder weather before all the animals were allowed out. So, here are a few of the animals that we saw that day.

One sleepy tiger.

This white tiger was our favorite. He was laying right in front of the glass when we got there. Lily put her face up to the glass and the tiger jumped up, put both paws on the glass and roared! Needless to say, our little girls jumped back, screamed and started laughing. It was fun to watch!

I have no idea what this is. I just thought he was kinda cute!

The camels look pretty pathetic with half their hair missing. But we found out that they were in the process of shedding their winter coats. So, maybe the next time we go back they won't look so terrible.

One of the cranes. If you look closely, you can see that she's guarding her precious egg.

Just some of the local riff-raff!

A red panda. Maggie and I loved watching this one. He was quite entertaining.

This poor lion. He was pretty hot.

As Maggie calls it - the cow with really big horns.

A warthog. Not the cutest of animals, but the girls liked him.

I love zebras. I think they are one of the coolest looking animals.

All this leopard did was pace back and forth. I think he might have been bored.

Some more of the local animals. Funny, they didn't have these behind bars! =)

Another

2009-04-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

We had another awesome experience in the Rader household last week. It's something that Marc and I have prayed for for each of our children before they were even born. The last few weeks Maggie has been asking a lot of questions about Jesus. This all started when we started reading the Easter story a few weeks back. Maggie, even though she is my most ornery child, is my most loving child. She is the one that's most concerned with other people's feelings and if they're o.k. or not. Last Thursday we were heading to Walmart and she again started asking about Jesus and heaven. She wanted to be able to see Jesus when she got to heaven. I gently told her that the only way she would ever get to see Jesus was if she asked Jesus into her heart. If she didn't, then she didn't get to go to heaven. Now, you're probably wondering if we talked to her about hell. The answer to that is no. Marc and I have talked together and decided that we didn't want to scare our children into accepting Christ. Anyway, back to my story. She kept asking questions about Jesus - going back to the Easter story. We finally made it to Walmart and in my heart I was praying for this precious little girl's heart. We did our grocery shopping and while we were in the checkout line, Maggie said, "Mommy, I want to ask Jesus into my heart.". Well, I would have loved to have been able to pray with her right then and there. But there was a line and I quietly asked her if she could wait until we got out to the van. "O.K. Mommy.". We got out to the van and she didn't say anything about it, so I figured that she wasn't ready. I went over to get gas for the van and she asked again. "Um, honey, there's a long line of cars behind us. Can you wait until we get home?". Again, "O.K, Mommy.". I decided to call my mom on the way home. I hadn't talked to her in awhile and just wanted to chat. I got home and was still talking to her 1/2 hour later. As soon as I hung up, Maggie walks up to me and says, "Mom, we need to talk.". O.K. So we went in her room and I asked her what she wanted. "I want to talk about what we talked about in the van". "Well, Maggie, what did we talk about in the van?". I wanted to see if she would remember. "About asking Jesus into my heart.". So, we talked, and prayed, and as soon as we were finished, she jumped up into my arms and was so excited! So was I. She immediately wanted to give Jesus a present. I asked her what she wanted to give Him and she walked over to her closet and pulled out a book. "Mom, I don't read this book anymore. We can give it to Jesus.". "Um, sweetie, I really don't think this book is going to make it to heaven.". Then she asked the best questions. "Mom, when I get to heaven, can I give Jesus a hug?". "Well, Mags, I don't think He would turn that down at all!".

So, there it is. Maggie's whole story. I know it's a little wordy, but I didn't want to leave anything out. For those of you wondering, yes, Maggie is young. She'll be 4 at the beginning of July. But I feel that she was very sincere. We will keep an eye on her and if we see that maybe it wasn't genuine, well, we'll talk to her about it. But for now, I'm going to take it as it is. That another one of my children found Christ! And I couldn't be any more excited!!!

Happy Easter

2009-04-13T07:55:00.000-07:00

We love Easter around our house. Not just because I get to dress the girls up in pretty dresses. Not just for the yummy meal and the Easter egg hunt. But because of what Easter really means - the resurection of Christ! What a price he had to pay for me. We really went over and over the Easter story with the girls this year. We've gone over it in years past, but we're to the point where Maggie is really starting to understand things. She's starting to think things through logically and understand the feelings of others. She was very disturbed when we told her some of the things that happened to Christ just before He was hung on the cross. And then she started asking questions that we didn't really know how to answer - mostly because they weren't talked about in the Bible. But things that made us really wonder. And Emma sat down almost every day and read the Easter story to both of her sisters out of her Bible. It was very sweet to listen to their conversation...

Maggie - "Emma, what are thorns?"

Emma - "Those are the picky things that you see on roses."

Lily - "Oh, so they put roses on Jesus' head?"

Emma - "No, just the picky things."

Maggie - "Oh, that's gotta hurt."

It was fun hearing them talk things through and try to understand things in their own little minds. Every day we've been reading through the Easter story. I'm starting to get a little tired of reading the same thing over and over, but how important it is for my children to know exactly what Christ did for them and me. And so, I'll continue to read. Praying as I go along that my younger two will accept Christ soon.

Here are a few pictures taken on Sunday. Mimi (my mom) found these dresses while she was doing some shopping in NY. I loved them the minute I saw them. And so did the girls. So, here you are.

I love this picture of the girls and me. We don't have too many of them taken together.

And now on to the Easter egg hunt. The girls had so much fun looking for them. It was a little cooler than what we would have liked, but they had fun nontheless. I think they made out pretty well.

Maggie following daddy. He was trying to help her find some that she had missed. But I thought the picture was cute.

Happy Easter, everyone!

Nesting Still

2009-04-10T09:17:00.000-07:00

Well, the nesting continues. My poor husband. His "honey, please do" list (I'm trying to be polite about it) seems to be getting longer and longer. But we've crossed two things off the list. The first thing to get done was the girls bathroom. If you've ever been in our house, the girls bathroom was still the same white that it was when the house was built. I had painted so much during our first year living here, that I had had enough. We were going to do their bathroom in pink polka-dots, but when we found out that we were having a boy, we knew that that wasn't an option anymore. So, we decided on this. I thought it was fun and very gender friendly. Especially since my girls like all the different colors in it.

They each picked out their own towels. They matched great with everything. And, I had to throw in some orange - my favorite color. Their bathroom is really bright now. We love it!

The second project to be crossed off the list was Emma and Lily's bedroom. I started their room last year - even though I've had the paint for their room since 2006. I painted three of the walls a light purple - the easiest of the phases. Then, I kind of lost interest and stopped working on their room. Well, again, the nesting kicked into high gear and I talked Marc into helping me finish the rest. I taped and painted and he drew on all the lines. The squares couldn't get anymore perfect. He did a great job! But this took longer than I expected. I thought that it was something that I could do in about 2 days. Nope. It took about 5 1/2 days to get this part done. But once it was finished, I loved it. The hard work paid off. The girls love it, too. But, I've decided...this room is going to stay this way for forever (I'm not painting it again! =)). Or, if they want something different when they're older, they can paint it themselves. We put their beds back into bunkbeds to have some extra room. They love that part. Especially the climbing up and jumping off. Hopefully we won't have any broken arms or legs from that.

I only have two more projects on my "Honey, please do" list. We would like to have two bedrooms built in the basement before the little guy arrives. This way Emma would have her own room, Maggie could share a room with Lily, and the baby could have his own room. And then, when we have friends and family visit, Emma's room or the other room could be used as a guest room as well. And I would also like to have a deck built off the back of the house. I know, I know....that project doesn't NEED to be done before the baby arrives, but it would be so nice to sit outside and grill on the deck when the weather starts turning nice. Hopefully that will happen before he arrives!

Fresh Air

2009-04-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago the girls were able to go outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. It was in the 60's, warm breezes, and just an all-around gorgeous day! They were so excited when I said, "Girls, go put on t-shirts and shorts. We're going out to play!". And then I got the question, "Mom, can we wear flip-flops, too?". That is always a highlight for them. They were and are still tired of getting all bundled up in jeans, sweatshirts, socks, sneakers and yes - the heavy jackets. Since this day a few weeks ago, we have had to get bundled up again. But the days seem to be getting a little warmer. Not as warm as we would like it to be, but it's getting there. Hopefully soon.

Constantly Growing

2009-03-26T11:10:00.001-07:00

I had to post a few pictures of the belly. This baby inside is growing like crazy. It's hard to believe that I'm almost 3/4 of the way through this pregnancy. It's gone by so fast. He's moving non-stop - especially at night. It's getting more and more uncomfortable to sleep because of where he is inside and all the movement. But I love it! I've loved every part of this pregnancy. Well, almost every part. There are a few things that I could do without, but other than that, it's been great! I can't wait to meet this little guy and see what and who he looks like. I hope all this moving inside isn't a sign of things to come, but if it is, that's o.k.

This was taken at 18 weeks. I thought my belly was huge then! Little did I know (well, I knew, but still...).

This is now at 27 weeks. You can definitely see that he's getting bigger! And I still have a little ways to go! Oh boy!

Happy Birthday, Lily

2009-03-13T08:52:00.000-07:00

This past Wednesday we celebrated Lily's 5th birthday. We had grandpa and grandma over for dinner. She picked out the meal for that night - spaghetti and meatballs! My girls love that dinner. And we topped it off with chocolate ice cream (yuck - but she loves it) and a Cat in the Hat birthday cake.

It's so hard for us to believe that she's 5 already. It seems like just yesterday I was laboring for her (she was my easiest labor - not the shortest, she was 4 hours, but definitely the easiest with no back labor, tearing, etc.). She's grown up into such a sweet and beautiful little girl. I couldn't imagine our family without her and her personality. So, Happy Birthday, Lily! We love you so much!

Lily loves the Cat in the Hat. So we decided to do that for her birthday this year.

Us singing Happy Birthday to her. She's been really shy lately and she was so embarassed.

Blowing out the candles. Go, Lily, Go!

Emma reading Lily her card with grandpa.

Opening gifts. I think this one was from her sisters.

I love her huge open-mouth smile. She was so excited!

More books. She loves books even though she can't read yet.

She got rain boots and a rain coat from Marc and I. We bought the umbrella a few weeks ago. She's been wearing the boots and coat around the house every day for the last few days! I'm so glad that she loves them!

Help!

2009-02-13T15:41:00.000-08:00

O.K. So now that Marc and I know that we are adding a boy to this family, it's time to start getting a list of boys names down. The hard part is that neither one of us can really come up with anything. We've had two boys names picked out since I was pregnant with Emma. He likes Noah and I like Owen. We probably should have a few more to choose from. So, here's where I need help. If any of you have any ideas on boys names, please, feel free to leave a comment with your ideas. Here's the catch. We want our son to have my father's middle name. So the first name has to go well with Stephen. We would appreciate any help we can get!

Change

2009-01-28T15:38:00.001-08:00

Our lives are about to drastically change. I had a doctor's appointment this morning prefaced with an ultrasound. It was just a standard check-up, but I told the ultrasound tech that if she knew the sex of the baby, to just let us know. The ultrasound took about 30 minutes. She was getting measurements of everything. I was very anxious as I was so ready to know what this baby was. After waiting what seemed to be forever, I asked the tech again if she knew what the sex was. She smiled and nodded and then zoomed into an area of the baby. I didn't even need to ask. I could totally see for myself. I still can't believe I'm saying this, but we're going to be welcoming a boy into our family of girls! Both Marc and I are in shock. Lily has really no opinion on this. Maggie is excited about a baby brother. Even though she keeps asking if he's going to wear her clothes. And Emma is a little disappointed. She really wanted another baby sister. But I told her that little brothers could be so much fun and she would love him so much. I've been going around the house most of the afternoon saying, "I'm going to have a son". That feels so weird for me to say. So, now, I'm going to have to start looking for boy things. This is a whole new adventure for us. And one that I'm a little nervous about but very excited about.

My son!

It's Been So Long...

2009-01-23T16:19:00.000-08:00

It's been quite awhile since I've blogged. And it's not that I don't want to, it just seems like there isn't enough hours in a day for me to sit down and really get anything done right now. Between school, homeschooling, practice, taking care of my children, growing a baby, cleaning, taking care of my husband, etc....I just can't seem to get a lot of things done. So, I figured I'd sit down for a few minutes and relax.

Yes, our lives have been very busy. School is very hectic right now with a concert coming up and solo and ensemble this next month. I have 32 students that I'm accompanying. I think I was crazy for taking on that many, but I really didn't have a choice. I'm looking forward to school being done this year. I'm not usually saying that until the end of April, but this year has just seemed so different compared to the last few. The only highlight is that Marc and I are going on the music trip with some of the students at the end of March. Now, this isn't just any trip - it's a Bahamas cruise. How could I pass that up? Neither Marc nor I have ever been on a cruise. And I would prefer that it just be the two of us, but we will have time to ourselves without the kids.

Emma's doing really well in school this year. She has so many more subjects than last year, and even more than the kids in 1st grade that are in public school. But we're making our way through. We're a little ahead of schedule. I'm o.k. with that for now, but we may have to start dragging our feet towards the end. We'll see. Her reading is fantastic. I've been blown away with how fast she's learning. Oh, to still have the learning capacity that a child has! Lily has been asking to start school. She knows how to write her name, her letters and numbers. But I'm not really ready just yet to start. My plans now are to start her in June. Emma will probably continue on to 2nd grade then. But we'll see. The baby is coming at the end of June. We'll just have to see how everything is going at that time. Maggie is trying so hard to catch up to her sisters. She wants to do everything they do. She's my little snuggler and loves mommy-time! And I have to admit...I love it, too. But there are days I'm just ready for the kiddoes to go to bed. I try never to wish my day away, but I am relieved to have a little quiet come 8:30.

My pregnancy is going really well. I can't complain. The normal aches and pains, the sleepless nights because you can't get comfortable, etc. But all-in-all, except for a few scares, it's been a great pregnancy. I'm feeling the baby move on a pretty regular basis. Nothing that Marc can feel just yet, just little nudges to let me know there's someone there. We're getting excited because next Wednesday is the day that we should find out the sex of the baby. Hopefully the baby will cooperate. But who knows. Emma didn't let us see anything until I was 34 weeks along. I hope that's not the case with this little one. I'd like to know what to call him/her. I'm a little nervous, though. What if it's a boy? I've never had a boy. I don't know how to raise a boy. I don't even know how to change a little boy's diaper! Oh, I'm in big trouble!

Me at 18 weeks (5 months). I can't believe this belly is going to be getting bigger!

God has blessed us with some really good friends. We've gotten to know them better and have really enjoyed them. My not being from Indiana makes it really hard sometimes. I didn't grow up with anyone around here. And it's difficult for me to talk to people I don't know well. Marc is so much better in that area than I am. But I'm trying to do better. And I'm starting to feel more at home.

Well, it looks like my time is up. I need to start getting the girls ready for bed. You know the routine, get into p.j.'s, brush teeth, read a book, pray and then it's light's out. And then the quiet. Ooohhh...

Merry Christmas

2008-12-14T07:29:00.000-08:00

I love this time of year! We recently put up our Christmas tree. I love it when the tree is finally decorated. I especially love it when it's very early in the morning or late in the evening, you plug in the tree - there are no other lights on, and you just sit in the glow of the Christmas lights. We, or I rather, enjoy the annual tree tradition. Marc and I go out and pick out our tree and then he cuts it down. The girls then tell me where they think the decorations should go. Every year we take the girls out and they pick out their own ornaments. We hang these ornaments on our tree, but when the girls get older, they take their ornaments with them. We started this tradition last year, so each girl now has two ornaments a piece. Not a lot now, but by the time they turn 20, they'll have enough to start (maybe they'll need to buy a few more - but then that's up to them). Hmmm....a contest....I've posted pictures of each of the girls ornaments. Do you think you could guess which ornament belongs to each girl? There is no prize to this contest. Just a "Way to Go! Good job!". Knowing the girls the way I do, I could have picked out most of these ornaments for them. But...can you? Let's see. Here are a few pictures of my girls. Look at the pictures and then pick the two ornaments that you think belongs to each girl. Leave your answer in the comment area. We'll let this contest go for a few days before I reaveal who got all the answers right. And now, let's begin.

All three of my girls - Maggie, Lily and Emma.

Emma

Lily

Maggie

And now, the ornaments. Good luck!

Princess Crown

Toucan

Angel

Big Blue Fish

Ballerina

Fish Acquarium

I hope you had fun with this little contest. It's always fun to see what kids will pick out. What they will like at a certain age in their lives. Because, you know when they're older, they'll probably hate most of these ornaments. But I'm loving every minute of it!!! Hey, that's what mother's do. I'm looking forward to next year when we can go out with the newest addition to our family and start this tradition with her/him, too. Merry Christmas everyone!

From our family to yours - Merry Christmas!

News

2008-11-21T06:47:00.000-08:00

Yes, I have news. It seems like such awhile ago that I had something "worthy" to write about. But I promise you, this is good. A few months ago I wrote how Marc and I made the joint decision to stop trying for baby #4. I was having too hard a time and it just wasn't working. We tried for 15 months and then came to the conclusion that if God wanted us to have anymore children, He would provide for us without my obsessing over it. Well, the first month that we stopped trying is when it happened. Yes, we are expecting baby #4! We are so excited and still a little in shock. I don't know why we are...it's something that we prayed for for so long. But after awhile it just seemed like a hopeless wish and that it was never going to happen. But God is always full of surprises and this was a surprise for us. Marc is very excited and so are the girls. Maggie is my "little mommy in training". The day she found out I had a baby in my belly, she had one, too. We talked to her about how she had to be married before she had any babies. Well, she decided that she was going to be married to daddy. Now, how can anyone argue with that?! God has been so good to us. My little family is growing. I've gotten this question a ton of times - "So do you want a boy since all you have are girls?" My answer to that is - A boy would be great. I wouldn't mind that one bit. But I would love to have another girl, too. Whatever God decides to give us is fine with us. I'm not going to complain about or during this pregnancy one little bit. I've wanted this for too long and I don't think it's fair to God for me to complain after I've prayed for this for so long.

Beautiful

2008-11-04T08:53:00.000-08:00

Just before the corn was harvested, we had this visitor in our backyard. He was so beautiful I just had to share it! God couldn't have made this animal any more beautiful!

It's Harvest Time

2008-11-04T08:29:00.000-08:00

It was time to harvest the corn that was planted near our house last week. I miss it now that it's gone. The corn gets so high that it provides a nice barrier and you kind of have your own built-in fence. The girls were able to go and watch the harvest this year. They even were able to go for rides with grandpa in the combine. They really enjoyed it. Here are a few of the pictures that were taken.

We picked up some corn that the combine missed. The girls had fun shucking it.

We used grandpa's Cub Cadet to go up and down the field it. The girls loved riding in it.

Happy Halloween

2008-11-04T08:21:00.001-08:00

The girls had so much fun this Halloween! We were able to go out two nights. The first night was in Bremen. We hit just a few houses - mostly people that we knew. Then the next night we went out with some friends and walked all over their sub-division. The kids all made out like bandits! This year we had a hard time picking out costumes. The girls have almost always been princesses. We were all ready for a change. Both Emma and Lily wanted to be witches. I struggled with that until I found these two costumes. Emma was a "Dazzling Witch" and Lily was a "Hip Witch". They were both tastefully done and looked just like play dresses. We told them that they were good witches - like Glinda from the Wizard of Oz. Maggie, on the other hand, wanted to be an elephant in the worst way. And I can't believe we found a costume. She was the hit of the group. She looked so cute. They asked if they could wear make-up and I let them. They looked so cute and so grown up. They won't be wearing make-up again for awhile. It fast-forwarded too fast for me. So, enjoy my two little witches and adorable elephant!

Another Soul

2008-10-14T16:57:00.000-07:00

Today there was another soul added to the Book of Life. My dear daughter, Emma, asked Jesus into her heart this afternoon. We have chatted off and on for the last 2 years regarding salvation, but she was too afraid to make the decision. Marc and I never pushed her and never wanted to scare her into that decision. We wanted her to make her choice out of faith, not fear. We had talked about Jesus coming into her heart, but she took that phrase very literally. She thought someone was going to come through her chest into her heart. In short, she was afraid of the pain. But today, while we were chatting, I worded things a little differently (with the help of my mom), and she said, "I think I could do that.". And she did! I was so excited for her! She has such an adventure in front of her. The phrase, "What if they don't accept Christ", was my concern before. And I thought, "If they just did it, then that would be it". But as I was watching and listening to her piano lesson this afternoon (yes, I hire that out), I knew my job now was much larger. Now it's time to mold and encourage her to find the treasure. To search for the nuggets of truth. To make Jesus her very best friend. I have prayed since the day she was born that she would trust in Him. Now that has happened. Am I a happy mom? I wish you could see the huge grin on my face and the little tears of joy!

Beautiful Weekend

2008-10-13T06:09:00.000-07:00

It was beautiful here the past weekend. Some friends of ours and us took the kids to a farmer's market in South Bend. The kids had a great time. We went on a hayride, went through a corn maze, stop and took some pictures in the pumpkin patch and then ended the time at the petting zoo. We always have so much fun getting together with these friends. And the kids get along great. Actually, we sat and figured it out -- their ages are 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Can't get any better than that. Anwyay, I just had to show a few of the pictures that we took. It ended up getting up to 80 degrees that day. We weren't complaining. It was nice to be outside without having to be all bundled up.

Waiting

2008-10-03T06:24:00.000-07:00

Well, after 15 months of trying, Marc and I decided to put the baby-making on hold for a little while. We've tried and tried, but still nothing. So, for my sanity, we're going to wait. Believe me, it wasn't an easy decision to come to. But I was starting to get upset when the tests kept coming back negative. I am trying to be patient and wait for God's timing. And a few months ago, I was there. But the hurt is back. You know, the doctors keep telling me, "You need to relax. It'll happen when you're relaxed." So, I try to relax. But then they tell me, "We need you to chart everything -- changes in body signs -- ovulation -- etc." Can someone please tell me how I'm supposed to relax and chart everything at the same time without becoming obsessed and stressed out about maybe getting pregnant that month? I'm sorry if this sounds like I'm complaining that God just hasn't answered my prayer yet - I'm not. I still want what God wants for me. And I still feel that it's going to happen. The break was just needed. I feel I can relax more without all the other pressures. And if it happens, great! And if not, well, we'll start trying again in a few months.

Also, can someone please help me to answer this question --

A few days ago, someone asked me if Marc and I wanted anymore children. Of course, I told them yes. I explained the situation - the vasectomy reversal, the medical issues, etc. But felt that we weren't done having children yet. Then she proceeds to say, "You have 3 beautiful children (yes, I know I do). Why can't you be content with what you have? There are a lot of people out there still trying for their first. They would give anything to have 3 healthy kids." How do I explain without knocking her out that I don't feel done - that I feel that God has more children planned for us - that there really is an emptiness, a hole, a deep longing for another child. I would gladly take any suggestions.

This is still a growing process for me. I totally realize that. Am I enjoying it? You better believe it! Even though my desire to have more children isn't gone - God has blessed me with so many wonderful things. He is drawing me closer to Himself. Causing me to rely completely and totally on Him. He is drawing me closer to my husband. Marc and I have always loved each other - that will never change. But our love for each other has become so much deeper. Thank you, God, for this process. I know that in the end, we will have exactly what You want us to have.

Walkin' In Memphis

2008-09-17T06:19:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, Marc and I went to Memphis for one of Marc's business meetings. We had a really great time together. We did go tourist for awhile, but we found that we weren't staying in the safest neighborhood, so left the camera in our room. But here are a few pictures that we did get.

We saw this just before we entered Tennessee. We thought it was pretty cool!

One of the bridges we crossed over. The profile view was really beautiful. But this is all we could get.

The mighty Mississippi River.

Hello, Memphis! We were so glad to be there after over 10 hours on the road.

The hotel we stayed at on Main St.

We thought this was a really cool sculpture. You can't see it, but there was water running down the sides of it.

The Gibson guitar plant. We were going to take a tour, but just didn't have the time.

This was one of the two pianos inside the Gibson guitar plant. The other one was bright blue. I thought they were very unique. Wouldn't really want one this color in my house, though.

This row of balls was just outside the Gibson plant. We thought they were pretty cool!

Of course, I had to get a picture of the hottest guy in Memphis.

Yes, we did go to Graceland. Actually, it was so expensive, that we didn't go inside the house. But we got pictures where we could.

Yes, there is actually a Heartbreak Hotel.

The bigger of Elvis' two planes.

The entrance into Graceland.

O.K. Just had to do it. We had to get our pictures taken with Elvis.

Even though we had a great time just the two of us, we miss these little ones so much! We're very excited to see them!

Happy Birthday, Emma!

2008-08-27T11:33:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we celebrated Emma's 6th Birthday. I know I'm a little late in posting pictures, but we had company last weekend and more company this week. Anyway, Emma had a great birthday. A few months ago, she drew us a picture to let us know what she wanted. That picture consisted of flowers, balloons, cake and presents. Well, we copied her picture and everything turned out so nicely. It was definitely a girly-girl party. The cake was done in pinks and purples and we bought brightly colored plates, napkins and cups. The plates were lime green, the napkins were yellow and the cups were orange (I had to throw my favorite color in there somewhere). She had a great time and got a ton of gifts. We invited a few of her friends over and she also had a sleep-over with one of them. I was amazed at how much these little girls could eat. And I know this is only the beginning.

The centerpiece of the table.

The birthday cake.

All the balloons - there were 24 of them.

The decorated table.

The table.

Emma wanted flowers at each place setting, so we did red roses in little bud vases.

Emma blowing out the candles.

All the girls for the party. Emma's not really that short. The other girls had princess shoes on with 3 inch heels.

Happy Birthday, Emma. We love you very much!!!

Kisses for Mom

2008-08-19T06:54:00.000-07:00

I don't know what it is, but I love this picture. There is a special bond between a mother and her children. Maggie and I have grown very close. I hope it stays that way for forever. I know there will be a time when she'll probably "hate" mom (those teenage years), but I know everything comes full circle. So here's to what I hope it will be. I love you, Mags!

8 Years and Counting

2008-08-13T06:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Marc and I celebrated our 8th anniversary! It seems like just yesterday I was walking down the aisle and we were getting ready to say our "I do's". These years have gone by so fast. So much has happened...moving into our first home; buying our first dog (who, by the way, is still around); celebrating our first anniversary at the state fair (I had never been to a state fair before -- it was quite fun); finding out I was pregnant with our first daughter on Christmas Day -- 4 months after our 1st anniv.; the birth of Emma; finding out I was pregnant with Lily when Emma was only 9 months old (I remember crying when I saw the positive on the pregnancy test -- I didn't think I was quite ready yet); Emma's hand surgery; the birth of Lily; two surgeries for me two months after Lily was born; finding out I was pregnant with Maggie when Lily was 6 months old; the birth of Maggie; and then moving into our new home. And this was all done within the first 5 years of our marriage. Things have since slowed down. We haven't had any more children, but have added to our pets. We now have 3 dogs - Herby, Daisy and Gracie and also have 3 cats - Smokey, Flower and Winston. We have a full house and Marc and I are still very much in love. Marc is such a good man - a wonderful husband (who is smokin' hot, by-the-way), a great dad and a great provider. I couldn't imagine my life without him. He completes me and we mesh together well. He puts up with my anxieties and stress and helps me when I need it. And when I just need him, he's there for me. The girls adore him and he loves them so much! They love to see their daddy. He plays with them and cares for them, teaches them and corrects them. As I stated before, he's a good man. I love you, Marc. And I'm looking forward to spending the next 50 years with you.

Happy Birthday, Maggie

2008-08-01T16:40:00.000-07:00

I know it's a few weeks late, but Maggie just celebrated her 3rd birthday. This first picture is Maggie at age 2 and the second one was taken shortly after she turned 3. It's hard to believe how much they grow in a year, but it does happen. I know I used this picture in a previous post, but I couldn't find one that I liked better.

It's hard to believe that our baby is now 3. It seems like just yesterday we held her in our arms for the first time. She is such a joy. She seems so grown up for 3. She was the first one of our girls to be potty-trained before she turned 3. She loves palling around with her older sisters. And most of the time, they love playing with her, too. She has a great laugh. She has a stubborn streak, but she's also very lovable and loves to cuddle. I love to hear, "I love you mom". And she's so sincere. Not just said in haste, but really means it. I also love to hear, "I was so worried about you", when she hasn't seen me for about 10 minutes. She loves to sing and twirl and dance.

I hope you enjoy this short little video. Maggie loved it when we sang "Happy Birthday" to her. So she started to sing it to herself.

Happy Birthday, Maggie. We love you so much!!!

Picnic in the Park - Part 2

2008-07-28T15:39:00.000-07:00

Here are the rest of our pictures from the park. I thought some of them turned out pretty well. As you all know, a picture is worth a thousand words. So, here you go!

Picnic in the Park - Part 1

2008-07-28T07:21:00.000-07:00

This last weekend we took the kids to a splash park in South Bend. They had such a great time. Because of the way the prices on everything keep rising, we were looking for something fun and free to do. We packed a picnic and had a great time! The girls loved playing in the water. It was hot out and the water was so cold. But that didn't seem to bother them. They played and ran around for about 2 hours and then decided they were too cold to keep doing it. So, we dried them off and got them into some warmer clothes. Right next to the splash park is a Japanese rock garden. We took a few pictures of the girls there, went to East Race to eat our picnic supper and took some more pictures of the girls there. I'll put all of those in a later post. We had so much fun and are looking forward to doing it again soon. We also found out that there are two more splash parks not too far away from us. We may try one of those next.

In a Year...

2008-07-28T06:53:00.001-07:00

... you can learn a lot of things. It was a year ago this month that Marc and I started trying for baby number 4. We have had a lot of obstacles. After Maggie was born, we decided that Marc should have a vasectomy. Actually, Marc really wanted it to be done because we had had three children in less than three years, and I was trying to be the obedient wife, even though I didn't feel like I was finished having children. He had the vasectomy and everything went well. Well, a year after the vasectomy, I still wanted more children. And it wasn't just a fleeting thought, but on my mind every day. So Marc decided to have the vasectomy reversed. I was thrilled with that thought and six months later, he went in for the surgery. The dr. then said that everything looked great and we shouldn't have any problems getting pregnant again. Little did we know the ride that God was going to take us on.

Month after month we would try and month after month I was so devastated that I wasn't getting pregnant. We decided to go in and have some tests done and found out that both Marc and I were having some medical issues. I was diagnosed with something called insulin resistance. Insulin resistance makes it very difficult for a woman to get pregnant. Marc had some issues, too. So I prayed and prayed that God would take away my desire to have more children. That didn't happen at all. In fact, my desire to have more children increased. So I prayed that God would show me areas that I needed to work on and also prayed that he would help me to be content with the children that I have. There were some areas in my life that needed immediate attention. And I've been trying to work on those one day at a time. But God has shown me how to love my children even more. Now, a year ago, I didn't think that I could love them any more than I did. But I started looking at the little things that made me happy. The biggest thing was involving Maggie. I loved her from day one, but the love seemed a little different than it did with Emma and Lily. Maggie had always been a daddy's girl and really never wanted to be with me. I started spending more time with her and purposely started taking her grocery shopping with me, had her go and run errands with me, etc. And I learned a lot about this little girl. I learned that she is so much like me (a very scary thought, especially when it comes down to the stubbornness). But she is also very compassionate, loving, and a little mommy in training. She is very careful with her baby dolls. If she accidentally drops one, she picks it up and lovingly gives it a hug and a kiss and tells the baby, "It's o.k. You're going to be o.k. I'm here to take care of you." And then there's a time every day that we can't go in her room because her baby is taking a nap. It's so cute and it makes me smile.

If I had gotten pregnant right away, there would have been some very valuable lessons that I would have never learned. And I would have never gotten to know Maggie the way I do now. I'm so thankful for this last year. Do I still want children? Oh yes. But it's so much easier handling not being pregnant when I know that God is with me every step of the way. I'm still praying for another child, but I now have a little more faith and know that it will happen. But it will happen in God's timing. And that's exactly when I want it to happen.

Summer-Reading Program

2008-07-25T13:28:00.000-07:00

Emma was recently in the local paper. She has been involved in the summer reading program at the public library. I was so proud of her because she was only required to read 20 books because of her age. But she went over and above and ended up reading 70 books in a 3 1/2 week period. I never guessed that her reading would get so much better, but it has. She doesn't stumble over words anymore. She's very proud of herself. And, because she did so well, they have a big party at the end of the reading program that she was invited to. She's very excited to go to that. I'm sorry the picture is so blurry. It's the best we could do right now.

New York Vacation

2008-07-19T15:56:00.000-07:00

This week we went to visit my parents in northern New York. We haven't been here in two years, so it was great to come "home" and stay for a little over a week. Marc and I both needed the vacation and the girls needed to spend some time with Mimi and Papa. Mom and dad have a great home right on the Racquette River. We love it here. It's so peaceful and quiet, and when you sleep at night with the windows open, you can hear the river rushing by. I recently read on my sister-in-law's blog about her loving to see her children loving the same things she did when she was a child. And I thought that was so great. But it's even more awesome to experience it. My girls love the river. We've been in it almost every day. They loved throwing rocks, going for rides in the kayak, and just learning basic "river rules". I loved seeing my girls love the river as much as I do. We're looking forward to the next vacation we have here. We'll spend more time in the river and teach the girls new things. I hope you enjoy the next few pictures.

This is the view from my parents back deck.

Mom and dad bought a kayak while we were here. We had so much fun in it. If Marc and I lived closer to a river or lake, we would really consider buying one! I told my mom to look like she was having a good time. Check out that huge grin!!!

A while ago, Marc and I purchased a Wii. We brought it home for mom and dad to play, too. We had a really good time. My cousin, Andrew, came over one evening and played with Marc for quite a while. They really enjoyed it. Here are a few of the pictures from that.

Even the dogs loved the river. The red mini-dachshund is my parents dog, Dixie. She is so cute and very sweet. We also brought our dog, Gracie, home with us. We did have to take Gracie to the vet this week. She ended up getting a huge sore on her back. We don't know exactly what caused it, but she's on some antibiotics and also a topical cream. They both have really seemed to help.

Just to end this post, here are pictures of Emma and Lily. Check out those smiles!!! We will miss Mimi and Papa, but we're already looking forward to our next vacation here.

Slip 'n Slide Fun

2008-06-09T07:34:00.000-07:00

We've had some warm weather these last few weeks and it was especially hot last week. During one of those 90 degree days, we took out the slip 'n slide for the girls to play on. Marc joined in as well, but he has since told me that he won't be doing that again. He's sore in places he didn't even know existed. Anyway, I took a ton of pictures and just had to share a few of my favorites. I hope you enjoy!

Gracie

2008-06-05T11:04:00.000-07:00

This is Gracie. She is a pure bred Shih Tzu that someone just dropped off. From what we understand, she comes from a puppy mill about 30 minutes away. For some reason whenever she has had puppies, they always died. So, the owner was going to take her out and shoot her. She is a very sweet little dog. She has become my side-kick. I've taken her to the vet and she's been bathed, groomed and also went in for a check-up and to get some shots. Poor little thing had a bladder infection, so she's been on some antibiotics for that. It seems to be clearing up and she's doing much better. She loves to play! She will constantly try to lick my hand and do everything she can to please me. The girls love her. It's taken some time, but the animals are liking her as well. She's not very big...only weighs 8 lbs. Our house is very full now. As Marc put it the other day...we have 3 kids, 3 dogs and 3 cats. I think we're done (at least with the dogs and cats!).

Too Fast

2008-06-02T05:43:00.000-07:00

As I sit here writing this, I can't believe the time has gone by already. The girls had been counting down the days and then all of a sudden the time had come and gone. We had been anticipating Mimi and Papa's arrival for 21 days. It seemed to take forever for the day to come and then finally, it did. The girls and I were so excited to see them. We haven't seen my parents since Christmas. Five months is a long time for the girls not to see their grandparents. So, when they drove up the driveway, Emma and I ran out to greet them. I didn't realize how much I missed them until I saw them. My parents and I are very close and to have them here for a time was great, although it was too short. We kind of just hung out Wednesday afternoon and let them rest for a little while. They had already spent a few days with my brother in Ohio and they were very busy there. Thursday morning, I had to go to school for commencement rehearsal. I didn't like being gone for as long as I had to, but I didn't really have any choice. When I did get home, mom, Emma and I went out to get some groceries. We also stopped at a nail place to have full manicures and pedicures done - my mom's treat! Then we did a little shopping, stopped to pick up our new dog Gracie at the vet (that will be a later post), and then on to pick up some steaks for dinner. We had a very full day. On Friday mom and I took the girls to look for some material and then stopped for shakes at Steak -N- Shake. Friday night was commencement and then my parents left Saturday morning. The time always takes forever to get here and then when it does, it ALWAYS goes by too fast! We really enjoyed having them here and the girls loved it! We have made plans to go "home" in July for a visit. The girls have already started counting down - 39 days and counting.