First Present

Today was our first day of school! It was SO fun to have the kids back. I really missed them. They make this job so much fun. I got a ton of hugs, but none so sweet as my hug from Tyler. He was standing at the door ready to be let in with a present in hand. I welcomed the kids in and he almost plowed me over. I got a HUGE hug and then my first baby present!

He stayed up until 10pm because he was so excited for school and was writing my card.

How can you have a bad day when it starts like that?

You can't, you just have to have a great day!

It's the little things.... like a Keurig

Our PTO just let us use some extra funds from last year to buy a Keurig. We are all thrilled! The perfect flavor of coffee, tea, hot chocolate, apple cider, and more! Whenever we need, (or want) we just walk into the staff lounge, put in a pod, and voila!

I am avoiding coffee while pregnant, so, Hello tea here I come!

Can you tell I'm excited :)

Reading with Abigail

It's hard to describe just how much I miss my youngest sister Abigail. She will be turning 12 next month (12!!!! so crazy) She is the sweetest, most fun little girl ever! Well, we decided that living far apart is just too hard and so we needed to find something we could do over skype together.

The first thing we are going to do is read some books. We both have a couple in mind. Some are books she loves, and some are books that I loved at her age.

I would also love your opinion though! What were some favorite books at 12? Text, email, or comment if you have some Must Reads!

Some of our books: (the ones I could find pictures of)

The "Just Wait" post that encouraged my heart!

Since being pregnant I am asked regularly "How are you" or "How are you feeling".  If your not pregnant and reading this you are probably thinking "So what? People are caring about you" and if you've had kids or your pregnant then you probably know where I'm headed with this...

Most people probably want to hear "Great! We are so excited for the baby!" or "I"m fine thanks for asking" as a response. However, I'm just not wired that way. I tend to tell people EXACTLY how I am feeling. From the nausea and tiredness to the upset stomachs. (By the time they start to look disgusted I realize I've said too much and should have said "fine".)

From almost all mothers who are farther along in this stage of life than I am, the response I get is "Just you wait". (Sadly, I'm sure I've said that to people before, although I will try to never say it again.)

What Horrible Words!

They are ominous, discouraging, make you fear the future, kind of words.

To me those words mean, "suck it up, things are just going to get worse.There is no end in sight, your going to feel like this forever, or at least for the next 18 years."

I just read an article from the gospel coalition. The lady who is writing felt exactly how I do about "Just wait". She was pregnant with 3 little ones and discouraged because of some parenting struggles. I really encourage you to read THIS if you find yourself down in the dumps, or worrying about the future or really just in a trial right now.

The only thing that I would add to her article is to remember Matthew 25-36.

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

Idaho

Well we are back and in the swing of things. We got home on Saturday and hit the ground running. Actually Kyle hit the ground running and I took a nap. I woke up to 4 new projects underway. He's nesting, and doesn't even really deny it. It's pretty much the best.

Anyway, I'm telling you about coming BACK from Idaho instead of our trip IN Idaho.

It was wonderful to see my family. We arrived and there was the whole crew (meaning my parents, sisters, brother in law and nephew and nieces.) sitting in the front yard waiting for us. It was a relaxing trip where I got to just soak up time with them. We had fun activities thrown in there, but mostly it was just enjoying the family.

My parents might be the two most spiritually refreshing people to me. They serve in actions and words. They serve, serve, serve. They don't get easily flustered, but are just my steady rocks. They tell you what you need to hear in love, and then they love on you. Amazing!

Being with Abigail was a blast!!! I always have fun with her, it was very hard to leave. She is just the sweetest thing! We had great talks at night and a couple of sister dates. I wanted to stash her in my suitcase and bring her home with me.

I got to see my older sisters home and kids and a small glimpse of their life in Idaho, it was great.

I laid on the couch and had my grandma play with my hair while we talked, just like when I was a kid.

I go back for Christmas in 4 months and it just seems like FOREVER away. My mom assures me that the time will fly, but I'm pretty ready for Christmas now.

I said that I would share pictures, but.... I only took 1. I was too caught up in my time there to think about grabbing a camera for the blog.