1st post

So I started the entire blog 2 years ago! I was just 3 weeks away from having Corbin! My entire "Original" purpose was to be able to post some pictures of him and all the fun info about him. I thought it would be easier this way, then trying to access to my email and emailing everyone! I didn't intend for it to take on a life of its own! But I am glad it did. So, here I am....we are... 1 week away from having another baby. I constantly wonder, "Who is this baby?" "How does this baby fit into our family?" Only questions that will be answered once he/she arrives. The kids are beside themselves excited. I had blown off the idea of L&A needing any direction about becoming big sisters, bc they already are. But as time has gone on, I realize Corbin is probably more like a "triplet" born 15 months late, then a little brother. Not to mention he is as big as the girls! So, they really are ready, at 3, to be little mommies.
Here are some of the things I hear lately
Anabelle-> "Mommy I am going to change the babies diapers!"
Laurel-> "Mommy I want to read hers a book and tell her night night."
Anabelle-> "Mommy, I am going to wake up in the morning time and check on the baby but be very quiet!"
Chloe-> "Mommy, I want to feed the baby and hold the baby. And I want to hold the baby standing up and walking!"
Corbin-> When he is tired of people touching my tummy or talking about the baby, he takes my shirt and pulls it down as far as he can and says, "Baby go night night!" Or he zurburts my tummy!

So, 1 week out. We have most everything, I think. You would think by now I would know what we need. But part of me thinks, we need very little. The other part thinks of all the things we had for all the other kids! Most important item, we have the craddle that all of my children have slept in, out and ready to go. My 2 sisters and I slept in it, my cousins, my nephew, my dad and my grandmother.

After this baby we will carefully put it away as we anxiously await a William's baby to arrive(my little sister and her husband!). I look at it, and it is pretty, old and so simple. The outside of it means nothing. Just wicker and paint. But it is what is on the inside. It is what lays right in the middle. It makes me think of the Bible, at least tonight. Maybe that is bc mine is sitting beside it. But the outside is just a case. It is nothing special. Maybe leather. Pink in my case. If it gets marked on or so forth, it doesn't change what is inside. The words He has inside are what matters. They are the same for everyone to read. Just like a baby in a craddle is the same for each mom to love. But just as the Bible leads and touches our lives in such differnt ways, so does a sweet baby.
I pray that I can always remember to love this baby in the way He designed him/her. Unique and special...and specific for our family. To be thankful for one more mouth to feed, one more person to hug, one more child to loose sleep over in difficult days, one more precious voice to hear, "I wuv you!", one more child given to me with the 1 expectation that we share His word with that sweet baby. That we live and teach enough to ensure we have done everything we can for the salvation of our sweet child!

Ok, off to bed.....

1st day of preschool

So, here it already starts. Chloe's first day of school gets all the news! And then those other little kids in the house...just left behind! The funny thing is, we made a huge deal about their first day of school as well! But they were still focused on Chloe's! They were still so excited for her...and she was for them! I sure hope they always are this way!
So here we go! On my calendar for August 28th, it says 'School starts for L&A&C'. Otherwise known as LAC, that stands for Laurel, Anabelle and Corbin. The night before we got our backpacks, otherwise known as "packs packs" ready, napmats ready(well Corbin had to use Chloe's old red one for 2 weeks!)and our lunch, otherwise refered to as "munch" ready. I got the kids excited about getting up that morning for school! Once again, I had to make special pancakes. Since CLC doesn't really have a mascot(I suppose I could have found a Jesus cookie cutter!:) and the little kids can't read, I just went with a teddy bear shaped pancake! So, Pink and Purple pancakes being made at midnight, seems to be a usual in this house! I made sandwichs for the kids in the shape of hearts! Of course I drew pictures on their chips sacks and napkins.. so they would know I was thinking about them!
Chloe was up and had already started breakfast when we got the little ones up. They saw their pack packs and munch bags and got giddy! We loaded everyone up for pictures in the front yard.



The same lady who was walking the morning we took Chloe out there, the week before, for her first day of pics, was out there again! Kind of funny! I wonder if she thinks we take pictures every morning of school! It was fun because we got to see all the kids in our neighborhood walking to school for their 4th day of school! We took lots of pics and then everyone came inside. We said a prayer for the little ones and Fred and Chloe headed to school.
The little kids sat down for their 1st day of school breakfast and then we also headed to school!



When we pulled up, we all said a prayer in the car. L&A really love to say the Lord's prayer. I want them to say a little more, but for now that is wonderful! Corbin just stays quiet and says, "AMEN!" It is precious!
The girls all but ran inside. No one wanted to ride in the stroller and everyone wore their pack packs.

Munch bags appeared to be too heavy, so I carried those! We went to Corbin's room first. He was SO CUTE! The girls kissed him and told him to be good. They wanted to be so big for him. A few kids were crying in his class and all he could do was say, "Bye mamama!" He was happy. Kisses to me and off he went.


I had to stop and inform his teacher he may not respond to Corbin, as he thinks his name is Bubba! Nice...
Then we head to Laurel and Anabelle's room. They were so excited! We put our things in our buckets and got our namtags. They kissed me and hugged me and barrelled in the door!

They had a great day!
When I picked Corbin up, he was so proud of every paper in his bin. Include the notes from the teacher! His teacher did stop me and say there was an insident, he as involved in. The first thing I said, "Did he hit someone?" She laughed and said no. Another kid pinched his face hard enough to draw blood. He had a bandaide he was very proud of on. I think she was worried I would be upset. I just said, "Oh, he is fine..I am just glad we were the victim!" Poor guy! Laurel and Anabelle loved the day as well. Anabelle told me her teacher said, "NO!" I asked her why... she confessed it was because she got off her nap mat! She told me her teacher wasn't nice. I said, "No, your teacher is right!" So we hung around outside for a bit until Chloe got out of school. We walked to her carpool line and picked her up. She was so cute in asking them how their first day was! We headed home, and before nap we had a yummy icing covered chocolate bar! It was our celebration snack for the first day!



So there we have it. I realize that it is just preschool/mother's day out. But I will only have 1 more official 1st day of school to celebrate after this baby arrives! Until then, I will cherish each milestone for everyone! What a year of 1st! We are so blessed that it is all going so well and everyone seems to love their schools!

Not about the kids!

Well, kind of. I know I usually am posting about my kids. I mean with 4 of them and 1 waiting to arrive, there is always something going on! But I am sitting at home this morning with Chloe bc she was sick last night. Fred went on to church with the little ones. So, I am thinking about blessings in my life. There are the very obvious ones and then the ones that show up out of no where. First, is the obvious one of my husband. Although my CLOSE friends and mom and sisters know he can drive me crazy sometimes...:)... he is truly a blessing. Right now I am thankful for his dedication to our family. He doesn't stop trying to help us survive. Survive in the sense of spiritually, emotionally, financially and more. 10 years ago, he would have NEVER stayed up to help me clean the house, till midnight. But having it on the market requires a lot of work, and he was vacuuming at midnight just the other day! Thank you! Then there is the financially. Well of course he works everyday! But to watch him find a way to make sure we can pay for private school, it is amazing. Some people don't understand why we would put the "stress" on ourselves. But for us it isn't a choice. It is the best decision for our kids. He has amazed me at how hard he works to make sure we can do this. To go outside the "box" to be able to give our kids something we both feel very strong about. Not just a private school. But a Christian, truly Christian, education and experience. What a blessing.
And then, to watch the Lord bless him and us in all of this. Obviously we can't be the ones doing it, but we can't also just sit around waiting for the Lord to drop it in our hands. He wants us to go out and strive and work hard...and in return he has blessed us abundantly! Thank you!
Now me... the blessings I have seen come to me and my family. I remember thinking not too long ago...I have a lot of friends.. but not a lot of close friends. Not a lot of friends I can call on when I am in need for help. Help usually meaning.. can you juggle a kid for me! With various friends moving and such, life changes(HOLLY PRATHER...THANKS:) Just kidding:) In return, I felt like I also wasn't able to help other friends.. When your God given roll in life is that of a "care taker", it feels wrong to not be able to help others all the time! Anyway, it is something I prayed about. For the Lord to show me how this is suppose to work. I sometimes would feel like me showing up with all 4 of my kids for a play date with 1 kid, well a little overwhelming for some! Anyway, I have been blessed beyond once again. Just when I thought, how am I going to be able to attend anything at school for Chloe(and I SO wanted to be the room mom...but a dear friend said...DON'T DO IT! NOT THIS YEAR!) or how am I going to be able to make it to all these ob appts without all 4 kids always in by my side! My mother helps Fred and I way beyond anyone I know. We all love it. But I HATE to ask her all the time! Of course the Lord answered. He sent me such loving wonderful mothers. To have a friend call, when she doesn't even know my need...and ask to bring Chloe home for the afternoon! I mean, BLESSING! And another friend who is so willing to let Chloe come home for a few hours, just so I can get my little ones a decent nap, before yet another drs appt! And to have an old friend that offers all the time to come with her 1, to watch my 4...to want to miss something so important, to help me when baby 5 arrives... nothing like a friend. It is moments like those...friends like that...that remind me, I do have those dear friends.
So thank you to my dear friends. Not just for bailing me out when I need it! But for just being dear friends. My prayer is I am a dear friend back!