Spring Break & Easter 2012

Last year for Spring Break, we went to Galtinburg. This year, it was very low key, very peaceful. We stayed home and attended every event the library had! It was nice to get to sleep in a little extra and stay up a little later. Good memories were created :) 

Over Spring Break, Macie started walking by herself with her toy. She getting so big!!

This is so funny. I found Macie chillin' in her brothers closest! She loves that SpiderMan chair and we would find her relaxing it throughout the week. Silly girl!

The wind knocked down the basketball net and the kids had fun climbing over.

It's the simple things in life :)

Macie snackin' on a rice cake, sittin' on the treadmill.

Sunday 4-1-12: KidStuf is a program for families at our church. This month we're learning: God loved, God gave, we believe, we receive, we show, we shine. So, this is a picture of my babies holding their glow sticks - shinin' away! :)

A police officer came to the library to teach about stranger danger!

My sweet boys being very attentive. :)

Then a fire fighter came and taught everyone about fire safety.

Another day, the boys made dragon flies!

Asher got to participate in this class and make the sound of RAIN!!

This is when the Humane Society came.

I AM SO THANKFUL FOR GOOD FRIENDS!!

Saturday 4-7-12 My friend April and I took all five of our kiddos to some Easter egg hunts! This is a big deal because I'm always big on one egg hunt is enough but yeah...this year we splurged! And it was a great time with great friends!

Carter and Macie, Asher, Zeke and Gracie.

A puppet show after one of the egg hunts.

Asher & Gracie in a fire truck. Zeke didn't wanna go.

This was the second egg hunt. I didn't get a picture of Zeke and Gracie because they were in a different field; April stayed with the big kids and I had the babies.

Gracie is so funny! She wanted a shot gun!

My loves on Easter morning with their chocolate bunnies!

Our family Easter morning 2012.

Daddy and Macie at Grandma Lisa's house after church.

Asher at the egg hunt at Grandma's.

Zeke, huntin' eggs.

Silly boy! Candy teeth!

Church was fabulous this Easter. I am so thankful to be a part of my church! I do believe I go to the best church everrr! And Perry had an interview today; he has signed up to be a small group leader at Transit; the middle school environment at our church! I'm so excited for him and what God is doing in his life! 

Happy Easter!

Happy Birthday, Asher!

4 years ago today at 4:55pm (that's what the hospital said, I thought it was 4:56) my sweet, sweet Asher man was born! Right from the start, he was such an easy going baby! He started sleeping through the night at just a couple months old, he was very easy to put to bed, he always had a smile on his face and still does!

Asher is such a happy boy! He has a fabulous heart! He really looks out for the ones he loves especially big brother, little sister, and mommy! He loves God and loves learning about Him. He constantly prays for others - if you have a one time prayer request, no worries, Ash will keep praying that pray for ya months later! He says the sweetest and random things, "I love you mommy no matter what!" For no reason he will just blow me and Macie kisses, he's good about giving random hugs and encouraging words. Sometimes when he gets in trouble, he says in a kind of panicky voice, "Do you forgive me?"

Asher melts my heart. I am so thankful God gave me him and I so wish he would stop growing up sooo fast!!!!

Love you, Asher man, for ever and always NO MATTER WHAT!!!

Life Without God

"I don't believe Christianity is the only way."

Yikes.

Those are the words I just heard spoken by someone I am very close to, someone I love very much.

What do you say to something like that? Especially when that person comes from a broken and very abusive home, all done "in the name of the Lord"? My heart is broken, my mind is racing.

I don't know how people live w/out God. I take such comfort when there's a situation I'm faced with and it has me baffled, I can just go to Him! He can and will lead me! Or during tragedies or difficult times, it's comforting to know that there's a bigger picture than me in the here and now. That God takes care of those who love Him. It's good to know that when I'm at a lose, He is not! He is up to something good and marvelous!

But what about those who are at a lose? "I don't know what to do." they say. What do I say? I try to seek the Lord for advice but they don't believe. So, when they're at a lose, they really are. Sometimes I give my Christian advice anyways. And I'll pray for them. I think one of the biggest ways to witness to someone is not by preaching, but by the way you conduct and live out your life.

I love this person so much. I have faith that one day she will embrace Abba.

Happy Birthday, Zeke!

Eight years ago today (@ 11:23pm, to be exact) my life became saved. A little baby named Ezekiel filled my life with love, hope, and purpose. Words cannot do justice as to what I'm trying to explain here. I had never known these things before him, it wasn't until him that I had my first real experience with love and hope. And though I always believed in God, having Zeke brought me even closer to Him.

My sweet, beautiful, handsome, gorgeous, smart, clever, silly little boy. He literally has the face of an angel and always has. He is a fasntastic protector over his younger brother and sister. Whenever I ask his help I know he'll be there to help. This child is wise beyond his years. He started walking at only 7 months old - he's a flippin' smart boy! I could carry on conversations with him at a young age. He's such alittle genius, ya see, he didn't call me mom for long because he quickly picked up that everyone else called me Emma, so he did too until he was almost 2 1/2. Zeke was such a snuggle bunny - the biggest one of all my kids. He reminds me a lot of me. I do my best to lift him up, to encourage him. He doesn't realize how wonderful he truly is.

I love my son soooo much. I'm soooo thankful he's mine!!!

Happy Birthday, sweet boy!!! Mommy loves you for forever & beyond, NO MATTER WHAT!!!!!

Happy Birthday, Macie!

Today, my sweet angel princess daughter turned 1 year old! I can't believe it! She has brought more love and happiness into our family - we all cherish sweet Macie!

This morning we let her open a couple gifts early (her party is this Saturday). She cried! For real, girlfriend did not want anything to do with opening presents! Hey, it IS her birthday, she can cry if she wants to! ;) Big brothers, Zeke & Asher helped her. She got 4 new spring/summer outfits and a toy! She also had her 1 year old picture taken today! She did great! She took a super long b-day nap! And she ate a cupcake after dinner (she'll have her official bday cake at her party )! She especially loved sharing it with daddy! Now sweet girl is passed out in her bed after a long day! I love my girl so much!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MACIE!!! I LOVE YOU FOREVER!!!! :-*

1 yr

A year ago today was a very (unnecessarily) scary and traumatic day for me. Though the end result was nothing short of wonderful, she would've been just as wonderful had she been allowed to make her big debut when she was ready to. I still can't believe what happened actually happened. I can't believe how acceptable its become to have control-out-of-fear common in the birth process. I can't believe the amount of woman who are robbed of this God-given experience.

I can't help but wonder when we're going to give birth back to God?... When are we going to stop it with the man-made interventions and let the body do exactly what God made it to do? When are we let go and let God? And why have we even started with all these interventions? In the rare case thats necessary, yay, but 90-something percent of the time its not and once again we're abusing our knowledge of things. In fact, most of the time, we make things worse. Why the need for all the interventions? To fatten a certain someone's pocket? 'Cause I sure know its not for mommy & babys benefit. Studies have shown the lack of bonding through these interventions, the disstress it causes baby, the blues it causes mommy,the risk it causes them, the experience it robs. I just...don't understand why some in the medical (I feel) choose to abuse their power and why the patient doesn't question things. But sometimes even that's not enough.

I hope things change. I hope one day (sooner than later?) women will take back this experience. Ok, you may go over 40 weeks - so what?! In the scheme of things, a couple extra days preggers is nothing. Next go round, I plan on not complaining on "being ready" or whatever. Next time, I'm going to better appreciate every day my baby has within me because it's obviously a day much needed. And next time, I will choose to put my trust in God knowing He created my body to birth my child, no interventions necessary.