A little lady on the way!

A 3 year old little boy, a 19 month old little boy and now I am 20 weeks pregnant with our little lady. We couldn't believe it when we found out it was a little lady and not a little man.  After our first two boys were born I was convinced we only make boys!  God proved us wrong, and ETA for our little lady Charlotte Ryan (pretty sure that's the name) is October 28, 2014.  We can't wait to meet her, and I have had so much fun thinking about dressing her and planning and changing the nursery. I am excited for Nick to have a little girl, and I am excited for myself to have the mom daughter relationship that most girls and moms have.

The days can be long, but the weeks fly by

Time is going by so quickly.  I realized I haven't posted since March, and it feels like it was just a few weeks ago that I wrote my last post.  The fall is always so busy in the lives of teachers.  We are blessed with Nick having the summers but seem to make up for those hours come fall and the busyness of getting his classroom situated and back in the swing of things.  I am also teaching a few hours a week for a homeschool program called Gorman.  I love it, but it is an adjustment to find time to plan lessons again!
Nick and I were blessed to take a step back last weekend and take some much time needed away to go to a marriage retreat up at Hume Lake!  It was wonderful, and so good to be away from all distractions, especially the internet!  Having a smart phone makes us accessible at all times by text, phone, email and any social media we are attached to.  It is a constant balance to not let it overtake, and become all consuming.

Back to the marriage retreat...Here is a picture of us taken at the lake.  It is such a beautiful serene place.  It was a time of rejuvenation for us.  The couple who spoke gave great tips for conflict in marriage.  It was so practical, because EVERY marriage deals with conflict.  I appreciated their insight, and the Lord brought to mind specific areas where I can do better in my marriage.
The boys are growing so quickly, too quickly.  Lucas will be 1 in another month.  I can't believe it.  That boy is growing so fast, and eats like there is no tomorrow!  He is becoming our little big man!:)  Noah's vocabulary is growing by the day, and it is so much fun to have "real" conversations with him now.  His absolute favorite thing to do is wrestle with Daddy, and actually I would have to say that is Lucas' favorite thing to do as well.  Those boys love to rough house with dad.  Today, they were rough housing with each other, and loving it.  I was sitting on the sidelines like a referee constantly reminding Noah to be "gentle" with Lucas.  Gentle and roughhousing??  Those are not words that go together!  Sigh....this is the beginning of it, being a mom of boys is definitely going to help me relax!

Parenting

Sometimes Nick and I feel like we have absolutely no idea what we are doing when it comes to parenting.  It is such a new world to us especially as Noah grows into a toddler and we have new words enter into our vocabulary like tantrums, and discipline.  Sometimes I am scared of this role of parenting.  I start to get wrapped up in the idea that I don't want to screw up, and what if I don't do enough to show my boys who Jesus is.  Thank goodness I don't have to bear that burden.  I am so thankful that our Lord shows us and guides us how to do this when we ask him for help.  I can't imagine being a parent without relying on Christ.  Lately we have been opened up to more insight from many different parenting books.  I am so thankful for the wealth of knowledge out there when it comes to books.
We went overload on books from Amazon last night when we picked out these great reads:  The New Dare to Discipline by James Dobson, Raising a Modern Day Knight, Bringing up Boys and The Family Blessing.  More than anything else in parenting Nick and I desire that our boys grow to understand their need for our Rescuer and Savior Jesus Christ.  We pray that they come to desire to follow our Lord with all their heart.  As we raise them we pray that as we live out our days that we would live out the call in Deuteronomy 6: 4-9 which is our family verse.

⁴ Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.^[a] 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹ Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.

Wowed by the Intelligence of an almost 2 year old!

Sometimes my son seriously amazes me!  There are so many moments through out the day where I see his mind expanding and growing by the way he plays or the things he says!  Every day it seems as if new words enter his vocabulary.  He often cracks me up when he walks around make chhhoo (best i can describe) noises which is how we tell Kookka no.   Today was another one of those moments.  He has a shape box where he tries to fit the shapes in to the correct holes.  I have always had to help him, and today he wowed me when he figured it out all on his own looking for the correct sides and finding the shapes to go in.  It is amazing to see his little mind grow in intelligence.  I love being his mom, and I am amazed at how smart he is!

Patience

I think this is one of the biggest fruits of the Spirit that God is working on in me as a mom.  I am realizing just how difficult it can be to show patience toward my son when he throws a temper tantrum out in public, or at home, or in the car, or where ever else we may be:)  As my mom and mother in law have often said our hardest days are our biggest learning days and I feel like Noah and I are having a lot of those lately.
The parent child relationship I get to have with Noah is such a reminder of my relationship with the Lord.  When I don't get my way how do I respond to God?  Do I kick and scream and throw a tantrum or do I trust and follow where my Heavenly Father is leading me?  I see how my son struggles with his emotions because he cannot yet fully communicate to me what he wants and doesn't understand all that I tell him.  What a picture of my relationship with God!  I do not fully understand His thoughts for they are much higher than mine.  It makes it difficult at times to line up to His will because of my lack of understanding and trust.
What a reminder when I am constantly having these types of interactions with my son to pause and remember my relationship with our God and the patience and love He has for me.  It reminds me to show that to my children as He continues to bestow it on me.

Time to write!

It has been 1 1/2 years since I have blogged!  I am sure no one even checks this page anymore, but I enjoy seeing where we have come, and so I am drawn back to journaling some of life's special moments.
Quite a lot has taken place since I wrote our last post.  Mainly we have another son!  Lucas John was born November 3, 2012!  He is now over 4 months old and a true joy just like his older brother Noah!  Our boys are 17 months apart!  Yes, it is definitely keeping my days busy of scheduling, nursing and changing diapers.  I love it though, and would not have it any other way.  I cannot wait for our boys to be playmates and buddies!
I am now a full time stay at home mom!  I love it, and wonder how anyone can balance working full time and being a mom, and taking care of their home.  It keeps me so busy!  Once in a while I do get out to sub which is nice both to have adult talk for the day and also to make some extra money.
We are also officially a van family.  Nick and I ate our words when we said "we will never buy a van".  We bought a 2011 Toyota Sienna, and as Nick's brother put it, "It's just too convenient not to love."  Well said!  I love pushing a button and watching Noah run to climb in and play with the seats.  It has made life easier with two little boys!
Time is going faster with two little boys to raise.  There are times when the days go by slowly until nap time, but overall I look at my boys and see how fast they are growing.  It is so bitter sweet.  A part of me wants them to stay small forever and it is hard to see them grow and change.  It is so sweet to watch them grow and to be their mamma though.
These are a few of my favorite things about Noah:
I love how you are starting to talk more and more.
I love how you say Kookka
I love how you call our names again and again just to hear us respond to you!
I love your hugs when I ask you if you know that Mamma loves you.
I love how you grab your pacifier out of your bed just to get a few sucks in.
I love how you love tomatoes!
I love how excited you get when you get to watch Cars.
I love how much you love buckles right now!
I love how you love to play with Kookka
I love when you give kisses.
I love hearing you call Mamma in the morning or after a nap.
I love you so much Noah!

These are a few of my favorite things about Lucas:
I love your smile, it lights up the room!
I love how you smile when you see me, it melts my heart.
I love how you wake up happy in the morning.
I love that you are finally sleeping through most of the night.
I love how you love to hold a toy and play with it/study it
I love how when sitting in your bouncer you reach up and swing at the hanging toys.
I love how happy you are.
I love that you are a mamma's boy
I love your chunky little legs!
I love how you to love to study your brother already and try to mimic him.
I love how hard you laugh when daddy plays with you.
I love you so much Lucas!

God has majorly blessed with me with these special little men.  I am thankful for each day that I am privileged to be their mamma.

Being a mom!

I have been blessed with the role of being mommy to Noah.  I absolutely love being a mommy.  I didn't know how I would feel, or act or if it would come naturally. For the longest time I didn't feel ready to have kids.
When Noah came into the world I was in love with him, but it was not the kind of heart melting love I feel for him today, that grows as each day passes.  I remember the first month was tough at times because he didn't really recognize us and there was a lot going on!
It was somewhere around 5 weeks though that he first began to smile, and that was the end of it for Nick and I!  Our hearts melted for this little boy and they continue to melt with each day that passes.  I really feel now that my heart and love just keep growing, it's crazy!  Raising kids is such a joy and each part of it is such a treasured moment.
Lately I find myself trying to soak up each moment that I rock him to sleep, each moment of nursing, each moment of waking up once in the middle of the night.  These moments are fleeting and will soon be gone.  And there will be new things to look forward to.  But oh how I am treasuring these times!  His coos and laughs are some of my favorite sounds in the world!  Sometimes I find myself anxiously waiting for him to wake up so I can spend more time with him!

It has been hard to go back to work even though it is part time.  I find it so difficult to leave that sweet smile and laugh in the morning!
Each moment is a blessing, and as time is passing quickly I am trying to treasure each moment I have with our little man:)

Doesn't that smile just melt your heart!??!  He is such a special little man:)