A Good God

I am rejoicing for the Lord is good. we just got the hospital bill and it was $1600 less than what we were expecting. He is a good God and takes care of all the little things.

A Year In Review

Wow it's almost 2010. I can't believe it. What an eventful year we had. For some reason I just realized our family didn't take a family vacation this past year. We did lots of little one or two night excursions but nothing really big. Well 2010 will make up for it with our trip to California in June.
-Last January I was still getting used to having a little boy in my life.

-February is always a good month with Daddy having a birthday and our special little Brecken at the end of the month. She turned five this year and I see her spreading her wings and getting a voice.(Not to sure if that is a good thing or not)

-March began with Levi getting very sick very fast. I took him in and he had RSV. He seemed to heal very quickly, and then him and I were off for a five day trip to Phoenix. I got to see my best friend and many other friends during that trip. Levi got to meet his Aunt Lisa and cousins Blane and Dusty. It was a great trip but mommy and boy were ready to get home and see all the girls, and daddy.

-April is always a warm welcome because we know that warm days will be coming soon, and that our April baby will be adding another year. Reaghan turned the big 9, watch out she will be moving into the double digits.

-May Nana and Papa came to visit, and celebrate Kharis Ann's 3rd birthday. I will never forget that birthday she requested PBJ sandwiches, Cheetos, and veggies and dip, YUMMM.

-June was a very cool month and not much swimming got done but lots of outside time in the cool summer nights. It was great I wish every summer was that refreshing.

-July was nice and warm so we were able to get lots and lots of swimming in. We went to Seward Nebraska for the 4th of July and had a wonderful time. It was so chilly watching the fireworks that we had blankets and jackets on. Pretty crazy. Marc and I celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary with a picnic at Viking Lake. It was very romantic. Creighton turned 7 on the 17th. We Spent a weekend in Des monies at a Fathers of Vision conference which was wonderful. July 23rd I found out i was pregnant with baby number 8. Boy that was an exciting month.

-August was pretty hot and I was pretty sick.

-September Marc's parents came to visit and celebrate Levi's first birthday. Maclae turned 11 just 4 days later. We had a wonderful visit with Gram and Grandpa,on our three day trip to South Dakota with them. Mommy heard babies heartbeat for the first and last time.

-October was interesting. I was getting big and starting to feel better. I had felt the baby move a couple of times and really getting excited about the next few months. Then on Oct. 21st I woke up and looked at my self in the mirror and thought to myself , "I don't feel pregnant anymore." About and hour later I started spotting. About two hours later we had been given the news no one ever wants to hear "There is no heartbeat." I will never ever forget that day I can still see myself lying on the ultrasound table feeling like I wanted to crawl into a hole and die. We came home and told the children and began to walk down a very dark and lonely road. On October 23rd at 6:21 I gave birth to Elias Arthur Lee who had already gone home to be with the Lord. My saving grace through all of this has been that my baby boy will never have pain or sorrow or grief, because he is already sitting with the King. The road we were about to travel would not be easy but with God all things are possible.

-November was pretty much a blur to me. My mom came to stay with us and I pretty much went on with life and the daily happenings at night and when I needed a minute I would sneak away and cry like a baby. Thanksgiving was a pretty good day for me.

-December started out with my oldest turning 13 on the 8th. We had a great time Emily and i spending the day shopping in the city and then going out ot dinner with Dad. Her and I stayed in a hotel that night and just hung out. I was really excited about Christmas but then a couple of days before I got really depressed. We got 12 inches of snow for Christmas which was nice to have. The kids have really enjoyed sledding. I turned 36 on the 29th and am looking forward to a new year. Praying that the Lord will guide me through this time I am in. Not really feeling much Joy right now just kind of going through the motions.

To everyone have a great New Year's and may we all seek Christ in the coming year.

Christmas 2009

Here is little Levi opening his gift from the Grants and Gruncles. This was on Christmas Eve and he was up way past his bedtime so he really didn't know what was going on. The kids draw names at Thanksgiving to see who they will buy a gift for on Christmas. This seems to be one of their favorite things to do. Chreighton drew Brecken's name this year.

The girls bought me an electric griddle and as you can see I was pretty excited.

Levi loves Big bird. We thought he would be so excited about this gift but he was not that impressed. he kept calling big bird Momo(Elmo).

Christmas morning. Look at my major bed head.

Christmas Eve we sang carols after our Advent story.

The girls received tickets for the Little House on the Prairie play and Emily was the first one to figure out what the tickets were for. She was just a little bit excited.

Here is Levi on Christmas eve waiting for dinner. He found something to snack on while we were all looking the other way.

Brecken always plays the shepherd boy for the Nativity play. Here she is practicing.I found the girls upstairs watching the snow from their bedroom window. Memories I hope to hold dear to my heart for many years.

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas.

We Are Rejoicing!!!

Daddy took his final tonight for his last class of this semester as a Junior. Next semester he will be starting his Senior year! Praise the Lord he only has 3 more semesters left. This has been a difficult season on all of us having Daddy work full time while going back to school. We have seen the Lord bless us many times in different ways and Daddy has remained diligent to all his duties. We are all very proud of him and are looking forward to the day I can write and say he has taken his last final of his Senior year. I can't believe we have gotten this far. I remember when he first started I thought it would take a life time for this to get accomplished. Well I was wrong and over exaggerated just a little. So if you can't tell I am very excited and very proud of my hubby. Way to go hunny your on the homestretch.

Cookie Monster

Thought this was kind of cute. The older children are outside with Daddy right now shoveling the 14 inches of snow that accumulated in the last day and a half. (By the way this is no exaggeration.) I am inside baking cookies with the younger children while the little man takes a nap. Well little man decided to wake up and all of a sudden my nice little round balls of cookie dough started to disappear. We found the little Cookie Monster looking oh so innocent. Except for the fact that the proof he was holding in his hand and the ring of sugar around his mouth.

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas.

It finally SNOWED!!!!!

I can't believe I am excited about snow but we have not had any this season and I was really getting worried that we might not get any before Christmas. I know this sounds crazy but it just doesn't seem like Christmas if there isn't any snow. I grew up in Southern California my whole life and then lived in Phoenix Arizona for the first 10 years of our marriage. This is why for some friends and family they probably are saying you always had Christmas without snow.Yes this is true, but once you have experienced Christmas with snow it is a whole new world. Kind of like when you experience Christmas with Christ, a whole new world.

So needless to say I am a little excited. We only got about 2 inches but tomorrow night we are supposed to get 10!!! Yeah!! Sledding here we come.

Levi's First Haircut

A couple of weeks ago daddy was giving himself a haircut and decided that the little man could use one too. So we sat the boy down gave him some fruit snacks and away daddy went with the clippers. Levi loved it and could care less what we were doing to him as long as he had his food.

Here he is with a mouth full of fruit snacks.

This is how much hair there was. I really don't think he needed a haircut. I think daddy has been waiting for this day for a long time and he just couldn't resist.

This is the final product doesn't look any different to me but it sure did to Dad.

Little Bit of This , Little Bit of That

I cannot believe it is December 1st. Where has this year gone. In one week I will be able to officially say that i am the mother of a teenager. Can't believe it. I look forward to watching her grow through these next years into a beautiful young woman.

We had a great Thanksgiving. Got all of our Christmas stuff out and up and we are now ready to enjoy the month of December.

Grandpa should be getting here this weekend which both the kids and Nana are counting the days.

I looked at the calendar and realized I would be 22 weeks along a little sad but understand that for some reason I was not supposed to see Elias at this time. Believing the Lord knows what is best in all circumstances. These past 6 weeks have been hard but have also been joyful as I
learn to see life differently than I ever have before.

Hope you all had a great Turkey Day.

Oh and wanted to say Thank you to my friend Lori for taking care of my blog again. I love it.