A Few Christmas Pictures

Here are a few pictures from the last couple of days. This is Reaghan and Creighton with their stockings Christmas morning. The three little ones with their stockings. Every one was pretty happy. Even mommy and daddy because the kids slept until 7:00a.m. That was our Christmas Present.

This picture is of the children picking out their ornament on Christmas Eve. Since we moved to Iowa I started a new tradition of buying an ornament for everyone and they have to try and pick which one I bought for them. I try to find something that will remind them of the year and this year was especially difficult. The kids love this and look forward to it each year.

These are just some pictures of the kids sledding. We had a white Christmas so the kids have been spending some time outdoors sledding and using up their energy that can really drive momma mad.

Hope you all had a blessed Christmas and enjoyed some special times with family and friends.

A Christmas Blessing

I have not posted about this yet because I am still in a little bit of shock. This is a good kind of shock, and I just wanted to praise God before I shared what he has done in our lives.

Tuesday afternoon I got a phone call from my midwife and she needed to re-schedule my appointment. No big deal I thought babies come and appointment get moved all the time. Well while we were talking she told me that someone wanted to give one of her clients a Christmas present and pay for their birth. I heard her say that but had no clue what she was going to say next. She went on to tell me that she had told them the moms she had who were due and that this person had chosen us and wanted to pay for our birth. A complete stranger doesn't know us just wants to bless us by paying for our birth. I couldn't even talk I just cried. As I was crying and trying to gain composure she went on to tell me that the rest of my transportation fees would also be taken care of. At this point I felt so overwhelmed that I couldn't even talk. I told my midwife thank you but I was crying so hard I'm not sure she could understand me. But I knew she understood, because she too is a woman of God, and we both knew this was God using another person to do His work.

Part of what is so neat about this story is just about two weeks ago my hubby's car really started acting up. We know we have an oil leak so until we can get a new car we are putting oil in it every other week to keep us going. I got a little nervous through all of this because I knew we still had to pay for the birth, which was going to come out of taxes. Well guess what God knew exactly what we needed before we even asked. As I write this I still can't believe how miraculous this blessing was. No one knew anything about hubby's car and no one knew what we needed but the Lord.

When I shared this with my mom the first thing she said," Was how can someone believe there is no God." There is a God, the one true God who loves and cares for His people. We are so blessed to have a saviour who came and took our place so we could spend eternity with our Heavenly Father. I pray this Holiday Season we all remember that this birth was the birth that brought us our salvation, and what a precious and priceless gift that is. If you don't know Jesus I pray you will have that burning desire to know Him and love Him just as I do. I have never regretted the decision to have Him as Lord of my life.

Merry CHRISTmas Everyone.

Boys

I am still learning about how different boys are than girls. This little guy seems to challenge me everyday, not in a bad way just a boy way. He is a boy who is very active and I am still learning that I need to let him get his energy out. I have had many moms tell me that boys need to be outside so they can run and play. Well it is winter now and having 6 girls we don't spend much time out in the winter. I am learning from this guy rain or shine he likes his outside time. The other day we took him outside to play and three of the girls went with him. He ran and chased them and laughed and screamed and did what boys do best. Well that night at dinner we all were surprised because he was so quiet and well behaved, we thought could it possibly be the outside time. The next day we did the same thing and guess what we had an enjoyable child again. Now we have snow on the ground and I am just going to have to bite the bullet and bundle him up for his daily outside play. This is from a mother who is still learning about boys after 6 girls, and in a few months, we'll have another little guy. I am sure my life will change again, but thankful that the Lord has chosen me for this path.

Quick Update

I just looked at my ticker and it says 80 days. I can't believe it. Where has this pregnancy gone?
I was just talking to my Pastor's wife and I was sharing with her that I still don't have that excited feeling yet, and that daddy hasn't even felt the baby move yet. can you say denial? I guess when I am holding my baby in my arms then it will be real. This has been a wonderful pregnancy physically and I am so thankful for that. God is so good after a storm he really blesses us with a beautiful rainbow and I feel like he has done that with this pregnancy.

So, onto other news. My oldest daughter turned 14 yesterday. I don't know where the time has gone. It is really weird because I always get emotional on her birthday. I was up in my room crying yesterday for no reason but I am sure it was because of her birthday. She had a wonderful day and got her special gift which was a camera. We sent her on a scavenger hunt to find it and the final stop was the oven. She was so excited. last night when I went to bed I am sure she had taken over a hundred pictures. Emily we are so blessed to have been given the gift to be your parents, you truly are a blessing and bring us Joy everyday.

Here is our Emily in all her glory. Her cake was decorated blue and she saved her frosting till last for this reason.