These two...

are just the most precious blessings in my life.

Mr. Fix-It

Handy man in training complete with the would be plumber's crack if he didn't have on a diaper.

Getting Big

I don't post every month about Parker like I do Ellis, but since Parker has done so much growing up lately I wanted to tell you about him.

• He's starting to say more and more. Parker has been a little slower on his expressive language, but he is starting to catch up on that. He's still hard to understand unless you're with him all the time like me.
• He is a little sponge. He soaks up so much of the world around him. Paul and I will notice him do something new, and we look at each other and say, "when did he learn that!"
• He is Mr. Independent. He doesn't want any help and he will let you know it.
• He likes things the stay in order. If something gets out of place, he makes sure it gets back to where it belongs.
• The boy is obsessed with trains. He plays with trains, watches train shows, takes any small objects and lines them up like trains, talks about trains, wears clothes with trains on them, spots trains when we are out and about, and even thanks God for "choo choos" when we say our bed time prayers. It is now my ammunition for good behavior.
• He's discovered that it is fun to jump. He hops around the house. He sneakily tries to jump on the bed. (He has a knot on his head right now because of this.)
• He loves to play in the water. When I'm working in the kitchen, he pulls a chair up to the sink. I fill it with a little bit of water and give him cups, and he is happy for hours. He also loves a bath. He will play in the tub until he's pruny.
• Although he likes to play in water, he can't stand it if his clothes get wet. If he gets just a little blot of water on his clothes, he takes them off. This is not a good thing when he spills a little on himself when we are out in public.
• He continues to be a daddy's boy. Once I weaned that boy, that was it for me. If Paul is home, he is stuck to him like glue.
• He thinks it is so funny when Paul blows his nose, clears his throat, burps, or poots. I think it's a boy thing.
• He likes to get forks, spoons, and knives (don't worry, they're just butter knives) for everyone out of the drawer. Our dishwasher is constantly filled with flatware because he gets out more than what we need.
• He has a sweet tooth just like me. After every meal, he asks for "nandy." He gets quite upset if he doesn't get some.
• He is still a snuggle bug. He loves to cuddle, and you won't ever hear me complain about that.
• He is just the most amazing little boy there could possibly be.

This is Parker watching the trains at Elgin Lights. He would still be there right now watching the trains if we would have let him.

Ellis at 5 Months

One more month and my baby girl will be a half year old. Time just goes too quickly. Along with the quick passage of time, Ellis changes and grows so fast. It's amazing to me how much babies change in the first year of life. So here's the list of Ellis at 5 months.

• She rolled over for the first time front to back at 5 months and one day. I didn't have time to get the camera. She was having some tummy time, and I was doing something with Parker. I looked over at her and she was on her side and then quickly rolled onto her back.
• She celebrated her first Christmas. Most of the present opening times she was asleep. As much as a 5 month old can, I think she enjoyed her first Christmas. 
• She really starting to enjoy her toys. They catch her attention and she grabs them. Depending on the toy, it goes to her mouth.
• She laughs such a cute little laugh when you play games with her like getting her belly or peek-a-boo.
• She likes her bed. We figured this out over Christmas. She woke up over and over again while we were away. When we got home, she went to sleep and slept all night without a peep.
• She has some beautiful blue eyes. They have gotten lighter since birth. I'm pretty sure they are going to stay blue. She definately has her daddy's eyes.
• She holds herself up really well. She can't sit up completely on her own yet, but she's on her way there.
• She loves to make (I hate to say this) pooting noises with her mouth. She will do it over and over again. Sometimes she ends up making bubbles with her mouth which makes Parker really excited.
• She still has no hair, and what hair she has is light. Bless her heart, she gets it honest. I didn't get hair until I was around 2, and Parker at 2 years 5 months has yet to have his first hair cut.
• She just absolutely the cutest thing in the world. I maybe just a little bias. 

How Did That Happen?

I finally got around to unloading the dishwasher today. Some of the slots were totally void of flatware. For some reason, we used a lot of big and little forks and most were in the dishwasher clean, waiting to be put in their proper place. Some were used after the dishwasher was loaded and were waiting to be loaded, and some had been in that clean load and then pulled out of there to be used because there were no forks in the drawer. I've been trying to be better about unloading the dishwasher after it's finished, but this time I hadn't.
I'll admit it. Sometimes I'm lazy. Sometimes I'm a lousy housekeeper. Sometimes I'm just distracted by nursing a 4 month old while keeping a 2 year old from completely destroying the house. I'm no longer ashamed of that. I read in A.W. Tozer's The Pursuit of God that the only thing I have to be ashamed of is my sin. Since not keeping a house in perfectly pristine order is not a sin, then I can't be ashamed. Anyway, I digress.
As I was saying, the flatware slots were empty of the flatware, but I noticed that in those slots were food crumbs. Yes, food crumbs. Now, someone please tell me how food crumbs get into the slots where I put CLEAN, fresh out of the diswasher flatware? It remains a mystery to me.

Budget...Ugh!

Most people cringe when they hear the word budget because they feel like it is some type of restraint. I like the idea of having a budget. Since money is tight, I want to make sure we spend it wisely, and a budget helps. However, I still cringe when I hear the word budget just because I don't like creating one. The process of making a budget is what I hate. I don't mind the living by a budget part.
For all of our 5+ married years, Paul and I have probably created 6,529 different budget plans and have yet to really stick to living by any one of them. That is about to change. It has to change. Since money is tight, we are going to have to be dilligent and be good managers of what God has entrusted to us.
This time around we are taking a different approach, the one we should have taken all along. God's will for our lives is to bring Him glory. Everything we do should be an act of worship to God. All that we own by the world's definition of ownership really doesn't belong to us. It is all His. He doesn't owe us anything. So, why haven't we consulted God in how to manage what is rightfully His? So many times we just sat down and logically created a budget. We'd punch some numbers in, and with the little we were working with, it never seemed to work out right. (It is truly by the Lord's blessing that we are not in debt up to our eyeballs. I don't know how He did it, but He has taken care of us financially when it seemed impossible. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!) A few days later, the budget might as well have been in the trash because we weren't really using it.
Again I ask, why haven't we consulted God in how to manage what is His? That will be the difference this time around. We are giving our budget over to God. We are seeking His wisdom (James 1:5). We are asking for God to transform us by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2). I know this means that we are going to have to make some major changes in how we think and live, but I know that we will be better off.
I just want to add that creating a budget is not about finding security in money. I struggle with that. I'm learning to find my complete security in Christ. Creating a budget will help us to be better stewards of what we have been given, and therefore, we will be able to better invest in the Kingdom work of Christ.
I'm putting this out there not to bore you to death but for accountability purposes. I know this won't be easy. So, if you would like, pray for us as we create the budget. Pray that Paul and I will be of like mind with Christ. Pray that God will reveal areas that we haven't surrendered to Him. Pray that God will give us the strength to surrender all to Him. Pray that our minds will be focused on things of eternity and that we will view our "possessions" as avenues to invest in those eternal things.

"But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for who I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ." Philippians 3:7-8 (Go read that chapter. It's good stuff. Seriously, go read it.)

Simple Christmas

As a disciple of Jesus Christ, celebrating the birth of my Savior is one of the most exciting times of the year.  However, for many Christians, and for non-believers as well, Christmas tends to be a stressful time of year. I am determined that not be true for our family. The American Dream has stolen the joy of celebrating the miraculous birth of our Savior who laid aside his rights as God and became flesh in order to provide the way for salvation to a helpless and hopeless, fallen world. It makes me mad how Christians get mad over stores selling "Holiday trees" or only saying "Happy Holidays," but they are no different from the rest of the world in their Christmas celebrations except for the fact that the post "I'm keeping Christ in CHRISTmas" to their facebook statuses.
Through what God has been teaching me, there were somethings I wanted to change about our Christmas celebrations this year.
1. Celebrate Advent. I'm not talking about the kind where you open a little box or envelope and get some piece of candy or other trinket. I'm talking about the kind where you emphasize the "coming" (which is what Advent means) of the Savior both in flesh as a little baby and His triumpant return. I'm a little behind on this one. I want to create a banner with an envelope for each letter of "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus" (I know that it is 25 letters, but one extra won't hurt.) I'm going to put a verse with a special corresponding activity for each envelope.
2. Cut down on the gift giving. I just feel guilty getting more stuff when I already have so much, and all the people to whom I would give gifts are in the same boat. Let's face it. Even most of the poor in America have way more than we really need.  Our family decided that we would only get gifts for the children and use the money we would have spent on ourselves to bless those who are in need.

We are doing this in addition to some of the things we are already doing like we give only 3 gifts to our children. We don't do the whole Santa thing. (To read more about this, read last year's post )
With all this, Christmas feels a lot more simple, more real, more pure. I know there is more we can do to focus our minds are the truth of Christmas, so I'll just keep praying that the Lord continue to make the changes in me that He needs to in order to do that.

Colors

Me: What color is my jacket?
Parker: geeen!
Me: What color is my shirt?
Parker: ite
Me: No, it's pink
Parker then lifts up my shirt and points to my belly.
Parker: ite
Me: Yes, my belly is white.


Yes, my belly has not seen the light of day since I was a teenager. It is pretty white.

Ellis at 4 months

I can't believe it! Ellis is 4 months old!  I promise it's true because she had her 4 month check up yesterday. Here's some little bits you might want to know about her right now. (They change and develop so, no too, quickly.)

• Her stats: 12 lbs 13 oz; 24.5 in. She's in the 50th percentile for both.
• She continues to be a good night sleepler. Sometimes a complete 12 hours. Sometimes she wakes up after 9 hours, eats, and goes back to sleep.
• She's not a good napper, unless she has fallen asleep in her carseat after a trip out somewhere. Then she'll sleep for hours. Otherwise, it's usually about 30 minutes in her crib. I can't complain though because I'd rather her be a good night sleeper if I had to pick.
• She has started reaching for and grabbing things. She doesn't really try to put them in her mouth though.
• She has started the beginning process of rolling over. She will turn her body to her side. I feel a little guilty that I don't give her a whole lot of floor time. I would love to spend all her waking moments playing with her on the floor, but...there's a house that needs at least a little attention.
• She has celebrated her first Halloween although she didn't get dressed up.
• She has celebrated her first Thanksgiving.
• She really wants to be able to sit up on her own. She tries to pull her head up when she's sitting in her rocker. She can hold herself for a few moments when she is on my lap.
• She's definately a mommy's girl. I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts because I know the day will quickly come when her daddy will be the one, just like Parker.
• She loves to watch Parker. He makes her smile and laugh. I can't blame her. He makes me smile and laugh too.

Speaking of Parker, it's 4:30pm, and he is still napping. If I don't go wake him right now, going to bed will be a difficult process tonight. I'm probably too late already.

Thankful

On this Thanksgiving Eve, I wanted to take time out to list some things I am thankful for.  Notice I said some, if I listed everything this would be the blog that never ends.
1. First and foremost, I am thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ. Without Him I would still be a slave to sin, but now I am free. I have a freedom beyond any ideals of the freedom of a nation like America. It's so much deeper.
2. I am thankful for God the Father. God is creator. He is so powerful that He spoke the world into existence. In His power, I find peace and rest.
3. I am thankful for the Holy Spirit. He is God living in me. I can't fathom the depth of what that means; that I have an omnipotent, omniscent, sovereign, holy (I could go on...) God who reigns in me molding me into the image of Christ.
I know that all three-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit- are one but I wanted to make a distinction of the gratefulness that I have for each.
4. I am thankful that I am poor. I know that sounds odd, but I struggle with wanting financial security. The fact that we don't have a lot of money has allowed God to painfully strip away the idols that I had placed before Him. I am learning that my security lies in Him and Him alone. He is ALL I need.  Even if I died naked and starving living in a cardboard box that would still be true. The things of this world can no longer satisfy me the way that God does.
5. I am thankful that my life has not turned out the way I had planned. God in His infinate wisdom knew what was/is best for me.
6. I am thankful for my marriage. I love Paul so much and in so many ways. He is such an amazing man. God is strengthening our marriage as He is growing us individually and as a couple.
7. I am thankful for my children. I can use the plural form because we were blessed with our second child, Ellis, this year. Both of our children never cease to amaze me. I often watch them, and I am in awe at the blessing they are.
8. I am thankful for my family. I can't even begin to list all the reasons why. They have been so good to us and have sacrificed on our behalf.
9. I am thankful for the work that God is doing in my life. I had gotten to a place where I wasn't really growing in my relationship with Him, but now, that has changed. God is so amazing! I just want to know more and more of Him.
10. I am thankful for Bethany Westville Baptist. We certainly didn't expect to end up here, but we have been so blessed to be welcomed into such a loving church family.
11. I am thankful I am able to read. I can read God's Word which is transforming. I can read many books that although aren't Scripture are still used by God to challenge me and mold me more and more into the image of Christ.
12. I am thankful that I am nothing. I am helpless and hopeless apart from God. Anything I am, say, and do is only through Him. I like that I am nothing. It is such a relieve to realize who God is and who I am in comparison to Him.

How to Make Pumpkin Puree

I can't stand to be wasteful so I decided I was going to use the pumpkins we got at the pumpkin patch to make puree for different recipes. Here's how I did it with the assisstance of a 2 year old.

1. Select a pumpkin/s. The smaller pumpkins (usually called pie pumpkins) make a sweeter, darker puree although any pumpkin can be used. The bigger jack-o-lantern pumpkins are not as sweet and the texture can be grainy.

2. Cut open the pumpkin and scrape out the innerds (I think that is such a funny word..innerds..hehehe). Don't throw away the seeds!

3. Cut the pumpkin into fairly uniform sized chunks and place on a cookie sheet. Bake in the oven at 325 degrees for one hour or until fork tender.

4. While the pumpkin is baking, separate the seeds from the pulp.

5. Wash and dry the seeds to get them ready to toast. A recipe for toasted pumpkin seeds will follow.

6. After the pumpkin has cooled for 10-15 minutes, separate the flesh from the skin. I just used a butter knife but you can also use a spoon to scrape it off the skin.

7. Puree the pumpkin in a blender until smooth. Do not add water unless the puree is dry and not coming together smoothly.

Now you have a puree to use in a multitude of pumpkin recipes. I split my puree into one cups servings and froze. I will be trying some recipes and will post if I find some good ones.

"Please put your clothes on"

I think I say that 3,259 times in one day lately. Parker is going through the "I'd rather run around naked" stage of toddlerhood. Most of the time I can get him to at least put on a diaper or a pair of underware, but if he has to go potty, then off they go. I'm trying to teach him that we don't take our clothes off until we get to the bathroom, but so far it hasn't sunk in. Hopefully it will soon because it is becoming questionable if I should take him into public.
The other day we were at the library killing time before my hair appointment. I was feeding Ellis when all of a sudden I notice Parker start messing with his pants. I told him to stop, but he told me he had to go pee pee. I got him distracted long enough for me to put Ellis into her carseat so I could get his pants back where they belonged.
I'm hoping this stage is short lived. At least one benefit is it makes it easier to work on potty training.

If you leave Parker alone with office supplies...

he will transform into a sticker monster!

Parker loves stickers! For some reason when he gets a hold of them, they always go on his belly. I've seen him with more stickers on him than this, believe it or not.

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

I can't take credit for this recipe. I found it on allrecipes.com. It is very yummy recipe for pumpkin seeds.

Ingredients

• 2 cups raw pumpkin seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 1/4 teaspoons seasoned salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
2. Rinse the pumpkin seeds and pat dry. Place them in a bowl. Add the Worcestershire sauce, melted butter and seasoned salt; stir until evenly coated. Spread out in an even layer on a baking sheet.
3. Bake for about 1 hour in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until crisp, dry and golden brown.

Pumpkins (the round orange kind) and Pumpkins (the cute little kid kind)

In October, my sister, her mother-in-law, and I took the kids to McLeod Farms to the pumpkin patch. It was a nice, warm day, and there were some beautiful pumpkins to pick. It was a fun day on the farm.

Riding the hay ride out to the pumpkin patch.

Parker would have picked out every pumpkin if I let him. He had so much fun running through the rows of pumpkins. We finally settled on 2 pumpkins to take home with us.

Our harvest

Beautiful farm land. Those clouds looked fierce but they didn't rain on us.

It's not easy getting a 5 yr old, a 3 yr old, a two yr old, and a one yr old all sitting and looking at the camera.

My beautiful niece, Hannah, with her model pose.

I realize now that we matched, but that wasn't planned. I promise Ellis came with us, but she was sleeping soundly in the stroller. They say, "let sleeping babies lie," so I let her be.

Monkey See, Monkey Do

I took the kids outside today to enjoy the beautiful weather. I was standing with my arms crossed looking out admiring the beautiful day while I was praying. All of a sudden I realized Parker was standing beside me with his arms crossed looking the same way I was. He is at the age where he immitates almost everything Paul and I do or say.  It is a priveledge that our child wants to be like us, but that comes with great responsibility.
I want nothing more than for my child to be like Christ, so that means I have to immitate Christ. I have to find joy in acting the way or saying things just like Jesus, in the same manner that Parker finds joy in copying me. In order to be like Christ, I have to know Christ in an intimate way. As parents, we are the greatest influence in our children's lives. So, I must do all I can to point them to Christ.

100 Posts!

I was about to create another post when I realized that I had 99 posts, so I thought I would create a special 100th post just to talk about having 100 posts. Yes, I realize this is silly, but it's my blog so I can do what I want.

Big Bad Boo Boo

Parker survived the trip to the ER and was a good, brave little fella from what I've been told. Thankfully, the ER wasn't very busy and they were in and out in 2 hours (which is a small miracle for Kershaw Health). He ended up with 5 stitches and has to get it checked out tomorrow to make sure everything is okay. When they left, Parker said "I eeeeeat." Apparently, he was hungry because he ate 3 chicken nuggets and a small fry from his BK Kid's Meal at 10:00 PM.  He was ready to see his mommy. He started fussing when he saw me. It was waaaaaaaay past his bed time so some irritability is quite understandable. He got some Mama Love and some Motrin and went to bed still in the black turtleneck from his Mickey costume (I'll post later about that).
He slept until 9. He won't use that hand today, but when he has a paper cut, he does the same thing. I washed his hands and changed the bandaid after lunch, which made me a little queasy. I was going to post a picture of his boo boo here, but it looks too nasty to me. It seemed to bother him more after that, but it was also naptime. I am grateful to know that I did not miss my calling to become a nurse! He should get his stitches out in about 10 days. Then, he will be back to himself but with a scar for me to remember this experience.

I'm at home, waiting...

I'm ususally a fairly patient person, but not tonight because right now as I type this my baby boy is at the ER with Paul. Parker somehow cut his finger on the door at church. I didn't look at it because I can't hand stuff like that very well, but we knew it was going to need stitches. At first I was going to leave Ellis with my sister and go with them to the ER, but Ellis had been upset the past 2 hours at the Fall Festival at church (I think she was overstimulated, tired, and hungry. She likes nice quiet atmosphere.). I was scared she wouldn't take a bottle well, and I didn't want to leave my sister with a screaming 3 month old who wanted to nurse with no way to take care of that. So, I decided to stay at home with her and Craigan, my brother-in-law, went with Paul. Now, I'm at home...waiting. And to make matters worse, I left my cell phone in the diaper bag in the car. I have no quick, direct way to talk to Paul and find out how my little baby is doing. Thank the Lord Paul has a smartphone, and we finally got internet at home so I could keep in touch with him through FB. It's not as efficient as having my cell phone, but it is better than nothing.
To pass the time, I started looking at thepioneerwoman blog. Now, I'm blogging. All I can think about is that my baby is tired and hurt and probably scared. I know that he is going to be fine. There are far worse things than stitches in a finger. I just want to know every detail of my children's life. I know I sound like one of those helicopter moms. And I know that Paul is the parent to be with the child that has a sliced finger and needs stitches from the ER parent. I'm definately not that parent. Watching nurses squeeze blood out of my child's finger at the doctor's office makes me feel squimish and a little faint.
I could keep rambling now, but for your sake, I'm going to end this post. I'll follow up with another post tomorrow.

As promised...

So, it turns out it wasn't the technology-illerate me. It was a problem with Blogger not uploading pictures. I guess it had taken the night off. Anyway, I tried to do a fall picture setting on the last day of warm weather when I was crunched for time and by myself. They didn't turn out the way I wanted, but that's what you get with a tired, unskilled mama with a camera working with lighting that wasn't ideal, a 3 month old, and a toddler who wouldn't do what I wanted him to do (imagine that) or quit riding his tricycle in my shot.

This picture just makes me laugh!

She reminds me of my mama in this picture.

My Little Big Man

Parker has just been growing by leaps and bounds. It amazes me all that he learns. He says a lot of things now although I'm one of the only ones who can understand him. He loves to copy us, so we have to watch what we do and say. He still loves routine and likes things neat. One day, I gave him a snack of PB & J on crackers. He dropped a piece of cracker, topping side down, on the carpet. He started getting upset because there was a jelly stain on the carpet. I told him not to worry that I would clean it up when I finished feeding Ellis. He went of to his room and pulled out his cleaning cart (it's a pint sized replica of something similar to what hotel housekeeping would use). He took his pretend spray bottle and "sprayed" the stain. Then, he got his broom and dust pan and swept over the spot. Apparently that got him in a cleaning mood, because he got his chain saw, which he pretends to be a hand vacuum, and started cleaning my couch. Man, I love this child! He is just the most loving little boy. He will come and give us hugs and kisses for no apparent reason. He has always been snuggly. Not only does he look just like Paul, but he is also attached to his hip. He is such a daddy's boy! He still loves me though. Especially since Ellis is around now, he has to stake his claim on me. Sometimes he'll hold me and use that favorite toddler word, "MINE." There is so much to say about him, so there will be more posts to come of his stories.

Go Pink!

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, I wanted to highlight a blog I've been following. Kerri Pennington is an inspiring woman. I first knew of her because I went to school with her. She is closer to my sister's age, but I graduated with her sister. I started following her blog to get updates on her youngest daughter who was born with half a heart and suffers from epilepsy. Watching her strength and faith in God through the difficulties with that is inspiring, but recently, at the age of 34, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She is currently undergoing chemotherapy. Her resilence through the difficulties she is facing is truly amazing. I know that her faith in God is what gives her strength. If you would like to be encouraged, check out her blog at www.babypennington.com.

Ellis at 3 Months

I can't believe that Ellis is now 3 months old! Time passes too quickly. She no longer has the newborn look. She has beautiful blue eyes that light up when she smiles. She now has more awake time and is studying the world around her. Parker is particullary interesting to her. She loves to coo. She is quite the talkative little girl. She hates tummy time, but enjoys lying under her floor gym and kicking. That about as exciting as it gets for a 3 month old. She started sleeping through the night at around 6 weeks old. She will go to bed around 7 or 8 pm and wakes up to eat around 4 am. You might be saying that's not the whole night, but you have to consider that is 8 hours of straight sleep for her and then she goes back to sleep. If I went to bed as early as she did, she wouldn't wake me up at all during the night. This is such a relief since Parker was difficult to get to sleep through the night. We have adjusted pretty easily into a family of four. Parker still has moments of jealousy. Right now, with 2 kids and 2 parents we can divide and conquer easily. I've learned how to handle 2 children on my own when Paul's at work. Sometimes it can be crazy but for the most part I can handle it. Ellis is such a blessing to have. I'm enjoying watching her grow and develop. I was going to post some pictures, but for some reason, the uploader wasn't able to upload the pictures. I'm not very skilled at computer stuff, so you will have to wait until Paul is able to help.

I'm back!

Oh, how I've missed my blog! I've been silent for a while on here because we haven't had the internet since we moved. Living out in the country is great but not for internet service. We finally found an option for us...a mobile WiFi device. So, now I can catch up on my blog. I have so much I've been wanting to post. It will take me some time to catch up so bear with me. I don't always have a lot of free time to sit and post with a two year old and a newborn and a house to take care of. Speaking of the house, I should really get busy cleaning it. So long for now.

Happy Birthday, Parker!

My sweet baby boy, In your 2 years of life, you have brought me some of the greatest joy I could ever know apart from a relationship with Jesus Christ. I can't believe it has been two years since you were a tiny newborn that I had to wait to hold because you were in the NICU. You stole my heart since the moment you were born, and it has been amazing to watch you grow and change into a precious toddler. I love the little boy you have become. You still love to snuggle, even as you develop your independence. I love your curiosity as you sit and study new things like how you checked your sister out up and down the first time you held her. I love how you like routine and how you keep things neat. I can't help but laugh how you will even pick up afer your daddy. You do such a great job teaching your daddy how to pick up after himself. It makes me so happy to see how you love your daddy so much. You are his best buddy. Even though you have become a daddy's boy, you still come to me when you need comfort. I just melt everytime you give me hugs and kisses. A kiss on the cheek doesn't cut it; you like to kiss us on the lips. You show your love to us and others very passionately in your own special toddler way. I will never get tired of your affection. You will always be my sweet baby boy no matter how old you are or how big you get.

Warming Up

When you're getting ready to have your first child, your biggest worries are about how to take care of a baby, how I am going to be as I parent, and am I ever going to sleep again. This time around my biggest worry has been how is Parker going to adjust to having a sibling. At first, Parker just ignored her. He didn't want to look at her or talk about her. When Paul, Ellis, and I first got home, let's just say he struggled with his behavior. I think most of it had to do with Paul and me being gone and his fears that we were going to leave again. After he realized that we weren't leaving again, he started getting better. Now, he is more excited about his sister. He likes holding her, and he helps me take care of her. I'm so glad he's finally warming up to having a sibling. I know that as they grow up they will become good friends. P.S. I just can't believe that my little boy will two in four days! My how time flys.

Ellis's Birth Story

I know not every one is like me, but I always find it interesting to hear stories of baby delieveries. So, if you're not like me, sorry, you'll just have to skip this post. On Monday, I had my weekly OB appointment. The doctor wanted to check me to see if anything was happening and talk about scheduling an induction since we live an hour away from the hospital and because my first delievery was pretty short. When he checked me, his eyes got big. I was 4 to 5 cm dilated. He suggested that we come back the next day to be induced unless I went in to labor before then. I had been having Braxton Hicks contractions since the middle of the pregnancy, and they had been getting stronger. Paul and I decided to walk around the Sumter Mall to see if anything would happen before we drove home. We got up at 3:15 am Tuesday morning to get ready to go to the hospital to be there by 5. I didn't really sleep between the sometimes strong contractions, indigestion, Paul's snoring, frequent bathroom trips, and just plain not being able to get comfortable. When we arrived the nurses were very prompt at all the preliminary work up. I told them about my rather short labor with the first so they decided that it would be best to get the epidural catheter in place before they started any Pitocin. I had to wait for them to get the blood work results and the proper amounts of IV fluid in before they would do the epidural. Finally, about 6:30 the anethethist (don't know how to spell it but I mean the wonderful person who gives out the amazing pain meds) put in the cathether for the epidural. He told me my blood lipids or something like that was on the border line of being too low for the epidural. I was so thankful that it was at least above what it needed to be so that I could have an epidural. I had to wait another hour after that before they started the Pitocin because the doctor had some things she needed to finish up so she could be ready as she was expecting a pretty quick labor and delivery. Finally at 7: 30 am they started the Pitocin drip. My contractions started to get stronger after a little bit. About 8, I was ready for my dose of epidural. At 8:10, I got the meds. At 8:11, Dr. Latham broke my water. I was measuring 5 to 6 cm at a -1 station. About 30 minutes after that, I was feeling strong painful contractions in my abdomen so I asked the nurse if I could another dose of epidural meds. When the anethethist came in to check about it, the nurse checked me, and I was complete. It was time to start pushing. She had me push one time, and she stopped me. She said we need to get Dr. Latham in here this baby's ready to come out now. I had to wait through another contraction for the doctor to get ready. I was just thinking, "please hurry up. I really need to push." Next contraction, I pushed one time and out she came. She was beautiful and tiny. I was expecting her to be at least 8 lbs considering how big Parker was. All the nurses were so surprised at how easy the labor and delivery was. They told me I was made to do this and I should have about 10 more. Ummm....I don't think so. She checked out perfectly healthy. I was so greatful that we didn't have to go through another NICU stay like we did with Parker. Speaking of Parker. He is not quite sure about this whole big brother buisness. Right now, he pretty much ignores her and is glued to his daddy when he comes to visit. I'm hoping that he will adjust quickly when we get home. I'm very excited to be a family of four now. I know it will be an adjustment for us all as we settle in at home and get to a normal routine.

I'd like you to meet...

our beautiful daughter, Ellis Reign Camp! She arrived at Tuomey Hospital at 8:55 am on July 26. She weighed 7 lbs 3 oz and is 20 inches long. She has the blondest of peach fuzz on her head. (FYI: The old wives tale about heart burn/indegestion means a baby with a full head of hair is not true. I had very little with Parker and a whole lot with Ellis and both were practically bald.) So far she has been a very laid back baby. In fact, most of the time I'm having to wake her up to eat. Her name Ellis came from my grandaddy, Ellis Padgett. Ellis was also his mother's maiden name. Ellis is a form of Elijah which can be translated "the Lord is God" so her name means "The Lord is God who Reigns." We really like her name and the meaning of it. Our prayer is that the meaning of her name also becomes her reason for living. We pray that the Lord God always reigns in her life.

It's almost time!

Wow, it has been crazy for us since the beginning of June. We sold our SUV, moved to Westville, and have been trying to get everything in place before Ellis makes her appearance anytime now. I wish I could say we are completely ready, but I would have to lie. The nursery is painted now, the crib is ordered, and a large majority of boxes have been cleared from my house. (We put most of what we really don't have to have soon in the storage building at the house we rent to deal with later.) It has been a little slower going than I wanted since Paul is working and I'm limited in what I can do. I'm hoping that Ellis decides to stay in at least one more week. I need this week to try to get things ready completely (by that I mean I'm not looking at boxes anymore). I have an ultrasound tomorrow to see how big she is and to project how big she could be at 40 weeks. Since Parker was 9 and a half pounds on his due date, there's a good possibility she could be just as big or bigger. I'm hoping that they will want to induce early. Whether she gets here on a scheduled day or whenever she decides, she's going to be here soon either way. Please pray that we will have a safe and healthy delivery.

The Latest Plans

I just wanted to fill in everyone on our latest plans. As of right now, we are trying to sell our Expedition. We are going down to one car for a while so that we can get rid of the car payment and be able to rent a place to live. Since we are going down to one car, I wanted to be close to family so if needed I would have transportation. This is especially important if I were to go into labor while Paul is at work. We decided to rent a home in Westville where my sister and her family live. We have been attending church where my brother-in-law, Craigan, is pastor. It is important for us to be involved with a church family, and this gives Paul an opportunity to work with the youth there.

Paul is now training for management at Chick-fil-a. He still has his resume out there, but right now with the economy, a lot of churches are not hiring full time youth pastors. Lord willing, he is planning on taking some seminary extension classes beginning in January.

Baby number two is well on her way. In fact, she should be making her appearance in approximately 8 weeks. This makes me excited and nervous at the same time. I'm so ready to get moved, so I can prepare the "nest" before she gets here.

Parker is growing up so fast. I'm just amazed that in 2 months he will be turning 2! I have a feeling that he is going to have a tough time adjusting to sharing his mommy and daddy, but I know that he will eventually adjust.

Both Paul and I have been learning more and more about trusting in God's plans. We are amazed at God's provision. He has taken care of us on so many levels. Although things have not turned out the way we orignally expected, we are excited about where God is taking us. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we will be experiencing a lot of changes in the next few months.

Easter Celebrations

For our Easter Celebrations this year, we got to join in my sister's church's Easter egg hunt. This was Parker's first Easter egg hunt since last year he wasn't old enough or mobile enough to hunt around for eggs. Then on Sunday after celebrating the resurrection of our Savior at church, all the family joined together to, of course, eat.

Parker had to inspect each egg inside and out. He did not like it if it had any grass stuck to it. I had to keep him focused on the hunt.

Checking out his stash with his cousins.

This is a favorite activity for the kids. Parker is having to learn he has to share his Pop Pop.

I tried to get some good outdoor shots but he was just too curious with his surroundings.

April Trip to Riverbanks Zoo

Since it's a Saturday night and the baby's in bed and Paul's at work, I decided I would spend a little time catching up. I've been meaning to do this for a while, but well, I'm lazy.

Back in April, Paul, Parker, and I went to Riverbanks Zoo for the day. I had been wanting to go for awhile. Since the weather was nice, we headed off to Columbia to the zoo. (Apparently, every elementary school decided it was also a lovely day to visit the zoo.) I took boo-goodles of pictures but since I have to save them to a jump drive and bring them over to my dad's computer to post them on the blog, I've been selective with a few. However, I must say I got some really great pictures of lots of animals, so sorry you're missing out.

I loved how Parker affectionately called this wild, huge, and large animal (possibly a human) eating feline "kitty." Yes, this animal is related to the domestic house cat, but I don't think "kitty" quite fits.

Paul and Parker enjoying a rest on the "kitty."

A little monkey buisness. Actually, this isn't a monkey it's an ape because it doesn't have a tail. I learned that by watching animal atlas. Can you believe that I have been wrongly calling a chimpanzee a monkey all these years?!

Parker checking out the chickens.

Parker got the bird's eye view at the penguin feeding. I love how he was holding on to Paul's hair.

Hungry elephants

Taking a ride on the tortoise.

"Here fishy fishy"

This is what we all needed at the end of a great day at the zoo. (That and a little Moe's too.)

28 Weeks!

I just wanted to do a little update on this pregnancy. I had a check up today. Everything is great and looking like it should be. In fact, I measured and weighed the exact same at this point as I did with Parker. I'm just hoping this baby will be less than 9.5 lbs. She is a very active little girl. I've had a lot more Braxton Hicks contractions with this pregnancy. One night I thought I was going to have to go to the hospital because I was having so many. I've been trying to drink plenty of water to keep them at bay which means now I go to the bathroom every 30 minutes. Oh the joys of pregnancy!

We are figuring out what we are going to do so that we can have a place of our own before baby number 2 arrives. We would appreciate any prayers on our behalf.

Parental Challenge

I've nearly finished reading Student Ministry and the Supremacy of Christ by Richard Ross. I must recommend this book to student ministers, church leaders, and especially parents of children and teenagers. This book is more than another model for student ministry. It is a challenge for a return to biblical living by putting Christ in his supreme seat of glory.

I just finished reading a chapter that focused on parents, and I wanted to share a prayer or a challenge in thinking for every parent. This passage was written as a declaration of a parent who is "awakened to the supremacy of Jesus, and more deeply adoring Him on His throne, and daily arising to join Him in His kingdom activity" to be able to express to their children.

I declare you belong to Christ the King.

If you and I both come to believe Christ is calling you to do something that involves risk, I will teach you all I know about how to live wisely and safely. At the same time, I will do nothing to stand in your way of following Christ's call, no matter what the risk.

I hereby release you from any pressure to follow in my vocational footsteps. I charge you to do only what Christ calls you to do.

I acknowledge Christ may call you to a vocation that does not bring financial wealth or worldly prestige. The great pride I will feel as a parent will come from watching you do what Christ has called you to do.

Someday you might be confronted by wicked people. They may only give you two options- curse God or die. I release you to honor God, even if it should cost you your life.

God often has used students to bring an awakening to Christ in the church. I pray God will honor our family by allowing you to be part of such a generation.

I now consecrate myself to both teach and live before you to prepare you for Christ's callings on your life.

Blessed be the name of the Lord.

That's how I want to raise my children. I hope that all parents who have a relationship with the Lord will do the same. All for the glory of God!

Neat Freak in the Making

I've noticed lately that Parker is showing signs that we could have a future neat freak on his hands. I must say that kind of thrills me. He likes to put his dirty clothes in the hamper. In fact, he's better than his daddy about picking up after himself. He likes to have his hands clean. His book basket has to be in a certain location at the end of the day or he'll fix it. He likes to put things away in their proper places. The other day he was playing with a Seasame Street school bus that came with an Elmo and Super Grover 2.0 figurine. He was putting Elmo and Grover in the seats, and he started fussing and kicking around out of frustration. I got him to bring it to me so I could help figure out the problem. I realized that he was getting upset when he would put the characters in and they would fall over. He was very particular about where they sat, and they HAD to be standing. I showed him how to fix the problem, and he was happy. I know some of these things are just characteristics of toddlers. Toddlers enjoy helping out. I hope he continues to enjoy helping out and being neat. Only time will tell.

By the way, he gets the neatness from me, certainly not his daddy.

A Prayer Testimony

"True prayer is not an effort to get Christ to do something. It is a desire to be in union with Him." - Richard Ross in Student Ministry and the Supremacy of Christ.

If you notice on my blog, I'm currently reading Student Ministry and the Supremacy of Christ. I'm reading it for several reasons. One is that it is one of the only books that we own that is not packed away in boxes in storage. Another is my husband is a student minister (although we are currently seeking a place to serve in this capacity), and I want to be the best helper and support of my husband I can possibly be. Most importantly, I want to learn more about the supremacy of Christ and have the awe I have for Christ in all His glory direct how I live my life. One of the chapters is about prayer and when I read the formentioned quote, I just stopped and examined my prayer life.

I'm disappointed to say that most of my prayers have been "an effort to get Christ to do something." Although I take full responsibility for my selfish prayers and total misuse of time talking with God, it is sad to think that this type of prayer is, for the most part, being taught in our churches today. We open up any event in the church with a "quick word of prayer" like we have to get that ritual out of the way so we can get on with the "good stuff." The Wednesday night Prayer meetings aren't really spent in prayer unless you count going over the prayer list and then sometimes covering up gossip by mentioning that so-and-so needs some prayer because...(this is where the juicy bit of gossip gets filled in.) Then, someone says a short prayer mentioning most of who was mentioned, and we get on with something else. Of course in every church there is always the someone/s that you can actually pray along with because they have said the same route prayer for 30 years now and you have it memorized by heart. I'm not trying to offend anyone here. I'm just being honest with my sin, and the sin that is plaging our churches today.

God has been working on me extra hard lately. Well, let me rephrase that. I've made the decision to not be satisfied with my walk with Christ as far as my growth is concerned. I've decided it is more joy to take a spiritual beating, if you will, and be transformed into the image of Christ than it is to continue in sin, no matter how comfortable that sin feels. God is and has always been working on me. I just haven't always been so open to it.

Lately, I've been learning more and more about the supremacy of Christ and what that means for my life. I've learned that Christ is it. I'm not living for Christ. However, Christ is living through me and in me. There is nothing else that matters but Him. Placing Christ in that supreme place has caused me to look at life in a completely different way. One of those ways is in my prayer life.

God has been tranforming my time talking with him away from the, "God, I need you to do this," into more of the desire to be in union with Him. Yes, as scripture says God wants to hear the desires of our hearts. That doesn't mean we give God a laundry list of things we want Him to do for us. Instead, our desires are to be His desires. That is what I've been learning. I love using the ACTS prayer tool. A- adoration: giving God the praise and glory that He so deserves. C-confession: confessing our sins. This happens really easily when you pray with adoration. When you come into the presence of a holy God, you can't help but to see yourself for the helpless sinner we truly are. T-thanksgiving: Thanking God also comes easy when you put Him in the proper place in your life and realize the grace and mercy He has given you, the helpless sinner. S-supplication: this is when we petition or make our requests known to God. Sadly, this is what most of our prayers are filled with and mostly they are usually more selfish in nature. Please don't misunderstand what I'm saying. It is not bad to pray for people. We should. However, our supplications should be made in joining with God's will for our lives and the lives of others and in realization that no matter what He is in control and we are not.

I have so enjoyed talking to God this way. It is refreshing to be in union with Him. Again, I'm not perfect, nor will I ever be. I just want to be like Christ in order to bring glory to Him. I hope that this testimony does just.

It's a...

GIRL! We found out yesterday that we will be welcoming a little baby girl into our family. We are so excited. Now I have to start figuring out nursery design and registry.

Lately

Parker has been growing so much lately. It is just so much fun watching him learn and explore his world. He has added some new words to his vocabulary: eat, ketchup, cookie. I know there's more but that's all I can think of right now. He loves to pick up the phone and say "dada" then he just starts jibbering. I wish I knew what he was "saying." I just love to hear him jibber jabber. Sometimes he even gets his hands all into it. He is definately a little boy. He likes to climb, crawl through obstacles (his favorite is underneath the dining room table), pick up sticks, dig in dirt, throw balls, and wrestle around. At least, at this age he still enjoys personal hygeine. Taking baths and brushing his teeth are two of his favorite activities. He's starting to hit the picky toddler eating. I just never know what he's going to be into from one day to another.

Lately, we've enjoyed the lovely, warm weather. We've taken many walks and played outside. Sometimes we go on short slow walks where he actually walks but we always have to stop under an acorn tree. Those little acorns are so facisnating, don't you know! Today for the first time I put him in a pair of shorts. He is so cute! I just love seeing those two inches of legs sticking out between the pants legs and his socks.

On Tuesday we will hopefully find out if we are having a boy or a girl. I can't wait to find out! Either way, I am happy. I'm just ready to know. I'm starting to get more and more excited about baby number 2. I feel the baby moving around a lot more now. I will try to soon post a pic of my baby bump. We only have internet on my daddy's computer, so I don't want to put all of our pics on his computer. Transfering pictures from one computer to another to post takes a little time and there's not always a lot of that with a toddler running around.

We are still praying for the next place of ministry. Paul had an interview with a church the other day, and we have been praying for the Lord's direction with that. Well, that's the happenings in our life lately. Nothing too exciting, but that's nice.

Temporary Home

Last night as I was laying in bed praying, I started thinking about how I'm so ready to be in my own home again. I'm so appreciative that my daddy and stepmom have opened their home to us, but there is just nothing like having your own home. The good news is this is temporary for us. In God's timing, He will open the door to a new ministry, a new community, a new place to call home. (We are so ready to be serving in a church again. We really miss it!) As I lay there thinking about all this I felt the Holy Spirit say to me, "this is all just a temporary home." Indeed it is. This world is only a temporary home for us. For those of us who are children of God, we will one day be with the Lord for all of eternity! Then, we will truly be home.

I have become so near-sighted lately focusing only on the here and now. Living in this transition period, it is hard to make plans even for a month from now because you just don't know. I think and pray almost all day long about our next move that I have forgotten my true purpose for even being here on earth, and that is to bring glory to God no matter where I am. Bringing glory to God with my life draws people to Christ so that there will be more and more souls who will be with us when we finally make it to our heavenly home.

There are several places in scripture that talk about waiting on the Lord. I love the description that one of my college professors shared on this subject. Often when we think of waiting, we think of being idle, still, bored, longing for the next great thing. My professor, Dr. Jill Branyon, reminded us of a waiter in a restaurant. The waiter is very busy serving guests. In fact, waiters would not be very good at their job if they just sat around. That is what those who wait on the Lord should be like...someone who isn't idle but is serving. So as we wait on the Lord to reveal his direction for our lives, I know that He has us here right now for a purpose. I just have to quit being so near-sighted and selfish and look beyond myself.

A Closer Look

Right now, Sesame Street is on. This is Parker's favorite show. I sat him down in front of my daddy's tv to watch, and I keep watching as he scoots closer and closer to get a better look. Now, this tv is a 52" (I think; It's huge) so it's not like he's not getting a good view from anywhere in the room.

My, how that makes me feel guilty. Not for sitting my child in front of the tv, but for not taking after him when it comes to getting a closer look at something I love. I love God's Word because it is a direct way to my Savior's heart. When I sit down to read scripture, am I digging as deep as I can in order to be tranformed into the image of Christ? Sadly, no. I'll admit, sometimes I read God's Word and not know what I just read. I love those times when the Lord just grabs my heart with a piece of truth, and I keep thinking about it all day long. That could happen every day if I would discipline myself to always take a closer look at His Word and do what the man in Psalm 1 does who "delights in the law of the Lord" and "meditates on it day and night."

Thank you, Parker, for teaching me something even though you don't even realize it.

Side note: Isn't it amazing that a bunch of puppets have captured the love and attention of children 40+ years?!

Warning about BellaBands

In case you're wondering Bellabands are a piece of stretchy fabric that allows pregnant women to keep unbuttoned prepregnancy pants on or too loose maternity pants on or same thing for postpartum. I bought one to try out on Saturday (I actually bought a cheaper version called the BeBand made by Bellabands.) and wore it for the first time today. I have finally started to poke out a little bit which makes me feel better because in between the first trimester nausea and the finally starting to look a little pregnant time period I often wondered if I was actually pregnant. Anyways, back to the point, I wore it today on my outing to the OB for a doctor's appointment, and afterward Paul and I went to Walmart to pick up a few things. Like most pregnant women, I had to make a trip to the restroom while I was there. (FYI, I really don't like to use the restroom at Walmart because they are always nasty, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.) After I left the restroom and met back up with Paul, he quickly informed that part of my belly was showing. I had put the Beband back in place, but I had not put my actual shirt back down. They were made out of the same fabric and were the same color so I hadn't noticed. I'm just so thankful that Paul was close by and told me about this! So, my warning about BellaBands or BeBands or like things: Make sure you pull your shirt down over them or you will look a little silly.

Parker at 18 Months

During our moved, Parker turned 18 months old. I can't believe my little baby boy is a year and a half already. It just makes me wanna cry if I think about it too much. He just amazes me everyday as he grows and learns. He keeps picking up new words although he doesn't always use them to communicate. Anytime anyone laughs, he'll join in, which just makes you laugh even more because he's so doggone cute. When his daddy gets home, he's stuck to him like glue. We will watch for him to pull in the driveway and Parker just can't contain his excitement. I absolutely love watching Paul and Parker brush their teeth together. Parker will even try to spit like his daddy. It's their little special activity. In fact, as I was watching them tonight, Parker pushed me out of the bathroom and shut the door!

He is a very lovable and snugable little boy. He will squeeze you around your neck and say, "mmmm." He will do this over and over again. He loves to take baths. He has also become obsessed with trains. He loves Elmo or as he says "Melmo." He loves to eat but is picky about the texture of his food. He enjoys going outside when the weather is nice and pick up sticks. He is so special to us, and we love him and enjoy him more and more everyday!

It's Been a Week

It's been a week since we moved out of our house in Pinewood and into my childhood home in Bethune. Last Saturday was tiring. In fact, the whole weekend was tiring. But, finally everything got packed up and put into a storage unit or brought with us here. It is a miracle that most of our belongings fit in to a 12' X 20' storage unit! Parker is getting adjusted. He has more things here to get into since this house is not as baby proof as ours was. We are continuing to pray that the Lord would open doors for where he has us next. We are learning patience and trust. We are eager to get somewhere where we can make our next home, a place to settle in and call our own. We would appreciate any prayers for us.

Overwhelmed

Right now I am so overwhelmed and stuck that I have nothing better to do than to write about how overwhelmed I am. I need to be packing, doing laundry, cleaning dishes, stopping my child from eating days old cheerios off the floor, putting clothes away, packing some more...I could go on. My house is in such disarray I don't know what to do next. Yes, I realize that comes with moving, but I feel so disorganized. Right now I could use a little fairy that would go around and with the flick of her wand have everything done. I know I have to climb this mountain one step at a time, but I just don't know what side to start on so right now, I'm wandering around the base of it looking up at the daunting task ahead. Ok, so I got that off my chest so now I got to go do something.

It's So Hard to Say Goodbye

This past Sunday, January 9th, Paul read his letter of resignation to the church. We have been thinking and praying about this decision for months. The Lord has made it very clear that the time has come for us to move on from Pinewood Baptist, but it is so hard to do. We have made so many wonderful friends, and this place has become home. In fact, it is the only home Paul and I have known as a married couple. It's so hard to say goodbye to the youth we have watched grow and change over the past 4 and a half years. We have invested our lives into the ministry in which God has called us to here, and we will leave a part of our hearts behind. Our goodbyes will not be forever because we will keep in touch. However, it is still so hard. Leaving one place means you are going to another. At this point, we don't know exactly where that is. For the short-term, we will be moving in with my daddy and his wife in Bethune. There we will wait for the Lord to open the door to the next ministry. My flesh wants to question God because I want the security of where we are going. I want to be able to settle in somewhere, especially since baby number 2 is on its way. However, I trust in the omniscient God in whom I have placed my faith. I know He has everything worked out for us according to his purpose. I know He has lessons to teach us to strengthen our faith in him. So for now, I am packing and praying. I am so thankful that the all day nausea has become more of just every now and then nausea. I hope that you will pray for us and for Pinewood Baptist during this transition. May the Lord be glorified in all things!

A Baby is Coming!

Although most of you who read my blog already know, I wanted to officially annouce that Paul and I are expecting baby number 2 on August 2. We are very excited, but at the same time the thought of being a family of four is quite overwhelming. This time around I have had much more "morning" sickness. It's really all day sickness. I absolutely hate throwing up (but who doesn't anyway) so when I feel nauseous I just sit in the recliner and don't move. This makes for a very messy house. I'm so thankful for Paul right now. He has helped out with keeping the house clean, at least as clean as he can while working 2 jobs, and prepared supper most nights. I can't stand to go into the kitchen. It just makes me feel sick. When Parker and I are home for lunch, I quickly throw something together for us to eat and then we eat in the living room. I hope this stage passes quickly. With Parker, the morning sickness that I had ended around 11 weeks. Since today I begin my 10th week, I'm holding out hope that the sickness will be gone very soon. Well, since Parker is napping, and I'm not feeling to sick right now, I need to go do some house work.