40 Week Randomness - Waiting on a Baby!

Heading out for the first swim of the season

Outside my window.....
A castle taking shape up in the trees.


I am thinking...
that it should be an absolute necessity for every engaged couple to take the Financial Peace University course together before marriage.  How much we could've avoided. How imperative these tools are to not only survive in life but flourish and be able to save, plan and give. How much more we have been able to give and do for others, and provide opportunities for our children, just by following this...on a paramedic's salary. I think a great disservice is done to our children when they enter adulthood without any knowledge of how to manage their finances. Math, algebra, geometry, calculus...it's all meaningless when basic life skills and self control have never been taught or learned. It's been a long road to haul for husband and I.....but the difference and headway we have made is astounding. How much I wish our own parents would've equipped us with this before our own marriage. Gaining control of finances has proved to be just as empowering as maintaining control of weight and body. Self discipline and a course of action...it brings all of life into perspective and grows self confidence in ways nothing else can. And as a couple or when married and working together on a goal....it strengthens and unifies in ways that tend to baffle modern society.




I am thankful.....
for where we've been, where we are, and where we're going. A whole lot of life wrapped up in a tiny little sentence. I'm thankful for the lessons in forgiveness we have been taught over the course of the last 4 years. I'm thankful I can look back at the absolute darkest, bleakest time in our life as we lived through one of the most horrific events that can ever occur as a parent and know that we have only grown and not shriveled away in bitterness. Tears still fall but they're no longer tears of shame, failure, regret, anger, and misery, but tears of how overwhelming the grace has been that's covered us as we have walked through it all. So much love by hundreds and hundreds of people for our family, for our children, for husband and me. How amazing it is to see how many people await sweet baby's arrival, continue to check in, and eagerly anticipate news that she is on her way. Those that have judged and fired shots at us have paled in comparison to the numbers that have loved us so unconditionally, embraced our family, and begun to follow along on our journey. I no longer cry everytime I think of new people living in our Texas home and our sweet tiny baby that lies quiet under the maple tree. I think of all we've traversed here in the last 2 years, all that we've encountered and all we've overcome, and know we have only grown, become stronger, that it's all been used to build confidence, abiding faith, and a stronger unity between us as a family and within our marriage. How many people would've survived this...I don't know. But I know the grace poured out within our lives is overwhelming. There may still be a lot of uphill that remains but to be at a place of rest and peace right now, to be so overwhelmingly surrounded by love, to have children that bring total joy to our hearts and to the lives of others, to watch them grow, see them play, laugh with them...it's an amazing place to be for awhile. And the freedom that comes from what we have learned and where we have walked...it's an absolutely unprecedented thing to experience. Sweet freedom to walk away from so much, to let go, to let it grow us, and to move on to so much more.



I am wearing.....
husband's non maternity fire shirt that seems to be more than a little maxed out with beach ball baby. Maybe a 40 week picture tomorrow to celebrate due date day. Maybe.





I am going.....
to more than likely not have a baby for at least another 3 days...thinking more like no less than 5 at the rate we're going right now.



I am smelling.....
shop vac that now diffuses nutmeg like air freshener. Who knew that the greatest form of freshening home would be sucking up entire bottles of spices 2 two year olds saw fit to dump out unceremoniously  all over house. 3 weeks later....it still smells amazing!



I am remembering......
last night.



I am noticing......
that I'm really ready to be unpregnant...but in order to get unpregnant you have to have a baby. And no matter how many times you do it....it's still just a very daunting thing to face. But how overwhelmingly grateful I am that despite the possibility of a hospital birth everything is well, we no longer face the possibility of a hospital, and we will have a baby in peace and the privacy necessary to get a baby here expeditiously.


I am reading.....
the Modge Podge directions. This should prove to be very interesting....and the ultimate test of my patience...or the lack thereof.



I am pondering....
the fact that people feel sooooo free to voice pretty much any thought that comes to mind when you are so massively pregnant. Comments within the past week have proved.....interesting. Apparently people do not think it is possible for women to get out in public on their due date and find it totally necessary to gasp in total shock at size and the fact one is still walking while being due. On another interesting note....I have yet to have anyone guess this baby as a girl. Apparently, it is commonly thought that if a woman is carrying in a very beach ball like way.....it is undoubtedly a boy. Guess we'll find out in not long!








Life in pics.....

Huge growing boy. My heart overflows with love for this ever happy, talking boy on the run.

She's come so far! And still going! Sweet inspirational girl filled with life, love, joy and determination... and so thrilled with her own accomplishments. She's grown so much in so many ways. She amazes me. It's not always easy and there's still tough days of having to push for every square inch gained but she has earned every little piece of progress she has made. She has learned to fight for it and overcome in so many ways....and her maturity level has grown exponentially. How much I love this girl.

She may be born on the east coast but she's still got Texas blood running through her veins.

Everybody loves having couches. 

 Thankful for neighbors that grow crazily excited when they see our brood coming...that prepare cookies, watermelon, bottles of water and all kinds of fun stuff when they see 11 swimsuit clad kids headed their way. 

 Sunset drives. 

 Little bitty girl waiting her turn. 4 year olds are some kinda rough on glasses. These people know us by name. 

 I LOVE having boys. They take on every unwanted disgusting task that arises.And they do it with such pride and joy!

 The many creations of creative minds.....

Treehouse material shopping with daddy....

How many kids can you cram around an ipad at 7:30 in the morning????

Sneak peek of our little closet baby nursery space. I'm in love. It'll put a smile on anybody's face. There is nothing quite like waking up to see it sitting there waiting for her. I'm pretty sure baby Lillye will never in her life remember her tiny space.....but it sure does thrill 11 other children! Once it's all completed I'll dedicate an entire post to it...complete with pics, projects, what we did, and price breakdown. Entire area has been done for under 100.00! Still not finished with last few projects but pretty close. Little sneak peeks of how it's taking shape and what's to come! 

Our little summer nature girl. 3.50! 

.99 grapevine garland bound up like a 6 in. wreath

2.00 flowers - 2 sprigs at .99 each

.99 little bird on sale for .49!

5 minutes worth of work with hot glue we already had!

Taking some much needed time off and spending our days just celebrating baby.

This was entirely unintentional.....but the shadow made me laugh....

When you can't find any fabric like what you see in your head and the only ones you liked are 10.00 a yard.....you make your own!! What would've been 40.00+ shipping for 4 yards instead became 4.88! 2 yards of plain white stiff cotton at 2.44 a yard, cut into strips, and leftover paint will accomplish the same goal! Total savings of 40.00!! 

2.00 birdhouses! 

.99 unfinished birdhouse

.99 unfinished candlestick for stand

paint and ribbon we already had on hand

Sibling love for little Lillye girl. Evye's birdhouse that now hangs above baby girl's bed.