Christmas Preparations

I am falling more and more behind on these blogs!!!  Tree decorating and cookie decorating (part one...more cookies to come when Mia is here).

Our Charlie Brown Tree :)

This might be my favorite!

Cookies and dipped pretzel making!

Cookies and dipped pretzel making!

Addison's Christmas Program 2013

She got to lead her class!

She had not realized everyone was watching her yet :)

She got to put the doves on the nativity scene.  I think after she stood up and sat down she realized a lot of people were watching because after this she started mouthing the words; she was getting more and more concerned looking as it continued.

Concern plus distraction with sweet Levi.  He always has the most zesto behind everything he does; I love him!

I was so proud of Addison!  She did fantastic despite her shyness--it was wonderful.  Her future husband, Cameron, even came to watch.  A special spectator and his mommy made her feel very special--she talked about it all day!

Here's to many more cute Christmas programs!

We're Having A Baby (Catching Up)

Due to the circumstances surrounding announcing our third baby, I skipped around in the order of things.  So now that we have announced baby three I want to share how I told Matthew we were expecting :)

I took a test the first day I was late---negative.  I was confused.  I was positive the day before I was late with Caleb.  I decided to wait a while.  So about 1-1.5 weeks late I finally tested.  I tried to have a more creative way to tell Matthew.  The first time we were newlyweds (about 12 weeks married or something) and I was so shocked I just screamed from the bathroom; he had no idea I was even testing.  With Caleb, I took a test (also without him knowing) and TEXTED THE PICTURE.  HOW LAME?!?!?

I took a test late one night when I was 1-1.5 weeks late because I was so anxious to know!  I did not want Matthew to know so I was being sneaky...he walked in so I hid the test and was not able to look at it until several hours later.  Since the line was so light I assumed it was an evap line....

BUT...I had two of these 88 cent tests so I took one the next morning with the first morning urine and RIGHT AWAY, I saw the line!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THEN I had to be sure the 88 cent test was right so later than morning I took another one.  I should have waited until the next morning, but who can wait???!  DARK line right away.  Come to find out it turned so fast so early because it was twins and I was really on a few days pregnant here (we lost one of the twins around 11 weeks though, you can read about that here:  39% Downloading).

I wrote this on his dinner plate

Then plated his food for him

And he ate.....

And he is reading....

And he is confused....and then that lil smile crept up on his face :)

The end :)

PS...hope I did better announcing to him this time!

20 Weeks With Rhema

Whew!!!  I am so thankful to have the anatomy ultrasound done...my mind is much more at ease after all the ups and downs!

The MFM said everything looks PERFECT and it looks like all my other pregnancies now.  We will not go back to the MFM any more :)

Addison came with us to the ultrasound and she could not stop kissing on my stomach and saying "Mommy Rhema is so cute!"  I am so glad she came with us!

Sorry folks, we opted for a third gender surprise so we did not even go near those parts during the ultrasound.  Part of the fun of gender surprises is we can indulge ourselves in all the wives tales to predict gender.  A friend recently told me about the skull theory to predict gender, so check out the ultrasound picture below and the link and see what you think. I should add, Matthew has already called BOY and hasn not been wrong yet.

Feeling FANTASTIC by the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

20 Weeks With Rhema

HANG TEN

Sweet Face with kissy lips, Check the skull theory here!

Heavenly discussions

As soon as we found out we were expecting twins (we aren't now read post: 39% Downloading
http://keepingupwiththegrantgang.blogspot.com/2013/11/39-downloading.html) and nick named them we started praying for them in family prayer time. We decided very early in our pregnancy we would not share the news with Addison until we were out of the first trimester. We want to protect her heart as much as we can until her heart is more mature. Sure, we can't protect her from everything but something's we can and something's we should (this is a whole soap box I won't dive into here).


So rather tell her more than she needed to know we simply prayed "please protect Rhema and olive" every night. We pray for many people by name each evening. Some are consistent and some change. Addison didn't ask any questions about who they were, just simply added them to her list.


Many weeks later and two days after we lost olive, I was praying with the Addison before bedtime (Matthew was gone for the evening) and here is how the conversation went (note Addison DOES know we are having a baby now):


Me: .....and please protect Rhema. Amen.

Aj: mommy. You forgot olive. Protect olive AND Rhema.

[I was shocked. I had no idea she would notice and had not prepared myself for this conversation at all.]

Me: well olive is in heaven now so we know he is safe.

Aj: why is olive in heaven now?
Me: because Olive died sweetheart. People who ask Jesus in their heart go to heaven to live with god forever.[i take every opportunity to drive home the Jesus is the way to salvation message] God had a very important job for Olive in Heaven, that's why Olive went to heaven so soon.

Aj: oh. Ok. Olive is in heaven. So it's just Rhema. Mommy. I REALLY don't want you to die

Me: you don't need to worry about that because when I do I will go to heaven and one day we will be there together. Forever.

Aj: You will be in heaven because you asked Jesus in your heart!

Me: Yes.

Aj: I asked Jesus in my heart but I still don't want you to die.

Me: I know :)

It broke my heart to hear such sweetness. She is so smart and really pays attention. She had no idea who Rhema and olive were and no idea they were/are in our family but yet she cared enough to remember to pray for olive. And cared enough to ask where Olive is. I am even more glad now we followed gods guidance and protected that sweet precious heart.

So there is a piece of my daughters heart. One piece I admire tremendously.




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