Sunday, September 23, 2012

Sharing the love

Henry and Catherine are both sick...
with the same thing...
I wonder how?

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

3 months

Catherine is three months old today! This kid is huge (she was 14 pounds at her 8 week check up). She's recently found her thumb (yipee) and continue s to sleep through the night (whew)! She started teething this week (just like Henry did).
(Catherine with Pop)
Henry continues to be a stinker, but on a much smaller/normal scale than earlier this summer. I'm continually reminded of my need for Jesus and for His wisdom in raising these kiddos.

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Sleep

Isn't it amazing what you'll do for your kids to sleep? Two nights ago, we blended a smoothy outside on the porch and last week bathed 35 pound Henry in the kitchen sink (the bathroom with the tub is right next to Catherine's room). Sleep is something we're getting more of these days, and I'm thankful. I won't tell you just how incredible our 10 week old is sleeping, b/c I am well aware that it can change within a matter of days;)
On another note, Hank turned 32 today! One of his love languages is food (yep that is the sixth love language that didn't get included in Gary Chapman's book, "The Five Love Languages"). Therefore, today is a day of his own choosing for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and cake. Plus, one of my gifts to him is going to be cooking Paleo for a week. He's been wanting me to do that for a while and it just takes a lot of energy that I don't have to plan out meals according to that diet! Sometimes I feel like a gift of time is more precious/hard for me to give then something that costs money.
I'm super thankful for this man and pray that we can celebrate many more of his birthdays to come!

Sunday, August 5, 2012

our trip to the beach

We went on a trip this past week to Sunset Beach, NC! Hank and I purposely call it a "trip" and not "vacation" because, lets face it...with a two year old and a newborn, this is no vacation;) On top of that, Hank and I were both sick! Needless to say though, we enjoyed being with Hank's family (my parents came down at the end too) and getting away from our house where we've been spending a lot of time the past eight weeks!
On another note, we have LOVED watching the Olympics! Catherine doesn't go to bed until 11 p.m., so its been fun to have something new to watch that late at night. I missed several big moments though and would like to see them. Does anyone know how to do that?!

Friday, June 29, 2012

"I'll love you forever"

When you saw the post title, I'm sure some of you thought this was going to be a sweet story about Henry, Catherine, etc. I wish. Instead, this is a blog post about my sin, frustration, and shear impatience with our two year old. I remember reading the book, I'll love you forever, and not being able to identify with this...

"The baby grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was two years old, and he ran all around the house. He pulled all the books off the shelves. He pulled all the food out of the refrigerator and he took his mother's watch and flushed it down the toilet. Sometimes his mother would say, "This kid is driving me CRAZY!"





And now, all I have to say is "amen, sister". Since Catherine has been here, we've reached a new level and definition of a two year old.   I've been surprised and saddened by both my lack of patience and sharp words. 



If you came to our house right now, you would see glimpses of what I'm talking about. But it is when there is no company, Hank has gone to work, and it's just the three of us when the full on behavior rares its ugly head. I know that it is has been magnified because of Catherine, but what do I do with my heart and attitude in the meantime? Again, I wish I could tell you that I had figured it out like having verses over the kitchen sink or finding my energy from the Word in the mornings. But I'm still in the middle of seeing my sinful heart and being reminded of my desperate need for my Savior. The crazy thing too, is that I'm pretty sure I act like a two year old to the Lord fairly often. Oh how I am so thankful that he doesn't treat me the same way that I often treat Henry. For He is love, He is joy, He is peace, He is patience, He is kindness, He is goodness, He is gentleness, and He is self-control.



I AM grateful for this little boy and by God's grace, we'll get through this just like we've gotten through different stages in his short two years of life. I pray that he'll see Jesus even in with my many imperfections. So in saying that, Henry...

"I'll love you forever, 
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living,
my baby you'll be." 














Tuesday, June 19, 2012

CLU, a birthday, and Father's day

Catherine Louise is here as of Monday the 11th at 8:10 p.m.! I love being induced. I think that it is so great to take a shower, pack, and have things set at home. It was so different this time around having another child to think about! That was just about the only thing that was different about that day though. Can we say deja vu? HTU and CLU 's birth stories are very similar and when we saw Catherine, it was almost Henry all over again (minus two pounds and 2.5 inches).
Henry is very interested in "Caffrine" and has already asked "where her weenie go?" Oh dear, so glad he is too young to have to get into all of that right now. Thank you mom and dad for coming for so long, taking care of Henry for three (i'm sure very long days), and for loving us so well during this big transition. I told a friend the other day that I feel like I can do this two kid thing as long as I never had to be anywhere, shower, cook, or clean;) A week later, Henry celebrated his 2nd birthday! I confess there was not much to it, but we were able to celebrate with mom and dad before they left. And of course yesterday was Father's day. I'm incredibly thankful for my heavenly Father, wonderful earthly father, and my husband who is truly a gift to Henry, Catherine, and me.

Monday, May 14, 2012

one month

I went to the doctor on Friday and scheduled my induction for June 8th at 7:00 a.m. It's crazy because that was my due date with Henry two years ago! We're really ready to meet baby girl, but I want to enjoy our last couple of weeks of being a family of three.

We've been spending a lot of time outside



and when we're not, Henry wants to be.


We were able to get out yesterday morning to go strawberry picking! It was fun to do something different and Henry loved picking/eating the strawberries.


We were gone for three months last summer, so it will be nice to stay in one place this year. Hank will be working with the Crusade students' summer gathering on Wednesday nights at our house, running trips for them as outreaches, raising support, and Lifelines ministry training. He really enjoys being on summer projects, so it could potentially be a difficult summer.  But we figure getting to have a baby is worth it;)