The Pilgrim's Journey

Me Time.

2011-08-29T20:45:00.000-07:00

Tonight was similar to many nights in the Smith household. By the time dinner was done, kids had gone through their bedtime routine of jammies on, teeth brushed, stories read, fans and nightlights going... I am feeling completely and utterly exhausted. Tonight was no exception. I just wanted to sit down. No more questions, no more "Can I?"... "Mommy, will you?"... "Please may we?"... My back was aching, my mind was fried, and I just needed ME time. After putting my girls BACK in their beds for now the fifth time I was about ready to loose my cool. Tucking Samuel quickly in bed, he asked me to tell him a story-ANY story. I sighed a heavy sigh, thought of a quick story from when I was a kid and condensed it down to about 10 seconds. I told him that was the end, and he needed to go to bed- NOW. In that moment, my little 6 1/2 year old boy looked up at me with eyes that spoke a thousand words. He quietly said, "I bet if I was there in your story, there would have been more..." I quickly told him something along the lines of "I love you Samuel, but I have to get Katelyn back in her bed (again!), and I am doing the best I can tonight..." He quietly said OK, and turned his body toward the wall and snuggled down under his covers. I left his room, feeling defeated, yet still needing to get things done. I put Katelyn back in her bed, gave Serenity yet another hug and kiss, and headed toward the living room. I immediately sank down into my comfy chair and sighed a big sigh of relief.... Peace at last! Closing my eyes for only a split second, I started to re-play Samuel's request in my mind, and all I could see were those little boy eyes starring up at me. Sighing a heavy sigh yet again, only this time for a completely different reason, I immediately got up out of my comfy chair (well, it actually took quite a bit of effort being 8 months pregnant and all...) :) and made my way back to Samuel's room. I opened his door slowly, tip-toed across his room and crawled in beside my little boy. He looked completely surprised and relieved and happy to see me all at the same time. I spent the next several minutes telling him story after story after story of when I was a little girl. We LAUGHED. He asked me a hundred questions and finally looked up at me, gave me a kiss on my cheek and said, "You are just the best mom in the entire world".

And to think I almost gave up that moment because I needed some "me time".

May I NEVER forget that tomorrow may not come. That the little 2 year old becomes the 4 year old, and the 4 year old becomes the 6 year old and soon that little 6 year old will become a grown man....

My mind WILL be fried. My body WILL be exhausted. I WILL feel like crying and shouting and giving up. This is all a part of having the hardest job in the world- being a mommy!

However, I won't get these moments back. Someday I WILL have a quiet, empty house, and I will wonder why I didn't take the time to tell more stories. Give more hugs. Answer more questions.

I will forever hold tonight's memory in my heart.

I will choose to remember and remind myself of this often... "These days are long, some days they feel like they will last forever... but these years, they are way too short."

So when you are feeling like you just can't go another minute... remember, this may be a moment your little 6 year old looks up at you and tells you "you are the best mom in the entire world" - and that my friends, is worth more than ANY amount of "me time" you could ever get. <3

SUMMER!!!!

2011-08-01T19:50:00.000-07:00

OK, it has been FAR too long- I never seem to find the time to blog... and that just has to change! This summer has seriously FLOWN by! I can't believe it is AUGUST already???!!! WOW! Some highlights of our summer so far~

*Finding out we are having a BOY!!! YAY! We are soooo excited!! (Still deciding on a name!)

*Traveling/Family visiting~ We have had LOTS of family time this summer! Us visiting family and family visiting us!

*Twins games, backyard theater, Parks, DQ trips, playing outside!

*Getting my school room in order~ This has been SO much fun for me! The family "classroom" is coming along great! I can't wait to start our "fall schedule" (or at least attempt to keep one with a newborn!) ;-)

*Decorating the baby's room!~ How fun it has been to decorate for a baby BOY after two precious GIRLS! Blues, Greens, Browns! I have loved pulling out Samuel's little newborn outfits and reminiscing after all these years!

*Water Fun~ LOVE being in the water. The beach. Pool. Splash Pads. Kiddie Pools ;-)... It has been SO hot and water fun is JUST what our family has needed!

Those are our highlights so far! We have one more family vacation/family wedding in August, one more wedding in September, and then life will settle down a little... For a few weeks before a new addition to our family arrives! ;-) I can't wait to hold that little bundle in my arms. There is NOTHING like breathing in that sweet newborn smell. (more about my excitement in a later blog) :)

Hope everyone is having an AMAZING summer! Hoping to blog more in the future! Homeschooling, babies, parenting, marriage, church, ministry, LIFE... SO many thoughts that float through my head all day long. Must. Write. Them. Down! :-)

Ramblings of a pregnant girl

2011-05-25T17:11:00.000-07:00

I feel like this day will never end... So I decided I need to write (or better said, ramble...). Tomorrow is our BIG ultrasound for our number FOUR!... You would THINK it would be no big deal this time... QUITE the opposite! I am SO nervous and giddy and excited and... will tomorrow EVER come?!!!? I am always a little nervous that everything is okay... (I'm assuming that is very normal for every mommy!)... But I am also DYING to know the gender of this baby! I have reasons to believe it is a girl (ie: Chinese calendar- which by the way has been right EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. for the other ones... and I was also pretty nauseous in the beginning- which I was with both girls) However, I craved early on LOTS of proteins (BACON, eggs, etc...) Which is what I craved with Samuel... and I have had a few "it's a boy" dreams... BUT, this pregnancy feels different then all the rest too (which actually made me wonder if I was having twins, but an early ultrasound told me I was not!)...

I will be honest... for Samuel... I am wanting another boy, so he can have a brother... BUT, I absolutely LOVE girls and I don't want to be disappointed in ANY way at all tomorrow! I am SO blessed to have both already, but I would love for Samuel to experience a brother... At the same time, the thought of little tiny girl dresses, flower headbands, and more PINK gets me really excited too... So, I can't go wrong either way! ;-) (However...at the park today I saw a tiny bundle of blue and I did tear up a little...) Um, can you tell I am just a little PREGNANT?!! ;-)

Jordan is excited for either one, and he keeps my nerves calm by explaining (for multiple reasons) why either one will be amazing (*sigh*, how I love my hubby)

Tomorrow is also my birthday... So, what a FUN present it will be to see our little #4 on the ultrasound screen. (PLEASE baby cooperate for us!)

Well, I am done rambling... (maybe... for now...) And if I can't sleep (which is almost guaranteed)... Then I will be back I'm sure hashing out my thoughts for no-one in particular to read. :)

Most of all I feel SO incredibly blessed to be a mom! (I'm a MOM!!!) of (soon to be)... FOUR! If you knew me at all growing up, you knew my life-long dream and goal was to be a mommy... and to have lots of little ones around me... I'm so beyond grateful God trusts ME (as un-worthy as I am) to be their mom.

The Dance

2011-03-21T13:37:00.000-07:00

This is something I wrote a few months back... I have a collection of writings that I usually do not share on my blog, but I feel that maybe this will speak to someone today... There are times and seasons in life that all of us have gone through pain or will go through pain. This story reflects in my own words and thoughts, what I believe is a process of healing. "The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, but it did not collapse because its foundation was on the rock." Matthew 7:25

This world is a dance. The music is ever changing. Sometimes slow and beautiful, other times intense and loud, and at times… dark and slow. And even still, we dance. Can you feel it? The music that pulls you, captures you, moves you. My body moves, it spins, it twirls. It runs, it rocks, and it hides. The music never stops, only changes from song to song.

The ground is damp; the grass teases my toes and dances around my ankles. The rain starts. Slowly first, one drop, then two, then three, then four, then six, then ten… before I know it it is pouring down, like a steady rhythm. I twirl, my feet moving in perfect symmetrical circles. I feel my feet touch the earth; I feel the dirt and mud close in around my toes. I spin, I dance, I move. The rain making soft pounding noises on my shoulder, on my head. The darkness is closing in, but I feel you. I feel your presence. You are dancing around me Your shadow is covering mine. With each movement and each turn I feel healing wash over my body. You are smiling at me, encouraging me not to stop. I start out slow, like the rain, and then I get faster and faster with each turn, each movement each stomp into the earth. My hair is hanging damp around my face now; my eyelids are getting blurry as the rain washes over my body. I turn my eyes up to the heavens, I stretch my arms out as far as I can, and I dance. My knees bend up and then down, I turn, I stomp, I move. The rain now turns to tears and I can’t tell which is which streaming down my face… all I feel is healing wash over me. I don’t want to stop… keep the music playing! The rhythm of the song starts to synchronize with the rhythm of the rain, and then the rhythm of my tears… together they become a symphony. The music is like nothing you have ever heard. It is not of this world, but another, the world that reflects the shadow, Your shadow. As I continue to dance, I feel your arms around me. You reach for my hand, and I willingly, desperately take it. Together, we dance. You spin me, you twirl me, You dance beside me. The rain slows… Ten drops, then five drops, then four…. Three then two then one… I feel the warmth around my shoulders, as my eyes are closed tight still facing the heavens; I begin to feel the light on my face, the warmth that washes over me. The clouds are parting, the sun is lifting the rain has stopped. I never stopped dancing. My tears turn to smiles, my pain to joy, my night to day. Before I know what has taken over me, I begin to laugh. Not the small tiny laugh you hear off in a distance, but the deep, from your soul, healing kind of laugh…The un-reserved, uninhibited kind of laugh. I open my eyes and I see You. You are more than my heart can bear. You are beautiful and perfect and one look into your eyes heals my heart of every fear, every pain, every crack and every wound. Your arms around me feel like a healing balm that no man has ever discovered or invented. You reach for me. You place Your hand upon my heart; my hands close in around Yours. We sway. The dance has slowed, and the rain has stopped and the earth has begun to dry. Like a sunrise at daybreak, I feel the shadows disappear. I feel whole, alive, and new.

Somewhere in the back of my mind I am convinced the dancing will never stop, and the rain will come again. The music will shift and change, the seasons will come and go and the sun will rise and fall.

But one thing will always remain… You.

“Guard me as you would guard your own eyes…Hide me beneath the shadow of your Wings”… Psalm 17:8

“Weeping may endure for a night…but JOY comes in the morning”… Psalm 30:5

A conversation with my six year old...

2011-02-11T12:26:00.000-08:00

It has been a GOOD week. A week that you sit back and really see the life that God has given you. So many times I am so busy going here, going there, doing this, doing that, that I don't get the chance to STOP and really look at how richly blessed I am. While driving in the car the other day, Samuel asked me, "Mom, do you want to be rich someday?".... (Me, laughing, already knowing the answer in my head, instead replied with an answer I pray will stick with my son for life...) "Buddy, I already AM rich!" He, being the realistic kid he is, of course replied~ "No you aren't?..." :) Stopping for a moment to catch my breath, since I am a mom who tends to get choked up on the simplicities of life, answered, "God in all his infinite wisdom and love gave me YOU, gave me Serenity, gave me Katerbug, and gave me Daddy... I am more rich than I could ever hope to be." After I got done parking the car, Samuel jumps out and smiles sheepishly with his head turned to the side and his hands on his hips and gave me a look as if he wasn't quite satisfied with that answer (being a boy and all), and I'm sure ran off to capture another villian or conquer another castle... But I on the other hand just sat there in the car for quite some time thinking about our two minute conversation and something just STUCK.

I may not have the newest "Swagger Wagon" (that all of us young mom's dream of having...) :)
I may not have my yellow dream house with white trim, a picket fence and a wrap around porch (yet!)

I may have a car that its windshield wipers stay up when they are supposed to go down, and one that makes all sorts of strange noises whenever I have the music down low enough to hear...

I may not have it "all together", "organized", and "figured out"... And there may be days that I collapse into a corner because this life is HARD work, and being a mommy is a tough job and being a wife means constantly putting your own desires down and instead looking toward someone elses needs...

But even so.... I. am. rich!

I am constantly in awe of God's goodness and His love. His grace and forgiveness. His gentleness and His kindness... I don't deserve the gifts that He gives, (who is deserving!?), but I will continue to remind myself on the hard days, of all the He has done for me, and all that He has poured out upon my life.

And if the question ever comes up again if I want to be rich someday.... my answer will always remain the same,

"I already am."

MONDAYS

2011-02-07T07:36:00.000-08:00

Mondays.

Maybe I'm the only one, but Mondays are especially hard for me.

Yes, it IS the first day of the week. Yes, we DID just leave a busy, fun-filled weekend, Yes I DO have a million & one things to do...But, I think it is more than that for me? I find this battle EVERY. SINGLE. MONDAY...
                          To WORRY!

Worry about Money. Parenting. Jobs. Marriage... LIFE!

There doesn't even have to be an actual "reason"... It just happens.

I find myself waking up, my brain reminding me what day it is, and the worrying begins.

*SIGH*

Maybe I'm the only one... But today I will continue to reach for those boxing gloves, step into the ring, grab my bible and FIGHT...

            Fight this Monday sickness of "WORRIES".

"My PEACE I leave with you, my PEACE I give unto you. NOT as the world giveth, give I unto you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid!"
                                                ~John 14:27

It's been awhile...

2010-09-30T18:47:00.000-07:00

(I almost giggle every time I go back and read past-posts... How much things CHANGE from month to month, especially THIS year!)... Since I wrote this last post... We moved, started home-schooling and are learning this new groove of LIFE!... PS. My goal is to write more this year... with keeping in mind I DO have a 6, 3, and 1 year old... ;-)

My little buddy started school this year! Samuel attends morning kindergarten (early!) we have to leave our house by 7:30am and he is in his classroom by 7:40am.... But I love that he is home by 10:20am every day. I really struggled with the best decision for him, and our family at this time... Should we homeschool? Should we wait a year before we start true, structured school? Should we put him in public school? Find an affordable private school? There were/are SO many options, and I worried we would make the "wrong" one... We finally decided to make the best decision for right now, and take one month at a time. We have a perfect little school three minutes from us that is all kindergarten students... we are able to drive Samuel every day to and from his class, and knowing he is so close to home has been GREAT! I am thrilled at how much he is learning every day. He comes home singing, talking and explaining all the new things he has learned. This was definitely the BEST decision for us right now!

Serenity has started ballet every Friday. She is too cute in her little pink leotard, pink tights and pink ballet slippers :) With mommy being a gymnast and not a ballerina, this is a fun, new territory I am learning about! She loves her class, and listens very well to her teacher. She also is loving music class every Tuesday taught by her mommy :) She sings all the songs and behaves very well in mommy's class! She has gotten used to Samuel being gone a few hours in the morning, and I think she is really liking the "big sister" time she is having all to herself! (with no big brother to take over!) We have been practicing the letters in her name, and she has the letter "S" down completely.(only seven letters to go) ;-)

I can NOT believe Katerbug is going to be a YEAR old next month!! It has gone by way too fast... Katelyn is busy crawling everywhere and getting into everything!! (As most 11 month old babies do!) I have to make sure the bathroom door is closed, or she is sure to splash in the toilet (GROSS!), I have to watch the cupboards without locks, or she is sure to empty them out, also there is the computer on and off button she loves to try and get to... We are definitely entering the more challenging/busy stage! She has also learned to scream (lovely) when she wants something... We are working hard EVERY day to teach her new words so she won't feel the need to scream or shout! (yikes). Overall she really is a very happy, content little baby girl! :)

Well, that is the update on the kiddos! I have been SO behind on writing blogs or even reading other's blogs! Hopefully this fall I will be able to write in here more consistently! I'm sure as the weather gets cooler, I will want to use this as therapy! Hope to hear from you all SOON!

Just a little glimpse of right now...

2010-05-01T20:45:00.000-07:00

Nurse the baby. Change a diaper. Wipe a nose. Kiss a knee. Read a story. Cook a meal. Answer the phone. Practice our letters. Sing a song. Do a dance. Break-up a fight. Nurse the baby. Change a diaper. Give a snack. Play a game. Kiss a head. Clean a mess. Wash the dishes. Fold the laundry. Nurse the baby. Change a diaper.... Well, you get the idea ;) Life as a mom of three kids is... BUSY! So busy that I have started to compose at least 5 different blogs, and I just can't find the time or energy to finish them! :) All in all... Life as a mom of three is GREAT! (crazy, stressful, exhausting, challenging, rewarding, amazing, life-changing, a dream-come-true!...) My children are my world... With all the ups and downs of being a mommy, it is worth every single minute. Quick updates~ Samuel turned 5 in January~ his favorite things in the world right now are: playing baseball and soccer and basketball with daddy, playing anything with his cousins, playing with his friends, collecting baseball cards, mommy reading some chapter books outloud, playing at parks, riding his bike, talking to Katerbug and keeping BUSY! Serenity turned 3 in March~ her favorite things to do right now are: putting on a fancy dress and being a princess, coloring, twirling, Playing "house", playing games on the computer, playing with her cousins, helping mommy cook & wash dishes, kissing her sister, talking and making up fun stories :). Katelyn (aka~ Katerbug :)) turned 6 months old April 22nd! She is sitting up completely un-assisted, she is eating rice cereal and bananas, she is reaching for toys, scooting in a circle, rolling over, laughing, smiling, jabbering (she says mamma, dadda, babba...) She is hands down the happiest, most content baby-ever!! (Thank you JESUS!) She loves being rocked, sung to, cuddled with, talked to, played with, held, kissed, snuggled... (and we love it too!) Life right now is BUSY, and CRAZY, and going by FAST... but life right now is also so, so, so sweet. I thank God every day for my husband and children... I have said it before, but I will say it again.... I was born to be a wife & mommy.

~My Moms~

2010-01-25T14:37:00.000-08:00

So I decided I needed to write a post in honor of my wonderful Moms! God has blessed me with an incredible mom AND an incredible mother-in-law! One of my most favorite things to do is browse really cool blogs. I have come across some awesome ones that inspire me to get creative, become a better mom, a better writer, a better home-maker, etc... As I was looking through some of my new favorite blog spots it occured to me that I NEEDED to write a blog about MY CrEaTiVe Moms! Over the last few years I have been blessed with some INCREDIBLE home-made gifts from these two ladies. I thought it would be fun to share with you all! :) I have LOVED every single thing they have made... but here are the ones I have pictures of!

QUILTS~ My mom started making a quilt for each new grandbaby of hers that is born... We (the mom's) get to pick out the fabric, and she makes BEAUTIFUL quilts!... Here are OUR three!

~Samuel's Quilt~

~Serenity's Quilt~

~Katelyn's Quilt~

Here is the Quilt made for Serenity's 1st Birthday... It is a picture quilt. It hangs in the kid's playroom!

Scrapbooks~ My mother-in-law Doris has made beautiful scrapbooks for us. I know how much time and energy is put into these, and we will cherish them forever!

Raggedy Ann and Andy Dolls~ My mom made her first set when she was a new mom... Then she carried on the tradition with all of her kids. You would not even believe how much time and effort and detail she has put into these. (mom, this brings tears to my eyes to even write... because I know it is SO hard on your hands to make them... but please know that they will be cherished and passed down for generations to come!... what a symbol of LOVE they are to all of us! And, as you always say, "A nursery is NEVER complete without a set of Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls!"... And, it's True!)... :)

Cozy, Fun blankets made by Doris~ (the kids love to snuggle with these, play with them, and take them in the car on cold Minnesota days!)

Dresses. PJ's. Dress-up Clothes~ Both My mom and Jordan's mom have made BEAUTIFUL things for the kids to wear. Here are a few of them!...

(The dresses were hand-made by Doris)

More beautiful dresses!

These were costumes made by Doris~ Amazing! (Peter Pan and Tinker Bell)...

More Costumes from Doris! (My kids LOVE to dress up DAILY!)

This "Princess Dress" as Renny Calls it was made by my mom~ The perfect "Twirling" dress for a little girl!

These are Hand-made "aprons" made by my mom... They have come in SO handy!! We use them EVERY day- whether we are painting, doing dishes, eating chocolate chip cookies... It keeps our outfits clean and less laundry for mama!! :)

Special Books~ Both mom's have made special books for the kids... I LOVE looking at these year after year!

Well, That is just a TASTE of how CrEaTiVe and TaLeNtEd my Mom's are! I love you moms!! Thank-you for all of the Time you have spent making special gifts like these... You mean the world to me!!! :)

11 1/2 weeks old!

2010-01-11T12:04:00.000-08:00

Kater Bug is 11 1/2 weeks old already! Seriously, WHERE DOES THE TIME GO?!!!

Here are a few things she has been doing...
SMILING ALL THE TIME!! She will give you a big smile just about every time you talk to her...

GIGGLES- a few times she has giggled. It doesn't matter if it is your first child or your 10th, there really is something so special about those first giggles that make your heart soar!

Found her fist- it is so cute. She will hold her fist up to her eyes for the longest time, just looking and looking at them!

EATING every 3 hours instead of every 1 1/2 -2 hours.

GROWING- she just weighed in at the doctor this week at 11 lbs 2 ounces- But she still feels so tiny to us :)

TALKING- she LOVES to use her little voice- cooing, "talking", even some singing! (come on, you have to start singing young being apart of the Smith/Lindeen family!) ;)

SLEEPING- She is sleeping longer stretches for us~ sometimes she has even done 9 hours! She doesn't fuss too much at night, and I can feed her and put her right back to bed! (AMEN!)

Earning the Sweetest Baby Award- OK... ALL of my babies were sweet... But, Katelyn really does have such a sweet temperament, and problems are usually solved by feeding, changing, giving her a pacifier, or just being held in the baby sling close to mama or daddy... Over-all, Life is good in the baby department! :)

Christmas and New Years

2010-01-04T06:52:00.000-08:00

The last few weeks have been a whirl-wind! I can't believe Christmas is over and behind us... We Celebrated Christmas with Jordan's family the week before Christmas... It is always wonderful when we are able to be with them over the holidays! With Jordan's job still being a manager of a retail location, it makes it impossible right now to get away for Christmas... We are thankful for family that travels to see us! We had a great time opening presents, going down to St. Paul for lunch at Mickey's Diner and then the Children's Museum, and just spending time together.

Christmas Eve Jordan and I and the kids ventured out in the blizzard to a Christmas Eve Service~ my mom and dad met us there and it was a wonderful time to stop what we were doing and just focus on why we Celebrate Christmas in the first place! After the service, we came home and Jordan wrote a letter to "Santa" from the kids... Precious memories that we will cherish always.

Christmas Morning Jordan and I got woken up before 7:00am (while it was still pitch black out!)by Samuel and Serenity... They were SO excited to open up their stockings and presents! We had a wonderful morning opening presents and just being with our now family of five!

Later that evening my parents made their rounds~ first to Jen's house, then over to our house for dinner and games!...

The week after Christmas we spent with my whole family. Erik and Kristin flew in from Colorado, and we spent a great week playing games, going out to dinner, talking, singing, sledding, and opening up gifts. It was so great to have my whole family in one place!

New Years Day we celebrated my nephew Ethan's 9th Birthday by going to see the movie "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" (my 2nd time seeing it~ SO cute!)... However, after the movie we discovered someone had broken into our car, breaking our window, and stealing my purse.. This was a VERY long, draining, emotional day... Realizing all the things that were stolen and trying to get everything taken care of... Through my Fear, Sadness and Anger... I was glad that we had my whole family there to help us...

Today as I sit in a fairly quiet home, Jordan back to work, family back to their homes, and it's just me and the kids getting back to our normal life, I am thankful for such a wonderful Christmas this year. (even with our car getting broken into...) During Church yesterday the message really hit home to me about what is important in LIFE... And this morning I am clinging to that message. It is NOT about how much money is in your bank account (Thank-you Jesus!)... It is NOT about what title you have at work or in life...(Mine is at the moment just plain mommy)... It is NOT about what kind of car you drive, (or in my case, having no car at all!;) )... It is about how you lived your life. Did you LOVE your children? Did you LOVE your husband/wife?... Did you LOVE Jesus and take the time to tell everyone that came across your path about His Love?... This past year had been a hard one for us... And many times all we had was the strength to CLING to Jesus and not let go for one second... And yet while we were clinging to Him, there was no room for us to cling to anything else, we had to let it all fall to the way-side... We have realized (and are still realizing) the important things in Life do not consist of Job Titles, Mortgage Amounts, Pay-check numbers, or earthly possessions... It is Family. Friends. And Our Lord. 2010 may have it's struggles (this we have already seen played out!)... But our prayer is that we would do our best to remember what is important in life. That if we only had 30 days to live, we would not spend it worrying out all the other details of life, we would only focus on the things that TRULY matter... I know that it is MUCH easier said than actually done... But this is what I will be striving towards in the year of 2010... To worry less, and to Love MORE...

What I am still learning....

2009-12-15T08:53:00.001-08:00

Why do I find it so hard to TRUST that God will take care of us and provide?... It is so easy to say the words, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart... lean not on your own understandings"... But when it comes time to actually act that out- I so easily forget. I have always been some-what of a worrier. When there are warnings out for storms in the summer- I freak. When Jordan hasn't answered my calls on the way home from work- My mind races. When Katelyn hasn't woken up for 4 straight hours in the night- I check to make sure she is still breathing. And ever since we went down to one income- I worry. and worry. And worry some more. Some days I am literally paralyzed with worry & fear... "How will we make it?, Will we be able to keep our house?, Will our bills get paid this month?"... And on & on the list goes.

And Yet...When I look back on the last 6 years of being married... God has always provided. We have not gone hungry. We have always had shelter over our heads, and a place to rest our bodies and call "home". We have always had clothes, and a car to get us from here to there. Have we ever felt wealthy- no! We never signed up for that, nor do we care to be rich with treasures on earth. We knew that when we chose to get married young and start our family right away!
But, still... in my humanness I worry. I find myself not only fearing the future, but the DAY. My mind gets flooded with the "How's" and "whys" and the "what's"... "How will we... Why did that... What will we...", etc. (Are there ever direct answers for those questions?...) Probably not.

Why isn't it enough to know that God has provided, and WILL provide? Why doesn't that calm my fearful heart? I know a lot of it is ME wanting to "fix it". I want to make all the worries go away- I want to put all the pieces perfectly in place.- When my house is a disaster, and toys are everywhere- I can fix that! I work until my house is clean- spotless- peaceful. Yet even that analogy bites me- because no matter how much I clean, it always gets dirty 5 minutes later (3 kids, hello!)... but I still feel in control of that situation. It may kill my back & push my patience, but I still know I can put the house back in order.

But when it is life, I can't always do that. I can't just go out and get a job with 3 little ones at home and only one car. I can't magically get Jordan a higher paying job, or put more money into our account each month (although I still try!)... Some times, I just have to TRUST. To realize we are doing what we can, and the rest is up to Him... I am not able to calm the storm, or drive the car, or control that my children are always healthy, breathing, and OK. I can't fix the past or control the future- as much as this 26 year old mom would like to...

I have to choose to LET GO, and just TRUST.

Trust that the creator of this world cares about the minute details of my life. That the Savior understands our failures (the reason He came to earth!).
That my Lord Loves me, and WANTS to take care of every area of my life. It may not always look the way we want or think it should look... but to just realize and accept He is in control! That He can do it SO much better than I could want or imagine. That He sees the BIG picture... not the "How's, & Why's and What's..."... He sees the end result and knows ALL the answers to my many questions. There is a reason He keeps things a secret some times, and probably just because He wants to teach His child to simply... Trust. To just wait upon Him and let Him take the lead.
To take off that heavy load you carry and lay. it. down. I know He will continue to teach me this... He will keep reminding me that everything will be OK. He will keep whispering those precious words day after day after day... "Elizabeth, TRUST me... I love you... and I am in control..."

Thank-you Jesus... Thank-you.

7 weeks!

2009-12-12T21:30:00.001-08:00

It's hard to believe Katelyn turned 7 weeks old last Thursday! However, it also feels like she has been with us forever... She is getting more & more personality every day! She will coo and "talk" to us, and she gives me HUGE smiles (However I can never seem to catch it on the video camera!)

Samuel and Serenity have been playing SO well together~ They are just the best of buddies. Yesterday they were playing "Hair Cuts"... luckily all my scissors are put FAR away from their reach! :) But here are a few pictures of them playing~

I have been trying to do more crafts with the kids... So here are a few we finished the other day. I think they turned out so cute!

This morning we woke up to BEAUTIFUL snow covering the ground... We had snow before, but this new, fresh snow is just gorgeous! Last night Jordan and I and the kids went with my parents to look at Christmas lights! Jordan mapped all the houses out, and we were able to see some AWESOME houses! We put the kids in pj's, brought snacks in the car, turned on Christmas music and had a wonderful time! All three kids were fast asleep by the time we turned into our house before 9:00pm. What fun memories we are creating!

Today I am going to get some more wrapping done, maybe make some Christmas cards with the kids, and just enjoy the day! It is easy to "Dread Mondays"... But I am CHOOSING to have a WORRY-FREE day, and INSTEAD, focus on all my blessings! Here is another video of Katelyn all dressed up for church... She would NOT give me big smiles, but she is still so darn cute, I had to share again!

Mirror Mirror on the Wall... and the Washing Machine

2009-12-10T06:31:00.000-08:00

Last night Jordan put Katelyn in front of our mirror and she immediately started smiling. It was ADORABLE. I ran down stairs and grabbed the camera... But of course I missed when she was smiling really big! But it was still so cute I had to share! (If you make it to the end she starts cooing at herself... It's my favorite part) :)

And THIS is what S & S were doing while we were video taping!.... We discovered it later that night when we wanted to dry some sheets... (They put TONS of their toys in there)... (Note to self, don't leave a 2 & 4 year old un-attended too long!!!) :)

Some of my Favorite Things About Christmas!

2009-12-07T13:09:00.000-08:00

There are a few things that I just LOVE to do around Christmas Time... Here are a few of them!

I LOVE going to the Dayton's 8th Floor display (I can't get myself to call it Macy's...) Even though I know the display itself only takes less than 5 minutes to go through, I think it is the whole "down-town" experience!

I LOVE decorating my house! I have always loved decorating, and with three kids it is usually put on the back burner... but Christmas-time gives me an excuse to tap into my creative side :)

I LOVE watching the snow fall softly down while we are all snuggled in our warm house... Grab a cup of tea (or coffee), find a comfy spot on the couch and do nothing but admire the beautiful WHITE.

I LOVE wrapping presents... I know a lot of people dread this, but I find it completely relaxing and once again a chance to be creative!

I LOVE Christmas music. The week or two before Thanksgiving I have Christmas music filling my house 24/7. (I love Pandora.com!)

I LOVE Christmas movies. I have a list that I HAVE to see each December. Is is as follows~ Miracle on 34th street (the new one), It's a Wonderful Life, White Christmas, Elf, Frosty, A Garfield's Christmas, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and The Muppet's Christmas.

I LOVE how the house looks and feels with all the lights down except for the glow from the Christmas tree...

I LOVE how the anticipation builds each day with my kids as we get closer to Christmas day!

I LOVE that the mall is CLOSED on Christmas day!... That Jordan always has that day off to spend with us.

I LOVE seeing Christmas lights outside. I love driving in a WARM car and enjoying all the amazing houses decked out with lights.

I LOVE seeing family. Brothers & Sisters. Aunts & Uncles. Cousins. Grandparents... Not every year are we blessed to see all the family we would like to, but I count my blessings when we do!

And finally... I LOVE hearing the Christmas story. Over & over again. I love sharing the Christmas story now with MY children. I love when they "get it", and they really understand what Christmas is all about.

Katelyn Smiles!

2009-12-02T06:33:00.000-08:00

Katelyn has been full of smiles lately! I just had to share this picture with you! Isn't she SWEET!?! (She is 6 weeks old tomorrow!)

5 weeks old!

2009-11-25T18:26:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday Katelyn turned 1 month old!! I can't believe how F.A.S.T it has gone!! She has started smiling directly at us a few times~ I LOVE it!! Even though I wish she could stay tiny a lot longer... it is so fun to have her alert, looking around, starting to recognize faces (Samuel and Serenity love when she looks right at them!)

I can't believe Thanksgiving is over and it is on to the Christmas Season! (We had a wonderful day celebrating with my parents...)

Playing Games!

Making Crafts!

Singing Songs!

Being Silly!

Enjoying our Family...

As I look outside, I have decided I either need SUNSHINE or SNOW... The In-Between-Stuff is not fun- I am SO HAPPY the sun is out today!! However, I'm getting ready for beautiful white! (It makes Christmas seem more like Christmas!) I have already started to enjoy all the fun things about Christmas... Decorating Christmas cookies, putting up the tree, wrapping presents... It will be so fun this year with Samuel and Serenity at the age they are and of course having a brand new baby! What a year to celebrate!

(Notice Katelyn is helping me bake) ;)

Well, as most people will be out fighting the crowds today for Black Friday (including Jordan- who had to be at work by 5am!), We will be snuggled in our home~ wrapping presents, watching Christmas movies, and maybe doing a little baking! Hope everyone had a BLESSED Thankgiving, and you all were able to focus on the important things in life, and the blessings God has given you... Have a wonderful weekend!!

~Newborn K~

2009-11-23T07:51:00.001-08:00

Newborn shots done of Katelyn at 2 1/2 weeks old!

These pictures were done by a photographer that needed some newborn shots for her website! We were able to get these pictures taken and the whole CD of pictures at no cost! I was SO thrilled to have these done of Katelyn at such a tiny age!! Hope you enjoy... :)

3 weeks and 5 days old!

2009-11-17T13:02:00.000-08:00

Instead of writing... Here is a tiny glimpse into my world :)

(Ps... if you check out our blog, send me a comment! Many of you have told me in person you see my blog, but I never know! :) It is fun to keep in touch with all of you, and also know who I am writing to!) :)

And a few pictures...

17 Days Old...

2009-11-08T12:19:00.000-08:00

Ok. Seriously, These last two weeks have FLOWN by! I can NOT believe Katelyn is over two weeks old!! Her two week appointment went great... She weighed 7lbs 5 ounces! (she already gained a pound!)~ still falling in the 10th percentile. She smiles ALL the time in her sleep, and once in awhile if we are lucky we hear her giggle! She really is such a good baby. She constantly gets SMOTHERED in kisses from all of us! She is still getting the hang of her nights and days, but it will come soon enough.

Samuel and Serenity LOVE her. Samuel says, "I will love her forever." and Serenity says all the time "Katelyn is pretty mamma, I love Katelyn"...

Samuel~ has been SO into hockey lately! He and Jordan play every night... They use chairs as their "nets" and each have their own hockey team name! It is adorable.

Serenity~ EVERYTHING is princesses and pink. As tough as she is, and as much as she can keep up with her big brother, she is definitely a girly girl too!

I don't know about anyone else... but I'm getting pretty excited for Christmas this year! There is something about holding a newborn baby and thinking about Jesus coming to earth as a tiny infant... I guess it makes it even more real and even more special to me... I know this Christmas will be one to remember. It will be fun to have 5 stockings hanging by the fireplace! I probably will be getting out the Christmas boxes in the next few weeks, starting to look through and get out all the fun decorations. The kids even got their own little trees with their own decorations from Grandma! Speaking of Grandma...Jordan's mom was able to be with us for 10 days and Jordan's dad flew in to spend two days with us all... They left on Saturday morning, so it is officially real life with 3 kids at the Smith household!
Thank you again SO MUCH for coming and staying with us!, we LOVED it and the kids miss you so much already!!

Well, as Thanksgiving approaches I just want to say how THANKFUL I am for all my blessings. For a house to live in, food on our table, the freedom to worship God, and most of all my wonderful family... Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!

~11 Days Old~

2009-11-03T16:51:00.000-08:00

Last night I don't know if I really ever fully slept~ Katelyn definitely wanted to eat ALL night long! She doesn't really cry all the time, she just gets upset and wants to eat. :) (That's OK... I know this won't last forever) :)

Jordan's mom is visiting from Indiana and has been here for the last 6 days! It has been really wonderful having the extra help and hands around here. She plays with Samuel and Serenity, helps with dishes, helps clean up toys... We will really miss her and of course all the help when it is time for her to go home!

We have also been SO BLESSED by people bringing us meals... It means SO MUCH to us, and what a HUGE blessing to not have to cook every night! Thank you!!!

Even though it is busy around the Smith household... and Even though I find myself as a permanent referee with Samuel and Serenity... Even though the house may not always be perfect, the washing machine always running... It has been a WONDERFUL last 11 days... I am so blessed. And wow... Do I love my kids...

Here are some more pictures of Sweet little Katelyn...

Life at Home!

2009-10-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

I am sitting here trying to figure out all the things to tell you! But really, as I look down at Katelyn, snuggled in a little wrap around me, I just want to tell you how happy I am... As I rock her back and forth and watch her sleeping peacefully, All is right in my world...

She is doing beautifully at home... Getting the hang of her nights vs. days... Of course we are sleep deprived, and some sort of "drama" is always happening between Samuel and Serenity... But over-all, we are all adjusting to life at home really well! (We are excited for Grandma Doris to come tomorrow and help out though ;) )

Yesterday we had her first doctor's appointment! The nurse practitioner said she looked WONDERFUL! Almost back to her birth weight (6lbs, 4 ounces) and a champion eater! They measured her twice and she was only 19 inches... so either she shrunk, or they got it wrong at the hospital :) She was so precious all bundled up for her car ride!

Yesterday morning also was the first time my dad got to see Katelyn IN PERSON! It was SO wonderful for my dad to FINALLY meet her! He left for a business trip the Thursday afternoon before I had her and came home Monday night late. (Just missed it!) (Thankfully mom stayed home and got to meet her right away and keep Samuel and Serenity while we were in the hospital!) This is my parent's 7th grandchild and 4th grandaughter! We were also able to get some really great family pictures taken as well!

I guess that is all for now! I am going to check on Samuel and Serenity who are SUPPOSED to be sleeping... Change and feed Katelyn, then maybe finally get a shower in ;) LOVE being a mommy!!!!!! :)

2009-10-25T12:30:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the World Baby!!!!!!

Katelyn Elizabeth Joy Smith was born on Thursday, October 22nd, at 9:01pm, (after only 2 1/2 hours of being at the hospital!)
Weighing 6lbs 5 ounces, and 20 inches long.

SHE IS PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't think I could be more in Love after Samuel was born... Then, I thought, how could I love anyone more than my two... and then...~ Katelyn was born~ I can not describe my love for her... I look at her and just cry at God's goodness... for this precious gift He gave our family... I feel so indescribably blessed.

We are so happy to be a family of FIVE!!!!!

2009-10-21T06:48:00.000-07:00

THREE DAYS LEFT...

Until my "official" Due Date...

Will She EVER Arrive?!!!!...

Going a little CRAZY...

Tired of looking at the suitcases by the front door...

PLEASE COME SOON BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Still Waiting.............

2009-10-19T06:52:00.000-07:00

Last night before the Bears game we all got our "Bears gear" on and decided to take some pictures! I always loved the picture that was taken when I was pregnant with Serenity... So, I wanted to try and re-capture another one of our family with me pregnant again! :) I think they turned out super cute! Thanks to my wonderful neighbor for taking the pictures for us! :) (Now, just wish the Bears would have WON last night!!... oh well...)

(Here is the one taken in 2007...)

(And here are the ones from last night!...)

Well... I am over 39 weeks and as you can imagine, SO BEYOND READY to have this baby!!!! The waiting is unbearable at times... So, I'm just trying to survive this last week! I would love to see this baby make an appearance before her due date... But since there are only 5 days left... I'm thinking that may not happen :) In the mean time, I will continue cleaning every corner of my house, finish loads of laundry that are probably not that dirty..., make fall projects with the kids, and try not to go CrAzY! :)

Celebrating Six Years!

2009-10-11T09:34:00.000-07:00

October 4Th marked our six year anniversary... SIX years! I cannot put into words or express with any human language how incredibly blessed I am to be married to Jordan Michael Smith. He has brought more joy to me over the last decade than I can say! I am honored to be called his wife. God is pretty amazing when He chooses the one He wants you to spend a lifetime with... It's pretty awesome that He knows our deepest needs and desires~ far beyond what we do! Today I wanted to reflect on the last six years... To thank my God for bringing us together... These last six years have held JOY. PAIN. LOVE. but most of all, have brought us closer and have made us stronger... We are believing with God for another 50 years of incredible adventures, LIFE, and just being US. I love you Jordan! Thank-you for being MINE and loving me more than I could ever ask!... Happy Six Year Anniversary!!!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Random Ramblings at 1am

2009-10-09T23:24:00.000-07:00

So... It's Snowing. SNOWING! Wow. I am both amused and annoyed. It is actually quite beautiful right now as I am watching it come down... It is also almost 1:30 in the morning- I can't sleep. I decided after laying in bed for almost 2 hours, I would get up, eat a strawberry fruit roll up and a bowl of kix. (Am I pregnant or what?!) I have no idea why I am awake... Usually I am so dead tired... I didn't even have any caffeine! Why can't I go into labor NOW?...

I went to the doctor on Thursday... Once again, everything looks great. Happy baby, Good heart rate, Measuring fine, slightly dilated (which you know means nothing) :), no weight gain this week (yes!), and that's pretty much all there is to report!

After my Thursday doctor's appointments we all go as a family to the humane society (since it is down the road from there)... We figure if we can't get a dog right now, we might as well play with ones we can! There were a few puppies there this time~ absolutely ADORABLE little black lab mixes. We took a little one into a room to play with her, and Samuel decided he would rather have a puppy than a baby... Jordan and I in almost unison said, "Um, it doesn't work that way buddy!"... So Samuel goes ON to say~ , "OK... Mommy, you could train the baby, and DADDY could train the new puppy!!!!!"... (laughing pretty hard at this point, I agreed that would be a fabulous idea if daddy stayed home with mommy all day!)... ahh, the things my children say to make me smile!

I can't sit for longer than about 4 minutes before I am in intense pain, so throughout this blog entry I have sat... stood...sat... ate some more kix... stood, sat... you get the idea. I think I am on bowl 3 of the kix (I'm pretty sure I will be gaining weight this week! HA! Oh well...)

So I already told you I crave weird things... but did I tell you I not only crave soap, I'm literally addicted to soap. I actually have a bar of white dial soap under my pillow... when I can't sleep, I smell the soap (yes, I am thinking of getting some therapy for that~ but hey, could be worse, right? And could be more expensive too! Good thing plain old dial soap is only about 2 bucks for like four bars!)...

I am still trying to picture my life with three kids... it is getting easier and easier... but the reality of it hasn't totally sunk in- I'm waiting to hold her for that to happen! I SWORE I would have at least four kids... well, more so an even number, but I always knew I couldn't do just two, and Jordan always felt that way also... however, after the pain of this pregnancy... I think adoption is a pretty good option from here on out! :) Only time will tell, and I'm not about to make any stupid/rash decisions being nine months pregnant! :)

I hate fruit flies. Fruit flies and Ants- two creatures I think should be BANNED from this earth. I am staring at a little fruit fly that keeps coming to say hello~ I keep telling him to go away, that all I have here is a bowl of kix! He is not listening to me (are fruit flies he's or she's?)...

Tomorrow morning Samuel will wake up at precisely 6:55am. He will sneak into our bedroom, come to my side of the bed, tap me until I respond to him and ask me very politely if he can watch cartoons and have breakfast... I will then turn and attempt to wake Jordan up (which takes about 5 really HARD taps), which he will try to convince Samuel it is still the "Middle of the Night" and to "Go back to Bed" (which Samuel never buys and never does), So, we will continue the tapping until Jordan is coherent enough to jump up, turn the cartoons on, get some cereal, and crawl back into bed... by at which point, Serenity has made her way into our room, sandwiched between us, pushing both Jordan and I to opposite sides of the bed clinging to the side not to fall off. I keep reminding her that this WILL change very soon! (She isn't too excited about that... But, I want to enjoy those sweet, (uncomfortable), moments as long as I can with her...) :)

Now that it is 1:54am... My stomach is full and I am about out of random things to write about at the moment, I think I will resort back to my bed. And hopefully not lay there for another hour! We shall see...

Did I mention it is October... and it is SNOWING???!!!.... WOW.

The Weekly Update!

2009-10-02T18:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was 37 weeks! Everything looked great at my appointment on Thursday! I am measuring at 36 weeks... So just about right on target :) My Midwife said, "OK, you are safe to have this baby anytime now!"~ Which I have learned after 3 pregnancies, NOT to get my hopes up about going earlier than my due date! (However, MAN would it be NICE!!!)

The Kids and I made a Paper Chain for the baby today! (Number of days left until my due date)... They had so much fun putting it together and taping it all by themselves. Samuel can't WAIT to wake up tomorrow and take off the first chain link!

The other day, Samuel completely surprised me by saying, "MOMMY! I can write my whole name!!"~ Now let me back up a little... I have been going over the letters of the alphabet with him, and focusing on the "S" in his name... But I have NEVER had him write down his whole name for me without help. I turn around and see him holding up his name PERFECTLY written!! I was AMAZED and SO PROUD OF HIM!!!!

I have had wonderful luck with my flowers this year... But they are quickly fading with this colder weather sneaking in... I wanted to take one last picture of the remaining colors left in my back yard! Serenity did a wonderful job posing in front of them even though it was just a little sunny for her :)

This is another one of my flowers (and my most favorite kind!!) I will miss the beautiful colors of summer... but I am obviously thrilled it is now officially FALL!!

OnLy.....

2009-09-26T14:48:00.000-07:00

28 Days....

4 Weeks....

672 Hours....

40,320 Minutes....

But, Who's Counting???? :)

Update on me...

2009-09-18T06:55:00.000-07:00

Today I am 35 1/2 weeks pregnant! I went to the doctor on Thursday and everything looks great! I am measuring at 33 weeks~ but my midwife said it was because the baby is already so low (so my fears were laid to rest when she said this doesn't change or affect my due date!~PHEW!)... Baby's heart rate was in the 150's~ In the words of my midwife~ "Sounds like a happy camper in there!" :) Before I left the clinic I got all the information to register at the hospital... crazy... I can't believe it is that time already! I found out today that my insurance cut me off from any more chiropractic visits... It took all I could do not to burst into tears at the office... I have no idea how I will survive the next 4+ weeks without it. I'm PRAYING that the Physical Therapy can continue until I deliver!...

I envy women who "Love Being Pregnant".... I am NOT one of those women. Oh I don't mind looking pregnant~ That part is fun for me! I mean the incredible pain I deal with each time, that has gotten worse each pregnancy... I don't think I'm like "The Duggard Mom" (anyone watch that show?)OK, I KNOW I'm not like that mom... She HAS to be one of those women who pregnancy comes much easier for! (I mean, come on, 18 pregnancies!?!) :) Don't misunderstand me~ my children are worth EVERY ache and pain, and I am SO, SO blessed to have them... but, let's get real, sometimes you just need to VENT... and CRY... and SCREAM... because it is SO FREAKING HARD!!!! (and I am only talking about the physical pregnancy part... not the chasing a 2 and 4 year old WHILE being in excruciating pain part!) It is definitely easy to have your patience tested... over, and over, and over again! I'm so thankful for people in my life who have helped me out recently! My mom and dad are incredible~ ALWAYS willing to help take the kids... My sister who took them for the entire day last week so I could just REST, and today, a friend from Musikgarten is taking the kids for a few hours so I can prepare my lesson plans and also just take a deep breath (THANK YOU!!!!!!!)~ I can't express how much this means to me. (All my Smith family~ I know you would help if you lived closer!) :)

I am trying to every day, when I wake up, take a DEEP BREATH, and remind myself it is a NEW DAY and I am ALMOST THERE!! Some days it is just so hard. I know this "blog entry" is kind of a downer... but Some days it's just good for me to write down how I'm really feeling! Not the "I'm good, it's great, etc..." :) So with that, I will close with some ADORABLE pictures of my little blessings... The ones I am doing this for!!

Happy Grandparent's Day!!!! We love you!!

2009-09-12T11:27:00.001-07:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Make a Smilebox greeting

Pregnancy and Life Stuff...

2009-09-05T07:27:00.000-07:00

As of yesterday I am now 33 weeks pregnant! I can hardly believe it! Only 7 weeks to go!... wow. Some days I am MORE than ready to have her~ mostly due to the bodily pain she inflicts on me ;)... But other days I think, "AHH! I'm not ready!!!"... Ready in the sense of a tiny newborn again~ Serenity is fully potty-trained, in a "big-girl" bed, puts her own shoes on, etc, etc... And the thought of starting it all over again makes me just a tad bit tired. :) BUT I am SO grateful to have two kids that are very independent! It is wonderful to know we won't have TWO in diapers, etc! I also love the fact that Samuel and Serenity play SO well together... It will be nice they can keep eachother occupied while I am busy with the new baby.
As for the physical part of "getting ready for baby", we have been "ready" for awhile now... Clothes ready, Crib ready, Car Seats ready. I keep trying to picture myself with THREE kids! (It's hard!) I do feel like this one will have just a slight advantage being the 3rd... Since her mommy was the 3rd baby too! I have always had a soft spot for Third-Born's... Always will. :) Whenever those "ALL-KNOWING" mom's say that "OH, the third will put you over the edge... The third is SO hard... The third throws everything off balance..." I kindly look at them and straighten my shoulders and remind them I was the third and God made me strong-willed for a reason. :)

Let's see... CRAVINGS... I have had such WEIRD, RANDOM, Cravings! Not even really food wise! I HAVE to have crushed ice (Yes, I did find out this means you are anemic... which turns out I am... I got tested last week and my levels are super low, so I get to take a wonderful iron and pre-natal pill that cause other problems to deal with!).... But I don't think it will change the fact I will STILL want crushed ice every day, multiple times a day! I also LOVE soap right now. I know. I know. Not just any soap but bars of Dial Soap- the white and gold kind. I can't tell you how many bars of soap I have bought during this pregnancy. Any chance I can get to wash my hands I do! LOL. Also, I HAVE to have a warm bath every day- sometimes twice a day! I realized that as long as I can have my bath, with my dial soap and crushed ice, I can get through the day. (Ahh, the simplicities of life!)

Things that make me more than ready to NOT be pregnant anymore ;)~ Sciatic Nerve pain~ causing me to visit the chiropractor and physical therapist on a regular basis. Heartburn- Wow, the heartburn! (I hope this means she will come out with hair on her head!!) EXHAUSTED- TIRED- FATIGUED- DID I MENTION EXHAUSTED... (Oh yeah, that doesn't really go away for 2 years, does it... lol.) Not being able to turn over in bed without shooting pain coursing through my body... yep, I'm ready for that to be over :)

IN ALL SERIOUSNESS.... I have to be honest, I have such a fear that everything will be okay. All around me I hear about still-births, complications, SIDS, etc... It almost paralyzes me with fear... I keep thinking Three is pushing it... I already have two healthy kids, why would God allow me to have a third? (Mind you, I was also like this the whole pregnancy and MONTHS after Serenity was born. I had Serenity sleep right next to me for weeks and months after she was born so I could just hear her breathe.) I have to once again tell myself, "YOU WERE THE THIRD!! AND YOU WERE JUST FINE!!) I just think it is so easy to start hearing about "This family's situation, or this story, or I heard about so & so"... When I just need to keep praying every day for this little blessing God has given us, and TRUST Him that it will all be okay. (It's that lack of trust thing again!)... I really am so thankful for my children. Every day I look at them and thank God over and over for the JOY they bring to me every day. I really feel that I was BORN to be a mommy. (As hard and tough as it is, there is NOTHING more rewarding!) So, this said, I'm going to post this, and go play with my little blessings! Hope everyone has a WONDERFUL Holiday weekend!

The Farm!

2009-08-25T08:41:00.000-07:00

So once again it has been awhile since I have updated this! (Does ANYONE read this anyway?) :)... Well, here is what we have been up to... We went to Iowa the beginning of August for my cousin's wedding. Erik and Kristin were able to make a trip there too, so we were able to have all the (Lindeen-Hickle-Smith) family together! We had a GREAT time! We stayed at the Cutty's Resort (That I grew up going to as a kid) in Des Moines, IA and spent 2 nights there~ Swimming, Minni-golf, and just hanging out! Then we headed to the farm to spend a day there! It is always so fun for the kids to spend time on the farm, and I LOVE that they can experience this like I did growing up! Here are some pictures from the farm! (I didn't get many from Cutty's!) Thanks Great Grandpa for showing us ALL your gardens! We LOVED it!!!

Picking Apples!! We had so much fun driving around in Great Grandpa's "Golf Cart" and seeing all of the gardens and fruit trees he has! The kids were able to pick to their heart's content... They had a BLAST!!

We love you Great Grandma and Grandpa! (And of course Cheryl and the cousins too!!) :) Thanks for letting us stay and explore the farm!

Trusting in the DAY to DAY...

2009-08-06T09:48:00.000-07:00

Today I am really meditating on this scripture verse...

"So I tell you, don't worry about everyday life-whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes. Doesn't life consist of more than food and clothing? Look at the birds. They don't need to plant or harvest of put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are. Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not. And why worry about your clothes? Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won't he more surely care for you? You have so little faith! So DON'T worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father ALREADY knows your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.

So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today."

I am learning what it means to trust God in the DAY TO DAY... Not month to month, not week to week, but actually day to day... It is not always easy and sometimes I lack the faith that God really will provide and take care of us... but that is when I HAVE to come back to this scripture and TRUST and BELIEVE with everything inside of me that God will provide and take care of us day to day... I am reminded of the story where the Hebrews were in the wilderness- starving, complaining, tired and frustrated, and yet, even in the midst of them complaining,GOD PROVIDED. And instead of providing for the whole month or week... He only provided for that day! He didn't want them to pick up any more Manna or Quail for the days to come and if they did He would cause the extra food to spoil. He was testing them... testing their faith. Would they obey? Or would they get fearful and try to do it their own way...

Today I am praying that God will give me the faith to TRUST Him to provide enough "manna" TODAY... And just rest in the assurance that He will!

Toys and Such...

2009-08-04T07:39:00.001-07:00

Remember the re-organizing I have been doing? Here are a few things I've been up to...

This is our play-room... I have been re-organizing toys and making it a better & easier place for the kids to play!

I made the kids toy room more of a "play-house" and moved Samuel's toys to the front hall closet. This way they both feel like they have their "own space"

"Samuel's Closet"... He loves having all of his "boy stuff" in one place! (We still need to install some shelves eventually, but it works great for right now!)

This is on the back of the door of our "play room"~ I display all of the kid's art work!

So, that is all for now! Have a great Tuesday!

2009-07-25T18:43:00.000-07:00

~A few updates on The Smith Clan~

*Samuel had his last soccer game this past Monday- He had a GREAT season! Scored a ton of goals and was one of the fastest on his team! He received a little trophy for participating and it is now his "prized possession"! I have to say I LOVED watching my son play soccer this summer! (I'm hoping he will want to sign up again next year!!) =)

*Serenity is going on day 5 of wearing "big girl underpants"! She is doing GREAT!! We have only had one accident so far! She has been staying dry during all her naps and last night she stayed dry all night. This has been by far the easiest potty training yet! (God knows I needed this being 6 months pregnant!) ;)

*As for the new baby... I put up the crib (by myself! GO ME!) and washed all of the newborn girl outfits. The kids have had so much fun helping me put them away and talking about "when she gets here..." Serenity is officially out of her toddler bed and LOVES sleeping on the bottom bunk bed- So we are slowly getting ready for another addition to our family.

We need to change the name above the crib :)

Baby girl's bed!

Serenity's NEW quilt!

Samuel's sport bedding!

The kid's room!! (We are thankful for big rooms in this SLOW economy) :)

Last night Jordan thought it would be fun to have a "family baseball game"~ it was the perfect summer night and we picked up some fried chicken and headed to a nearby park... What a perfect night it turned out to be! We all took turns hitting the ball and running the bases (even me!) I think Samuel will be talking about this "family baseball game" for quite some time!

Pregnant ME~ I can start to feel the affects of entering into the
3rd and final trimester... My brain wants to do so much more than my body will allow me to... Which can be frustrating at times but I need to try and remember to listen to what it is telling me!! (SLOW DOWN!!!) I think my tummy DOUBLED in size this last month- I really look pregnant now! (people are actually asking when I am due! :)). I definitely FEEL pregnant (course when did I not?!)=) I have been in the purging and "getting rid of things" mode... Re-organizing closets, making things more logical for another baby to enter our home. It has been rewarding, yet very hard on my sore body! (again, I need to listen, I know) Over-all I can't complain much... It has been a pretty good pregnancy and I'm in no rush for this final trimester to be over! (Maybe just ready for the aches and pains to be gone!)

27 weeks and 2 days pregnant!

More family updates to come! Hope you all are having a very blessed weekend!!

Family Day Trips!

2009-07-20T07:05:00.000-07:00

Jordan and I decided for the rest of the summer we are going to take little "day trips" on Jordan's days off! The kids like to call them "minni vacations" or "family fun days" :) On Thursday we drove down to Taylor's Falls and spent some time in Stillwater (one of our favorite places!)... We enjoyed climbing the rocks at Taylor's Falls, finding a cool sculpture place along the way, and taking the kids to Teddy Bear Park in Stillwater. Yesterday we visited Murphy's Landing (a historic museum with live actors and actresses displaying what it would be like to live in MN in the 1800's) So far we have had a BLAST!! Hopefully I will be sharing many more of our little adventures! Here are some of my favorite pictures from the Taylor's Falls day!

What we have been up to!

2009-07-15T09:52:00.000-07:00

I thought I should probably update you on what we have been up to! For the 4th of July Jordan and I and the kids flew to Indiana to spend time with his family and friends~ it was a great trip! (Here are some pictures)

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This past Monday and Tuesday My brother Erik and sister-in-law Kristin SURPRISED us and flew into town! It was GREAT to spend a couple days with them~ Pictures to follow later :)

I am currently almost 26 weeks pregnant! I CAN'T believe I have only a few months left!! I am feeling better- which helps a lot! Just the "normal" pregnancy stuff- TIRED all the time, body aches and pains, and feeling limited in normal daily activities :) I have also decided this baby moves ALL the time... more than Samuel and Serenity ever did... hmmmmm... What does THAT mean!!?? LOL.

Other than that... I am enjoying every single SECOND of summer and WARM weather!! I have decided Summer is my favorite Season right now... I love fall, but I have truly enjoyed this summer so much- We still have 2 months left of it... right?!! :) Hope everyone is having a good Wednesday! More pictures to come!

A moment of PEACE...

2009-06-24T07:53:00.000-07:00

As I sit here this morning, writing out my "To-Do Lists" for the day and for the week~ I find myself getting overwhelmed with all the things LIFE is consumed with... All the bills, the schedules, the deadlines... All the chores, the expectations and decisions that consume my "Every Day". My mind starts to race as I try and put all the pieces of this crazy puzzle together. I finally decide to put my notebook down, and I choose to STOP and actually listen to the song that is filling my kitchen right now. As I close my eyes, and listen to each word, I remember what LIFE is supposed to be all about.

~The more I seek YOU, the more I find you...The more I find you, the more I love you~

~I WANT to sit at your feet, drink from the cup in your hand, lay back against you and BREATHE... Feel your heartbeat. THIS love is so deep, it's more than I can stand, I melt in your... PEACE... It's overwhelming.~

So many times I forget. (Don't we all?)... I am CONSUMED with this life... The BILLS that never go away, the schedules that never slow down, the stress of trying to juggle being a mom, a wife, a friend, a daughter, a sister... I feel as if life is going a thousand miles a minute and I CAN'T SLOW IT DOWN. No matter how much I try... I just can't. But today, on this ordinary morning, I remember who CAN.

"Lay back against YOU and Breathe"... Just BREATHE... Just REST... Just feel YOUR presence. Feel YOUR heartbeat... Feel YOUR peace.

I close my eyes and I can see it... Him sitting, WAITING, Beckoning for me to come and just be with Him. To put our notebooks full of lists down. To put our fears DOWN. To put our worries DOWN. To put our expectations, our decisions, our anxieties DOWN. To just put this "every day life STUFF"- DOWN. To simply lay back against our Savior and breathe.

The puzzle may still not be put all together. The lists are still a mile long. The schedules are still filled to the top. The decisions are still left hanging. But I have felt my God's heartbeat. I have felt His peace. I have rested in His arms. And this LIFE begins to make sense. THIS is why I am put on this earth. To simply REST in my Father's arms. To hear Him whisper the next step. To let Him take care of that bill. That fear. That decision. That... (you fill in the blank). To truly let Him lead me. STEP. by STEP. by STEP. Holding onto His hand ever so tightly the whole way through.

I don't know what YOU may be facing today. I don't know what is on your to-do lists, or what is filling up your schedules this week. But I DO know that Christ longs for you to put all that "stuff" down~ even for a minute~ to just "Lay back against Him and Breathe". To feel His peace, His Grace, His overwhelming LOVE for you. Go ahead. Try it. Maybe you too will walk away understanding what this LIFE is really all about.

Musikgarten Performance!

2009-06-23T07:56:00.000-07:00

I have truly enjoyed teaching Musikgarten this past year! I have averaged around 20 kids- split into two classes. I teach songs, stories, poems, listening skills, and lots of fun instruments! The ages of my kids are anywhere from 2-5. I get the privilege of teaching my own children and watch them grow and learn in music! Here are some pictures of Samuel and Serenity all dressed up before the performance! Also are some videos of the actual performance! Make sure you watch Serenity as she loves to be the "Star of the Show" and Samuel- Adorable as always... but most the time doing his "own thing" =)

Some of my favorite Summer Photos so far!

2009-06-16T07:32:00.000-07:00

We have enjoyed the weather getting warm more than EVER this year!! Most days are spent outside- playing in water, having picnics, sitting around a bonfire, just enjoying SUMMER!!!! Hope you enjoy these "summer favorite photos" so far...

!

~Movie Night~

2009-06-12T21:33:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite moments being a mom is having nights like tonight... When Samuel asks~ "Daddy? Can we have a movie night?!!"... Then Jordan saying, ask mommy!... Samuel running up to me~ "Mommy!! Can we have a movie night?!!" (of course I say yes) :) Then, as a family, we all walk to the store, let the kids pick out a fun, kids movie... We come home, get blankets and pillows and spread them out over the floor. They anxiously wait while daddy gets the movie ready and I pop the popcorn. Some nights (like tonight) are EXTRA special when they get little skittles or m&m's in their bowl! Tonight we watched "Balto"- they loved it. Of course it's not about how great the movie is, or what kind of "surprise candy" they get, it's about all the wonderful memories we are making right now. I hope and pray Samuel and Serenity will ALWAYS remember these nights... And someday, they will be able to share with their kids "family movie nights"! The night also had a perfect ending... Our city has it's "Friendly City Days", and we were able to set out chairs in our backyard and watch fireworks! Serenity was already asleep, but the noise woke Samuel up- so the three of us snuggled up under blankets and had an incredible firework show right in our backyard! It's gonna be a great summer.

It's a..............................................

2009-06-04T16:03:00.001-07:00

Well... Looks like everyone who voted was wrong this time!! =)

IT'S A GIRL!!!!!!!!

Everything looked absolutely PERFECT. We are praising God for this little blessing.

She even gave us all a HUGE smile! (That was captured on the ultrasound photo!)...Looks like she can't wait to play with her big brother and big sister (who were standing right there when we saw it!)

It took Samuel a couple minutes to warm up to the idea that he is going to have ANOTHER little sister... but we told him that it means eventually he will get his OWN room and the girls will have to share! (He liked that idea.)

It was great to see a little "Snap-shot" of our newest Smith member... and we can't wait to (very soon) meet her in person!

~God is good.~

The Big Day

2009-06-03T10:21:00.001-07:00

So tomorrow is the "big" ultrasound... Jordan and I go back and forth wondering if this one will be a boy or a girl. I have been really sick... So that makes me think girl... But it will be fun to officially know! With both Samuel and Serenity it was very hard for them to tell me 100% if it was a boy/girl... Serenity they only gave me 75% sure it was a girl... And with Samuel at my 20 week ultrasound they couldn't tell- I had to wait until I was well into my 6th month. So I'm kinda hoping this baby will be in just the right position for the technician! Ultimately all Jordan and I want of course is to hear that we have a healthy baby... girl or boy doesn't really matter! If you haven't yet, go ahead and vote what you think this next baby will be! I'm believing to report back wonderful news tomorrow!

Our Iowa Trip!

2009-05-27T21:06:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Jordan and I and the kids were able to drive down to South East Iowa for Memorial day and also my "Golden Birthday"! It was a WONDERFUL little "get-away" and we enjoyed every minute spending time with lots of our out of town family. What a great way to celebrate my 26th birthday! On Memorial Day I was able to visit Grandma and Grandpa Lindeen's grave-site and drive by the Lindeen Farm. During our visit we were able to "explore" down-town Burlington and of course enjoy the simplicities of Mediapolis. It was hard to leave! Thanks Peg and family for a wonderful Memorial day!

Some Recent Happenings!

2009-05-19T08:44:00.001-07:00

My Garage Sale find! I talked the lady down to only $45.00!! Eventually I will touch up the paint, and stain the wood again... but for now, it works GREAT!!! We finally have a "REAL" kitchen table!

Another Garage Sale find! Brand new "Family" sign that graces my kitchen counter for $5! Gotta LOVE garage sales!

I am an OFFICIAL "Soccer Mom"!! And I LOVE it! Samuel had his first game last night, and he did GREAT! He was the youngest one out there... but one of the fastest!! We were so proud of him last night! Thanks Grammie and Grandad for coming out to cheer him on!

Serenity having fun at the game with Grandad!

Serenity LOVED watching her big brother play!

I love these two crazy kids!!

And FINALLY... Jordan and I both got to feel the baby KICK for the first time last night! It was pretty cool for us both to feel it at the same time! (I have been feeling little flutters for awhile now, but this was the first time I have felt kicks!) I will be 18 weeks on Friday... I'm JUST beginning to feel better... So, hopefully the worst of it is behind us! Hopefully within the month we will be able to announce whether we are having a boy or a girl!

Hope you all have a WONDERFUL week!

Sigh

2009-05-14T17:58:00.000-07:00

So I'm having a hard "moment" right now. Jordan has most Thursday's off, and these are the days I wait for all week long... not only to have him home with us, but for the help and little bit of a "break" I get (I'm sure most mom's understand what I am talking about!)... HOWEVER... he is now a part of a church softball league~ which I am VERY happy he has this opportunity... but every game from here until the END of summer are on Thursdays. *Sigh*. Most Thursday's he has two games- ranging from ALL different times. Tonight he will be gone from 6:30pm until around 11:00pm. (This not even mentioning practice nights)... Some days (and nights) I just get so exhausted and the last thing I have energy to do is give a two and four year old baths, pj's, stories, etc... Then STILL have the energy (while being almost 17 weeks pregnant) to pick up the house and clean up the toys and dishes that I wait to do until I have a free moment. Moments like these I want to collapse on the couch and cry... for no reason... and for hundred's of reasons. I know this is probably a typical "overly-tired pregnant woman with two kids" speaking... but It's just one of those hard "moments"... I'm sure after the kids are fast asleep and the dishes are done and my feet are up I will feel differently... but for now, it's just plain hard.

Spring Fun

2009-05-12T09:49:00.000-07:00

Sweet Serenity.

Mommy and her baby girl.

Samuel~ wants to be just like his daddy!

Best of Friends.

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T05:21:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day... To those who have known the joy of motherhood for most of their lives.

Happy Mother's Day... To the moms who are freshly knee deep in diapers and pacifiers.

Happy Mother's Day... To the moms who are adjusting to having an "empty nest".

Happy Mother's Day... To the single moms who rarely ever get a "break" they deserve.

Happy Mother's Day... To the moms who have experienced the pain of miscarriage or the loss of an infant.

Happy Mother's Day... To the working mom. The Stay-at-home mom. The daycare mom.

Happy Mother's Day... To the mothers... grandmothers... and great-grandmothers that are sorely missed on this day.

Happy Mother's Day... The the Sleep-deprived moms. The military moms. The brand-new moms.

Happy Mother's Day... To those who have only carried the hope of a child so close in their hearts.

Happy Mother's Day... To the mother's who have given up their child... and the mom's who have been blessed by those that have.

Happy Mother's Day... To all the Mom's accross this world... I hope you know how much you are LOVED and NEEDED!!!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!!

Announcement...

2009-05-04T09:20:00.000-07:00

You guessed it...We are expecting baby #3 this October! I was planning on waiting to "post" this for another month but after church yesterday I realized that Jordan had told so many people~now is as good a time as ever! I am currently 15 weeks pregnant, and I have been SICK. SICK. SICK!!! Throwing up just about every single day. Hopefully that part will end soon... but I'm glad I have a good reason to feel the way I do! We are looking foward to finding out the sex of the baby so we can officially "announce" to the kids we are going to have another addition to our family. We believe that every single child is a gift from the Lord and we believe more now than ever that this child will bring JOY into our family and our lives. Stay tuned for updates!!

The Como Zoo!

2009-05-01T07:53:00.001-07:00

We decided to head to the Como Zoo since Jordan had a day off yesterday. It was a great day and the weather was nice too!

Happy Easter Late! =)

2009-04-21T15:09:00.000-07:00

He is MIGHTIER.

2009-04-06T14:47:00.000-07:00

I found this scripture verse... and it has been an anchor in my life...

"But MIGHTIER than the violent raging of the seas, MIGHTIER than the breakers on the shore... The Lord ABOVE is MIGHTIER than these!"
~Psalm 93:4

2009-03-24T10:20:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful weekend with Jordan's mom coming to visit and also celebrating Serenity's 2nd Birthday! I still can't believe my baby is TWO!!! It really does fly by...

Baked Potato Soup

2009-03-14T18:07:00.000-07:00

I just made the most DELICIOUS recipe tonight for dinner!! So good in fact I NEED to share it with you!! It is called Baked Potato Soup... and it is a keeper for sure!

you will need: 4-6 large baked potatoes

2/3 cup of butter

2/3 cup of flour

6 cups of milk

3/4 tsp of salt

1/2 tsp of pepper

4 green onions, chopped

12 slices of bacon, fried and crumbled

2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup of sour cream

To Do: 1. Bake your potatoes (remove skin)

2. In large pot- melt butter. add flour. gradually stir in milk until smooth, thick and

bubbly.

3. Stir in potatoes. salt. pepper. onions and bacon, and cheese.- cook until heated

4. Stir in sour cream

5. ENJOY!!!

SpRiNg.... come soon!!!!

2009-03-14T15:15:00.000-07:00

I just got back from an hour long walk with the kids... the weather felt GLORIOUS!!! It was still pretty windy, but just to be able to get out and let Samuel ride his bike and for me to push Serenity in the stroller- and the SUNSHINE. the wonderful, glorious sunshine. I have never wanted SPRING like I do right now. Please come soon Spring!! PLEASE!!! Well, my windows are open and I am going to go and enjoy the FRESH AIR!!!

Spills

2009-03-13T07:16:00.000-07:00

Today I woke up feeling sick... but I was still ready to have a good day... I thought hot chocolate for the kids would be a fun way to start the day. As I got their little mugs ready, the anticipation was growing by the second. "mommy!! Can we have a marshmallow too?!", "yeah! Mommy!" I got them all situated on our bar stools, place mats on the counter and their little mugs with fresh hot chocolate and of course a giant marshmallow to make it complete. They were using their new straws they just "won" at Chucky Cheese last night enjoying every gulp and slurp... Samuel, as usual, finished first and then jumped down and was off to play- happy and content as ever... Serenity however was taking her sweet time- slurping out of the straw, reaching in and getting the marshmallow, putting the marshmallow back, slurping again~and the process was repeated over and over again. At this point I decided it would be a good time to get some cleaning done... So I started to tackle the "junk drawer" in our kitchen. My backed turned away from serenity I started my project. Moments later that is when I heard it... CRASH!!! Being that my back was still turned away from the scene, I told myself to take a deep breath... as I slowly turned around, Serenity, wide eyed with wonder, looked at me and said, "spilled!?". I now walked quickly over to her spot and saw the hot chocolate that was once nicely in a little mug with a perfect marshmallow on top... was now ALL over my kitchen floor... and my kitchen table.... and my kitchen hutch...and my kitchen walls!! and of course all over wide-eyed Serenity. While I quickly sprung into action there was one reminder that was echoing through my mind.... "Never go without a sippy cup for children under the age of two!!!!!" Well, the mess is all cleaned up. The floors are mopped. Serenity is all cleaned up and they have already long forgotten about the mess... But these little messes remind me that in just a couple years, serenity will be Samuel's age- slurping down her hot chocolate no problem and the spills and messes will become less and less... and my need for cleaning up their "spills" will slowly but surely evaporate. So even though I woke up feeling sick, and the hot chocolate idea didn't exactly turn out how I imagined... I will choose to cherish every "spill" I am privileged to clean up in their little lives...

Potty-Training

2009-03-10T10:15:00.000-07:00

The potty-training adventure continues on... I decided today I was sick of Serenity going once in her diaper and wanting a new one... So, no diapers today at all! Currently she is running around completely naked... After the first hour of putting on her big-girl underwear, pants and shirt then her running to the potty and taking it ALL off... over and over again.... naked it is! This is most definitely a FULL-TIME with a lot of OVER-TIME- job!!! I am sitting here, looking at toys strewn all over the floor, dishes in the sink, my children either in their pajamas (or in nothing at all) and suddenly I feel tired. The goal today is to do some organizing... in between running to and from the bathroom with serenity... I think we are all in for an adventure today!