Not-So-Eventful Events in the life of Diana

Oh I love a Rainy Day...

2012-01-25T13:04:00.007-06:00

I saw a MOPS contributor post on Facebook recently different things to do with your kids on a rainy day. One in particular caught my eye, and I had been waiting for the perfect ~~attitude and energy level~~ day to try this with the boys!

I gave each boy a roll of toilet paper, told them to stay in the play room, and that was it. I walked away.

After I grabbed my camera, I was surprised to find there was no giant mess. Instead they were helping each other make a TP pile to jump in. When you don't have a pile of leaves, you work with what you got!

After making the pile, jumping in the pile, moving the pile, and jumping again,
The TP turned into ... CONFETTI!!!
They boys loved throwing this stuff high up into the air, and onto each other. Mid-throw, Zach exclaims, "This was the best idea EVER mom!! THANKS!" *awww*
Emily woke up just in time to partake in the fun!
She watched on as the boys buried each other in TP.
Then it was her turn! She relished taking the spot light for a bit!
Triple dog-pile? In our house, YES!
In the end, this is what the mess looked like:
And after ~~much persuasion~~ the brilliant idea of slam-dunking the TP into the trash can came about.... everyone helped clean up!
We had a fun 30 minutes, and a relatively painless mess! Who knew there were so many uses for toilet paper!!!

And So It Begins

2012-01-20T09:32:00.000-06:00

Here she comes....

And there she goes...

Girl is walkin'! As of today she is about 50/50 with walking/crawling. But when she gets started, she goes! Look out!

Zach Attack: Part 1

2012-01-19T11:43:00.000-06:00

Lately this son of mine has had me dumbfounded, perplexed, incredulous, and roaring with laughter...all at the same time. This series will focus on some of the events that have led to such emotions!

Zach has been known to destroy things. We worked through that phase, and came out the other end, ready to enter a brand new house with a brand new Zach who was keenly aware of the ramifications of destroying any bit of this house. And this is how we lived.

For a while.

Until recently.

You see, thinking he had finally proven himself worthy of having things in his room. (ie something other than a bed, a dresser and SOFT stuffed animals) we painted one wall in his room green (as promised when we moved in) and put a super awesome map of the world up on said green wall. This map was at his eye level with push pins around the perimeter holding it up. Having had quite a long stretch of responsible talking and behavior, I was surprisingly not concerned about leaving him in his room with these things for an hour each day during rest time.

Until.

I walked in once to ask him a question and he whipped around like a kid with his hand in a cookie jar. Only his jar was filled with push pins. He had taken them out of the wall and was playing with them.

Stern reminders of destroying and consequences followed. Threats of taking the map down forever ensued. Problem solved.

Until.

I catch him again, a week later. The map comes down. Green wall is bare. Zach is broken hearted (supposedly).

And now bored.

Never fear. The handy Leapfrog Tag Reader comes in handy. Zach has been using this thing so well, and really reading with it! Of course I will let him do this (over destroy with push pins) during rest time! Completely logical.

Until.

You look closely, and see that the end of a Tag Reader has a striking resemblance to a large push pin. Hmmm. Wonder what would happen if I push it into a wall? Turns out it will create a hole, larger than a push pin would. And of course, naturally, you might wonder, what exactly is inside that hole? Can I make that hole bigger? Can I get to the inside of the wall?

What? Not what you were thinking?

Zach did.

And when we found this small-hole-turned-dug-out-nest, I confess to you, we did not jump into a conversation about "why" or "how." The boy was in trouble. We told him he was going to pay to fix this wall with his own money, took away things he loved (including the Tag) and he got a ~~nice sized~~ loving swat on his behind to help him remember that we do NOT dig into the house!

One problem. The kid had enough money saved up that he was able to buy the patch kit, AND a toy, AND a soft drink for him AND one for his dad. So spending his money wasn't too big of a deal for him. PLUS he was BEGGING to help fix the wall. So, where as a typical punishment would involve him paying for and working on the repair himself, we had to do it ourselves in order to actually hand down an effective consequence! *sigh*

But, problem was solved, and after a week or more, I obliged and returned the Tag to him and life moved on.

Until.

We found two more smaller not-so-involved holes on his wall one night as we put him to bed. No dug-out nests this time, but patch-worthy holes nonetheless. To say we felt defeated was an understatement. However, this time I was determined to get to the bottom of this!! Being recently prodded to be after my child's heart and not his behavior, I asked him what he was thinking about while he did this to his wall. What was he trying to do?

This boy's mind is non-stop "How It's Made." He wants to know everything about everything. "Why" is his favorite question. Everything in his world must have reason. So, his ultimate explanation for the small hole turned into a dug out nest in the dry wall was, "I wanted to see what was inside the wall."

Finally.

Reason.

I can work with this! I explained to my love that being curious about how things work, and what they are made of is a GREAT thing! But sometimes, to find the answer, it might take a Mommy or Daddy! We could go to the store and look at their walls, I can find pictures of the inside of a wall to show him, etc. He quickly connected this thought to when we would get pictures of Emily when she was in my tummy! "YES!" I exclaimed! "And you didn't go digging into my tummy to see her did you?!?! We looked at a picture! Same with your wall." *not really, but to a five-year-old I guess so!*

Being a repeat-offender, the Tag pen is currently still in Time-Out. And an ~~monumental~~ extra loving swat did occur to hopefully give some extra help in remembering how bad of an idea it is to take apart our things like that.

In the end. I just love him more.

He is a destructive little beast. But he is curious like all kids are...just in a destructive way. He loves to learn more about things, even if it is not the way I would ~~ever~~ always choose. His heart is not devious. He does not destroy to vandalize. He makes me think outside the box.

So glad I get to be his Mommy...even if it means patching up walls!

Emily Mae: 11 Months

2012-01-07T20:36:00.000-06:00

Oh my word. This little gem will be one in just a very short month. Much like her seventh month Emily seems to have saved a whole slew of things for just one short month. She is a riot and we are enamored with her more and more every day. Here is what this sweet sunny girl has been up to this month:

Teeth: She cut two new teeth this month, and is well on her way to add a third. She already had her bottom two, and one on top. This month she cut another top one (but not the one to complete the pair, she skipped a tooth) on Christmas Day, and then cut the one to fill in the hillbilly gap just this week. Total teeth: 5
Travel: Emily could probably race the boys with them running and her crawling and she wouldn't be too far behind. She is so fast! However, she is now standing all on her own, holding nothing! She loves to do this, and often claps for herself with a very proud look on her face! She also favors walking toys over all others right now. If she can push it and walk, she's in heaven. And she does this pretty well, and with balance that is scary. It really won't be long before she's running around outside with her brothers.
Speech: Emily just added a few new words in the past couple weeks. This includes "hello" (which usually sounds like "huh-woah"), Zach (Zah), and once she said "way" in response to her Aunt Sara saying "NO WAY!" and said, "Hi Baby!" to a toy. The last one, Josh actually thought it was Chris talking, it was that clear. Crazy girl. When she's not saying real words (notice mama has still not really made the list) she babbles along like it makes perfect sense! She loves to talk so much that she often holds any item up to her ear as if it is a phone, says hello, and smiles...again with the pride!
Signs: Emily figured out "Please" last week. Unfortunately it looks more like a monkey since she scratches her arm pit instead of rubbing/patting her chest. It is pretty cute and her scratches just go right along with her hillbilly gap-toothed smile! So awesome!
Food/Drink: Emily pretty much eats what we eat, with some baby food sprinkled here and there. I haven't pushed the sippy cup very much yet. I just keep forgetting. She gets three 8 ounce bottles a day, still.

My little hillbilly!

Miscellaneous: Emily's favorite game is "peek-a-boo!" She will cover her face or take my hands and cover my face with them! She giggles everytime we play! Emily got another double ear infection just before Christmas (right when she was trying to cut three teeth), and we found out that she weighs 23 pounds 6 ounces. Most of this has to be in her cheeks. It just has to be! She is also the happiest sick baby we've ever seen. We only found out she had an ear infection because we took the boys in to have them seen. They were coughing, wheezing, the whole lot. Just to be cautious, I asked if I should be concerned about Emily. I answered "no" to the typical "Does she have a fever? Is she tugging her ear? Is she waking up at night?" questions, but we had them check her anyway since we were already there. When the doctor saw she had a double ear infection, Emily clapped her hands and giggled. Seriously. The only thing that upsets her nowadays are being in my sight but not with me, or wanting to have her bottle. She is just plain content!

So, Emily's next update will be when she is one year old. This is insanity to me! She continues to bring light to our family, and love to those around her. She is a doll, and we can not imagine our family without her!

Christmas 2011

2012-01-07T20:29:00.000-06:00

In all the hub-bub of Christmas festivities, I forgot to blog about any of it, and took very few pictures! So, here's a recap!

Santa Visit:
At first, Zach said he didn't want to see Santa, that he would be "shy to him." But, on the morning that I had declared "Santa Day" a few days back, Zach was ready to go...armed with a few things he wanted to tell Santa he wanted (which were brand new items I had heard no mention of before this day. awesome.) Once we got to the mall, there was not one single person in line, and we zipped right in. Chris, was hesitant, but compliant (as always) and sat on Santa's knee. My eldest, however, ran and hid behind the stroller where he stayed for the duration of the visit. Emily was unsure, and we managed to get one snap in before she turned red faced and started screaming. While I was very tempted to purchase the picture with the red face, I had to remember that the whole reason I take the kids to see Santa is to ~~get a terrible red-faced hilarious picture to show them when they are older~~ give them a fun outing and some knee time with the Jolly ol' Soul! So, this year's pic actually looks pretty good, but is missing a kid. At least it is true to the moment! :)

Preschool Program:
Both boys performed a song with their class at their preschool in front of hundreds of parents and grandparents. It was really cute! Chris's class sang "Jingle Bells" which he practiced un-inhibited many many MANY times at home. Come performance time, the most he could muster up, was shaking the bells. Stage fright, maybe?? Who knows! Zach's class sang "Go Tell it on the Mountain." He did a great job singing loud, and doing all the hand movements! They were both so cute!

Gatherings with Friends:
We were able to spend lots of time with our friends celebrating this wonderful holiday! We decorated Christmas cookies, sang Happy Birthday to Jesus, donated presents to kids in need, and much much more! It was wonderful at each event to remind the kids why we celebrate Christmas, and to fellowship with so many of our loved ones!

SNOW!

Our first full day in Abilene, the kids awoke to big fluffy snowflakes falling from the sky! While very little of it stuck, they were still able to go outside, catch some snowflakes on their tongues, and make one or two snowballs using snow off the patio chairs. Emily was a tad indifferent to her very first snow experience. Who can blame her...it was COLD!

Christmas Lights:
We took the kids out in pj's a couple times to drive around and look at Christmas lights. On Christmas Eve, we tried a little surprise that I had seen some other friends do with their kids. Grandad made tickets with each boy's name on it, allowing them access to the Richards' Express. We hid the tickets under their pillows and when they were just about to go to bed, they found the tickets and we whisked them away in the van with blankets, drinks, and snacks instead. Zach spent this particular trip complaining half the time because he just wanted to go back to bed, and pointing excitedly the other half of the time, because he couldn't resist having some fun! That kid! We'll do some better planning next time around!

Christmas Day:

We had a great time hanging out with family, opening presents, and eating some delicious food! Not much in the way of major events happened, however, this was Emily's first Christmas. She was a real trooper! Like most babies, she was very disinterested in the actual present, but LOVED tissue paper. She would wave it around, and then pull it apart into millions of pieces. Fortunately she had little desire to eat the paper. She was so cute. In the end, like most kids, their favorite thing to play with turned out to be the box! :)

Guns:

Yup. Both Josh and I got to get out and do some practice shooting. I shot at an indoor range, and Josh went clay shooting for the first time. I didn't do too bad, and Josh was evidently very good at his first go at clay shooting. As a special treat, Zach got to go watch the guys clay-shoot, and even ran the pull for them! He was beside himself with excitement, and appeared to have a great time! I am thankful for this special memory he created with them!

The Scott's:

This was the first Christmas without my mom. There were definitely some hard points throughout our week in Abilene. But I was surprised to find that most of the week was filled with happiness and many wonderful memories that surpassed any sadness I was feeling. I am humbled and blessed beyond measure to have these two people in my life. This new relationship we are forging together is amazing, and leaves little room for depressing thoughts that lasts longer than a few minutes. How I love them so!

In all our activities, we held close to the truth of the season. To the One who came to save us all. To the humble beginnings of a Supremely Righteous King! It was a season marked with changes and blessings! All thanks to the Babe lying the the manger!

Emily Mae: 10 Months

2011-12-13T20:32:00.000-06:00

A bit delayed on the update this month, but this girl is keeping me on my toes! Here are some highlights from the past month:

Cut tooth number 3. Top left middle tooth...right before Thanksgiving. The drool. Oh, the drool. And snot. My word.
First Thanksgiving! This event also brought along first store-bought, jarred baby food. Since we spent three days in Abilene, I just bought the baby food, and Emily gagged on almost every bite. She would have nothing to do with it! So, usher in the table-food era! She enjoyed everything we did at Thanksgiving (except the Tiramisu...that was for adults!). She did so well and loved every bite!
Santa! Even though big brother Zach, had no desire to even come within 10 yards of the big man, Emily braved the visit with Chris, and both sat for a picture! We managed to snap a picture before she turned beat red in anger. Awesome.
Cruising! Emily now uses anything she can pull up on, to also support herself while she walks around. We have found her standing, un-supported in her crib. She will walk with ease if she is holding both of our hands, and when we drop one of her hands, she will hesitate, but still take several steps before resorting to the crawl. And, my! How that crawl is so fast! She can get any and every where now, and loves that freedom! Fortunately, she still stays out of most of the big stuff. She just looks at the Christmas tree, but still has yet to get into it, or any of the presents! Her favorite place to go is the bathroom. She chases her brothers in there often! We definitely have to keep doors closed, now!
Talking! Emily has added a few words: "All done" and "OW!" are her favorites right now. She can say, "Da" and "Hi" still, too. "Ow" came about from all the times her brothers say, "OW!" when she hits them. They of course giggle and she thinks she is pretty darn funny. So, if you get to close, and she smacks you in the face and giggles...don't take it personally. She is picking up some pretty "fun" habits from her brothers!
Habits! Speaking of her brothers, my lovely little dainty girl *ahem* is making the most UNlady like of noises. She sticks her finger in her mouth and blows raspberries. She smashes her hand against her lips and blows...ever done that? Do it now. Put your palm on your mouth. Blow real hard. (for those more advanced feel free to use the heels of your two palms together on your mouth...you know what I'm talking about). Yah. Nice. So, at 10 months, my daughter already knows how to make flatulent noises...real and fake. Awesome.

So, with lots of teething action going on this month, we've had a rather disgruntled, active, and improper girl on our hands this month. We wouldn't change a bit of it! She is still a bright spot in our day, and we can't imagine life without her!

No Thanks, I Got This!

2011-11-14T15:54:00.000-06:00

A reflection on lessons and truth impressed upon me over the past eight weeks.

It is no secret. I am a pretty self-sufficient person. I truly think I can do most things on my own. However, I will also, usually, be quick to tell you that I depend on God to get through many things in my life. As a matter of fact, until about 6 weeks ago, I would have told you that I depend on God to get through almost everything in my life. He certainly sustained me when my best friend got a re-boot on her life and nearly died. He was absolutely my foundation when my Mom passed away, and our family began to pick up those pieces and try to move forward in this new life. If I can give Him these "big" things, then of course I am giving Him the "little" things too, right? It would be stupid not to.

Call me Stupid.

You see, recently I participated in a Bible Study of sorts where I was encouraged to pray for God to make my sin real to me. To point out the areas in my life where I am sinning. Why request something like that you might ask? Because when I was confronted with bringing my sin to God, I couldn'treally think of anything to bring. I trust Him. I am following Him. What am I missing?? Don't get me wrong. I didn't think I wasn't sinning, I just wasn't seeing it.

Sneaky.

You might say, "Whoa...be careful what you ask for!" You'd be right...cause He showed me. But instead I submit to you, "Praise God, He is faithful to give what you ask for!"

Here's what He showed me. Maybe you can relate?

My kids sure are acting up. I snatch a parenting book up. Read it cover to cover. Gain wisdom, knowledge, and a check-list of things to try with my kids to make them "better." I got this.

A relationship of mine seems distant and sub-par. I self-analyze. I judge. I excuse. I re-analyze. I over-compensate. But, I got this. I will fix it.

Past sin that I have put to death, buried, and completely forgotten. Never to enter my life again. Never to gain footing in any part of any of my relationships. Because, I fixed it.

Notice a theme? I could go on and on. You see, while it is truly important to give those "big" things to God, He doesn't just want the big things. He wants all the things. Not only that...can you guess the outcome of all these situations?

F.A.I.L.

You see, in all my attempts at making things just so, I was really looking my Lord straight in the face, and telling Him, "No Thanks, God. But I got this! After all, I do know better than you."

*sigh*

Let's take this a step further shall we? If I am not taking all things to Christ. If I am trusting myself over Him, then where is does my worship lie? In myself. I have created an idol.

Me.

I worship my lists. My taks items. My parenting skills (let's face it...they are supreme!). I am great at fixing things and solving problems. Who better to forgive my past sins than...me? Why on Earth would I need Him to intervene?

Because He loves me.

Because apart from Him I can do nothing.

Because. He. Already. Intervened.

And by telling Him "I got this" I stand a mocker in the crowd around the cross. I point my finger at his torn body and shout, "YOU ARE USELESS!"

This was heavy stuff for me. I actually prided myself on my self-reliance. "Look at me! I don't really need anybody! I got this!" As a dear friend pointed out to me recently: "How lonely must that feel." She was right. As I was keeping everyone else at a safe distance, I was also holding God at a distance too. I mean, come on. How weak is that to need anyone or anything.

In walking this, God has also been gracious to show me others' walk in dependence. Letting go of the "I got this" attitude. From "big" things like a marriage falling apart or terminal illnesses in loved ones to "little" things like being overwhelmed with the daily tasks of life. In each situation, as I watch these people try - in great ways and small - to fix and take care of these situations on their own, I have been blessed to also see them turn from their ways and draw near to God. With Him all things are possible.

So, I feel I must ask.

Where do you "Got This?" Are you trying everything in your power to get a list of items done today? Are you following every suggestion in the book on how to land the perfect job...or any job? Are you trusting on your own strength to just make it through _____. Are you the one working every day towards freedom from an addiction? I submit to you, You don't got this. But there is one who does. One who can have the strength, the self-control, and provision. Letting Him take over means a loss of control on your part. But it means giving it to the One who does have control over it all.

I am a work in progress. But I am thankful for the progress. And I am thankful for the people who helped lovingly point my eyes to the cross, to my sin, and to repentance. He is working a miracle in my heart.

We were encouraged in this Bible Study to write a "Psalm" or a prayer refelcting what God had shown us. As with the rest of this post, I want to share it here, so that I may always remember these things God is writing on my heart, and so I don't keep these lessons for myself, but shine light on them for all to see His glory!

Savior. Most High.
Creator who dwells among the created.
Thank you for persuing me.
Thank you for invading my heart -
Shining your light in the dark regions of my soul.
I asked for my sins to have a name.
You were faithful to give.
I asked for a repentant spirit.
You were gracious to deliver.
I begged for a changed heart.
And now you begin a miraculous work in me.
Yet not for my sake.
No glory due my story.
All honor, and fame be unto your name!
For my plans fail, my works crumble, my ways are wicked.
Yet your plans are perfect.
Your works are miraculous.
Your way is love.
Abba Father,
Let your light shine through my story
of redemption and restoration!
Amen

Emily Mae: 9 Months

2011-11-07T18:49:00.000-06:00

Oh my sweet Emily Mae! What joy you bring to our family! While you knocked out a good chunk of your "firsts" last month, you still had a few up your sleeve to surprise us with this month. Some were not-so-pleasant...like your first vomit. Blech. Your first antibiotic. Your first diarrhea. Ugh.

But others were much more exciting. Like this new face you make that is next to impossible to capture on camera. This is the best we can get:

You pull your top lip all the way up and show us every bit of those top gums. You crinkle your nose, squint your eyes, and lift your chin all the way in the air! It is downright adorable!

You also took your first (assisted) steps. You did this like it was something you had been doing for months! And while you don't seek out the walking option, you have no problems doing it when assistance is available!

Along with your walking, your crawling has reached a new level. Your bumps and bruises have receded some, but you seem to have a permanent dent in your forehead from the one spot you hit over and over again for a couple of weeks!

You had your first Halloween this month and went as a Pumpkin! Of course, you were stinkin' cute!

And, you continue to show us more of your personality and talking skills. You certainly are a social butterfly! And already you are showing us how obedient you are! All it takes is saying your name when you are about to get into something you shouldn't and you redirect yourself. Your Dad and I truly don't know what to do with this. It is brand new for us, and we plan on enjoying this compliance for as long as it lasts!!

Time is flying, sweet Emily Mae! Here are your nine month pictures, what few I could get that weren't blurry from your constant movement!

We love you, Emily Mae! We are excited to see what your next month holds for you!

Good Riddance

2011-10-31T20:44:00.000-05:00

As of tomorrow, these guests will be evicted from our house. No, that's not triple-vision. There are three. As in three ear infections for three kiddos. As in all three lovely children participating in one or more of the following, in unison: coughing, sneezing, dripping, vomiting, diarrhea, gagging, and the such. It was a time of great Lysol and Kleenex. It was a time of great whining and much laundry. And, towards the end, it was a time of riding the antibiotic high that comes after taking meds.

But.

It was also a time of togetherness. It was a time of blessing. It was 10+ days of being thankful for the provision of medicine and being forced to stay home and opt out of a few activities. It was a time of snuggles. It was a time of hugs. It was the first time I truly felt the "strain" of having three children, and it was wonderful. I hated that my babies were sick, but I loved that God gave me a grateful heart to see my children not as burdens during this very needy period but as true blessings! That is definitely not my usual first reaction to stressful situations and all glory goes to Him!

That being said.

Good riddance ear infections and sickies! I'll take my blessings of my children without the germs thankyouverymuch!

The Cast of Characters

2011-10-31T20:34:00.000-05:00

The kids have had plenty of chances to dress up for Halloween this year! The boys had a costume parade at their school (and Emily insisted on dressing up, too). Our church hosted a Fall Festival complete with Trunk-or-Treating, hayrides, bounce houses, and TONS more! The boys dress up on a fairly regular basis, but they still knew exactly what they wanted to be for this special occasion. Oddly enough they each chose a costume that the other actually had. Chris got a Super Why costume for his birthday...which is what Zach wanted to wear. And Zach got a batman costume for his birthday...which is what Chris wanted to wear. Each agreed and all parties were happy! So, Momma was happy too! Then a friend of mine found a $5 pumpkin costume at Target and called me from the store asking if I wanted it! YES PLEASE! You will see just how adorable my little pumpkin truly is! :) So, without further ado...here is the cast of characters:

Zachary as Wyatt...aka Super Why (he has the power to read...thank you PBS)

Christopher as Batman (sometimes original, sometimes Dark Knight...depends on his mood)

Emily as Adorable-I-Could-Eat-You-Up Pumpkin!

And the Gang all together:

Then there was the BIG night. OK. Truth be told, by tonight, we were costumed (and candied) out! So, we excitedly sold the idea of getting to GIVE candy to other trick-or-treaters instead of going out, and the boys were totally on board! They eagerly anticipated the trick-or-treaters for over 30 minutes. We were actually about to give up on any kids coming by, when the rush hit. Our candy was gone in 15 minutes! We had a fun time dressing up and getting lots of yummy candy this year!!

Pumpkin Patch 2011

2011-10-31T20:17:00.000-05:00

This was a special trip to the Pumpkin Patch for us this year! I realized as we arrived that each of our children have visited the same pumpkin patch as their first ever visit! So as I took some of these pictures, I couldn't help but flash back to the same scenery and the pictures I took when Zach was just 7 weeks old. And then two years later when Chris was just 3 months old, and about to ship out to Arizona! This year, my little Em enjoyed her first visit (much older than her brothers' first) and we had a great time! Here are some pics from the evening:

This trip also completed number 081 on my 101 list! Woo Hoo!

Fall Traditions

2011-10-31T20:07:00.000-05:00

Along with Pumpkin Patches and dressing up in costumes, our family has a few other family traditions that really make it feel like Fall to us!

The first one is attending the local airshow. This year, we opted not to go for the whole thing, but rather stake out a spot less than a mile away and watch the main event from the comfort of our lawn chairs! So, while Emily enjoyed her bottle, and the boys had an afternoon snack, we watched in awe as the amazing Thunderbirds flew right over our heads! It was (as always) spectacular, and I love how each year the boys get more involved and excited about spotting the planes, and watching them do tricks! Such a treat!

The other thing we like to do is decorate cookies. Granted just about any season usually warrants cookie making in our house, but especially in the fall! Now, looking at these pictures, you would think that they are having absolutely no fun at all. That their drill sergeant of a mom is whipping them into icing these cookies! Don't let them fool you! They had fun, and really wanted to make them look good (and TASTE good too!!) They did about three each, got bored, and were ready to eat! Again, I love how much more they get can do each year, and how much more they end up getting to help!

This year we also had the treat of decorating pumpkins. This may surprise you, but I hate goopy messes! I can tell by your silence that you are stunned! Well, just so happens that The Home Depot sells kits that you can spear into your pumpkin to decorate them. No messes, no painting, super cute end result. I was hooked, and the boys had the BEST time making Frankenstein and Halloween (the bat) and make a point of saying "Hi" to them every day!

We had so much fun celebrating fall! I look forward to next year when Emily will get to participate more and will join the boys in saying "it is finally fall!"

Emily Mae: 8 Months

2011-10-07T19:40:00.000-05:00

Emily Mae Richards. You have been holding out on us! Seems like you have been storing up a year's worth of "firsts" for just one itty bitty month! You have certainly kept us on our toes during your eighth month of life! Here are some highlights:

Towards the beginning of your eighth month, we found you sitting up in your crib! You did this all by yourself, and we were so proud. Just to be safe, we went ahead and lowered your crib. We chuckled at how premature we were being, but we did it anyway.

The same exact day, you scooted across the floor and marked your first crawling on the calendar! Of all things in our house that you seem to adore, the first thing you crawled for was a dirty tissue. After that, we got you to repeat the event by crawling to your hair bow. It became official, you were mobile...slow, but mobile.

We also started giving you little finger foods this month. You started with Puffs, and have also tried MumMums. You do better if the food is large. I also gave you bites of banana that wasn't pureed!
Not one week after we lowered your crib, Daddy went in to get you, and found you standing up. Good thing we were being "over-cautious!" You grinned from ear to ear, proud as can be.
You have started trying to mimic the signs we do for you. Thus far, you have signed "Eat" and tried really hard to do "Milk."
You can say, "Hi."
You cut your very first tooth, two days before your eight month birthday. It is your bottom right tooth, and its neighbor next door isn't too far behind! You really weren't too fussy about it all. It definitely didn't interrupt your sleep, but you were a bit more clingy and cranky than normal.
By the end of the month, you are crawling wherever you want, though you are often more content to sit or stand. You are pulling up on anything you can get your hands on, which makes us think you will be walking sooner than later. Guess we'll see!

My sweet little nugget! We are loving all 22.5 pounds of you this month! It seems every new day brings something new to your life! You are changing and growing right before our eyes! We love the twinkle in your eye and joy in your heart that you so gladly share with those around you (as long as mom and dad are close...VERY close by!) We can't possibly imagine life without you, and love your snuggles at night! Slow down little girl! You are our last baby, and we'd like it to last just a bit longer!!

Love,
Mommy

Happy Birthday, Zachary!

2011-09-13T10:47:00.000-05:00

My Sweet Zachary,

It really seems like it can't possibly be five years already since the doctors put my first brand new baby into my arms! You cried right off the bat, but calmed down pretty quickly. You were the only one of the three to not scream for the first couple hours of your life. While you challenged us as brand new parents, we were quick to realize just how easy we had it with you! You slept through the night at six weeks, smiled at just about everyone, and loved your momma! Watching you grow over the past five years is a mixture of trials and major accomplishments. This past year for you has been a pretty monumental one. We moved back to Texas, you started a new school, you got a brand new baby sister - becoming a big brother yet again, we moved into a house, and you came face to face with the reality of death. That sure is quite a lot for a young little boy to go through in twelve months. I won't lie and say it was all smiles and sunshine. We have definitely had our challenges this year. But more than any other year so far, I have seen you grow and mature! You have outgrown several of your stubborn ways and have learned how to gain self-control. You really do want to follow the rules, and at some point this year, something clicked in your head, and tantrums, bathroom issues, and defiance became an occasional occurrence instead of the norm. You have become self-aware and can see your actions more clearly. I have loved seeing your heart in this, knowing that deep down, you want to obey. That stinky sinful nature in you just gets in the way sometimes. But seeing your love for Jesus, and desire to know more about our great God is something I will always

treasure. When your Nana died, we had to have many conversations about death, what happens, and what it means. While it is always hard for a Momma to discuss dying with their babies, I am grateful for the heart God has given you to be joyful in reuniting with our creator, and growing from being "shy to God" to excited to meet Him on the day He has chosen for you to go. You feel deeply, son, and that is definitely your strength. You know how to encourage and lend a helping hand. You still ask for morning hugs and kisses in the morning, and want me to hold you when you get tired. I love your tenderness, and pray that God uses that for His glory for many years to come.

Zachary, you make your Daddy and I so very proud. Keep asking questions, keep learning, keep loving. Thank you for being such a great big brother to Chris and Emily. They look up to you and you are doing a fine job of setting an example for them. I love you with all my heart!

Love,
Mom

The Last First

2011-09-13T10:21:00.000-05:00

Last week the boys started preschool. It was another day for the most part. The boys loved their classes, and had no troubles walking right in and getting down to preschool business. The day was monumental in one sense. This would be the last time I drop off my Zachary for his first day of preschool. Next year it he will be a big Kindergartener, and our whole family dynamic will yet again, shift just a tad. So, in reflection of the ways my eldest has grown, I thought I'd put all of his first day pictures together. Enjoy!

2008: Monkey class: attended 6 weeks before we moved to Tucson

2009: Frogs class

2010: Alligators

2011: Giraffe

Emily Mae: 7 Months

2011-09-07T14:29:00.000-05:00

I know. I say this every single month. But every single month it is true. Time is just flying by, and I can't believe this little nugget is already closer to her one year birthday than her birth. She is such a charmer, this one. She is over twenty pounds, and her rolls just keep on coming! She is most comfortably in nine month clothing, but has a few six monthers left (just for home wear of course), and actually has a couple twelve month outfits that she easily fits into as well. She has started talking a bit more, too. The favorite at our house is, "A-dah dah dah dah." Since she says this to everyone and for everything, ~~and secretly I'm holding out for her to say MaMa~~ we are not counting it as "Daddy" yet. This girl loves to jump! She will jump while she stands in your lap. She'll jump while she's in her excersaucer. She'll jump while she's sitting on her bottom (yes, it is possible). I'm not sure she'll crawl soon, since bouncing and jumping seem to be her preferred method of moving right now. Time will tell. She still goes down pretty easily, even snuggling into my chest while she sucks her thumb for a few seconds before pushing away and desperately seeking her bed and her lovey. She began some separation anxiety this month, and actually threw quite a big fit at church one day that was bad enough to come get me for it. As soon as I picked her up, the screaming stopped, and she actually giggled. Boy. We are in for some fun times at our house, I think! In sum, this darling girl still captivates our hearts, and is the light of our lives. She is loved by all, and we just can't imagine our little family without her!

So excited she can't sit still!

Do you see all those rolls! Nom nom!

Thirty and Fabulous!

2011-09-01T13:31:00.000-05:00

Maybe a better title would be: Thirty and Masculine. Or: Thirty and Really Cool. I am writing it, though, so I get to pick!

Today my man turns thirty! So, to celebrate, I thought I would share thirty things (in no particular order) that I think make him fabulous (or masculine...or really cool...either way).

He chose me! (This alone makes him pretty fabulous! I could stop here, but I'll go on!)
He chose Christ! (Ok...in truth, this is better than #1!)
He loves to have fun.
He does all the yard work. I've never mowed a yard in all our years of marriage. Rock Star.
He sets a wonderful example for our boys on how to be a man.
He also acts like a four-year-old really well, you know, to relate with them better, and all! ;)
He is a great teacher of sports.
He is quick to forgive.
He is extremely thorough.
He is never in a rush and really enjoys life.
He rarely holds a grudge.
He loves to know what makes things work.
He is a super-smart nerdy genius hiding behind his rap music.
He doesn't really like rap music. :)
The man can rock a guitar and pick up a song just by listening to it.
He loves me (oh, did I already mention that one...my bad).
He has a memory unlike anyone I've ever seen (except maybe his mom and sister).
He loves adventure.
He can be spontaneous.
He laughs at everything...loudly...in quiet places...without shame!
He is head over heels in love with his daughter.
He doesn't mind that I don't cook very well. (or doesn't say that he does any way...just as good!)
He likes to cook. (win-win, baby)
He doesn't worry about what other people think of him.
He enjoys providing for our family.
He knows how to relax.
He can calm me down when I get in a tizzy. (the very few times it has ever happened, of course. *ahem*)
The day my mom died, he told me to be a daughter and sister first, and a wife and mother second.
He smells good.
He is flexible (not physically so much...more so with the meta-physical issues!)

Happy birthday, love! We hope you enjoy your day, and feel loved! Thirty is really not so bad....so I hear!

Emily Mae: 6 Months

2011-08-09T20:25:00.000-05:00

It seems impossible that a half of a year has already passed since this angel came into our lives! She has blessed us so! Here's what our little chunky monkey has been up to this past month!

19 pounds 9 ounces and 26.5-27 inches long!
Emily started eating real food this month. We did a few days of rice cereal, but once she figured out the eating-moving-my-tongue-around bit, we quickly moved on to real food. She had apples first, followed by sweet potatoes, bananas, butternut squash, pears, and peas. All of it has been food I have made at home! Even though I didn't do that with the boys, I am loving the opportunity I have to provide for Emily this way. And she has loved eating!
Emily found her tongue! My word. Ever seen Turner and Hooch? Remember that slobbery dog with his tongue hanging out? That is my Emily (but a slightly cuter version). Since we started real food, she has figured out that she can do things with this tongue of hers. And it is constantly hanging out of her mouth! Crazy girl!

My daughter has really become a Momma's girl. It has been a while since I have had a clingy kiddo! Christopher had no stranger danger what-so-ever. But lately, this girl will only let her Momma calm her when she gets upset. Daddy can get the job done, but she will hold out for a bit just in case she can get her Momma instead.
Emily is still a very calm happy baby. Several people this month have mentioned just how content and happy she is. They ask if she is always this content and happy, and I always tell them, YES! We are loving this sweet docile personality God has given our little girl. Now don't get me wrong. She does have an opinion, and DOES get cranky. But it is rare, and only when she is super tired, or hungry. Otherwise, she really is a very quiet baby! I keep saying, God knew we would need a good "Hospital-waiting-room" baby. Sweet girl!

Emily Mae,

How has it already been six months!? We are overjoyed to be your parents, and are loving watch you interact with your brothers! They think you hung the moon, and it is likely due to how many giggles you add to their ego-piggy-bank. Your smile melts our troubles away! We love you so much chunky monkey! Halfy-Birthday!

Lessons From Camp Momma

2011-08-02T10:39:00.000-05:00

Just minutes before bedtime last night, after Zach deposited his seven nickels for accomplishing seven of his chores yesterday, this happened:

It was tragic.

To say that Zachary was upset would be a gross understatement. While he did not throw himself on the floor, he did wail like he just witnessed his best friend die. I wish I was exaggerating. It was terrible. Josh was in the kitchen with Zach when it happened, and I was in the bathroom with Chris. We came running. As soon as Chris saw what happened and how upset his brother was, he too, began mourning. Loudly. So the four of us stood around the shattered pieces with only the sounds of loud sobbing to echo through the house.

Well. Sobbing and maybe some stifled laughter.

I sure you are wondering how I handled this prime learning opportunity with my child. You are wanting to glean my motherly wisdom so that you, too, can be prepared when something like this happens in your house!

Well. I laughed. Like hard belly laughs that had to stifle so very hard so as not to be insensitive.And Josh did too.

Yup. Parents of the Year.

To be fair, we really weren't laughing at his loss. I think we were laughing at how serious he was in the situation. It was so incredibly sweet and raw. My Zachary feels so very deeply, and sometimes it is humorous to see what he feels so deeply about.

We did feel so terribly bad for him. And so did his brother.

So here are some things I did learn through this situation:

*Christopher loves his brother deeply. When Zach is happy, Chris is happy. But when Zach is sad, Christopher grieves equally with him. Chris was not near as sad about the piggy bank, as he was that Zach was upset. It was moving to see his love expressed this way for his brother.

*Zachary does not like Chris to grieve with him. It isn't that he wanted the spot light, or all the attention, but in his mind, there is no way Chris could be as upset as Zach was in this situation. So, for Chris to act equally as upset for his brother de-values how upset Zach really was about this. We have seen this play out a time or two in other situations. Chris wanted to comfort Zach, and Zach wanted nothing to do with it. This allowed me to see some areas where we can work on in the future with Zach.

*Zach think money arrives in a van. When I tucked Zach into bed at night, I tried to help him focus on the positive: "At least you have some money to buy another piggy bank with! If you didn't have any money, you would not be able to get another one tomorrow!" His response: "Yah. If I didn't have any money, then we'd have to call the money truck to come to our house and bring me some more money!" A conversation about earning money followed, but I'm not quite sure it sunk in.

*Sometimes it takes your child hurting to learn lessons. Fortunately this was only a broken piggy bank, but I couldn't help but think ahead to the future. Failed tests. Broken relationships. These could all be realities for our children. I will not be able to prevent all bad things from happening to them. Sometimes that is good. Don't we all learn better when we actually go through a tough time, instead of just being warned about them?

So, in sum, Zach learned to be more careful with his things. He learned that even in accidents, he is responsible for his things by having to replace them with his own money. I learned just how deeply my sons can feel about things. And I learned a bit more about how to hide laughter when it is inappropriate.

Curious about Pumpkin Piggy Bank's replacement? Take a look:

"How 'bout this one?! It is one of my favorite colors...PURPLE!!!"
There was a blue one with stars. A race car one (that he wanted first, but was in pretty bad shape). Orange once. White ones. Nope. He wanted the purple one. And I gave him EVERY opportunity to change his mind, but never made him pick another one. Another lesson for Mommy. Sometimes what you want is not anything like what they want.

And that's okay.

Christopher James Turns THREE!

2011-07-19T14:03:00.000-05:00

My Middlest turned three yesterday! Looking at pictures of him opening presents was like seeing him for the first time in 6 months. Suddenly, in the pictures, he looked older, leaner, less of that "baby chub" and more of that "I-never-stop-to-breathe" lean toddler look! See:

So, here's how we celebrated my BIG three-year-old's day:

Saturday we had 11 of Christopher's friends over to play at a local park. The party was from 9:30-11:00. By the time we loaded up the car, it was already 95. Chris had fun with his friends, but mostly enjoyed munching off the spread of fruit, pretzels, and drinks! We had cupcakes (that he helped G-G make the night before) and opened presents! When we came home he played with his "Happy Birthday" balloon the most. Silly boy!

On his birthday morning, he ran out of his room exclaiming, "TODAY IS MY BIRF-DAY!!!" We all gathered around and sang "'happy birthday" over traditional birthday donuts and then let him open presents from us. He had the best time playing all morning with his new toys, and for lunch he picked Chick-Fil-A for us to eat! A little health scare with Daddy caused us to reschedule our dinner plans for later in the week: Pizza and swimming at the Sain's house! He was a joy all day, and truly happy with all we did to celebrate him!

This morning I asked three-year-old Chris a few questions. Here are his answers:

What is your favorite color? Gween! As I type this he voluntarily comes up to tell me that he changed his mind. Blue is his favorite color. It really never stays the same from day to day!

What is your favorite food? Bweakfast! Uhhhhh. No. COOKIES!

What is your favorite animal? A Porkey-Pine! (porcupine). Uhhhh. No. CATTAPIWERS AND WOLLY POLLIES!!!

What is your favorite sport? Football? Nooo. Baseball and Soccer. Not bounce houses. And Basketball!

Now for some observations of three-year-old Chris from his Momma:

*Chris loves to eat. He would eat all day if I let him. Fortunately this means his is not as picky of an eater as other members of this household.
*He L.O.V.E.S. to wrestle, especially with his brother. While Zach gladly plays along, it is often Chris who instigates the physical play!
*Chris still has some of his "baby talk" left. Although he can correctly say all the letters and sounds, when put together in a word, they often get jumbled up. Any "s-blend" word gets the "s" dropped. Ex: Stop becomes Top and Sprouts becomes Prouts. He also uses a "w" sound for "l" like "De-wish-us" instead of "Delicious." Can't say I am complaining too much! He's still little enough for it to be cute!
*His vocabulary is growing by leaps and bounds. However, he still has a hard time getting his point across sometimes, which leads to many a temper tantrum. Chris has felt much more free over the past year to use the word, "No!"
*Chris started school for the very first time in January. He loved it, until soon after Emily came, then he started screaming, crying, and kicking every time I dropped him off.
*He is very open and social after you get to know him, but is not a social butterfly. He needs a lot of time to soak in a new situation before he feels comfortable jumping out there. Case in point: It took three days of Sports Camp for him to speak to any adult, or actively participate in the events. But boy, when day three came, he was a whole different child!
*Christopher loves his brother and sister. He also loves our cat, Max, who has "loved" him back a few times (with teeth or claws). I think neither seem to be learning their lesson!
*Chris still gives the absolute best hugs in the world. I will be so sad when the day comes that I can't pick him up. He wraps his legs and arms around you and cuddles better than anyone! He is such a love bug and is pretty generous to give hugs if he feels comfortable around you.
*After three years, he is still a champion at being sick. Very rarely whines, and you hardly notice somethings off. He just plows right through until he hits the wall. Then he hunkers down, takes care of business and moves on. Such a trooper!
*Even though Chris is exerting his independence much more, lately, he still very much wants to please and obey. When he gets in trouble, most of the time, he doesn't act upset because he's been punished, or because something has been taken away; but because he has disappointed us.
*Chris potty trained in 2.5 days. Both nighttime and daytime. He decided he was ready, and moved forward. He did not (and still does not) like me to tell him when to go. He is big enough to decide that for himself thankyouverymuch! While we are experiencing a bit of regression with all the current changes, I am not downhearted and expect a rebound relatively soon!

Christopher,

So much has changed in your little life this past year. We have moved twice: back to Texas then from the apartment to our house. You went from being the youngest child to the middle child. You started school. You became potty trained (and began a deep, deep love for toilet paper)! You have maintained a deep love for your family members. Showing love is something that comes so easily to you, and God has truly gifted you in this area. You are a tough kid, and don't let too much stop you from having fun! Your dimples still melt my heart and allow you to get away with more than you should! You enjoy the spotlight when you are comfortable in it, but have no problem doing your own thing either. You catch on quickly to things, and truly wish to do the right thing! Our prayer for you this coming year, is that you grow to love the Lord more deeply, grow in knowledge of our Lord, and grow in love! We pray that you show love to those around you and are quick to obey those who are in charge. Christopher, we are overjoyed that God has chosen us to be your parents! We love you so much, Little Bit! Happy, happy birthday!
Love Mom!

8 Wonderful Years

2011-07-12T08:05:00.000-05:00

Stealing this from a couple other blogs I've read recently

Eight years ago today, I woke up in a hotel room with my closest friends and tried to nibble breakfast with butterflies in my stomach. This morning I woke up next to my best friend and enjoyed a rare breakfast together with him!

Eight years ago today, I walked down the isle past my friends, family, and rows of toole, to join my best friend and give him a smooch. Today I walk through the kitchen, and over toys to greet him with a smooch when he comes home.

Eight years ago, I squeezed God into my marriage when I thought He would fit. Today, though I am still learning, I am much better about prioritizing my relationships.

Eight years ago today, I was madly in love with a man I had been dating for six years. Today I love him even more than I thought possible.

Eight years ago today, having children seemed like something I might want to do much much much later in life. Today I can not fathom our lives without these three wonderful blessings.

Eight years ago today we were renters. Today we are homeowners three times over.

Eight years ago today I had a plan and a vision for what marriage should look like. Today our marriage looks nothing like my plan, and I am beyond thankful for that!

Eight years ago today, Josh and I had over $85,000 in debt! Today (not including our house) we have less than $2,000.

Eight years ago today, I said "I do" to a person who knew me better than anyone else. Today, I say, "absolutely, I do" to the one person on the planet who knows how to keep me grounded!

Josh, I am honored to have spent the past eight years by your side. Thank you for loving me unconditionally and for being such an amazing father. Somehow I love you more now than I did eight years ago. You are wonderful! I love you!

Contentment in Chaos

2011-07-11T11:46:00.000-05:00

The past five months have completely turned my world upside down. I am not ignorant enough to think that I have it bad, or that my situation is worse than others. Rather, God gently reminds me constantly that our situation could be much much worse. I praise Him for that. With that being said, the whirlwind that has been my life for a while is starting to settle somewhat, and I feel the need to record all that took place in such a brief amount of time. I pray that wherever you are in your season of life, you will be encouraged to turn over your stresses, conflicts, burdens to the one who can strengthen you and uphold you with His right hand, as He has done for me!

End of January:
Three weeks away from our due date on one day we simultaneously lose the offer we had on our Arizona house, find out our deductible for our health insurance was $2,000 more than we had expected, and wrecked our mini van. Stress over covering medical bills for a new baby while still carrying a mortgage and rent payment were compounded with the at-fault driver carrying no insurance leaving us to pay the deductible on the car. At the same time, we get our escrow balance check in the mail, providing the funds to pay for the car, and set aside more money for the baby.

Beginning of February:
Offer on Arizona house gets back on the table. We move forward with potential closing date at the end of the month. The day before the inspection on the house is scheduled, an outside pipe bursts at the house during a freak cold snap. Fortunately our dear friends who were keeping an eye on the house for us were able to repair the pipe and finish within hours of the inspection. The inspection only provided minor bumps, and all parties were prepared to move forward with a new closing at the beginning of March.

During the 2nd Quarter of the Super Bowl Game, my water breaks and by 1:21 Monday morning, Emily Mae was born. Just 48 hours before another freezing/icing event was due to hit the town. We were home safe, and warm before any bad weather hit! Other than massive hormone headaches unlike anything I've ever experience, I enjoy the haze of being a new mom of three!

With closing not far off, Josh and I begin to house hunt. We take our one-week-old baby out to over 20 houses!

Mid February:
Two weeks and three days after Emily was born my very best friend goes in for her induction to deliver her third baby. 12 hours later they spend 45 minutes resuscitating her and eventually bring her back to life-barely. That night I leave my children and husband at home, and spend the evening praying and crying with her family and friends at the ICU. The next couple weeks I spend every single evening up at ICU visiting her as she sleeps in her coma, witnessing her wake up, seeing her functions return slowly but surely, and praising God for the miracle He is doing through her. Through these weeks, Emily sleeps 8-10 hours a night. She is an amazing baby, and brought joy to the ICU waiting rooms on the days she was with me.

Beginning of March:
We are close to deciding to build a house. Before we sign any papers, we call to check and make sure that in just a couple days we will indeed be closing on our house in Arizona. We are assured there are no problems, and everything is on track. We go to the builder on Saturday, pick out our new home, pay our deposit, and schedule it to be built no later than June 21st! Monday morning, our realtor calls us to let us know that Tax Returns for our buyer are not present and threaten to delay closing up to three weeks. Wearily, we agree to give them until the end of the month. At which point we will then drop the contract and start over from the beginning. And also drop the contract on our build here in Texas.

One week and a day later, the returns come in, and we close on the house in Arizona, closing that chapter in our lives!

Mid March:
We take our first trip to Abilene. I drive the kiddos myself to spend a few extra days while Josh works. Zach throws up in the car on the way there. My family gets to meet Emily for the first time at 6 weeks old. They are smitten. Even my Mom gets to spend lots of time with her as she naps in her arms.

In the mean time, my friend gets moved to a rehab facility and begins walking on her own again! Since the facility is so far away, my nightly visits are reduced to weekly visits. But this means a return to normalcy in family life back home.

Our neighbors that live below us call us in to the complex manager and we get a second noise notice, and warning of a lease violation resulting in eviction if the problem does not get resolved. The stress of living with two rambunctious toddler boys amps up exponentially. Throw a baby (no matter how good) into the mix, and we are literally counting the days to get into our house, and freedom from apartment living.

April:
April brings a move out of the rehab facility for my friend, and into a day-to-day facility which means she can come home! Zach starts soccer, and my friend's daughter is on his team. She is well enough to push the stroller to the first soccer practice. God is so merciful. Mostly, I spend my time adjusting to a new kind of friendship with my friend, fulling taking on Mommy responsibilities, and finding a new normal with our family of three!

Beginning of May:
My Mom has open heart surgery for an abnormality she has in her heart. I take Emily to Abilene while Josh's Mom comes to help with the boys here. The surgery is successful, and she only spends one week in the hospital. On the bright side, she gets to see Emily again.

Middle May:
School ends for the boys. Soccer ends. Our summer fun begins. The house is nearly finished, and we start packing boxes in the apartment. We are now only weeks away from our closing date! I hear a speaker talk on finding contentment in the midst of chaos. My sweet "Lazarus" friend is with me. Great talk. I think of her the whole time and all the chaos she's been through. Feeling blessed to not have that kind of chaos in my life. Little did I know it was about to get more chaotic!

End of May:
My sister calls. Mom has died in her sleep. We pack up the family and spend a week in Abilene.

Beginning of June:
After the haze of my Mom's death, the boys have daily swimming lessons. Packing begins in earnest as closing is set for Friday the 17th.

Middle June:
Closing gets pushed back. Our appraisal came back lower than we were buying the house for...by $10,000. We wait for re-appraisal to go through and it does not happen before our first closing date. New closing date set for early next week. Josh gets a Power of Attorney to sign for me since my Dad, my sister, and I go to Colorado during that time to spread my Mom's ashes. It is a good time to get away and spend quality time with my family. There is so much to do back at home.

End of June:
We celebrate with my friend as she plans for and throws her son's third birthday party. Fully capable of handling the responsibilities with very little help. She has come so far!

Appraisal finally comes in, and they are not budging. So the builder ends up dropping the price the full $10,000. We have a closing date set for the 28th. We can finally finish packing. Closing day comes, and there is a change we want to make to the contract. Some title insurance that is costing us over a grand at closing that we are not required to have, and don't want. In order to make the change, closing is delayed a couple hours. Josh is still able to use the POA to close for me so we don't have to drag the kids with us to Carrolton to close. At 5:30 pm, Josh begins signing paperwork. We finally own the house around 6:15 that night! Luckily, we get the keys, and Josh takes the boys over to see their new house while I decompress at the apartment and prepare for our move the next morning. Josh spills touch up paint on the tile at the new house after owning it for only 2.5 hours! Luckily an awesome neighbor (and fellow church member) comes over and helps Josh save the day. You can't even tell it happened. This was Tuesday. Wednesday, the movers come, and we move into our house! Thursday, the garage door opener gets installed, we get cable and Internet, and a home security system. I spend all day cleaning the apartment. I get sick that night, and on Friday morning, we leave for Abilene to celebrate my nephew's third birthday.

Beginning of July:
While in Abilene, Josh and Chris get the sicky-bug, and are better by the time we return on night. Monday through Friday I unpack some more, and at night we are occupied with softball games, church duties, and something else unrelated to the house. Friday night we leave again for Abilene to attend Josh's family reunion. We arrive to a blow-out courtesy of Emily, and come back home five minutes before a meeting at church! This week we have Sports Camp at our church Monday through Thursday night, and Christopher's birthday party is on Saturday.

The Future:
Who knows! I still feel like I am rocking from the last boat ride! I am praying that God has a season of rest and stability in store for us next. If not, I am confident that He will provide just has He has provided over the past five months. I do know this. In every event that can be easily deemed as a negative, God has clearly shown me the positive as well. I am so thankful to be able to see blessings in the midst of the chaos. Even to have contentment (in most of the times) during it all, as well. I am praying this chaotic season is over, but God's plan is best. He knows what we need and what we can handle. For now, I am basking in the blessings He has provided!

Emily Mae: 5 Months

2011-07-07T14:41:00.000-05:00

Have I mentioned that Emily is the best baby ever? EVER!! This past month has brought many, MANY changes to our family, and Emily has just rolled right along with every one of them. Sleeping like a champ. Eating like a sumo wrestler. And growing like a weed! Here's what baby girl is up to this month:

* Sitting up!! She usually starts without arm support. Then a few seconds pass, and that just gets exhausting, so she'll tripod-it for a while and use those arms out. Then after about a minute, those massive muscles she has (what?? You thought those were rolls??) start getting tired, and she spies a little snack...her toes! So she forgoes the arms and just face plants right onto those sweet little toesies. Sucking away happily, you'd never think she was uncomfortable at being folded in half! Love it!

* Squealing. I can already tell that this girl L.O.V.E.S. to talk! She enjoys the sound of her own voice so very much. Emily is exploring all sorts of new sounds she can make with her mouth! Some are so very frilly and girly-like. And some are not so lady like at all. Either way, it is a hoot to listen to her babble away in her crib.

* Yup. You read right. CRIB! Emily FINALLY has her own room, and an actually crib to sleep in! She (of course) transitioned beautifully and I am just in love with her little eyes peeping over the bumper pad to watch me leave the room. Nary a tear shed. I know. She truly is an angel!

* As far as mobility goes, Emily can move in any direction but stays in the same spot. She hasn't figured out how to propel herself yet (thank goodness), but she figured out long ago how to pull the blanket to her, dragging the toys along with it. Like all babies, she loves to touch and feel things, which the boys find hilarious when the touching mimics slapping on their faces. *ohboy*

* Emily loves sucking her thumb. She never uses a paci anymore. When she's really tired, she'll grab her ear and hold on.

* Emily is weighing in at around 18.5 pounds. Like I said, muscles! :)

Emily Mae,

No matter what challenges you face or present to us in the future, we are blessed beyond all measure to have such a delightful, happy baby girl right now! You are certainly good for the self-esteem! We love to hear you talk, and explore the things around you! Love you chunka-monka!

Mommy

Mom

2011-06-24T11:48:00.000-05:00

**Warning. The blog will be long, and personal. But, I want to record these events while they are fresh so I can have them forever. I make no promises of continuity or clarity!**

On Tuesday, May 31st, 2011, I was packing a box of stuffed animals in the boys' room, when my sister called me. It was around 8am. She told me Mom had passed away over the night. My Dad had gone into her room to give her the newspaper and almost assumed she was sleeping. He was wrong. She had her blood pressure cuff on her arm and her glasses were still on her face, so she probably guessed something was amiss. She looked peaceful, and did not appear to have suffered any pain, or for very long. April's neighbor took the phone from April to give me more details. Then, I wrapped up the conversation with my sister, and began to cry. Zach was immensely concerned, so the first thing I had to do was explain to him (and Chris) what had happened. He was very sad that Nana had died. He kept saying (and still says many times a day to this day) "I'm so sorry your Mom has died." While I was picking out funeral clothes from the closet, Zach said to me, "How old was Nana?" I had to count in my head. "58 years old." I told him. "Yah. Nana was 58. But today was her died-day." Realizing he was contrasting this with birthday, I smiled a bit, and told him he was right. He said, "Nana is in heaven now, and she feels much better!" Sweet words from a young boy with a huge heart.

We immediately packed up everything, made arrangements for the cats while we were gone (with the huge help of our amazing church family who were ready and willing to do absolutely anything we needed), and headed out. That day was filled with numbness, making arrangements, tears, and visitors. I have never seen my Dad cry so much, or so freely. My sister, who was my Mom's best friend, confidant, and biggest cheerleader, was completely destroyed. It was awful. Josh was amazing, and took the kids, and with the help of his parents, I was allowed to be just "sister" and "daughter" that day.

On Thursday, we held a very small and short Memorial Service for my Mom. Only family attended, and my Dad lead the service. He told us about how he met and fell in love with my Mom. About their plans for parenting. And about how proud she was of her daughters. April spoke a few words as well, and I read a poem my Mom's dear friend wrote about her after she had passed. I had a difficult time reading it, and had to stop a time or two to compose myself. One time, Zach happened to look up and see me crying. "MOM!" he shouted out! "MOM?!?! Are you okay!?!?" Sweet boy! In about 20 minutes, we were done, and headed home.

The rest of the week was spent making other arrangements, and going through Mom's room. Being the only one that did not live in that house, I was thankful to be able to help out by doing a majority of the sorting/cleaning. I did not have as many emotional attachments to the things in her room. We made arrangements to spread Mom's ashes in the mountains of Colorado as she had requested. And we spent time together just the three of us (and sometimes, Emily). It was a horrible week, but also a week filled with some sweet memories.

On Sunday, June 19, 2011 (Father's Day) my sister, Dad, and I boarded a plane and flew to Denver, CO. My Mom was raised there, and frequently talked about how much she missed the mountains and cooler temperatures of the Rockies. We rented a car, and stayed in Fort Collins, CO. On Monday, we drove up to Rocky Mountain National Park to spread my Mom's ashes. The night before, the National Weather Service issued a Winter Weather Advisory for elevations above 8,000 feet. On the news they mentioned how crazy it was to have snow this far into summer, and how ABnormal this weather was. We had obtained a permit to spread Mom's ashes on the Ute Trail which is at around 11,000 feet in elevation. At a little after noon, we entered the park, and began our drive to the trail. A few miles before we got there, the freezing rain began. The weather was still that cold. As soon as we got out of the car, I immediately felt the effects of the altitude. I only made it about 100 feet before my head started feeling a little tingly and I was breathing deep! The permit stated we were to remain out of public view, and well off the trail. Well, the trail was covered in snow, and we were still pretty close to the road. Pointing to a large boulder in the distance, I asked Dad if he thought that was a good spot. He looked even more winded than I was, and told us there was no way he was going to make it that far. So we walked just a bit further, and and he said, "This is going to have to be it." We were really not that far from the road still, but as I looked back, I could only vaguely make out the road and the few cars traveling on it. A fog had rolled in with the freezing rain that shrouded us from public eye. We took pictures, spread Mom's ashes, then held hands and Dad said a quick prayer. The view from her spot was spectacular, but so very obstructed by the fog. On a clear day she will overlook beautiful valleys and lush landscapes. As we turned to walk back to the car, sunlight peeked through the clouds. It stayed foggy for just long enough. Once we got into the car, big fat juicy snowflakes began falling. It was absolutely perfect!

Please don't tell me we were so lucky. And don't tell me that my Mom gave us the perfect weather. I don't believe any of that. What I do believe is that a God bigger than me, one that loves me, knew our every need. He knew our limitations, and our hearts. He knew our need for privacy, and he knew exactly what kind of weather would give that to us. He knew exactly what we would need for our hearts to begin to heal, and feel a tiny bit of closure. That is what I believe. There was absolutely nothing that we could have changed about the location, weather, timing, etc. that would have made my Mom any happier if she were there in person. As it is, she is happiest now than she has ever been. Praising her Savior all the day long!

Several of you have mentioned how well I seem to be handling all this. I beg you to understand that in my own strength I absolutely can NOT handle this at all. While my relationship with my Mom may have been distant compared to others. Strained at times, even. I did love her. She was my mom! And her unexpected death has rocked me to the core. But God. But God! He has given me strength when I had none (Philippians 4:13). He has removed my fears and upheld me (Isaiah 41:10). He has filled me with a peace that defies all understanding (Philippians 4:6-7). There are times when guilt over my relationship with my mom creeps in. God reminds me that all things work together for good to those who love Him (Romans 8:28). That could not be more evident than in the dynamic of our "new" family. My Dad, sister, and I have never (truly, never) been as close as we are now. My Dad and sister (whose relationship was equally as strained if not more as mine and my mom's) are having movie nights, dinner together, and dates. In a situation that could easily rip families apart and cause great divides, God has repaired and restored relationships and brought them to a beautiful place. Nothing is perfect...it will never be. But, through such a terrible thing, God is springing up beauty. (Isaiah 43:19)

So, while I miss my mom, and in many ways have not fully grasped her absence, I will rejoice for He has made me glad (Psalm 118:24).

Here are a few pictures from our trip the Ute Trail where my mom's remains now reside.

View from the car:

Views from her spot:

A Long Journey

2011-06-14T14:58:00.000-05:00

On June 17th, 2010 we put our house in Arizona on the market. On June 17th, 2011 we are scheduled to close on our house here in Texas. I am so in love with God's timing! He is so creative!

We have been living in this apartment for 10.5 months. In almost every way, we are so ready to move out of here, and into our house. To start a more permanent normal. To let the boys run free, wrestle, roar like dragons, and crawl on all fours like puppy dogs. To open the door to a backyard and let energy be released any time of the day. To have a kitchen big enough for my kiddos to help cook in. To have each kid sleeping in their own room. To walk straight to my car in the garage and not down a flight of stairs. To unload groceries in air conditioning and carry them mere steps. To never have to worry about where I was going to park my car.

But I would be remiss if I didn't also acknowledge the many ways God has blessed us through our time in the apartment. The closeness we've experienced as a family. The circumstances that have forced us to have our last baby in our room just a tad longer than perhaps we normally would have. The way we've reduced what we have to have to live both in finances and in worldly goods. The way the boys have grown to be such close buddies. The patience God has taught me in all things. The amount of cleaning that comes with a smaller amount of space. The activities we have ventured out to do so the boys can just "get out."

Yes. We are counting the hours until we are rid of this apartment. However, all things considered, our situation could have been much, much worse. We are so thankful that God provided for us; in attitude, financially, in spirit, and in humility.

Here's a sneak peak into our new home! Hope you enjoy...we can't WAIT to have you over for a very LOUD party! :)

Home sweet home:

*sigh* my new kitchen!

My living room (standing in the kitchen)

Only a portion of the backyard! It is huge!

Zingers from Zach and a Quote from Chris

2011-06-14T12:53:00.000-05:00

Haven't done these in a while! He's had some good ones lately!

Z: When I grow up, I want to be a police officer AND a daddy!

------

Z: Mom, can I use my squirt gun and squirt water into your straw in your cup?

M: Um....no.

Z: Ohhhhhh Kayyyy. Maybe when I am 25 I can squirt water into a straw with my squirt gun.
*oh the aspirations of a four year old!*

------

Z: I am sorry your Mom died.

M: Thank you Zach.

Z: She broke your heart when she died, right?

M: Yes. But she is in heaven now, and that makes me happy.

Z: Yah. She's in heaven. But when I get to heaven, I will be shy to God.

M: Why will you be shy to God?
Z: Because I will miss you and Daddy very VERY much.

M: Nah. Buddy you will LOVE heaven!

Z: Okay. But I will still be shy to God.

------

Z: Wow Mommy! You have so many quails on your legs!

M: Quails?? What are you talking about?

Z: These right here (as he rubs up my leg). They are long, sharp and poisonous! Like a porcupine!

M: Oooooh! Quills. No bud. Those are not quills. Just my hair. I should probably shave!

------
And one from Chris:

C: Mom. I gonna miss you when I *babbleIcan'ttellwhathe'ssayingbabble*.

M: What buddy? Why are you going to miss me??

C: I miss you when Max(our cat) swallows me.

M: Max?! Max isn't going to swallow you sweetie.

C: Yes he is. When he bites me, he will swallow me!

M: I don't think so bud!

Emily Mae: 4 Months

2011-06-07T12:51:00.000-05:00

This sweet girl is just growing up so very quickly. In the four short weeks since my last post about this girl, she has added a dozen new things to her list of abilities! Here's a glimpse into Emily a 4 months old:

She has found her toes. This is probably my most favorite of her accomplishments, and one she only just figured it out last week! Not much sweeter than finding her in her crib on her back smiling and cooing with a death grip on those piggies! Adorable!
Rolling over. While Emily has been rolling over from her tummy to back for a while, this month she started doing it all the time! Initially this was a problem since my girl L.O.V.E.S. to be on her tummy! So imagine her frustration when she wakes up and flips to her back! Yes. There was much screaming at the beginning of this phase. Thankfully, she has learned to like this more! She still prefers her tummy, so if she's on her back and hasn't slept yet, she'll let us know when the back is no longer fun, and we'll go in and flip her over.
Speaking of being on her tummy, car rides have become less of an ordeal, lately. I think this might be because her vision is getting better, so she can see a bit further. Zach sits just behind Emily in the car, and she faces him. When he is in the car, she is much happier! She still fusses, but nothing like she used to! So thankful that the screaming was just a very short season!
Oh the talking! Several people have asked me if I have noticed any difference in having a girl versus the boys. Without a doubt, the talking has been the biggest difference. I know the boys did it, but holy cow, Emily just chats away! She doesn't even need someone to talk to. The cars on her sheet at G-G's house is sufficient. Or lately, her toes have been keeping her company. But when she does chatter away at us, we melt. She is very vocal, already, at four months old. It isn't just the sounds that get me, it is her inflection. She is already squealing with intent, and has a general babble sound. Seriously. She kills me.
In the past month God has shown me just how special this sweet little girl is. Her disposition is one every mother of an infant prays for. She sleeps from around 8 to 7 in the morning. As long as she can see you when she's awake, she's happy...whether you are holding her or not. As long as she's on her tummy to sleep, she'll do so just about anywhere. She's quick to flash a smile at anyone willing to gush over her chunky rolls! Happy temperament, sweet disposition. This has been exceptionally helpful the past week/month. As we dealt with my mom's health issues, passing on, I kept Emily with me for the most part. She was a light in our day when we didn't feel like there was one. She was never a difficult baby. Even my sister said Emily made her smile when she didn't think it was possible to do so. Yes. God has given this girl of mine gifts, as He does us all. But even at four months old, my daughter is already using hers. She is a ray of sunshine and we truly cannot get enough of her!!

Emily Mae,

We can't believe what a joy you in our lives. Your Aunt April is right. When smiles don't come easily, you are a quick solution. We know God gives you what you need when you need it, and we believe He gave us you for this time for a reason! You are such a blessing, and I am so thankful that God chose me to be your Mommy. Sweet girl, those rolls, smiles, and coos are just almost more than my heart can handle! I love you so much!

Emily Mae: 3 Months

2011-05-07T11:22:00.000-05:00

Oh what a doll we have on our hands! She is just such a joy in every possible way, and we can NOT believe it has already been three months since she entered our lives. We can't imagine life without her! The boys are still in love. Zach has even asked if he can marry her when he grows up! (don't worry, we discussed how we don't marry family, etc. still so cute!) So here is what this little doll has been up to for the past month:

Growing, growing, growing! She weighs 14 pounds, and is 24 inches long! Many people say she looks older than she is, and usually guess in the 4-5 month range!
We just started feeding her 6 ounces at every feeding. This change happened when she started waking up early (you know...only sleeping 8 or 9 hours instead of 11 or 12). She takes 5 feedings a day, 6 ounces each. She is typically up at around 7 and goes to bed between 7 or 8 at night. She is a dream baby for sure!
She still LOVES being on her tummy. The Moby wrap is her most favorite place, if she isn't in bed asleep! I take her in that thing everywhere! I love it!!
She has recently started giggling. Not just a little chuckle here and there but fully on laughing! It is adorable, and we will act like total idiots just to get her to do it!
Sucking her thumb! She is gaining control over those hands, now, and uses them to pacify herself. We rarely use her paci anymore. She typically shoves her whole fist in her mouth and sucks on that, but in the past few days she has been able to get that thumb in there, and that has been lovely for her! I'm a little nervous about not being able to take a thumb away, but LOVE how adorable she looks when she is suckin' on that thing!
She is starting to outgrow three month clothes. Typically she is wearing 3-6 months, but lately I tried some 6 month stuff on her, and it fit! Her Michelin tire rolls are adorable.
Her hair is changing color. At the roots, her new hair is growing in much lighter than her original hair color. It looks like it even might be as light as Christopher's hair color. In a couple of months when it grows longer, I fear she might be sporting a zebra look with dark, dark tips, and light blond roots!! We'll see!

Emily Mae,
You still are the quickest way to lower my blood pressure! You certainly have an opinion about things already, and will hold out to get what you want...even at three months! Please know that you are so deeply loved by your Daddy and I, and especially your brothers! We pray God's love pierces your heart and draws you near to Him, daily! We love you, nugget!

Trials & Triumphs

2011-05-05T12:16:00.000-05:00

*whew* There has been so much going on in the Richards' house lately, that this is the first chance I have had to sit down for a few minutes and record our crazy life! Because these items are pretty random, I have chosen to categorize them as either Trials or Triumphs. I think some of you might be able to relate to a few!

Trials:
*One of the things I treasured most about our time in the desert was how much family time we were able to have just due to our circumstances! Now that we are back with our friends and family, there are so MANY fun things to do, people we love to see, and activities to partake in! Unfortunately, that can sometimes mean over commitments! We still do lots of things together, but primarily Josh and I struggle to find a collective group of minutes that we can enjoy together where we aren't dead-beat exhausted! We did manage to sneak off for a date night once last month, but on a daily level, we are needing much more depth! I know a lot of this also has to do with having a newborn (for the third time) and I also know that this is just a season. But it is a challenging one that we are ready to be through!

*Pictures can say a thousand words. Here's one for you to ponder:

I can hear some of you now..."Do you have pets? What animal needs taming in your house? Pica anyone?" Alas, this has become the new fixation for my 4.5 year old. Destruction. (No worries, he didn't actually eat what he chewed off) Generally the kind with his mouth, or fingers. Another example:

This current habit has left me powerless and confused! It isn't an obsession, thank goodness. And it isn't defiance. He knows it is wrong, but he is just so curious that he starts and before he knows it something small and curious has turned into completely destroying property. We have tried a plethora of consequences to no avail. After pleading for suggestions and hashing through scenarios with many friends, I have come to notice that he does these things typically when he is bored. He is most bored during his rest time, and that is when most of the destruction occurs. He now has some puzzles (his favorite being a 60 piece puzzle of the USA) that keep him mostly occupied during his rest, and our destruction has decreased by about 50%. I am a bit fearful of what he will do to our brand-new house, though. I so deary love this boy and his tender heart. I just need to find a way to turn his destructive tendencies into constructive ones. On the bright side, he has destroyed so much of this apartment:

that there is no way we'll be getting our deposit back when we move. This means I really don't need to waste my time doing a thorough cleaning upon vacating! One less thing, right? We call this one: a work still in progress!

Okay, enough whining, now for some...
Triumphs:
*Biggest one, without a doubt has happened over the past 5 days. Chris is potty trained!!! He stays dry through the whole day (occasionally has one accident), always stays dry through nap, and has even had a couple mornings where he woke up dry!! Before you ask me how I did it, and try to tell me I am so awesome for getting him done so quickly, you must know a few things. First of all, I have basically put this off until the very last minute. I did not want to mess with this,and was going to wait until I had some open free time (HA!) in the summer to start this. Secondly, a few weeks ago, Chris started telling me that he went "tee tee" in the potty at his school. Thinking he was just being generous with his understanding of truly putting tee tee in the potty, I praised him, but dismissed the notion that it was indeed true. Then, I asked his teachers. "So...Chris told me a while back that he went potty at school...is that true?" "Oh yah! He goes everyday. I mean sometimes he doesn't actually put anything in the potty, but he will go in there and try!" As I picked my jaw up off the floor, and tried to act like this was definitely NOT surprising news to me, I replied, "Oh, right...well of course he is!!" Little stinker! Then last Thursday, as I got Chris ready for his nap after school, he said, "Momma, I want unner-wear!" That was it...his last official sign of potty training readiness. So we went in underwear, and haven't looked back! He still needs reminding, but in general, he stays dry! He stayed dry at church, and his first day of school (in underwear). The only tricky part is that this boy does NOT want to sit to go tee tee. He MUST stand. That has made things a bit more interesting, and messy! But with the help of Cheerios, he has learned how to aim, and has improved immensely! So, in sum...he was definitely ready and needed much less hand-holding and coaching than a normal toddler. Trial for a while, but major triumph in the end! I now only have one left in diapers!

* Just take a look at this:

And this isn't even the most recent picture! This was about a week ago! There is now insulation all in, a front door up, a roof installed, and I think drywall is going up today! We are so excited and grateful for this house! The boys are loving the experience of watching the house being built, and we have daily conversations about what we will get to do when we live in our new house! If everything stay on track, we'll be in by the end of next month! So. So. Exciting.

* I finished reading through the Bible in one year! I started April 30th of last year. A month later we found out we were pregnant, and I realized I had chosen this challenge during one of the busiest times in my life. That proved to be true with a move (or two), a baby, and the health challenges of those closest to me! But God has been faithful to provide time for me to still make it through to the end. I won't say that I poured over every single word. I will admit that there were times I read it to "check it off" and not for depth. But even in those failures, God has drawn me nearer to Him and spoken words to me that sank straight to my soul! I finished my last reading on April 28th of this year, and I look forward to doing it again soon!

In all these events I haven't forgotten about our youngest bundle of joy! She gets a post all to herself in a few short days when she turns three months old! Stay tuned! Until then, let your eyes feast and hearts smile over this:

2 Months

2011-04-07T13:00:00.000-05:00

Wow. I know every single month will feel like it is racing by! This month is no exception! Our little girl is getting so big! Here's what she's doing this month:

Emily started smiling! My favorite part of the newborn phase! She first just randomly smiled, but now she'll smile specifically for me and Josh frequently. Oftentimes she smiles for the boys. Oddly enough there is one thing she always smiles for. Every single time it catches her eye. This is what it is:

These words hang above one of our couches. Every time I feed Emily, then prop her up on my knees, she looks for those letters and grins ear-to-ear when she sees them! Girl's got an eye for design, I guess! Here's proof of said smile ... each on separate occasions ... each while looking at those letters:

Our girl is a tummy girl. No matter what is going on in her day, she loves to be on her tummy. This includes when you hold her, when she's hanging out, or when she's sleeping. She just loves being on her tummy. Only right after feedings can I have her on her back and happy. Guess we'll have to start having her do "back time" instead of "tummy time." This has really made night times much easier on us! We put her down on her tummy (shhh...don't tell the tummy police!) and she is gone. So much so that she is now sleeping 8-10 hours at night! Glorious!
She has only just begun to "coo." I've heard her do it once or twice now.
She hates the car seat. Mercy. That child will scream her fool head off the entire time we are in the car. 15 mph. 50 mph. It makes no difference. I am pretty sure this is do to the fact that she is on her back, not her tummy! The boys have gotten used to it, but in the beginning, we'd get to our destination, and I'd look back to find both of them with their ears covered by their hands!
She still takes a paci to calm her down, but I am pretty sure that is only because she can't get her thumb in her mouth just yet. I foresee that coming very soon. Then the paci will be a thing of the past. For now, if she can't get her paci in, she either screams out of frustration, or manages to get a knuckle close enough to do the trick.
That head of hair is still there! It is a little thinner and getting lighter. Her eyes are a dark blue, but definitely blue right now. It will be interesting to see if they change to brown later on.

The boys are still smitten and want to help with just about everything ... especially feeding her with the bottle. They are so sweet and gentle with her! We all think she's pretty wonderful! I can't wait to see what changes she makes in the next month!

This is the Stuff: A New Perspective

2011-03-23T16:05:00.000-05:00

Lately, my world has been bit crazy. Add another child to the mix...that will certainly do it to ya! But more than that, my world has been rocked by some serious health issues with my dear best friend. Frankly, there is no human-explanation for why she is alive right now. And not just alive, but talking, walking, eating. Blows my mind. The past four weeks have provided a serious perspective change. Let me share.

I end up crawling into bed at midnight. I'm tired. I'm exhausted. But I get to sleep in my own bed. My husband is sleeping right next to me.

Two o'clock in the morning comes. Emily is screaming. My turn to feed her. I grumble out of bed. But I get to feed my baby. My baby is sleeping 3 feet from my face.

The kids are screaming...all three of them. One hit the other who is stole a toy that was rightfully his. Baby girl is hungry. I have to play referee to the boys, and get the girl fed. But I get to be here to discipline my kids. To provide nutrition. To teach them to share and love each other.

The back hatch on my mini van doesn't open on the outside. I have to crawl over the backseat to pull the lock up. We usually use a binder clip to keep the lock from falling back down. The binder clip is gone. My groceries must all go on the floor in front of car seats. But I get to drive my mini van. For that matter, I can drive myself anywhere I need to. I am fortunate enough to have a car that holds my whole family!

I am really good at handling bloody situations. Throw-up, on the other hand, sends me over the edge. I really really do not like dealing with that, and Josh usually handles those events in our family. When I drove the kids by myself to Abilene, Zach threw up in the car...in the back seat. I had to figure out how to clean up my least favorite event all by myself. But I am present to take care of my kids when they are ill. I can provide them the comfort they need, and I can clean up their messes.

Truly. It could be so much worse. Every time I start to grumble or complain (and let's face it...that is way too often) I am reminded of Jennifer. So many blessings she is experiencing right now. So many milestones. Even still, that could be me. I could be in her shoes. But I am not. God chose her to walk that path. He chose me to walk mine. So even when cleaning the toilets, my absolute least favorite activity, I must remember: I am able to take care of my home, and keep it clean for my family.

I had heard this song before, but lately it has really been speaking volumes to my heart. I hope it leaves you with a new perspective as well!

This is the Stuff

by Francesca Battistelli

I lost my keys

In the great unknown

And call me please

'Cause I can't find my phone

This is the stuff that drives me crazy.

This is the stuff that's getting to me lately.

In the middle of my little mess

I forget how big I'm blessed

This is the stuff that gets under my skin

But I've got to trust You know exactly what You're doing

It might not be what I might choose

But this is the stuff you use

45 in a 35

Sirens and fines

While I'm running behind

This is the stuff that drives me crazy

This is the stuff that's getting to me lately

In the middle of my little mess

I forget how big I'm blessed

This is the stuff that gets under my skin

But I've got to trust You know exactly what You're doing

It might not be what I might choose but this is the stuff You use

To break me of impatience

Conquer my frustrations

I've got a new appreciation

It's not the end of the world

This is the stuff that drives me crazy.

This is the stuff

Someone save me

In the middle of little my mess

I forget how big I'm blessed

This is the stuff that gets under my skin

And I've got to trust you know exactly what You're doing

Might not be what I would choose but this is the stuff You use

This is the stuff You use

Emily Mae: One Month

2011-03-09T15:05:00.000-06:00

My sweet girl,

You are such a delight and joy to our family already! You have every member tightly wrapped around your little finger! I must admit, it is quite adorable! You are up to 9 pounds and 15 ounces, with 21.5 inches of adorable-ness! You are a great eater, and often let us sleep 6 hours at night before wanting to eat again. You are a snuggle-bug with your favorite position being on your tummy on someone's shoulder (preferably Daddy's). You are so close to smiling, we are just waiting for the day you give us a big toothless grin! We think you are going to be a thumb-sucker. You have already found that thumb of yours several times, and once it is in, you go to town, and calm down! Bath time is your favorite time. You are so relaxed and calm! The only time you cry is when we take you out! Much different from your brothers! You are such an easy baby, that you have already gone many many places. We just take you along and you go for the ride! What a blessing! You don't really like to be swaddled. When we do swaddle you, you fight until you can get your arms free...then you can rest! This first month has flown by, and we know the rest will, too. Love you Nugget!!

From Scratch

2011-03-05T13:57:00.000-06:00

This may not look like much now, but in about 3 1/2 months, it will be our new permanent residence! After looking at houses for a few weeks, our realtor suggested looking into having our house built. We visited a few builders, mostly to rule them out, but found ourselves really interested! Fast forward a week or two, and several hours pouring over costs, etc, and here we are! We've picked our lot, and the structure of our house. In about four weeks they'll begin building! I am excited about this process, and I think the kids will enjoy seeing the house being built, too!

We are so thankful to even be in the position to be purchasing a house right now. Our house in Arizona is scheduled to close on Thursday, and everything is on track to do so. We should have some interesting blogs in our future!

To Every Season

2011-02-12T10:15:00.000-06:00

And what a season in life this has been for us! So many transitions, changes, and challenges. We are so blessed that nothing in this season has resulted in any true loss or deep void. On the contrary, while there have been many challenges, we have been shown nothing but provision and peace! The past three weeks in particular have been exceptionally eventful, so I thought I would record what our life has been like for the past few weeks and how God has truly made Himself known through all of them!

On the home front: Three weeks ago, we received an offer on our house in Arizona! After a few days, the offer fell through, and admittedly, we were bummed. Then a couple of days after that, the same guy came back to see if we could renegotiate now that he clearly understood what we were offering (which for the record was very plain and simple, but the buyer has poor guidance for his first time buying). We were able to reach an agreement, and entered into his option period to get the house inspected. We were definitely thankful for the second chance and cautiously optimistic that it would follow through, although I must admit, this buyer had me concerned that he might flake-out again. Two days before his scheduled inspection, the weather in Arizona was the coldest it had been in decades. Pipes were bursting all over the city, and our realtor decided it would be prudent to go check on our house to make sure all was ok. Praise the Lord she went by! When she drove up, she found an outside pipe next to the house spraying water all the way down to the street. Praise the Lord it was not inside the house, nor was the water even spraying towards the house! However, we still had a pipe we needed to get fixed, and being command central one time zone and two states away was quite challenging. Praise the Lord for our dear friends who had been checking on the house for us while we have been selling it. Mike went out immediately after work, to check the damage and fix it. While at Lowe's buying materials, he ran into another guy from our neighborhood who was fixing the same problem. They teamed up, and through this partnership, Mike learned how to solder pipes! The next day Mike took a half-day off of work to go fix our burst pipe! Even as I type this I am still in awe of the generosity that he willingly showed to us! The pipe was fixed and insulated, and inspection went on as planned the following day. As of last night, we heard back from our realtor that all parties have accepted the repairs and inspections, and Praise the Lord, we are out of option, and waiting on funding for the loan. We will close on or around March 10th. Praise the Lord for providing a buyer for our house! We can now finally begin thinking about placing roots here in Texas permanently!

On the Swagger Wagon Front: About two weeks ago, we were driving the mini van down a two-laned residential road on our way to Life Group, when we had to stop suddenly to avoid hitting a car in front of us. We came to a stop, and Josh had enough time to say, "I almost got rear-ended," when we heard a "POP!" behind us! Immediately followed by a jolt that lurched our car into the BMW in front of us. I think my startled scream caused the boys to begin crying, and we began the process of dealing with a car accident. Praise the Lord all parties from the four cars involved walked away from the incident with no harm what-so-ever. Including my precious little boys, and my 38-week-pregnant self! The guy driving the pick-up truck two cars behind us that caused the wreck gave everyone (including the officer) his insurance info, and we were even able to drive the car home. Praise the Lord Josh was able to take the next day off of work to get the car to the shop, and pick up the rental car while I tended to getting the boys to school, and having my next-to-last doctor's appointment. We have since found out that the at-fault driver does not actually have insurance, so we will be responsible for paying for some of the damage. Praise the Lord we were provided with a big enough car to tote around three kids, and that our car is getting fixed. No one was even remotely hurt!

On the Financial Front: The same day we had the car accident (which was the same day we found out that the original offer on the house fell through) we also received our estimate for the upcoming labor and delivery. It turns out that while we thought we had an individual deductible amount AND a larger family deductible amount, we only have a family deductible. Which meant that what we were expecting to pay for the baby was double what we originally thought. Add to that the car deductible, and broken pipes at the Arizona house, and we were starting to feel the financial strain. Until Praise the Lord our escrow check came in the mail with double the amount we were expecting in it. A week later we received an estimate for our income taxes showing an amount that should more than cover our hospital stay! Praise the Lord for His provision. We knew we would have to get it taken care of somehow! We are so thankful that God chose to show us sooner than later, so we could stress a little less about it all during all the other events going on!

On the Family Front: Did I mention Emily Mae Richards is here! Have I shown you any pictures of her? I thought not! How about some!

She is truly the baby God knew we would need for this season in our life. She is super calm. She sleeps like a champ. She eats like a champ. She goes with the flow. Last night, Josh fed her before bed while I went to sleep, then I woke up to feed her in the morning. In between the two, Josh and I were able to each get at least six hours of sleep, and Praise the Lord so did Emily! I had to wake her up at 6:00 to feed her this morning! She is literally perfect in every way! Her weight, jaundice levels, coloring, eating, and even her ~~clear the room~~ dainty and oh-so-girlie digestive habits are stellar! We know that her Creator formed her every tiny part, and no attention to detail was left out. She is amazing! We are so in love! The boys are in love too, but are starting to show their own ways of adjusting with the "newness." We are having some regression and obedience issues, but ultimately I think they are handling things pretty well! Praise the Lord for boys with such big hearts, and a daughter who is literally stealing mine!

So, yes. We've been quite busy. And at times, I have certainly held on to all the stress and tried to deal with it on my own. In those times, I feel hopeless and dark. But when I can stop and see all that He has done I am reminded that "He never lets go...through the calm...through the storm." Praise the Lord for the eyes to see all that He is doing in this utterly eventful time in our life!

A Baby Story: Emily's Version

2011-02-09T21:38:00.000-06:00

SHE'S HERE! And as I had hoped, my next update post will be her birth story! So without further ado, here is how Emily Mae Richards entered the world just less than three days ago:

Sunday Morning: Feb. 6th: I woke up Sunday with extreme anxiety. As I laid in bed before everyone was awake, my thoughts ran away from me, and I became overwhelmed. We were scheduled to be induced Wednesday morning; the same morning an ice storm was suppose to come through and make travel terrible again. How was I going to make it to the hospital? Were my in-laws going to be able to make it into town? What were we going to do with the boys? Would I have to reschedule? These anxieties then bled over into non-pregnancy related stressors from late: When will our van be fixed from the accident? Did they find out if the at-fault driver had insurance or not? How much will this cost? What will the inspection on the Tucson house show? Will we really get to sell that house? Etc. The devil definitely had a hold of my imagination.

As we prepped for church I was fighting back anxiety and tears all morning. I made it through one song during worship and then had to worship silently from my heart as tears streamed down my face. Each song spoke to God's providence, strength, and provision. I left church feeling much less in control and much more happy that I was not the one planning things out. Emily would come. There was no question about that. As it turns out, I would not have to wait long.

After a good nap, the boys and I loaded up for a very low-key Super Bowl gatehring with some friends. We didn't stay for long as the boys were getting very tired and cranky. As we were wrapping and loading up, I had the first sensation of my water breaking. It was just a trickle, and I actually didn't think much of it. You know...third pregnancy...things are not as "held together" as they once were. It was odd, but I figured, it was just coming with the territory. We went home.

After getting the boys to bed, Josh sat down to finish watching the rest of the game off the dvr. I set about folding laundry and vacuuming. As I worked through these tasks, these "sensations" increased both in frequency and amount. At one point, I tried to explain what was going on to Josh, and we agreed that while highly unlikely, I would probably call our go-to-gal to put her on stand by just in case we needed to bring the kids by on our way to the hospital. As I started describing to her what was happening, she kindly encouraged me to ~~hang up the phone immediately and call my doctor~~ give my doctor a call sometime and check to see what she thought. Not wanting to be over-dramatic, but wanting to please my friend, I went ahead and put a call in to the doctor. When the on-call doctor returned my call, she began by saying, "If you suspect your water has broken, you should go to the hospital, no matter what. Tell me what's going on." So, I went through the details, and she then said, "Um, you need to go to Labor & Delivery right now." So much for not being dramatic!

Josh and I spent the next hour finishing the chores and packing the boys and I up. By 9:30 we were out the door with the boys, returning to our Super Bowl destination to drop the boys off for the night. By this point, I had spent two hours or so "leaking" and was about 95% sure that it was my water breaking, and we were having a baby soon! On the way to the hospital, I finally started having fairly heavy contractions but they were still not frequent or consistent. We made it to the hospital, and I happily checked in, and was in my L/D bed by 10:00.

After verifying that my water had indeed broken, the nurse checked me and found that I was 3 cm which meant I had not progressed a single bit since my last doctor's visit on Thursday (which I had also not progressed any since the visit before that!) With that in mind, the doctor went ahead and put me on some pitocin to get things progressing a little quicker. By about 12:30 the contractions were coming frequently and with more intensity. Knowing how quickly my last two deliveries went with the epidural, I decided to go ahead and get mine so we could get the "party" started. My epidural was administered by 1:00.

About 20 minutes into the epidural, I was feeling some pains with the contractions, but not pressure. I called the nurse and she came to relieve the pressure I thought I was feeling from my bladder. She also checked me at that point, and I was already 6-7 cm dialated. Knowing how quickly this was going, she went ahead and called the on-call doctor to have her head this way. She told me it would take 20 minutes or so for the doctor to get there. Within 10 more minutes of her calling, I was feeling the pressure. Every bit of it. The nurse kept telling me, "Do the best you can. Keep it up. The doctor will be here soon." Basically, I was being asked to wait. After the doctor should have been there, the nurse said, "Let's give her 10 more minutes." Then after several more strong contractions, I asked if 10 minutes were up, and she softly said, "Ummm, yes." I was done. I wanted to push and I was just about to tell her to deliver this baby herself. I opened my eyes for the first time in 30 minutes, and noticed that Josh was motioning to the nurse that someone had come in. The doctor had finally arrived, and within 30 seconds, I was pushing. It took about 2 minutes to get that girl out, but at 2:17am, on Monday February 7th, Emily Mae Richards graced our presence calmly, quietly, and one day early. She made a few noises to let us know she was alive, and then calmly took in the rest of her trip. Her head was perfectly round since she was hardly stuck for very long. She weighed 8 pounds 5 ounces and was 20 and 3/4 inches long. Our longest baby yet. She had a head full of super thick jet black hair and was just perfect in every possible way!

With the boys, both deliveries were during business hours, so to speak, and we had friends and family waiting to greet them with kisses, cameras, and hugs! It was such a blessing! This time, however, it really was just Josh and I (Jen did show up for a couple of hours, too...crazy preggo lady! What a friend!). Being alone with our daughter and no other demands, though precious as they are, turned out to be a blessing, too. We got to spend lots of time with her, and love on her! We slept almost none that night, but it was perfect!

So now we are home, with all three of our wonderful kiddos. The boys are postively smitten. The first time Emily really howled at home, Zach was in his room resting. He came running out of his room, exclaiming, "EMILY'S CRYING!" He ran over to her where she was getting her diaper changed (man, that girl does NOT like getting her diaper changed) and looked at Josh who was changing her, and said, "Dad! Emily's crying! DO SOMETHING!" He was so concerned for her! The next time she had a diaper change he sat at her head and gently stroked her hair to calm her down. He certainly loves his sister! Chris is equally as fond of Emily in different ways! She is "pretty coo" and he loves to pat her and get right up in her face! He praised her loudly for pooping in her diaper today! It is pretty adorable! Josh and I are just trying to soak in every minute! We are remembering quickly what this newborn stage is like, and adapting as best as we can!

My recovery has been just as good as with Chris. Very minor and this time around I've only needed the motrin to assist with very minor aches and pains.

God is so good. He already knew Emily's birth story before I had time to even contemplate an "Emily." And as far as I am concerned, it could not have been more perfect than it was!

Emily,

Welcome to the world, baby girl! We couldn't be more thrilled to finally meet you! Your round little cheeks and stunning head of hair have us staring at you all day long! You can clear a room with your *ahem* digestive accomplishments *ahem* and feel that means you are going to fit in perfectly in this boy-dominated family! Our hearts are growing every single day with love for you! We are so excited to see what God is going to do in your life! Already you are bringing such tenderness and love out of your brothers! We love you so much little lady! Praise you, Jesus for letting us be Emily Mae's parents! We pray we can be the parents for you that God wants us to be, and always point you to the cross!

Love,

Mommy

39 Weeks

2011-02-01T11:53:00.000-06:00

There is a light at the end of the tunnel! Here's to hoping the next update I give will be a birth story!

The stats:

Weight Gain: Miraculously the same since last week. I'll take it!

Physical Changes: Last week I was able to get my wedding ring on and off my finger still with great ease. I woke up Saturday morning and *poof* my fingers are too swollen to put it on. My feet are also swollen at all times, now. Not just in the evenings. Perhaps this is the "pre-labor-bloat" kicking in?! I also started having real contractions this weekend. Nothing that stopped me from talking or moving, but they were actually painful instead of just uncomfortable. Infrequent and irregular as they are, I am taking them as a positive sign towards progress!

My last doctor's appointment did show some progression. I was still 3cm but 70% effaced. The most exciting part was that we scheduled our induction. So, unless Emily decides to come on her own, February 9th will be her birthday! That is in just over one week, friends! Time is finally ticking! My doctor seemed optimistic that we would not have to wait that long. While I will not hold out hope for this, I have to say that I might be inclined to agree. Things are becoming increasingly more active, and ... let's just say ... there are signs. (pregnancy/labor/delivery is just so gross, isn't it?!?) My greatest fear now, is that she will decide to come with all this ice on the roads and we'll have to try to make it to the hospital in the mess. Praying for peace over this hourly!

Emotional Changes: My pregnancy dreams have kicked into high gear. Every night I am usually finding my way through an unfamiliar hospital - trying to get to the right place, pushing a baby out - only for them to push her right back in, or much more twisted and bizarre dreams than these. My waking dream the other morning was that I was having a sonogram for our fourth child to determine the sex of the baby. It was just Josh and I in the room. Before the sonographer told us what we were having, she looked at us, and said, "All done. Now, I'll go get Zach out of chemo so he can hear the good news with you." I looked at Josh confused, and he just grimly nodded at me, answering my unspoken question with, "Yes. It is that bad." Sheesh. That one still has me shaken up!

On a less depressing note, I am finding myself really having a hard time letting go of Christopher's place as the baby in the family. Perhaps the best example of this is his shag of a hair-do he is sporting right now. His hair is growing so adorably, with little curls and everything. We've cut/shaved his hair multiple times, but for some reason I just cannot bring myself to cut this boy's hair. It is like I will be erasing all bits of baby from him forever. Ridiculous, I know, but I guess we always knew Zach would never be the "baby-baby" of the family. We'd have more. He was born the eldest. But with Chris, there was always a chance he would be the last. So to give up his "baby spot" is proving to be a bit more difficult than I had anticipated. I am sure the transition will be much easier than I expect, but for now, I am loving my cuddles and curls with the current baby of my family. Zach is SO excited about seeing Emily, he can hardly stand it. When I told him last night that today was going to be February, he said, "THAT MEANS WE GET TO SEE EMILY!!!!" He wants to know when her birthday is going to be, and when she is coming out of my tummy, and asks me often! It is so adorable to watch him already love on his sister! God really gave him such a compassion for others and it shows the most in his love for his family and siblings!!

Aside from all this, I am in full-on nesting mode treating each day like it might be the last before we meet our daughter! I am anxious and calm all at the same time. Weird.

Cool Baby Developments: Rounder cheeks (both sets) and pouty kissable lips. Chunky thighs and lots of rolls. That's what we cookin' up this week!

Belly Pic: Perhaps the last one before the "big day?" Time will tell!

And just for fun...39 weeks with Christopher (still 2 weeks away from delivery):

38 Weeks

2011-01-25T21:30:00.000-06:00

Getting close now! Here's the update:

Weight Gain: 41pounds. Hopefully we won't reach the 50 pound mark before she comes. Hopefully.

Physical Changes: Last week I was at 3cm and 50% effaced. Knowing that this can mean absolutely nothing, I am certainly not banking on an early baby here. However, every time I've been to the doctor, I have made some progress of some sort. This has been encouraging since the usual response is, "Looks good! See you next week!" This is still a phrase I hear, but it is at least coupled with something being different than last week. Hoping for more progress this week. On Thursday when I go in again, we'll discuss induction dates!

Otherwise, I am a major waddling mess of preggo here. On Sunday I finally hit my wall. I truly do love being pregnant. Honestly. The movement in my belly. The miracle of life I get to facilitate. Watching the boys "oooh" and "ahhh" in fascination over the whole event. However, I think there comes a time for every pregnant woman where your body starts to feel like an over-used duffel bag (what??? That's only me?!?!) and it is time to purge. I am equally ready to meet my daughter for the first time, and get my body back. I am ready to get on the floor and play with my kids without wondering how I will get back up. I am ready to sleep on my tummy. I am ready to not feel like something is about to fall between my legs at any second if I don't hold it in tight enough! Most importantly, I am ready to hold this baby girl. Meet her. Love her. Get to know her.

Emotional Changes: I have found out the hard way how important sleep and rest are right now. I have really not felt any "nesting" yet, but that may be because I am so tired. So tired, in fact, that I tend to swing wildly from sweet-patient-kind Mommy to terrible-beast-of-a-maniac Mommy. I was even concerned for a couple days that I was getting post-pardum symptoms early. However, after discussing my "swings" with my doctor I realized how little "un-interrupted" sleep or rest I was actually getting. Enter Tylenol PM, and life has become much more stable and predictable. Yes. It is true. Sleep really does make a difference! I am SO thankful that I am finally getting some!

Cool Baby Developments: Still just adding the chunk to this girl. Getting all those folds and dimples in the right place. She is practicing her breathing, and her lungs are preparing for the real world. Since I am technically full-term, there is little left to do at the point, but travel South!

Belly Pic: Not too many more of these left!!

Finding the Rainbow in the Rain

2011-01-23T20:54:00.000-06:00

The past week or two have been tough in the Richards' house. My eldest has been especially difficult as he goes through what I can only hope is pre-transition regression. Thankfully, he has been an angel (evidently) everywhere else. However, that has left us at odds most of the time at home. I can honestly say we have never had such a difficult time parenting as we have this week. Admittedly, I have been less than stellar myself. With the end of this pregnancy rapidly approaching, and decent sleep becoming less and less, my tolerance level and patience have both been at all time lows. This combination has provided for a perfect storm in our home. I feel we are on the up-swing of this season, for now anyway. God has given me supportive friends, and wise doctors to help me de-stress and make some much needed changes to be better equipped for this "fun." He has also given me several "rainbows" in this "rainy" season through small moments and comments from others. Before I forget them, I wanted to record these precious events and compliments that my Zachary HAS had this week. I hope by doing this I can focus more on these positive attributes during the times when it becomes all too easy to see the negatives.

**At lunch one day**
D: Zach, tonight we're going to go to church, and you are going to sit with Mommy and Chris in Mommy's class for a little bit before going to your class.
Z: Why?
D: So we can all worship together as a family. You know ... sing songs ... like we did a few weeks ago?
Z: Yah! ... What's worship?
D: Singing songs to praise God! Remember, all the drums and guitars?
Z: Yah, and pianos! I love singing songs about Jesus! Maybe we'll sing.....(in his best off-key voice) "Frosty the snow man..."
D: Well, that is a fun song, but is it about Jesus?
Z: No, it's about Frosty.
D: Right, worship is when we sing songs about or to Jesus!
Z: OOOOOH! Like, "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones that He does know, They are weak but He is strong. YESSSSSSSSSSS Jesus loves MEEEEEE (and so on)"
D: Yup. Just like that!
(Wish you could have heard that sweet voice singing that sweet song. He frequently sings this song and it is medicine to my soul)

**After a particularly rough day, when we had both calmed down some, I called Zach over to talk with me.
D: Zach, I am really sorry that I got angry at you, and yelled at you today. That was rude of me.
Z: Yah. You made a bad choice, Momma.
D: I did, Zach you are right.
Z: Yah. And I made a bad choice too.
D: That's true, Buddy. What was your bad choice?
Z: I did not obey. I told you "no."
D: That is true.
Z: Yah. God does not want us to be rude to each other. And God is bigger than ALLLLL of us!
D: So true, bud. How about this. How about we both try harder to be nice and not to be rude to each other?
Z: Yah. That's a good idea. I think we need to think about that and think about what we did.
D: *gulp* I agree. Sounds good, bud.

**A story his teacher at church told me:
Zach's Sunday School class was talking about the people in Iran and how they could pray for the Christians there. They discussed how some of them are treated VERY badly, and even put in prison. His teacher said, "So let's pray for those people now. Let 's pray for God to be with them, and maybe for them to get out of jail!" Zach raises his hand. After his teacher calls on him, he says, "Maybe we can ask God to send them an earth-shake so they can get out of jail!" Clearly the boy knows some Bible stories, and is particularly fond of ones that pertain to jail! Sweet boy.

**A report I received from Zach's school teacher when picking him up this week:
Zach's class was painting penguins with black paint. They had been repeatedly told to only paint with one finger, and after everyone agreed to follow directions, they began. It wasn't long before they looked over and found BOTH of Zach's whole hands covered in black paint. Evidently the temptation was just too strong, and one finger's worth of paint was just not going to cut it. Zach immediately apologized and said, "I am sorry, that was not a good choice. I did not listen. Next time I will listen." This evidently impressed his teachers enough that no other real punishment was given (aside from telling me). The next day of school brought more painting, with the same rules. Before the teacher could even give Zach an extra reminder, Zach voluntarily said, "Miss Michelle, I will not paint with both of my hands this time, I will just paint with my finger. I am sorry I didn't listen last time." (As I was trying to pick my jaw up off the floor while she was telling me this) she continued to tell me how she praised his comments and told him how much she appreciated him telling her that. I might say, I was a pretty proud momma!

Thank you, Lord for my Zachary. Thank you for his ability to tell right from wrong. Thank you for his compassion and love he already displays for you. Please help me to focus more on these wonderful qualities than the less-than-admirable ones. Help me to parent him in a way that reflects Your glory and leads him closer to You.

36 Weeks

2011-01-14T07:09:00.001-06:00

No worries. This update is much more positive than the last one!

Here we are. Less than one month away...less than four weeks left. The countdown has officially begun. Progress is definitely being made. So check out below to see what kind of action we've had in the past three weeks.

Weight Gain: Yes, well... Last week my doc told me that the size of the baby largely depends on how much weight you gain during the pregnancy. *ahem* Let's just say I'm on the same track for the other two, so I am consistent right? For the sake of keepin' it real, I've gained 38 pounds so far. With both the boys I peaked right at 50. *ahem*

Physical Changes: Turns out, all the pain I was ~~whining~~ describing last time is mostly due to just being active. How do I know this, you might ask? Because over Christmas break I sat on my rump for almost a good full week, and did FAR less than I normally do. And the strangest thing happened...almost all my pain subsided! This was actually encouraging because it helped me realize that it is temporary, and should go away after Emily comes. Also, it has clued me in more to when I need to stop, slow down, and take it easy. So, my spirits are higher, my pain is lower, and the end is in sight! With the pain subsiding the contractions have been picking up. Still nothing terribly painful, but definitely stronger and more frequent with each week passing. Turns out the contractions are doing something! While I am still at 2 cm, I have gone from 0-50% effaced in a week. Not labor worthy, but at least something is going on down there!

This girl still likes to rumble and tumble and does so often! I definitely feel like she is at least starting to drop due to my increased trips to the restroom, and actually feeling like she might fall right out of my skin. The doctor confirmed that she had dropped some, but not as much as I had felt. This tells me that this "dropping" feeling is only going to become exaggerated in the coming weeks. Crazy!

Sleep is starting to fade away. Even though I find myself exhausted most of the day, when I lay down to sleep at night, it seems to take forever to get there. All a part of the preparation process!

Emotional Changes: Still swinging from mood to mood. I am starting to feel the "nesting" phase kick in, but not with an urgency, yet. Although, the contractions had Josh in a panic for a while, we've both settled into the "yup...about to be another baby!" frame of mind. Cool, calm, collected. So far, anyway! :)

Cool Baby Development: It is all about the fat now! She is chunkin' up to meet her family! Every week adds about 1/2 a pound so she is getting all her dimples and rolls in place for her birthday! We had a sono today to check her weight. She is measuring at apx. 6 pounds 6 ounces and 18 inches long! Right on track! So no induction date needed for now. We'll reassess again in two weeks to see if an induction should be discussed. As for me, I'm hoping for some significant progress over the next two week making an induction unnecessary!

Belly Pic: You probably can't tell in the picture, but my "outie" of a belly button is definitely heading further south as time marches on. I think you can tell, Emily is too! Won't be long now!

Another New Chapter: Christopher Starts Preschool

2011-01-06T08:03:00.000-06:00

On Tuesday, Christopher began going to preschool with Zach in his own class. I figured he would be ready for this and excited since he practically runs into Zach's class every time we pick him up or drop him off, and acts like it is his own place. I had no idea just how much he would be ready. Turns out, this Momma was not as ready as she thought to be not-so-necessary in this little man's life. Oh how they grow up! Chris was most excited about getting to take a lunch box to school, so much so that he would not put it down when we got to his class. After we put his bags and nap mat down, he walked straight into his classroom, lunch box clutched in hand, without so much of a goodbye hug, kiss, linger, or even glance! Just walked right in, found a group of kids playing, sat down, and began his preschool career! I checked with his teachers to make sure I had everything, and walked away. Pretty uneventful. Here is my middlest ready to start his first day of school:

And not to be left out, his big brother, just as excited for him, as well!

And for the record, the glorious first day all to my self that I had in store for Tuesday went a much different direction than planned when the school called me back just 30 minutes after I left to pick up Zach since his eyes were looking pink. Turns out, he did have the beginnings of pink eye. And while "selfish Diana" was bitter about missing her day off, "Mommy Diana" had the absolute sweetest day with my eldest who was super excited about our special lunch at Sonic where he could "share his lunch with you, Momma, since I already have one!!!!" Sweet boy.

In sum, both boys are equally excited to get back to school today, and this Mommy is looking forward to her first day all to herself. What will I do...you ask? A weekly Emily check-up and birthday lunch with a friend is all I need today, to make it perfect!

Congrats, Christopher, on your big step towards being a big boy! I pray you learn further about how to become a good friend to those around you, and obey those in charge. I pray the Lord's love is evident in your class, and you come to know Him more through your days there. You are such a sweet boy, and I am so very proud of you!

A New Chapter:The Sharing of a Bedroom Edition

2010-12-30T20:59:00.000-06:00

Look at these cuties: (Thank you Aunt Sara for the pj's)

They are ready for bed in their "new" bedroom! Tonight is the first night they will officially be sharing a room! They do this every time we visit Abilene, but have never done it at our own home. Now, with baby on the way (maybe sooner than we thought!?! more to come on that) we have realized that having another room available wouldn't be so bad. So, we approached this as a big surprise for the boys, and began moving furniture today. Zach was super excited about the move. Until we started actually moving. Then (just like his Momma) he was absolutely defiant to the change. He suddenly started arguing about it, and resisting every aspect of it. What finally swayed him back to our camp was assuring him that we would remove the letters hanging on "his" side of the room that spelled "Christopher" and moving them to Chris's side of the room. I promised we'd bring in his pictures and his name to put on his side, and he was pretty much on board after that. For now, we have turned Zach's old room into a play room with new bookshelves and pillows and bean bags. We started calling it the library! Eventually, we'll put the crib in there, and maybe a few other baby things. (guess I should get on those "baby things" pretty soon, huh?)

In all, this "move" has made me....wait for it ... emotional. I know. You are stunned. Out of the blue for me, right? I guess I just can't believe that the boys are getting this big. I want them to be happy, and don't want them to feel slighted by a new baby coming. While we've tried very hard to approach this as something so special and fun that they get to do,and not that we are trying to make room for a new baby, I worry that they will view this transition as a punishment and not a privilege. So, that is how I am handling this big change right now, I guess. (cause come on...you KNOW you were dying to hear how I was handling it, right!?!)

In any case, here is how they were just before bedtime tonight:

We've learned from rooming them together in Abilene, that by putting Zach down first (he crashes hard and fast) and then Chris (who will sit up and talk for hours) we have a better shot at a quick trip to sleepy-time. Only time will tell how well this will actually work. I really think this will be fun for them, and bring them closer. Guess we'll find out! Oh, don't you worry. You know I'll keep you posted! :)

33 Weeks

2010-12-22T11:32:00.000-06:00

Be forewarned. This post will not seem all sunny and happy. My main purpose in this post is to remind future-Diana of the current status. This is important because I know myself, and when I see my husband holding that baby girl in his arms, and when I see my boys doting on their baby sister with such love and compassion, there will be a small part of me that will think, "Maybe one more wouldn't be too bad!" And while we will thrill in however many children God has in store for us, my current state has convinced me that I may not be able to handle one more pregnancy. I would also like to state for the record that I know that I have it much easier than most, and my complaints will show the true wimpy self that is the author of this blog.

'Nuff said... here are the stats:

Weight Gain: Yup. I'm counting. We are to 30 pounds people. Thirty. While I have finally tapered off a bit, I will admit hitting 50 will not surprise me, and will be on par for my other two pregnancies. That being said, I must keep repeating to myself, "You've taken it all off before, you can do it again!" Granted it usually takes me about a year, but at least it comes off, right?!?! Nod and smile, nod and smile.

Physical Changes: If rough and tumble pregnancies are your norm, please feel free to skip this part. I am going to complain with the knowledge that I may have no room to do so. I. Am. In. Pain. Every day. Every time I move anything from my completely protruded belly button down. My whole pelvic structure seems to be held together by some only a few stringy, failing nerves, and as this darling girl grows, so does my frequency in pain. I try to remain focused on keeping the grimace off my face, and brushing it off. This part, folks, is what I don't think I can do again. Fortunately time is drawing near, and I find myself praying every night that the pain will go away when Emily is here in my arms, and not cradled in between my hips.

On a ~~less whiny~~ separate note, I have noticed that I am carrying much higher this time around which has led to some dancing on the rib cages. Nothing painful, but she makes me nervous. Even still, I absolutely love feeling her roll and tumble, squirm and wiggle inside me. I know I will miss that when she is finally here. I have also noticed that she favors my right side almost exclusively. So much so, that when I lay on my left side, she is actually most active. I am still getting a decent amount of sleep at night, and find that if I can even get 30 minutes in during the day to sleep, I can make it through the rest of the day just fine! Braxton Hicks are still coming, but nothing painful yet.

Emotional Changes: Have you noticed that I am getting a tad more whiny?! I didn't think so, that's why I brought it up! It is true. I am finding that I need help doing more things than I like. I am pretty independent, so when I have to ask for help, it is kind of a big deal. This probably doesn't help the whiny attitude out at all. Alas. The scary factor is starting to creep in. How little time we have left is becoming a reality with a doctor's appointment next week, then we begin weekly appointments! Time sure is flying by!

Family Changes: Pretty noticeable here, too. Christopher and Zachary both have started being more clingy with me. Christopher wants me to carry him everywhere, especially when we get out of the car. Zachary wants me to hold him more and be with him more. Both boys are starting to act out just a bit and test boundaries and/or get attention. I know this is all normal, and try to keep the major changes in mind as we plod through this transitional time for all of us. Even still, they both ask me every single day how Baby Emily is doing. Zach likes to talk about how she'll be here in February, and after our latest sonogram and doctor's visit, they are obsessed with her heartbeat. Nearly every time we get in the car, Chris asks if we are gong to the doctor to hear "bee emi-wee's hart-beet in you tumm-ee!" Precious.

Cool Baby Developments: Aside from her fingernails already being full grown, and her weighing an estimated 5 pounds already, we got to see this baby girl in action, thanks to an early Christmas present from Josh's parents. We drove to Abilene and had a 3D/4D sonogram done. Even though Emily was a tad shy, and not fully willing to cooperate, we did get to see almost all of her face. She smiled for us and even struck a pose with her hand by her cheek. We think she has Christopher's pouty lips, big chubby cheeks, and the standard Richards' noggin. It was so fun to get to peek in there and see our little girl! We had the best time! For those of you not weirded out by the pics, here are a couple we got from the sono. It looks like she has a moustache, but that is just the umbilical cord floating above her mouth.

Belly Pic: Here we are at 33 weeks, and heading out the door to spend a full week of Christmastime with the family in Abilene!

Update on the 101

2010-12-21T12:40:00.000-06:00

I've been able to knock off 3 more items from my 101 list, and chipped away at a few more that aren't quite complete yet. Because some of them are also moderately eventful, I thought I'd update you on a few of them! So here we go!

020. Make a blurb book for each of the boys: This one I used as a Christmas present. I pulled pictures from Tucson for each boy and made them a, "When I lived in Tucson..." book. Zach's was really special because he will likely have many of his first memories from Tucson. Now he has them in his very own book to remember forever. Christopher's was equally as emotional since many of his "firsts" happened in Tucson! I can't wait for them to get their very own books on Christmas day!

029. Do six service projects that include the kids: This Christmas we have been a serving family. And while it is so easy to give during the holidays since there seem to be floods of opportunities to help those in need, it is our goal, now, to make this something our family does not just as a holiday tradition, but ongoing throughout the year. My favorite event this year has been chipping in with two other families and opting not to exchange Christmas presents this year, but instead adopt a family and bless them with Christmas. We were able to provide Christmas dinner, and presents for a mom and her three kids this year. We took all 6 of our own kids shopping for the presents and groceries, and then had a "family Christmas party" to wrap all the presents. We will also get to deliver the food and presents in person to the mom, so she can give the gifts to the kids from her instead of from us. Zach, especially, has really seemed to grasp the concept of giving for others, as well as how blessed we are. I so badly want the principal of giving to those in need to be engraved on both the boys' hearts. This was a great activity to get them started!

We call this one "sister wives" since Christopher Sain was the only man with all us women and kids going to the grocery store!

Reindeer chicas at the Christmas party getting ready to wrap some presents:

Even the dads and kids got involved. I do not know how I got up off of the floor after this!

035. Regularly attend and complete two Bible studies: I just finished attending a Ladies Bible Study at what will become our home church. We studies John Piper's book: Don't Waste Your Life and God has definitely used it to shift my perspective on what I deem important in my life, and where God wants my time spent. God for sure shed light on many areas where I need drastic improvement. He also brought new friendships into my life with some great women that I am excited to fellowship and "do life" with for some years to come!

and the last eventful update:

084. Get the kids' picture with Santa every year. We definitely were excited this year about seeing Santa. Before we could even get in line, Zach caught Santa's eye, and yelled at the top of his lungs, "LOOK THERE'S SANTA!! HIIIIII SAAAAAANTAAAAA!" It was kind of adorable! Zach ran right up and bull-rushed Santa with a big giant hug! Clearly his apprehension from years' past were completely gone! Zach told Santa what he wanted (his own camera), and Chris just stared with uncertainty. Then we got to do it all again with Hannah and Caleb. Zach and Hannah have been together to see Santa every year they were in Texas together. Next year, Santa won't have enough lap for all the Richards/Sain kids! Here are our pics from this year, and a little trip down memory lane from years past.

Santa 2010:

Santa 2007:

Santa 2008:

Santa 2009:

At least we've gotten better progressively each year! Merry Christmas everybody!

Christmas Traditions

2010-12-10T18:30:00.000-06:00

We do many things as a family to celebrate Christmas. We decorate our Christmas Tree together, make and decorate Christmas cookies, and even eagerly await Santa's arrival. But the one thing we do every year (starting last year) that our entire family enjoys the most, is celebrating and focusing on the birth of Jesus Christ through the Advent Jesse Tree. The concept comes from the book Advent Jesse Tree by Dean Lambert. In the book there are 25 days of devotions that include a symbol, scripture, a short child-geared devotion, and a short adult-geared devotion. Every day builds upon the day before, and they all lead up to Christ's birth beginning with His participation in the creation from Gen. 1. So in our house, every night after dinner, we sit down, and Josh and I take turns telling the "story" for the day. We pray and then one of the boys gets to hang the ornament that corresponds with the symbol for that day. So we put an ornament on the tree every single day, as well as discuss how Jesus is so very important in our lives! This year, with Zach being a bit older, we have had some very interesting converstaions about some really important topics (Abraham sacrificing Issac was a good one!). And even better, Zach is really getting into praying his own prayers at night after the devotions. It has turned into something quite hilarious as we get a glimpse into what a 4-year-old mind picks out from the story to be the most important part to pray about. It also shows us Zach's heart and where his passions lie. He is so tender and caring, and I cherish this part of our day! Here are just a few examples:

Day 2 (topic: Adam & Eve - symbol: apple with snake on it): "Dear God. Sorry that Adam and Eve made bad choices. Help them to make better choices tomorrow!"

Day 3 (topic: Noah's Ark - symbol: Noah's Ark): "Dear Jesus, Thank you for this wonderful day, and help Noah to have a good trip tomorrow"

Day 6 (topic Jacob's Ladder - symbol: ladder): "Dear Lord, Please help the ladder to be safe for all the angels to walk up and down it."

Day 7 (topic Joseph - symbol: Coat of many colors): Dear Lord, thank you for Joseph's coat, and help him to remember to wear his coat every day that it is cold outside so he can stay warm."

*Disclaimer: I did not make all of these ornaments. I was lucky enough to do an ornament exchange last year where everyone made 25 of the same ornaments for one of the devotion days. Then we exchanged them, and walked away with a complete set of Advent ornaments. It was glorious!*

Stay tuned for more of Zachary's prayers throughout the rest of this advent season. I pray you are remembering the importance of the season and including it among the many things you are doing with your family this year!

30 Weeks!!!!

2010-11-29T22:18:00.000-06:00

Holy cow. Only 10 weeks left (which I realize is probably more like 26 weeks realistically) but dude! This is flying by! We're already to the two-week appointment phase! So, here are the stats for this milestone preggo update:

Weight Gain: Yup. Who's counting anymore, I mean really. Can you blame a girl for lovin' some Thanksgiving (and the girl I am referring to is Emily, of course!). Moving on.

Physical Changes: I know last time I said there was a dramatic change in four weeks and that is truly how I felt. This time around, it seems it is much more evident. Although I didn't necessarily feel much bigger, my picture comparisons tell a different story. Oh baby. She is getting bigger, and I am feeling much more of the awkwardness that is common for this late in the pregnancy. I am managing decent sleep still, but the ol' pelvic structure doesn't seem to take too kindly to shifting and rolling around. Speaking of sleep, the fatigue is definitely setting in again. Naps are common place, and bedtimes are earlier! Emily can really pack a punch now-a-days, and likes to do so at inopportune times (read: in the middle of a prayer at church, or during the quiet, suspenseful, dramatic part of Harry Potter when a gasp is slightly more audible in a large crowd). The Braxton-Hicks are really kicking in, too! I will try not to let it give me false hope that this Richards' baby might actually be a tad early or even (dare I say) on time. Still no swollen feet (thankyouverymuch winter pregnancy) and my winter shoe problem has been resolved with a most comfy pair of slip on lined Sketcher shoes! Perfect! In all, there is definitely some growing discomfort, but I continue to remain in awe of the life growing inside of me. I absolutely love feeling her roll, kick, bounce, you name it. Every movement is such a blessing, and I truly know I could have it so much worse!

Emotional Changes: Much like the return of fatigue, the water works are taking their reign again. It doesn't take too much and the tears start coming. I can rarely make it through a church service without something reaching my tear ducts (and sometimes, my heart, too). Thinking about Zach wanting me to rock him and sing him songs every night lately was the latest thing to start the tears. So silly!

Family Changes: Christopher loves that he gets to be the one to come with me to Emily's doctor appointments. He likes to say, "I go doctor and see bee bee Mister!!" He is such a good helper, and even tried to blow raspberries on my tummy for her the other night! Zach continues to inquire about "baby Emily Mae" and loves to feel her move. In all honesty, he has probably felt her move more times than any other person aside from myself. She definitely responds to him! It is so sweet! I truly can't wait for her to meet her big brothers! She is still working on her Daddy, too! Each day that passes has him wrapped a little more around her tiny finger! She is already so very loved!

Cool Baby Developments: She is blinking and sucking and growing real hair. Even cooler than that, she is almost ready in so many ways to survive the outside world. Not that we are quite ready to see her yet, but were something to happen and she felt the need for an early arrival, she has an excellent chance of surviving! Definitely eases this Mommy's mind!

Belly Pic: Here we are...10 weeks left. For your viewing pleasure, feel free to scroll down and look on the right to see some comparisons from the past updates! Single digit weeks just around the corner!

And for your viewing pleasure, Christopher wanted to show his belly pic too. Just as Josh was trying to take the above picture, Chris came over, stopped in front of me, posed, and said, "Cheese!" Too cute!

Living in the Comfort Zone

2010-11-28T22:24:00.000-06:00

Ever had one of those times in your life where everything from the song you hear on the radio to the sermon you hear at church, to the blog you randomly read, to a certain chapter out of a book seems to point you to evaluate one major thing in your life? This past month, God has really been opening my eyes to something and everywhere I turned it seemed to be hitting me square in the face.

When we moved to Arizona one of the biggest things God began to teach us immediately was how comfortably we were living in Texas and how much we took that for granted. Nothing really came easy for us in Arizona. We had to start from scratch with just about everything. Friends, doctors, grocery stores, schools, churches. You name it, we were forced to live outside of our comfort zone and really, truly rely on God to provide and be enough for us! It was a huge lesson, and one I didn't want to forget as we moved back to Texas. While living in Arizona was not a life I would characterize by comfort, our move back to Texas definitely had comfort in its appeal! We walked right back into a life where friendships were established and waiting. Doctors were lined up, grocery stores were already laid out and even our prescription information had been retained! We had schools, churches, you name it, at our disposal waiting for us to walk right back into our ease of life that we enjoyed before we left. Except for one thing. We realized God was not calling us to live a life of comfort! Don't get me wrong, there are most certainly a multitude of people who are living life more uncomfortably than we are right now. There are people living without even the most basic of necessities that we are fortunate enough to have in our lives including several meals a day, a roof over our head, and health just to name a few. I am referring to the comforts that, if I had to guess, most of you reading are enjoying right now. Maybe even take for granted much like we did before we moved to Arizona! So while it was super easy to move back to Texas, and walk right back into life as it was, God was really stirring our hearts to see that maybe, just maybe, he called us out of that comfort for a reason. And maybe, just maybe we ought to not walk directly back into "life-as-it-was." Let me give you some "for examples."

For example: We left some very close and dear friends behind when we moved. These friendships only grew during our absence, and we were thrilled to be able to walk right back into "life as it was" with these guys! After some time, I began to realize that I was already closing myself off to creating new relationships and friends since I already had my comfort zone perfectly attained! God really opened my eyes to how much I had to rely on him for friendships in Arizona, and how open I was to meeting new people there. Already here, I found myself wanting to remain with my comfort people and not step outside my box to grow new relationships. Clearly as a Christian, this is not what God calls us to do! God has already started placing new people in our lives to help us continue to reach out and make new connections.

For example: We left a church family that literally became our lives. Leaving this group of people was truly heartbreaking second only to leaving our immediate family. While many things have changed within that body, it would have been immensely easy to walk back into fellowship with any of these people, and return to that level of comfort and familiarity there is in worshipping with those you love. We actually visited many churches with many of our friends and so loved the feeling of singing alongside those who already own a piece of your heart. The problem was we noticed that we were looking forward to attending church to fellowship with our friends more than to fellowship with our Savior. As we continued to search, we found one particular church that really taught the word of God, but the church dynamic was one that made Josh and I uncomfortable in the sense that we would not just be able to walk in, and walk out. This church was small...much smaller than any we've attended before. It was new and still getting on its feet. It has many families who are walking a very similar life as we are right now with the children and babies and young family-feel. We would not be able to simply "do church" here and this made us uncomfortable. Yet we continued to return. It has taken us several weeks, but we finally have realized that God is, again, not calling us to "be comfortable" in a church. By this I mean: attend out of habit, walk in, get your kids to their class, get your weekly feeding from the pastor, maybe sing a really touching song or two, shake some hands, smile some smiles, and occasionally volunteer to pay your dues. Yet leave unchallenged, unchanged, and unconnected. It would be more work at this little church to "be comfortable" than to allow God to use us, teach us, and grow us! So, it seems, God has found us our church! We are excited to begin a new relationship with complete strangers who love the Lord and want to live "uncomfortably."

For example: God certainly is providing financially for our family. As I mentioned previously, all of our basic needs are provided for. God is even providing for us to pay both a rent and a mortgage payment, and still have our needs met. However, we are definitely having to stretch our dollar more than we ever have as a married couple. For this reason, I began to sincerely pray for God to remove this burden of the house payment to allow for more financial freedom in our lives. One particular day after I prayed these words out loud, I opened John Piper's book Don't Waste Your Life and began reading Chapter 7 titled, "Living to Prove He is More Precious than Life". Immediately God began speaking to me. "Say I did relieve you of this 'burden' Diana, what exactly would you do then?" He seemed to ask. Shame filled my soul as I thought of all the frivolous things I was wanting but didn't have the extra money for. Christmas was going to be tight, and I had been really wanting some new shoes, haircut, pedicure, you get the picture. God really directed my heart to see that we were not really doing much with what He was giving us now! Suddenly all those calls for charity that seem to flood your days this time of year came rushing to my mind! Operation Christmas Child, Feeding and gifting a family of 5 for Christmas, donating gifts to neighborhood kids who need help ... you are familiar, I'm sure. My desire for giving better Christmas gifts this year, buying new shoes, and getting a haircut were priorities over helping those who could afford their most basic needs met. Why should we deserve relief from an extra mortgage payment each month if we weren't even being good stewards of what we do have! Praise Him for being so faithful in gently calling us to His will. We have now adjusted our Christmas (and general) budget and actually toned down our giving to selves and family even more and amped up our giving to those who truly need it. We have even opted out of exchanging gifts all together with some friends; instead spending that money on another family who will receive much more blessing out a meal and some new clothes and toys than our families will from receiving yet another gadget or toy. This is certainly not comfortable for us, nor do I believe everyone is called to make those choices. I do know this is what God is calling us to do, and it has certainly put a new perspective on our choice of lifestyle as well as what the true meaning of being a servant is, especially this time of year.

While there are still more examples, I feel I have probably already lost many of you. This post is mostly for me to remember this: That God has not called us to walk comfortably among the world, but to live as He has called us, especially when it is uncomfortable!

"Consider it pure joy my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds" James 1:2

26 Weeks

2010-11-02T17:39:00.000-05:00

It's already been another four weeks since my last update! Time truly is flying. If this girlie comes on time, we have less than 100 days left, already! Here's where we stand:

Weight Gain: Another 7 pounds so far. Definitely putting me over the 20 pound mark. Is it the cookie and pizza diet? I think not!

Physical Changes: You might notice there was not much change between my 18 and 22 week pictures. Not true this time around. Baby girl is growing for sure! And I am really feeling this baby bump! I have realized that I will need to do something about my winter shoe situation since I am just barely able to reach my feet right now to put on socks and shoes. Flip flops will not be a third trimester option for me this time around since it will be in the dead of winter! Gonna have to figure this one out quickly! Fortunately I have had no swelling yet! Aside from the darkening circles under my eyes, not much else is changing. This might be exhaustion, but I am going to use the "mask of pregnancy" excuse, I think! I am feeling her kick every single day, and so far she stays pretty quiet at night so my sleep isn't thrown off too much, yet. I am also starting to fully understand what women mean when they say, "It feels like the baby is just going to fall out." My gently used abdomen muscles don't seem to be holding on quite as tightly as before! In all, still very blessed, and wouldn't trade any of it!

Emotional Changes: I am feeling a bit more stable now. (A possible correlation to our stabilizing situation??) I still cry more than normal (ie seeing the Blue Angels flying in formation while listening to my son squeal in excitement...it is the little things people) but it has tapered off a bit. I am still in constant gratitude for being allowed to carry her this far, and praying for a healthy baby girl in the end.

Family Changes: Zach still asks me multiple times a day, "How's the baby doing?" along with "Does the baby like to eat ________?" (insert whatever we're eating at the time) He also asks constantly, "Why's your tummy getting so big?" and "Why is your belly button poking out?" But best of all, baby girl has started kicking for Zach. She gave him several "high fives" the other day, and he really got a kick out of that (pun intended!). As I have mentioned before, he loves to talk about her, and to her, and is already starting to promise to take care of her and protect her. Fortunately, we really haven't had to address the "how do babies come out" part yet. Although today, Zach said, "Will God open your tummy when the baby comes out?" Couldn't have explained it any better. I definitely went along with that explanation! Don't think I am leaving Chris out. He is interested at times. Usually, though, when I ask if he wants to feel the baby kick, he says, "No Tank you." If Zach gets super excited about it, he might come over and join in. He has started asking "How's beebee doin'" on his own, but mostly, he is just fine at a distance. Middle child syndrome already kicking in?? He still calls her, "bee bee Mister" which is just fine with me. I think it is super adorable!

Cool Baby Developments: Baby girl is now apx. 9 inches long and about 2 pounds! She has just started to open her eyes, and her permanent teeth buds are forming! She also loves to jump...specifically on my bladder. Evidently it makes a splendid trampoline!

Name Update: We have actually settled on this one. To strive, to excel, or to rival. Emily Mae Richards is the name we have fallen in love with. Zach has already started saying "baby Emily" when he asks about her. Chris say, "Em-wee!" We have never met an Emily that we didn't like. That says a lot when you have been a teacher, and have had many students whose names you can NOT use! I've actually had a couple very close friends named Emily. True story: Josh and I first went on a date that was actually a scavenger hunt set up by our dear friend Emily. She sent us to dinner (at Chili's), sno cones, and a movie (Liar, Liar) in high school. So the name is pretty special to us. And judging from your voting, it looks like you might approve as well!

Belly Pic: Here is Emily Mae at 26 weeks! Third trimester, here we come!

Fall/Halloween 2010

2010-11-01T21:38:00.000-05:00

We had a fun time in October celebrating fall and doing all the fun Fall/Halloween activities there is to do here! Since I was so behind in posting about them individually, here is a quick recap of our festivities!

We were able to go to two pumpkin patches this year complete with hay rides, animal feedings, picnics, and of course pumpkins!!

Zach also had a Fall Festival at his school where he chose to dress up like Blue from Blue's Clues! Chris tagged along, and both boys had a blast! Here is Zach with his best little friend from school:

The Air Show came to town, and even though Chris got sick, Josh and Zach still were able to go see all the planes! The F-22 (aka Daddy's plane since Josh used to work on flight test for that plane) and the Blue Angels were the highlights of the show!

Then last, but not least, we went Trick-or-Treating on Halloween. Okay. So we fudged a little, and just went to a local Trunk-or-Treat nearby. But the boys had fun nonetheless. Zach went as a gladiator (with a splotchy sunburn from the Air Show) and Chris went at Blue from Blue's Clues. Costumes this year definitely reflected our budget as both were already in hand for Zachary's birthday party. Our buckets were party favors from a different birthday. Total out of pocket: $0. Total kids happy: 2! What great fun we had!

Hard to believe this time next year, we'll be a shadow of 5 instead of 4! Can't wait! Hope you enjoyed Halloween, and Fall! Time for the cold temps, turkeys, and Christmas trees!

2010-10-24T22:27:00.000-05:00

Family traditions counter alienation and confusion. They help us define who we are; they provide something steady, reliable and safe in a confusing world.

SUSAN LIEBERMAN, New Traditions

On Wednesday, I attended a MOPS meeting that reminded me of something God had really pressed into my heart around this time last year: creating family traditions. Might sound corny to some of you, but that really hit home to me. Some of my fondest memories of my family as a unit, growing up, are not things we did just once, but repeatedly. As a routine, or tradition in our family. It can be simple things like french toast every Christmas morning. Think about it. When you think about your childhood, what are your best family memories? Most likely they are ones that revolve around traditions you had or still have in your family. Research shows that family traditions help create a sense of identity and belonging in children. This is certainly something all parents want, myself included.

So, refreshed with this charge, I set out this weekend to create some new memories and hopefully new traditions that I hope my kids will get excited about and remember for years to come.

We were blessed with an event-free weekend this week! No birthday parties, no meetings... no obligations. This lent itself to many fun activities including kite flying (check that off my 101 list!), bubble blowing, running in the rain (not an intentional activity...poor timing on the Walmart trip), and our new tradition: Cookie Day. We spent all morning and afternoon making festive cookies on Saturday. I picked a new recipe for Candy Corn Cookies, and bought some new cookie cutters to use for sugar cookies. The boys got to help with making the dough, cutting the cookies, and of course, decorating. Before they went to bed on Friday night, I told them Saturday was going to be Cookie Day. The first words out of Zach's mouth when he came to our room Saturday morning was, "MOMMY, DADDY! TODAY IS COOKIE DAY!!!!!!" It was so fun that he was already so excited! We were so busy all morning, and all hands on deck were so involved (and extremely sticky) that I took zero pictures of any of us actually participating in Cookie Day. However, I did get a few pictures of the end result. I know Cookie Day is kind of silly, and not a big deal, but we had such a great time, that I am hoping to do this for lots of holidays! We may end up being a fat family, but we'll all have a sense of belonging, that's for sure! HA!

Here are a few pictures of our cookies, and other fun events from our weekend!

So, what are your favorite traditions, either from old or brand new? I'd love to get some new great ideas!

I'll Protect Her!

2010-10-20T19:24:00.000-05:00

Lately Zach has been very fond of "seeing" the baby. This usually means rubbing my tummy, giving it hugs and kisses, and talking to his baby sister. Today before his rest-time, he asked to "see the baby under my shirt" so I sat on his bed, and he cooed over his sister. Here is the conversation we had:

Z: Can the baby hear me?

D: Yes she can, buddy, and she loves to hear you talk!

Z: Why she loves to hear me talk?

D: Cause she loves you! You are her big brother! And you will always protect her, right?

Z: Right! Why I will always protect her?

D: Cause that is your job as a big brother! You and Christopher, both will be big brothers, and your job is to always look out for her, and make sure she's okay. Protect her.

Z: Yah. I will protect her, Momma! *pause* What will I protect her from?

D: From anyone or anything that might hurt her!

Z: Oh yah! I will protect her from things like.....SNAKES!

D: Great idea, buddy!

Z: Yah! And monsters, and ghosts, and volcanoes, and bad guys with guns!

D: Absolutely buddy!

Z: But, God is with her, too, right?

D: He most certainly is Zach!

Z: Yah. God lives in her heart, and He is always with her!

D: Yes, sweet boy. He is.

What a precious reminder from my four-year-old that regardless of the boundaries and protectors I try to put into place in my life and the life of my kids, God is always there! Thank you Zachary! I loved hearing your tender heart today. You are such a great big brother!

Thankful Thursday

2010-10-07T10:41:00.000-05:00

**Today I am thankful for one child who does one major event with extreme ease. We recently moved Christopher out of his crib and into his toddler bed. You may remember when we did this with Zach, and how short lived our optimism was with this. With Christopher, this has been a much different story. We put him down, and he stays in bed. As I type these words, I realize that they really don't sound very major...not really that big of a deal. And perhaps for those of you with children who just naturally do what is expected, and comply by all rules, it isn't a big deal. However, staying in bed was a major, and I mean major battle with Zach. So if this is one battle that we get to forgo, or even take to a lesser degree in the future, you can count this momma very very thankful! Zach's room, still to this day, has virtually no toys and no decorations within finger-touch reach due to his extremely curious nature. Christopher went to bed for a nap yesterday with blocks all over his floor, books strewn about, an airplane and dump truck in plain sight. That kid stayed in his bed until he was tired. Fell asleep. Then waited for me to come check on him until he got out of his bed. What a dream. Although Christopher presents other challenges we did not have with Zach, this one is nice to get a break from! Good job, big boy!

**Not to leave big brother out, I am so very thankful for Zach's love of soccer. We started him with his buddy Kaden primarily to give him some social time with other kids, before we found a school to put him in. It really has been a great fit for him. Considering the limited amount of energy a 4 year old can really use in a second story apartment, the 30-45 minutes of running and kicking do him wonders! But there are really some other reasons why I am so thankful for his fondness of this sport. You see, my son's enthusiasm for this sport does not necessarily match his skill level. Don't get me wrong, my son can probably out run all of the other kiddos out there, but that seems to be his favorite part! He is a riot to watch out there on the field. He generally chases the large group of players who are chasing the ball and rarely chases the ball itself! He did make a goal in his second game. Fortunately, they don't keep score, or he would have added a point for the other team! Even though the other kids on his team and in the league already take soccer pretty seriously, know their skills, and want very badly to win, Zach never seems phased or pressured by this. He is out there to have fun, feels no lack of competence, and looks forward to every practice and every game. I am so proud of him regardless of his skill level!

**Finally, I am increasingly thankful each and every day for God's provision. In many different ways over the past few weeks, God has shown me that He gives just enough. I can choose to worry about my circumstances, but in reality, I do not need to worry. Regardless of the things life seems to be throwing our way right now, we are still able to put a roof over our heads, live comfortably, feed the family, and remain healthy. God is really teaching me humility, patience, and gratitude for the things we do have instead of worrying over or coveting the things we do not have. This has been no easy task, let me assure you. However, I believe very strongly that God has new lessons for this leg of our Texas adventure that hold equal importance to lessons we learned from our desert adventure. With that in mind, I am continually praying for Him to direct my thoughts and actions more towards Him and His promises than my human worries and expectations. I'd love your prayers in this!

What makes you thankful today? Even if you don't share, I hope you take the time today to consider what things you are greatful for in this season of your life! Happy Thursday!

22 Weeks and Counting

2010-10-05T22:32:00.000-05:00

We've passed the half-way mark! Hooray! Here are the stats for the baby-growin' thus far:

Weight Gain: Not sure exactly where I started, but probably around 12-15 pounds so far.

Physical Changes: Aside from the the usual changes due to pregnancy, I have noticed my body's exhaustion in carrying number three. Nothing is as tight and well-toned as it was the first two times, so I feel the effects of carrying this extra bundle much more than I remember with the past two. That being said, I am still head-over-heels in love with feeling this princess flipping, kicking, and hiccuping daily inside my belly!

Emotional Changes: Still crying like a baby at the drop of a hat. My emotions are all over the place. Fortunately I have a very calm and supportive husband who can usually respond with appropriate words and actions to bring me back to my normal-place! The reality of having a baby girl has still not really sunk in, I think. But that may not fully happen until baby girl is here!

Family Changes: I truly think second only to feeling "Pinta" living inside me is watching my boys swoon over this growing belly of mine. Zach asks me multiple times a day, "How's the baby doing, Momma?" And he really wants to know. "What does the baby like to eat? Why did God give us a baby girl? Why is she getting bigger?" It is so sweet!! Chris likes to squish around my belly and say, "Hey Mister!" (he won't say sister!) They are both going to be such wonderful big brothers!

Name Update: We have a few names on our list. Although we could delete or add names at any time, I thought I would give you a peek at how the list currently stacks up. And just for fun, you can vote for your favorite name on the right hand side. Let us know which of the following names you think best fits into our growing family! Ashley, Emily, Kimberly, Samantha, and Stephanie.

Cool Baby Developments: In the past four weeks, "Pinta" has grown perfectly. Through our rushed sonogram, (I really ticked off the sonographer before our visit by using the potty just before I went into the room. She was not pleased, and though we got to see our daughter, it was mostly in still frames as she very quickly measured all her different parts) we found out that she is measuring right on target for her age. Everything is going right on track thus far. In my pregnancy journal I read that she is already getting her eyebrows and a head of hair, although there is no pigment, yet! Yup...bright white haired chica as we speak!

Belly Pic: She is definitely growing! Here's "Pinta" at 22 weeks. Only four more months to go!

Fear of the Female: Revisited

2010-09-22T16:31:00.000-05:00

Why "Revisited" you ask? For a refresher, check out this post that I did almost two years ago. Much of this fear I mentioned was based on my own raucous childhood. I was terrified of having a girl who would be just as much of a handful as I was in my childhood. Turns out I needn't fear the girl. I found all my childhood staring right into my face through the gorgeous green eyes of my first born. Yup. He may look quite a bit like his Daddy, but he has much more of his Mommy in him than I had wished for him. While some of the qualities are good, there are many that make him very ~~challenging~~ spirited and adventurous!

Which brings me to the point of this post. Revisiting my fear of having a little girl in the house. As you probably know by now, fear or not, a tiny little female will be entering our world in February. To say I was surprised is an understatement. To say I was excited would also be understating my emotions. I couldn't speak, only mutter between cries, "Are you sure?" to the sonographer. These strong emotions came as a bit of a surprise to me. I am a fan of all things familiar (contrary to what my current life situation may tell you). Having two boys in a row was perfect for me. I knew the "boy" thing. I could do it. And I L.O.V.E. it. Boys are so much fun, and right up my alley. No fuss, no frill, just snips, snails, and puppy dog tails. I am all over that. And when we first got pregnant, I was thrilled at the prospect of having three little boys to run around the house with, and be tormented by in their teen years and beyond! Until...

Only a few weeks into my pregnancy, I had a dream. In this dream I was traveling on an airplane with my family. In order for all of us to get on the same flight we had to take the seats that were available, so I had to sit apart from everyone else with the baby. I look in my lap and there is the most adorable 6-8 month old girl sitting there. She is mine. She has beautiful thick brown hair, and big brown eyes. She has a cute giant bow on top of her head and she IS the center of every one's attention. All the closest passengers are "oooh"ing and "ahh"ing over her and she is just putting on a show for them. Seriously, so adorable. When I woke up, I instantly felt sad. I would never have been upset with a girl. Ever. But I just know how much fun boys can be. I never expected to be sad about not having a girl. I figured I would be thrilled with a boy, and definitely happy with a girl. But after that dream, I realized, I might actually be sad about not having a girl! The weeks went on, and this hope of having a little girl grew stronger, even though I pushed that thought deep down. I was SO SURE that this was a boy. I did not, by any means, want to be sad about having a third boy!

So here we are. Week 20. I have such a strong desire to have a little girl but feel so guilty to want one more than the other. So, when she tells me that this precious little present in my belly is a girl, all the thoughts about weddings, dating, appropriate dressing, hormones, attitude...it all goes flying out the window. I am back in the airplane staring at this adorable little girl. She is mine. She will be mine! Needless to say, we are thrilled (more than I had even anticipated) about having this little girl come into our family! All the boys are too, most of which, though, is my husband. Turns out this 11 oz. little lady already has her sports lovin', beer drinking, wrestling daddy wrapped around her finger. We have plans for a 3D/4D sono so he can see her again (something we didn't ever really consider with the boys). Last night he asked me if we were getting a new car seat. "What's wrong with the one we have?" I asked. He explained that it would be five years old! I assured him that the car seat would be fine through one more baby. He paused a minute then said, "Are you sure we don't need to get a pink one?" Unbelievable. She already has him buying her brand new things! As a side note, I did research expiration dates on car seats, and it turns out they DO expire. So if ours has indeed expired, baby girl just might get a brand new one! Her biggest brother is also already a big fan! He keeps saying, "I get a brand new baby sister today!" After reminding him that while he does have a sister, he will not "get" her today, he is still excited and wants to say hello to his sister, or hug his sister, or ask, "How's my sister doing, Mama?"

All this to say: My fear of the female, while there in other aspects, has definitely subsided. It will be a whole new experience for us. And we are ready. Rest assured I will be ~~bragging on~~ sharing all of her details as we get them. We will proudly announce her name, once we can agree on one. Which may not be until February. Until them, meet our new addition (that definitely has the Richards' head...I do realize the brown hair/brown eyes part will probably stay a dream!) that is already rocking our world:

To My Firstborn:

2010-09-09T10:41:00.000-05:00

My dearest Zachary,

How have four years already gone by? You are getting to be such a big boy! This past year has been filled with many new adventures for you! Not only did we move back to Texas to be closer to your friends and family, but you have learned to do many new things all on your own! You are very good at brushing your teeth, cleaning up your place at the table, and drinking out of a cup with no lid or straw! You can hop on one foot, climb up and down stairs with ease, and get into and out of your car seat all by yourself. And if you can do it by yourself, that is definitely the way you want to do it. You love doing things without help, and proving just how capable you are. I have watched you take charge of certain areas in your life that you once depended solely on Mommy and Daddy for with bittersweet emotions. Your strongest and best quality right now is the ability to feel deeply. Although you don't always want people to see it, your heart is giant and your concern and compassion for others usually guides your actions. You hurt when others hurt and are the first to celebrate others successes! What a great quality to have! Your love for your brother is stronger than we could have ever dreamed for, and it is clear what lengths you will go to for him! I won't lie. You have had your challenging moments this year! But through these moments, you have taught me to let go a little more, love a greater deal, and grow in patience! God is definitely using you to teach and grow me! It sends chills up and down my spine to think of all the amazing things God has in store for your life. I am the luckiest person in the world to get to be your Mommy, Zach. You brighten my days! Your Daddy and I love you with all our hearts! We are so proud to have you in the Richards' family! Happy birthday, dear one!

I love you a whole bushel, and a whole peck!
Mommy

Top 4 of the Past 4

2010-09-07T21:46:00.000-05:00

Greetings all!

So, it has been four weeks, and instead of the lengthy update, I'll just give you the top four happenings of the past four weeks! Without further ado, here they are in no particular order.

#1: We all live together again! That's right. No more weekend visits. No more family of 4 plus 2 cats in a hotel room. We have a comfortable-sized 3 bedroom 2 bathroom apartment that we ALL fit into! And, as of this weekend, every single box has been either unpacked or moved into storage. All the decorations are hung on the walls, toys in there places, and things are starting to feel like home again! God is so good!

#2: I'm 18 weeks pregnant! I am almost 1/2 way through this thing! Time has really flown by, and I am really in the sweet part of the deal right now. I was able to hear a heart beat and see our tiny newest love a couple weeks ago. Things are moving swimmingly, and I am even starting to feel those precious first flutters. Since this is likely my last pregnancy, I am trying to soak it all in! My energy level is almost normal, and I feel pretty good, as long as I don't over-do anything. Even the boys are starting to join in on the fun. Zach asks me several times a day, "So, Mom. How's the baby doing?" or "Wow, Mom. The baby is really growing!" (and boy is it growing!) Definitely one of my favorite parts of being pregnant is getting to experience it all through the kids' eyes! Two weeks from today (the 21st for those of you marking your calendars) we will get to see our little love again, and hopefully find out if I am correct in my suspicions about the gender of this kiddo. Stay tuned.

#3: Josh had a birthday! The boys really had fun this year celebrating with Daddy. Zach would NOT let me forget to have birthday donuts ready for his breakfast, and he helped me make his birthday cake. The boys sang happy birthday to him (whether he was actually there or not) all day! God even ordered some rain showers for his birthday evening which we all enjoyed with the windows opened. We had a good time!

#4: Zach starts preschool! We were at the top of a wait list as soon as we found out we were moving back. I planned on just putting Zach back in where he started right before we move to Arizona. God had other plans. Even though we were at the top, no openings were coming available. Growing desperate, I called around a few places close to home, and most had a 10-15 person-long wait list. One place I called took a week to call me back because they were still on summer break. I finally heard from them, and they actually were opening up a few more spots! We toured the school the very next day, and signed up! God really opened this door for us as this place is only 5 (F.I.V.E.) minutes from our house! Zach started today, and he loved it. He thrives in a school environment; always has. I am hoping that this new structure in his schedule will help him start to feel more acclimated and more "at home" with all of the recent changes. I mean, seriously, this kid LOVES school! God is so good!

Aside from these grand events, I've managed to knock a few more items off my 101 list. Make sure and check it out on the right. Lovin' the rain here in Texas. Happy fall, y'all!

Transition

2010-08-10T21:36:00.000-05:00

Yes, another update of sorts! While boring for most, I feel the need to document some of these major happenings if only for our family! Quite a lot is going on right now, and it is really an exciting time in our growing family. So, feel free to scroll down to a topic that might interest you. Hopefully when things get more settled in the next month, I can start blogging more regularly again. Until then, enjoy the categories!

How was the move?

We were exceptionally blessed with a packing and moving service that came with Josh's new job. Even more so, we were blessed with the opportunity to send both the kids and the cats to Texas the weekend before the move, leaving me with my mother-in-law in Arizona to prepare and be present for the move. This was such a blessing, and truly made the whole move almost stress free! Monday morning, the movers showed up, and as I was showing them around the house, I asked them if they could leave the master and guest beds alone so we'd have a place to sleep that night. (Our move was planned for a two-day move...pack up one day, load the truck the next day.) The head mover, Clark, gave me a funny look, and I began to get nervous that maybe this move wasn't going to go as planned. Turned out, Clark was hoping to pack AND load all in one day! So, it wasn't my kind of move, it was better! I quickly made a few calls, and rearranged our hotel reservations, and just like that we went from leaving Wednesday for Texas to leaving Tuesday! I was elated! The crew of 5 men made quick work of my house, packing everything in sight. By 6:30pm, the truck rolled away, and we left our Arizona house at 7:30 for good. I only ended up being away from the kids for 4 days instead of 5, and on Tuesday, Cindy and I drove all the way to Abilene. This drive was initially planned with two kids in tow, and to span a two day time frame for that reason. Instead, we were able to drive straight through in one day, stopping every 3 hours or so, and we made great time! I honestly had zero complaints about the entire move even right down to the men who packed my house! It went perfectly!

So, how does it feel to be back "home?"
Amazing. I have been back for two weeks, the boys for almost three. We have had tons of time with family, and even some reuniting with friends! It is so nice to be back with established relationships where there are no pretenses, expectations are already there, and people really know you. Granted, we were finally getting to that stage with our good friends in Arizona, and it was so nice to have that there, and we DO miss those friends! But it is hard work getting to that "comfort zone." It is just nice to have this big change in life, and not have that mixed in as well.

Does Josh like his job?
YES! I think he likes it even more than expected. He is finally out of the "getting started" phase and is actually getting to work on projects which he likes! I am really excited about the opportunities he is going to have here!

Is Josh commuting?
No. Josh is staying at a hotel with the cats right now. We get to see him on the weekends. Next weekend we will move into an apartment, and finally all be under one roof. We can't wait for to be together as a family again!

How is selling your house going?
Boooo. Not great, but we are so busy with other things, that for now, we are trying not to get too worried about it. God has a buyer, we are just trying to be patient in waiting for them to come along.

How are the boys handling the move?

As expected. Sometimes better than expected. They are both testing their boundaries and challenging me in ways they wouldn't normally do. But, given the circumstances, I know it could be worse. Chris, my angel of a child, has started stretching his independence more, and we have more fits. Zach seems to be immune to my voice, and challenges most of my requests for obedience. But both boys are more affectionate than ever, and seem to not get enough cuddling and snuggling. They are full of emotion and I can tell are wanting reassurance of stability. Last weekend, we went to stay with Josh in the hotel. Our first night there, Zach said to me, "Mommy, we are living in the hotel, now!" I felt so bad. He didn't see this as a visit, but anytime we are going to "go" somewhere, we are moving there. Definitely understandable considering recent events. Zach also says, "We don't live in Arizona, anymore! We live in Texas!" about 5 times a day. He usually is happy about this, but occasionally, he'll tell me he doesn't want to live in Texas anymore, he wants to go back to Arizona. Really, I think he wants stability. This will be coming soon, my love! Otherwise, the boys have LOVED spending lots of time (read: being spoiled rotten) with our family here in Abilene, and friends in DFW. I have been so preggo-brained that I have very few pictures of any of these events, but we've been having lots of fun mixed in with lots of relaxing! It really has been great!

Oh yeah! You're pregnant! How's that going?

Week 14 is upon us! Where has the time gone? Second trimester is here, and I couldn't be happier! My energy is returning, and my appetite is mostly back to normal! I still have to remind myself at times that I AM pregnant! My growing belly serves as a handy reminder. My emotions have been pretty crazy, and I can still cry at the drop of a hat. Thankfully, things have calmed down some, and I don't get those "urges" much anymore! (Although, as I drove by the Long John Silvers that you might remember from this story, I did tear up a bit! Josh thought I was just hungry. Really, I was so happy to be back where our important milestones were!) Next week I will resume my prenatal visits and will be reunited with my doctor who walked me through my last two pregancies. I absolutely LOVE my doctor, and am thrilled to get to go back and see her again. Even more, I am excited to get to hear that heartbeat that I have missed since I last saw it at just seven weeks! So far this pregnancy has strayed very little if at all in comparison to my other two. This definitely has me growing more confident each day that little "Pinto" is going to be another little boy is in our Richards' family future. We should know in September if I am right, or if I will get the surprise of a lifetime!

So, what's next?
For now, we are enjoying another week here in Abilene before we move (again) to our apartment in DFW. We are moving right back into our old zip code, so we are happy to be together again, and in familiar territory. We are continuing to rest in God's perfect timing, and His wonderful blessings that we get to experience every single day. It is so good to be home.

Happy Birthday Christopher!

2010-07-18T08:00:00.001-05:00

My Dearest Little Bit,

How is it possible that you are already two years old? It really feels like just yesterday you were learning to sit up, crawl, walk, talk. And now, here you are. Running around the house like a race car, screaming, "Wook at dis Momma! I WEALLY fast!" You have grown up so much in just this past year.

During your second year of life you: learned to walk, learned to put words together, learned to run and jump, cut almost all of your teeth, had your very first infection, flew on a plane twice, saw your first movie (that you were alert for), grew fond of drawing/coloring, followed your brother around everywhere, and smiled, giggled, and laughed more than we imagined!

You are such a happy little boy! You are easy to make laugh and quick to forgive. You can take a lot from the "older kids" but, like all kids, you do have your breaking point, and what a holler you can pack! When people don't understand you, a fit the size of Texas is sure to be had. Your dad and I usually try hard not to laugh because it is so out of character for you to get that upset! You have recently grown out of several baby words and started using real words (kee-nex instead of nee-yuck) which I admit, makes me a little sad. But to hear these big-boy words come out of your mouth is also very exciting! Some of those words are a bit too big for your britches. You have learned how Mommy disciplines, and like to do the same to everyone who isn't following your lead: "Dat's NUFF!" or "Top it!" Your dimples melt my heart and make me, still, want to munch on those cheeks every chance I can get. You are a cuddler, and love to get one-on-one attention any chance you can! Your giant heart is evident by how often you want to please others, and how quick you are to offer sympathy and help.

Christopher, our prayer for you in the next year, is that you will continue to grow in the love and joy that Jesus has so clearly placed in your heart. You have many changes coming up in this next year, and we pray that through it all you learn that God is in control, and that our family will always stick together. I can't wait to see what an amazing big brother you are going to be, and what wonderful examples you will give to your new sibling.

Happy Birthday Big Guy!

Love,

Mommy

Update on the Home Front

2010-07-14T15:10:00.000-05:00

It has definitely been a while since I blogged. If you check out my 101 list on the side, (yes, I finally updated it!) you'll see number 93 is in red, meaning I did not complete it. Things have just been too busy around here, to putting blogging at the top of my priority list! So, in short, here's an update on what has been going on around here!

The Pregnancy:

I am 10 weeks pregnant! It is amazing what our little 1 inch Pinto is doing to my day and my body! You know what they say about blowing up a balloon after it has already been blown up? Well, this balloon has been blown up twice before, and it is taking no time blowing up again! I pulled out the preggo pants yesterday, and was in heaven! Pinto has me napping every day (thanks to Josh being home, I can actually get a couple hours in!) and eating virtually no sweet foods. I haven't really craved much, but I have noticed my lack in craving sweet foods! I truly have almost no desire for cookies, cake, or anything else sweet. It is crazy. I am not sick or really even nauseous as long as I can keep up with eating every 2-3 hours. So far, this pregnancy has been extremely similar to my other two...smooth and easy!

The Move:

We finally got our official move date last Thursday. Since then, our house has been a flurry of activity getting a few last things around the house taken care of. We are very blessed to have packers & movers for this move, so there is no stress of packing up boxes right now. We are really just trying to decide what to take with us for a month, and what to pack away for a month. There are still so many uncertain things right now, what with the house still on the market and all, but it still never amazes me how much God is providing. Even with all the unknowns, God has definitely given me a "peace that passes all understanding" with the entire move. I am honestly, not stressed! If you know me at all, you know that is truly a miracle. I am excited about what God has in store for our family, our move, and our new time back in Texas! Although the timing is still up in the air, I feel God's promise firmly on my shoulders that our house WILL sell. I do not know the time or day, but I am confident that it will sell at the time it is supposed to. We will not have this house forever, nor do I believe we will have to rent it. Praise Him!

The Family:

Josh has had about a week and a half off between his old and new jobs, so in addition to ready-ing the house, we've been spending lots of good family time together. We've been hitting all the hot spots here that we want to do/see before we leave. We've had lots of fun outdoor adventures, seen some movies, eaten at yummy local restaurants, and visited with friends! Zach is usually a toss-up on excitement level. In general, he cannot wait to move to Texas. He talks all the time about his family and friends (by name) that he will see! But, when we mention leaving this house, he starts getting upset. He really loves our house, and hasn't quite grasped that going to Texas means we have to leave this house behind. He will struggle with this part, I think, the most. Chris is pretty oblivious, but I am waiting for his coping to sink in a couple weeks after the move, when life is basically turned upside down. This seemed to be the case with Zach, after our move here, and luckily, I am more prepared this time around should our angel of a second-child turn the defiant corner! Only time will tell. As for me, I am at varying stages of emotions at all times. Sometimes, I look around our house, think of all the "first" things we did here, and get sad. Or I see great friends that God blessed us with here, and wish I could take them with me. Other times, I think about the faces of the people in Texas that I will see so very soon; the places I will finally get to return to, and I am overcome with gratitude for the opportunity to go right back to that! Pregnancy has not helped in this department! Josh, I think, feels uneasy about technically being "unemployed" right now, and I am sure is anxious about beginning all over, again. But I can tell he is loving all the family time he is getting right now, and being such a handy man around the house!

So, there's where we are right now! We continue to welcome your prayers as our family undergoes a huge life change again! God is so good, and provides us with more than we can even ask for or imagine! Thanks for keeping up with us! Until my next burst of energy, so long!

Did I mention....?

2010-06-23T15:32:00.000-05:00

We'll be bringing back a little souvenir from Arizona!

Meet "Pinto":

Hooray!

So, for those of you dying to know all (well not all) the details, here's the scoop:

When are you due? February 8, 2011

Are you surprised? Nope! This was another planned one!

Will you find out what you are having? Absolutely. I mean, if I get to buy pink, I want to start as soon as possible!

So, you're trying for the girl this time?? Actually, we think having three boys would be a BLAST! Of course buying all things pink and girlie would be super fun, too!!

How are you feeling? Not too bad! I am getting tired pretty quickly, and if I don't stay on top of my eating, then I start feeling pretty nauseous. But, no throwing up, and no other real symptoms thus far!

Have you told the kids? Yes. Zach at first was indifferent, but did express that he did NOT want any more babies. But as the time has passed, he gets more excited, and wanted to say "hi" to the "baby in your tummy." He says it is a boy. I think he just wants another to add to his minion! It is pretty cute. Chris doesn't get it at all right now. But, the more he sees Zach lovin' on Pinto, the more he'll get excited. Monkey see, monkey do in this house!

In sum, we are utterly thrilled to be blessed with this opportunity again! Even more so that we will be surrounded by family when the time comes! We of course covet your prayers (and excitement) through the next 8 months!

Finally, something newsworthy!

2010-06-17T17:18:00.000-05:00

Thank you, Texas, for letting us know just how much we are missed. After some serious praying, thinking, and considering, we have decided to grant your request! We WILL move back!

The Details:

Almost two months ago, Josh received word from a friend that his company would be hiring. Now, two months later, we have a job offer, a start date, and folks....WE ARE MOVING BACK TO TEXAS!!!!

We are blissfully excited to be back with family again, and back in the Lone Star State. But our move will not be one of diving right back into our old life. While we will be going right back to the same place...even city that we left, God has done quite a bit in our lives over the past 18 months. We will be coming back as a new, improved Richards' family (Richards 2.0 if you will). Sure we still have our flaws, but God has really taught us (and blessed us) immensely during our time here in the desert. Here are just a few of the lessons and blessings God has provided during our stay in Arizona.

Depend on ME, not on yourself or others: Coming here, initially, with no relatives, or close friends, I initially tried to depend on Josh for all my needs (physical, emotional, and otherwise). When that wasn't so fulfilling, I tried super long talks on the phone with my Texas friends. That just led to neglectful parenting. I tried to suck it up and just get by on my own! Would you believe...that wasn't so effective, either! Ultimately, God showed me that the only person worth counting on is Him. He is my rock, and I have definitely learned out here how to lean on Him over all others!

You don't know what you got 'til it's gone: Praise the Lord, I was able to learn this one with out permanently removing all that I "got." But it is still a true statement. We thought we had it pretty great in Texas, but didn't truly know what amazing friends, family, support systems we had until we were far far removed from it. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to "get" it back with a fresh appreciation for it all!

Be content in Me: Honestly, guys, this one didn't come until about March of this year. In March, I finally let go of my "how can we get back to Texas" focus, and began focusing on, "How can we make this our real home." It did take me a while, but I was finally content in all that God had given and provided for us, and was ready to stick it out for good, knowing that God's plan is always perfect! And, if His plan was for us to be Arizonans, then that would be perfect for me. Two months later, our dream of returning started coming into a reality!!

Be an imitator of God: This lesson was this biggest change in my every-day life. It came about through a Mom's Class that I took at the church where Zach was attending his preschool. It ran from September to May, and through the Godly instruction of a very wise woman, I was able to see my parenting through the eyes of Christ. I was really beginning to have some semi-serious problems with Zach, and was at a loss with what to do or how to handle it. It brings me to tears every time I think about how God showed me that the problem was not with my son, but with how I was trying to parent him! What a gracious God we serve that so lovingly shows us our flaws and gives us ways to improve them. Within a month of the class I was seeing noticeable changes in Zachary (reflective of changes on my part through the Lord) and by the end of the year, I was tackling all problems much differently, and our home became a much happier place to live in. If this was the only thing I was leaving Arizona with, I would be an overly blessed woman!

Reconnect with your best friend: I initially meant for this to apply to Josh. Being each other's primary social outlet and often our only sources of communication, we have really learned how to have a healthy relationship. Not that it was bad or failing before we came to Arizona, but since we've been here, we've grown together in a whole new way that has been such a blessing. As I write this, I realize that a couple of my friendships back in Texas have actually grown and strengthened over distance and time, too. God has been so good to give me close, personal connections!

I will provide!: Here is just a small list of the things (in no particular order) God has provided for us while we have been out here: A school HE picked for Zach to attend twice a week. Even thought it was a 50 minute drive one way, his teacher was amazing with him, and I wouldn't have known about the Mom's Class otherwise! MOPS: This started as a way for me to get a break, and do something using my non-mommy skills. I helped coordinate a new group at our church even though I had never been to a MOPS meeting before. The result was some finding a group of like-minded mommies to share my frustrations, joys, and fears with! These women have blessed me more than I could have ever imagined. It will be so hard to say good bye! Church: I cannot say this enough...we LOVED our church in Texas. L.O.V.E.D. it! While we knew we would not find another like it here, we still had a hard time finding a fit. But...God provides! We really love our current church now, but for different reasons. We have never been challenged theologically than we have been at this church! God has really stretched and grown us and taught us some amazing things through the teachings at this church! I will definitely be pod-casting our pastor's sermons after we move! And finally (so as not to lose your attention...what? too late??) Great friends: Not one single person we talked to knew anyone who lived out here ... save one. We were able to immediately get connected with one couple who had two boys almost the same ages as ours! What's even better is that we actually got along with them! That can sometimes be a hard thing to find! Our boys hit it off, and we had at least one person in the city that could help us out with doctors, dentists, activities, play dates, etc. They helped us, not only with acclimating, but with feeling normal and having some social time throughout our entire stay here! We are so blessed to have given such great friends right away!

So, (for those still reading) our 18 months here have been ones of growing, depending, trusting, and following. We do not regret for one minute our move out here. We also can't wait to get back to family and friends and start a new-old life in our home! Should provide for some interesting blogging, if nothing else!

"For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland." Isaiah 43:19 NLT

Thank you Father for always setting our path for us. Thank you, especially that you have chosen to take our path back to the rivers and away from the dry land! Amen! :)

Have It Your Way

2010-06-06T22:47:00.000-05:00

Recently I heard about a photographer in town who was looking for "Fresh New Faces" to promote her business. She was specifically looking for boys ages 3-5 years old! She offered a special and a couple emails later, we were signed up and ready to get some pictures taken! We met up on Friday and she was FABULOUS! Zach was his usual self...master of his own universe - the exact opposite of what we wanted him to do. Stephanie was so patient and worked with him really well. She probably took a million pictures of him covering his eyes! Hopefully in the end, she managed to get a few good shots. I have seen a few of them, and they are amazing! I am SO glad we were able to do this and get some real shots of Zach and a couple of Chris as well! Click here to see a sampling!

Afterwards we were going to ride a nearby train, only to find out that the train was broken. After using ice cream as a band aid for my three-year-old's heart, we went to see a Wild West Gun Show! It began with lasso show, and ended with some wild stunts and bangs! Zach really thought it was cool, but wouldn't admit it until the next day since he was still bummed about the train. The next morning, all three boys spent half an hour lassoing each other in the living room. Our little picture event turned into a wonderful family evening!

Wordless Wednesday: The Backyard Edition

2010-05-26T20:35:00.000-05:00

Zingers from Zach

2010-05-21T15:09:00.000-05:00

Zach and Josh were playing baseball on the Wii. Josh was starting to win pretty big, so he tried to tone it down some for Zach.

Z: *pitches a ball*

J: *doesn't swing at all*

Z: Daddy!!! *pitches again*

J: *doesn't swing again*

Z: Hit the ball, Daddy!!! *pitches again*

J: *another no-hitter*

Z: WHAT. DID. I. TOLD. YOU?!?! HIT. THE. BALL!!!

J: *doesn't hit again...gets walked to 1st*

Z: Good job, Daddy!
I guess Josh needs to try harder at NOT winning!! :)

**********************************************

Recently, Zach and Josh have gone out to the backyard before dinner to set up the sprinkler. This conversation happened right after they came in from such a time as this.

J: Well, our water bill is probably going to be bad this month, but I think it will be worth it.

D: Well, maybe it won't be as bad as we think. They may just "guess" at our meter reading anyway, like they did last year.

J: True. But, we'll pay for it eventually.

eat, munch, crunch, etc.

J: Okay, Zach, it is time to go move the sprinkler.

Z: Yes, because Mr. Bill is MAD!

J: confused Mr. Bill?

Z: Yes! Mr. Bill is going to be so mad about all the water we are using!

J: You mean the water bill?

Z: YES! That's what I said to you!
Oh the thing toddlers pick up from a conversation!

Stamp Out Hunger

2010-05-10T22:23:00.000-05:00

This weekend was the Stamp Out Hunger campaign across the country. We jumped on this to teach the kids (okay, really Zach) about how fortunate we are, and the needs of others. We had a great conversation about how other people are not as blessed as we are to have food every day! I could tell this was not something that Zach had really thought about, or probably fully grasped before. I was thankful for the opportunity to involve him in this project!

Zach had a great time picking out cans of food, and his recent obsession with all things mail, made this the highlight of his weekend! One of my favorite things as a mom is getting to participate in service projects with the kids to help them see the bigger picture of the world around them. I need to be more aware of these opportunities and take advantage of them!

Red River, NM: A Completely Sain Vacation

2010-05-02T17:37:00.000-05:00

It has taken me a while to get this post together. There are many reasons for this, none of which I will bore you with right now. Instead, enjoy the recap of our double-family-vacation!

Monday: We loaded up the car and drove to Las Cruces, NM. I had my travel sacks prepared, and we had a pretty uneventful trip there. We arrived in time for dinner, which we chose to do at the local mall which was had a really cool Natural History Museum for free inside. Unfortunately, it closed at 5:00, and we arrived at 5:15. To make it up, we took a trip to Barnes and Noble, bought some books, and had Chick-fil-A for dinner. We hit the sack early since we had a longer drive ahead of us tomorrow.

Tuesday: We headed out right after breakfast and drove to Albuquerque. There we visited the local aquarium (just after lunch) and were splashed by sting rays, and watched the sharks get fed! The boys really loved it, and it was the perfect chance to stretch our legs after driving! After the aquarium, we headed out to finish our driving. We arrived at Red River around 6:00 and were greeted by the cutest little mountain town you ever did see. It is a one main-road town with quaint little shops and gorgeous scenery. The Sains (who not only joined us on vacation, but secured our free house to stay in for the week) arrived 30 minutes before us, and we were greeted at the door! What a refreshing sight to see our dear friends again after such a long time! The kids immediately scurried in the house and picked right back up where they left off, as if no time at all had passed. After unloading, we headed out to grab us some dinner. That proved to be more difficult that we had planned since ski-season was now over. This left the town utterly abandoned, which was nice for the "peace and quiet" aspect of our trip, but tricky for the "we want to eat but nothing is open" part! We finally managed to find a place that was open, and the eight of us descended on this quiet restaurant! I was adventurous and ordered something new off the menu while the kids stuck to grilled cheese! Everyone was exhausted after driving all day, so it didn't take long for everyone to crash after we got home.

Wednesday: Josh and I awoke (after restless sleeping thanks to having Christopher sleeping in our room) to find Chris had thrown-up in his sleep! He threw up again twice after waking up. We were pretty sure that it was just congestion, but to be safe, we quarantined him from the rest of the group. Josh stayed home with Chris, while I took Zach and went with the Sain's into "town" to go grocery shopping for the week, and let the kids play. We went to a really neat toy store that had an amazing playground that kids and adults alike could enjoy! After that, we headed over to a local museum where our kids (and only our kids) showed up for a toddler craft event. The kids heard a story, then made coffee filter flowers and we toured the rest of the museum a bit. We hit a local Mexican food restaurant for lunch, then hit the grocery store. Hannah and Zach loved driving their car together, although Hannah eventually fell asleep at the wheel!! We came home and spent the rest of the day relaxing and letting the kids play. Chris never threw up again, and was acting perfectly normal by the time we got back!

Thursday & Friday: We spent these days lounging around and simply being with each other. We took the kids to a local park and went geo-caching (our first time, the Sains are pros by now!). The Mommies did lots of cross-stitching, the Daddies did lots of grilling, reading, and exploring. During the day, the kids were just content to be together. At night, the adults would open a bottle of wine, play some games, and laugh. I seriously have not laughed so hard that I cry in quite a long time. My cup was being filled in an amazing way!

Saturday: A flurry of cleaning, packing, and loading. We make a great cleaning team! That house looked great by the time we left. You would have never guessed that 4 adults and 4 kids under 4 had just spent 5 days there! As we loaded up the car with the kids, I suddenly lost all ability to speak. Somewhere, amidst all the cleaning, I had not actually faced the fact that we were truly leaving. Out of the blue (it seemed) the tears came without invitation, and I was completely unable to eek out more than, "Goodbye." It was harder than I anticipated saying goodbye to our dear friends! We spent an amazing time with amazing friends in an amazing place! But, it was time to say goodbye. We headed out and took a detour to see the Rio Grande Canyon! It was truly beautiful! We made it to Las Cruces, again, in time for dinner. This time we were less adventurous, and hit up a local chain restaurant within walking distance to the hotel. Exhausted from the week, we sacked out pretty quickly.

Sunday: 12:30AM - Zach (sleeping in the bed next to us) wakes up crying for me. I hurry over to comfort him (before he woke Chris up) and tried to get him to lay back down. The second his head hit the pillow he shot back up, yelled my name once more, then ****WARNING for those with weak stomach!**** threw up so much that it totally missed his shirt and most of his pants! (Have I mentioned that I do NOT do the puking business?!!? Blood is totally fine, but I cannot do the barfing!) In a frenzy Josh and I both flew out of bed, got Zach to the potty, and assessed the situation. Zach's bed, and the floor took a major hit. His clothes also needed a change. We called room service, and they were booked solid for the night. Yup, we were hunkering down in vomit-town tonight! They did come give us a change of sheets, but Zach ended up sleeping on a towel by the bathroom door. He threw-up 4 more times that night. What of Christopher, you ask? A miracle. That child slept through the ENTIRE THING! Never knew any different. And believe you me...I was far from quiet when this all began!! We ended up attributing this episode to bad chocolate milk from dinner. Praise GOD it was isolated, and we were able to drive the rest of the way home without any more "incidents." We found out later that day that Chris Sain was also spending the better part of his Sunday tossing his cookies. Turns out this was the most puke-tastic vacation there ever was!! We arrived home weary travelers but glad to be back in our element!

It is often hard to find people much less an entire family with whom your entire family completely feels comfortable with and all members truly get along. It is even more rare to find an entire family who you can spend a whole week under one roof with, and walk away still friends. I am not saying there were never straining moments; those are inevitable any time you put people in a "foreign" place and close quarters. But ultimately, we walked away feeling truly rested, and thankful for the time we were able to having enjoying each other's company! We are so blessed to have the Sain family in our lives (and not JUST because they have connections that get us a free vacation home!).