Finally!

It only took three lonnnnng pregnancies, countless stretch marks, and infinity hours of sleep missed, but I finally, FINALLY got one to say "Mama" first! Yaaaay, Anna Beth!

Of course, she may just been saying, "Mmm, yum" to the banana apple pear baby food she was eating, 'cause girlfriend likes to eat. Her Daddy heard it too, so it's gonna count.

From our house to yours...

We hope that your Christmas was as magical and fun as ours!

Wonderful memories were made that will be treasured...even if I never manage to blog about them.  Heh.

God bless you all!

The Long-Awaited Return to Blogging...

Okay, not that anyone noticed, but I haven't been blogging.

I gave myself permission to slow down and enjoy every moment of Anna Beth being a tiny baby and all the joy that this stage of life brings...*snort!*  Yeah, I can't even type this with a straight face.

Being a mom of three is rewarding, but HARD.  I love every minute, but it's more challenging than I dreamed it would be.  I have been exhausted, stressed, overjoyed, delirious, sick, exhausted, grouchy, exhausted, and overextended.  Did I mention exhausted?

Anyhow, I'll stop whining.

We decided to take the family Christmas card picture tonight.  We had been to the local library's Christmas program at the Pastime Theater this afternoon and had pictures made with Santa.  Since everyone was festive and dolled-up, it seemed to be a good time to do the picture.

Luke protested the hat.  Emma was agreeable, but wanted a dog puppet in the picture.  Anna Beth was being a typical 6-month old and not looking and doing baby stuff.  Tootie dog was hovering around everyone, making it obvious that she needed a bath and alternately popping into the background of pictures and teetering on the edge of pictures while licking her nether regions.  *Ahem.*

Take one:

There's a hairy arm invading the shot, a stinky small dog to the right, and Anna Beth is about to snatch off Luke's hat.

Take two:

Anna Beth was trying to forcibly remove Luke's face.

Take three:

 Luke leaves the shot to deal with his face removal incident.

Take four:

 Emma smells the stinky dog.  Luke smiles through his pain.  Anna Beth likely did something in her diaper.

Take five:

Anna Beth has the giant head that eclipses her brother's face. 

Take Six:

Anna Beth realizes no one is holding onto her (notice lack of hairy arm) and decides to make a break for it.  She oozed right out of her chair and dramatically plopped on the floor.

I won't post the final result here right now.  But I also won't wait six months until I post again.

Maybe.

Are You Seeking?

As a child I loved a good game of hide and seek.  As an only child, I didn’t get a lot of opportunities to play, but when I did, I was thrilled.  I was a really great hider.  There was nothing better than finding a super hiding spot when playing with a big group of cousins or friends.

I remember a downside to my favorite game.  There would sometimes come a point when, due to how well I was hidden or lack of interest on the part of “IT” to find the hiders, that the game would be abandoned.  There I’d be, in the World’s Best Hiding Spot, and no one was even looking for me.  I’d wait and wait, until I realized nobody was trying to find me.  I would be so disappointed.

I suppose God probably feels that way sometimes.  When we are most troubled, joyous, or needy, we often forget that God is not hiding, He is there with us.  All we have to do is seek Him in prayer and in His Word.  Isaiah 55:6 says, “Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.”  How disappointing we must be to God when He is near and we choose not to seek Him, due to lack of interest or fear that we won’t find Him!

God is not hard to find.  All that He requires is for us to be sincere when we look to Him.  Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”  Let that be your goal this Christmas season.  Seek Him whole-heartedly in everything this busy time requires.  You’ll be blessed if you do!

Hoarders

Have you ever seen the television program called “Hoarders?”  I am appalled and fascinated by it, all at the same time.  The concept of the show is that a person or family is seeking help for an unbelievable problem.  Their homes have been taken over by stuff.  Sometimes the stuff is as innocuous as piles upon piles of clothing, books, and boxes of belongings.  Other times, the person or family keeps everything in their home, including garbage, animal or human waste, and other unthinkable filth.  The homeowner occasionally has an explanation for why things have gotten to that point, but most of the time, they can’t explain why it happened.

Inevitably, every time I watch the show, I always ask myself:  “How do they let it get so bad?  At what point did they just give up and let the piles of stuff take over?”  The good thing about the show is that the person or family receives help cleaning up and counseling for their problem.  They are given a way out, if they choose to accept it.

I think this show is a pretty good comment on the sin condition in our world.  A person starts out with a little “pet” sin.  That gateway sin leads to other ones.  Eventually, the person finds himself in over his head in the filth of sin.  Sometimes, he says “I’ve let it get too bad.  I’m just going to give up and let this sin lifestyle take over.”

The good news is that this person --and all believers --have a way out, if we choose to accept it.  Jesus Christ spilled his blood so that we may be free from the filth and guilt of our sin.  His blood washes us as white as snow.

God Bless You!--Lianne

On Blogging Hiatus...

...Be back soon!

Goodness

I see her every afternoon as I wait to pick up Emma at school. She comes out before all the other kids, holding on to the arm of a teacher. With some degree of difficulty, she makes her way over to the bench and sits down.

I can't begin to imagine exactly what her disability is, but if I had to guess I would figure it to be muscular dystrophy or something akin. No matter what ails her physically, she never fails to keep on smiling. Even when there's no one paying any attention to her, she sits on her bench and lights up the world with her bright grin. She's a cute little thing.

Then I saw HER yesterday.

She made her way across the parking lot as quickly as three legs would allow.  I'd seen her out there before, but she never ventured all the way across the long lot to where the kids were.  I wondered if the administrators would shoo her away. 

She obviously belonged to someone, seeing how she was looked very well-fed and was wearing a collar.  She looked like some mix of Labrador Retriever and who knows what else.  It appeared that her body had never quite snapped back from having puppies some time back.  (I FEEL YOU, MAMA DOG.  I DO.)

As she quickly ambled her way over, she stopped and scratched as best as three legs would allow her to do.  She made a beeline for the little girl.

I held my breath, wondering what would happen next.

The little girl smiled brightly.  If I'm lying, I'm dying--that dog smiled right back at her.

They greeted each other like old friends.  The dog curled around the little girl's feet (and even though I couldn't hear it, I know she did it), breathed a contented sigh.

The little girl reached down and stroked Mama Dog's head.  Mama Dog looked up into the little girl's eyes.  In that moment, I saw pure joy...bliss...no judgment.

As I blinked back tears, I realized it was a good day.

Hold my hand!

Anna Beth has recently started sleeping through the night, every night (Cue choirs of angels singing the “Hallelujah” chorus here,).  She has developed a little habit that I find endearing and thought-provoking.  She wants me to hold her hand when she goes to sleep.  If I’m holding her, she locks her tiny hands around one of my fingers.  If she’s napping in my bed, I have to lie next to her, holding her hand, until she drifts off to restful sleep.

Anna Beth derives total comfort and peace by knowing that I am there with her.  She feels protected and loved by having someone’s hand to hold on to.  Don’t you feel the same way about your relationship with God?  I know I do.  I know that if I chose to grasp tightly on to God’s hand that I would be less likely to worry and fret over situations that He can handle.

Thinking back to the time I was a little girl, I can remember being scared of the dark.  I found comfort in holding my Daddy’s hand.  I knew there was nothing too big or too scary that he couldn’t handle.  I find that same comfort in my Heavenly Father now.  If I didn’t have the “Everlasting Arms” to “lean on,” I don’t know where I’d be.

When you feel your faith is being stretched and tested, reach out for God’s hand.  Find your rest in Him.  His hands are strong and sure.  In Isaiah 41:10, it is written: “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”  God’s hand is unfailingly with us in times of trouble and in times of peace.  I praise Him for that.

"Just a little Patience..."

When God was giving me the virtues He knew I needed, He decided to go sparingly on patience.  It’s not something I’m satisfied with, so I pray that He will provide more patience or teach me how to be more patient daily.  I’m impatiently waiting to become more patient!

In my defense, I do not live in a society that encourages patience.  Instant communication is possible through texting, phone calls, and e-mails.  A person can microwave a complete turkey dinner in less than five minutes for lunch.  In mere moments, you can feed your entire family exactly what they want from a drive-thru window at a fast-food restaurant.  We have devices in our home that allow us to record our favorite television programs and fast-forward through the commercials.  Our society does not value patience; rather, we are constantly figuring out ways to do what has to be done in faster ways.

The God we serve is not always a “fast-food God.”  In fact, His response to many prayers is “Wait.”  It’s the message of “Wait” that can bring doubt into the mind of a believer.  God can and does give instant replies to prayer, but that is not always the case.  Sometimes He seeks to teach us to be patient in our request in order to deepen our faith, trust Him more, and learn to live in expectation that He will act.

 I will continue to strive to be a more patient person.  I know God has been infinitely patient with me, so I will seek to be more like Him, even if the majority of the world disagrees.  

 As I learn to be more patient, my faith will grow.  I will learn to be joyful, no matter my circumstances.  I will learn to endure with grace and to be hopeful for what God will do.  While I wait, I will, in the words of Hebrews 12, “run the race…with perseverance…fix my eyes on Jesus…and not lose heart.”

God Bless You!--Lianne

A Very Special Guest Post

Hi Everyone! I'm Anna Beth.

My Mommy said that I could write a guest post for her blog. I didn't even know I could write yet!

Anyhow, I have heard that some people wanted to see pictures of me. My Mommy doesn't blog much. I think I keep her pretty busy most days...and nights.

I stay pretty busy myself--what with the playing, eating, sleeping, and...well, that other thing that I'm really not at liberty to talk about.

My parents tell me that I am a blessing and a miracle baby. Now, I don't know what all that means, and I'm guessing all Mommies and Daddies say that. But, my Mommy promises me that it is true.

Last September, my Mommy's doctor told her that my heart rate was way too low. He said that my body measured way too small also. Can you imagine that???

Anyhow, the doctor didn't really think I was "going to make it." I'm not sure what I was supposed to make, but if it's what I do in my diaper...well, I "make it" several times a day. 

Oops! I wasn't going to talk about that.

 My parents are always thanking God for me. You know who I thank God for? My big sister, Emma, and my big brother, Luke. 

 They are SO GOOD to me. A baby could not ask for a better big sister and brother! They love to help my parents out with baths and entertainment. They love to hold me and play with me, too. I can't figure out why they won't change my diapers, though.

Well, I have to go play, eat, sleep, and maybe that other thing when my Mommy's not paying attention.

It was nice meeting y'all!

Time

It occurred to me that the people who have the least amount of free time are probably the ones who spend the most time worrying about it.

 I know that since adding a third child to our family, my time seems to be disappearing a lot quicker than it ever did before.  I spend much of my time holding and feeding Anna Beth, and when I have those rare moments when she’s asleep, I have to make the absolute most of that time, whether it be eating a meal, showering, doing laundry, or spending time with Emma and Luke.

I feel my time comes at a premium right now.  If I don’t make smart use of my fleeting moments without a baby in my arms, I find myself frustrated (and hungry and unshowered, etc.) because I didn’t get anything done.

We all get the same 24 hours every day.  What we do with those hours is what determines our productiveness, our closeness in relationships, and other outcomes.  What we choose to spend our time being focused on defines to the world what we place our importance on.  Anyone looking at my life right now can see that my priority is taking care of my children.  Anyone looking at my house can see that it is not a priority to me at the moment!  (The piles of laundry and the furry Tupperware in the back of the fridge are a testament to this fact!)

In Ecclesiastes 3:1, Solomon tells us that “ There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.”  I know there are days where I don’t think there is a time for everything, and sometimes the most important thing I should be doing—praising the God who gave me this day—gets pushed to the bottom of my “to-do list.”

If you were to analyze how you spend your 24 allotted hours, what would your clear priorities be?  Would it be work, sleep, family, or time spent studying/praising/talking to God?  Take the time to be introspective.  You might be surprised.

Easy and Fast Weight Loss Product! *Snicker*

You probably get them, too: Those coupons and advertisements that are stuck inside the newspaper you subscribe to. Sometimes they are for cat litter or plastic wrap, other times they are for diapers or pretzel m&m's (Thank You, Sweet Jesus!). The rest of the time they manage to sneak in some weird items that I seriously wonder who buys them in the first place--like the Princess Diana doll in her wedding dress or the limited edition commemorative Wizard of Oz plates, or some such nonsense.

Oh, but wait!  I have found the ultimate coupon ad product.  Behold:

Yes, you, too, can shed unwanted pounds by wearing a muumuu.

Let's analyze some of the claims on this ad:
1.  It's called "figure-flattering," "slimming," "luxurious," and "elegant."

Yep, 'cause nothing says svelte more than looking like Mrs. Roper:

2.  "Look slimmer in an instant" and "The pounds seem to disappear as soon as you put [it] on."
Uh huh.  A tarp pretty much accomplishes the same thing if you throw it over something, the something disappears.  I'm just sayin'.
3.  That "model" has man feet.  EWW.
4."Perfect...for entertaining at home--even pretty enough for candlelight dinners!"  Now, I don't eat my dinners by candlelight very often, but I'm pretty certain that the muumuu is fairly unlikely to inspire romance.  I would be afraid those giant sleeves would catch on fire!
5.  "Perfect for all day wear." Yes, especially if you weren't planning on taking off your pajamas that day, anyhow.


Perhaps a more effective way to market this would be to say, "Muumuus:  'Cause you aren't even trying anymore, are ya?"

Two Special Guys...

Hi, it's me, Lianne, the irresponsible Blogger.  Mommyhood to 3 is full-time work!  I fully intend to start blogging again soon, but for now, my blogging time is small and elusive!


In other news, I'd like to wish two very special guys in my life a very happy Father's Day:


My Daddy...

 Dad and Emma (Have you EVER seen a prouder Granddaddy?)

Daddy and Luke

Daddy and Anna Beth (Shh!  He's sleeping!  Ha!)

And my Jason...

Jason and Emma

Jason, Luke, and some crazy, bloated lady without makeup

Dr. Jason McDaddy and Anna Beth

These men are more than just fathers, they are DADDIES.  Daddies are real men who aren't afraid to be involved, get their hands dirty, and set a Christ-like example for their households.  I am so grateful to have grown up in a home with a strong Daddy and to be raising my children with a strong Daddy.

I love you guys!

Wrapped in HIS Word

I had one of those “A-ha” moments at 3:00 a.m. while I was in the hospital after delivering Anna
Beth.  One of my nurses came in and proceeded to carry on a conversation with me about who-
knows-what, as she woke me out of a dead sleep.  She complimented the quilt that we had
Anna Beth wrapped in.  It is a beautiful quilt that is covered with scriptures that are meant to
encourage and inspire.  It is sure to become an heirloom.

After the nurse walked out, I started considering some of the scriptures embroidered on the
blanket, like Isaiah 66:13, which reads, “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.”  
What beautiful imagery to think of God acting like a mother to a child!  A mother is tender,
loving, kind, merciful, and usually just what an infant most desires when scared or hurting…all
of which God is to us as well!

Another scripture on the quilt is Proverbs 30:5, which says, “Every Word of God is flawless, He
is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.”  As I admired Anna Beth’s sleeping form in the
cradle next to me, I prayed this scripture over her.  I prayed that she, as well as Emma and
Luke, will always wrap themselves in God’s inerrant Word.  I prayed that they will always use
His Word as a shield against the things of this world that discourage our hearts and lead us
away from God.  I hope that they will turn to Him as a refuge in times of trouble and rejoice in
His Word in times of happiness.  I pray that their paths will be made straight in their
acknowledgement of Him (Proverbs 3:6).  It is my heart’s desire that they will know the Lord
and love Him first and most of all.

What about you?  Are you wrapped in His Word today?  If not, please consider how comforting
and encouraging it would be to feel His presence every moment as He guides and protects
you.  If you are wrapped in His Word, thank Him for His grace and mercy.

p.s.  Sorry about the super-weird spacing on this post.  Blogger hates me today.

Introducing...

Miss Anna Beth!

Born at 10:03 a.m. on Thursday, May 20, 2010. She weighed 9 pounds, 1 ounce and was 20 inches long.

Fun/Scary facts:

1. The anesthesiologist had to stick me twice to put in the epidural. Jason didn't watch this time, fortunately. I'd had a nice shot of Nubain, so I really didn't care.

2. Anna Beth's heartrate took a big plunge soon after I got the epidural boost. The nurse laid me flat on my back and my blood pressure started dropping like crazy.  I was pretty loopy as a result of the Ambien from the night before ("Good enough for Tiger Woods, good enough for my wife,"--Jason), the Nubain, and the epidural, so it really didn't occur to me to be alarmed until later.  Buzzers were blaring as my BP dropped to 83/38.  My nurse, Laura, called the nurse's station for help.  They brought her ephedrine to try to raise my pressure back up.  I was non-plussed as I watched her squeeze an entire bag of glucose into my veins.  After two doses of ephedrine, my bottom number finally started to come up a little.  I am thankful that my nurse never lost her cool and was totally in control.

3. Right after this episode, I told my nurse that I felt pressure.  She'd just checked and I was only 7 cm or so.  She checked again and I was at 9.  She phoned my doctor who told her to tell me to push when I was ready.  Jason called my parents to find out where they and the kids were.  They were still about 30 minutes away!  I told him not to tell them that I was pushing because I didn't want them to break the speed barrier to get there!

4.  After only 13 minutes of pushing, Anna Beth arrived.  Just like Luke, she had the cord wrapped tightly around her neck.  Also, just like Luke, she weighed the exact same as he did, but was an inch shorter in length.

5.  Emma didn't want to leave the hospital on the day Anna Beth was born.  She wanted to stay on and hold her all night.  She is SUCH a GREAT big sister!

6.  Anna Beth is a really good baby.  I told Jason that if the other two had been this easy, we would have had 10 or 11.  He gave me a serious stinkeye over that comment.  He tells folks that ask if this is our first baby, "No, it's our last."  That cracks me up every time.  It's totally true, though!

7.  I have bounced back from having Anna Beth so much faster than I did with my previous two.  God has really blessed me!

Thanks to all who've checked on us.  We appreciate your prayers as we start this new chapter in our lives.  Also, a big thanks goes to Rachel who visited us.  Not too much longer, Mama, and you'll have your "Cletus the Fetus" here to hold and snuggle! 

Here are some more pics:

Sweet Feet!

My Awesome Kids

Just.SO.Tired!

Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

She's coming!

As I type, I'm am having one WHOPPER of a contraction...unmedicated for the moment, thankyouverymuch. I was admitted to the hospital to be induced last night due to Anna Beth's expected large size.

So far, I've survived the injustices of a waaaaaay too small hospital gown and having to use the bane of my existence, the dreaded bedpan. *GAG!* (P.S. They fixed the gown problem. The one I'm in now probably hosted the circus last time it was in town.)

Anyhow, I sure would appreciate all your prayers today. We figure on having Anna Beth here by around lunchtime. Emma and Luke are really excited to meet Anna Beth...and to have the day out of school!

I will post an update later with stats and rants and whatnot. I'm not sure if I'll be able to get pics on here from my phone, but if we are Facebook peeps, check them out over there later.


Oh, one more thing...can I just tell you how pleased I am to know I should be back home for the "LOST" season finale!?! A girl's got to have priorities.


In the meantime, bring on the pain meds!

Butterflies

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about butterflies lately.  One reason is that we are decorating Anna Beth’s nursery in that theme.  The other reason is that we had five real butterflies living in our house up until recent days. 

Emma received a butterfly growing kit for Christmas.  Last month we ordered our caterpillars.  The box arrived with lots of instructions and a little jar, full of some really yucky substance and creepy-crawling with these hairy caterpillars.  (Jason was even freaked out by them.)  In about a week’s time, we had chrysalises on the lid of the jar.  In about another week’s time, we had these scrawny, nearly-colorless, weak-winged, so-called butterflies flitting around our mesh butterfly cage.  In about an hour after they’d hatched from their cocoons, these ugly insects had suddenly become spectacularly-hued, majestic, graceful flying creatures.  It was amazing to see the transformation!  

Since the lifespan of a butterfly is only a short three weeks, we decided to release them after only a couple of days of appreciating their beauty.  To watch them fly away was truly breathtaking.

I couldn’t help but make some comparisons between my walk as a Christian and the metamorphosis of the lowly caterpillar into the lovely butterfly.  Before I became a Christian, I had not reached my full potential that God planned for me.  As I learned more about Jesus, my life began to change and take on a more specific direction.  After I gave my heart to Jesus, a definite metamorphosis began to occur in me.  I learned to experience the beauty and freedom of a life that comes from following God’s plan for me.  God gave me freedom when I accepted His Son as my Savior, but He continues to nurture me and facilitate more growth and change in me every day through the Holy Spirit.  

As Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."  I know that I’m not as graceful or as beautiful as I will be in Heaven, but I’m going to do my best with the short time I have here on Earth to glorify Him.