I originally got this for my sister when her babe was born this past August. Rave reviews and friends I knew who were 'in love' made me think "what a perfect gift." To be honest I was a bit jealous it wasn't for me!!!

Well... it wasn't such a hit with her! If you've ever really looked at one of these they can seem a little intimidating, and rightfully so being just this one long massive piece of stretchy material basically.

So... I bought it from her. And with the exchange of $$ told her to go have fun shopping for something she wouldn't feel so intimidated by.

Well then I was scared. I used it for a bit when Liam was first born but... it DID seem more work than anything with an infant at that stage. And since he was just content to lay in his bounce seat the whole live long day without a peep I thought "why stress about this!!, I don't have time!!"

However recently I got it back out of the closet to give it another whirl.

And I LOVE it! And so does Liam.

I certainly don't wear it much in the house. Liam is still the content little man he is. But shopping, walking around outside with the kids etc... it has gained a new respected place in my heart. I get to hold my babe snug and close and it doesn't hurt my back!

Thank you Mr. Moby.

I'll gladly be one to recommend you now!

~My parents and grandparents on my dad's side came for a visit one day last week. I absolutely love when family comes to visit us here. I was reminded how blessed I really am to have had generation after generation of fathers before mine on either side (my mom and dad) who loved the Lord and have served him. And while yet in the midst of being flawed and as sinful as the next has chosen to keep God as the center fold of their homes. Who probably somewhere along the way prayed for me. For my little family now. I'm thankful for the blessings passed down. I honestly could not feel more humbled by this. What it has saved me and my own family I will never truly know. I know it hasn't come without a cost. And I'm thankful for a faithful God.

~A thankful heart and mind set has penetrated deep within just the past few weeks. Thankful for my health. That of my children and husband. That I can hug and love and be with my little ones and husband for yet another day while I have them. And most of all that suffering and that of others will one day be no more! I'm just really thankful for Jesus and a God who can heal and comfort and move and work wonders until that day comes. I honestly do not know how someone copes with this world without knowing the Lord. I imagine it's just as sad and confusing yet without the hope. I am thankful for that hope!

~And on a lighter note: I am in love more and more each day with the tile we put down in our bathroom. Purely for the fact that since it has been put down in November I have yet to wash it. Whether that says too much about me as a house keeper these days or not I could care less! Yes I sweep it, and occasionally wipe just around the toilet (we're talking a 6 inch radius if that) after Asher has an aiming accident BUT that is the extent folks! And it still looks beautiful. I'm one happy girl!... and highly recommend it!

Liam Oliver (aka in this part of town down Sulli Rd.... "Buddy Bear", "Baby Bear", "Liam-Lamb-Pie", & "Mr Chubs"), turned 5 months today!

He is incredibly happy all.the.time.

I have no idea where the last 5 months of life with this little guy around has gone,  but what I do know is that we have loved every minute of it. Thoroughly!

I'm so thankful to Jesus for giving us this baby right when he did, because otherwise simply put we wouldn't have our Liam. God knew.

And boy do we love our Liam.

Asher: You gonna go shoppin'?

Sophia: Bye

LONG affectionate embrace goodbye

Sophia: Bye!!!

Another long hug goodbye, some swaying involved.

Asher: Go shoppin'. You gonna get milk and cheese and blueberries and grapes and oranges and grapefruit and pork chops??

Sophia: yeah, BYE!!!!

I'm  thinking they've seen this scenario played out one too many times!

For those of you who didn't know, Beau was our dog. He was a gift to me from my parents when I was in 11th grade. How I loved this dog. Yesterday Gabe and I decided together to finally have him put down for health reasons.

Now believe you me I know he was just a dog. In all reality he was, but he was also a part of this little family in a very real way. Because as I look through pictures of our family it's hard not to come across one of Beau or ones with him in it somewhere. A foot, his head, his body, running in the background, being sweet with the kids. Because that's how he was. That's how a loyal dog is.

Just being there, with us as we lived our lives. And he was heavily apart of it.

His presence is what is missed.

Thanks Mom and Dad for the gift you gave me and this little family in Beau.

We miss him today.

There is an attack on the being of life even from the very beginning. Someone knows the next generation is a threat to him, and it is by his very nature to kill, steal, and destroy in any way shape or form. Even if it means in the form of stealing our faith. Our hope.

Pray for Samuel Christian born just yesterday. Pray for his parents Dan and Emily. Pray for a miracle. He desperately needs one. I don't know much. I know surgery followed shortly after birth. I know prayer is needed and I know God is able.

Your prayers are coveted this.very.moment.

Let our faith be stirred to believe for such miracles. And let the glory of God prevail because of it.

are really into cleaning (mopping the floor, wiping down things, windows, and appliances) with a wipe. They each get one, though always ask for more. I sing the Cinderella song to them while they work and they think it's hysterical...."do the dishes, mop the floor, make the beds, do some more!!!" I kinda make it up as I go along too!

Liam is rash infested neck and ears FREE! Poor guy. We're glad to have him back. He's such a happy guy! He's enjoying more of tummy time as of late. This morning I woke up to him blowing raspberries with his mouth and cooing in his bed down below. I should take a picture of him in his basket now. It's a bit ridiculous!

And the bigger kids are really into their new little table. Thanks Mom and Dad for the idea. I stole it from you! I hope to come across more flea market finds as I did with this little wooden chair for a few bucks to go with it.

The kids are healthy and happy and in that I'm finding much to be thankful for!

No I still don't have curtains made and hung. Honestly I'm really liking the open, bright, come look at us any time at night from the outside approach! The upstairs is tackled when and if time even allows and that by me is fine. And our kids still need LOTS of training. Pretty sure that will always be the case and that is fine too.

The longer I went without updating and writing the more intense and looming the thought of my first entry got. Where would I pick up? What would I write? So much has happened and yet in the little over a month that I didn't write, nothing really changed. Not that I was really intending it to. I wanted the excuse to not feel pressure from only myself to do this. Where is the fun in that anyways!?

Gabe: Continues to be busy with work and Upward of which will come to a mad screeching halt next Tuesday. Not work that is!, but Upward. Thank God for his GREAT job that he continues to find increasing favor in! My goodness the guy is just smart beans, and a really smooth talker and wheeler' dealer. He's got everyone on his floor convinced they want to pitch in $5 every month for a once a month pizza or Chinese or whatever else they feel like party at lunch time! He's definitely one for building team morale and comradery. That and I guess my lunches for him are pretty lame.

Asher: Continues to test, challenge, and work through (with our help) fear of many things. If it's not one manifestation it's another. We've really had to pray over many things and will honestly always continue to. My belief is that this just needs to be channeled in the right direction and that is for God and a healthy fear of the Lord and concern for others. And not clutching the porch convinced you are going to fly up into the sky due to the wind.

He really is a gentle giant when it comes right down to it. And he has the most ridiculous 'sweet voice' as I like to call it that I've ever heard of. You know, when being really lovey-dovey or when you answer the phone all sweet and you could have just been having one of those stern tones with the kids. I'm thinking he's picked this up from none other then me! We talk about Easter A LOT. He's excited for his basket that he sees empty on the counter, but he also asks to read our Easter books NOT about bunnies but the real reason we celebrate this major event and building block to our Christian faith. It's exciting to have him ask those kinds of questions.

Sophia: Some nicknames for her are as follows... Hissy (that's when she's being sassy). Phi-mama (that's when she ain't takin' no shiz as her daddy likes to say, aka bossing and sassing and all with a 'tude). I think you get the gist of where we are at with her. She's talking and doing things at alarming rates (to us!) thanks to having an older sibling. She's such a little mommy with Liam and her baby dolls. She's daddy's little girl through and through. She has a really sensitive side of which Gabe absolutely loves. She loves to be hugged and told she's BEAUTIFUL on Sunday mornings all dressed up. Both Asher and Sophia are great helpers and love to do chores. To not do them with a good attitude is rare.

Liam: Is my Mr. Chubs. (pronounced Meester.. whatever that means and with an accent, not sure what kind. I swear this stuff just comes out!) And he really is all chub. I love chub. On babies only. And LOTS of it. I definitely get my fill with my kids and have thus far with Liam. I am finding just one down fall because of it though that I don't quite remember with the others. So much so we are going to the after care hours today in Canton to try something else. Not sure if it's cradle cap, a yeast infection, or just really bad eczema behind his fat ears and in his neck. After my own treatments and diagnosis (I know I should do less of those) I'm NOW leaning towards the latter. My happy all the time baby has resorted to bits of crying here and there. I am not used to hearing him cry. I'm assuming this is my cue that it's time to deal with the big guys who really know what they are doing.

He still manages to be super happy and a great sleeper. He also still loves to eat, and still just breast milk. I have never even tried a bottle with him. As I'm writing this I'm realizing that may not be a good thing. He's really so good all the time I've chosen to bring him with me everywhere. Recently he fell out of the bouncy seat onto the hardwood floor. Yes he was on the kitchen island like in all the pictures I usually post of him. Thank the Lord he was and is fine. I was indeed thankful he is a bigger guy. I think it helped to cushion his fall a bit.

Beau: gets an entry update too! I had 2 appointments made and canceled for death row. If I could have gotten him in on a particular day we 100% would have been without him. Of course by the time his appt came he was running around acting like a banchy/ young hyper-energetic puppy, walking fine etc and we didn't feel right taking him in... I could just hear the vet asking me " you want to put him down now WHY!!??" Conclusion: just not time yet!

Me: I'm busy. How I am able to write all of this right now I have no idea. Liam is sleeping in the bouncy (strapped in and on the ground!) and Sophia is playing with a popcorn snack. I now can drink caffeine at all hours of the day and it doesn't touch me! I drink 2 cups usually now per day. Gabe says I'm turning into a junky. I don't care. At least not right now.

It's only been a few days but I now set an alarm and get up BEFORE the kids do!!! This is big news for ME! Instead of being hit with the mad rush of getting everyone out of bed and taken care of including Beau all while I'm JUST waking up I now have time to catch my thoughts, spend some much needed time alone in prayer, and work on my attitude before I'm bombarded with all of theirs. It's made for a better more smooth morning. The kinds I want to remember not the kinds I don't.

I was afraid this would happen... one very long rambling of a post! So sorry.

But we are back! Aren't you glad? Come on I KNOW you missed this