Baptism at the Beach

In the shallow water in the Atlantic Ocean is where it took place. Scott was baptized.

Because he is such a big guy, and the water was pretty shallow where we were standing, they decided to dunk him forward. It all worked out well.

He now can celebrate another birthday.

After the baptism, Scott was playing in the water with the boys. This beach was perfect for the boys. The waves were breaking on the sandbar out a little ways, so the water here was surprisingly calm. They did go play in the waves a little too.

Gavin loved the water, which was no surprise. What was a surprise was how much fun he had in the sand. He tried to eat it at first, but soon discovered that it didn't taste very good.

He kept getting up and walking. It wasn't easy walking in the sand, but he kept trying. He did a couple face plants, but he didn't give up. He just kept getting right back up again and walking back and forth.

At this beach, there is also a play area with some fountains of fresh water. The boys had a blast here too. There were a lot of people at this beach, but we still had a blast.

Singing

Teagen wanted to sing Jesus Loves Me.

Before going to bed, we have a routine of prayers, singing, and stories. The boys really have a great time singing. They usually each get to choose a song for all of us to sing. This night, Teagen wanted to sing his favorite song.

Haiti

Haiti

by Scott

This is the group that went to Haiti from our church, along with Sister Gladys and Pastor Henry, who are the owners of the Canaan Orphanage. (Sarah, Gladys, Wayne, Micaiah, (me)Scott, Jim, Pastor Bernie, Pastor Henry)

This is Haiti! Isn't it Beautiful?

Unfortunately, this is also Haiti.

After the earthquake, there were so many left homeless. This is one of the many tent cities there.

There is still a lot of destruction.

Buildings that have been destroyed are everywhere.

I believe this is a government building. Also destroyed.

More destruction.

We took a hike up the mountains, and saw some women working.

We also saw some men working.

This is a make shift gas station.

This is a market. Just slightly different than Walmart.

These are the guys riding in the back of the truck on the way to the Canaan Orphanage from the Airport.

These are some of the children at the orphanage washing clothes, and getting their hair done.

This is one of the worship services for the kids.

Here we are again while hiking in the mountains.

These are the pastors that we were speaking to.

Listening to them sing praises to God in another language was amazing. There were no instruments, but they clapped their hands in different rhythms.

Here we are praying.

I had to throw this one in, just for fun. This little boy just touched my heart. I wish I could have taken him home with me.

Another Life Changed Through God

By Scott

Four months ago I became a real believer. I called myself a Christian, but didn't live the life. I finally got my priorities straight. (1. God. 2. Family. 3. Work.) The knowledge and understanding came to me through God. I started understanding my role as a husband and father. Then God decided to let me go to Haiti. (If you know me and my job situation, it's hard to get a day off.) But, everything worked out in the end. Now my life is forever changed. God, and only God put a fire under me. In Haiti I helped my brothers with 18 different pastors, teaching the gosple and learning more about Him. Now, I can't get enough. Haiti is a beautiful country but at the same time very sad. They need God in a bad way and I believe they will get it. The country has hit rock bottom. Everyone we passed by said "Give me a dollar". They teach their children this. I went there to see how our church can help Canaan and found out that we need to help all of the country. We taught the gosple to pastors. In September we are going back. These pastors were on fire just listening, eating everything up, asking questions and ready to go out and preach. This isn't a tent revival that brings hundreds, but only a few get saved, this is a start to fix the church in Haiti. Money helps, but it's only a temporary fix. We are in it for the long haul, (The Word Of God) because once it starts it will spread like wild fire. We helped start this small fire with God on our side and expect it to continue (with prayer). I'm so excited to see what changes happen in six months with God at work. So, brothers and sisters, please pray for Haiti. Everyone needs to pray and read the Word. I'm still new at this (so is everyone really) so I don't know the answers but God wants me to speak my thoughts (for His glory).

13 Weeks

I am now a little over 13 weeks along, and finally my morning sickness has gone away. I am still tired all the time, and dizzy some of the time. I still haven't seen a doctor yet, but I have an appointment to have a tour of a birthing center and talk to some midwives on Monday. I still need to find a sitter for the boys, but hopefully it won't be a problem. I also hope that Scott has the evening off work. I would really like him to come as well. After all, he really does need to be able to discuss this with me. I want, and need his opinion. I have been extremely emotional still, and don't know if the tears will ever stop. Today I cried when Nemo and his dad were reunited. I don't mean my eyes filled up and I blinked the tears away. They were actually running down my cheeks. This is crazy because I don't cry. (Except maybe once a year.) Here are some details, to keep you updated on everything. Hope you enjoy.

Due Date: August 31st, 2011

Symptoms: Dizzyness, Fatigue,

Cravings: I crave many things, nothing specific. What happens though is when I get what I crave I am completely disgusted by it and want something else.

Sleep: Going okay for now. I am only waking up once to pee. ;) I know you wanted to know.

Milestones: First Trimester done. No bump yet, I don't think. I can't tell if it's fat or baby. Anyway, it's not noticeable.

Movement: I think I've felt a little movement. I don't think it's too soon for this. Is it?

It's A...: Don't know yet, but don't worry, I am gonna find out. Give it another 6 weeks maybe.

My Days

I forgot to post my day. I commented on a friends blog that I would keep track of my day and post about it. Mostly for time management. I found out in this process that I waste a lot of time. I was actually trying to keep busy the whole day, and found myself bored. I decided to do only one day instead of three. I am glad though that I did this. It shows me that I am able to get everything done in one day and I still have time to do my own fun stuff. I also don't have a job outside the home, and only three kids. Even though my fourth child is on the way, there is still way to much free time for me. I think I may need some ideas on how to fill it.

The day I kept track of was Wednesday. That says a lot, because on Tuesdays, we have either Scott's Mens Bible Study, or the Family Bible Study, and on Thursdays is the Women's Bible Study. I also chose Wednesday because I totally forgot to keep track of anything on Monday and Tuesday. So, this is how my day went...

7am - Wake up, pour cereal into bowls for Jameson and Teagen, put clean dishes from dishwasher away, feed Gavin bananas and cereal and bottle, make and eat my toast and yogurt. This all takes about 1 hour amazingly.

8am - Jameson and Teagen ask for a snack. This is normal. I tell them no and they go into the playroom to play. They usually stay in here playing for a few hours. This allows me to do laundry and random pickup stuff in the living room.

10am - Gavin takes his first nap. Jameson starts school, Teagen colors. Because I don't really have to report anything for another year, school is very relaxed here. Jameson still isn't reading, so we work on letters and their sounds, and try to put some together, but he gets really confused and frustrated. Any hints?

1130am - School is done, and lunch is started. They boys are required to pick up the toys before they can eat lunch, so they spend this time in the playroom. I made mac & cheese & hotdogs for this lunch. Gavin wakes up around this time as well. I get his lunch and bottle ready.

12noon - We all eat. Then I send the boys to read books while I clean up and start loading the dishwasher again. Teagen goes down for a nap when I'm done cleaning.

1pm - Gavin is ready for another nap around 1 or 2. Once Teagen and Gavin are asleep, Jameson has a little time to watch a movie or read books by himself. I get some me time here as well. I use this time to go on the computer/internet. I also use this time to shower.

3pm - Teagen is up again now, and starts watching a movie with Jameson. Gavin will wake up soon. The boys usually don't make it through a whole movie. They end up going into the playroom in the middle. When Gavin wakes up, we will sometimes go outside to play.

530pm - I start getting dinner ready. This is when the boys are allowed to help me in the kitchen.

6pm - We eat dinner. Sometimes Scott is home from work to join us, sometimes he is working really late, and won't get home until 2am or 3am.

7pm - After dinner we all clean up, finish the dishes and start the dishwasher. Then we do some random pickup, and make sure the toys are picked up before bedtime. Every other day, we have bathtime, not today.

8pm - We get pj's on and get into bed. We always read from our Bible Story Book, and say prayer. Then we make up our own stories and share them.

10 or 11pm - I end up going to bed. Until that time, I am on the computer/internet again.

During this whole time, I realized that there are many times throughout my day that I have a lot of extra time. I was always thinking that I was so busy, and that I never had enough time to add anything else to my day. I actually have too much time. There is so much more I could do. Now, this day was really laid back. We didn't leave the house at all for appointments or anything. I am however, trying to potty train Teagen, which requires many trips to the bathroom and sitting there with him for several minutes at a time. I do waste a lot of time on the computer doing stuff that is not required, like games. I have decided that I am going to fast from my computer. I don't know for how long, but instead of getting on the computer, I am going to spend more time reading my Bible, and praying. Maybe in a few weeks I will try this again and see what, if anything, has changed.

Lesson learned!

Haiti

Scott is going on a short missions trip to Haiti with a few other men from our church. They will be staying at a place called Canaan. It is an orphanage there. There is a ministry called "Never Thirst Again" that was founded by another member of our church. They have been working with Canaan for some time now.

He is extremely excited to go. He is getting everything together already. Scott is the type of guy that will pack for a trip the day before, or the morning of leaving. Seeing that Scott already has some things set aside that he is planning on bringing, and to see how excited he is, makes me so happy.

I am not exactly sure of everything they plan on doing there, but I do know that Scott is planning on sharing his testimony. He has been really excited about this as well. He wanted me to type it up for him, because I type a little faster than he does. We sat down last night, while he talked and I typed. There is still more that he wants to add, so it's not finished yet.

Scott purchased a few things for this trip already. Since there won't really be any electricity there, he bought a battery operated fan. He has a hard time sleeping in the heat, so a fan seemed necessary. He also bought a few snacks for himself.

There are so many opportunities opening up for us down here. We are so excited to see what else God has in store for our lives. Please pray for Scott while he is in Haiti, and for me and the kids as well while he is away. We will miss him, but also look forward to seeing and hearing about the work he is able to do for God. Thank you all for your support, and I will post some pics when he gets back.

Rats!

I realized that living here in Florida was going to be different than Minnesota. I was thinking mostly of the weather, and the insects. I didn't realize that instead of the tiny little mice that I randomly saw in MN, I would see huge rats here. I couldn't believe it. I was completely grossed out. I will have to tell you the whole story.

Scott and I decided to rearrange the living room. We cleared all the furniture away from the second patio door. We still don't use this door, because it just doesn't slide right, but it was great to finally have some more light in the livingroom. We absolutely love the new set up. I may just take some pictures to share with you later.

Now that the shades were able to be opened to let the light in, they are. We love being able to sit on the couch and actually see outside. It's great. We were sitting watching a movie one afternoon, and I suddenly screamed. Yes, I screamed. I glanced outside, into our patio and saw something moving. We have our washing machine and dryer in the patio, which is where I saw this huge rat crawling. By the time Scott looked out there, the rat was gone. We sat there staring in disbelief for a couple minutes, and saw two more. I couldn't believe it. Where did they come from? Why were they there? Is this normal here? I hope not!

We called the apartment office, and they said it wasn't an emergency because they were outside. They would have an exterminator come by on Monday. It was Friday, so I was kinda happy that I didn't have to do any laundry for a few days.

On Monday the exterminator stopped by and set some traps. He used the wooden ones that snap. Now, I have used these before, but I used the ones that are like three inches long. The ones that he was setting were about a foot long. I was not going to be the one to check them later, and made sure this guy knew that. He said he would be back on Wednesday to check the traps and take care of anything that was caught in them. He told me how the rats got there in the first place.

We went out of town over Christmas. We didn't use our washer for a couple weeks. Because there was no water running through the pipes, the rats were able to climb up from the sewer, and chew through the rubber hose attached to the drain on the washer. We were wondering where all that water was coming from. ;) We bought a new piece for the hose, this time a metal one.

Monday night, Scott and I were sitting in bed and heard some loud snaps. Guess what? Neither one of us wanted to go out there and check the traps and see if they caught something. Especially not at night. We waited until morning. Scott checked, not me, sure enough there were two dead rats. Yay!! Not that I celebrate when I see dead animals. Please don't report me. I was just happy to see that it was working and soon I would be able to do laundry again. My clothes were starting to pile up.

Wednesday, the exterminator came out again, and checked and disposed of all dead animals. He set the traps again, just to make sure they were all gone. He left, and that night we heard the loud snap again. We still weren't brave enough to venture outside to look. I was actually a little disappointed when Scott told me the next day that one of the traps had a frog. Poor thing! I love frogs.

No more rats as of now. We have the washer hose fixed, and the laundry pile is dwindling. All holes are patched, so we hopefully won't even see frogs or lizards in our patio. I will never forget our experience with rats, and I will never again take a vacation without capping off that pipe.

I regretfully admit that little critters were harmed in this story. Nope, sorry! I have no regrets. I'm glad their gone.

11 Weeks

I am 11 weeks pregnant today. There is still nothing showing, but I haven't exactly lost all the baby weight from the last pregnancy. When there is something to show, I might post some belly pics. It may not be for at least another 10 weeks though.

I have had some extreme nausia. The huge difference between this pregnancy and the other ones I have experienced, is the nausia. Every one has been different, but the nausia seems to be getting worse. I have also been dizzy.

I may just need to start a vote on the sex of this baby. Some people think it will be a girl this time, considering that I already have three boys. I am not sure what to think, but I am leaning towards thinking it is another boy, just because I already have three boys. What do you think?

I have invested in kleenex. My hormones are going completely bonkers. I have cried almost every day, but for reasons I don't think anyone has ever cried over before. I have literally cried over spilled milk. I have also cried because I was vacuuming, or while I was vacuuming. I don't really know why I start crying half the time. My boys are always offering me hugs to make it all better though. They are so sweet.

We have some names picked out, but Jameson doesn't like them. He thinks that we should name the baby Judah Ben Hur, whether it's a boy or a girl. Probably not gonna happen, sorry buddy.

Potty Training

This is one of the things that I just don't enjoy. I also don't enjoy changing diapers, so going through this process is a must.

Jameson was basically potty trained over night. He got it. He understood, and wanted to learn and grow up. He had accidents, but they were few. He was about two and a half years old.

Teagen is now alsmost three years old, and I was thinking it would take forever. He wasn't showing any signs of interest in the potty. He didn't care. I kept telling him at every diaper change that he needs to learn to use the potty so he doesn't have to wear diapers anymore. He doesn't care. He likes his diapers.

There are so many different methods in potty training that other people have told me about. Some people let their kids just learn when they learn. They don't try to teach their kids. This method is not for me, cuz I wasn't waiting any longer. Diapers are expensive. I was going to make Teagen ready.

Some people bring their kids to the potty every fifteen minutes, and sit there with them until they go. I don't have the time for this. I have a five year old, and an infant. I tried this, and ended up leaving the bathroom to deal with other things way too often.

Some people think that just letting their kids run around the house naked works. I liked this idea, except for the fact that I would be cleaning up a lot of messes. I tried it, and yes, he had some accidents. He would come up to me crying saying that he peed. I would bring him into the bathroom and he would use the potty. After only a couple times, he learned. He is now going in the potty every time he pees.

We started working on poop. He kept asking for a diaper when he had to go, or just holding it until we put a diaper on at naptime, or bedtime. I kept telling him that he needs to learn to use the potty.

This morning, he did it. He went in and sat on the potty and pooped. Then he stood up and came out and told me what he did. I had to go clean him up, but he got a big treat. M&M's!!! He received lots of positive encouragement. I hope this continues, because I would really like to be done buying diapers for him.

Yay!!! My three year old is a big boy!!!

Brothers

Jameson is such a good big brother. He is always trying to show Teagen and Gavin how to play with something. He explains to them what certain toys do, and how they are to be played with. He also makes sure that I know when one of them needs a diaper change. Jameson is such a good little helper. He will help entertain the other two when I am busy. He is learning to sacrifice what he wants to make his brothers happy.

Teagen has taken little Gavin under his wing. Teagen knows exactly how to make Gavin laugh when he gets a little upset. Just watching them react to each other makes me smile. Teagen loves both his brothers, but would like to be more independent. He loves reading books, and tries to make up the stories by looking at the pictures. He has lots of energy, but still wants to help Mommy with everything.

Gavin is the perfect little brother. He soaks up all the attention from everybody. He loves being held, and he loves being entertained. He makes sure he is the center of attention in this house. He sure does love playing with his brothers too. He will push himself right in there with a car in hand to drive it just like the other two.

Gavin is going to make a great big brother. (hint, hint)

Camping

The guys built a fire.

The kids ran around playing.

We were all smiling all night long.

We cooked hotdogs and smores over the fire.

We talked and hung out.

We relaxed and had fun.

Then came the time for bed, and it was a little chilly.

Flamingo?!

We had the chance to bring this Pink Flamingo with us to Minnesota. We were so excited. We were going to take some pictures of it in some huge snow drifts and possibly some pictures of the kids sledding down a hill with it. We had tons of ideas. We started on our trip and got through Georgia and forgot to take any pictures of it next to a state sign. Oh well. Then we came to Tennessee.

 

We found a cool sign to take a picture with, and then continued on our journey.

We came to Kentucky and found a cool sign for a picture. Then continued on our journey.

We came to Illinois and found a cool sign for a picture. We took more than one picture in Illinois.

It was Metropolis, Illinois. You know, where Superman is. Well, the flamingo got a little carried away. While we were stopped here, we were talking about Minnesota. The flamingo got scared, and didn't want to go there. We don't blame him. He ran away. He stayed in Metropolis, Illinois for the remainder of our vacation. We noticed he was missing after driving all the way through Illinois, and half way through Wisconsin. We would have been adding another day of driving if we went back, so we just prayed that nobody would take our hideous little friend.

We had a great time in Minnesota. We loved seeing our families, and friends. We quite enjoyed the snow, but we are glad that we are back in Florida. On the way driving back, we of course had to stop in Metropolis to see if our Flamingo was there. God is great!! He was there. We weren't that worried that he wouldn't be. We hurried to take some pictures of him in the snow.

There wasn't nearly as much snow in Southern Illinois as there was in Minnesota, but it was snow none the less. We all had a big sigh of relief when he was found.

Boys will be Boys

They shoot guns.

They fall asleep during dinner.

They will learn to walk.

I am so blessed to have been entrusted to raise these boys. Thank you Lord!

Minne-SNOW-ta

The boys loved the car ride. It was a total of 31 hours of driving. We stopped quite a few times for bathroom breaks, and leg stretching. They were very well behaved.

Scott and his brother Jonathan. They both like the cold, and would wear shorts and no jackets all the time, if they didn't have to set a good example for their sons.

We were lucky enough to get a little bit of snow while we were there. Yes, a rare picture of me on this blog. We had to borrow the snow brush and scraper to clean off our car.

The roads were terrible. If you don't have experience driving in this weather, I don't recommend it. It was rather enjoyable to see the look on people's faces when they saw our Florida license plate. After all, who in their right mind would leave Florida in winter to go to Minnesota?

Jameson and Teagen loved the snow. They were so excited when they saw it.

It is amazing what God has created. We were so blessed to see the beautiful snow covered world. Though we were wishing for warmer temperatures after the first day.

This is the ice that got pushed up on Mille Lacs Lake. It is rather thick, and very safe to walk, or drive on. I wish we had time to do a little ice fishing.

This is one of many beautiful sunsets we enjoyed.

Gavin put his hand on the glass of the fireplace, and got a big blister on his hand. We took him to the ER, and we have to keep his hand bandaged for a few more days.

Jameson and Teagen had a blast seeing their cousins and grandparents. They didn't mind getting a few presents too.

Gavin did a great job opening his first present.

Gavin loves daddy.

We all had a blast on our vacation. We are looking forward to visiting again. However, we are very happy to be back home in Florida.

SNOW

It has been a while since we have seen this much snow in Minnesota. Maybe it's because I didn't see the gradual changing when the snow was falling. Maybe it's because we drove here from Florida, and I was used to the 60-70 degree weather. I am quite cold right now. Scott and his brother wanted to show everyone that it's not really that cold out. Yes, they are wearing short sleeves, and shorts. It was 14 degrees out, and the huge snow pile behind them is almost over their heads. When I took the picture, I ended up taking a few because the first ones were not clear. I was shivering too much. The snow is beautiful, and I am so happy that we are here and able to experience it again. I am however, ready to go back home to Florida and warm up. I will be posting a lot more pictures soon. It might not be until after Christmas, but they are coming.

Packing

I am packing.

I don't like packing.

There is just so much to remember to bring. I even made a list, and I am not usually a list person.

Things to pack for our Christmas vacation.
-Bible (of course)
-clothes
-jackets/winter stuff
-toiletries
-camera
-computer
-food/snacks
-movies
-presents
-toys/books

I am sure there are many things I don't have on this list that will end up in the car, but that's okay.

What I want to make sure is that we have everything we need. I know I will end up halfway there, and think of something that I have forgotten. It never fails. Has this ever happened to you? What will I forget this time? In the past, I have forgotten my toothbrush, or shampoo. I have even worn my sandles, but forgotten to bring shoes. I am really hoping that this time will be different.

I could use some help. If you think of anything else I can add to my list, let me know.

Wind Chill?

Can you believe it? There was a wind chill warning in Florida today. They were saying the temp could get as 30 degrees. The wind chill would make it colder and everyone should make sure they wear hats and gloves when they go outside.

???????????????

I am sorry to say, but that is not a wind chill.

A wind chill is when there are warnings of frostbite on exposed skin after only a few seconds.

A wind chill is 30 degrees below zero.

A wind chill is when it is dangerous to even go outside.

I just laughed when I heard the weather report here.

First, I couldn't believe how cold it was actually going to get. I didn't think we would have to turn the heat on at all, and last night we did. It actually got a little cold in our place.

Second, Floridians don't even know how lucky they are. Driving in snow is not fun. Trying to breath outside when it's 30 degrees below zero is hard and painful. Your nose hairs freeze.

Third, what is up with this cold weather? I live in Florida, and it's like 40 degrees out. Not at all what I expected. Is this normal?

Good thing I was raised in Minnesota. I am used to this kind of weather. Only thing is, I thought I had moved away from it. Oh no, it followed me. Please don't blame me if it starts snowing in Florida.

I'm Thankful

Because of Thanksgiving just passing, I decided to write about the thing I am most thankful for. Of course there are many things I thank God for every day; the food He has provided, the home He has provided, that He keeps us safe, and all the other everyday miracles He performs. Today I would like to thank God for my Family.
I have an amazing husband. He loves me so much. He does so much for me. He takes care of me. I don’t deserve the love that he pours out to me. I am in awe every day just to know how much he cares. He sacrifices his sleep to give me another hour of rest. He will change dirty diapers all weekend long, just to give me a break from it. He does the dishes, laundry, and many other household duties. I love my husband so much, and I thank God for bringing us together.

God knew exactly what He was doing when He gave us our oldest son, Jameson. He knew we needed him. Jameson is very strong willed. He wants things done his way, and will complain if he doesn’t get it his way. He will also make sure that he wants the exact opposite of what you want. He is very easily upset. He is also one of the sweetest kids ever. He will sit and hold his baby brothers hand for hours, just because he loves him. He will randomly announce to everyone that he loves them. He will talk to complete strangers at the grocery store or anywhere else, and tell them about Jesus. Everyone should have a daily dose of Jameson.

Teagen, our second son has been quite an adventure in himself. When God gave us another boy, I knew I had my work cut out for me. Teagen likes hugs. He needs to be hugged regularly. If he hurts himself, he won’t stop crying until he has a hug. His laugh is contagious. Just try not to laugh after hearing him chuckle. I don’t think it’s possible. He will actually come up to you and ask to be tickled.

Our third son Gavin, has been such a blessing. He is nothing like the other two. Gavin is happy just sitting on my lap. He will play with his brothers, but is happiest when being held. He is a snuggler. He hugs and holds on so tight. I don’t mind, because I love hugs.

I give thanks to God for blessing me with such an amazing family. Not just my husband and kids, but my parents, siblings, in laws, and my church family as well. I had heard people talk about their church families, but never really understood what it meant, until I experienced it for myself.

You guys are great. After leaving our families, and moving, God gave us an amazing gift.

Update (Finally)

I was sitting here tonight, thinking, "WOW! I have not updated my blog in a long time." You guys were probably wondering what had happened to me. Not that there are that many people that actually read my posts, but I like to think I am that popular and everybody loves me. :-)

Jameson has become quite the little smarty pants. He is very stubborn. I think he gets that from me. Don't you just hate it when your mom is right when she says, "Some day you are going to have a kid just like you." Well, Jameson is just like me. He gets angry and throws things. I remember getting that mad and slamming the door of my bedroom. My parents had to take the door away. They actually took the door off the hinges to prevent me from slamming it anymore. I had to earn it back. Now everytime Jameson throws something, he gets a toy taken away. The only problem is, he doesn't have many more toys left to play with, and either does Teagen. I may have to find a different way to take care of this problem.

Teagen is my little klutz. Gotta love him. He gets this from me. When I was in diving in high school, I was in a competition at an outdoor pool in the summer. I placed on the 3 meter board. I went up and got my medal, and then, (typical Andi move) I fell down the cement stairs and got all scraped up. I was teased for a long time about how I can be so graceful on a diving board, but can't walk on my own two feet. Teagen can't walk either. He is the one that will trip over a blade of grass. He also gets hurt a lot. Minor injuries, like bumping his head on the couch. Soft surface, you may be thinking. Well, Teagen manages to get hurt this way. He will cry until you give him a hug. This part I love. A hug from mommy still fixes everything.

Gavin is my snuggler. I am not sure if he got this from me or not. I know that his is not shy either. He doesn't care who is holding him, as long as he is being held. He likes the attention. He's going to be like me. When I was little, (my mom says) that when we would have to get onto an elevator, I would be the one always breaking the elevator rules. I would talk to people, and walk around. I still don't understand why you always have to turn around and face the door. You might not want to ride on an elevator with me. Gavin recently got his first tooth. One on the bottom broke through. He is drooling like crazy.

Scott and I are doing great. We are planning our trip back to Minnesota for Christmas. We are really excited to see everyone. We have heard a lot of horror stories about the bad weather there. We have had such beautiful weather here. I do miss the snow, but I am glad I will only be around it for a week, then it will be back to sunny Florida. We are currently looking to buy a new used car. We hope to find one before our trip, but we know that might not happen.

God has been showing us some wonderful things recently. We have been amazed at all the work he is doing in our lives.

Angel VS Devil

Have you ever had fight with yourself over what you should do in a particular situation? I have a very visual mind, and always picture that little angel on one of my shoulders, and the little devil on the other shoulder, both telling me what they think I should do. Who do I usually listen to? Do I have to answer that?

I would have to admit, I probably don't listen to the Angel quite as often as I should. Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. I am no exception to this! I have sinned as well. I hate to admit it, because I do like to think of myself as perfect.

These little so called cartoon characters are a large part of my decision making process. One of them gives me an idea, and I think, "That would be fun." Then the other says, "No, do this." I of course think, "That would be more fun." When it comes down to my final decision, I would like to say that I always take into account what the Bible says, and I do what is right. That's not always how it works though. I sometimes choose what I know to be wrong.

Like I said, I like to think of myself as perfect. I, however, am not perfect.

Perfect would be God, and God alone.

How do I change this, and make the right decision all the time? Can I just flick that little cartoon devil off my shoulder, and listen only to the beautiful little angel? No! It's an evil world, and that means that I have to face evil in my everyday life. I have to face making decisions that I would rather not make. I have to have these little arguments with myself to figure out what God wants me to do. I also have to make the wrong decisions every once in a while, so God can teach me and mold me into what He wants me to be.

My Boys

Gavin is now crawling. He also is able to pull himself up to standing. He does this at the couch, and just by holding onto my pants. He is very clingy, and never wants to be put down. When I do put him down, which is actually quite often because I am not able to hold him all day, he has a blast playing with his brothers. The like to give him lots of toys, and of course, the give him lots of hugs and kisses too. They are great with helping me take care of him. Gavin has started talking a lot of jibberish. He makes a lot of noise.

Teagen also makes a lot of noise, but with him, it's because he is just really loud. Teagen does not have a volume control. We wish he did sometimes. He has to be reminded to be quiet. He also has to be told to speak up at times. He likes to whisper. I can't win. Either we can't hear him at all, or he's the only thing we can hear. Teagen is having a lot of fun learning things in school. He likes to color, and I don't mean on paper. He usually finds something to color on, like the walls, or his own body. He also likes to tease his older brother. He will do anything possible to make Jameson angry.

Jameson is overly annoyed by his little brother. Jameson gets very upset if things don't go they way they are "supposed to go". What he doesn't realize yet, is that life is like that. We are trying to teach him to "Do everything without complaining or arguing" Philippians 2:14. This is difficult, because Jameson likes to whine. He has learned a lot while we are working on school. He loves school. I am trying to teach him how to read, but it hasn't clicked yet. We are hoping it will soon, because we are planning on getting him his own Bible for Christmas.

Scott is wonderful. He does so much for me that I don't deserve. He is too good to me. I love him more and more each day. It is the slow season at work, so he is able to spend more time at home. We love being able to spend more time with him, and see him more often.

Sick

My boys are sick. They all have runny noses and a cough. I feel so bad, because I know how miserable they must be. I can't stand having a cold.

The sleepless nights without the ability to breathe through my nose,

The endless blowing of my nose,

The raw red nose that you don't want to go into public with,

The hacking and coughing that is embarassing.

I really hope I don't catch it.

Jameson doesn't have it very bad, only a little bit of a runny nose, and not much coughing at all. Teagen, however, was coughing so hard that he threw up. He was up almost all night for two nights in a row. Gavin has a very runny nose, and a little cough.

Now for the talk about meds. What can I give them. There are no medications out there that will dry up their noses. There are only ones that are decongestants. That will make their noses run more. I can't give Gavin anything, because he is only 6 months old. I have given the older two cough medicine, but it doesn't seem to work. They are still hacking.

I don't like medicine, and rarely take any myself. If I can live with the pain, or discomfort, I do. As for my kids, I don't like to watch them suffer, and would rather have them feeling normal, so I give them medicine when it is required.

I would love to get some sleep, but when you have sick kids it's out of the question. I find myself getting up a few times at night just to check on them and make sure they are okay, and still breathing. With these colds, I don't even have to enter their bedroom. I can hear them snoring all the way in my room.

Poor little Gavin is also teething. He is draining fluids from his nose, and mouth. So, not only is he cranky from the pain in his gums, but he also had the cold and cough. I have given him Tylenol, and Orajel as needed.

A mother's job is never over. This is just the beginning.