9 YEARS

We have been married for 9 years today.



When we met, I knew he was the one.

We were engaged.

Walked down the isle.

We are married.

He is my husband. He is my leader. He is my friend.

I, Andrea Elizabeth, was married on June 12, 2003. It was a Thursday, just like it was 28 years earlier when my mom (Elizabeth aka Betty) married my dad. It was also a Thursday 28 years earlier again, when my grandma (Betty) married my grandpa. Three generations.

I thank God for blessing me with the example of my parents marriage.

Scott has been such a blessing to me. I love him more today than the day we were married, if that's possible. God knew I needed him. He has been there to make me laugh, and has been my shoulder to cry on. He has given me 4 handsome (of course they all look like Scott) little boys I have the pleasure of raising. He is my love.

I love you Scott, and I look forward to spending the rest of my life in your arms.

Minnesota

Okay, I know this post has taken quite a while to write. I was having some difficulty with uploading pictures, and I wanted to share those with you as I shared a little of how our trip went.

We started off with everyone discovering what Mommy had packed in their backpacks. They had all sorts of things to do to pass the time on the long car ride.

We were on our way to pick up Grandma in Tampa. About halfway there, Teagen got sick. We stopped at a gas station to clean out the car and clean up Teagen as much as possible. We got back on the road and almost made it to Tampa. We were less than a mile away from picking up Grandma, and Gavin got sick. This was not the way I had planned on starting my vacation. God had other plans. Thankfully we were able to use a hose to clean up the carseats. There was hardly anthing on the actual car. The kids had baths. Before we headed out again, we stopped and got some children's motion sickness medicine. They were fine the rest of the trip. *sigh*

I was reminded of our Savior watching over us and our traveling while we were in Illinois. When we got to MN, I stayed the first night with J & T. Thanx guys, you're the best. The next morning I left for another 2 hour drive to see my parents. When I got there, I was able to unpack and relax a little before my mom came home.

This was it! This was the look on her face when she saw me. I think she was surprised. There was lots of tears and hugs from both of us. We were able to spend lots of time talking about everything. I think I took home more than I came with. I got lots of sewing stuff. It was great to see my mom.

Simon fell in love with Grandpa. He was so comfortable just snuggling.

Simon had so much to take in, but he mostly just sat here and watched all the activity around him. The boys had a great time hanging out with their cousins.

Jameson was very careful with riding his cousins 4 wheeler.

Teagen was a little more relaxed.

Gavin had no clue what he was supposed to do, but loved sitting on it even if it wasn't moving.

Simon had a blast outside, and it was even warm enough for a couple days to be in short sleeves.

There were new puppies to play with. The boys have been asking if we can get one. Sorry, not for a few more years.

We hung out with more cousins and saw a brand new baby. Yay! Simon thought the chickens were more interesting.

We had an easter egg hunt, and it was freezing cold. The boys had to wear jackets.

They still thought it was fun. Can't you see the excitement on that face?

Jameson's jacket was a little too small. It's been a while since we've had to wear those.

This was the day before Easter, and it was really cold. Easter started out a little chilly, but warmed up. The night before Easter, I was sitting on the couch talking to one of the boys, when all of a sudden there was someone behind me. Scott had surprised me. He flew up to MN and was able to spend Easter with us as a family. I was so happy to see him. I couldn't believe it. I went to MN to surprise my mom, and the whole time, he knew he was going to show up and surprise me. I loved it.

We had some cake and celebrated Gavin's 2nd Birthday. 

Simon loves to spit when eating his veggies.

Our return trip was much less eventful. No kids getting sick. We were very relieved to be home. I missed my own bed.

Everything was great. We all had a great time. I wish we could have stayed longer, and been able to see and visit more people.

More of the same

Okay, here we go again.

On Tuesday, we were finally able to get the VCUG done. We went in, and because the ER doctor was able to get the barium out a couple weeks ago, Simon had the VCUG. Everything with that was normal.

On Wednesday morning, we had an appointment with the Pediatrician, Dr K. Scott had taken the day off work so he could help with the kids. We all went in. I don't think the doctor really even looked at Simon. He knew we had an appointment scheduled with the GI doctor for later that day.

I had called two weeks ago to get an out of network authorization to see the GI doctor. Dr K's office never got it. They saw that there was already a referral in his chart, and decided that he didn't need another one. They were wrong. They told me that it would take a couple weeks to get the authorization, and we wouldn't be able to see the doctor until we had it. We already waited a couple weeks after requesting it. I was a little angry.

Finally after a few hours filled with phone calls and frustration and holding my tongue and trying not to scream at everyone, we were going to be able to see the GI doctor. Dr D was going to make an exception because he wanted to see Simon.

We went in for the appointment, and Dr D was great. He looked at all the records and results of all the tests already done. He gave us the results of the Celiac test, NEGATIVE! He examined Simon. He ordered more tests. He said that Simon is gaining weight, but not fast enough. He wants Simon to see a Geneticist.

We went and had more blood drawn. More tests and more appointments. My baby is not growing, and we don't know why. The doctors seem to be fishing now. They don't know, so they just order test after test. When do we stop? If all the results keep turning up negative, do we keep looking, or do we stop?

Maybe he is just a small baby. Maybe he is going to be built differently than my other boys. Maybe he is normal for him.

I know it is all in God's hands. I don't like waiting. I don't like not knowing. I keep reminding myself that I have four beautiful boys. I have an amazing husband. I have so many other things to be thankful for. I need to stop complaining. I need to stop dwelling on things that are not perfect in my eyes. I need to start thanking God for the things I have been blessed with.

Who am I to think I deserve anything I have?

I am nobody! I am nothing without Jesus!

6 months

When I was growing up my parents started to celebrate half birthdays. At first I thought it was pretty weird, but came to love it. We would get half a cake. I think that was my favorite part. My mom would make a round cake, cut it in half and make it a layered half cake. What a great idea, and great memories.

Yesterday Simon turned 6 months old, and I was remembering the half cakes. Has it already been 6 months? Where has the time gone. Though he wouldn't be able to have the cake, I almost made one. For me of course. He can have peas and rice cereal. ; )

Happy 6 month birthday Simon. Keep growing bigger little buddy.

Chunky?

I think it's happening! I think he is actually getting some fat built up.

Simon had extra skin on his arms and legs. Now, he still does, but I think it's less than before. Maybe it's just me being hopeful, but I don't think so.

Ever since going into the ER he has been happier. We have been able to set him down. I have so much free time now because I am not carrying him around all day. He loves tummy time. The boys love playing with him on the floor. He does really well. 

We still have some more doctor's appointments, and more tests, but things are looking up. We are also looking up, thanking God for the provision and promise.

A Light At The End Of The Tunnel

Ever since we left the hospital at the beginning of February, Simon has been referred to all sorts of doctors. All of them do the same tests over and over. There are never any results. I was getting sick of it. I wanted answers and they weren’t coming. Every time he saw a new doctor, they started at the beginning. He was supposed to see the GI doctor that he saw in the hospital for a followup. Because of insurance, he couldn’t. Simon’s primary doctor (we’ll call him Dr. K) referred him to see a GI doctor that insurance will cover.

On Thursday, we went to see the GI doctor. Not good! I will never go back to that doctor EVER again. After asking me why Simon wasn’t following up with the doctor he saw in the hospital, he said, “So now I get stuck with you.” I didn’t like that he didn’t care about my son’s health. He obviously didn’t want us there, and made that clear by not listening to what I had to say. He said Simon wasn’t gaining weight because he wasn’t eating enough. He is eating 5oz every 4hours, and we have been attempting rice cereal, but he still pushes it out with his tongue. The doctor didn’t like that answer. He said Simon shouldn’t be doing that and should be eating at least 1 Tablespoon of rice cereal three times a day by this age.

He ordered a bunch of tests, including 10 different blood tests, an ultrasound, and speech therapy. Yes, speech therapy for a 5 month old. Confused? I was too. He didn’t even address the fact that Simon still has barium in his system from the upper GI they did a month ago. I am supposed to return there in 1 month. Not gonna happen! I am not waiting that long to see if he will pass the barium on his own, and to see if there is anything else wrong.

After I left MR CRAZY DOC MAN’S office, I immediately called Dr K. We went to his office and even with a waiting room filled with patients, we were seen right away. Dr K said he didn’t really care for this GI doctor, but insurance rules must be followed, or I pay everything up front.

Did I mention I dislike insurance? Let’s just say that I am not a fan of insurance rules. Why can’t they just cover you wherever you go? I am thankful that we have insurance.

Dr K added some more blood tests to the list and said to get the blood tests done at the outside lab that the GI wants to use, and go back to see Dr K in one week. More waiting. He mentioned that Simon probably shouldn’t have been released from the hospital. WHAT?!?

All I want is to get the barium out of Simon’s system so we can get the VCUG done. If they want to order more tests, that is fine, as long as we don’t ignore the first problem.

I don’t know what to do anymore. I am trying to do what is best for Simon, while trying not to ignore my other kids. I am stressing over the fear that something might be seriously wrong, and trying to trust in God.

I spent all day Friday on the phone trying to figure out what to do. I called the insurance company to see if they would approve coverage to be seen by the original GI doctor from the hospital. The answer was NO! I was in tears a lot, and really just confused over everything. I feel like a horrible mother because I forgot to make lunch for my boys. Jameson finally came up to me and said, “Gavin and Teagen are sleeping, and I’m hungry.” I felt horrible and broke into tears again.

I called Scott because I really needed my husband to guide me. I needed him to tell me what to do. I was overwhelmed and couldn’t function on my own. Scott came home from work early, and sent me to the ER with Simon. He said that the only time anything was ever accomplished was at Joe DiMaggio’s Children’s Hospital, and that is where we needed to go. Of course he was right.

When we got to the ER there was a lot going on. They were very busy. I didn’t even see a doctor for 2 hours. That was okay though cuz I could have been waiting a whole month. Dr A came in and I told him the whole story. He looked at the records that I had with me from all the doctors Simon had seen. He looked at the tests ordered, and asked why they hadn’t checked for Celiac yet. He added that test, and then ordered lots of blood drawn and an x-ray, and an ultrasound.

It took three nurses and five attempts to get an IV in. Not fun! They filled six pediatric tubes with blood. That seemed like a lot. Half was to check for Celiac. We got the results back for blood, x-ray, and ultrasound, and everything was normal. It will take two weeks to know about the Celiac, but that is what Dr A thinks it is. Simon is showing all the symptoms of it. Very treatable. He would be gluten free for life.

Next, Dr A was very concerned about the barium. He told me that barium turns to cement in the body. He sees lots of babies in the ER after having barium. Simon was pretty bad though. He gave him an enema, and Simon gave birth to a huge ball of cement barium. It was about the size of two quarters.

They removed the IV, gave us a prescription and sent us on our way. We will find out in two weeks if the Celiac test is positive, and if it is then they will do a biopsy to confirm.

In the meantime, Simon slept through the night last night. He woke up this morning, ate, and hasn’t cried once. He is currently playing on the floor. I wasn’t able to set him down without him screaming before. I believe his is a lot more comfortable after getting that barium out.

Thank you everyone for your prayers and support. I am a lot less stressed after last night and getting answers and seeing a doctor that cared, and Simon is obviously more comfortable. Though God doesn't follow my timeline, He has always provided for and taken care of our family in His time, and we know He always will.

Thank you Lord, for taking care of our whole family. Thank you for guiding us in where to go and what to do. Thank you for my husband. Thank you for the doctors that cared. Thank you!

Answers

I just want answers. We have had so many doctor's appointments and procedures, and there is still no diagnosis. They still don't know why Simon is losing weight. They have a lot of idea's. There are many things it could be.

I keep going back in and keep being referred to another doctor. This one doesn't know what to do, so we get passed on to the next one. Results of this test are inconclusive, so lets try another one. All I want is to know what is wrong so it can be fixed.

Simon is now almost 6 months old, and has not even gained 2 pounds from birth. Average growth for a baby is to approx double in weight by 5-6 months. That would mean that Simon should be approx 16-20 lbs. He currently weighs 11 lbs 11oz.

I pray daily that we will get answers. I know it's all in God's time, and not mine as I would love to think. I am learning patience like you wouldn't believe. I keep telling God that this doesn't fit into "my" plan. He knows.

I have learned to give my children to God. I have to do this daily, because every day I try to take them back again. They are God's children. He has granted me the gift of raising them. I am blessed with being their mother and being able to teach them to honor God in all they do. When I give them to God, I rely on Him. He guides me. I know there is nothing I can do, and that hurts, but God has control.

This passage has been a comfort to me in this stressful time.

Philippians 4:6-9

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Update on Simon

I meant to post an update on Simon last week, but that didn't happen. On Tuesday we went in for the VCUG. They decided to take a quick picture to make sure there wasn't any more contrast in his system like there was the last time they tried to do this procedure. Guess what. There was still contrast. After two weeks. I was a little surprised. They sent us home without doing the procedure again. We rescheduled and are waiting.

On a positive note, Simon is sleeping better. He is also eating better, without spitting up much at all. He is happy. He is smiling and laughing. He would smile before, but not very often. Now he is smiling lots and even chuckles. It is adorable. We have the other VCUG scheduled for Wednesday, and I will let everyone know how that goes, and if we have to reschedule again or not. Please pray that all is okay.

It has been a waiting game from the beginning. There isn't much that I can do, and that is the worst feeling any mother can have. Watching your child that is sick or hurt or anything, and not being able to help. I have been feeling pretty inadequate. I am not able to tell what's wrong when he cries. The other boys were easy. I knew what they wanted and when. Now, I have this beautiful little one, and I have no idea what I'm doing. Baby #4 and I thought I would be a pro. Quite often I am debating with myself about my ability to care for him. The first three did fine, but Simon is different. Why am I not able to keep him healthy? Why am I not able to keep him happy? Why? Why? Why? I have no answers. I feel like I am not a good enough mom. I feel like I have failed.

I find my rest in God. I read my Bible, and don't find answers to my questions, but I do find peace. I find comfort. I feel like God is giving me a great big hug and telling me it's okay. It's hard to explain. Have you ever felt it? Has God ever made you feel better about the mess you're in without changing it at all?

Simon

It didn’t happen all of a sudden, but over a long period of time so it wasn’t that noticeable. The journey we have taken over the last couple of days has been hard, crazy, and a little scary. The only explanation we have for things turning out the way they did, is the grace and mercy of our Lord, Jesus.

It all started back in November. We brought Simon into the doctor because he was sick. It turned out he had bronchiolitis. At this point, he weighed 13lbs 6oz. He was put on medication, and we thought everything was fine. We proceeded with our plans to go to Tampa for Thanksgiving. When we got back, he was fine for a few days, then started screaming all the time. He wouldn’t sleep. He was up all night for a couple weeks. We tried everything. Driving him in the car didn’t work, he hated the swing, nothing was working. Finally we took him into the ER.

When he was at the ER, they weighed him and he was 12lbs 9oz. I was told that the difference in weight was just because the scales were different. I told them that he has been spitting up a lot ever since he was born, and there might be a problem relating to that. They did so many tests on him. They did x-rays, ultrasounds, blood and urine tests. They found nothing wrong.

We went home and went through more sleepless nights because nothing had changed. We brought him in to see the pediatrician and he sent Simon to the ER. There we were again with more tests. More blood and urine, another ultrasound, and still there was nothing wrong. The ER doctor came in and told me not to get so worked up when a baby cries. I am surprised I was able to hold my tongue. I don’t think she realized that I had three other kids at home, and this is not normal, even for this one. They sent us home with a prescription for Zantac for reflux cuz he spits up, and a diagnosis of colic.  ?!?!?!  Can anyone say bandaid.

Simon was doing fine after a few days. We kind of got into a routine of putting him to bed at 1am and getting up at 4am and traded nights when we would sleep. After a while things started to settle down a little bit. He started sleeping more, but was still spitting up a lot.

I noticed towards the end of January that Simon’s diapers were really loose on him. He shouldn’t be going down a size in diapers. On Tuesday January 31st I brought him in to the pediatrician again and he weighed 11lbs 6oz. He had lost a total of 2lbs. The doctor finally said that that isn’t just a difference in scales, and he needs to be admitted to the hospital to find out what is wrong. They labeled him “Failure to Thrive”.

We drove to the hospital and went through the admitting process, got a room, and saw a doctor. Finally things were being done. The doctors had different tests already scheduled to find out the problems. I talked to probably 3-4 different docs. They took blood and urine again. He weighed in at 11lbs 5oz. Everyone was so nice and answered my questions and informed me of everything. They noticed his arching back right away and scheduled some tests involving the GI docs.

They wanted to know exactly how much he was eating, and because I am breastfeeding, there isn’t really a way to tell. I ended up having to pump and then feed him a bottle. Very Frustrating. I ended up pumping every two hours, day and night, the entire time we were in the hospital. I didn’t get much sleep.

Because of his spitting up so much, they started him on Prevacid. We spent the rest of the day waiting and praying. There wasn’t really much to do there. I was able to get free hospital food, but that isn’t really good news.

On Wednesday February 1^st, they weighed him again. He was the same, 11lbs 5oz. They told me that was good because he wasn’t losing weight. I knew it meant another night in the hospital though. The doctor came in and updated me on the results of all his blood and urine tests. He had a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI). They put him on antibiotics for that. They did an ultrasound later and found he had a dilated kidney. He also had an Upper GI Series. They had him drink some barium stuff and then watched on a video x-ray type of thing as he spit it up. They called it “Severe Reflux”. The docs wanted to see him gain some more weight and were thinking that the breast milk might not make it happen fast enough, so they want me to supplement with a formula called Neocate. It’s a high calorie formula, that is also insanely expensive. More waiting and praying.

On Thursday February 2^nd, they weighed him again. He gained a little, 11lbs 13oz. They came and did a sweat test on him. It didn’t work. He didn’t sweat. Because his left kidney is dilated, he might have vesicoureteral reflux. They had to get another urine sample to make sure the infection is gone so they can do a voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG).

I know, that’s a lot of big words. Basically, his urine might be flowing back to his kidney, instead of out the way it’s supposed to go. The procedure checks the direction of the flow.

I was spending a lot of the time there alone. Scott was either working or with the boys. They stopped by daily, but only for a few minutes. I did talk to a lot of people on the phone and through texts and had one visitor.

On Friday February 3^rd, they weighed him again. He lost a little, 11lbs 11oz. He was still up from when he was admitted though. They weren’t able to do the VCUG because there was still barium in his system from the Upper GI. We scheduled the VCUG for Tuesday February 14^th. They let us go home.

We got home and we all feel better. Simon is even smiling. He followed up with the pediatrician on Monday February 6^th, and weighed 11lbs 11oz. He is acting better, and hopefully he will keep getting better.

The only thing I keep thinking is that we never would have found out about the UTI or dilated kidney if we hadn’t gone to the hospital. Simon never had a fever. It could have been really bad. We thank God for the mysterious ways he works. We know He is in control. I will post again after the 14^th with more results.

Cloth Diapers

I have been using cloth diapers on my boys for about a month now, and I thought I would share my adventures.

The diapers I got are called SunBaby. They are the stuffable kind, and also the adjustable size kind. I don’t know all the terms yet. I am not cloth diaper savvy yet. I am just a beginner, but I love it.

Simon is in the cloth diapers, and I love using them for him. He doesn’t seem to care either way, but it is actually easier for me to use cloth with him. When I snap the diaper up, it is the smallest I can make it, otherwise it falls off. I have to make sure his clothes will fit over the diaper, cuz they are a little bulkier than disposable. That’s fine with me.

Gavin is amazing with the cloth diapers. I have to put three inserts in at night to absorb everything, but it works great. After just a few days of wearing them, he started telling me when he pooped. A couple times he has told me and there was nothing there, so I put him on the potty. I am not very patient, so he only sat on the potty for about 15 minutes. After no poop in the potty I put his diaper on and he would poop. Oh well. We will keep working on it. The main idea here, is that he now notices when he goes.

Cleaning the diapers is an adventure. I purchased a hand held sprayer that hooks up to the bathroom sink. They also have ones that hook up to the toilet. I like the sink one, cuz I can control the temp of the water. When one of the boys poops, I take the diaper off, take the insert out, spray any poop off into the toilet, set diaper in 5 gal bucket, put cover on bucket, and wash hands. It does take a little more time than just tossing the diaper in the garbage, but after a few changes, I didn’t really mind. I am saving so much money this way too.

Every morning, I wash the diapers. I start filling the washer with hot water on a rinse cycle. I dump the diapers from the bucket in the wash, and use the sprayer to rinse the bucket into the toilet. I don’t put the lid down on my washer, so the rinse cycle doesn’t really start. The diapers sit and soak for about an hour. When I walk by the machine next, I lower the lid and the rinse cycle finishes. Then I start a regular wash and add soap. (I am using ‘Rockin Green’ from soap.com) The wash is also with hot water. When the wash is done, the diapers go into the dryer. No Softener. They tumble dry on a low heat setting. I haven’t run into any problems with major stains or anything yet, but if I do I will share those later.

This has been a great experience. I am so glad we decided to use cloth diapers. They are great. We have saved so much money, and it only takes a little more time. It is soooo worth it.

Baby video and sewing

Here is a picture of the hat I made for the boys. It's a knights helmet. I saw a picture, and just started crocheting. I didn't follow a pattern, and I am quite surprised that I was actually able to finish it. I think it's adorable, and the boys love it.

I am also working on making a penguin hat, elephant hat, dinosaur hat, and fireman hat. I may just start making these to sell. I will post pics of the new ones as I finish them. If you want one, just let me know.

I am having so much fun making stuff. I am so excited to get my little business going. 

This is a video of Simon in the jumper. I know, he is adorable!

 

I am having a great time with my boys every day. I feel so blessed to be a part of their lives. I thank God for trusting me to raise them. 

Lord, please guide me in training and raising these "men" for You.

Decision Making

When I have to make a decision, there is some serious inner turmoil.

There is a battle that goes on in my head. I have a really hard time with decisions. I will sit there while my husband will ask me again what I want. “Do you want strawberry ice cream, or mint chip ice cream?” See what I mean? Serious inner turmoil.

Here is the process my brain goes through. First I imagine eating the strawberry ice cream. YUMMO! Chunks of real strawberries in creamy strawberry ice cream. Then I imagine eating the mint chip. YUMMO! (again) Chocolate! Need I say more. Next I wonder if they can be mixed. Can you imagine. I don’t think that will work, but can I have a scoop of each in a bowl? No!

If you know me well, you know that there is no way my food can touch. Well, some can but some things just don’t mix. On Thanksgiving you can absolutely not have your mashed potatoes, turkey, stuffing, touching any kind of Jello or cranberries. (It all goes back to that little guy living in my stomach that separates all my food.) Long Story that I may just tell you sometime.

Knowing this, there is no way I can have a scoop of strawberry ice cream touching a scoop of mint chip ice cream. There is more deliberation in my brain. Two bowls! What a waste. More dishes to do. Back to deciding which one to eat. Can’t!

The husband can’t wait and has made the decision for me. I eat the strawberry, while dreaming of the mint chip.

Sewing

I have been working on sewing a lot lately. There are so many things that I want to make, and so little time I have to spend on making them. I usually crochet, but have been working on making some clothes and stuff. So far, I am working on making the following...

-a quilt (actually 2 different ones)
-a skirt for me and matching shirts for all my boys
-bookmarks
-pajama pants for the boys

I have also been working on getting some stuff together to sell. I am making wash cloths, and scrubbies for dishes. They work really well at getting stuck on food off and don't damage your pots and pans like metal scrubbies can.

I am currently crocheting some hats and headbands. I will post some pics of my finished projects as they are completed. In the mean time, keep checking back. I am going to start taking orders on stuff soon.

Christmas Letter 2011

It has been one eventful year. We have experienced some life changing events like welcoming our fourth son into our family in September. He was born at a birthing center. I had my heart set on a water birth, so that’s what we did. Click here to read his birth story. Simon has been such a blessing, and a wonderful addition to our family. Having four boys is not easy, but it sure is fun. I have a blast staying home and teaching my boys. Because we are home schooling, I am able to spend a lot of time with them. They are all wild and energetic, but what else can you expect from little boys.

Jameson is 6 and is learning things so fast. He doesn’t stop talking and asking questions. He wants to know everything. He loves to draw pictures, and make up stories.

Teagen is 3 ½ and is our resident klutz. He is always tripping or hurting himself somehow. He has a great sense of humor, and loves to build things.

Gavin is 20 months and is growing up too fast. He is talking so much and in full sentences. He is huge, tall and stocky, bigger than some 3yr olds I’ve seen. He is a great big brother. He loves the baby and even has his own baby doll he has to sleep with. (Yes, we let our boy have a doll. It’s a great way to practice being a daddy.)

Simon is 3 months and was born with red hair. None of the others had any hair for the first year and Simon has lots and it’s red. It sticks up and is so cute. He loves his brothers. They poke and pull on him and he doesn’t care. He was sick recently, and wouldn’t sleep. We had a couple weeks of no sleep, but he seems to be better now.

Another major event this year would be Scott making two trips to Haiti. He came back in February a changed man. He was baptized shortly after his return. He returned to Haiti in November, and encountered one of the poorest cities, possibly in the world. Scott has a heart for the Haitian people, and feels led to continue to serve God in Haiti.

We moved in April to an apartment closer to church. We have been really involved with Bible studies and other events. We attended a “Fundamentals of Faith” class, and also “Financial Peace University”.

In July, we had some trials. Scott lost his job. He was unemployed for three weeks, and then got a job at Chick-Fil-A. It’s a fast food restaurant, which Scott has lots of experience in. It is also a Christian organization. They are closed on Sundays. Scott has been able to spend much more time at home with the family. We had been praying for more time together, and this is how God provided it.

We took a trip to Tampa over Thanksgiving to see Scott’s family there. Everyone was there, and it was great to see them all. We had a blast just hanging out and playing cards, and swimming. The boys loved seeing their cousins.

After returning from Tampa, the transmission went out on our van. It is now fixed. There really isn’t much more to say about this. It wasn’t covered under warranty because we are not the original owners.

I am working on keeping my blog updated. I haven’t posted for a while, because I haven’t had a computer to use. The boys, though behaving very well, are sometimes destructive. There was an incident with my coffee and the laptop computer. All I can say is that now a fund is set up to buy a new computer. I do now have a temporary replacement, so please continue to check my blog for updates and pictures.

We are spending Christmas this year in Florida. We miss you all a lot, but hope to make it to Minnesota sometime in late spring or early summer. We wish you all a safe and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

In Christ’s Love

The Foster Family

Rainbows

What are Rainbows? Wikipedia explains it here, as "an optical and meteorological phenomenon that causes a spectrum of light to appear in the sky when the Sun shines on to droplets of moisture in the Earth's atmosphere."

That would be the textbook definition of a rainbow. But what really is a rainbow? What does it mean?

There are songs about rainbows like, "Over the Rainbow", "Rainbow Connection", "Catch the Rainbow", and "Rainbow Eyes", just to name a few.

There are myths about rainbows like, the Pot of Gold, the Other Side as in another dimension, the Pathway to Heaven, and many more.

Today the rainbow is the symbol of diversity, and the flag of the LGBT. (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender)

I don't know about you, but every time I see a rainbow, I think about God. I think about the flood that destroyed the earth. I think about the Ark, Noah and his family, and all the animals that were spared. I remember what the Bible says about why the flood occurred, and that the rainbow is the symbol of the covenant God made to never destroy the earth with a flood again. I also think about what the earth looks like now and imagine that it is as bad or maybe even worse than it was in the days of Noah. I think about the second coming of Christ, and anxiously await His return.

I am in awe every time I see a rainbow. The beauty and the details that have to be in place for it to exist. Only God can make that happen. This also makes me think about Creation. There are so many things that prove Creation, yet some refuse to admit it. That is another post entirely though.

Genesis 9:8-17
⁸ Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying: ⁹ “And as for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your descendants after you, ¹⁰ and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, every beast of the earth. ¹¹ Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
¹² And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: ¹³ I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. ¹⁴ It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; ¹⁵ and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. ¹⁶ The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” ¹⁷ And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

Lots to Tell

I have not been able to post for a while, due to some computer problems. Let's just say that computers don't like coffee.

This post is the first of a few that will get everyone up to date on what has been going on in our lives in the last month or two.

Scott was able to take another trip to Haiti. He was so excited to go, and upon his return couldn't stop talking about it. He went with four others from our church, and our sister church. While he was there, he visited a place called Cite Soleil. It is one of the, if not the, poorest places in the world. It is extremely dangerous, so they didn't even get out of the vehicle they were in. After their visit there they proceeded to Canaan, where they were staying. They spoke to about 40 Haitian pastors there. They also made some steaks for them, just to serve and show their love to them.

There is a link for "Never Thirst Again" to the right. Please visit that site for more information. It is a mission that some friends of ours have set up.

Click here to see the video from their visit.

The Blessing Box

I got this idea from here. What a great way to teach your kids about being thankful, and giving.

Show your children what they have to be thankful for, not what they have to have.

Day 1
One out of 5 children live in poverty lacking adequate clothing.Give 2 cents for each pair of socks, tights, or pantyhose each child has.
Day 2
Are you thankful for the gift of electricity?Give 2 cents for each light bulb in your house.
Day 3
Would you rather live in the dim light of candles?Give 2 cents for each candle in your house.
Day 4
Most of the world's population lives beyond the reach of medical care.Give 10 cents for each box of band-aids in your house. An extra dime if they are not flesh-colored.
Day 5
Are you thankful you have a roof and doors to keep out the wind and rain?Give 10 cents for each exterior door your house has.
Day 6
Are you thankful for all your clothes?Give 5 cents for each closet in your house.
Day 7
Are you glad you have indoor plumbing?Give 5 cents for every roll of TP in your house, counting all the stored away rolls.
Day 8
To people in refugee camps, even a thin sliver of soap is precious.Give 5 cents for each bar your family has--a dime for each liquid dispenser.
Day 9
Think of something nice you can do for a poor family in your community and do it today. Maybe give them some homemade bread or make something special to brighten their day.If you can't, put a dollar in the box and be exceedingly grateful for all your own blessings.
Day 10
Do you walk to town to get a bucket of water for washing, drinking, bathing or cooking? Or are you blessed with faucets that bring precious water to you?Give 10 cents for each faucet you have and don't forget the outside ones.
Day 11
Still thinking of water, how did you get clean today?Give 10 cents if you take baths, 25 cents if you take showers.
Day 12
Most of the people in this world are starving while Americans' biggest concern is being overweight.
Put in a penny for each pound your mother and father think they are overweight.

Day 13
What a blessing to be able to see and have eye doctors to help us.
Give 10 cents for each pair of glasses your family members wear--and a quarter for each pair of sunglasses.

Day 14
Many people are blind physically (as well as spiritually) and have no eye doctors to help them.
Give a quarter for each person in your house that wears contact lenses.

Day 15
Jesus loves the little children.Give thanks and a dollar for every child in your family--do a secret good deed for each of them today.
Day 16
How would you like to live in your car as some families do?Give a dime for every vehicle your family owns.
Day 17
What if you lived on the streets like so many in South America do?Give thanks for your home and give 5 cents for every pillow in your home. Don't forget the decorative ones, also.
Day 18
Epidemics often follow natural disasters.Give thanks if no one in your home has been too sick this month to work or go to school and then donate 50 cents.
Day 19
The comfort of a clean bed is an undreamed-of luxury for millions of the world's poor people.Give 5 cents for each bed in your house.
Day 20
Did a cozy blanket cover you last night?Give a penny for every blanket in your house.
Day 21
Was it cold enough to wear a coat today? Were you thankful for your coat?Give a penny for every coat, jacket, hoodie or raincoat in your house.
Day 22
In some countries of the world, most people can't read. Are you thankful you can read?Put in a penny for every book in your home.
Day 23
By now, you've started to receive Christmas cards from many loving friends and family members.Give a penny for each card and be thankful for God's love. If you haven't received any cards yet, put in a penny for each person who will be getting a card from you.
Day 24
All around the world there are people who have never seen a supermarket. Instead, they scratch out their sustenance with primitive tools.Give 5 cents for every garden tool in your garage.
Day 25
Many people in the world cook over an open fire. Aren't you glad your parents didn't send you out to chop wood this morning?Give 5 cents for every burner on your stove and a dime for every oven.
Day 26
Put in 10 cents for each gift under the tree that is for you. Or, give 10 cents for each item on your Christmas list.
Day 27
Jesus was born and died for you!Put in a dollar for every person in your home that believes in Christ!
Day 28
Unfortunately, this is the time of year in which people suffer loss in house fires.Give 10 cents for every phone in your house with which you can dial 911 in case of emergency.
Day 29
Many people in the world suffer excruciating pain from lack of dental care. Have you ever been grateful for toothbrushes?Give 5 cents for every toothbrush in your house.
Day 30
Do you own a pet?Give a quarter for each pet and say a prayer for all the children in the world who can't afford to feed themselves, let alone a pet.
Day 31
Many children in the world barely get one meal a day. How many meals did you have in the past 24 hours?Give thanks and 5 cents for each meal--10 cents for each snack.
Day 32
Would you like to have to walk to school, to church, or to the store? Most people in the world walk everywhere they go.Give 10 cents for each bike, pair of skates, skateboard or anything else that has wheels.
Day 33
"Give us this day our daily bread."Thank God for feeding you today and give a penny for every slice of bread in your house.
Day 34
Count all the cans/jars in your cupboard or pantry.Give a penny for each one of them as you thank God for the technology to can foods.
Day 35
Count all the packages of frozen foods and meat in your freezer.Thank God for refrigeration and give a penny for each you counted.
Day 36
Make a list of all the fruits and vegetables God created that you can name.Put in a penny for each one on that list.
Day 37
Many children in the world do not have a school to attend and barely learn to read or write.Give a penny for every pencil in your house.
Day 38
Most people in the world have never touched a computer.Put in 50 cents for each computer in your home, and an extra 50 cents for a scanner, 50 cents for the printer, and if you spend more than an hour each day online, give an extra dollar.
Day 39
Hold a family meeting.
Donate/give away your money!

Out Of Control

I am completely out of control. The last few days in this house have been bad. I have been running around trying to keep everything from falling apart. I have been following my boys, trying to make sure they are behaving at all times. I have been trying to keep up with laundry and dishes and routine cleaning.

I have lost it. I haven't done much of anything. I am living off of only a few hours of sleep. Simon doesn't seem to want to sleep at night. He is sleeping all day, and then up all night. I know the solution. I am supposed to keep waking him up during the day. Yea, that doesn't work. Either he doesn't wake up, or he does and screams unless I am holding him. I am really at a loss for what I need to do. I find myself taking naps with the boys just to get more than the normal 2-3 hours of sleep I get at night. There are times when I can't nap, so instead I try to catch up on housework.

I don't even want to talk about homeschooling. That is not going as planned either.

I have found myself crying because I can't handle it.

I wonder if I will ever get a break. We are driving to Tampa for Thanksgiving, to see family that is coming from Minnesota, and also family in Tampa. I am so excited, because I know I will have a break from the kids.

I feel guilty for feeling this way. I am supposed to have fun with the kids. I am supposed to enjoy all the time I spend with them. I am supposed to be in control. That power has been taken from me.

Guess who took away my power?  GOD!!!

He and I both know that I can't do it on my own. For some reason, I have been neglecting asking Him for help. I have been turning to everyone, but Him. Why? I know He is the only one that can truly help me. He is the only one that matters.

I am starting over. I know that the last few days, or weeks, may have damaged my kids precious minds and hearts. I am changing the schedule of events in this house. We are going to start the day the way the day should be started. We will all sit down and read the Bible and pray. This is the most important thing we need to do, and I have been slacking. We are going to pick a passage in the Bible to memorize. The kids love doing this, and are so good at it too. They already have quite a few verses memorized. Mostly the ones that have to do with obeying, like  Philippians 2:14 and Ephesians 6:1.

As for Simon, the only thing I can think of that will help with that situation is prayer. If I am able to be up with him all night, then I should be spending that time with Him all night. What a great opportunity for growing my relationship with Jesus. I have all this time that I am spending in a bad mood because I could be sleeping, and I am so tired, and I can't stop complaining. Instead, I am going to spend the time praying. There is so much that I could be praying for instead of complaining.

I am going to start spending time with the boys instead of letting them play on their own. They are going to have a lot less free play time, and possibly no TV time. I have been using the TV as a babysitter, and I don't want to do that anymore. If I just spend time teaching them the basics of how to be Godly men, then I won't have as many behavioral problems. Their misbehavior comes with being unsupervised.

I want my kids to have a better life than me. I want them to follow God. I want them to experience the relationship with Jesus Christ that their daddy and I have. I want them to experience it from childhood, and not go through the mess that we did. The only way for this to happen, is for God to choose them, and for them to choose God. For them to choose God, they must first know who He is. That is my part.

I am the one who is going to teach them who He is. I am so excited for this. I have so many fun ideas for teaching them all they need to know. We are going to have so much fun.

I will post more later on how everything is working with all this. In the meantime, please pray for me.

No Time

Have you ever realized how much time you don't have?

I have been running around the house the last few weeks trying to get everything done, and still have time to play. I just can't fit in my play time.

I am doing all the stuff I always did, like dishes and laundry, but now I have added more diapers to change, nursing Simon every few hours, and trying to add sleep to every available minute.

There is just no time for me to get on the internet to check email or blog. No time for sewing. No time for anything extra.

That is until now.

I am finally on a schedule.

I have my day planned down to the minute.

I used to just try to get everything done by a certain time, and throw in fun time for me wherever it would fit. Now I have my fun time planned. I worked out a schedule that is better for everyone.

The kids are still getting used to it, but we are all much happier, and the house is cleaner, and things actually get accomplished. I don't know how I ever got anything done before.

I am now a list maker and a note taker. If it's not written down, it won't get done.

This is the biggest change that happened when we went from three kids to four.

Happy Birthday Jameson

Jameson is now 6 years old. Yesterday that is. He was my first baby. Now he is so big. It is hard to believe that six years have passed since he was born.

I remember choosing his name. We chose Jameson for his first name because both Scott's dad and my dad are named James. Then we chose Joseph for his middle name because that is Scott's middle name. We liked that we could call him JJ. Turns out that we don't. We were so concerned about nick-names and what his name might be shortened to, that we wanted to choose one first. Jameson won't let anyone call him JJ except Gavin. Gavin can call him JJ because Gavin can't say Jameson yet.

We have now realized that Jameson is taking after his middle name. The Joseph from the Bible was able to interpret dreams. That is what Jameson does. (Not for real, he just thinks he can) Jameson has gone up to people and starts a conversation by telling them what they dreamed about last night.

Speaking of dreams, when Jameson wakes up in the middle of the night because of a bad dream, he no longer requests to sleep in our bed, or even in our room. He will come up to my side of the bed, and whisper "mommy" until I wake up. FREAKY! Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night from a deep sleep to see someone standing next to your bed? I know he isn't really that tall, but it's still freaky. After restarting my heart, I ask him what's wrong. He will tell me that he had a bad dream. I give him a hug. He asks me to pray with him, then says that he is fine now. He goes back to bed without any complaining or arguing. My baby is growing up.

He tries to help me with baby Simon. He doesn't like it when he cries, so he will do anything to try to make him happy, or make sure I know that Simon is crying and that I do something about it. Jameson wants so desperately to carry Simon, but I am not so sure about that one yet. Maybe with some assistance, but not alone. He can hold him while sitting on the couch for now.

Jameson loves (pretending) to read the Bible. He is not able to read yet, but he is working on it. It just hasn't clicked yet. We haven't completely fallen into a steady schedule for homeschooling yet. Things are still a little busy with the new baby, but we're getting there. Jameson does remind me all the time that we have to do school. He loves learning.

I love you Jameson. I thank God for choosing me to be your mommy. I am so blessed. Happy Birthday!

Simon David Foster

I know it took a while, but here is the birth story you have been waiting for.

It all started Wednesday morning. Because I was now 41 weeks pregnant, they wanted to do a NST and BPP on me and baby. Long boring morning waiting in a hospital. Everything went fine, and we passed with flying colors. One of the nurses monitoring the NST kept telling me that I was having contractions. I told her that I had been for a couple weeks now. They just don’t progress into anything. I finished at the hospital around 1pm, and hurried to the birthing center for my appointment there at 2pm.

When I got there, the midwife did all the normal appointment stuff, and also did an internal exam. I was still dilated, but she didn’t want to sweep the membranes. Sucky! Was the only thing going through my mind. All I wanted was to have a baby. She suggested going to a chiropractor. Maybe if I got an adjustment, then the baby would put some more pressure on my cervix. I was willing to try anything. I had never been to a chiropractor before, so I was a little nervous. Some people have told me that they are “quacks”, others swear by them. I have just never needed to go for any reason. I got adjusted. She said my hips were a little off. She could tell by the way I was walking. Interesting.

After the chiropractor, Scott and I went to Denny’s at about 6pm. By the time we were done eating and ready to leave, I could no longer walk through my contractions. I went home and tried to relax. I took a bath, I was dealing with the pain just fine. My contractions were steadily getting worse, so at about 10pm we knew it was time to let the midwife know we were on the way.

We arrived at the birthing center at 10:30pm. They filled the pool, and I got in. Around midnight, I was no longer able to be silent through the contractions. It hurt really bad. (There is just no other way to explain the pain I was in.) I wasn’t getting a complete break between the contractions anymore. They weren’t really stopping. All of a sudden, I was feeling a lot of pressure, and then felt a pop. My water broke! YAY! Then the real pain came. Scott said I was saying some weird stuff, like “I want an epidural.” “I can’t do this anymore.” I don’t remember that. I do remember when the time came to push, I didn’t want to. I tried not to. My body had other plans. I couldn’t control the pushing. It just happened. I was planning on pushing slowly so I could allow my body and skin to stretch without tearing. It happened really fast. In all of four or five pushes, he was out. Simon David Foster was born at 12:25 am on Thursday, September 8^th. I was still in awe of not having any control over the pushing. My body just took over, and my mind had nothing to say about it.

They had to tell me to pick up my baby. I guess I figured I was done. Nope, there was a baby to take care of now. I picked him up, and held him close. He had a ton of hair. He was adorable. He is my baby. I started nursing him, and he knew exactly what to do. No training necessary. He is my quick learner.

Before we got out of the water, I noticed a knot, a true knot, in the cord. That kind of scared me. I am not sure how common it is, but the midwife said that a baby was born earlier that day with a true knot in the cord too. Weird. I got out of the water, and just sat in the bed for a couple hours. I studied him and kissed him and snuggled him and nursed him. We were bonding.

I couldn’t wait anymore. I wanted to know how much he weighed. While they put him on the scale, I was cleaning all the poop off me. He had pooped and it was everywhere. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the numbers on the scale. 9lbs 14 oz. He is a big boy. Scott wanted to hold him, so I was able to take a shower and clean up. We got everything together, got Simon dressed, and were able to leave. We were home before 4:30am. Within 4 hours of giving birth, I was home with my baby.

The recovery is amazing as well.

Jameson was born in a hospital at 35 weeks weighing 6lbs 4oz. He had a broken collar bone. I tore.

Teagen was born in a hospital at 37 weeks weighing 7lbs 14oz. No broken bones. I tore.

Gavin was born in a hospital at 39 weeks weighing 8lbs 8 oz. He had a broken arm. I tore.

Simon was born in a birthing center at 41 weeks weighing 9lbs 14 oz. No broken bones. I didn’t tear.

I am still amazed at how easy everything was. The water birth was unforgettable. If God blesses me with more children, I will definitely be doing another water birth. Except next time I will do it at home.