Kinley dances!

Kinley loves the Carrie Underwood song we listened to it a little bit today, she is going to be a music lover, if not a performer. Oh, and before you ask, Nate went through a swinging door at McDonalds, that popped her in the mouth when she wasn't ready. She's ok, though, and as adorable as ever, growing up so fast!

17 Day Road Trip

I know...some of you may think that we are crazy. And, maybe we were. But, we were also incredibly blessed. We did take a seventeen day road trip with four young children, ages six and under. Not everyone could do that, I know. But, what can I say? We have the most well behaved children I know...not to brag or anything. At least, I think that we do. But, back to the road trip.

We left early on a Saturday morning, heading out to Oklahoma City. Of course, that is where my parents live, and a road trip would not be complete without seeing our Oklahoma family. We only spent three days there, but it was a wonderful time. The first day we went to church and that evening we went and visited my grandparents (on my dad's side). It was a good visit. My grandmother is very sick and she can no longer speak very well. But, she did know who I was and she told me, "I love, I love." It was a sweet time, and somehow, I knew that would be the last time I would see my grandmother. After visiting the grands, Nathan and I, along with my Dad and Uncle Bryce, took Brianna and Nate putt-putt. I new favorite past time, which became slightly competitive between Dad and Nathan. I won't mention who won. While in Oklahoma, we had to find a cool place to swim, and therefore visited a good friend and her pool with the whole family. And, the last day was a busy one. I visited my other set of grandparents, took the kids to see Cars 2, and then had a get together with some more family for dinner.

The second leg of our trip took us up to Colorado Springs to visit my sister Becky and her husband John. And, since Britt and Lauren are in Denver for the summer, we also got to hang out with them. We only spent two days there, but they were packed with fun. The first day, we went to Garden of the gods, Focus on the Family, and we went and toured the Broadmoor Hotel, where John works as a baker. It is by far the most impressive hotel I have ever seen. That evening Becky and John offered to watch the kids so Nathan and I could have a date night. We went to eat and then putt-putt again. This time, I'll mention who won...it was ME!!! And, I won by a lot. Just sayin'. The second day, Britt and Lauren came in and we all went to the zoo. It was on a mountain, and there were lots of inclines. But, also the coolest giraffes in the world. You could actually feed them. And, I do have pics...I have to post them later. After the zoo...more swimming at Becky and John's, and then a cookout to end our time there.

The third part of our trip was the whole reason for the trip. We went to Mt. Rushmore for Nathan's family reunion. We spent three days there, and it was so much fun. I do think that the highlight of that part of the trip was meeting there cousin Madalyn. The were so excited to meet her and just had a blast playing with her. But, the first day, we went to church in Custer, SD where Nathan's aunt and uncle attend church. One cousin, Derek was singing a special that day, and another cousin, Brock was the guest speaker that day. Then, we all went over to Uncle Dan and Aunt Barb's home and spent all day there just hanging out with family. I met so many people I had never met before. It was crazy. But, by the end of the day, I think I knew most of their names. We ate food, and the kids had a contest of who could make the fasted boat and float it down the creek. We took a family picture and the kids, including my husband, played football and shot off rockets. It was a wonderful and fun day for all. The second day we just hung out at the campgrounds at our cabins for most of the day. That night, we went into Custer again to watch the fireworks. The third day, we took the kids to take one of those old time photos, and it was so adorable. Again, I will have to post pics. We also went to visit Mt. Rushmore, as opposed to just driving by it again. It was so amazing. I have always wanted to go there, but never had the opportunity. I would qualify it as magnificent. And, the ice cream there was delicious as well. :)

The next leg of the trip took us to Chicago to visit Nathan's Uncle Doug and Aunt Janeece. Very dear, sweet people!!! They were actually leaving on vacation that weekend, so we had limited time with them. Nathan and Janeece took the kids to the park while I stayed back with a napping James. Then, Janeece let us go out to lunch without the kids...always a treat. We then went and visited with Aunt Pat and our cousin Jill. Then, back to the house for dinner with the whole family. The next day, Doug and Janeece and family left for vacation, and we headed to the Brookfield Zoo. That was so much fun. They had an incredible dolphin show, which for me was the highlight of the day.

By this time, I am sure you are wondering if there was anything else left to do. But, we had one more stop. On our way home, we stopped at the Creation Museum in Kentucky. That was so amazing. We could have spent so much more time there, but lets be honest. Small children do limit you, no matter how well behaved they are. But, we spent about three hours at the museum and it was really cool being able to show the kids the truth about creation. And, they loved the part about Noah's ark. They could have stayed there for an hour. And, of course, they loved the dinosaur exhibits.

All in all, it was a wonderful trip. Looking back on it, we never had a child melt down because of so much time in the car...or for any other reason. We never went through a traffic jam, even though we drove through Memphis, Denver, Chicago, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and Atlanta (twice). We didn't have any car trouble. No one got really sick. There are so many ways we were blessed. We are so grateful for the blessings from our Lord!!!

what we've been up to...

Well, I know it has been a long time since I sat down to blog. But, we have been super busy around here. Well, kind of...

Nathan got home almost two weeks ago. He had to hit the ground running at work as soon as he came home, so that was no fun at all. But, I guess since he is an important dude when it comes time for reports to be pulled, he had to get them done. But, once that once over, we went to Pensacola Beach for a few days. It was very relaxing and very fun. Of course, the kids still woke us up early, but we just made the most of it...for the most part. We just hung out at the beach and pool, ate at two of our favorite restaurants (Flounders and Landrys) and Nathan took the big kids Putt-Putt twice while I stayed behind and let James sleep and got some quiet time to myself. When we left Pensacola, we went to Destin to see a young lady who is very dear to my heart. I babysat Kaley for years when she (and I!!!) were younger, and she is working in Destin this summer. So, we went and ate at her restaurant, and then headed home.

And, then, this week has been Children's Day Camp (formerly known as Vacation Bible School) at church. I am teaching third graders, and I have a room full of twelve sweet little girls. And, eight of their names start with the letter A, and none of them are the same. Just an interesting little fact. We are having a great time, and one of my little "A" girls accepted Christ as her Savior this morning. Brianna, Nate and Kinley all have Day Camp classes to attend, and then of course James is in the nursery. This is definitely a hard week for all of us, because we are so tired, but it is definitely worth it.

I have more thoughts, but it is late, and Day Camp starts early. TTYL!!!

I Would Like to Say Thanks...

Dear friends,

As this deployment comes to an end, I would like to say thank you to so many people. In fact, there are too many to number. But, I am going to give it a try...

First, I would like to thank the US Air Force for giving me this opportunity for the past ten weeks...OK, not really. Just kidding!!!

OK, really, first I want the say thanks to my heavenly Father, who has been my helper, comforter, protector, and so, so much more to me. At times, I thought that I would not make it through, and He always provided help or encouragement or comfort at just the right time. I am so thankful for a relationship with the King of Kings. Because seriously, I really could not have done this in my own strength, and I do not see how those who don't have a relationship with the Lord do it.

Thanks to my family. All the phone calls with my mom, just when I needed adult conversation. And Daddy calling just to check up on me. And, especially my sister, Brooke who came and spent her vacation NOT sleeping, but helping me party it up with four kids.

Thanks to my church family. I am seriously going to cry. Because you have all been amazing. I am going to mention some names, but I know I will leave some out. My babysitters- Adrienne and Heather, who have been faithful caretakers of my children when I have been at my wits end, or I have had to take kids to the doctors, or whatever. Mrs. Pam and Mrs. Debra, who have just adopted my children into their lives and have come over to give me a break and have never left a dish not washed. Patrick for taking care of the lawn. Cindy for cleaning my house. Her husband, Matt, for coming over with her and just doing any handy work he could to help out. Jeremy for also doing some jobs for me around the house. His wife Brandi for helping with housework. Alma for watching the kids at a moments notice so I could take one of the to the doctor. Anna, for just coming over to hang out and give me some company. Leigh Ann...what an adventure trying to take all the kids out to eat. But, we did it! My Sunday School girls- lots of fun...we need to have another night out!!! Bro. Terry and Kelly, thanks for being an encouragement and kinda like a second set of parents to me (although you really aren't old enough...especially you Kelly!). The ladies in my Bible study group- I know God placed me in there with you so that I could learn from you and so that you would be a source of encouragement to me through this deployment. And then, to all of you have just stopped me to ask how Nathan is, how we are, and offer your help. I always knew that if I needed anything, I had a long list to go to.

A special thanks goes out to an anonymous person who called early in the deployment to say they wished they lived closer to help out. But, since they didn't, they wanted to pay for someone to clean my house. You really have no idea how much that helped. Because, I am convinced that if it weren't for that, my house may have never gotten cleaned. Yep, pretty sure! Not only did the house cleaning help, but the love and encouragement really touched me. Love you!!!

And, thanks to all who have been faithful followers of my blog. I really wish I knew who all of you are, but I guess that would be too much to ask. It does amaze me when I talk to someone and they know something about me. I'm like, "how do you know?" and they respond..."I read your blog." It always amazes me that people actually want to hear about our lives. But, it has accomplished the purposes that I set out for it. It has been therapy at the end of a rough day, helping me keep my sanity. It has helped me to reflect on the goodness of the Lord. He is always good. All the time. Even when I doubt Him or my abilities, He is faithful to see me through.

One more thing...I will continue to blog. Maybe not EVERY night, as I have tried to do most of this deployment, but I will. And, much more consistently than I did before the deployment. Because, I still want to reflect and see the goodness of the Lord in every day!

Love you all!!!

Beth

Not My Everyday Sunday

So, today I really was hoping to go to church. But, because of Kinley's eye, which was no better this morning, we were unable to go. I did talk to a friend who used to be a pediatric nurse, and she told me that Kinley needed to see a doctor. So, I called the doctor on call and left a message. He called me back and sent in the referral for Kinley to go to a med-stop today. I called a friend to come over and watch the other three kids, and off Kinley and I went. Now, if you have to go to a med-stop, Sunday afternoons really are not a busy time at all. When we got there, there was only one other person in the waiting room. But, it wouldn't be a doctor's office visit if we didn't have to wait some. It didn't take us too long to get into the exam room, but for some reason, it still took about thirty minutes to be seen once we got there. Oh well. She saw Kinley's eyes and prescribed some drops. We went to Walgreens and picked up the prescription- which by the way, are expensive!!! I am glad I just have a copay, because that teeny tiny bottle of drops was over $100- ridiculous!!! Kinley did really well letting me put the drops in the first time. The second time, not so much. But, I got them in there.

I also had praise team practice this afternoon at 4pm. I had my babysitter come up to the church and let the kids play on the playground while I practiced. The church was having a big picnic for Memorial Day, but we went home, because I wouldn't want any other kids to get pink eye.

I honestly can't think of the last time I missed church, except for being out of town. And, even then, we usually go to church wherever we are. So, it was really weird not being at church today. And, it was really nice to have friends call after church to make sure everything was OK. I have said this before, but I can't say it enough. That, without my church family, I would not have made it through the past two months. They have been such a blessing to me and my children. Words cannot express how much my church means to me.

And, thanks to Alma for watching my kids today, and folding some of my laundry. I was almost embarrassed that someone folded my laundry, but then I decided I was really just thankful. It is one of the small blessings!

Just Another Day

Yesterday and today have been very relaxed, laid back days here at the Hendricks home. Friday we again spent the day just playing and hanging out and not doing much of anything important. Today my babysitter came over for a short time so that I could go to the grocery store, you know, without four kids. But, other than that, we have just spent time at home. Brianna was supposed to have a birthday party to go to, but her tummy has been bothering her lately, so she decided to stay home. Although, she did say that she felt better this afternoon. And, Kinley may have pink eye. I am just not sure. She has had some gooey stuff coming out of her eye for the past few days, only in the afternoon, but her eye has been clear. However, just in the past 24 hours one eye has started to look a little pink. But, not as much goo. But, after some online research, I found out that pink eye can be caused by allergies as well, so maybe that is the case. Please pray that her eyes will feel better. Today is also the first day that she told me that they hurt.

What a sweet little lady!!! She definitely is the one who keeps me on my toes the most, and she always makes me smile!!! Even when she is in trouble.

Nothing to do...Finally!!!

Today was one of the first days since Nathan has been gone that I had absolutely NOTHING that I had to do. In fact, it may have been the first day. Today, we stayed home and just played, watched shows on TV and hung out together. I didn't even fold the laundry that still needs to be folded. It can wait until tomorrow. I did, however, do the dishes after putting the kids to bed. It might be nice to have clean dishes to eat off of tomorrow. It was a wonderful day, and much needed. And guess what? Tomorrow, I don't have anything that I have to do...although, I might be ambitious and actually fold the laundry!

Here is a great photo of James that Brooke took while she was here. What a handsome little man!!! Love that smile!!! (and, he has two teeth in there...you just can't see them)

Beach Pictures!

Here are some more pics from our trip to the beach this week. Thanks so much to Aunt Brookie who took these pictures and edited them.

My two little peas in a pod!

James, loving on his momma!

Nate playing in the sand!

Baby James...just learning to sit up on his own! He had a really funny face-plant in the sand after this shot!

Me and my NateJ!

Little Miss Kinley Brooke...what a sweetheart!!!

Our family, minus Daddy of course. We love and miss you Daddy!
Can't wait to see you!

Celebrating Brianna!!!

Today was my little girl's sixth birthday! I cannot believe how time has flown by. Brianna is such a wonderful young lady. She is my biggest helper. She is a wonderful big sister. She loves school and I am amazed at how well she did this past year...she can read so well!!! Here are some photos of Brianna from the past week.






What a beautiful little girl!!!







Brianna's birthday party last weekend. We had a cupcake decorating party, and I made the cupcake cake myself!!!










Brianna walking down the aisle at her kindergarten graduation.













Like I said...my biggest helper!

















She loves her little sister!











We went to Tybee Island this week, and the first thing Brianna did when we got there was write this in the sand. We love and miss Daddy!

Busy, Busy, Busy

I know...I was supposed to blog every day. But, this week has been so incredibly busy. So busy, in fact, that even though we have taken a lot of pictures, I haven't even had time to upload them to my computer. But, I promise, when I do have time, I will share them with you. But, it will be later this week.

What have we been busy with, you might be asking. Well, we have had some sort of event every day since Brooke has arrived.

Wednesday we had AWANA awards night at church.
Thursday we had Brianna's class party at school.
Friday we had Brianna's Kindergarten graduation.
Saturday we had Brianna's birthday party.
Tonight we had a kid's party at church where I was in charge of the food.
Tomorrow, we have an end of year party at Mom's Morning Out at noon.
And, after that, we are going to the beach.

And, on top of all of the parties we had earlier in the week, we were spending lots of time getting ready for the birthday party.

Whew! I'm tired just thinking about it all. I'm glad that the busiest time is over and I am looking forward to a little bit of relaxation in the next few days.

Aunt Brookie to the Rescue

Well, sorry for not posting lately. But, life has been so busy! Yesterday after school, we drove to Atlanta to pick up my sister, Brooke, from the airport. We are so thankful that she has come to visit. Although, even though I am tired, we stay up late...but, at least it is fun!

So, since it is already late, here are some bullets about the past two days:

1. Chik-fil-A is the only restaurant I will take all four children to by myself. The absolutely rule in the area of customer service.

2. Remember to take children to the bathroom after eating and before being in the car for a few hours. Otherwise, you will spend way too much money at the Gymboree outlet buying them new clothes and underwear.

3. Do not ever take four children shopping with you at the outlet mall. You will spend more time in the bathroom than actually in the stores shopping.

4. Do not give children ICEE's or slushes in the car...they might paint their bodies with it instead of drinking it.

5. Aunt Brookie is good at giving the kids baths. And, the bath count is down to 32!!!

6. Since Aunt Brookie is sleeping in the girls room (by choice...she could sleep in the guest room) I don't have to get up in the middle of the night with Kinley, because she did. Yay for 6.5 straight hours of sleep.

OK...well, that is all I can think of right now. I need to get to bed. We have a party every day that Brooke is here. Tomorrow is the K5 end of year party!!! And, we have to start the preparations for Brianna's birthday party Saturday and get ready for graduation on Friday! It is going to be one fun, busy week.

Where, Oh Where Could My Watch Be?

Where, Oh Where, Could My Watch Be?

Because its not in Nate's room. Including under his bed, in his toys, in any of the drawers, or in the closet.

Its not in the playroom. Including the toy kitchen, under the coffee table, behind the couches, under the blankets, in the entertainment center, or in the toy buckets.

Its not in the refrigerator or freezer, or under the stove.

Its not in any of the trash cans....or any of the trash that was taken out last week. (sidenote...it was disgusting!!!)

Its not in the couches, flower arrangements, shelves or anywhere in the living room.

Its not in any of the kitchen cabinets that are within Nate's reach...and I've even checked most of them that aren't in his reach.

Its not under Brianna's bed or in her toy bin. I guess I could clean out her closet as well.

Its not under the guest bed.

Its not in the kids bathroom. Or the guest bathroom.

This is driving me crazy!!!!!

The Blessings of this Week

I started blogging during this deployment so that I could keep my focus on the good in each day. Because, I knew this would be a very difficult time for us. And, this week has been difficult. My focus has been pretty negative. Basically, I have been feeling sorry for myself. But, I am going to focus myself on the good of this week.

Sunday was a great day because of Mother's Day...and I did blog about that.

Monday the kids were in Mom's Morning Out, which is always a blessing. I don't remember much else about this day because I haven't slept much this week.

Tuesday...I think I got all the laundry done on this day, which is always a good thing. Also, I had the evening out to myself to go to a class on how to coupon. And, an added bonus was that a friend of mine whom I hadn't seen in a long time was there and we stayed and talked for a long time afterward.

Wednesday was a blessing because I got to go to church. I was very tired, due to lack of sleep, but the ladies in my Bible study group and in the choir are so encouraging, and I really enjoy being at church.

Thursday was again Mom's Morning Out. On this day, I went up to Brianna's class because it was her turn to celebrate her birthday, which is May 24, after school is out. It was fun to have that special time with her. As a side note, I took my very nice watch that Nathan bought me for Christmas off to give the kids baths that night. Nate took it and was playing with it and it is now lost. I have looked everywhere. So, if you could all say a prayer that I would find it, it would mean so much to me.

Friday, I had a friend come watch the kids so I could go to the case lot sale on base. Which, is totally worth it because I won't have to buy toilet paper, paper towels, laundry detergent, fabric softener, dishwasher liquid, etc. for a very long time, and I got really good deals on it. But, an even bigger blessing was that my friend who watched the kids not only took great care of the kids, but also picked up the playroom, which was a HUGE mess.

And, today. My babysitter came over this morning, as she does every Saturday morning. I was running a few errands, and met up with my friend from Tuesday evening at Starbucks. We had a great time of fellowship and adult conversation...always good for me! And, when I got home, not only had Heather taken great care of my kids, but she had also done all the dishes. That was a HUGE blessing!!!

And, another thing to be thankful for...the bath count is down to 36 more baths to give by myself until Nathan comes home.

And, Brookie is coming to visit this week! YAY!!! She will be here on Tuesday, so pray for her safe travel.

Well, I'm Tired...

I know I haven't posted in a couple of days, but, well, I'm tired. Plain and simple. I get to the end of the day, and I haven't done a thing for myself and all I want to do is crawl into bed. So, that is what I have been doing.

Today, I feel like I am at the end of my rope. I just can't take it anymore. But, since I really have no choice but to continue on, I do. Knowing that, God will give me the strength to make it through one more day. And, for my children's sake, I pray that He gives me an extra dose of patience tomorrow.

Good Night!

The Gift

Today was Mother's Day. So, to start my story about today off right, you must know that I have never received a mother's day present. My husband just never felt the need to give me a gift because, of course, I am not HIS mother, just the mother of his children. But, last year our good friend Hardie found out about this and, well, lets just say he convinced Nathan that this needed to change. So...this year, of course Nathan is gone for Mother's Day.

But, this morning started well. Kinley slept through the night for only the third time in about six weeks. I would consider that gift #1. (Well, besides the adorable things given to me by the children that they made at mom's morning out and school.)

Then, we went to church where I was just blessed beyond words by my church family. I was actually kind of feeling a bit down about mother's day because my kids are just so young and don't really have a concept of mother's day. (Or so I thought.) The church had a special time of prayer for the moms and one lady came up to me and said some of the sweetest words of encouragement to me. And then, as I was sitting there, I thought of a young lady so dear to my heart who recently lost her first child early in her pregnancy. I thought of how blessed I am to have my four children to hold and raise and how there are so many ladies who have either lost a mother or a child. Of course, by this time I was just sitting there crying during the service. But, I pulled it together and tried to get out of the service as quickly as possible so that I didn't have to deal with people feeling sorry for me or anything like that. (Because you know, I was sitting in the choir loft when I was crying.) But, of course, I couldn't escape that quickly. My friend Cindi found me and had made me a sweet mother's day present (gift #2). And, another friend sent her son to ask me to meet them for lunch. And, yet another friend also invited us over for lunch. (Don't worry...we are invading her house tomorrow to go swim!)

So, after lunch, I get home and I had a couple of nice text messages from my mom and a friend from church. I got online to skype with Nathan, and you will not believe it. He had planned before he left a present for me for mother's day. He had hid a card and a gift (#3) in the kitchen. I went to get it and opened it. It was a beautiful ring! So, for the first mother's day present he ever gave me, it was a good one! I tried to get a picture, but couldn't get a good one...I'll have to work on that. But, trust me, it is pretty!

We took naps, and during naptime my cousin from California texted me happy mother's day. (By this time I am thinking that I have never had so many people wish me happy mothers day.) Then, this evening when we were in the kitchen getting dinner ready, I asked Nate to clear the table for me. He just said so sweetly, "Yes Mom, it would be my pleasure!" and walked to the table and cleared it off, putting the dishes in the sink. THAT just melted my heart.

And then, the best present yet. Earlier that morning, Nate had come into the room while I was feeding James and asked me what I liked. I had told him I like hugs and kisses. But he asked what else I liked, and I told him several things, including flowers and chocolate. So, they had been playing quietly in the girls' room off and on all day. They had gotten wrapping paper, child scissors, and tape. I knew something was up, but I let them do their thing. Then they came out and gave me the best mother's day present.

Nate handed it to me, and said, "But we couldn't draw hugs and kisses..."And again, my heart just melted. And then I got a ton of hugs and kisses from all of my kids. (By the way, that brown blob...its chocolate that is melted, so it is really good. At least, that is what Brianna told me.)

Today, was the perfect Mother's Day for me. I am so blessed that God chose me to be the mother to these four little blessings. I could not have asked for a better privilege in this lifetime. I am also so blessed to have a wonderful mom who taught me so much, and who I am so much like.

Good Friends

Every Saturday morning I have a babysitter come over so that I can go run errands, go to my WW meeting, and whatever else needs to be done. So, this morning I did just that, except I was running late and missed my meeting. Oh well! But, I love having some time to myself and the kids love having Miss Heather come over to play.

This afternoon, I was blessed to have some good friends come over. They brought their kids and we all sat on the back porch most of the time and just watched the kids play, ate some food, and talked. It was good for me because I get bored and lonely hanging out all the time with just the kids. I mean, I love my kids and everything, but when it is just us, all the time, it gets boring. And, I do believe that they get just as tired of me as I do of them. Just being honest here.

Of course, the men had to do a little bit of work around the house. Not because I made them or anything, but because they are just good guys. One sealed the tile job he had been working on and the other fixed the net on our trampoline (until one kid tried to climb up the net and ripped it...but, it was fixed for a little while) and he also fixed some of the siding on our back porch which was starting to fall down. And, then they measured the trampoline so I can get a new net.

And, a bonus to all of that. My kids were exhausted tonight, and went to bed early and very easily. I love it when they are completely worn out. I actually got some work done after they went to sleep as well. I cleaned the kitchen, folded some laundry, spot cleaned the carpet in the playroom and cleaned marker off of my coffee table. (Yes, I do think that some children will be disciplined tomorrow for writing on my coffee table.) I also cleaned the handrail in my staircase, which was filthy. It amazes me how dirty it gets.

Its been a good day. I did get an email from Nathan that his internet wasn't working last night and that is why he couldn't skype. Let's pray that tomorrow we will be able to skype for a little while.

Busy Days

Nathan told me that his fast forward button for this deployment was sleep. To which I promptly told him to shut up, because I get very little sleep. But, I guess that my fast forward button for this deployment is business. Because, that is what I am...all the time. I think that the only times I even sat down today were to drive the car, feed the baby, or eat. But, it is good...it really does make the time go by faster.

Yesterday was Mom's morning out, and I spent that time running a couple of errands and grocery shopping. Then, since we had such a bad night of sleep Wednesday night, we all took naps in the afternoon. That was wonderful. Then, we just had a relaxing evening hanging out upstairs together watching a movie. Oh, except for the fact that I had to bathe all four kids. And put them to bed by myself. That wasn't relaxing. Only 52 more baths to give before Nathan gets home...

On to today. Today, my friend came and cleaned my house, as she does every two weeks. It is so wonderful to have someone come and clean for me. I am so thankful for the provision to have this done. I worked on cleaning up as well, because there were several small projects that I needed to clean up. After picking Brianna up from school, the kids played outside in the little pool for most of the afternoon. The guys came to mow the yard this evening, and Brianna's little friends came with their dad to play. And then, their mom came to pick them up and stayed for a while to visit, along with another friend who came over for dinner. It was lots of fun having some friends over to visit with. And, I made another couple of recipes from the "Kitchen Boss" for Nate...which again, he did not eat. But, they were great! I'm getting better at this cooking thing.

I was supposed to skype with Nathan this evening, but it is looking like he isn't going to make it. His internet connection must be bad or something like that.

I'm not going to cry! I'm not going to cry! I'm not going to cry! OK...maybe a little...

Quick Updates

Its late, and I still have work to do before I can go to bed, so this is going to have to be quick.

Brianna lost her second tooth yesterday. I actually got to pull it, which is a first for me...but I didn't tell her that! Today, she slammed her fingers in the car door, so I had to take her to the doctor this afternoon. No broken fingers, but her middle finger is going to be very bruised and she might lose the finger nail. I also didn't tell her that.

Nate...he is handling things pretty well. He gets tired and cranky, but no real news with him these days. Watch me say that and he will be the one I am at the doctor's office with by the end of the week.

Kinley is still not sleeping well and clings to me like glue. I'm just trying to be patient with her.

James, praise God, is the best baby ever. He actually cut his first tooth this past weekend and didn't even run a fever or get too cranky or anything like that. I just felt it in his mouth one day. And, he is only four months old! Almost five...

I'm hanging in there. Thanks so much for the prayers of support. I can really feel the Lord's peace through these tough days.

A Busy Day!

Today was a busy day. And, I am tired, so I am going to try to keep this short.

Obviously, this morning I heard of the news that we killed OBL. Great news!!! It was fun telling the kids, because when we talk about Daddy being gone, we tell them that he went to fight the bad guys, because that makes sense to them. So, today I got to tell them that we killed the "baddest" guy, and they were so excited!

We are having someone tile around our shower in the master bathroom, so this morning I had to go pick out the tile and get all the supplies and let the guy in the house to work. Then, I had to run a couple of errands before picking up the kids. At one of the places, they were laying new asphalt in the parking lot, and the fumes immediately gave me a headache which just got progressively worse throughout the day.

After picking up all the kids, I had to take Kinley to the doctor, and by the time we got home, my headache was terrible and I was feeling so sick. Since my babysitter is so wonderful and a friend and her kids were all at the house, they continued to watch my kids and I went and laid down for about 45 minutes. I felt so much better after that. And, my friend cleaned my kitchen countertops, emptied the dishwasher and cleaned the kids bedrooms and bathrooms, without me even asking her to. What a blessing!!! You really have no idea how much my kitchen countertops were bothering me.

Anyway, we ordered pizza and let the kids play until their dad was done working on the tile. When they went home, I gave the girls baths, but Nate had fallen asleep on the couch, so I just put him in bed.

Hopefully, after all of that playing outside, they will sleep all night long. I can always hope and pray!

Happy Anniversary- to ME!!!

That's right. Today is mine and Nathan's seventh wedding anniversary. I am so blessed to be married to such a wonderful man who seeks to serve the Lord in all he does. I miss him so much, but I know that the Lord has given us this time apart so that we can grow more in Him and so that we can appreciate each other even more when we are together.

We were able to talk to each other over skype this afternoon for a little while. Of course, Nathan sent me a link to one of our favorite songs which made me cry. And then he made me laugh by sending me a poem that was serious with a funny twist at the end- one that only we would think is funny. It was good to share a few moments with my best friend today, on our special day.

Besides that, I went and got a manicure and pedicure this morning. Just a little pampering to make myself feel better today. The kids played outside all morning in the little swimming pool that we have. They are a little sun-burned, but hopefully it won't be too bad in the morning. And, this evening, I made Chicken Piccata and Roasted Potatos for dinner, per the request of Nate. I know this is crazy for a four year old, but he likes to watch Kitchen Boss, and he begs me to make some of the recipes. So, I indulged my little man and made some for him. It was actually pretty easy and was a good, nutritious meal. And, of course Nate and Kinley had to sit on the counter tops and watch me cook everything.

Other than that, it was baths and bedtime. I am down to only giving 60 more baths by myself until Nathan gets home. YAY!!!! (But at the same time, kind of depressing.)

Strawberry Patch

This morning, I went with Brianna's class at school to the strawberry patch, and I took Nate with us. We had so much fun picking strawberries!














Yummy!!! Big, red juicy strawberries!














They also had an area where the kids could feed the animals...that was Nate's favorite part!














They served us some wonderful strawberry ice cream!

The 5K from Covenant Academy! It has been a wonderful school year, and we have been so pleased with the school and teachers and have made awesome friends. I can't believe that Brianna will graduate from 5K in just three short weeks. Then, I will have a first grader!

It was good for me to get out and do something with just the two big kids. Kinley and James demand so much of my time every day that I feel like Brianna and Nate have to fend for themselves a lot. And, I know that they miss their dad just as much and that they need that individual attention as well. We had a blast today, and I was so thankful for our time together!

The Important Stuff...

Today...well, it started last night. As I was about to go to bed, Kinley woke up crying hysterically. I went to get her, and she was just burning up with fever. Poor Kinley! I honestly think that all of these sleepless nights are catching up to her. They are definitely effecting me. So much that I had my babysitter come over yesterday afternoon just to ensure that I got a nap. And, it was a good thing.

So, back to last night. Kinley wouldn't even take any medicine, which is not unusual for her. The only think I could do to calm her down was to put her in bed with me. So, I started the night with Kinley in bed. She slept fitfully, and I had to reassure her that I was there quite often.

Then, about 5am, a storm rolled through, and the thunder woke up Nate. He was in his room screaming for me, which woke up Brianna. So, soon, myself and all three kids were my bed. Kinley was the only one who actually went back to sleep. After awhile, I just told Brianna and Nate to go upstairs and watch TV until I came to get them to get ready for school.

So, I got up and got myself ready and got a few things done in preparation for my day, made biscuits for breakfast, etc. It was kind of nice getting all that done first thing in the morning, except for the fact that I was really tired.

Then, we went about our normal morning routine, getting everyone ready for school and mom's morning out. Except for the fact that Kinley would be spending the morning with me. She did take some Motrin this morning and was acting much better, and her fever came down. All good things. I think she if fine now, but she still has a runny nose. Kinley and I spent the morning running my errands and going to the grocery store.

After picking up all the kids, a friend from church came over to fix my shower head and talk about how we were going to fix the drywall. We got all that planned out, and then it was time for naps! Yay!! After the short night that we had, I figured we would all sleep great!

So, James went down, then Nate, then Kinley. And then James woke up. Are you kidding me? This is the kid who sleeps like clock work. And, on the one day that all the big kids are actually napping, he wakes up. AAAHHHH!!! (Brianna went to sleep shortly after James woke up.) So, I got him up and fed him and played with him a little, then I just put him in bed, and he fussed a few minutes, and then went to sleep. So, I go to bed...and then Kinley gets up not long after. (I'm thinking, "Seriously God? I need some sleep here.") But, she just crawled into bed with Brianna and I and the three of us slept for about an hour and a half in my bed.

I woke up first and just laid there, wondering if I should wake the kids up because it was about 5:30. But, I didn't wake them up. James woke up about 6pm, and that got all of us moving soon.

Dinner, a couple of shows on TV for the kids, baths and then bedtime.

You know, things may not always go as I would have planned. Bedtime may have been later than I planned. I may still have three loads of laundry to fold and put away. But, at the end of the day, my kids are fed, clean and they know they are loved by me, their dad, and their Heavenly Father. I know that is the most important thing. All the rest can just wait.

My All in All

Well, I'm posting tonight, but I don't have much to say. Well, I know what I want to say. Do you really want to hear it? Really? OK- here it is...


AAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

I am so sick and tired of cranky, whiny kids.
I am tired of being the only one to do EVERYTHING.
I am tired of always having a kid sleeping in bed with me.
I am just TIRED!!!
And, I'm lonely. (Even though I have my wonderful church family and I am so thankful for them. It still isn't the same as having Nathan here to talk to or being around family.)

So, as you can see, I have been having a bit of a difficult week. I've cried a lot. And, I haven't had the best attitude. And, yes, I have even lost my cool a time or two with the kids.

But, as I was thinking about all the things I am so tired of, I was reminded by my heavenly Father that...

He is my Helper.
He is my Redeemer.
He is my Strength.
He is my Provider.
He is my Comfort.
He is my EVERYTHING.

And, I can rest in that. If nothing else, I can rest in that.

And, I'm still gonna cry...because it helps to just get it all out.

Brianna's First Lost Tooth

Happy Easter! This has been kind of a difficult Easter for me. I guess without Nathan around and not being around any family, it has just kind of been a bummer. But, I have just tried to focus on the true meaning of Easter, and remind myself that it is because of what Christ did on the cross that we even have this special holiday.


But, the fun thing for us was that Brianna lost her first tooth today! It was actually really, really loose this yesterday and this morning. And, since one of Brianna's Sunday School teachers just also happens to be our dental hygenist, we were able to have the tooth pulled this morning at church. Mrs. Allison was so sweet to pull that tooth that has been giving us problems. And, if the tooth next to it lasts until next Sunday morning, I bet Mrs. Allison will get to pull another tooth for us!



Here is a close up look at her mouth. Kind of gross, I know, but hey...this is really so her Daddy can see it. You will notice that her two big teeth have already come through, and we have been waiting for the baby teeth to come out. And, I am glad that they are coming out by themselves, and that we don't have to go to the dentist to have them pulled!





And, here is the tooth that came out. Check out the root on that tooth!











And, of course Kinley had to have her picture taken too, and show off her beautiful teeth and smile! What a cutie!

Easter Egg Hunting

Today was filled with candy filled Easter eggs.

This morning our church had its annual Easter Eggstravaganza, which was tons of fun. The kids had a blast hunting eggs, eating candy, hot dogs, candy, chips, candy, cupcakes and more candy! I was blessed to have had the help of so many people at church with the kids. There is just no way I could take all the kids out like that by myself. I was met at the car by Miss Adrienne, who stayed with us the whole time without me even having to ask her to help. She just loves on my kids, and I truly appreciate that. And, while we were eating, so many friends helped hold James while I got food and ate and everything. After all that, we went outside to get some pictures made. It was a valiant effort, but I don't know if a good one turned out. We shall see!

After that, we came home and James, Kinley and Nate all took naps. Yes, I know, I got Kinley to nap...it was a miracle. And then, we went to a friends house who was having a big Easter Egg Hunt and party. The kids played outside and then enjoyed hunting eggs again, and then they played some more. And, again, I was so blessed to have people from church there to help watch my kids.

So, the kids were absolutely filthy, exhausted and hungry when we got home this evening. So, PB&J sandwiches for Nate and Kinley, banana bread for Brianna (because she has a very loose tooth which is coming out tomorrow), baths and bed. It is a lot easier to get them to sleep when they are so tired!

I can't help but think that in all the fun of hunting Easter eggs, we should really focus on the true meaning of Easter. That Jesus Christ died on the cross and ROSE AGAIN so that we can have eternal life. He PAID the penalty for all of my sin. I am so unworthy, yet I am so grateful.

Tomorrow we will have more Easter fun, but my main focus is not going to be egg hunts, but instead I am going to tell the kids the Easter story using the Resurrection Eggs. I always pray that my children's hearts will be softened to the calling of the Lord. I pray that as I plant these seeds that their hearts will be open to the truth of what Christ did for us all on the cross.

A Fun Day!

Today was a fun, productive day. It is almost 10pm, and my house is clean and all the kids are asleep, and I have showered and I am getting ready to go to bed early. YAY!!!!

Today we had two sweet little friends come over to spend the day. The kids played outside almost all day long. The only time they came inside was to eat lunch, and then I told them that I needed them to play inside while I put James down for nap. They were into playing baby dolls, so they played a while inside, and then went back outside until dinner time. We dyed easter eggs and had an easter egg hunt and I got the kids a new blow up pool, and they spent hours in that thing. Especially Nate and Kinley...they loved it and have little sunburns to prove it.

Tonight was the easiest night to get Kinley to sleep. She fell asleep while watching a show on TV, and I just carried her downstairs and put her in bed. I even had to put her pajamas on her, but she even slept through that. Maybe she will sleep all night in her bed...we can only hope and pray!!!

Also today, my friend came and cleaned my house for me. So, despite the fact that I had six kids here today, I still have a clean house. It is absolutely wonderful.

I am so thankful for my Savior who died on the cross for my sins. I pray that all who read this will know the love that the Savior has for us. I love Easter! I can't wait for Sunday!!!

Crazy Days!!!

Today was a busy day.

First, I must start with the fact that Kinley slept all night long in her bed. It was wonderful. I actually woke up a few minutes before my alarm went off at 6:30, and I have been going ever since.

Had to get all four kids fed, dressed and ready to go this morning. That in and of itself is always a challenge. While getting ready this morning, I also had to call the nurse back about Nate's leg, because it was still red, swollen, warm, etc. etc. I scheduled an appointment for him in the afternoon, and continued the routine of getting everyone ready and in the car. Brianna was only a couple of minutes late to class.

Then, off to drop the others off at Mom's Morning Out. You would think that this wouldn't take too long, but by the time we get there, I usually have to stop and feed James before I leave. So, I usually don't get out of there until 9:30 or so. That only leaves me two hours to get stuff done before I have to leave to pick up Brianna from school.

I had to go back home because I had left my cell phone there and I had to get all my stuff to go grocery shopping. I headed to Walgreens for a couple of things, Toys R Us, and then didn't even have time to go to the grocery store. AHHH!!!!

I picked up Brianna, got her some lunch, dropped Brianna off at MMO so my friend could take her and Kinley home while I picked up the boys so we could head to the doctor's office. The doctor checked his leg, and so far, while it looks bad, he doesn't think it is infected. But, we still have to keep an eye on it.

Home we went where I had to feed James again and put him down for nap. Kinley was cranky, but I was supposed to skype with Nathan, so I let her stay up. I did get to skype with Nathan for awhile, and I loved every minute of it. It is just never long enough. Sigh.

Then, Heather came over to watch the kids so I could run to the grocery store, where I was behind a very slow lady in the checkout line...but that story will have to be for another day.

Back home, I had to put away groceries, feed James, fix dinner, bathe all four kids and put them to bed. This all took four hours. Ridiculous!!!

After that, I made banana bread, cleaned the kitchen, folded three loads of laundry, washed another load, and now I am finally sitting down to blog.

And, now, I am going to sleep. Tomorrow promises to be another fun filled, action packed day. Brianna is out of school and we have two of the sweetest little friends coming over to play for the day.

Pray for Nate

Nate is having a reaction to the shots that he got, so we are keeping a close eye on it. I have been on the phone with the peds nurse a couple of times today and if it is any worse in the morning, I am going to have to take him back to the doctor. Also, it looks like he got stung by something on his foot yesterday, and it is red and swollen as well. Please keep him in your prayers!

Besides that, this morning my neighbor came over for a cup of coffee. She is a really sweet older lady and we have just gotten acquainted lately. She goes to my church, which is how we met, and she is home most of the time, so we like to get together every once in a while.

And, this afternoon Kinley got to go play with one of her friends, Lily, for awhile. Lily's mom is one of my friends from church and she also is one of Kinley's teachers at mom's morning out. So, it was a good opportunity for Kinley to get to play and for me to have a little break. I was just excited to get to take a shower without Kinley present!!!

Church was good tonight. It is always wonderful to get together with other believers and study Scripture and sing praises. I absolutely love my church family!!!

Doctor Appointments

Today, I had to take the boys in for well baby/child appointments. They are both very healthy little boys, although according to the growth chart, at this point it looks like Nate doesn't have a chance at being tall. He is in the 59th percentile for his weight (37 1/2 lbs), and the 17th percentile for his height (39 inches). But, he is such a cutie...maybe he will get taller later. James is growing like a weed. He weighed 15lbs 15 ounces, and was 25 inches long. Not to bad for a four month old.

The bad thing is that they both had to get shots. YUCK!! But, Nate was so brave. I was so proud of him. He only cried a little bit when they poked him. And of course, the CARS stickers and the promise of an ICEE helped quite a bit. James also did really well. He only cried for about 30 seconds or so, and then he was fine. Both boys legs are a bit sore tonight, and I am worried it could be a long night with Nate. He was really hurting when I put him to bed. I did give him some Motrin for the pain, so hopefully that will help.

The rest of the day was sheer chaos, and I am just glad that the kids went to bed easily. They played outside almost all afternoon and evening, so maybe they will be so exhausted they will all sleep through the night. We can only hope and pray!!!

Catching Up...

...on sleep. That's right folks. Today I slept so much!

But first, you have to know that I was up most of the night. I was sick!!! UGH!!! But, I have to be thankful that whatever it was, it was only during the night when I didn't have to worry about taking care of the kids (except Kinley who was in bed with me). I was back and forth to the bathroom all night long, and that is all the detail we will give. But, by the time 6am rolled around, I was pretty much over it, just really tired.

Thankfully, today was Mom's Morning Out. So, I took Brianna to school, took the other three up to the church, and then I came home and slept all morning. I woke up at 11:20 to go get Brianna from school, then we picked up the other kids at church, and then we came home. I put James to bed, put the others in front of the TV, and I crashed on the couch and slept for a couple more hours.

Even when things look bad, like what I went through last night, I can still see the goodness of God, and His provision for me today. Thank you Lord for taking care of me today and helping me get the rest I needed.

The Weekend

It has been a busy weekend. I actually missed a day of blogging. Sorry about that to all of my faithful followers, but I was tired last night, and had a little toddler hanging on me.

Saturday morning was weird, because although Kinley actually slept until about 6am, James woke up at 4:30. I just had to feed him and put him back down, but he has slept through the night for me for the past two months, so it was just uncommon. I think it is about time to start some rice cereal before bedtime.

And then, Kinley threw a MAJOR fit at breakfast time, because I guess she didn't like the kind of juice I gave her. She threw her cereal and juice across the room!!! I was so mad...I didn't know where to start, with Kinley or cleaning up the mess. I started with Kinley...and she was so in trouble. When I looked at her, she just put her little hands on her bottom because she knew she would get a spanking. I had to calm myself down a bit, but I did contain myself and was very much under control when I spanked her and made her wait on her bed while I cleaned up the rest of the mess. But, I think I am going to have to do some touch up painting in the dinette area.

So, after all that Saturday morning I had a babysitter come over so that I could get some errands run. I actually had a lot of places to go, so I was glad to not have the kids in tow. Then in the afternoon, I tried to spend as much time with them while also picking up a bit, doing a little laundry, and also getting ready to go out with my girlfriends Saturday evening.

That's right...it was Girls Night Out. I just decided since I couldn't go out with Nathan, I would get our Sunday School girls together for a girls night out. We had a great time going to dinner, seeing "Soul Surfer" and then going to Dunkin Doughnuts after the movie. I am so thankful for the ladies in my Sunday School class for being so fun and supportive and encouraging to me while Nathan is gone. We had a blast!!!

And of course we had church today. And, you know, Satan always attacks us when we try to do the right thing. So, this is one of my weeks this month to sing on the praise team at church. So we had to be at church at 8:30 this morning. Not really a big deal because we get up and leave for school every weekday at 7:45, so we can get to church by 8:30, no problem. But, when I got home last night, Kinley woke up. And, WOULD NOT go back to sleep. I was tired and frustrated, so by 11:15, I just said forget about it, and put her in bed with me. Which means I didn't sleep great, but I did get a fairly decent sleep. Except for the fact that Nate woke me up about 1:30 because his foot hurt. I checked it out and didn't see a thing wrong with it, but he wanted Neosporin on it, so I applied it, put bandaids on it, and then I prayed. I know that Satan was attacking my sleep because the next morning was Sunday and we had to be at church early. I determined that no matter what the rest of the night held for me, we would still get up and make it to church on time. And, we did...even though I had a horrible night of sleep and was really tired. And, you know what? God sustained me through the whole day. Although I am going to bed earlier than normal.

Another blessing from this weekend is that one of my neighbors came down Saturday evening right before I left and asked if there was anything he could do to help out around the house. You know, stuff that Nathan would normally do for me. Well, there were a couple of things...like changing a flat tire on the mustang and putting up some weather stripping on the garage door. And so he came back this afternoon to work on that, and he also found an exterior light that had come loose and fixed that as well.

We are so blessed!!! Everyone is just taking care of us...which means that really, the Lord is taking care of us.

"I lift up my eyes to the hills, from where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made the heavens and the earth."

Field Day

Well, I know that you are all waiting for some great post tonight, but I don't have much. This morning we went to Field Day at Brianna's school and watched them play all kinds of fun games. Nate and Kinley got to participate a little but mostly just played on the playground. It was good to be outside with the kids and let them burn lots of energy.

Subsequently, we didn't do much this afternoon. Of course, Kinley slept on the way home and therefore did not want to nap, so I dozed a little on the couch while they watched a movie this afternoon. Not much else to our day. I kinda like that it that way.

Oh, and I meant to take pictures of Field day, but I forgot to put the memory stick back in the camera. So, sorry, but no pics today!

I'm tired, its late...I'm going to bed! Good night!

And, she slept...

I just have to say thank you to all who have prayed for Kinley to sleep. Last night, even though she did not go to sleep until almost 10pm, she did sleep until almost 7am. Praise the Lord!!! And, please continue to pray that she will sleep well...that this was not just a one time thing. I actually got to sleep until my alarm woke me up at 6:30 this morning, and I was just about done getting myself ready when Kinley walked in. That just makes everything go so much smoother.

And, today was Mom's morning out, so after taking Brianna to school, I took the kids up to the church. I only got two things accomplished during my morning off, but at least I didn't have the kids with me! I had to go to base to do some kind of thing with my ID. Nathan had said it wouldn't take too long...but obviously he just went at the right time. I did have to wait in line for about 20-25 minutes, but with no kids, it was actually kind of peaceful. There was a lady there who had her toddler with her, and it just made me all the more thankful for mom's morning out. After that, I had to go to Best Buy and get Nathan an IPod Shuffle, and then mail it to him with a few other things that he requested.

But, after picking up Brianna from school, we went straight to the church because Mrs. Pam from church was taking the three big kids for the afternoon. The kids have been so excited all week to be able to go to Mrs. Pam's house. She has a swimming pool, and four dogs. And, according to Brianna, her house is way better than ours. Anyway, they had a great time playing while I got a much needed nap. I brought James home, put him down for a nap, and then slept the afternoon away. I woke up about fifteen minutes before Pam called to tell me she was on her way with the kids.

So, that was my day. Nothing too deep or inspiring, but I have been pondering some things that I am hoping to put together into a post soon. While driving around today, many of the songs talked about being a child of God. There are so many parallels between God and his children and myself and my children. I'll have to give that topic some more thought before I write about it.

4:30...

That's right, she woke up at 4:30 this morning. But, we still had a pretty good morning. She fell asleep in the car when we took Brianna to school, so that helped her have some energy.

This morning went well. I actually got some laundry done and did the dishes. It always feels good to have things cleaned up. We were able to skype with Nathan for a little while this afternoon.

And then, it was nap time. I tried my hardest to get Kinley to nap. I laid down with her, we sang songs, I rubbed her back, but all to no avail. She would not go to sleep. And then, James woke up, which is odd, but he did take a longer morning nap. Anyway, I was completely fed up with Kinley, so I just told her not to get out of bed, and I locked her in her room and went to get James. BTW, Brianna was sleeping in my bed and Nate was sleeping in his bed. So, I have James upstairs watching a show, and Kinley must have realized I locked her in her room, because she LOST it. She was screaming and throwing a good ole fit! I just let her throw her fit. It lasted about 20 minutes or so, and then there was quiet. I got up to see what was going on. And, she was sound asleep in her bed. And she slept until it was time to leave for church...about an hour and fifteen minutes. But, it was a glorious hour and fifteen minutes. Too bad James was awake or I could have had a quick nap. But instead, I did get a quick shower without Kinley...that was nice too!

And, I just love going to church. I am so thankful for my Bible study group of ladies. They are such an encouragement. And I am so thankful for Adrienne, who always meets me in the parking lot to help me get the kids in and help me get them fed. And I love being a part of the choir and for the music that we sing. I could not go through this deployment without my church family. You guys are the best!!!

How About You???

Today, Nate got to visit the K4 classroom at Covenant Academy. We are putting him in the three day program next year, so they invited him to visit for about an hour this morning. We started out the morning with him not wanting to go. So I told him we would visit for a little and if he didn't want to stay, he didn't have to. Well, he started playing and loved it. He did end up staying for the full hour, and when it was time to leave, he didn't want to. And, he proceeded to tell me that over, and over, and over, and over, and over for the next twenty minutes straight. All he said was, "I didn't want to leave." I about lost my mind!! On one hand, I guess that it was good that he liked K4! But on the other, he did have to get spanked for throwing a fit.

Besides that, we were supposed to get pictures of the kids done today. But, both Kinley and James have runny noses (from allergies) and considering the mood Nate was in, I cancelled. And, since Kinley ended up sleeping in my bed most of the night, and I didn't get much sleep, yet again, I was REALLY tired. I almost fell asleep in the car when picking up Brianna from school, twice. I just prayed that the Lord would help me get my children safely home. And, He did. He is so faithful to protect us. And provide for us. A friend from church came over this afternoon and just watched the kids so I could take a nap. And, I took a very good nap for close to two hours. It was glorious!!! And, the kids were worn out, and they were all in bed by 8:30, giving me some much needed quiet time, when I got to skype with Nathan for awhile.

So, I am just curious. How has the Lord been blessing you this week? Leave me a comment and let me know. It is always good to reflect on the goodness of the Lord.

Just Another Day...

Well, Kinley woke up at 5:12 this morning. That was just great! (Sarcasm) Actually, I put her in bed with me, and it took awhile, but she did go back to sleep. But, I didn't. Nate woke up at 6am. I told him to go back in his room, shut the door, turn on the light, and that he could play quietly. I really did try to sleep for a few more minutes...but then my alarm went off at 6:30. So, not so much sleep for me again last night.

But, the Lord is always faithful. He somehow gave me the strength to get through the day, again. I don't really know how I do it, because there are times that all I want to do is crawl into bed and cry myself to sleep. But, I was able to make it through the day and still laugh at the end.

Thankfully today was Mom's morning out at church, so I had a few hours this morning to myself. I went to the chiropractor and had my back adjusted and also got a massage. As I was getting my massage, I almost fell asleep...but not quite. I was laying there pondering how often I could afford to get this done. I decided that I could afford it a couple more times while Nathan is gone.

And, since I want to focus on the good things, and not the things that frustrate me, I just want to mention how thankful I am that my baby, James, who is only four months old, sleeps all through the night like a champ. I usually even have to go wake him up in the morning. How much more blessed could I be? And, he even takes a really good afternoon nap as well. Praise the Lord!!!

The Good...

Well, today has been a particularly difficult day, due to yet another night of not much sleep. So, instead of boring you with all of the details, I am just going to make this short and sweet and go to sleep early tonight.

There were two bright spots in my day. And one from yesterday that I forgot the share. First, last night my friend Leigh Ann came over and we took the kids to Applebee's for dinner, which is a big treat because I can't take all four kids out to eat by myself. They had been wanting to go to Applebee's ever since Dad left, so it was a huge treat. We had a great time and I am so thankful for my friend who not only went with us, but then helped me get the kids in bed.

Then, today a dear couple from church took the kids and I out for lunch. Again, a huge treat...and, my kids absolutely love Mr. Joe and Mrs. Debra. And, it was good for momma to have some adult conversation. It does get a bit old always talking with little kids.

And last, and the best part, was that I was able to skype with Nathan for a long time tonight. I so needed this time with him. He just calms me down when things have been so rough and he encourages me and helps me believe I can do this. He's my best friend, and I miss him so much right now. I'm so thankful for modern day technology!!!

OK- now, I'm signing off and going to bed!

Two Year Olds...

They are just so cute. But, I do believe that they have the hardest time with deployments.

Last time, it was Nate. This time, Kinley. And, she is doing a lot of the same things Nate did last time. Like, sticking to me like GLUE. If I walk into another room, she is right behind me. If I take a shower...well, you guessed it, she is too. She has a hard time sleeping. She comes in my room early in the morning, and won't go to bed without me laying down with her.

I have been thinking about this, and it really does make sense to me. A two year old doesn't have any concept of time. So, to tell her that Daddy had to go away for a long time, doesn't mean anything to her. To tell her Daddy will come back doesn't either because so far, he hasn't. So, when I tell her I will be right back, she doesn't understand that I really will just be gone for a minute or two. She clings to me like I am all she has left. But, in her little mind, that is truth.

It was so sweet today. We were able to skype with Nathan, and when Kinley was sitting on my lap, she reached up and tried to hug the computer screen. Then she started blowing kisses, and of course Nathan was "hugging" her too and "catching" her kisses.

So, all of that to say, that I know it is worth the extra time and patience. She's just two, and she really doesn't understand. Her little world as she knows it has been turned upside down.

I would ask all of you to keep our children in your prayers, especially Kinley. This is a really hard time for them too. I have to remember it isn't just hard on me, but them as well.

Serving the Greatest Country

Well, a lot of buzz about the government shutdown today. I actually hadn't watched the news or anything since Nathan left (I don't know why...maybe because I don't have time with all my kids). Anyway, Nathan had talked to me about it last time we skyped, saying that we would only be getting half pay this next pay period.

While many families are under much stress about this, I can honestly say that while I don't like it, and I don't exactly know how things are going to go for us the next few months, I am not worried about it. I know that God is going to take care of us. Not just my family, but all of us. If indeed the military community has to live without pay for awhile, what an opportunity this will be for us as Christians to minister to those in need. I just think that we need to be ready and take advantage of the opportunities we are given...even if the circumstances stink.

When people tell Nathan thank you for serving our country, he always replies with "It is the greatest country to serve!" And we both truly believe that. Even though Nathan is overseas and we are separated from each other through this time, it is still our honor and privilege to serve the greatest country on this earth. I honestly want the government to get the budget done RIGHT, not quickly. But, don't take too long, because there are many, many military families who live paycheck to paycheck and there are many moms left home with little mouths to feed while their husbands are sacrificing their lives for this great country.

BTW- just so no one worries about us personally, we will be fine. At least for a while.

Train Up A Child

Today, I had an epiphany. Well, it kind of started last night at church. We had a lady come speak to the ladies last night, and she started out by saying that she had something else planned, but God changed those plans and she was going to speak about training up our children. Well, after the day I had yesterday with the children, I just knew God was speaking directly to me. So, while I had some alone time today while the kids were in mom's morning out, I did a little reflecting and praying about what I should do.

And, you know, it always starts with yourself. And, since the first few days since Nathan left my attitude hasn't been the best. I have just thought, "Woe is me. I have to raise four children five and under by myself. I can't do this. Why me?" and so forth. But, you know, I CAN do this. Even if I don't get much sleep at night. And even if the kids are cranky and don't want to obey. You know, it is my JOB to train them to react properly even in those circumstances. I kind of forgot that. I was like, "Why isn't my two year old obeying me? She should know..." But, she doesn't know. She needs me to teach her what to do, not yell at her for not doing what I want her to do.

So, today I had to lay down some new rules for the kids. But more importantly, I had to change my outlook and my attitude and my tone. Yes, things take a lot longer and yes, sometimes it is painfully slow and I don't get to do what I want. But, that is what it is to be a parent and train our children. They learn so much more by what we do, instead of what we say. (Although what we say is also very important!)

And you know what? Today went much more smoothly than any other day this week. Even with having to bathe all four kids tonight....not one of my favorite chores!

Today...

Well, this is going to be short and sweet.

Today was a very trying day because my children (especially Nate and Kinley) were very tired and needed to sleep, but for whatever reason that is still a struggle for us right now. So, please pray that Nate will get the sleep he needs. But, especially pray for Kinley. She is having a very difficult time even going to sleep, even though she is exhausted. I don't exactly know why this is a struggle, but pray that she will get the sleep she needs, be able to sleep later in the morning (you know, later than 6am) and that she would take naps. Also, pray for this momma to be patient with these children who are very cranky and pray that I will get a solid night of sleep as well.

It's late...I'm going to bed.

The Goodness of God

Well, last night was very interesting, and of course, I again did not get much sleep.

About 1:30 in the morning a huge thunderstorm rolled through, and it knocked out the electricity in our entire neighborhood. Of course all the kids, except James, woke up terrified and all ended up in bed with me. It took us about another hour to actually get back to sleep, and then I had Kinley in one arm, Nate in the other (and of course he is the squirmy one) and Brianna next to Nate. So, needless to say, none of us got much sleep last night.

But, today was a fairly good day, because someone came to clean my house for me. PRAISE THE LORD. It was such a blessing. And, she is a friend from church so of course the kids liked having her here. And, it wasn't a big deal when I fell asleep on the couch upstairs...she just kept Kinley with her so I could sleep a little bit. Nate was watching a movie and I was holding a sleeping James. So, I caught a little cat nap this morning. And, we all took naps this afternoon.

God is so good to us, all the time. Even in the thunderstorms, He protects us and comforts us. And, when it seems like there is no way I am going to make it through the day, He makes everyone take naps. And, sends the provision for a clean house, because I just don't have the time to do it all myself. I am so thankful for a God who takes care of even the seemingly small things.

Sleep...or lack thereof

Well, just another day without much sleep. Yesterday, Kinley did not take a nap, did not go to bed until after 9pm, and this morning woke up at 5:24am. Which means she was a cranky kid all day, and I was tired all day. Not a great combination. But nevertheless...

This morning was Mom's Morning Out! YAY!!!! I have just started putting all three little kids in since Nathan is deployed. I figured I would really need the break...which I did. I got some stuff mailed off to Nathan and I did some grocery shopping. Nothing glamorous, but I enjoyed the time to myself.

After picking up the kids, I was hoping naptime would work out today, but it didn't. But, I did get to skype with Nathan for awhile, so that was good. Very good. It does my heart good just to get to see him and hear his voice.

And, since naptime didn't work out, the crankiness continued. James actually went to sleep at about 6:15pm, and I think he would have slept all night long except Kinley decided that she should go crawl into bed with him. What was she thinking??? So, I had to put him back to sleep, which was difficult because Kinley was very needy. So, I put Kinley to bed at 7:30, and then Nate fell asleep watching a movie, and he went to bed next. Then, James went down and Brianna got to finish the movie and then go to bed.

Which brings me to right now. The dishes are done, the playroom is actually clean, the house is quiet, and hopefully I will get to go to sleep a little earlier tonight. I think I will go veg in front of the TV for just a little while first.

Going to Church...

Well, today was my first day to take all four kids to church by myself. It went OK...by the time I got them all to Sunday School I was very thankful that the church has coffee available in the mornings. I felt like I went 100 mph all morning and barely got there in time.

But, it is always good to be in the house of the Lord and to fellowship with other believers. I am so thankful for my church family. I could not go through this time without them.

But, I will admit I almost fell asleep during the prayer at the end of the service. I had to make myself stay awake...which means I really needed a Sunday afternoon nap. But did my kids want to nap? NO...they wanted to play. So, I told them to watch a movie upstairs to momma could rest. Did that happen...well I did lay in a comatose state for awhile while I listened to them make noise as they played...and come downstairs periodically to get some cookies. But a good nap...not so much!

So, that begs the question as to why I am still awake at this hour. I don't know...it is just hard to fall asleep without Nathan here. I do believe that military spouses keep the manufacturers of sleeping pills in business. Although, I can't take those because of breastfeeding the baby. But, you know...a lot of spouses do. I would if I could.

I've been putting off...

...doing Nathan's laundry. I know it seems kind of silly to those of you have haven't had a spouse deploy, but doing his laundry for the last time (until he comes home) is quite emotional. In my mind, if I do his laundry, then he really isn't going to be here for awhile. If I pick up his stuff, he's gone. If I leave it all there, I can kinda think things are normal when they aren't. I can tell myself he is still around.

So, today, instead of doing his laundry, I just got mine out of the laundry basket and left his there. Pathetic, isn't it?

So, well...I have a little piece of advice for all the ladies, or gentlemen, reading this blog. Don't take doing the little things for your spouse for granted. It really is a privilege to be able to serve each other and take care of each other. Enjoy it!!!

Tybee Island

Here is my Nate the beach last weekend. He loves chasing the birds on the beach. What a cutie!!!

Here is my little Kinley Brooke...she was fearless at the beach. We even had some people come up and comment about her just running out into the water. Good thing her Daddy was there to chase after her!

Nathan and the kids lined up on the shore. I can tell you that Nathan thoroughly enjoyed this time with his family last weekend. He said that he felt like he was just building up the memories before he left. It was a great time!

And, of course, here is Brianna. She is growing up into such a beautiful young lady! She loved jumping into the waves.

We were so blessed to be able to go to Tybee Island last weekend before Nathan had to leave. We rented a condo right on the beach and just had a great time together as a family. Of course, the kids really preferred the swimming pool to the beach, but we did go out one afternoon. It was a little cool, but the afternoon we hit the beach it was pretty nice. Sorry no pics of James and I, but he was sleeping in my arms while I sat there and took these pics.

On another note, today was another good day at our home. Kinley kept her pants dry all day...pretty good for just the second full day of potty training. I went back to the chiropractor and my back fells even better. I don't have to go back again for 10 days! Not much exciting to add to all that. We definitely appreciate all of the prayers, support and encouragement from everybody. I can definitely feel the Lord's strength getting my through each day!