A Crazy, Beautiful Weekend

Last weekend, our church did a Passion Play. Basically a recreation of Christ's life, death and resurrection. It was a full costume musical and it was a blast! We did this last year as well, but since I was giving birth to Janessa, I obviously was not a part of it...though Tom was.

This year, we were both able to be in it. Tom was John the Baptist and I was actually a mocker of Jesus. (gasp!) In huge part because we live so close to family who were graciously willing to watch them during all of the rehearsal hours! We so appreciate that.

Anyways, the week of dress rehearsals started off  crazy with people from the cast coming down with colds and the stomach bug! Ugh.

I completely attribute this to Satan trying to get in the way of something that God was doing. And, of course, God won. All were able to be in the show that were supposed to be and it went great.

People came to know the Lord. People recommitted their lives and overall, God used our church to present the gospel to people who needed it.

Which brings me to my favorite part...

Keira...our almost 5 year old (she reminds me of that often), wanted to watch this year. Her best bud got to be in it because she is already 5 and Keira wanted to see it all. So, Friday night, there she sat with my mom and family in the second row.

I had fully prepared her for what she would see acted out in front of her and wanted her to understand that while these things really did happen, Eric, who was playing Christ, was not actually going to die.

I wanted her to understand that while mommy was playing  a bad guy and yelling mean things at Jesus, that in real life, I love Him.

Apparently I scared her.

Through the entire first act, every time the lights went down, she asked my mom if this was where he was doing to die. She was scared to see it. When at one point she said, "I think I'm going to die", my mom took her down to childcare which was fine with me. At 4 years old, I figured she did not need to see it. Us telling her the story is enough.

Well...then Saturday night came around. She wanted to see it again....and this time she was determined to watch Jesus die.

So, there she sat, towards the back with Tom's mom and family. And she sat (or stood on her chair) through the entire thing (over 2 hours) without a peep!

She cried when Jesus died.

She cried tears of joy when he rose again.

She raised her hand when the pastor gave an alter call at the end.

At first, I didn't take this completely seriously. I thought she was cute and I was happy that she understood the meaning of the play but on the way home she explained in an almost 5 year old way, that she understood. And she did for the most part.

She has genuinely changed her demeanor and is trying to do things for the right reasons.

This mama is happy.

Here are  a few pictures...most of which I stole from my friends facebook page of our show!

Our worship Pastor Mike, Tom as John the Baptist in the middle, with Eric who played Jesus.

Our Nephew Bryce

Jesus and a Pharisee (in real life they are father/son!)

Libby singing Jesus Loves Me in the dressing room after one of the shows!

Mike and Chris (worhip pastor and his beautiful wife...also good friends of ours...but this guy put this entire thing together!)

A group of the fun kids that were in the show!

A picture I took of Tom and me on my phone at dress rehearsal. This was after his John the baptist scene when he became the apostle Andrew. 

It was a completely exhausting, completely crazy and completely beautiful weekend!

My Target Deals This Week (3/24-3/30)

I got some good deals at Target this week with coupons!

Method Cleaning Spray or Dish Soap, $2.66

Use $1/1 Method Item Target Coupon  AND

Use $1/1 Method Product Facebook Rolling (click the "like" button)

Pay: $.66!

Buy 2 – Schick Hydro Silk Razors, $9.49
Use 1 – $5/2 Schick Hydro Silk Razor Coupon
Use 2 – $4/1 Schick Hydro Silk Razor or Refill, exp. 5/5/13 (SS 03/24/13)
Final Price =$5.98 plus get a $5.00 gift card back...like paying $.98 for 2!

Buy 4 Bic Twin Select Silky Touch Women’s Disposable Razors 10 ct $2.99; Bic Mens Sensitive Skin Disposable Razors 12 ct $2.94
Use (4) of the $3/1 Bic Disposable Razor coupon found in the 3/17 SS
Final price = FREE!

Maybelline Eye Shadows Singles $2.94
Use the $1/1 Maybelline Cosmetic Item Target Coupon
Plus, use the $1.50/1 Maybelline New York Eye Shadow or Liner coupon
Final Price = $0.44!

Maybelline volum Express Mascara $5.49
Use the $1/1 Maybelline Volum' Express Mega Plush mascara
Plus, use the $1/1 Maybelline, mascara 2/3/13 RP Insert (exp 03/30/2013) 
Final Price = $3.49! (not the best deal...but I needed mascara!)

I payed: $10.57+tax and received a $5.00 gift card for next time!

Bottle Feeding vs. Breastfeeding

Is this really still a controversial topic? I am not sure exactly but still, I have thoughts that are on my heart and mind that I feel that some out there could certainly benefit from. 

Here I am 16 weeks pregnant with my 4th child. Most would not realize that I would have any parenting "issues" left that I wasn't sure about but they would be wrong. 

When I was pregnant with Keira (my oldest), I really took things for granted. I did all of the things that I was supposed to do. I took a breastfeeding class (because of course I would nurse my child), I did all of the childbirth classes. I got the great pump that would allow me to have a sitter sometimes and let daddy feed her. I was psyched. I never imagined that it just wouldn't work.

When Keira was born, there were a multitude of things that just work right. First of all, she had NO desire to latch on or be at the breast in ANY position. Second, my anatomy (I will not go into detail here) did not do what it was supposed to do and Third, I was barely producing anything. 

I tried. I cried. I met with 3 lactation consultants who couldn't help me. I met with someone from le leche league who couldn't help me. After 4 weeks the pediatrician said to me while I was bawling my eyes out, "Your baby needs to grow. She needs to eat and we have formula that will help her do that." He told me that  while of course most pediatricians recommend breastfeeding, his own wife could not nurse their first child. She could with their second. It was like a world of relief flooded over me. 

But...I never felt more judged by many people around me for the decision to feed my baby formula. You would have thought I was abusing her. 

What do we all want as parents? We want the best for our children. We want them to grow and thrive and be healthy. 

When I had Libby, we started down the same path as with Keira. After 2 weeks, we switched to formula...never looking back.

Then came Janessa. While I was pregnant with her, I did a TON of research. I found out that there were things I could do while I was pregnant that would really help when it came time to feed her. I did all that I could do. I prayed and I hoped that this third child would come out and be able to nurse (because come on people...formula is expensive!). 

Well...Janessa came out wanting to nurse. She was ready and so was my body. And one of the first things the nurse said was:

"She has a cleft palate so she can't nurse"

WHAT! 

Come on Lord, is this a joke?

NOPE.

So...here I am, pregnant with number 4. Hopeful that we won't be shelling out the bucks for formula next fall, I am praying and preparing myself to try once again. But...at this point, it is out of convenience more than anything else. I would love to not have to buy the formula or realize that the can is empty and run to the store at midnight or forget a bottle when I go somewhere. It would be nice to just have a supply of food on myself at all times. 

But if something happens and this baby cannot nurse....It'll be ok. We live in a time where we have another option. I don't need a wet nurse. My baby will live and thrive with or without breastmilk.

My plea for you all is to be sensitive about this subject. You do NOT know their story. You do NOT know how hard some of them tried. You do NOT know what their reason is. 

In no way does it mean any mother loves their child less. 

When you look at at class of Kindergartners or high school graduates, can you tell which ones were offered bottle or breast? No.

Let's stop judging each other and be parents together. Let's love and teach our kids about the things that matter in life and not worry about how we choose to feed our children or discipline them or whether or not we have our kids on a set schedule.....Let's just love each other in the way that God wants us to.

Five Minute Friday: Rest

I am teaming up with Five Minute Friday and today the topic is "Rest". So...the deal is to write for 5 minutes on the word and then stop...no editing or re-writing...here goes.


Rest

Lately I have been feeling like I can never get enough rest. Let's be honest. I have 3 girls 4 and under and another little something on the way. I am tired. I have an awesome hubby who often deals with kids that wake up in the night because he doesn't want to wake me. (And apparently I could sleep through a Hurricane right now). But...I am tired.

If I am honest, it isn't a sleep issue. It is a chaos issue. I need to find rest in the Lord. I need to cast my anxieties on Him and focus. I know that is the need, but that doesn't make it easy.

Our life is filled with wonderful things. I don't think we are too busy and I don't think we aren't doing enough. It feels balanced and good.

But still...I need to not just sleep, I need to rest in God.

I need to take time out from my little projects and such and just spend some time, even a few minutes here and there, just letting God be God in my life. Only focused on Him.

That would be rest.

That would be the rest that I need.

Post Cleft Palate Surgery...2 week update

Today marks 2 weeks since Janessa had her cleft palate repaired and also tubes put in both ears.

I cannot begin to explain just how much this surgery has changed her life already and am so thankful that we live in place and time where things like this can just be "fixed".

We have come to realize just how much she could NOT hear before this surgery. With a baby, you don't always realize that they aren't doing the "normal" things that a baby does because they all do things at different times.

Before her surgery, Janessa would dance if she heard music. Now, we realize that she only danced if the music was right next to her or really loud. Now, if there is something faint and in the distance she not only stops to dance, but she also sings along...so precious!

A few days post surgery, we were all in the car and our older two were in the back laughing about something...Janessa mimicked them and joined in...adorable.

She is making sounds she just plain could not make before without the roof of her mouth. goo goo, gaa gaa...normal baby sounds had never come out before.

Before surgery she called us all mama. Now she is saying Hi, Bye bye, and dada....two weeks folks!

She just needed to hear.

What an amazing blessing.

And...on top of it all....food no longer comes out of her nose when she is eating! Yay Janessa!

On Tuesday we go the all clear from the doctor to take her arm braces off and let her go back to "normal life". Here she is walking with her push toy today...she is usually much faster but it is still cute!

Walk Without Fear

Each week, the girls and I attend Community Bible Study in our area. If you have never heard of it before, I highly recommend getting acquainted! I won't go into all of the details of it now but it is an amazing place to go in depth with the word of God and the children't program is incomparable to anything I have seen elsewhere. Ok...that was my plug for that, however, not my point.

 Currently, we are studying 1 Samuel and this past weeks lesson focused on David and Goliath (chapters 17-18). When I first saw that this was going to be the lesson, I definitely though to myself, "aw man...I already know this story so well". We read this story multiple times a week at the request of my children and growing up in the church, I just felt like there wasn't going to be anything "new" for me to learn.

I love when I am wrong because GOD is right!

Oh how He knows what I need to hear, when I need to hear it!

I won't go into details right this minute but over the last 2 months, our lives have changed drastically. In a good way...but not a "normal" way. I will blog more about this soon, I promise.

There is just a LOT going on. There are things we are trying to start up and things that we are trying to say goodbye to. A lot of change. For me, change can mean fear. A fear that ends up stopping me from doing anything at all. Like the Israelite's. They had to face this huge giant. I can't say that I wouldn't have been scared too. Then, this little shepherd boy comes along and just does it. Not because he feels powerful or because he even thinks that he has the ability to do it on his own. David goes up against Goliath because God has promised to be with them.

1 Samuel 17:37: "The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine." 

God has promised to keep the Israelites safe and has already followed through. David just saw it as plain as day and just stepped out in faith and defeated Goliath and the Philistines in nothing short of a miracle. God fought this battle for him and David knew that He would.

When God has called us to something, we need to just step out and go for it. There is nothing to be afraid of. Even if the situation seems HUGE and unbeatable, we need to obey God and just do it.

What is your Giant? What is stopping you today?

My friend, pray about it. Has God called you to this? Is is something that Would please Him? If He is calling you to do something, do it.

Join me!


Here is a song that I love the words to....you may have heard it. He loves us. He will never let us go.

Chrissy's Birthday Giveaway

Today is my 33rd birthday! YIPPEEEE! I am excited to enjoy dinner out tonight but first....

I decided to celebrate by giving you all a chance to win a few of my favorite things! There are many ways to get entries into this and they are all VERY easy! It is all going to be included in one big giveaway so if you win, you will receive 4 fun gifts:

1. A 1-Year Subscription to All You Magazine (my favorite...tons of coupons, recipes, family and savings ideas!)
2. A $10 Gift Card to Panera (Yum! This is where I escape to write and work when hubby lets me :)
3. An EOS lip balm (summer fruite flavored) 100% natural, 95% organic...LOVE THIS STUFF!
4. And because it is tradition in our family to give "As seen on TV" Gifts, you will also receive: Ice Cream Magic---supposedly makes Ice Cream in less than 4 minutes! Who wouldn't want that! (Just to be fun and silly!)

Who wouldn't want all these fun gifts, right?

By entering, you are also doing me the favor...er...I mean, giving me the birthday gift of advertising my blog! so...a big thank you to anyone who enters and spreads the word...Good luck to all! So...please enter...the more entries we get, the better so enter lots of times! 

Just follow the Rafflecopter instructions below to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

1 Week Post Surgery

Sorry for the lack of updates... I will blame it on lack of sleep!

Janessa is doing fabulous! Her healing process has gone much smoother than I expected. She is barely taking any Tylenol or Motrin at this point and is pretty much her normal self. She doesn't seem bothered by her "no-no's" (arm braces) and for the most part she is sleeping...though today she refused to nap! I do think if I could give her pacifier to her, life would be a bit smoother but that can't happen for at least another week!

Here she is today. Emptying my grandma's cupboard and making a silly face for the camera!

She is already a child who LOVES to get into places she's not supposed to...although, I watched her do this one!

I am very happy about her progress and wanted to thank you all for your prayers for us as a family. They were felt and they were appreciated! 

Thank you from our entire family!

Still Here For Now

I will ask once again for a few more prayers on our behalf. Janessa is doing awesome overall. She is fairly happy, when medicated, and starting to blabber and giggle so that makes me happy.

However, she still has not taken a bottle. She needs to do this before we can go home. they turned off her IV fluids a couple of hours ago hoping that she would feel more hungry and thristy...but so far...she just doesn't care.

If she doesn't do it soon, the IV fluids will be turned back on and we may have to stay another night!

I, for one, would love to come home and sleep in my own bed but of course we want our peanut to do the best she can.

The nurses and staff here are great and we feel fortunate to be so close to a great hospital.

On the bad side of things, we lost our ipad in the shuffle of things yesterday and haven't been able to locate it yet. It is in locked and lost mode now so please pray that if someone finds it, they will be kind and return it to us. We had 2 garage sales last summer to earn the money to pay for it and wouldn't be able to buy a new one any time soon!