"Gig"

My mom (aka:"Gig" - pronounced jeej) has literally flown in to save the day this past week. My MIL, SIL, awesome-incredible-hunky-hubby, and amazing friends filled in all the gaps until she could get here...seriously, it seems as if it takes an army to do what I normally do each day and Chad and I will be forever grateful for the help our family has received so that I can fully recover. ***You know who you are to those of you who have helped so THANK YOU!!!***


That being said, my mom flew in last Tuesday and has taken over this ship. Between her and Chad, I'm not allowed to sneeze without permission! They've got me on strict bed rest and the only way I can get away with walking through the house is if I tiptoe around when nobody is here (yes, I'm tiptoeing...knowing them they've probably placed hidden cameras around to make sure doctors orders are being followed). I'm grateful, but will be glad when this bed rest lifts! I woke up feeling great today and batted my eyes as I asked Chad if I could just sit at the kids b-ball games this morning at the Y. I promised no cheering, screaming, or even moving. The man shut me down!!...he probably knew there was no way I could watch the kids games without breaking the above promises....I'm a slightly psycho competitive mom...confession is good for the soul. And so I'm blogging...in bed! Lol!

Since Gigi (or rather, "Gig", as the kids have newly named her) arrived, Lils has been her side kick. They've read books, played dolls, cuddled, taken bike rides, walked Chase, and even begun working on potty training! Don't get me wrong, Shep and Rauly are stuck to her like Velcro as well, but since they're in school 5 days a week, Lils has gotten a lot of extra time, and I think they've both loved every moment.

So, thank you mom for taking off time from work and dropping everything to come run this ship - we love you and are so grateful! OH, and feel free to stay another month or so...I could get used to not doing laundry or dishes!!! ;-)

(Had to throw in the pic of Lillie hugging Chase...our poor dog gets strangled like this all day. He's literally smothered with love!)

Goodbye good friend :-)

So, I've been having some health issues lately that I've tried to keep "hush, hush" due to them being of a personal nature. But, many of you have heard of my surgery so I figured I might as well just get over myself and blog about it. I told Chad part of me would rather have people thinking I'm going in for plastic surgery than having a hysterectomy - lol! What can I say?...I'm a weirdo. ;-)

My uterus has become my friend and my enemy over the past 10 years. It allowed me to become pregnant 3 times...and carry each child to term...and deliver 3 perfectly healthy babies. It has served me very very well. But, it came time to say goodbye to my friend as it recently became a thorn in my side (or thorn in my center??).

For a long time, I had thought I had normal "G.I." problems...pretty regular cramping in my lower abdomen that annoyed the heck out of me and I tried to ignore it for years. But after a year of uncomfortable abdominal swelling, increasingly worse cramping, and serious lower back pain among other issues I won't go in to, a good friend told me I needed to GO TO THE DOCTOR. And so I did.

When the doctor brought Chad and I in to his office 3 weeks ago, I was shaking in my boots...thought for sure he must've found cancer. So, when he said I had Adenomyosis, I wanted to whoop and holler! The phrase "keep it classy, Fleming Island" ran through my head though, thx to my friend Shannon, and instead, I calmly breathed a sigh of relief and asked "What the heck is Adenomyosis?? (Turns out it's a fairly common problem among women my age, but unfortunately mine was more progressed than most - my uterus was larger than a woman who is 12 weeks pregnant...not good.) And when he told me I needed a hysterectomy, I about fell out of my chair. I'm pretty sure I sputtered and said "Are you kidding??? I'm only 30 years old!". But, he wasn't kidding and after receiving a 2nd opinion and a Colonoscopy to confirm that this wasn't GI related, I said "ok". (side note - the colonoscopy revealed that the hospitalization during my pregnancy with Lillie was due to my uterus - NOT GI problems.) So, Two weeks later, I went in for surgery...feeling very at peace with this decision and very ready for better days ahead. :-)

The day before my surgery, I had about 2 minutes of tears...2 minutes of boo-hoo'ing with my hand over my womb thinking how sad I was to lose this piece of me that had helped to breathe life and love in to our family and our home. But, after those two minutes, I knew it was time to move on. Time to look ahead. Time to be done with these issues.

Recovery was initially tougher than what I expected...I required 5 catheters in 48 hours (awake for them all...fun stuff). Apparently my uterus had done some damage to the nerves attached to my bladder which wound up impeding my healing progress and certainly discouraged me. BUT - those issues are finally resolved and aside from another week of bed rest, and some soreness, I'm doing good. :-) So thankful to say all those symptoms I was having prior to surgery are GONE!

I knew I was blessed with friends and family, but sometimes I have to pinch myself and thank God for giving me friends and family who make life so fulfilling. Thank you all for the babysitting, flowers, meals, magazines, bedside visits, texts, phone calls, emails, cards, prayers, hospital visits, etc etc etc!

Ok...enough about Uteruses right?! I promise - no more blog posts about female body parts again! ;-p

Lils

Well, the title of this post is what our toddler has decided she'd like to be called. Not Lillie Anna, not Lillie, not LA. She's emphatic: "I Lil's".

"Lil's" is a hot mess these days. I lovingly refer to her as my ragamuffin. No matter how hard I try to doll her up in dresses, skirts and hair bows, within minutes she will somehow manage to have dirt smeared on her face, crumbs smeared on her clothes and her feet ...lord help me....those feet! They are filthy! She refuses to keep her shoes on and is perfectly content to run outside in the dirt and mud barefoot. My Fleming Island friends claim its due to having a mother from Arkansas! Lol!

And she's rough!!!....I promise you she's rougher than me!!! This is most assuredly from having two older siblings who wrestle her, tickle her, bounce her high to the sky on the trampoline and who treat her like their equal. She has no idea she's 4 years younger than Rauly...if Rauly or Shep are doing it, than by golly, she should be able to as well! She's riding a bike, (with training wheels...but still!!!), swinging herself on a regular swing and throws a FIT each and every time I buckle her in her carseat....oooooh how she wants to be outa that thing!

She gives new meaning to bear hugs. There is not an ounce of tenderness when she wraps her arms around you....a hug from "Lil's" usually involves strangling. But bless her heart, it's sincere - I love her bear hugs. :-)

I recently took her to Bernie (the kids hair stylist) and said could you please make her look less like a ragamuffin?....he laughed and said "she's TWO!". Yes Bernie....but my other two children never looked such a mess all. The. Time.

Well, she may be a rough-n-tumble-ragamuffin but she's a sweet heart! She's always the life of the party...she wants to be in the center of the fun. She's vivacious and I can already tell she's going to be a loyal loving friend. No-uh (Noah), Aubwey an Caowine (Aubrey & Caroline), Sammi and the Klingenberg kids are on the top of her list right now....she asks me multiple times a day if she can see her "fwinz" (friends). Her zest for life is contagious and her messiness makes me laugh. And actually, that seems to be her goal - she LOVES making people around her laugh!

So next time you see "Lil's", don't judge her dirt smeared face - I assure you she's bathed regularly. ;-) And don't judge me if I don't chase after her with a wet wipe - she's our third kid...I kinda don't care anymore!

A few weeks ago I was one of the lucky moms in Rauly's class whose name was drawn out of a hat. There were four moms who got to join their children on a field trip to the Jacksonville Hands On Museum. Rauly got to ride in a school bus...which I believe may have been the highlight of her day! She's never riden on one before and for some reason, her and Shep both think that school buses are the coolest things - so needless to say, she was giddy as she climbed the steps and found her seat on the bus. :-)

Rauly has always been very confident, but she's also been blessed to have been with the same group of children from Sharing Tree Preschool since she was TWO. I was very curious to see how she'd interact with her classmates now that she's in such a new environment, and I have to say, I couldn't have been prouder. She was well mannered and kind to her classmates, she made sure she included everyone around her and she even made a point to grab my hand the entire morning to try and include me too. Very sweet. :-)

I'm so thankful I got to be with her for that special day and am soaking in these days while she's so untouched by "boyfriends" and "crushes" and "gossip",...those days are coming, but till then - I will bask in her innocence!!!

Beautiful Boy

Amelia Kai - my niece

So, I have to admit - since I learned that Jacob (my bratty baby brother) and his wife Kate are expecting again, I've been daydreaming about what they would have. So when I got a text this week saying that it's a BOY, I was ecstatic! I'm going to have a nephew!! My SIL comes from a strong Japanese heritage, and you can see that in Amelia Kai's coloring and features (that's her in the above picture - isn't she adorable?!). I'm so curious to see what their little boy will look like and to know the name they will choose for him. But above all else, I'm curious to see the plans God has for him. This little boy will be very loved and prayed over. :-)

Sweet Caroline

For those of you who faithfully prayed for my sweet friends daughter, I thank you from the bottom of my heart! Shannon keeps a blog and has recently begun updating again - you can click on this link to read up on the many ways God is working in their lives. Again, thank you for your prayers!

Success...or lack therof

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. What is success?? Because if I'm being honest with myself (and with everyone who reads this), than I'd admit that I do NOT feel successful most days. In fact, I often feel like I'm failing, despite putting my best efforts in to each day!

Just when I go to pat myself on the back, the kids will start bickering, or I'll see sharpie markers on yet aNOTHer wall, or I'll realize I didn't fold the laundry quick enough and every stinkin' shirt is wrinkled, or I'll lose my temper with the kids and find myself needing to apologize, or I'll remember I haven't opened my bible in a week, or I'll realize I was an awful friend by forgetting a b-day or by failing to check on someone who was sick.....oh yeah, trust me, I eat humble pie all. day. long.

I'm sure all of you reading don't feel successful each day. In fact, I know you don't because I occasionally hear you sharing your own sense of failure. But, after a LOT of observation and a LOT of thinking...what I'm finding is that success isn't in how your life turns out....but rather, it's in how you deal with what life gives you. Success is in your attitude and in the way you approach each day. Success is found in saying to each mountain that you come up against that no matter how tall it is - you won't stop climbing. Success isn't necessarily in beating the odds, or in beating the cancer, or in finding your soul mate, or gritting your teeth and holding your marriage together, etc...life happens - we can't control it all, true?...(yes America, I realize that's borderline blasphemy!) So, most days, we have to take what life throws our way and just KEEP CLIMBING!

Jonathan Edwards said: "The way to Heaven is ascending; we must be content to travel uphill, though it be hard and tiresome, and contrary to the natural bias of our flesh.” (I feel the need to insert here that I'm not a huge fan of this man, but sure do agree with this post.) Notice he doesn't say there's going to be a downhill?? Notice he doesn't say it's going to get easier?? I am beginning to understand that America has fooled themselves in to thinking that we can and will be successfull if we can a)find our "perfect partner" b)create 2.5 children (whatever that means!), and c)out buy the Joneses!! What if your life is successful simply because you found Jesus and accepted that you need him? What if true success is by letting His light shine through your life and blessing others? What if true success is in halting a vicious cycle in your family and raising a generation of children who know and love the Lord? What if success is in doing your best and allowing God to do the rest??

I want to be successful in everything I do, but then reality sinks in and I KNOW I will fail at many things. So, if I could choose which area's to succeed, this would be my list:

1)I pray my children love the Lord and that Christ in them would shine brightly. "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Matthew 22:36-39

2)I pray Chad and my marriage is an example to them...not of fairytales coming true, but of forgivness and patience...unfailing love and continued acceptance. “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for each other.” 1st John 3:16

3)I pray that my friendships will hold true, no matter how busy life gets or how many different directions we are all pulled...I pray forgiveness and grace will abound in those relationships! “Let us encourage one another —and all the more as you see the day approaching” -Hebrews 10:25

4)I pray that I will bless the people who come in my life and vice versa. “As far as it be within you be at peace with all men.” -Hebrews 10:24

5)I pray God will grant me wisdom (oh please, Lord!!) with each passing day. "My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding— indeed, if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God." -Proverbs 2:1-5

6)I pray for a more compassionate heart towards others that I just don't understand. And it would sure be nice if that same compassion could be returned to me....Lord knows I need it. :-) “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:36-38

In my book, that would be success.

We love the Wii!!!

Sorry. Was that too corny of a title? ;-) Well, it's true. And if you knew Chad and I, you would know that saying that is a HUGE confession. We fought purchasing the Wii (and many other electronic devices) for Y-E-A-R-S! Shepherd is our "veg" child...he'd sit on the couch and watch t.v. all day if we'd let him...he'd also sit and play the computer, or read, or play nintendo all day if we'd let him. He's our child who would cry (literally) if we make him go play in our backyard. Yes, the same back yard that we spent THOUSANDS of dollars on making it a kids haven. I'll admit to forcing him outside and locking the door to keep him out there....eventually he'll find himself having the time of his life, but it takes a good 10 minutes before he realizes he's not in a torture chamber! Sorry, got off track. Anywhoo, after several years of Shep thinking that every other family was way cooler than ours because we apparently lived in the stone age, Chad found a great deal on a Wii at a garage sale. I'd like to add too that he scooped it up without asking me (I would have said an emphatic NO if he'd asked!). Regardless, he set it up and it has changed things around here. The kids LOVE the sports games (as do Chad and I) and we find ourselves laughing hyserically as we play Tennis, Golf, and Baseball. Mario Cart and Mario Bro.'s has also become hits in our home! The other night, one of Chad's clients came to stay with us and he and Chad wound up playing Wii all. night. long! It was hysterical...those guys were actually SWEATING! And, I have to admit, Chad and I have found ourselves on the couch playing the Wii a few nights after putting the kids in bed....it's ridiculous, I know - but it's good family fun! :-)

Touched

I don't know about you, but I CRAVE fellowship with others....I may be a true introvert and may cherish my quiet time at home with my books and my family, but if I did that all day every day, loneliness would consume me! Some of us are married, some are single, but no matter if we have a spouse or not, I believe we were each made to truly need someone. Even Paul (one of the greatest missionaries/evangelists of all times) was single, but had the gift of the Holy Spirit to aid him, as well as the fellowship of believers in nearly every city he travelled to who embraced and welcomed him....who lifted his spirits and blessed him with deep rooted connections in the short time he would stay with them. Our front door has been a daily reminder to me this christmas season of how truly important connecting with others is. With each card that arrived in the mail, our family received updates on loved ones and images of children who are growing (btw: could you please tell your precious children that Mrs. Lindsey said to STOP THAT????!!!!). It's been an incredible blessing to connect with all of you and I'm so thankful you thought of us. In fact, we took all of our Christmas stuff down yesterday (sigh), but the cards remain....not sure how long they'll stay, but for now, I'm just not ready to take down all of your beautiful smiling faces!!!

This year, one of the biggest blessings was a gift that Jenny (Chad's sister) gave on behalf of Shepherd, Rauly and Lillie Anna. For Christmas, she purchased two soccer balls for a community of children, 3 ducks for a family, and a bunny for another family. We aren't sure which country these gifts were going to, but we know that the community and families receiving these gifts will GREATLY appreciate them. The children receiving the soccer balls have been known to make balls out of leaves, trash and other miscellaneous items they could find on the ground....to see the joy on the kids faces when they see those soccer balls would be PRICELESS. And the families receiving the animals will be given the means to provide for themselves...not only to feed their families, but to potentially make a living off of selling eggs and protein. When the kids opened each card, I was touched. Knowing that Jenny was providing a way for our family to reach out and connect with people across the world and touch them in ways that will truly bless them. WHAT A GIFT! So, thank you Jenny! You have started a new tradition, I think. For anyone interested in touching someone's life in the same way Jenny did, check out World Vision - they're an incredible organization who are actively working to make a lasting difference in the lives of people who desperately need to be touched!