The night before the night before

I don't have anywhere to put this... and I'm not sure it belongs here. But I don't journal anywhere else. So it's going here.

I've been very emotional and teary this week. I've not felt like myself. It could be because the reason I'm having this surgery has been causing a problem of bleeding and I'm just tired, physically tired-- because of the low iron caused by all the bleeding.

I've not been a good mom lately, because I'm just. tired. Getting my everyday chores done is a major feat in and of itself.

And then there's my little tornado. She flies through the house and seems to be bent on undoing every single thing that I do. Is it always this way or am I just noticing this right now because I'm so tired and not able to keep up with her like normal?

At first glance, the house doesn't look that bad. I have a dishwasher. So the dirty dishes are hidden. And I have a laundry room. So I've just been keeping the clean laundry in the baskets in there. There are just things I can't keep up with at the moment. I just can't.

I'm hoping that after this surgery on Friday, and after the (prayerfully short) recovery, I'm going to feel much better. God willing. If you read this, please pray for me on Friday, and the few days to follow it.

I just wanted to get this out. Thanks for reading.

a katie funny

Jonathan did something (or didn't do something she wanted)... either way, it wasn't to her liking. So Katie just came in here and said to me...

"Momma! Guy said no! Go lell at him!!"

disclaimer: there is no "lelling" at this house. There isn't any yelling anytime, ever. We are a perfect family. :) Just so you know ;)

I thought it was such a funny report! and wanted to share, haha

A little nugget...

that i took from my devotions today...

from 1 Thessalonians chapter 5:16-18. It was just what I needed! (isn't God good?)

16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.


I just wanted to share it with you all! :)

Have a great day!

Oh my Word!!!

Please take a minute to watch this video. My sister Becky had this video on her Facebook and she and I just watched it and now we're both crying!! Sooo cute!

I couldn't figure out how to embed this video (who is surprised at that? eyes rolling at myself) so here is the link.. You will love this!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adYbFQFXG0U

xoxo
Cath

Happy Birthday Papa!!

Today is my dad's 72nd birthday! We had him and my mom over along with my sister Becky and her friend for lunch and cake and ice cream...

It was a fun birthday party and we love you Papa!!

Endometrial Ablation

Yep, this is what I'm facing.. any of you ever experience this? I have been having *issues* (to put it delicately) for awhile now... and since Brian and I are finished with fertility treatments, we have decided that I most likely will never be pregnant again.

But, really, it's ok. We both know that we are blessed beyond what we could hope or imagine. Unbelievably blessed. To know the hand of God... you look at our 2 precious children, and know that nothing short of miracles occurred to result in these two. He has been so good to us!!!

And I'm 38. Yep, 38.. and given some difficulties I've had this past year.. I think another pregnancy would put me over the edge emotionally.. Well, not the pregnancy itself... but the PPD, which we know, it gets worse each time (or so we're told)... A risk I'm not willing to take, knowing how it could all end up this time. (If it gets worse... wow... can't even imagine WORSE, so we won't go there!)

All of this to say, I have a surgery scheduled for Friday, August 1st. At 12 noon EST. I'm happy about it... at least happy and hopeful that the said surgery will help my current medical condition.

Making the possibility of me never being pregnant again... making it *final*... wow, it feels a little ... emotional! Even though I know it's the right next step.

Thanks for reading, if you've made it this far!! Have a happy day!!! :)





PS: for those of you who don't want to google it, here's what it is:


Endometrial ablation is a method to destroy the lining of the uterus in order to stop or drastically decrease bleeding. This may be accomplished by putting a hot balloon placed in the endometrial cavity to burn the lining, or by a procedure to burn or cut out the endometrium with other instruments. About 50-75% of patients may stop having periods after endometrial ablation, at least initially, and 20-30% of patients note an acceptable decrease in the amount of bleeding. Unfortunately, 10% of patients see no improvement in their symptoms. Endometrial ablation should only be considered by women who don’t want to have more children, and who have had a biopsy to make sure that endometrial hyperplasia and cancer are not the causes of the bleeding.

A Request to my Readers.

Hello family and friends! If you wouldn't mind, leave a comment here when you come to visit me.. every once in awhile.

There is a blogging term called "DeLurk" -- basically it means, come out of hiding!! :) hehe.. Just let me know that you're here. Just a simple "hello" will do..

And for those of you who don't know how to sign in with a Google account... (coughs -- Aunt Becky)... all you have to do as post as "Anonymous"... just be sure to sign your name so I know who you are...

Thanks everyone for this courtesy...

Hugs,
Cath

Summertime Fun :-)

The kids were having some fun with their bikes.

Then Jonathan got an idea..

he wanted to pull Katie around like a motorcycle with a side car!! lol

After a long day of playing together, it's bathtime!!

Katie loves to wash Jonathan's hair for him!

Rinse Cycle! hehe

Happy Fourth of JULY!!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful 4th of July weekend with their families!! Brian has been off this entire past week and for the next 2 weeks, so we have been busy do all sorts of things! Yesterday we went to our annual BBQ at our good friends house Karen and Rob.. they are always gracious and host this huge party year after year. It's always so much fun, lots of sun and pool time, and way too much food! This year didn't disappoint ;)

After we left the party we met up with our other best friends, the Weisses and went to the fireworks, which were so much fun! A perfect ending to a perfect day. Katie was in total awe of the fireworks this year. It was so fun to watch her watch them (last year we didn't go because they were rained out and the year before that she was too little to remember anything!)

I have lots more pics to share but I'll save them for the next post.. and they're not from the 4th of July anyway, and i have to keep it themed haha..Enjoy! :)

Two Patriotic Cuties!! (and their handsome Daddy)

Exploring with Josiah!

Silly Girl Bathing Beauty! (Don't get the water on me, Anyone)
More fun with Josiah!
Big Brave Jonathan!!!!
Snuggling up to a grandpa that was there (not hers!)

Meeting up with the Weisses for Fireworks!!!!

Ahhh! A very fun and full day!! Good night and God bless America!

Little Katie Grace Story

Today Katie and I were hanging out on the floor playing and our bare feet were touching... she giggled everytime our toes touched, so I started doing it on purpose, loving that sweet giggle of hers.

I said.. "Are we playing 'toes Katie??"

Katie: "yesssss! .. Mommy! that Stickles!!!!"


hehee

JOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think we found our new school!!!!!! We went for an interview yesterday and Brian and I both felt a peace while we were there talking to the principal. The truths he spoke to us from God's word settled over us like cascades of water in a river... it was truly that obvious.

We left the school and just looked at each other, smiled. God has answered our prayers. We didn't feel the need to go visit the 3rd school on the list. This is The One.

A wise friend of mine told me it would be this way.. when we were in the right place, having had prayed about it and given this to God, who loves Jonathan even more then we do... then we would know. And you know what? We knew.

Thank you, Lord, for once again, taking care of us. We are excited again, about the future. God is so good!

Let the summer begin!!!!!!!!!!

a sad week

Jonathan finished 1st grade yesterday. He did so well... Made high honor roll all year, all straight A's.. we are so proud of him. We love his school so much. We have been sending him to a Christian school for the past 2 years and haven't once regretted the extra money for tuition. We have been blessed more then we can ask or imagine with the teachers he's had the past 2 years, for Kindergarten and 1st grade.

We found out 2 weeks ago that his school is closing. :( We're so heartbroken. We trust that God knows the future. We know that He is the author of our lives. And we believe that He loves Jonathan more then even we do. We are uncertain about what to do, and right now our immediate future is unsettled for our little guy.

Yesterday was a hard day, saying goodbye to friends and teachers and people we've come to love. Sometimes life really stinks. But we're trying to remember that He is in control. And He loves us. And it's all going to be ok. I will update when we find a school for Jonathan. In the meantime I'd appreciate your thoughts and prayers.

OK.. grrrr.. but Carrie saves the day!

anyone out there know a quick fix to what I just did to the posting of that last one?? ughhhh...

Sigh... I sucketh at photo posting. there always seems to be a problem!!

If I can't find a solution quick.. I'm sorry to everyone who has to click on each pic to see the whole thing. Yes, I'm rolling my eyes at my stupid blonde self!


ETA: Thank you, Carrie! My smart (un)blonde friend came to save the day!!! So my photos are fixed without too much ado!!! xoxo Carebear!! love you!

Memorial Day Fun !!!!

Lauren, Katie, Hannah, Zach, and Jonathan




Katie Grace enjoying time on the trampoline :)





Zach and Katie on the horsey ("Gunka Don")



Me and Tracy -- ahhh not sure why we look wasted because we WEREn't! (Grandma Donna and Papa Jack, along with Nanny and Papa were there, so we really weren't!!!)


No party is ever complete of course without Aunt Becky!!!!!!!


And the fun daddies... and yes, Gunka Don was playing with Katie's bitty baby. I didn't ask questions.. just grabbed my camera!! ;)






God bless the USA!!!!!!!

Unspeakable...

Several posts ago I asked you to pray for Todd and Angie Smith... her updates were on Angie's blog at http://audreycaroline.blogspot.com/

Todd is the lead singer for Selah. For those following their story, you know that Baby Audrey was born and lived for 2 hours, 7 weeks ago before she went to be with our Father in Heaven. To say it's been a hard road for Todd and Angie, their 3 girls, and all of those that love them is an incredible understatement.

Last night i was reading on her blog and found out that Todd's sister Nicol, who was an original singer on Selah (and the reason we fell in love with them in the first place), lost her baby boy Luke to SIDS. We are just overwhelmed and so saddened to hear this news, right on the heels of the Steven Curtis Chapman family tragedy... we can only cry out to God and remind ourselves that our ways are not His ways, and that He is the author and finisher of life, and that we are comforted in knowing His hand is on each one of us, especially our children whom we hold so dear.

I am reminded of the wise words of my dear pastor Paul Hazlett whom has since gone on to be with the Lord, after we had Jonathan dedicated to Jesus as a baby. As he passed him back to our arms, he said gently to us,

"Hold him lightly now, for he belongs to Jesus."

Our prayers are with the Sponbergs tonight as they make arrangement for their littlest one, and they give him back to God.

Find updates on Angie's blog: http://audreycaroline.blogspot.com/

Happy Anniversary to us! :)

12 years and counting! Loving my man more today then ever. He has stuck by me through what could have been the hardest year yet... whew... He is truly one of the good ones..I am so blessed.

Looking forward to renewing our vows one year soon... I definitely don't deserve this man God gave to me. He is a gift.

Love you, Baby.

xoxoxo

Oh Happy Day!!

2 things...


1) Brian is painting the kitchen!! I can't wait to show photos! We're doing a coffee theme and the walls will look like coffee with cream in it. (yay!)

2) Grey's Anatomy comes back tonight!! Whoohoo!!


that's all.

A Praise! (and a little toddler rant)

Firstly... I am so excited... I got a job!!!! I am just... wow.. so happy about this, and about the way God provided this, I have to share. God is amazing!

OK.. this is how it happened...

Finances around here.. welllllllll, they've been tight. Squeaky tight. We've been on a strict budget for what seems like forever, but lately with only Brian working and having Jonathan in Christian school and with life expenses (barest of them)... it was becoming increasingly clearer for us that I needed to do something. However, there were a few things I was committed to. I am committed to being a mom, first. We are committed to keeping Jonathan in Christian school. And I am committed to staying with MOPS (I am on the committee. Soooo with all that in mind.. I set out on a quest to find the job that would fulfill those (very strict) requirements. It would, of course, also have to be worth it at all.. meaning, it would need to pay me well, so that I could help make a difference at all in our lives.

My friend Tracy and I are in the same boat, financially, except they are looking to put their house on the market so that they can move to a bigger house to accomodate their family.. and she has been a SAHM since the birth of her last child, Zach, who is the same age as Katie.

Tracy and I are now working girls for a friend of ours from church, Frank, who owns a very well established landscaping and drainage business... He is paying us great, letting us work from home or his office, and basically we are making telephone calls, helping Frank drum up business for the plumbing/drainage end of his business. The fun part is that we are doing this toGETHER.. (we are both opting to do it from his office.. we are going to go a couple of hours in the evening, hello?? get out of the house AND make money??) and on Saturday mornings. We have potential of making 30/hour (very easily I might add)... it's going to be fabulous.. and when our babies go to school, I see us both still working for him in a greater capacity!! Thank you, Lord! He is good all the time!!!

My little toddler rant (and I'll keep this short)... Katie said "I hate you!" to me this morning.... what???????????????????????????? No one says that to each other in this house. She says "Shut up!!!" when she's mad too. We don't talk to each other like that here... so unless Jonathan is saying these things to her when they're alone... I have no idea where she's getting this stuff from. But omgosh!!!
:( Very sad! What in the world??????? This mother/daughter thing is scaring me a bit.

Google Images Meme

Type your answers in Google Images and pick an image off the first page:

The age you will be on your next birthday:

A place to which you’d like to travel:

(Australia)

One of your favorite places:

(it's where my heart is, always)

One of your favorite objects:

One of your favorite foods:

(this has to count. it's one of the food groups!)

Your favorite animal:

Your favorite color:

The first name of a past love:

(think American Idol a couple of years ago. Yes, I did love him. Despite the teeth)

The first name of your current love:

Your best friend’s nickname/screen name:

and, of course, my seester:

Your First Name:

(wish I looked like her)

Your Middle Name:

Your Last Name:

And TAG to whomever wants to do it! It took me forever though.. there has to be a better way, lol.. have fun!!!

Classic Katie

Apparently Katie has decided she is no longer my little girl. Amid her curly ponytail and her pink t-strap Keds and her all of her "pretties" [that would be all of her shiny, sparkly jewels]... she has come to a conclusion that she voices with clear determination on a daily (well, an hourly) basis to us all.

"I'm a BOY!"

That says it all.