life....

chicken soup in the crock-pot. homemade bread in the oven. sweatshirts.the "clean" smell of homemade laundry soap. little hands helping mama shape the pie crust for the pumpkin pie baking in the oven.snuggles under quilts and Beatrix Potter before naps. mama does their "makeup". playing tractors with Andrew.phone calls from my baby.watching the leaves fall. Inhaling the smell of apple pie candles.working on christmas gifts.watching Anne of Green Gables. curling up with THE Good Book and a cup of hot tea. Praying......quiet uninterrupted time with my Savior. ahhhh....so blessed.

thank you, Lord...

thank you Lord for your amazing blessings! thank you for answered prayers! most of all, Lord, thank you for your amazing GRACE!!!!

more love to thee, Lord, more love to thee.....

Julie

sweet baby boy...

THIS face makes me thankful every day. :)

sweet, adorable, cuddly, Drew-bear

Studying 1 Corinthians..

*I am going to be studying 1 Corinthians next week and try to post some of the results of my studying. So, if you want to join me, I will begin reading this week and start posting hopefully this Saturday or Sunday. So, have your comments ready. Starting with Chapter 1. I just feel that the Corinthians lived in a society and a culture that is eerily close to what we are seeing more and more of today.

*Hmmmm.....food for thought? :)

Also, I am going to publish a "things I am thankful for" on my sidebar starting tomorrow, adding to it daily through the month of November. Stay tuned.....

Love,
Julie

With thanks, counting my many blessings....

*my God*my husband*my babies*a warm house*wonderful supportive church family*warm cookies fresh out of the oven*baby smells*family*friends*hubby's vacation (paid)!!*Psalm 71*hand me downs*our ancient computer*phone calls from my sisters*nieces & nephews*a cozy fire*Christmas & Veggietales CD's (save my sanity in the car)lol :)*chicken tortilla soup *horses*our old fixer-upper house*my dishwasher*clean, fresh laundry straight out of the dryer*Martha Stewart Holiday DVD's *blueletterbible.org (using this a lot lately)*listening to Claire, Kylie & Alaina's "conference" call! :)*emails from Cheryl, Crystal, Sarah, Denise, Misty, Miranda, Chris & Rebecca-love you girls!! :)* a healthy pregnancy for my friend Misty; and for her baby boy on the way!*hot cocoa with mini marshmallows(recipe on Hershey's box)*bills that even though they may be hard to pay mean that we have a home, electricity, insurance, and a vehicle. * paychecks* truth * An excuse to bake* Clean House* my nephews Jesse & Michael (have helped us a lot this week)* a mother-in-law who loves to cook and cook big for her family. * hymns (church songs, according to Claire) that go around in my head* Claire acting out her bedtime routine with her baby dolls. ("go sleep, baby, snug as a bug in a rug!") :)*LOVE*quiet times*Lily's cute little phrases and sweet, sweet, hugs :)*Drew's little baby coos and loving to be held*water and a washer that is going out but still works! *pumpkin anything!*the certainty of God in an uncertain world*bedtime stories*my mama's patience with me when she teaches me things*my Daddy's medication(helps him be my Daddy again)*prayer*wonderful smells of holiday baking*football*beautiful leaves*thick towels on a cold day* cell phones*blogs & talk radio (for my husband, lol)*Boscoe (our dog, should have listed earlier, sorry Boss)*Thanksgiving Day Parade*Dad's (my father-in-law) great heart test results!!!*Dad's (father-in-law)great sense of humor*Both sets of parents who babysit for date night!! :)*Lily's cute little "bite, bite, peas mumma" :)*Drew's crooked smile :)*Charlie's strong hugs & sweet kisses :)*Christmas trees & Christmas movies :)*restoration*forgiveness*Tammy & George reconciling*prayers being answered*redemption*visiting with family*leftovers :)

Grateful

Well, I am now officially the mother of 3 children! WOW! I can't believe that God has entrusted me with these 3 precious souls. It thrills me and frightens me all at the same time!

Claire is sturggling some with expressing her frustration. She has calmed down a lot in the last few days and so have I. I think getting back on our routine has helped her so much. Lily is doing extremely well. She was a little clingy there for awhile but now is adjusting just fine!

So, we are getting back to a little bit of normalcy around here but it is a struggle for me every day with the lack of sleep. I have taken to lying down when the girls do every day that I can. Sometimes things happen and I don't get to sleep but the rest always helps refresh me. For right now, it is the best that I can do.

I am trying to remember to enjoy and cherish these last few weeks of having a newborn since Drew is most likely to be my last baby.I am trying to remember to stop and keep forever in my mind and heart these beautiful moments with my children. This season right now is so difficult physically and exhausting emotionally but it is a short season and one filled with many blessings as well as the hardships of little sleep and discipline problems!

I must cherish every little baby breath and coo and sigh. Every bathtime with sweet smelling baby soap and lotion. Every feeding time when he looks up at me with beautiful blue eyes so like his Daddy. Time with my son cuddled up on my chest. The little love songs that Claire sings to Drew. Lily's sweet hugs for her baby brother. Claire's "Love you Mama" and Lily's "wuvs Mumma". The girls sweet kisses and hugs at night time and their precious prayers to JesusGod (that's what they call Him). All of these moments are precious and swift.

One day all too soon, I will look back and wonder where my babies went! They will be too busy or think they are too big to stop and cuddle with Mama and Daddy. I will miss this "baby time" and wish I could have it back for a moment. So, now is the time to enjoy it and cherish the blessings God has so graciously bestowed upon us. Thank you, God. I am not worthy but I am grateful. Truly. Eternally. Grateful.

So, that is what I am thinking lately. I just felt like getting it all down somehow before I lose what I am feeling.

Thank you for your loving prayers.

Julie