tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59121968858092634152024-03-13T06:44:28.360-05:00Leaning on the Everlasting ArmsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.comBlogger361125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912196885809263415.post-48641323717636941282014-05-27T07:25:00.003-05:002014-05-27T07:25:57.844-05:00I don't want my kids to be alright!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>"I did that growing up, and I turned out alright." ~</em>pick the person</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">How many times have you heard those words?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>It worked for my generation.</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>We got to do that.</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>What is so bad about ..., we aren't that bad.</em> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Pick your version. As a parent we make many decisions on how to raise our children every single day. We have all heard these sayings in one form or another.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Well, you know what!?! <strong> I don't want my kids to be <em>"alright</em>"!!!</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>I want my kids to have life more abundantly.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is a thief that is in our world to steal, kill and destroy. Am I just trying to get my kids through life? Is alright enough?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">NO!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>Jesus is not just "alright". He is ABUNDANT!</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">There is more to life than alright. I don't want to get to heaven and have to tell God, "Well, they are alright, aren't they? They aren't breaking the Big 10. They are good people."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">What would I hear? "Good doesn't have anything to do with it. It is all about Jesus! If they aren't living life for Him, then they aren't alright. What have they missed out on by being alright instead of abundant. I came for them to have life more abundantly!"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">God's rules aren't here to make life hard and boring. They are here for me to have freedom! For me to have abundance! I want more than "alright"! I want JESUS! I want my kids to have Jesus!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Just because something is good, doesn't mean it is edifying. Just because it doesn't "hurt" in the moment, doesn't mean that it is life giving for the next moment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">We live in a world of do what feels good and you will be alright. What feels good isn't always what is good. It isn't life giving and abundant!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Am I feeding my children life or alright?!</span></strong> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I'm not talking food here (although that is definitely something to consider!), I am talking about everything that is in our day. The people we spend time with. The amount of time we spend in the Word and in prayer. The media that we allow to fill our children's minds. The activities that we allow them to engage in.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Even more than my children, I must look at <strong>myself</strong>! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /><em>Is my life "alright" or abundant? </em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>Am I doing things because it's alright for her, so it must be alright for me? </em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>Is Jesus my measuring stick? </em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>Is my life putting in my children a desire to have life abundantly or to be alright?</em></span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span></em> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I choose to let Jesus take over and give me life more abundantly! Only through surrender can He have control. He has to pull out the weeds in my garden (the next post on my heart, so stay tuned).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span> <span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Love, Michelle</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912196885809263415.post-35087734055841787252014-04-18T06:42:00.004-05:002014-04-18T06:42:51.319-05:00Reflections<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I know of a couple women going through a very difficult time this week. One lady's mom is deathly ill and may not survive, probably won't. One lady just found out her baby will not live outside the womb, if he/she is born alive at all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">I was laying in bed last night thinking about them for quite some time. I then thought about the fact that Easter is this Sunday. How could you go to worship on Easter Sunday if your mom just died? How do you go to worship on Easter Sunday when the baby that you love so much is not going to be with you very long without a miracle from God this side of Heaven?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">Finding out about this precious lady who had a horrible doctor's appointment yesterday just brought me back to mine. I thought of the songs that I sang so much during Janie's journey, <em>Leaning on the Everlasting Arms</em> and <em>Because He Lives</em>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">Because He Lives, that is the reason that I would go to worship Easter Sunday! If Jesus didn't live, then what would be the point. Because He lives, I have hope! Because He lives, I will see Janie again. Because He lives, I have comfort when a loved one dies, and I get to rejoice if they are meeting Jesus face to face. Do I still hurt? YES!!! But God....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">No matter the hard time that I am facing, or you are facing. Let us not lose sight of the One who goes before us (Deut 31:3). Let us not forget that He walks with us and will not leave us (Deut 31:8). <em>The glory of the Lord shall be our rear guard</em> (Is 58:8) and <em>the angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him and delivers them</em> (Ps 34:7).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">The storm clouds are raging, but the sun is always shining behind them. The storm clouds of life may be raging this Easter Sunday morning, but the Son is shining behind them. There will come a day when the clouds part and He will descend!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"><em><u>Because He Lives</u></em></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Because He lives</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I can face tomorrow</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Because He lives</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Verdana;">All fear is gone</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Because I know</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Verdana;">He holds the future</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Verdana;">And life is worth the living</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Just because He lives!!!!</span></em><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912196885809263415.post-12530634177061947942012-12-09T07:06:00.000-06:002012-12-09T07:06:08.028-06:00Poor and Lowly vs Power and Great Glory<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.</em> Luke 2:7</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">A lady shared with me what God had laid on her heart this Christmas season, and it really didn't hit me until today when I read it for myself. She said that Jesus came the first time as a poor lowly baby, but He is coming again and He will come high and lifted up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">When she told me, I thought it neat, and realized I had never thought about it before, but it didn't really sink into my heart.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Fast forward to today, this is what I read in my Bible...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>"Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with <strong>power</strong> and <strong>great glory</strong>."</em> Luke 21:27</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">WOW!!! When I read those words, I wanted to shout "AMEN". There is just something about reading the words of God for yourself sometimes. They jumped off the page.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">He is coming again, and He is coming with POWER and GREAT GLORY!!! Praise the Lord!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I wondered as I sat there letting it all sink in, if I am living like my Savior is lowly, or still hanging on the cross; or am I living like my Savior is risen from the grave, and He is coming again in power and great glory. We have victory! The battle is already won! Am I living like it is?? I should be shouting it from the mountaintops like the shepherds after they saw the Christchild.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>Now when they had seen Him, they made <strong>widely known</strong> the saying which was told them concerning this Child.</em> Luke 2:17</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">They couldn't keep it in! Jesus is doing a work, and I shouldn't keep it in. He is coming again, and I need to let the world know. And not only is He coming again, but He is coming in power and great glory!!!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>Thank you, Jesus!!!! Thank You for willingly coming to earth poor and lowly. Thank You for willingly going to the cross because then You could be raised up. Thank You that You are ready and willing to come again! Thank You for Your victory! You are awesome and have all the power. Please come quickly, Lord! We need You! In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.</em></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912196885809263415.post-1862792914735172022012-12-07T07:47:00.001-06:002012-12-07T07:47:30.728-06:00Still<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Still... it still hurts. I am reliving Janie Beth's journey as we approach her third birthday. My heart still aches. It still catches me off guard sometimes. My arms still long to hold her and feel her and kiss her and see her. I still picture her in our home throughout the day. I still see her between Eli and Joy Schelle when they are all together. I still long to go back to those days. I still throw up walls and realize too late, after a couple days of disaster in my spirit, that I am running from grief. Most of the year it is so intertwined in my life I function just fine with it, but this is her time of year. I really thought I was doing well, and I am doing better than previous years, but I am not doing as well as I thought. It still hurts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I am thankful that God showed me part of my problem the last few days (this is only 1 of them, I have lots of work to do). I am thankful to now embrace this grief that is swirling around me and through me right now. I will learn the new step in this dance of life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Precious Baby Girl, Mommy misses you and loves you!!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>Abba, please come hold me up. Please fill those hurting places. Please wrap me in your love. Thank You for Your patience with me!!! Teach me the new part in my dance of life. Thank You for allowing me to be Janie Beth's mommy. I love You! In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.</em></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912196885809263415.post-14800280395708384522012-12-06T07:25:00.001-06:002012-12-06T07:40:47.670-06:00In Tune with God<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him....So he came <strong>by the Spirit</strong> into the temple... </em>Luke 2:25,27</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>and this woman [Anna] was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.</em> Luke 2:37</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Simeon and Anna were in tune with God. They saw Jesus and knew Him. Most of Israel didn't believe because Jesus didn't come as they expected or do what they thought He should. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>Jesus rarely comes as we think He should and He rarely does things the way we expect.</strong> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I should spend time in prayer and the Word so I am in tune with Him and won't miss Him. How many opportunities have I missed because I didn't recognize Jesus or realize He was the one moving?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I am too worried about my fleshly desires that I miss out on the Living Water. Things don't turn out quiet like I wanted and I covet the person's life that looks the way I thought mine would. Sadly, its usually materialistically, but it can even be spiritually.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I need to be satisfied with what I am given even when its not the way I pictured it. Although, I should never be satisified with my life spiritually!!! God will not be through with me until I stand before Him in glory, so I should always be <em>pressing toward the goal of the upward call of Christ</em>. God has a plan, and it is a good plan!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I desire <strong>Jesus to be enough</strong>; even if I lost it all that Jesus would still be enough!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em></em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."</em> John 16:33</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Look at Jesus story. Is it the way you would have done things? Not me! But His story had to be that way in order for us to have eternal life. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Looking at my own story, it isn't the way I would have written it, but it is the way it needs to be in order for me to be what God wants me to be. This is the road I walk daily as I carry my cross and follow Him. I should not bemoan! He is using my road to do things I can't see. I pray it is drawing others to Himself!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">As we read <em>The Legend of the Three Trees </em>a couple days ago, I was once again struck by the last page:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>Each of the three trees' dreams came true--in ways even bigger than they had imagined! And so it is iwth each of us: if we follow God's path, we will travel far beyond even our greatest dreams.</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>Abba Father, thank You for my life. Thank You for the journey my life has taken as it has drawn me ever closer to You. You do things Your own way, and Your way is far better than my way! Help me to be in tune with You. Adjust my heart to be one with Yours. I want to see Jesus each and every day. I don't want to miss out. I want to expect the unexpected, and find You. I desire Jesus to be enough! Work through my life, Lord. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.</em></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912196885809263415.post-45060774426165280412012-12-02T20:57:00.001-06:002012-12-02T20:58:21.032-06:00Leaning on the Everlasting Arms<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Where do I start? It has been a while!! It hasn't been that I don't want to write, or type, or that I don't have things I want to share. I have been searching where I am to go, if that makes any sense. I started this blog to help me carry Janie Beth even though she was going to be with Jesus, then it helped me find my way in my new normal. It was a way to share my feelings and the things God was teaching me. I still walk Janie Beth's journey every day because I am her mother. She is a thread that runs through the entire tapestry of my life, but she is not the only thread nor is she the consuming thread.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">So, where does that leave my blog??</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I realized as I came to type this post, which I have written time and again in my head, that the title of my blog is still true. This is our journey, and I do have to Lean on the Everlasting Arms daily! I screw up!!! I realize every time I get after my kids for how they talk or do something, and then realize it sounded just like me! Man, that humbled me big time when God opened my eyes to that one. But, He did it to help me let go and let Him. I cannot do this mothering thing by myself! I must lean on Him moment by moment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I have been memorizing Romans 12 (WOW!!). I can't get past the first verse without being amazed and challenged, but there is one verse that I really want to be a part of my life, yet I fail constantly. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Romans 12:9 <em>Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.</em></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Love sincerely. I want to love others sincerely, like Jesus. I have also been reading through John and really studying Jesus since we are supposed to be like Him. He loved sincerely. Whoever He met, He truly cared for them. He was full of compassion. The other person came first. I want to be like that! I want to truly care for the other person with whom I come in contact with, whether they be a friend or stranger. I want to seek their good. I get stumped by this daily! I pray daily that God would love my kids through me because I can't love them the way they need to be loved. I need to lean on those arms moment by moment!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I need to lean on the arms to accept the grace and forgiveness given to me when I mess up. I can't stand around beating myself up! (I can do this very well!!!) I have to allow the blood of Jesus to truly wash me white as snow. That is hard because Satan is constantly trying to bring it back up, but I will lean and choose to listen to God!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I am not sure exactly where my blog will go as I seek His face, but I pray that it is focused on Jesus. I don't want others to see a Christian when they look at me; I want them to see Jesus when they look at me. I will cling to the promise that He who began a good work in me is faithful to complete it! I will strive for the upward call of Jesus. I will run the race. I will fall with my face in the mud, but I will get back up and keep going. I will Lean on the Everlasting Arms of Jesus because He is my coach in this race of life. He sees the obstacles up ahead. He knows exactly what I need. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">At this moment, I feel as though I am in a boot camp of sorts. I believe we all have multiple boot camps in our lives because that is where God gets us ready for the race ahead. He is stripping me down right now. It hurts, and there are times I quit and have to come crawling back, but He always welcomes me open arms! He is awesome like that!!! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I am crawling back as I have been beating myself up and allowing the enemy to make just stand still. God has been showing me things, and I have felt the need to share, but I have been allowing doubt to come in which is making me stand still. OUCH! God doesn't want me to stand still, you get lukewarm that way. He wants me on fire for Him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>Abba Father, please draw me back to You! I desire to truly know You this Christmas season. I want You to strip away the excess around my heart, and make me Yours alone. I want Jesus, and I want all of Him! You have promised me life, and life to the fullest, and I am laying claim to that promise. Lord, be glorified in me. No more lukewarm, standing still, I want to be on fire for Jesus. I want to anticipate the baby in the manger. Here I am, Lord, I am Yours, and I want You to send me. Do not pass me by. I accept Your call of motherhood, and I desire to lean on Your arms as I take up my cross daily and follow after You. I want You to be my true heart's desire. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen</em></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912196885809263415.post-59820147884307132752012-08-22T06:58:00.000-05:002012-08-22T06:58:17.087-05:00Close to the Top<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My Grandfather is dying. He is 84 yrs old and was diagnosed with bladder cancer a while back. I got a text this morning that he is not doing well at all. I knew this day was coming, but I was still surprised by it. The most surprising part was the flood of emotions.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I didn't realize how close to the top my grief stays. There are many times in life when I bury it deeper, but we have just moved 4 hours away from our hometown, and Janie Beth. Therefore; my grief rose up and I haven't pushed it very far back down yet. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Janie Beth's death has allowed me to see the value of others lives in my own. You don't realize how much someone means to you until they are gone. I guess it is a blessing to realize those things before someone is gone, but I feel as though I am still too late in realizing them this time.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">As I sit here typing, I am flooded with memories. My Grandaddy played a huge role in my life growing up. My parents divorced when I was 5, and he stepped in and filled most of that void. He played with us, and all of his grandchildren. He had a huge smile on his face!!! It makes me have a huge smile to remember the many days of smiling and laughing. He has a huge sense of humor! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Not only did he add fun times, but he challenged me to be better. This was not something that I can pin point, but just how he was. He expected a lot and I tried to meet his expectations. I wanted to make him proud. He is smart and I wanted to be smart too. :)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">We spent a lot of time at my grandparent's house and many of my most precious childhood and teenage memories are there. I am forever grateful to my heavenly Father for providing such a wonderful earthly grandfather.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Not only am I flooded with emotions and memories, but my children are too. Sadly, they know all too well the emotions of grief, but they also know the joy. I am thankful that they have precious memories with Grandaddy too. Part of my hurt is knowing their hurt, and my mom's and her siblings. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Grief is such a long dance. There are slow times and fast times; fun times and sad times; easy times and complicated times. Grief just gets woven into our lives. It is something you don't notice after a while because it is just how your life is, but then something happens to brings it rushing to the top. It isn't necessarily bad, but it can catch you off guard. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I am thankful tho because it made me realize the worth of life again, and before the person was gone. Still later than I would hope to realize, but earlier than other times. Maybe I am learning. I am thankful that the kids and I shared some of our thanks with him last Christmas, and I am thankful for the chance to tell him again thank you and I love you. </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912196885809263415.post-37912672345016263292012-07-16T10:20:00.000-05:002012-07-16T10:20:28.664-05:00Timothy Joseph Karr<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Timothy arrived April 8, 2012 (Easter Sunday!) at 8:25 am weighing 6lb 14oz and 19in.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Now for the story of how he got here....</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">When I woke up on April 7 I had a feeling that this might be the day. I was contracting when I woke up and it just felt different. My sisters and little niece had spent the night Friday. Amy, Gwyn, and I were all up at 5:30, so we were just sitting there talking. At that time, we did a big family breakfast on Saturday mornings, so we got started on that after a little bit. I kept having contractions, but nothing major. (I had been contracting for 14 wks already!)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">After we cleaned up breakfast, I decided to go for a walk. My sisters and I walked for a while. The contractions would get a little stronger from time to time. Once we got home, I just kept moving and doing things. :)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">My sisters left, but said to call if I needed them to come back. I kept contracting but they weren't getting much harder. Finally, around 2:30 - 3:30 I decided to have my mom out to take over the kids. I called my 2 amazing friends, Erin and Tyra, and told them that we were going to the hospital, but not to come up there until I knew what they would do and if I was in labor.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">So, we leave and my contractions are much stronger in the car on the way to the hospital. We get there and get up in a room and they check me. I was 6 cm. I wasn't going anywhere. I had an amazing nurse!!! My contractions slowed down while I sat in bed and signed everything and had her ask me a million questions. Once all that was done, I walked the halls.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">After an hour they checked me again and I was 7 cm. I walked the halls and swayed and all in the room for another hour and a half and only got to 7.5cm. ugh! I was frustrated. I wondered at that point if I should have them break my water, but decided against it because it was nice to have contractions without pain really. The nurses had changed over and my night nurses weren't as good, but they were ok. When my day nurse, Joy, left she told me good luck and that she wouldn't see me in the morning. (Little did she know! LOL)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Of course, my doctor wasn't on call either. The doctor on call was the same one that delivered Janie Beth. I didn't care for him then, but I thought maybe it was the circumstances. (Little did I know! LOL)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">So, after walking and swaying and what have you for a while, I got to 8 and then 8.5-9, and 80-90%. I got stuch tho. I was still debating about getting my water broken because at this point I really liked not having any pain!! Who wouldn't like walking around at 9 cm with no pain really!?!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">At 3:30 am on April 8, I tell the nurse to call the doc to come break my water. (My water has never broken on its own.) She comes back a bit later and says that he said he would be there in a few hours. A FEW HOURS!!!! I almost started to cry! I was so mad and upset and tired. I had been contracting forever and I was worn out even if I wasn't in much pain. She told me to try and nap. They also tried to "accidentally" break my water, which didn't work, and hasn't worked before when tried.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I was so defeated that I just sat in the bed and decided I would try to sleep, which I did. Because I was doing nothing, my contractions all but stopped. In the 6 o'clock hour I got up and started moving around the room to try and get the contractions going again. I was having some but not much.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">In comes my nurse from the day before, Joy. She comes and just gives me a hug. I was thankful that she was assigned to me again!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Finally, at 7:30 in walks the doctor! He doesn't introduce himself or anything. He just read my paper work and then said, "so, you want your water broken." Silly question! LOL He breaks my water and leaves.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">And the contractions begin. At first, they aren't too bad, then I have to start breathing through them. They are getting the room ready. He drops and I say, ok you need to check me! I still have a lip. Well, it just goes down hill from there. I begin to lose it a bit. (It felt like I lost it for a while, but Joey tells me it was only 5 min or so.) She calls the doctor to have him come back to the room, but I can't keep from pushing so she has to have Joey take the phone off her shoulder. Timothy was born in a couple pushes into my nurses hands. :) I was perfectly happy for her to catch him. At first, I was thinking it was taking forever to get his head out because I could remember a bit of relief after pushing out Joy's head, and that wasn't happening. Then, she says he is out! His body just came on out right after his head so there was no little time of relief lol. In walks the doctor and he says, "I was just down the hall." He did catch the placenta. lol</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">They placed Timothy on my belly, his cord was really short. I had wanted it to pulse for a while, but it was very uncomfy for me to try to reach him as it was pulling the cord which was still attached to me! So, they asked after a couple min if they could got ahead and cut it, to which I said yes. Then, I got to hold my precious little boy. :) They weighed him and all and then we nursed.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Everything went great! I did have some hemoragging once I got to my post partum room, but after some pitocin that cleared up just fine. He only left the room a hand full of times and he was a champion nurser! We went home on April 10. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">It is hard to believe that he is now 3 months old!!!! He is such a happy baby! He has allergies, both to food and environment, but his nose has cleared up and he can breathe much better now! He smiles all the time and loves to talk! (I think we are in trouble. LOL) He still does quite a bit of sleeping in the swing due to having to sleep reclined for so long from his nose issues, but he is beginning to sleep well in the pack n play too.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I will do another post with pictures of him soon. I am not at home so I don't have any pictures with me, but I assure you, he is cute!!! :)</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912196885809263415.post-71760750100553899502012-05-21T11:00:00.000-05:002012-05-21T11:00:22.184-05:00Eli is 5!!!!<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Elisha James is now a whole hand!! It is hard to believe that it has been 5 years since I gave birth to him. He was my first rainbow baby as he came after 2 miscarriages. Eli was the first child that I cherished a little more since I had now experienced loss. Eli was the first one that I wore. I had 2 different hotslings. He was the first one that I had to figure out to do things while I nursed LOL. The 2 and 3 year old weren't going to wait too long. :) His pregnancy was filled with issues. I had a large subchoronic hemorage during the first trimester, so I spotted a lot. Then, at 33 wks I was put on bedrest due to preterm labor. I was put on meds every 6 hrs, and even had shots in the hospital 3 different times to stop labor. Then, he was my only scheduled induction (docs feared we wouldn't make it to the hospital b/c we lived 40 min away), and he was born 2.5 hours after it was started. I read a book :). His labor was the first time I experienced issues with an epidural. (It ended up being my 2nd to last one as the last 2 have been natural.) Eli has done things to his own beat from conception. haha!!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Eli.... your name is said quite often throughout the day. You are usually in the middle of whatever is going on, whether it be good or bad. :) You are the life of the party. You are hilarious, and oftentimes without meaning to be! You brighten up multiple peoples days because I share your humor with others. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">You are all about sports, and it doesn't matter which one. We have been playing baseball a lot lately in the yard. You also love football. You are still a true Alabama fan, much to your father's liking. You are a good athlete and most sports come naturally to you. You love to be outside even though you are sweating within 2 minutes.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">You love boots!!! At the moment you own snow boots, black cowboy boots (that you call brown boots, not sure why!), and fireman rain boots. The fireman boots are worn most every day. If I would let you, you would wear them to church! Most of the time they are on the wrong feet, but that is just you! :)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">You are a lover of band-aids. They cure amazing things! You love angry birds and the wii, and if I would let you, you would play all day! You play army with Josiah and pretend with Katie. You love to help with Joy Schelle and Timothy. You are a very proud big brother. I believe you and Joy will be conspiring together very soon! You plan to teach Timothy everything, except to love. According to you, Timothy is going to teach you how to do that! :D </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">You are very excited to be starting kindergarten in a few weeks. (Our summer break was April and May.) It is hard for me to believe that you are starting school! You will be our class clown.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Eli, you bring a smile to my face just thinking about you! You try my patience more than your siblings many days, but you also have so much life that you bring to every day. I love when you sit next to me and lean up against me. Your random hugs are awesome! I am learning to let go and love you more, and God is blessing. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I am excited to see what God has in store for your life over this next year. You are growing in so many ways. </span><br />
<br />
<em><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Father God, thank You so much for adding Eli to our family! Thank You for the privilege and honor of being his mother. May You continue to draw him to You. May You bless him over this next year. I pray that You would wipe out his bad dreams and fill his dreams with peace. Plant seeds in his heart and water them, bringing him closer to giving his heart to Jesus. I pray that You would mold him and prepare him for Your calling on his life. He is a fireball, and I pray that he would be a fireball for Jesus!! Help me be the mother he needs. Show me how to teach him and disciple him. Thank you again for such an awesome middle son! In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.</span></em><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You cheered for Katie Jo and Josiah. You are the next one to get to play a sport, and you are very excited! We are hoping you get to in the fall.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You pull for Eli Manning since his name is the same. For a while you even pointed to the T.V. and said, "there I am, Eli Manning." LOL</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dad's dream :) Could very easily be yours as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Exhausted. This rarely happened, and never happens now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You went through a phase where you wore a belt everyday no matter the clothing. The belt wore out and had to be thrown away!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You caught it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You rolled the ball back and forth with Joy Schelle</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Snow boots!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These were Katie's boots. We called them your pirate boots. They bit the dust in the fall after so much wear.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Had to pose with your new football for your Christmas picture!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Proud of his puzzle abilities :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Basketball!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The cool dude</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The crazies!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Big brother to a brother now!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You are a police officer directing the traffic. (notice the boots!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is how you took your picture. Yep, upside down! That is how you roll! LOL</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkd0OU7fLbdeu7L4xI5r1F9MSxIpHdLt0aLZ6RUs6JLqEhqtR0POiqpx7CUMsUrkL3cB9-9HCPTyDfnOydMrR4qdKSosyZkl-x_sBeSjFidocP5SXa70F2Q3NJeTw_rWpQh27DBJFwAZMf/s1600/IMG_3273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkd0OU7fLbdeu7L4xI5r1F9MSxIpHdLt0aLZ6RUs6JLqEhqtR0POiqpx7CUMsUrkL3cB9-9HCPTyDfnOydMrR4qdKSosyZkl-x_sBeSjFidocP5SXa70F2Q3NJeTw_rWpQh27DBJFwAZMf/s320/IMG_3273.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912196885809263415.post-83189161716146356642012-05-15T17:10:00.000-05:002012-05-15T17:11:12.660-05:00He is still there...<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We were driving to church Sunday morning. I wasn't in the best place because it was raining, so it was highly possible that we wouldn't make it to the cemetary. I was frustrated with myself because I had forgotten the flowers that I wanted to put in Janie's vase Saturday while we were out and about. Plus, it was baby dedication Sunday. We dedicated Joy in November, so this wasn't my first time to participate in dedication since losing Janie Beth, but it was different being on Mother's Day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">As we were driving, I noticed that the storm clouds were moving, but the clouds behind them were not. The bright white clouds with the sun's rays surrounding them were standing firm behind the storm clouds. They weren't moving. It reminded me of something God taught me not too long after Janie Beth passed. The sun is always shining behind the storm. Just because it is storming doesn't mean that the sun has left. It is the same with life. When the storms of life come, the Son is still shining behind the clouds! Just because life is hard and dark and the storm is raging, it doesn't mean that the Son has left us. He is standing firm behind the clouds.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Sometimes the storms of life clear up all at once. Those are amazing!! But, usually it is like the clouds on Sunday; the storm clouds slowly blow away and reveal that white, fluffy, bright clouds behind full of the Son's rays. That is what God is doing in our lives. He seems to be slowly moving the storm clouds away. They are still surrounding us, but there are now glimpses of white clouds and blue skies. I don't know how long it will take for the sky to clear and the sun to shine, but I do know that it will be in God's perfect time. His timing is not my timing, but it is perfect timing!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">God even met me at church (imagine that!?! :)). He knew I needed a reminder that He was there, even though He had met me as we drove into town for church. We stand to sing the welcoming song, and it is none other than "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms"!!! My song through Janie's journey. The name of my blog. I cried! God cares! He sees the little things. Jesus hugged me through that song. What a special way for Janie Beth to be a part of Baby Dedication. We dedicated Timothy (yes, he was born, and I hope to blog about it soon! Our Easter baby) and all 5 of his siblings were mentioned from the pulpit. Janie Beth is a proud big sister!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">God is still there!</span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Thank You, Abba, for caring about the little things. Thank You for knowing what I need even more than I do! I didn't even know I needed that song. Thank You for the storm clouds because it is in the storm that I draw nearer to You. Thank You for the white clouds and the sun that shines because they show me that there is hope; the storm will not last forever. I love You, Father! Thank You, Jesus, for hugging me. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen</span></em>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912196885809263415.post-13831654405685890262012-02-11T15:19:00.000-06:002012-02-11T15:19:42.721-06:00Walking With You~ Naming My Children<a href="http://blog.sufficientgraceministries.org/category/walking-with-you/" target="_blank"><img src="http://blog.sufficientgraceministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/wwy-button.png" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-IGX1UMPqWuIbAq-7fi8CdjUQbTTx7gmfcHh-sH7lSXxumU1uD2P4pzNSKF7yMnW0HtkpxPrmKXiRXWUJXfXWMr-8Q5W-UebhwD4sP6nTcog7JXdA9ty_wVoWY3yFIox1qeVAcomivpaA/s1600/Jan+2010+047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-IGX1UMPqWuIbAq-7fi8CdjUQbTTx7gmfcHh-sH7lSXxumU1uD2P4pzNSKF7yMnW0HtkpxPrmKXiRXWUJXfXWMr-8Q5W-UebhwD4sP6nTcog7JXdA9ty_wVoWY3yFIox1qeVAcomivpaA/s320/Jan+2010+047.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All of our children have at least one "J" name and a Bible name, as well as a family name. As crazy as it sounds, Janie Beth, doesn't actually fit every requirement. Her name was originally going to be Janie Elizabeth, and we would call her Janie Beth. Janie, of course, is her "J" name. Elizabeth was the Bible name, and was Joey's grandmother's name. After finding out that she wouldn't live after birth, we decided to make her name Janie Beth since that is what we had been calling her. We figured that she had quite a story already, and I didn't want to have to say her name is Janie Elizabeth, but we call her Janie Beth when she wasn't going to be here. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Janie means <em>God is gracious</em>. I LOVE this!!! I really thought it was neat when we were coming up with her name because Katie Jo's middle name, JoAnn, also means God is gracious. :) I was reserved about using Janie because that was the name we had been throwing around for my second miscarriage and that is how I referred to that baby. (I have to say that looking back there were many ways God prepared me and warned my spirit that Janie wasn't going to stay this side of heaven. This is one of those ways.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Beth means <em>consecrated to God</em>. How precious is that!?! :) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I will admit that the requirements for names has changed as we have gone along. I am a lot more picky now than I was with the first few. I look at the name meanings before deciding if it has a chance. LOL I am also more picky about which family names I will use. I want to use names of people that I want my children to look up to and aspire to be like.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Josiah Mark</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Josiah is the Bible and "J" name. Mark is Joey's middle name. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>Josiah</strong><em>: fire of the Lord</em> (I pray that he will be on fire for the Lord!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>Mark</strong>: <em>warlike</em></span><em> </em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(hmmmm... LOL)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Kathryn JoAnn "Katie Jo"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">She is named after both of her grandmothers. Joan, pronounced JoAnn, was Joey's mother's name, but she went by "Jo". My mom's name is Kathryn, but she goes by "Kathy". JoAnna is in the Bible. Katie Jo technically doesn't fit all our current criteria either since neither of her names is really in the Bible.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>Kathryn</strong>: <em>Beloved </em>(How sweet!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>JoAnn</strong>: <em>God is gracious</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Elisha James "Eli"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I actually took a little time to say ok to Elisha. LOL I prefered Elijah, but Joey likes the prophet Elisha and thinks he is pretty cool. I finally said ok, if we call him Eli. :) James is Joey's dad's name and both of his grandfather's names.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>Elisha</strong>: <em>God is my salvation</em> (Amen!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>James</strong>: <em>one who supplants/ to replace </em>(After reading <a href="http://blog.sufficientgraceministries.org/category/walking-with-you/" target="_blank">Kelly's post</a> I find this meaning neat. Eli came after 2 miscarriages.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Joy Michelle "Joy Schelle"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Joy was named Joy because she would bring Joy to our family after losing Janie Beth. Michelle is obviously my name. LOL It took me a while to warm up to Joey's suggestion that she have my name as her middle name. She has indeed brought Joy to her mommy, Michelle. :)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>Joy</strong>: <em>joy</em> :)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>Michelle</strong>: <em>who is like the Lord</em> (I need to begin praying this over her!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Timothy Joseph "TJ" or Timothy</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Joseph is Joey's name. We just like Timothy! He was an amazing man in the Bible! I can only pray that our Timothy with have a love for the Lord like the Timothy in the Bible!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>Timothy</strong>: <em>honoring God</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>Joseph</strong>: <em>God shall add (another son)</em></span> <span style="font-family: Verdana;">(I find this pretty cool!!! God definitely added Timothy. :))</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">It is funny how all the boys have ended up having both names be Biblical. This was not at all done on purpose! It just so happened that their family names were Biblical. If God decides to give us another baby, and the baby is a girl, then her family name will either be Jane or Beth after her big sister. :) That was also the plan this time, but I don't think Timothy would appreciate having either of those names. ;)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">This has been a neat post for me to write! In looking up the meanings of their names, God has shown me ways that I can be praying for each of my children.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912196885809263415.post-42365890839350360142012-01-31T14:49:00.000-06:002012-01-31T14:49:39.618-06:00Walking With You~ Saying Goodbye<a href="http://blog.sufficientgraceministries.org/category/walking-with-you/" target="_blank"><img src="http://blog.sufficientgraceministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/wwy-button.png" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This week are talking about the funeral planning and saying our final good-byes to our dear little ones.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">We really didn't do much planning for Janie Beth's Celebration of Life before her birth. We went to the doctor the day before Jaie Beth was born and found out that I was 4 cm already and very soft. Upon finding that out, Joey went to the funeral home that afternoon. He picked out the casket and talked to the funeral director, who was amazing and a true God send! I believe he may have gone by the cemetary too, but there wasn't anything to do there at that time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Since Janie Beth passed so close to the holidays there were some people that would have been out of town had we done her Celebration the weekend following her death, so we decided to wait a week and have it on Sunday afternoon, January 10, 2010.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The week after going home and before the Celebration, we planned what we wanted done. We went to the cemetary and picked out her spot and the tombstone we wanted and what we wanted on the stone. We were blessed to have a dear lady from church work at the cemetary. She sees it as a ministry and was very sweet. (I will interject here that she called a few weeks before from the cemetary and I was in the shower. It completely freaked me out to see the Cemetary show up on my caller id! Turns out she was calling b/c her Sunday School class had something for us. :))</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">We had visitation the night before her Celebration. It was a blessed time to share Janie Beth with those that didn't see her at the hospital. We found small animals that we the same as the kids big Janie animals. They put one in the casket with her and they each kept one. Katie Jo also picked out a baby doll to go in with Janie and we named her Katie Jo. :) She also has a lamb identical to the one I have, and Josiah drew her a sweet picture. We also placed pictures in her casket with her. She wore a dress just like the one she wore in the hospital, but I had to buy a new one and another blanket because I wanted to keep everything she wore or was wrapped up in at the hospital. She looked beautiful!!! My box from Sufficient Grace Ministries didn't get to me until after her birth, so I had a picture taken of my hand wearing my bracelet on her with her bracelet laying on her.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAq8vFez1bqKHFj7TSWL8UxeX2EDNnwNGc_3MOKv8THEZABEVc28SzANrIb1rcUSHEdBiSobIoaBoB3xi6sgDLCa4VEQjNRxroax6HB7ErsNyvQ3BVkQHnd0ofvD3vXidMCors_edzbXb-/s1600/IMG_7080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAq8vFez1bqKHFj7TSWL8UxeX2EDNnwNGc_3MOKv8THEZABEVc28SzANrIb1rcUSHEdBiSobIoaBoB3xi6sgDLCa4VEQjNRxroax6HB7ErsNyvQ3BVkQHnd0ofvD3vXidMCors_edzbXb-/s320/IMG_7080.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The kids putting their things in with Janie.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XloB2_flBOiATRWdvUJFqquMZPuSBuFgsgzwb-lPrcTViUYiRL_EBJrnBU1bPY7300aHZ3qK8lnQc28WTjmoo7dxAc8XnKtxyscTy7P70sDhOx-3EZ1roOvjHfWs9twAkdlbXpOvV-YP/s1600/IMG_7096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XloB2_flBOiATRWdvUJFqquMZPuSBuFgsgzwb-lPrcTViUYiRL_EBJrnBU1bPY7300aHZ3qK8lnQc28WTjmoo7dxAc8XnKtxyscTy7P70sDhOx-3EZ1roOvjHfWs9twAkdlbXpOvV-YP/s320/IMG_7096.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUmVo3lsBpnw6reWpV0yZn0iikkNJ-UFVVmKdiNC1GfhIkt26nh-OTbjidQCYiM9t9h7sJNRUvjoyZ1cTezPOIyHWmI0iAwKBVInrHWe_pWte-evwTyUR5wLsV41u9HfUyHxuj8ChC9zNd/s1600/IMG_7102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUmVo3lsBpnw6reWpV0yZn0iikkNJ-UFVVmKdiNC1GfhIkt26nh-OTbjidQCYiM9t9h7sJNRUvjoyZ1cTezPOIyHWmI0iAwKBVInrHWe_pWte-evwTyUR5wLsV41u9HfUyHxuj8ChC9zNd/s320/IMG_7102.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our bracelets</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3V7pIyNDas0x5MymMj8F7cOtNo0fGANMKeT2Z87wu_4XOTRItM0FyLAhEEi0r2TOSCfu34Wx82-H4L_1fc-XVx9jOQSxojGj6r-lXjjIoBKHQ87guuKDwrTVh6OIhW-Z-oiHnIV2Ylly6/s1600/IMG_7113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3V7pIyNDas0x5MymMj8F7cOtNo0fGANMKeT2Z87wu_4XOTRItM0FyLAhEEi0r2TOSCfu34Wx82-H4L_1fc-XVx9jOQSxojGj6r-lXjjIoBKHQ87guuKDwrTVh6OIhW-Z-oiHnIV2Ylly6/s320/IMG_7113.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Proud Daddy!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIKmalwTp1EN1Nf_kBeynUNiqChQp-PLen0-eTqjp9c-ya35jefghGMTCreko-4_-91qaHLGMqRRnCVaiy7zRHFWbGfqIdB689VNs0ZNBW8i_lJ-KGGFA7Em8wyZ5ZNOROKlYYUZB_5k4u/s1600/IMG_7090.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIKmalwTp1EN1Nf_kBeynUNiqChQp-PLen0-eTqjp9c-ya35jefghGMTCreko-4_-91qaHLGMqRRnCVaiy7zRHFWbGfqIdB689VNs0ZNBW8i_lJ-KGGFA7Em8wyZ5ZNOROKlYYUZB_5k4u/s320/IMG_7090.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We had her slideshow on a TV in the corner for all to see.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6spOcoQdXXGaqGBV7Ihaq_Ga5qirXBXXoDIc8ND1xu1v-b5YdM8DTsv1mHmlfFoo4rvLS05wK4lZzfCyB22ffrc2seiVkjAlXKEKjvkVtbAp4ao9MqhaSIwou7ugpV-hsG_eYX2Hw0JK/s1600/IMG_7135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6spOcoQdXXGaqGBV7Ihaq_Ga5qirXBXXoDIc8ND1xu1v-b5YdM8DTsv1mHmlfFoo4rvLS05wK4lZzfCyB22ffrc2seiVkjAlXKEKjvkVtbAp4ao9MqhaSIwou7ugpV-hsG_eYX2Hw0JK/s320/IMG_7135.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How she looked before we left. :) She is well loved!!!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXKIkUswppbQrtmJpYadlmzuCLjjSrl9ZLz6WzAY-R03Gn3Ppg3Zg4jLrNxQpQB5qSg-nnZnGCpvyDcBuHWsoGKEGCsf9uYNEOoIBRraY912f8b8IRwbjdvo6M4JQXbLxKxi8jxcZFX1Gc/s1600/DSCN2621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXKIkUswppbQrtmJpYadlmzuCLjjSrl9ZLz6WzAY-R03Gn3Ppg3Zg4jLrNxQpQB5qSg-nnZnGCpvyDcBuHWsoGKEGCsf9uYNEOoIBRraY912f8b8IRwbjdvo6M4JQXbLxKxi8jxcZFX1Gc/s320/DSCN2621.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I had a little bit of trouble leaving her, but not much because you could tell she wasn't really there. It was just her beautiful little body. Of course I cried as we left but only because I knew I wouldn't see her again. Katie Jo cried as well. I also was sad to leave her in the building, but she was in good hands.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">We had our NILMDTS photographer come and photograph the visitation as well as the Celebration and graveside. I am very thankful to have those pictures!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The next afternoon was her Celebration of Life. I opened up with a duet with the trumpet and piano of "My Tribute". We had congregational singing as well of some hymns that meant a lot to us; "Because He Lives", "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms", and I think there was one more that isn't coming to my mind. We had Joey's sister play the harp. She played "Jesus Loves Me" and her daughter sang. Joey got up and spoke. It was really good!! The only disappointing part was the sermon by the minister, but thats ok! Overall the service was wonderful. We also played the slideshow of Janie Beth's NILMDTS pictures. I was very proud to see my precious baby girl on the screen!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Joey carried her casket anywhere it went, even from the hearse into the church before the service.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4LhbbrZ_SHbwIlyeWVLJUgfPbxvrqa5wHUnVvjC6W9bM21esNz98uUHqWFvKdvDWZMytSRw-vwXAo-aWicEqUAG_k3-c7j130rJjpMyE_e7dgm5uVP0KMJd2a2pbQbYrXew_3OWwzv0w/s1600/IMG_7238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4LhbbrZ_SHbwIlyeWVLJUgfPbxvrqa5wHUnVvjC6W9bM21esNz98uUHqWFvKdvDWZMytSRw-vwXAo-aWicEqUAG_k3-c7j130rJjpMyE_e7dgm5uVP0KMJd2a2pbQbYrXew_3OWwzv0w/s320/IMG_7238.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">We then went to the graveside after her Celebration. It was a beautiful day! It was cold, but the sun was shining.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWwKnouoPa49QTLRCt7laF-h9u5hIlsAUzlPqVWikH2RgXLetgfCD5pQVTPjPmiVED7gyNopy6aFleFdNEs3SrsjtMIKjl6SqldDF_lnIrutd-QNFOzuUA2Bgg2rIWOjIbSzzQ7zAdpoW/s1600/IMG_7352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWwKnouoPa49QTLRCt7laF-h9u5hIlsAUzlPqVWikH2RgXLetgfCD5pQVTPjPmiVED7gyNopy6aFleFdNEs3SrsjtMIKjl6SqldDF_lnIrutd-QNFOzuUA2Bgg2rIWOjIbSzzQ7zAdpoW/s320/IMG_7352.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">We still visit Janie Beth. I love to decorate her area!!!! It is how I can take care of her. :) I spend forever in Hobby Lobby picking out just the right things! I am very thankful to have a place to go that is hers. God has met me multiple times there!!! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">In the Snow on her first Christmas.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnHk8U354I6KBRSBnSiiddvwXuKtdq5LrHz6VYSW_NyaV-Tw2yO9lgVnAwniTlzU0OOJY1hGoA6f3rISoBRx5UJCTW-izaYdzzMx3M6XhCFQ8xZRmKNvTR0Z7s6NUhuy3eMzcwE3wg_bn/s1600/IMG_0007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnHk8U354I6KBRSBnSiiddvwXuKtdq5LrHz6VYSW_NyaV-Tw2yO9lgVnAwniTlzU0OOJY1hGoA6f3rISoBRx5UJCTW-izaYdzzMx3M6XhCFQ8xZRmKNvTR0Z7s6NUhuy3eMzcwE3wg_bn/s320/IMG_0007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana;">This was last spring/summer.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBXLtS3umANfuU3Zag2y_sv3kogLfa_Q7794SuxCjvA4yUy-z7EqxC0AEex443-dyxGdMV274jrVsdnh2GEckf0rFCKj-F0t2zwc68855w8uz3Tlz85kuKMxol2Bku16ZNsaVk8G7vB0Yk/s1600/IMG_0921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBXLtS3umANfuU3Zag2y_sv3kogLfa_Q7794SuxCjvA4yUy-z7EqxC0AEex443-dyxGdMV274jrVsdnh2GEckf0rFCKj-F0t2zwc68855w8uz3Tlz85kuKMxol2Bku16ZNsaVk8G7vB0Yk/s320/IMG_0921.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpc7B2ETMfoC901oHM9m4EJlt0D49htMc5KQD_NgChxhGsBPF0KfDpxaSoqDkvG7bH6vGR7X9O9xSj8ovWPEw2yGXpn_Q7QedtETSfMb30DuNTwcop6EuDN9PRVpTvJV362PXRaI2OYreH/s1600/DSCN3399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpc7B2ETMfoC901oHM9m4EJlt0D49htMc5KQD_NgChxhGsBPF0KfDpxaSoqDkvG7bH6vGR7X9O9xSj8ovWPEw2yGXpn_Q7QedtETSfMb30DuNTwcop6EuDN9PRVpTvJV362PXRaI2OYreH/s320/DSCN3399.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This past fall.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-wTTxzGHKjP9Zh0D1mOwX3Z6YGZBhFlq7Ac_c3PB7NV14HlC5Tb4l2EUrYq4X5DgA6iiktPvaGYG98Dpx-1GEv3GYc0eKP-eYzUBbkayDnCCW4kZfwTsEaN0dBNXtcjD_2rg3bzM5GRW/s1600/IMG_1205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-wTTxzGHKjP9Zh0D1mOwX3Z6YGZBhFlq7Ac_c3PB7NV14HlC5Tb4l2EUrYq4X5DgA6iiktPvaGYG98Dpx-1GEv3GYc0eKP-eYzUBbkayDnCCW4kZfwTsEaN0dBNXtcjD_2rg3bzM5GRW/s320/IMG_1205.JPG" width="240" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This past Christmas</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Z4cS-1XaI7WOZ0kiTvIrDbU6EEZdpdO0_lI-wA4ypBOTpHCBPEWjAShSw2K5UFJU82YNvfxFuqSOmu_TDZz87gq5UE7YYAT8ye3fnO8FW2dWwI6ZuJBRPgXPlmhFbpcWgALmWBjcMmsl/s1600/IMG_1630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Z4cS-1XaI7WOZ0kiTvIrDbU6EEZdpdO0_lI-wA4ypBOTpHCBPEWjAShSw2K5UFJU82YNvfxFuqSOmu_TDZz87gq5UE7YYAT8ye3fnO8FW2dWwI6ZuJBRPgXPlmhFbpcWgALmWBjcMmsl/s320/IMG_1630.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Her 1st Birthday.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNalrWaVIPL4PDpB_UYWbwQkwlLsiJuEY1sp-UyGNpd9RvhcPxRGESR6ECyBmOamQLeGOau7fQcNYzI1U4FIGrVjcXPc9Nzt9Wlj2WwYHycG1SBbGsLOw861fglYUCGY-s0BiGai-38vUF/s1600/IMG_0064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNalrWaVIPL4PDpB_UYWbwQkwlLsiJuEY1sp-UyGNpd9RvhcPxRGESR6ECyBmOamQLeGOau7fQcNYzI1U4FIGrVjcXPc9Nzt9Wlj2WwYHycG1SBbGsLOw861fglYUCGY-s0BiGai-38vUF/s320/IMG_0064.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Her 2nd Birthday.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIp2nxui1sVL0zhH1wrnUwOtkAuv3E4R8fu77VJkGECJa8bXDDqIdlk32qk8EcCgxIfsy003EEmr2dF7_vYyoYj5YolPSPOgdI0U_ITezG0whDssDB3oFRkEVWTRC45ZzLaBA6IS4SGIJS/s1600/IMG_1794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIp2nxui1sVL0zhH1wrnUwOtkAuv3E4R8fu77VJkGECJa8bXDDqIdlk32qk8EcCgxIfsy003EEmr2dF7_vYyoYj5YolPSPOgdI0U_ITezG0whDssDB3oFRkEVWTRC45ZzLaBA6IS4SGIJS/s320/IMG_1794.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We also release balloons at her grave on her birthday. Just a few days after she passed some friends brought us 22 pink balloons for the 22 hours that she lived. We released those, and her 1st birthday we released 22 pink 1st birthday balloons. This year we released Red Robin balloons because that is where we usually go eat on birthdays, so we went for her birthday and each of the kiddos got a balloon and released them. A couple days later we released her Happy Birthday Princess balloon.</span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912196885809263415.post-39975648130861458572012-01-30T15:41:00.001-06:002012-01-30T15:43:09.681-06:00Katie Jo = 7 Years Old<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Katie Jo, I must admit that I have just begun, in the last couple weeks, to love you fully . It is nothing that I have done of myself, but rather the work of God in my heart, as I pray that He will perfect His love for you in my heart. I look at you through new eyes now. This all started when I went into my bathroom one night after you were already in bed and you had turned on the LED candle. My heart swelled with love for you like it never has before. I realized that I haven't been loving you fully; that I had been holding myself back. You have become such a sweet compassionate young lady. You are constantly doing things for others. You love fully! I am learning from you. Since that night I have found myself in you. You have a very vivid imgination, and you are often found playing in your world. :) I see you run to the door to talk to a "friend" and watch you interact and settle your things with such care and love as you play. Outside you run with glee. You ride like the wind on your scooter and bike, all the while your mouth is often times moving as you are playing. You park down by the ditch and watch over the side as your imagination soars. I am transferred back 20 years as I recall playing in the same way. I spent many wonderful hours in my imaginary world, especially outside at my grandparents with the sun shining down upon me. It brings a smile to my face as I know that I am seeing just what my mom and grandparents saw as they watched me (unbeknownst to me!) through the window. But, you let me watch you. Your siblings are often times invited into your world. You are open and loving, without reserve and fear. WOW! That is something I was not. I am learning from you, Katie Jo. You are a special little girl that I love more now than the day I gave birth to you. You are a blessing every day! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">You are my crafty one! You could spend hours making things, and they are more often than not made out of your love to give to others. Your heart is pure! You are doing very well in school. You have finished your math and are about to move into the next book. Your reading is coming along. You still love mud! You wanted to play outside the other day instead of have your screentime. :) If only that sentiment would overflow to your brothers. You have enjoyed Joy Schelle getting older where she follows you around. Of course you would love for her to allow you to do more with her! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">You still plan on being a missionary and having kids. I pray that God is molding your husband into a godly young man who follows after Him with his whole heart! Yesterday you said you were going to be an artist before you have kids though, and a missionary while you have kids. I am excited to see what God has in store for your life! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">This year has been fun! You are coming into your own. I love watching you get it! You love to try new things, and you are very eager to learn the art of homemaking! You are very ready to learn how to sew, and now that the sewing machine is hooked up I hope to get to that soon! You also love to help me cook and bake. You have come along side me without me even realizing it, and for that I am thankful. God is guiding you already.</span><br />
<br />
<em><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Father God, thank You for Katie Jo! May You continue to grow her in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. May You continue to plant Your seeds in her heart and water them. Thank You for all that she is teaching me. Thank You for the beautiful young lady You are making! I am blessed to be her mother. Thank You for that calling! May You continue to perfect Your love for Katie Jo in my heart. Draw us closer together in You. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.</span></em><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">My, how you have grown!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">5 lb 14 oz, 19 in</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCDlG-gcN19ZlMhSu91wj8lJwX43vjnLvHe5v_8bvBjdUW519UHKlakY58o0WcepX98knUcU9RU9Vp3n8nXcWlvfBrjaicvpDudzk055l9rsEYACM2r6uNSy-e03SGgPxK2Sj3_DGxwIKK/s1600/sleeping+beauty.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCDlG-gcN19ZlMhSu91wj8lJwX43vjnLvHe5v_8bvBjdUW519UHKlakY58o0WcepX98knUcU9RU9Vp3n8nXcWlvfBrjaicvpDudzk055l9rsEYACM2r6uNSy-e03SGgPxK2Sj3_DGxwIKK/s320/sleeping+beauty.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxebwx1A7OBFsuIo8XNmTwZAd-PUPChoBti-LBu7newip1y0F3dqAJZDIzX4N02rBaEF9UsKfBF-c7tGiA9ydsWL9_Xgrkdt9Lgc1Wk5Ay8JTFk5jVp1NThnUDxoMssQDFePRh61ZeKd0D/s1600/IMG_1724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxebwx1A7OBFsuIo8XNmTwZAd-PUPChoBti-LBu7newip1y0F3dqAJZDIzX4N02rBaEF9UsKfBF-c7tGiA9ydsWL9_Xgrkdt9Lgc1Wk5Ay8JTFk5jVp1NThnUDxoMssQDFePRh61ZeKd0D/s320/IMG_1724.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Completely and totally in your element!!!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHLfUSAn5PeGCmrwMMIMATUVjAgB3BkqAI_yKFNIoClCko1mN1_wb2H1diev6jRlhjXKuzq6f29KfmK85q3Tf3k5qtBKebRnpR7UJFDLbdfbkMreJCnA4K_5u4qqdnu1y_DnEnBOK2NuO/s1600/IMG_0278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHLfUSAn5PeGCmrwMMIMATUVjAgB3BkqAI_yKFNIoClCko1mN1_wb2H1diev6jRlhjXKuzq6f29KfmK85q3Tf3k5qtBKebRnpR7UJFDLbdfbkMreJCnA4K_5u4qqdnu1y_DnEnBOK2NuO/s320/IMG_0278.JPG" width="240" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You drew a cow with utters!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMaqquYv9-25d5tZg1wcxZywqMukR9r26rMlhSZcj0XGVQ3jwdqT4IFAyF4u7UTDcbURQhlnbmxDuwpy4I8Nc0LO9qSMDreFPF2WBaaAXWlnqoG_w11wfn1uNPfozAiWUtMm-cIdkHacBd/s1600/IMG_0347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMaqquYv9-25d5tZg1wcxZywqMukR9r26rMlhSZcj0XGVQ3jwdqT4IFAyF4u7UTDcbURQhlnbmxDuwpy4I8Nc0LO9qSMDreFPF2WBaaAXWlnqoG_w11wfn1uNPfozAiWUtMm-cIdkHacBd/s320/IMG_0347.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Verdana;">You love your picture taken with Joy!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAJNI5TZqWHPSCl0Oxw-ca5L2uYGxM2onmBZg5MTL6VeDnAgwg0tNUbGddOmEMTT_2psHg7w7s8Dk3Sc84dXpHXLP8VBUslB1vlyJGBH58T-X8WwJsrgLrgMhbXvs5eJn2xoiSwXrGunQ/s1600/IMG_0386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAJNI5TZqWHPSCl0Oxw-ca5L2uYGxM2onmBZg5MTL6VeDnAgwg0tNUbGddOmEMTT_2psHg7w7s8Dk3Sc84dXpHXLP8VBUslB1vlyJGBH58T-X8WwJsrgLrgMhbXvs5eJn2xoiSwXrGunQ/s320/IMG_0386.JPG" width="240" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once again in your element!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhifw6ATQkQMSNJwOsSsk_2esznV9svgFXc7fH2GcWrcmKr2nUjKxb3DB6jcc1Tc0ptToM7BOaYLjR0XqId0HRAKjENNHCBKp-5QAnrbnk8NGpPZf5ereqdu1BE6rfZS2YdIPrMv7mdUAu7/s1600/IMG_0416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhifw6ATQkQMSNJwOsSsk_2esznV9svgFXc7fH2GcWrcmKr2nUjKxb3DB6jcc1Tc0ptToM7BOaYLjR0XqId0HRAKjENNHCBKp-5QAnrbnk8NGpPZf5ereqdu1BE6rfZS2YdIPrMv7mdUAu7/s320/IMG_0416.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love to climb</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7PsqDpzqFZHv6kDrUZGW8HSFIhHiVDiFZHzCmR6Sslg_g1KVyuULfnCA4i7K-bNyKCkK-6-6UZrqoMlU760wsqVrAUV3acxxkgMmMgdmzPAt4SOgWtjwH0hnJwalxKqXiB80b6u_yC9V/s1600/IMG_0574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7PsqDpzqFZHv6kDrUZGW8HSFIhHiVDiFZHzCmR6Sslg_g1KVyuULfnCA4i7K-bNyKCkK-6-6UZrqoMlU760wsqVrAUV3acxxkgMmMgdmzPAt4SOgWtjwH0hnJwalxKqXiB80b6u_yC9V/s320/IMG_0574.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWPzbrK_pimXya5gxheVb0EKEfPXsZmvUTSnW5EKc25OPzbDwxIxqtaKW4utP8jU2ItExwCE-tr1r5L7dsCXq6ofyEetMshxDOhW9vsK1x-TKSXEDxJ2dpP9u5zaeczGy_owzSNFlaOjf/s1600/IMG_0526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWPzbrK_pimXya5gxheVb0EKEfPXsZmvUTSnW5EKc25OPzbDwxIxqtaKW4utP8jU2ItExwCE-tr1r5L7dsCXq6ofyEetMshxDOhW9vsK1x-TKSXEDxJ2dpP9u5zaeczGy_owzSNFlaOjf/s320/IMG_0526.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You went to New Orleans after the April tornadoes.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCoPqM7mnSPUTcxtLTY3s0YHt8LXTJyWGUQp-Zdjuyy7ANRauNTSYNNfrXv5kVsEARSumq2o4O7NIxYwZID4_LqFU8ILPdiEv0uQcUtOC3qjaPBh3UFnfeiIsjS6kXNvmw2zeljUhQr5r0/s1600/IMG_0793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCoPqM7mnSPUTcxtLTY3s0YHt8LXTJyWGUQp-Zdjuyy7ANRauNTSYNNfrXv5kVsEARSumq2o4O7NIxYwZID4_LqFU8ILPdiEv0uQcUtOC3qjaPBh3UFnfeiIsjS6kXNvmw2zeljUhQr5r0/s320/IMG_0793.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You graduated Kindergarten!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Udmam55gqkVqcNnPJuv5fFWru_aYjfj8nlaA4h3ROZ-1ucchf3RBrjM0qtB311eMwhLNFCMVPO7MfbwbnDdxea3pytEjXUIWkYGcjH7H51fvE2vnha-KA9P0cXkKukSbOVW6LLVYBVoa/s1600/IMG_1017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Udmam55gqkVqcNnPJuv5fFWru_aYjfj8nlaA4h3ROZ-1ucchf3RBrjM0qtB311eMwhLNFCMVPO7MfbwbnDdxea3pytEjXUIWkYGcjH7H51fvE2vnha-KA9P0cXkKukSbOVW6LLVYBVoa/s320/IMG_1017.JPG" width="240" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Watch me jump!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJVmZlCaZQwE8KWwAnO3tyTf6szIcD24jgUZsPC5UkCuhte_l_D3yOY__FaM7vcRQ3VC_j05MQpu7bRae1WEXLtUiTenIEw7OjCMg7DFurdohhh1SD6MfdYpohjMol_YOhaJqWhx8t-8EX/s1600/IMG_4821.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJVmZlCaZQwE8KWwAnO3tyTf6szIcD24jgUZsPC5UkCuhte_l_D3yOY__FaM7vcRQ3VC_j05MQpu7bRae1WEXLtUiTenIEw7OjCMg7DFurdohhh1SD6MfdYpohjMol_YOhaJqWhx8t-8EX/s320/IMG_4821.JPG" width="240" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You usually love Eli. ;)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkaNqV6bNLRTTq5IljNKcyk17BL0a5XFjTFN40lEiUjQGEQews0S2lD551nKE-v6WONuKzTHw7YNEtkk-7qxKkGYmzO7p26xkkP_0ZX3WWkTYuP4jrloWVQI2M1BxII-HrRmkEYRKIqIwL/s1600/IMG_4840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkaNqV6bNLRTTq5IljNKcyk17BL0a5XFjTFN40lEiUjQGEQews0S2lD551nKE-v6WONuKzTHw7YNEtkk-7qxKkGYmzO7p26xkkP_0ZX3WWkTYuP4jrloWVQI2M1BxII-HrRmkEYRKIqIwL/s320/IMG_4840.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You absolutely LOVE water!!!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV8sgerti0ZlfCYmkeCYv3IBoY1Q48nLkeyAVy5wktlELRy0T3n83q0Cyd9JoqJt_w9dqzo9Ds2S0PoQCNUeYGh5aGm1cWbLHaKfH_erpbGbnJ66dBW9RNqhnghiXFTNUaxOVBgg49V-20/s1600/IMG_5042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV8sgerti0ZlfCYmkeCYv3IBoY1Q48nLkeyAVy5wktlELRy0T3n83q0Cyd9JoqJt_w9dqzo9Ds2S0PoQCNUeYGh5aGm1cWbLHaKfH_erpbGbnJ66dBW9RNqhnghiXFTNUaxOVBgg49V-20/s320/IMG_5042.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQC7aaabmTD75bMPhn-jvm5F9pjJKHhmGZMMB-NsN31A9UUhrMYzvq_VBHmTf90MZtqLOFkyBW-3wvAldo0CNTSOdT-p39zhih6KjNKpEIXSX6joylLFvReQoKM1cPoslAZEsQD2mjDToP/s1600/IMG_5127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQC7aaabmTD75bMPhn-jvm5F9pjJKHhmGZMMB-NsN31A9UUhrMYzvq_VBHmTf90MZtqLOFkyBW-3wvAldo0CNTSOdT-p39zhih6KjNKpEIXSX6joylLFvReQoKM1cPoslAZEsQD2mjDToP/s320/IMG_5127.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Where else would you be!?! :)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigCdXvEPLvZwlWwacm6c-fH-8nrkYPufi7jf6tMvUsVkEr7RAgdXNebCmHvp6pq00lkaxz7QCZeEcoAR7u4vBYSUzMv9Vcg8BTq5CVD_WxrYLozn1lPN4xdGFGxUTuPdKqsy5aJk_CCZy-/s1600/IMG_5229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigCdXvEPLvZwlWwacm6c-fH-8nrkYPufi7jf6tMvUsVkEr7RAgdXNebCmHvp6pq00lkaxz7QCZeEcoAR7u4vBYSUzMv9Vcg8BTq5CVD_WxrYLozn1lPN4xdGFGxUTuPdKqsy5aJk_CCZy-/s320/IMG_5229.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You yelled your loudest in Upward Cheerleading!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGzCcZstERz3cxjOCp4Dyg4R3qTiDfx698CKK1b8Z-7C3LbGqffhWONoJ4Tn60AI5i77hKUCIdctK3Zg7MEx6UZ1Zs3QMyXS2PqZ05vMBdxrJXext-oitlztp-8r2YVAACwswLxO0Zu8nf/s1600/IMG_1195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGzCcZstERz3cxjOCp4Dyg4R3qTiDfx698CKK1b8Z-7C3LbGqffhWONoJ4Tn60AI5i77hKUCIdctK3Zg7MEx6UZ1Zs3QMyXS2PqZ05vMBdxrJXext-oitlztp-8r2YVAACwswLxO0Zu8nf/s320/IMG_1195.JPG" width="240" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You are just a little bit crazy! :)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiXXXPvKxyqj-eFrWLCEUNEmqruhB29l-KiUlmocK-bDFai_QEsw2fnlHu5_ouV5SN36DqHhlARg1dMLmCorz_ZbM0Kg6vd1N13lbg1l8nbLq-HPSKykuld4eeUYzYp-DpIhbT9tBNDPjg/s1600/IMG_1328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiXXXPvKxyqj-eFrWLCEUNEmqruhB29l-KiUlmocK-bDFai_QEsw2fnlHu5_ouV5SN36DqHhlARg1dMLmCorz_ZbM0Kg6vd1N13lbg1l8nbLq-HPSKykuld4eeUYzYp-DpIhbT9tBNDPjg/s320/IMG_1328.JPG" width="240" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love that look!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogTPMe5DI2ky_7d9i613XRJYPYDRb5PdpdkSOkU9fgB8LjGFVVaeG-TsTuxvQcPWFlF6zYTxgaw9OpNzfFgGYQ5oBQ5-H5ysBtku_o7gUPj-2fIt0nB0AER79v9DU4Qlcp848oLImhHRj/s1600/IMG_1375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogTPMe5DI2ky_7d9i613XRJYPYDRb5PdpdkSOkU9fgB8LjGFVVaeG-TsTuxvQcPWFlF6zYTxgaw9OpNzfFgGYQ5oBQ5-H5ysBtku_o7gUPj-2fIt0nB0AER79v9DU4Qlcp848oLImhHRj/s320/IMG_1375.JPG" width="240" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Precious Moments Noah's Ark tea set you got for Christmas. You love collectibles! All my porcelean dolls are now in your room.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipUgy1pnU_KRntufAk818nCw5PXP5PJu7mIpJ4ZsCnpS9janODGXvVLJXYIXiEt5-mCfPyjoaMqfox58AT2KHP7iSAtsAfyVFEwudaFcrX0pCVpwP7-An1dPIrHqRMNbOCUMprqM78bNFs/s1600/IMG_1697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipUgy1pnU_KRntufAk818nCw5PXP5PJu7mIpJ4ZsCnpS9janODGXvVLJXYIXiEt5-mCfPyjoaMqfox58AT2KHP7iSAtsAfyVFEwudaFcrX0pCVpwP7-An1dPIrHqRMNbOCUMprqM78bNFs/s320/IMG_1697.JPG" width="240" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Your Janie Bear is never far away! She often times accompanies us. It warms my heart. You still love to visit Janie Beth too.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_FGlGV3moO81gwjy1TMaSjah0bvhvO9_MxiVZeqPAkZGQYmH8mYofPdKO-b-Jj8GIHwITNLhAJHaZyqmFg1QgZybRZI8SpnWS1NTmjvrQ3pGTjh7hFJhLuqSqLZ3chLb1IDu7JpXd_fW/s1600/IMG_1805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_FGlGV3moO81gwjy1TMaSjah0bvhvO9_MxiVZeqPAkZGQYmH8mYofPdKO-b-Jj8GIHwITNLhAJHaZyqmFg1QgZybRZI8SpnWS1NTmjvrQ3pGTjh7hFJhLuqSqLZ3chLb1IDu7JpXd_fW/s400/IMG_1805.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912196885809263415.post-62932572704572106452012-01-28T16:41:00.001-06:002012-01-28T17:06:11.414-06:00My Girls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTevxnhXyW_4KGFDMwdE3Bn75JrOm6SOliWW4qTtFV15dNc0k6wqC72UpMdtn69dBH_A-d_mz7K2SK-JUHh0AQY4h7L5ixYd-7cTuR_utnkFIrhn8SneFdTCKouj86RW18rcq5oD33iWA9/s1600/IMG_1535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTevxnhXyW_4KGFDMwdE3Bn75JrOm6SOliWW4qTtFV15dNc0k6wqC72UpMdtn69dBH_A-d_mz7K2SK-JUHh0AQY4h7L5ixYd-7cTuR_utnkFIrhn8SneFdTCKouj86RW18rcq5oD33iWA9/s400/IMG_1535.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ihC6Y0QZICGSnPaB9IxkrRWNfS1LJxFwPh6zWIGYtkm4p1QrVVyvvnTZ0F1nRZMEdOw0y1zRPejalwSz2FOnoX57tUm40Qq9yJ7qY3KPZBU_luD54yn7kAsmNoPlc9dBem2C2W8Is3mm/s1600/IMG_1801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ihC6Y0QZICGSnPaB9IxkrRWNfS1LJxFwPh6zWIGYtkm4p1QrVVyvvnTZ0F1nRZMEdOw0y1zRPejalwSz2FOnoX57tUm40Qq9yJ7qY3KPZBU_luD54yn7kAsmNoPlc9dBem2C2W8Is3mm/s400/IMG_1801.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The TP Queen!!! She is into everything! She is full of personality! She loves to sing and dance. She warms my heart! :) She is a little pistol, and I believe she will be in the same pea pod as her big brother Eli. She loves Josiah and goes to him to pick her up. She gets right in there with the big 3 with no problem!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvejhcnNTNf_nJsFZqhurNZQG9fmdg1JQT5ScvnGWd88pCJBLufpC0EuDNJwI0FWt8F8JYB1VcTC0e37jo4GjmYWTnonlREoEUi2N0SE4S6Dl9_WgdLhdq7jrinBjub1-asAd9Pk8yZQBr/s1600/IMG_1530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvejhcnNTNf_nJsFZqhurNZQG9fmdg1JQT5ScvnGWd88pCJBLufpC0EuDNJwI0FWt8F8JYB1VcTC0e37jo4GjmYWTnonlREoEUi2N0SE4S6Dl9_WgdLhdq7jrinBjub1-asAd9Pk8yZQBr/s400/IMG_1530.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkQiddd7LtNKy8aeq270bImmG5w7PQZ9zP8qfVcnkQ9zIBlBloiyav9_GmyTsJMPoRcAqrK4SApafx29uyQmGq8Hw1_-3FNts_FXVGVvt7swfadopgVjDnE9O6eGQVybTInSYMAYXCBkY/s1600/IMG_1583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkQiddd7LtNKy8aeq270bImmG5w7PQZ9zP8qfVcnkQ9zIBlBloiyav9_GmyTsJMPoRcAqrK4SApafx29uyQmGq8Hw1_-3FNts_FXVGVvt7swfadopgVjDnE9O6eGQVybTInSYMAYXCBkY/s400/IMG_1583.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Miss Imagination! She will quickly try new things, like skating. She is always crafting and making something to give to someone else. She loves to be outside! When outside she is often times in her own world. She has a whole nother world that she imagines. She does it outside mainly, but it comes inside too. She reminds me of me!!! Although, I didn't play with sticks and grass like she does. She is always making something with the onion grass, or cooking it. :) She has gotten into pulling lots of food out of the pantry and spices out of the drawer in order to "make" something. She has a soft compassionate heart, with a fire hidden under it! She is my helper, and I am excited to train her as a young lady!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdo-8g0B-CjI7T-0hpRw3Nj8xWfSPo1Zk0Uh-rm_kVDJvj-xUt3XWI1TDUN8lddMHduQDr4Z9o8ImqaVkKmjFO0gM-elvTdgYxtlyoRGM-vD_LWSv5rQ6o0zAAgh13kOSN4Lncpkv8DrjD/s1600/IMG_1804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdo-8g0B-CjI7T-0hpRw3Nj8xWfSPo1Zk0Uh-rm_kVDJvj-xUt3XWI1TDUN8lddMHduQDr4Z9o8ImqaVkKmjFO0gM-elvTdgYxtlyoRGM-vD_LWSv5rQ6o0zAAgh13kOSN4Lncpkv8DrjD/s400/IMG_1804.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We do the flowers at church on the Sunday closest to Janie Beth's birthday. This year it was New Year's Day. There are 22 pink flowers for the 22 hours that she lived, and 2 red roses because she would have been 2 years old. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">It overwhelms me to think that I have been entrusted with raising these girls to be godly young women who follow after God with all their hearts. The world contradicts almost everything that God wants them to be! I am just an ordinary woman that is trying to climb this steep cliff. I pray that God will be extraordinary through me and that He will work around my faults and shortcomings and work wonders in their lives and hearts! I am blessed!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912196885809263415.post-9532238472176887182012-01-28T16:25:00.000-06:002012-01-28T16:25:48.170-06:00That Ache<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The ache of the arms has been prevalent over the last week. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The desire to hold and touch and kiss. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The wonder of what she would be like. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How she would look. I can't even imagine. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It makes my heart skip a beat. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It catches my breath. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brings a tear to my eye. A smile to my face.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I don't know why the onslaught of emotion right now. There could be several factors I guess. I blogged about meeting her and our time with her this week. It floods my memories again. It makes me long for those days to stand still.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I went to the open house of the new LDRP rooms at the other hospital in town. They are wonderful! The staff is so sweet! The NICU there is even intimate. It was a very blessed tour. Two of the rooms have the saying "Angels danced the day you were born" painted above the cribs. I have an ornament for Janie Beth that says that! It flooded me with her! It made her a part of the day. It makes me long to have one of those rooms with Timothy so that she is a part too. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Going to the hospital got me excited about Timothy's arrival. It reminds me of how different I pray that it is from Janie Beth's. The desire to have my labor and delivery the way I want them this time and just cherish each moment makes me wish I could do hers differently, but then I choose thankfulness instead. God was in control! And He still is! There is also that part of me that wonders if Timothy will be ok. Will I say that the angels danced the day he was born because he was born into heaven? I really do feel like everything is going to go wonderfully with his birth, but I know there are no guarantees, and God is in control.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I am also coming up on 28 wks. That is how far I was when we found out about Janie having TD. I even go to the doctor this week at 28 wks 1 day, just like I did when we saw Dr. F at 28 wks 1 day before going to the specialist. WOW!! God has a way of redeeming! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Joy Michelle's personality is really beginning to show and that makes me wonder all the more how Janie would be now, and what she would have been like at Joy's age. It makes me enjoy my kids more!!! I don't want to forget!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">While my arms may ache to hold her and my fingers ache to feel her again, I am so thankful to have the privilege of being Janie Beth's mommy!! I would do it all over again. God has used Janie Beth to bring me on an amazing journey. He is still using her journey to change me. What a precious baby girl! I love you, Janie Beth!!! I miss you dearly!</span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Father God, thank You for making me Janie Beth's mommy!!! Thank You for bringing me on this amazing journey! As I continue to seek You with all my heart, I pray that You will continue to mold me and heal me on this journey. Thank You for the wonderful time I had with Janie Beth. Thank You for the ability to spend each day with Josiah, Katie Jo, Eli, Joy Schelle, and Timothy! Thank You for Joey and how You used Janie Beth to bring us closer. You are an awesome God! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen</span></em>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912196885809263415.post-7897486277906584022012-01-28T13:46:00.000-06:002012-01-28T13:46:23.485-06:00Book Review: Unbound Birth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://unboundbirth.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" gda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0paD-EfAkqlQ_ksJ7vtxAJ9usjgBt5PFjeA_uogey6i5v4boWYoYnVqNWVPffukhFj7EiB8MXKeXc2LIst0ialjpCRO7JVSJ4Vk-WgIfqx-czRu3s7uJngOrqE-p6VF7UbxiKMczUWUcq/s1600/Unbound+Birth+250x250.png" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was given the privilege of reading this ebook and writing a review for it. It becomes available on January 31 on Amazon and the website. If you click on the picture it will bring you to the website. You can like it on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/unboundbirth" target="_blank">facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/Unboundbirth" target="_blank">twitter</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">This book was a very easy read! I finished it in about an hour, if that. It is a wonderful overview of natural birth with some very good ideas to accomplish that goal. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">It gave me more confindence to have the birth I want at the hospital. Reading others stories helps boost your own confidence that it can go well. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I would recomend this book to any woman who is considering a natural birth and is trying to decide whether to have one, or to anyone who might need a little more confidence after a bad experience in a previous birth.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">It was a refreshing read, and I am very thankful for the sample birth plan at the end! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">My last birth was a natural birth and it went very well, but this time I want to have more control over how things are handled and listen to my body more. This book made me feel like I can do that! Now, I just need April to get here. :)</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912196885809263415.post-36197292801412716232012-01-26T07:18:00.001-06:002012-01-26T08:47:29.063-06:00With My Whole Heart<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">WOW!!! That is all I can say about how Amazing God's word is!! It is so full. It is alive and active. It compliments itself. It all works together. God has been showing me some awesome things and I feel as though I am on the verge of putting the pieces in the puzzle. I feel like I am sitting on the edge of a major break through about to jump into the presence of God! I can't put the feeling into words that fills my heart!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I have been seeking God wholeheartedly this year. He is showing me verse after verse. They all connect; yet, they are all written years and years apart. It is so excited! The funny thing is, it catchs me off guard each time! I go in expecting God to speak to me through His word, but then He lets it all work together to reenforce itself. WOW!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I have also started the study Experiencing God. I cannot tell you how excited I am!! I haven't done a study like this in quite some time. I trully want to experience God this year. I was super stoked when Joey told me that he thought I should do a study this semester because it would be encouraging for me. And what study is available!?! Experiencing God. That is the aim as I seek Him with my whole heart this year. Isn't He good!?!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I have so many thoughts swarming in my head right now that I can't get them coherently down. :) I pray that God will give me time to put these amazing puzzle pieces together and begin to write about all the nuggets He is showing me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I just wanted to hop on today and say my God is an Awesome God!!!! Worthy to be praised!!! He answers prayers in amazing ways!!! He loves me! :O That is so humbling. The fact that He is teaching me so much is humbling. </span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Abba, thank You! May You continue to grow me in the grace and knowledge of my Savior Jesus Christ. Continue to prune my heart so that it can seek You wholeheartedly. I want You to be my treasure. Show me Your will, Father. This is Your day. May You be lifted up and glorified through my life! In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.</span></em><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I can't wait to share everything God is showing me!!! I feel like a little kid in a toy store. :)</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912196885809263415.post-78339728322296969642012-01-25T17:28:00.001-06:002012-01-25T17:30:47.310-06:00Walking With You~ Meeting Janie Beth and Our Time With Her<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Week 3 on Walking With You</span><br />
<a href="http://blog.sufficientgraceministries.org/category/walking-with-you/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sufficient Grace Ministries~ Walking With You</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <strong>This week, we will be sharing about the birth of our babies and the moments we spent with our children after they were born. </strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">December 29, 2009</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What a day it ended up being. I woke up feeling fine, but it wasn't long before the contractions started up again. They had started after my doctor's appointment the day before and hadn't really let up at all until I was asleep. I decided to do some cleaning. I remember cleaning the kitchen a bunch. LOL I was mega cleaning it, I guess. I am sure I cleaned other parts of the house, but I just do not remember. I am sure I washed clothes too since I usually wash on Monday and I went to the doctor. After cleaning all morning, I decided to shower and see if that helped stop the contractions or if they would keep going. I always took my time in the shower when pregnant with Janie Beth (some would say I still do LOL). I would sit on the seat, think, and try to feel her. I put on my black skirt with a red shirt that had black stripes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The shower didn't stop the contractions. The contractions themselves weren't bothering me, but the pressure they brought was another story. I decided about 2:00-2:30 to call the doctor's office and see what they said. The nurse told me that Dr. F didn't think I would make it to the next week. (Thanks!) They told me to go the L&D and see what was happening and that Dr. N was on call that day. We called my mom to leave work and head to the house. We called my step-dad to come down to the house and be with the kids. I will never forget the excitement of the kids when we told them. It broke my heart! The picture of them waving to us out the door as we left will forever be engraved in my mind. It brings tears to my eyes and an ache to my heart because they wanted Janie Beth to have her miracle here on Earth just as we did. Josiah even commented one day that it would be really cool to see a miracle happen; to watch Janie Beth's chest pop out and be bigger were his words. Katie Jo mentioned to me while I was packing my bags just a couple days before how she thought Janie Beth would live. (She did live, just not for as long as we would have hoped. This is something I hadn't realized until just now. God did answer our prayers for her to live; He just planned her life to last only 22 hrs.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As you can imagine, we had a lot of stuff! We had the bag with all the things in it to create lasting memories and the various things we may want to use. We also had the boppy to use to take pictures. I had a boom box and my pillows; I guess I am a pillow snob. :) We also had the laptop. We left the bag with our clothes and things in the car. We look as though we were moving in! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The waiting room was packed! We got there around 3 or 3:30. Joey and I stood by the receptionist and talked to her. She was a blessing! We waiting for 30 min or so.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We then went to LDR 6. We had 2 nurses. One had just moved over from OR. They were really sweet. We gave them our birth plan and explained what all was going on. They checked me and I was 6 cm and 80% effaced. I wasn't going anywhere. They called the doc. I do not remember time wise how the evening went. They gave me my epidural and my blood pressure plummeted! They squeezed the fluids into me, and they had already given me quite a bit before the epi since I had trouble with the last one I had. They gave me meds twice. It stayed low for quite some time. (I didn't feel normal until some time the next day.) It was a scary experience and I was ready for them to turn off the epi, but they wanted me to be able to enjoy the evening since we weren't sure what would happen. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There were many family and friends there in the waiting room. Some came back and visited before the issues with the epi. We were very blessed!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dr. N came around 7:30 or so to break my water. It was like a dam had broken! I could see the water shoot up from my lounging position! With a child that has thanataphoric dwarfism, the mother has an excessive amount of fluid! The doc jumped back and went for the door saying we needed help. LOL Joey and the nurse both told me that it was nasty. They used blankets to wipe up the floor and then had to come in and mop. I do not think Dr. N will ever forget that! :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They got the room all ready for delivery since my labors tend to be quite fast once you break my water. Around 9, I felt Janie Beth drop. It was a feeling I didn't have with the first 3. We got the nurse to come. I was ready and Janie Beth was right there. They called Dr N and the neonatal doctor (we love him!). Dr. D (the neonatal doc) was 10 min away. Are you kidding?? Even with the epi, it was hard to not push. I was holding the side bar and pulling up like that would help. LOL</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dr. D got there and I got to push. She was out in 1 contraction, at 9:20pm. No sound.... They brought her over to the baby bed to see how she was. Joey came over and told me that she was fighting and they wanted to take her to the NICU. A glimpse of hope. Joey went with her to the NICU. I am very thankful for the pictures Kelly took since I didn't get to follow. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A large group of folks came in the room once they went up to the NICU. I cannot tell you who all was there because I am sure that I do not remember everyone. The kids got big sibling pins and the grown-ups got pins too. We were all hoping for a miracle here on Earth.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know Joey and Dr. D updated while still in L&D, but exactly what they said, I do not remember. The only update I remember is when Dr. D came to my recovery room and told us that he believed she did indeed have TD, but we would't know for sure until morning because there wasn't a pediatric radiologist there that night.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They wheeled me to Janie Beth's bed on my way to my room. Oh, how I wish I had stayed there a while. I want so much to be back there beside her bed feeling her and talking to her. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">December 30, 2009</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I remember going to the NICU as soon as it opened up at 8:00am after the shift change. Jennifer came with donuts. My next memory is Dr. D coming in and telling us that Janie Beth did indeed have TD. Then, came the decision that we would take her off of the ventilator later that day. The morning was full of visitors. Joey brought each one in to visit Janie Beth. I went and saw her a couple of times, and I sat in my room and talked with people. Most everyone stayed in the NICU waiting room because it was bigger. Starting at 3:00 I sat by Janie's bed until every person had come in and said their goodbyes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I got there, she opened her eyes and looked at me. :) She held my finger the entire time I sat there. God answered my prayers!! I wanted more than anything for her to squeeze my finger. Kelly told me that she opened her eyes more when I came in then she had the entire Kelly had been there. I had some time with her just Joey and I before the others came back.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The kids came in and we all sang "Jesus Loves Me" to her. I sang as much as I could through my tears. Katie Jo is the one that started the song. She loves Janie Beth so much! It still breaks my heart to see the progression of pictures with Katie Jo because you can see her excitement that Janie Beth is there, and then the pure sadness when we tell her she will go to Heaven later that day. In the NICU and later in room 310, Josiah took each part of her in. It was like he was trying to engrave her in his mind, such care and love! Eli didn't want to have much to do with her at that time, but he definitely talks about her a lot now. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Many family and some friends came back to visit. Janie Beth touched so many lives in her short time here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once everyone had their turn, Joey and I sat there a bit longer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I walked by myself back to the room while Joey stayed with Janie as she was un-hooked. He said it was one of the hardest things he has ever done, but he wanted to be there for her through it all. It is hard for me to see the pictures of her after being taken off when she is crying because I know that there was no sound even though she was trying so hard. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Joey wrapped her up and carried to room 310. Kelly even caught Janie Beth looking up at Joey as he walked through the hallway. It was the last time she opened her eyes. She was/is so proud of her Daddy!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Joey and I had some time just the 2 of us with her in the room for a while. She took some squeaky breathes for a few minutes. Her heart stayed beating until about 7pm and she was taken off the ventilator at 5:30.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The kids came in the room first and had some time with Janie Beth. Then, the others came in. We took pictures and everyone who wanted to go to hold her. We made imprints of her hands with each of the kids. It was a special time, a surreal time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Everyone left, and Joey and I worked on molds. We had to get the NICU charge nurse to help us. She was amazing!!!! I remember being upset because she was getting hard and I was having trouble getting prints. We decided to take a break and get some sleep. It was a long day, but a blessed day. It went the way God had planned.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I wish I could put up every picture that was taken!! It is so hard to chose. There are pictures with each person that came to the NICU and to the room. Kelly will forever hold a special place in our hearts!!!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">December 31, 2009</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That morning Janie Beth's hands had loosened up. I thanked God so much because I was able to get her prints and trace her hands and feet. I think I almost cried! It was a special morning just Joey, Janie, and I. I gave Janie Beth a bath and then rubbed her with lotion. I used the lavendar scented wash and lotion from the NICU. She was dressed in the dress that Katie Jo picked out and wrapped in a pink blanket.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We had a wonderful nurse that day. She asked questions about Janie Beth and genuinely cared. I loved that she wanted to know! We even joked a little before we left.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The thought of calling the funeral home and having them come get Janie Beth wasn't sitting right with Joey and I. It was a call we just couldn't bring ourselves to make. Thankfully, someone told us that we could transport her ourselves because she was so small. There was peace in that decision.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While Joey loaded the car, I sat with Janie Beth and sang and talked to her. I cried more than I had the entire stay at the hospital. I wanted those moments to last forever; to soak her in completely.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was allowed to carry her out to the car. I walked instead of riding in the wheel chair. The nurse did have us go down the staff elevator. I kind of felt for the food guys in there, but they already knew because they were the ones that brought me my food earlier. It felt good to be holding her and carrying her. We even freaked out a lady when I got in the car holding her in the front seat. :) The security guard had to tell her it was ok. That brought laughter to Joey and I.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am thankful that we got to take her on her first car ride. We still got to do "firsts" with Janie Beth, just not in the normal way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then, we pulled into the parking lot of the funeral home. We drove around back. Joey came around the car to get Janie Beth. I hugged her so tight! I held on a bit longer. This was it; the last time I would hold my precious baby girl. As I watched them go inside I just cried. I held my pink lamb and cried. Joey carried her in and laid her on the gurney himself. He said it was one of the hardest things he has ever done; that and being with her when she was disconnected. He came back to the car and we cried together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We both had on shirts that we had put Janie Beth's footprints on. We went to Arby's to grab a bite before going to pick up the other kids. I wondered if anyone wondered. Here we were with shirts that had footprints and no baby. I am not sure if we talked much while we ate or not. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Even though the day was really hard, it was filled with peace. The peace that only God can provide. He was in control. We let Him guide our steps, and He blessed our time with her! I am so thankful!!!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912196885809263415.post-91070079052098144602012-01-18T21:05:00.000-06:002012-01-18T21:05:36.090-06:00Walking With You~ Week 2<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is week 2 on <a href="http://blog.sufficientgraceministries.org/category/walking-with-you/" target="_blank">Walking With You</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>If you are a mother who has heard the words incompatible with life, what happened next for you? Share about the waiting if your journey continued. How did you walk that path? What were some of your feelings? What did you do to form lasting memories? What were your struggles? Things you found comfort in?</strong> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After learning that Janie Beth would likely not live after birth, I just tried to breathe and make it through each moment. I sang "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" quite often because that is exactly what I was doing, and that is why I named my blog Leaning on the Everlasting Arms. Many times it felt like I was watching someone else walk in my shoes. We fell completely out of our routine in school. We maybe did a day or two after getting her diagnosis. (But, Josiah still learned an awful lot for not doing anything!) We didn't do chores like we normally did either. I was doing the bare necesseties while I tried to figure out how to walk this path.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I did a ton of reading online! I found many blogs and read and read and read. I found organizations, Sufficient Grace Ministries and String of Pearls, that helped women who were carrying to term. Thankfully, we were never faced with the question of whether to terminate the pregnancy because I was already 28.5 weeks. I read in my Bible. I had a couple devotion books I read. I taped Bible verses around the house. I pulled out a little notebook I have that has verses written in it that I read during the really hard moments.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">My favorite part of each day was while the kids were napping/resting. I would loung on the couch with my computer and just feel Janie Beth. It was hard to feel her because of all the fluid, but she usually moved during that time. I will forever cherish those times! She moved the most in church. :) The only time that I was really able to see my belly move around was the Sunday before she was born. I even told Josiah to watch. Joey was working so he wasn't there. It was priceless! Church helped me a whole lot! The songs touched my heart. (There are still songs that make my heart skip a beat when the first few chords are played!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I started my blog to keep people updated on everything that was going on and to have a place to write the many thoughts and emotions that were constantly running through my head!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I tried my best to cherish every moment and every day. <span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif";">We bought a journal that we engraved her name on that I wrote in every night. I told her what we had done that day and I often times wrote about things God was teaching me and Bible verses. (Just a side note, I can’t find this journal since we moved, so prayers that it is found would be appreciated!) I felt a connection to Janie Beth during this time in the evening. I didn’t speak out loud much, but I felt as though she could tell what I was thinking, crazy as that sounds. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAlnjbHlNqT5r48AYI9lAgJpRZSIeBkiEX89ymIPIX8TtTQ7xwFuKB9J_P4M1z1Xh9LkRE9PpMWyAB032QNPJOscx7QYTXOnJaICRW1PUb-KG1ESNVlKuzQyA63aMh77CGBjC__Z3y1no0/s1600/DSCN2290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAlnjbHlNqT5r48AYI9lAgJpRZSIeBkiEX89ymIPIX8TtTQ7xwFuKB9J_P4M1z1Xh9LkRE9PpMWyAB032QNPJOscx7QYTXOnJaICRW1PUb-KG1ESNVlKuzQyA63aMh77CGBjC__Z3y1no0/s400/DSCN2290.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif";">We went to Build a Bear and let each of the kids make a Janie Beth bear. It was a way to give them something to hold onto when they were sad or to talk to when they wanted to talk to her. It was one of the best things we did!!!! Those animals are very well loved!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif";">We took pictures with Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep. Our photographer was amazing!!! I am so thankful for those tangible memories!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif";">We made each special event Janie Beth's. It was her Thanksgiving, her AL v. AU game (a big deal for college football in AL), her first snow. We even went to a movie. I prayed daily that she would still be with us for Christmas. I still remember that Thanksgiving. We went to the normal family gathering, but I felt so alone. It was so hard. Josiah's Janie bear watched the football with me. Janie Beth got hit by a snowball. We were blessed to have her for Christmas too. We bought an ornament with a dad and pregnant mom and wrote her name on the belly. I found a pink lamb that became my Janie Beth lovey. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif";">Watching the game...</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEo_88OyJE-mLNQ2_Ay5MQl0EpfAHwYsyXHIPpPmN09viZFQ-L4c1SIZnL1YUXhp44cXUhrqAHUv5EqhH1BvpFQ648MaqnHlbnq2QIS4TXplE_CeySw1T2newVs3YfseoS4h2Yqxhdxhrp/s1600/watching+the+AL+v.+AU+game.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEo_88OyJE-mLNQ2_Ay5MQl0EpfAHwYsyXHIPpPmN09viZFQ-L4c1SIZnL1YUXhp44cXUhrqAHUv5EqhH1BvpFQ648MaqnHlbnq2QIS4TXplE_CeySw1T2newVs3YfseoS4h2Yqxhdxhrp/s400/watching+the+AL+v.+AU+game.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmdZYLbZzfUt2DJ0o9etWwufo9AbzJ5aGDAYUUpNd18vdARWbAJcGymbR5wabhZXUmLwOAqJ9UCrhTLxpkJAil-F8WbrwT6WUVTkQnXDgk-Zf4G9OxdgzeaY9uXv9WUK4i0nR5oZ5qE1mz/s1600/saw+the+Chipmunks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmdZYLbZzfUt2DJ0o9etWwufo9AbzJ5aGDAYUUpNd18vdARWbAJcGymbR5wabhZXUmLwOAqJ9UCrhTLxpkJAil-F8WbrwT6WUVTkQnXDgk-Zf4G9OxdgzeaY9uXv9WUK4i0nR5oZ5qE1mz/s400/saw+the+Chipmunks.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can see the snowball mark on my jacket. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif";">We were blessed by so many!!! God wrapped us in His arms, and also in the arms of His children. Those were the hardest 6 wks!!! Every single thing was bittersweet. I felt stuck. Grief had already begun, yet I was trying to enjoy. It was a constant see-saw of emotion. I prayed daily, and often times multiple times a day, that God would write my faith! I told God exactly what I felt about the situation. I prayed for a miracle. I prayed for guidance and peace. I prayed for comfort. I cried. We bought her a dress and should have bought stock in Hobby Lobby because we got so many memory makers.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif";">I did have a turning point in my journey when I was having pity party and God met me there. I was crying out to Him and I told Him that I didn't want to walk this road! He asked me, <em>"Why don't you want to walk this road? You have no idea where it leads." </em>(<a href="http://michellekarr.blogspot.com/2009/12/and-god-speaks.html" target="_blank">original post</a>) WOW!!!! He was right! I had no idea where this road was going to lead. Little did I know how many prayers Janie Beth would answer or how many lives she would touch.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif";">God always met me right where I was and always knew just what to say. :) He is awesome like that. As I re-read my blog posts from those 6 weeks I am amazed at what all God showed me. I am amazed that I even walked that road. I truly learned what God meant when He said that where you are weak, I am strong. I was carried through those weeks!!! I was groping to find my way. I was doing all I could to breathe. Do I have regrets? Of course, but I try hard to be thankful for the things that I did do! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif";">What a journey those 6 weeks were! They were only the beginning of a very long road.</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912196885809263415.post-67374162017108204402012-01-12T16:32:00.000-06:002012-01-12T16:32:10.305-06:0025 Weeks Preggo<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am now a little over 25 weeks. WOW!!! Time has flown, which it tends to do even more as I grow up. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">If you have been around a while, then you know that my last 3 pregnancies have not been without issue, and I was really praying that this one would go smoothly with no issues. But, that is not the case. :) God tends to have to put me on my behind to teach me! I want to wholeheartedly seek Him this year, so He is giving me ample opportunity to start the year on the right foot. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I started contracting more around 21 weeks or so, but that is my normal time for the braxton hicks to pick up, so I really wasn't worried about it. But, then at 23 weeks I started having pressure. AH! I thought that maybe I had been on my feet too much, so I decided to see how I felt after a good night's sleep. The next morning was also Janie Beth's birthday. Not a day I particularly wanted to go to the doctor! The morning started out feeling ok, but as it went on the pressure built up. We were going to lunch for Janie's birthday and then to the cemetary so I called my doc on the way into town. They wanted me to come right in since we were so close since I was feeling as tho he was going to fall out! To say I was nervous is an understatement!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Of course, my doc was at the hospital delivering so I saw the nurse practitioner. My cervix is short, but that is to be expected when you are expecting your 6th child. It is essentially closed, but she wrote me as 1 cm dilated. (I was 1 cm at this point with Joy also.) He is sitting low tho, so figured that was the cause of the pressure.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I was put on modified bedrest and given some bp meds to take to keep the contrax away, and told to keep my appt for the next week.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">So, that brings us to today. I spend most of my time sitting around. My crockpot is getting a work out. I try my best to not have to take the meds because they make my bp really low since it already runs low. I have lavendar essential oil that keeps my contrax at bay if they start up. The pressure is actually caused by pelvic congestion. :( I have issues with it at other times too, but this is the first time with pregnancy. It seems to be getting a little worse with each of the last few pregnancies. I have been doing quite a bit of googling if you couldn't tell. LOL</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">This sitting around has given me the opportunity to seek God and His will for our lives. I am researching Real Food and Essential Oils right now, as well as vaccines. :) Very interesting stuff!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I have also been wrestling with fear this pregnancy. There are several outside factors that are present with Timothy's pregnancy that were present with Janie Beth's. I won't go into all the details but God and I are <a href="http://michellekarr.blogspot.com/2012/01/tall-order-but-if-you-do-not-drive-out.html" target="_blank">wholeheartedly conquering</a> this fear. :) I am excited!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Timothy seem to be growing just fine! I have gained 10 lbs, and my uterus was measuring 25-26wks at 24 wks. I got back at 28 wks for my glucose test and I will see the doctor at that visit. After that I will be going every other week!!! That is crazy! I can't believe I am already at that point! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Timothy's bassinet is up in our room (mainly b/c it is easier to store it there LOL), and he has a few onesies and bibs in my drawer. He was also the recipient of some adorable cloth diapers from my sister for Christmas!!! I also bought him a cute little lovie and he has a very special blanket from his big sister Janie Beth! One of the blankets in her NICU crib is cream with 2 little animals and I decided while I was pregnant with Joy that if she was a boy this blanket would be Janie's contribution, so it is Timothy's first official blanket. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Timothy is also referred to as T.J. quite often around here. Unless you are Eli :) because he can't seem to remember either one and has to ask, "what is the baby's name in your belly I can't remember"? :) Eli got to feel Timothy the other day and he often tries to feel him. It is really sweet. All 3 of the big kids are very excited for Timothy's arrival!! Joy pats on my belly because the others do and laughs. LOL I am trying to tell her Timothy is in there, the baby. We shall see.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Timothy is already very much loved!!! I love to feel him move around! I would just sit there and feel all day if I could. :) Altho it gets a bit uncomfortable when he decides to try coming out my belly button. :P </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I managed to get a belly picture the other day when a friend came to visit with her camera!!! My camera was dropped by a precious child of mine and will not work anymore. :( </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">So.... here I am, and I will add a pic of the bassinet. We buy ribbons for each of the kids at the hospital that have bears and rattles on them, and I pulled the bears and rattles off and put them on a shelf above the bassinet. Janie's bow didn't have a bear because Joey couldn't remember if we got the ones with bears or not, so hers is a white lamb that I had. The back of each animal has the part of the ribbon that has their names and stats glued to it. Janie Beth's blanket and other white lamb also hang over the bassinet just a it did Joy's. :) The animals on the shelf are in age order. :)</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSB-vS7Pa24oQ6x6qkOZn9hRbT064YbX7bWUlGY-g9rUY_CeMheoHTN-lAmgshXSe1QnkKUk-EKIeHkI-N4JmmhQ6m8S_pV9M5KY9-5-oFeMix8nCKzdl8AFnEuuiJQYvwnxSxOerazBYw/s1600/24.5wks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSB-vS7Pa24oQ6x6qkOZn9hRbT064YbX7bWUlGY-g9rUY_CeMheoHTN-lAmgshXSe1QnkKUk-EKIeHkI-N4JmmhQ6m8S_pV9M5KY9-5-oFeMix8nCKzdl8AFnEuuiJQYvwnxSxOerazBYw/s400/24.5wks.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6P_h35tVuD03u9YmK5hsxGnr99QAxemSg3y_H_ejnC_X_t-oHdxgww8PFrMjk4oxZAIjObi1tI0Hai8iR-JxfpiQ9QUvC1WQNOfhxKKc5M7zA9d_DM5jWiahBncByf2g7bppIuNmP5Xth/s1600/IMG_1780.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6P_h35tVuD03u9YmK5hsxGnr99QAxemSg3y_H_ejnC_X_t-oHdxgww8PFrMjk4oxZAIjObi1tI0Hai8iR-JxfpiQ9QUvC1WQNOfhxKKc5M7zA9d_DM5jWiahBncByf2g7bppIuNmP5Xth/s400/IMG_1780.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912196885809263415.post-46126866593850779202012-01-10T14:10:00.000-06:002012-01-10T14:10:49.616-06:00Puzzles<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We love puzzles around here! We have been able to pull out our big 1000 piece puzzles since we moved because we have a place to leave them set up. It has been fun to work on them again. The last time Joey and I did them was in our first year and a half of marriage! :O The kids have also been working on their own puzzles.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4l-rUBRs5AUXQfyp4uzMmuoxJoSk3w3NMZK6S8R9aCfFY89ZI6HcvetOt47HSMIiUcCsoju8gToeyiCHo9nIC1FUTiA1-ubQZ0pFI-rJevxUasYzi8SCyO6qkbTUv5PysGEhu4ROESx2A/s1600/IMG_1828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4l-rUBRs5AUXQfyp4uzMmuoxJoSk3w3NMZK6S8R9aCfFY89ZI6HcvetOt47HSMIiUcCsoju8gToeyiCHo9nIC1FUTiA1-ubQZ0pFI-rJevxUasYzi8SCyO6qkbTUv5PysGEhu4ROESx2A/s400/IMG_1828.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Josiah has proven himself to be quite the puzzle genius! </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqvixLLF7h70JyhUTgirYi-ECrcqkWXv7-L1o4eV9y3H_EQxe53iEg-zmNc32ItQPSDXYI5K96JdnLU75X-n_Qm_eu3HGSPM885UAjpv6PrcYT_1Tlqxg0qDOeMyK2ZliMwTeX8yna5qBI/s1600/IMG_1830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqvixLLF7h70JyhUTgirYi-ECrcqkWXv7-L1o4eV9y3H_EQxe53iEg-zmNc32ItQPSDXYI5K96JdnLU75X-n_Qm_eu3HGSPM885UAjpv6PrcYT_1Tlqxg0qDOeMyK2ZliMwTeX8yna5qBI/s400/IMG_1830.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Katie Jo does fairly well, but she doesn't last long. :) This is her newest puzzle.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagODqhgwEMiU7_pJsZ_K1sYpO1FOB2MyGLZjovo8KXHexI4wJOJB3BNvYdacgCAiKREacwXjiRpHesnBqa1Quqq0nRSyPQ0kan6aD83Ia_gb4u2gJYHKldBZnKP_8sTgEG_xOCpSAFlIF/s1600/IMG_1707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagODqhgwEMiU7_pJsZ_K1sYpO1FOB2MyGLZjovo8KXHexI4wJOJB3BNvYdacgCAiKREacwXjiRpHesnBqa1Quqq0nRSyPQ0kan6aD83Ia_gb4u2gJYHKldBZnKP_8sTgEG_xOCpSAFlIF/s400/IMG_1707.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Eli brings in smaller puzzles to work on at the same table because he makes pieces fit. LOL This is his newest puzzle that he worked on with Dad. :)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOvXBvBR4xgVooa1swm1NspY11nyM5VN7T1gemWgTwwt3-MQ-oGhzIVvTKx5tTjZptP_0FXvGuhz9DFrt7j03PbnJVB7SByxPnA1-xH3DJLDJ2nb93zErAqSzGUFCXlmfSGhbzArJEcDM1/s1600/IMG_1823.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOvXBvBR4xgVooa1swm1NspY11nyM5VN7T1gemWgTwwt3-MQ-oGhzIVvTKx5tTjZptP_0FXvGuhz9DFrt7j03PbnJVB7SByxPnA1-xH3DJLDJ2nb93zErAqSzGUFCXlmfSGhbzArJEcDM1/s400/IMG_1823.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">When we started doing the puzzles, we knew there was one with a piece a missing. I was pretty sure I remembered which one, so we started with the other one. Then, we moved on to the one with the missing piece. Joey said we would throw it away once we were done. Then, we finished; and I couldn't bring myself to throw it away. The missing piece... </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn-6y-y-qjo7j6nfEiUEXN01T2L76hMsNopNdYKTohnoTA9jQ1p_fH9w28NYq_48e0sD2Di06U__XPwR7PQRDPQ7QZBQGNXeMTQzA8Xh74lV3P9eSEle02RxvuOG9dGSu1MoljsSNnjKEx/s1600/IMG_1817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn-6y-y-qjo7j6nfEiUEXN01T2L76hMsNopNdYKTohnoTA9jQ1p_fH9w28NYq_48e0sD2Di06U__XPwR7PQRDPQ7QZBQGNXeMTQzA8Xh74lV3P9eSEle02RxvuOG9dGSu1MoljsSNnjKEx/s200/IMG_1817.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">It is so much like our lives! We have a missing piece.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiglehcvbF31ucR8MF55UO5qc_q2UMJTyou4U2JwxMfItPAS6B2pIFmj6GuT_spzWq0hJ2WCI5JV1N7tAeoHwTuNMgN8CqzDmzF0dXQd3naGDo2oqpn8qCeLBjQe-VzK68ioi5eAbT7g1vg/s1600/IMG_1814.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiglehcvbF31ucR8MF55UO5qc_q2UMJTyou4U2JwxMfItPAS6B2pIFmj6GuT_spzWq0hJ2WCI5JV1N7tAeoHwTuNMgN8CqzDmzF0dXQd3naGDo2oqpn8qCeLBjQe-VzK68ioi5eAbT7g1vg/s320/IMG_1814.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The puzzle looks perfect and then you notice the missing piece.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZWTABu8hUqC_tPIc7zGoDrKj47I6dGJgsfNxBDJwTh6mKRIRfvaTHF3yN2tqbkIVDjKvDZHeuRm08DWTJV-DI359tRclc8m3pJMnX7eUS0onHdZqykT7VekH5ievOaYUUFJGAGtZP_uzp/s1600/IMG_1815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZWTABu8hUqC_tPIc7zGoDrKj47I6dGJgsfNxBDJwTh6mKRIRfvaTHF3yN2tqbkIVDjKvDZHeuRm08DWTJV-DI359tRclc8m3pJMnX7eUS0onHdZqykT7VekH5ievOaYUUFJGAGtZP_uzp/s400/IMG_1815.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The missing piece is physically absent (sometimes barely noticable), but the colors that are within the missing piece still run throughout the puzzle! The puzzle needs every piece to look whole, but you can almost picture it there because the colors run thru the rest of the puzzle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Janie Beth is our missing puzzle piece. (Represented by her pink lamb. :))</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuemVNxFXTW0ncmxSQk_63PHHNlTARd8rAzW3TlduzIpfpyxz3JD8AsBpyJ-QkJeldsbHfLI9Wknh6N4C6U2ti7MXmOrt8_ZgSATrgAIU6OJnrSLqJG9feeE8rbSI4lrGtW97xPOxLdqyo/s1600/IMG_1735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuemVNxFXTW0ncmxSQk_63PHHNlTARd8rAzW3TlduzIpfpyxz3JD8AsBpyJ-QkJeldsbHfLI9Wknh6N4C6U2ti7MXmOrt8_ZgSATrgAIU6OJnrSLqJG9feeE8rbSI4lrGtW97xPOxLdqyo/s400/IMG_1735.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">She isn't physically here, but her presence it still here. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhognVjaOcwH2bd1c1cmKSaakCtSYNxREOwrDZlxf-ebG3cqMO8-ZpKxj-savEhy1wMqckIYYrumpZDydJRfSBZL3rcoqUmcagr4rwdRZsoMiDAO1N3WtLvgDh5DP2ljYMZSyVDMFGEQMKf/s1600/IMG_1629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhognVjaOcwH2bd1c1cmKSaakCtSYNxREOwrDZlxf-ebG3cqMO8-ZpKxj-savEhy1wMqckIYYrumpZDydJRfSBZL3rcoqUmcagr4rwdRZsoMiDAO1N3WtLvgDh5DP2ljYMZSyVDMFGEQMKf/s400/IMG_1629.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Her colors run through the rest of our puzzle because without her our lives wouldn't be the same! Her colors are present in the rest of our lives!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTmDV8Vek6FYo-oRjR6BtmQuNhrISYmMP2N-hmD9mWPRJj-DI-sCwIFVxJnmNIMyUxVoOY3aQSEQwuQK8foOJlQPbCz3mrbHYKpaa-mkRh71gax6CDHmPbv8NPMdXwnkLfryTpgdI6hX1k/s1600/IMG_1548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTmDV8Vek6FYo-oRjR6BtmQuNhrISYmMP2N-hmD9mWPRJj-DI-sCwIFVxJnmNIMyUxVoOY3aQSEQwuQK8foOJlQPbCz3mrbHYKpaa-mkRh71gax6CDHmPbv8NPMdXwnkLfryTpgdI6hX1k/s400/IMG_1548.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912196885809263415.post-81573065901060559342012-01-10T13:39:00.001-06:002012-01-10T13:39:47.866-06:00Wholeheartedly Conquer<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A Tall Order!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it hsall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell. </em>Numbers 33:55</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">As we are entering our Promised Land and fighting the battles to conquer it, we must drive out the inhabitants completely! There will be no short-changing God's orders! If we don't go at this wholeheartedly, then it will come back to bite us in the bootie later. OUCH! I would rather not have to deal with that. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">As God calls us to change things, we must change them wholeheartedly. <em>With our whole hearts we have sought You; Oh, let us not wander from Your commandments!</em> (Ps 119:10) I cannot bargain with God. I must do exactly as He says. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Part of this conquering is being pruned!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>"and every branch that bears fruit He pruned that it may bear more fruit."</em>(John 15:2b)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Pruning hurts and if we don't completely (wholeheartedly) pull those bad parts off then they will come back and attack us later! God is pruning me through this pregnancy. I really can't tell you much about my pregnancy with Joy Schelle because I went through it in a daze, but I am much more aware this time! The main thing that God is pruning is <strong>fear</strong>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. </em>(1 John 4:18)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I have built my walls back up :(. I have not allowed myself to love my husband and children, and even God and Jesus. This time I am going to conquer these walls completely! I am asking God to perfect His love in me! I am wholeheartedly letting go. I want to cherish each and every moment. I do not want to fear losing someone, so then I pull back so that it won't hurt too much when I do lose them. I don't want to be hurt. But, in pulling back, I am missing out! I am tired of missing out! I have had periods of time where I cherish and periods of time where I miss out, and I am tired of it! Therefore, I am setting out into this battle to conquer fear completely and drive it out of my Promised Land and family. I do not want this to be an inheretance that I leave my children!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>"For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him." </em>(Matt. 13:12)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">What am I doing with what God has given me!?! Lately I have been pushing it all away; just going through the motions. I want the abundance that God has waiting for me! I want to be faithful with what I am given. The pruning brings abundance!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I do not want to be like the Israelites!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>"and they brought back word to us, saying, 'It is a good land which the Lord our God is giving us.' <strong>Nevertheless</strong> you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the Lord your God;" </em>(Duet. 1:25b-26)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Nevertheless!?! They knew the land was good, nevertheless they wouldn't go!! What!?! How many times does God show me a better way but I'm not willing to go because it looks too difficult to conquer!?! I have been telling God that it looks great to live a life without fear, but it will be too difficult to really conquer it. I just push it down until it comes back up. How silly does it sound to fear conquering fear!?! Seriously? But, in essence that is what I have been doing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">But, look at this amazing promise!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>Then [Moses] said to you, 'Do not be terrified, or afraid fo them. The Lord your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes. </em>(Deut. 1:29-30)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">God goes before me! He fights for me! The sad thing is, that even after the Israelites were reminded of all that God had done for them, they still weren't willing to go and wouldn't believe. I have been just like the Israelites! Ouch!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">In my quest to wholeheartedly love God, Jesus, and my family, I am going to wholeheartedly conquer fear through the perfect love of God! :) </span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Thank You, Abba, for Your longsuffering! Thank You for Your mercy and grace! Forgive me for running away for so long, even when You had proven Yourself in other things. I am still a little scared to let go because it opens me up, but it will also free me. May You continue to go before me and fight for me! Thank You for taking the time to go with me into battle, for I know that without You I can do nothing!!! Cleanse my heart and make me a new creation of love. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.</span></em>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912196885809263415.post-77780914751848280792012-01-10T10:26:00.001-06:002012-01-10T10:27:02.931-06:00The First Steps~ May You Be Glorified<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://blog.sufficientgraceministries.org/category/walking-with-you/">http://blog.sufficientgraceministries.org/category/walking-with-you/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Sufficient Grace Ministries has a section called Walking With You. It is for bereaved mothers to support each other. For the next 10 wks every Monday there will be a new topic to blog about in the babyloss journey. I feel that God is calling me to participate this time, and I pray that it will draw me closer to Him and encourage someone else.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><u>Walking With You wk 1 ~ The First Steps</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">As I look back 2 years later November 19, 2009 is still so clear in my mind. Typing the date and seeing the date still make my heart jump. The cry in my heart that day was "God, I don't know what you are doing, but I pray that <strong>You be glorified</strong>." That is still the cry of my heart today as I continue Janie Beth's journey. The first steps were so scary and so alone feeling. I clung to God as I have never clung to Him before!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">It all really started on November 16, 2009 and to read that you can go <a href="http://michellekarr.blogspot.com/2010/11/november-16-2009.html" target="_blank">here.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Here is what I wrote about November 19, 2009, Our trip to UAB:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">November 19, 2009 I went to UAB to see a specialist about Janie Beth's legs. That was one of the hardest days I have ever lived through. I think I remember things about that day better than my memories from Janie's day here with us.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I had Joey snap this picture before we left. I was 28.5 wks. </span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVqHjzVR589LnUmuxw3ed3P0mJ0QpRYTZgnYOBQTMXKhq1JMZhgw0pEQfiO5oxXA8XhXf0eqtlKN758Huzvmk4K9SMOXtn6GnSJlRL-t4ipIdaRFUSEhsE1ZHyzbyLwcFZEaSAOkhYHkoB/s1600/28.5+wks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_uid_3iyf2l="2" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVqHjzVR589LnUmuxw3ed3P0mJ0QpRYTZgnYOBQTMXKhq1JMZhgw0pEQfiO5oxXA8XhXf0eqtlKN758Huzvmk4K9SMOXtn6GnSJlRL-t4ipIdaRFUSEhsE1ZHyzbyLwcFZEaSAOkhYHkoB/s400/28.5+wks.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I do not remember a thing about the drive down there, but I am sure that we talked... a lot. :) Once we got to B'ham, we were early so we went to a thrift store. I remember looking around the store, but not really finding anything of note. I think we bought a couple little things; books if I am not mistaken.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Then, we went to the doctor's office. The waiting room had quite a few ladies in it, plus the people that came with them. I sat there and wondered why they were there. I had brought some things to read, but I never really read. I think I may have had a book out at one point, but it didn't really accomplish much. Joey had a cough, but he wasn't contagious. He actually went into the stairwell at one point to cough. We joked that everyone probably thought he was infecting them. (He really sounded bad!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">After waiting for quite some time, we were called back to an ultrasound room. The tech said that she was helping out the people we were going to see, and would take most of the measurements and then they would do an u/s as well. She was really nice!! She printed tons of pictures for us. (Once again, I wish I had a video tape!) She told us that Janie Beth was definitely a dwarf. She said her profile matched perfectly. She told us that the main concern would be if her chest cavity was big enough to allow her lungs to grow. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Janie Beth was so darn cute!!! One of my main prayers since our last ultrasound was that she be in the perfect position for them to get measurements. God answered the many prayers that were sent up. She behaved wonderfully for this ultrasound technician. When she was done with all of her measurements she brought us to a room to wait for the doctor to be ready.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">They stuck us in a room. I remember that we sat in some chairs and there were a lot of boxes in there. We didn't talk much as we waited. My heart was already hurting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Then the doctor came and got us. There was a doctor, a resident, and a student, plus the u/s tech came in too. The resident did the ultrasound. I do not remember much talking; maybe some between the doctor and resident, but that was about it. The ultrasound tech pulled a book out and looked up what percentile Janie Beth was in for the size of her chest cavity. Two and a half percent! I will remember that forever. Janie Beth wasn't behaving as well for these docs, and the resident had trouble getting a couple measurements so the doctor took over.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">When they were done, the doctor talked to us. I do not remember exactly what he said, but I know he started with telling us the names of 2 different types of dwarfism and that Janie Beth had one of them. I know that he told us she would not live, but how he phrased it I do not know. He did say at one point that she could surprise us. (In our language, that is God might do a miracle. :) ) I had tears streaming down my face, but I didn't lose it completely. The ultrasound tech was crying, as were the resident and student (all of which were female). He asked us if we had any questions. Are you serious!?! You just told me my daughter is going to die and you expect me to know what questions to ask! Of course, we didn't have any at that point. The resident was kind enough to get me the kleenex.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">We left that little room forever changed. I handed over my paperwork to the check out lady with a red face and tear stained cheeks. She didn't ask. As we were walking out, I told Joey I needed to go to the bathroom before we left. It was in that one person bathroom that I looked in the mirror and said those words. I gave it all to God in that moment. He was in control.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">What do you say when you get in the car after you are told your daughter is not going to live? I don't remember. I do remember that we went to McDonald's drive-thru. I remember thinking about calling people and having to tell the kids. It was a long, sad drive home. Very quickly many were praying on our behalf! A sweet lady even called me as we were driving and told me not to give up hope.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The kids stayed at my mom's with Poppa that day. My parents knew, but we were going to tell the kids when we got home. The doctor had given us a picture of her chest and belly, and Joey used that to explain to the kids that her chest wasn't big enough for her lungs to grow and be able to breathe. Katie Jo cried; a very hard moment. We told them we would be praying for a miracle, but that it was ok if Janie Beth went to Heaven. We know God loves us and He is going to do what is best for us and Janie Beth. And so began The Journey of the Karr's, Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">God is still doing what is best for us, even when it doesn't feel like it. There is always someone missing. She is the missing puzzle piece, but the colors from her piece of the puzzle are woven into every other piece!!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912196885809263415.post-31027468269086219782011-12-30T14:50:00.000-06:002011-12-30T14:50:23.564-06:00East of the Jordan<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Before Janie Beth, I was settling on the East of the Jordan.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">This morning I was reading Numbers 32. It is the chapter where the tribe of Rueben, Gad, and half of Manessah ask Moses to let them settle on the East side of the Jordan. I then moved on and read in John, but I kept thinking about settling on the East side of the Jordan.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">How many times do we pitch our tents on the East side of the Jordan because it looks so good even though it isn't the Promised Land. We still get blessings on the East side when we are following God's laws, but what are we missing out on!?! It is wonderful land and our families might be safe there, but what are we missing out on? We are comfy on the East side. We aren't challenged. We don't grow. We don't change. We just hang out and have God in a little compartment of our lives. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I was living on the East side of the Jordan! I had my 3 kids. My husband had a job. We had a house. The kids went to a little 2 hour/ 3 days a week program at the local tech school where they taught teenagers how to teach preschoolers. I had what I tought was the life. God fit right in, and I could still go about doing the things I had always done. My kids were kind of like a status symbol. I had them and I loved them, and I was called their Mother, but I wasn't really mothering them. I would if it was convenient for me, but they weren't really my priority. I was the preacher's wife. I had a title and status in the community. I felt important. I was blessed. God was teaching me, but it was on the surface. Oh, He was calling me deeper, but I didn't really want to hear it. I was having a good time on the East side.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Then life got hairy. We lost our job. We got a home, but it was half the size and the garage was piled high with boxes because we didn't have room and Joey didn't have an office. We became regular church members. I had faith that God would pull us through somehow, but my life was upside down! What happened to the East side of the Jordan!?!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Then, we found our we were expecting. Yay, a bright spot in this thunderstorm we were living in. But, I had a feeling...something wasn't quite right. Little did I know just how "not right" they were. But, I trudged forward. Then, we found out Janie Beth wouldn't be able to live after birth. REALLY!?! Are you serious? "God, I don't know what You are doing, but I pray that You be glorified!" Then, Janie Beth was born Dec. 29, 2009 and then went to heaven 2 yrs ago today. Thus began an even darker storm...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">But, this storm would lead me to the river's edge on the East side. All along I thought I was living in the Promised Land, but in reality I was wondering in the wilderness. I was clueless!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">God used Janie Beth to part the waters of the Jordan River and call me to the true Promised Land that He had for me. Really!?! We still didn't have a job. We still lived in a small house. I now had 4 children, but 1 of them resided in Heaven. How in the world was this my Promised Land!?!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">God asked me if I really wanted to be a wife and mother? Of course! That is all I have ever wanted to be and do. But, you have just used them as a status symbol. A check off your list. They are there to meet your needs. Is that truly what a wife and mother should be?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">WOW!!! How little I truly knew, and still know! God called me to accept my calling as a wife and mother. It wasn't a title to just put on. It is so much more than that! It is a lifestyle. It is a huge calling! It has major responsibility. It is hard work. It is rewarding. It is a blessing. It is a true Promised Land!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">No, it isn't ready made like the East side of the Jordan, already ready for the livestock and children, but it is where I am truly called to settle. There is a little obstactle. :) Isn't there always!?! :) I have to conquer this Promised Land. I have to work the land to get it ready. I have to dive in with both feet and hands and sweat. I have to fail and get back up and try again. But, it is amazing!!! The land is fruitful if I am willing to take the time to work it. My children's souls and hearts are fruitful! Will I take the time to work them and feed them? Or will I just let them grow as they wish with lots of weeds? I must build my house and make it comfy and cozy. Relaxing for my beloved. I need to make him feel cherished. Am I going to let the world do that? I could try and let it, but it would never do it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">This Promised Land is full. I want to conquer every part of it! I am just scratching the surface of the coast on the West side of the Jordan. It is already amazing, and I know I can't begin to imagine the blessings that await for me and my family as we set out and conquer our Promised Land. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">In a little house, with no job, and a child in Heaven, I found the entrance to the Promised Land God has for me. Before life got hairy, I was perfectly happy to be on the East side of the Jordan. I don't know what all awaits us in the Promised Land, and I know there will be hard times, but it will all be blessed. We have God leading us and following us. He has us enclosed all around. He is our helper and our guide. We are wholeheartedly seeking Jesus and following Him on the journey into our Promised Land! It isn't at all what I would have expected, instead it is far better!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>Thank You, God, for a precious baby girl named Janie Beth. Thank You for using her 22 hours to bring me on an amazing journey that brought me to the edge of the East side of the Jordan where You showed up and asked me to go deeper! Thank You for Your love and guidance. Thank You for Your grace and mercy as I fail daily. Thank You for Your patience as I have to learn the same lesson over and over. I love You! May I grow to love You more and more. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.</em></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912196885809263415.post-67980233585466558412011-12-29T07:02:00.000-06:002011-12-29T07:02:20.057-06:002 Yrs Old<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY Janie Beth!!!!!</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana;">We love you and miss you so much!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gpnSCTIv7VY/TvxkxXD0yeI/AAAAAAAABO8/c5t7Qs9_4PA/s1600/IMG_3148-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" rea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gpnSCTIv7VY/TvxkxXD0yeI/AAAAAAAABO8/c5t7Qs9_4PA/s400/IMG_3148-web.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18151228414237434218noreply@blogger.com4