Full of Joy

I am 37 weeks today- I never made it to 38 weeks with Jase, so it'll be interesting to see what happens.  I'm so tired I can barely type, so I'll just post a few pictures from the Christmas festivities. My cousin took a picture of my entire immediate family, but I haven't gotten it yet.  It was awesome to be together for Christmas for the first time in several years! Cousins on Christmas Eve: Chail (6) holding Jase, Rocky (4) holding baby sister Ginger (almost 1). All three belong to my oldest brother and his wife. Jase opening his Pillow Pet from his Great Aunt Sharon on Christmas Eve. I love how excited Chuck is! Family of (almost) 4 on Christmas Day- with the Elf on the Shelf hanging close by. Got Jase's Christmas PJ's at a thrift store for $3- so fun! Birthday cake for Jesus- keeping up the tradition from Chuck's side of the fam.  A night at Buffalo Wild Wings to celebrate my Dad's Bday with my parents and younger brother. Goo...

I'm really thankful Jase's Pediatrician's office is open on Sunday mornings!  After chatting with a nurse on the phone Saturday afternoon, it was decided we needed to take Jase in after 5 days of struggling.  Long story short, our little guy has a double ear infection.  Yikes.  =(  No wonder he has been miserable.  Sigh.  I'm very thankful for answers!  I'm always so relieved when the doctor actually finds something instead of just saying, "He has a virus".  We were able to start him on his meds yesterday, which is great because we're supposed to be around family with other kids over Christmas.  I'm hoping by the time we get together with everybody he'll be feeling much better.  For now we continue to snuggle, watch cartoons, spoon-feed, and watch the Christmas lights.  Thank you God for answers! God has kept me pretty healthy, thankfully!  Chuck, not so much.  Poor guy is pretty miserable.  He took a sick day ...

Jase finally got better from a bout with fever and HFM virus for 10 days, only to return to the nursery for one Sunday to be plagued with yet ANOTHER illness.  The fever is back, and he is so miserable. He has some sort of cold, but the term "cold" just doesn't seem to do this illness justice.  I know he feels awful because he wants me to hold him all the time.  That's not my boy- he is an on-the-go kid, with little time for Mama snuggles.  Yesterday I was desperately trying to get him to eat something, so I held him in my lap and spoon-fed him some oatmeal while he laid his head on my chest.  Normally he wants nothing to do with anyone spoon-feeding him.  He is a man who likes to use his own fork or spoon or shove his own food into his mouth.  It's all just so sad.  And frustrating.  And stressful.  The kid is sick more than he is healthy.  That blasted church nursery.  I'm seriously considering skipping church until Jase is i...

Just a few ways God has provided for us lately: A family member got Jase a MUCH NEEDED car seat for his weight and size for Christmas!  At Thanksgiving I had said, "It would be a blessing if Jase could ride up to my parent's in a car seat that fit him."  God totally agreed. We weren't going to be able to send out Christmas pictures or cards this year, but we got a deal that included 100 picture cards and envelopes for $8!  God knows it means SO much to me to be able to send them out. We made it to pay day with one dinner to spare! After about 10 days, Jase is FINALLY fever-free! The other day was "just one of those days".  I decided not to complain to Chuck, so he had no idea how hard the day had been.  He ended up arriving home an hour early that day.  I could have collapsed with relief!  That same day I received the sweetest package from a family member all for baby girl.  It meant so much to me.  I'm always in awe how God provid...

A very sweet and generous friend gave us the gift of a maternity photo shoot.  I think I've mentioned my "Wish List for God", and having a maternity photo shoot was on that list.  It was a deep desire of mine to be able to frame an intimate picture of Baby Girl and I while I was pregnant with her ( to hang in her nursery).  If not for this fabulous gift, we would not have had these special moments captured.  In one of Jase's little Christmas books I read to him this morning, it lists a definition of blessing: "a good gift from God".  Perfect way to define this photo shoot!  On a side note:  I love having books to read to Jase that teach about the goodness of God already. Leigh Grames was an absolute gem to work with!  You can check out her beautiful website here:   http://leighgphotography.com  (SPECIAL OFFER FOR A PHOTO SHOOT WITH LEIGH AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST!) She made me feel so comfortable, which I find very important. ...