Old Toys Are New Again!

The kids are having a blast going through all the containers that were in the storage shed. They are playing with things that they haven't touched in years. When they were packed away they had lost interest, but amazing how pulling it all back out they are having a blast with it.
They have been pretending a ton.
I have went through a few tubs myself and I want to go through all of it now. I need to ignore the fact that tubs are not organized out there - because I don't need to nest the garage!!! I don't have to know what is in all of them do I?

Who am i kidding?
I can't take it - I know I am headed out there sometime today.

So Excited!

Ana can hardly take it right now. We are supposed to be able to view our lessons on-line tomorrow. So here's to hoping that our first day of school is actually tomorrow! We are so PUMPED!
Im praying I truly have what it takes to be all I need to be for my kids. I know that this is going to stretch me and help me with many areas of my life, as I am guiding my children through their studies.

This week is looking to be full of activity. Monday night we have to have everything out of the church storage shed, so tomorrow will be filled with moving all of that out and into the storage area of the office, and some of our things into the garage.

Tuesday night is my shower at Maverick's Grill at 6:30. I was completely surprised that the ladies wanted to throw me a shower, especially since this is our third baby. Yes, we did get rid of EVERYTHING - we gave it all away. We thought we were done having kids going into church planting, but times change, and we changed our minds! Change Change Change - its a good thing.

We knew we were starting over when we started trying to get pregnant nearly two years ago now. So I feel very blessed that they are doing this for us. So many people have returned that favor of passing on their babies' things. Its amazing! I do believe that this baby has more clothes than either Ana or Colin had when I was 34 weeks pregnant with them! So it's true - what goes around comes around.

I am so excited for this baby to come. He's a special boy already, it seems like we have had several scares with him, and I am just so thankful for this life that God has blessed us with. His name has a very cool meaning - but of course I can't tell you what that is! Its a secret until he is born!

The rest of the week is just getting into a routine of school and possibly doing a bit of work ahead in order to be able to take a little bit of time off when the baby is due. I know there will be a few days missed more than likely! So, Im just trying to plan around it.

Another random thing I am excited about is that tonight I discovered that one of my Cricut Cartridges makes cards that have cut-outs - on them - you pic. Its so awesome. I am totally stoked! My card making skills are getting ready to go to a whole new level! YAY!!!! The Cricut has to be the best tool I have ever purchased for my paper crafting hobby! I love it!

I met our newest Doctor in our group last week. I don't really have an impression of her other than, she looks pretty young and I wondered if she had any babies of her own. I know that you don't have to have any of your own to be a good doctor, but thats how young she looked to me.
She said that if I was to go into labor at this point their isn't anything heroic that they would do to try and stop it. That was so exciting to me too = it just means I am that much closer. Today was 5 weeks and 5 days left until my due date - I would love to go a few weeks early. I have always gone over - so going early on my own would be the treat of a lifetime! Well I better go - BIG DAY TOMORROW!!!

Cleaning cleaning cleaning

You would think that I had nested enough for one pregnancy - but today apparently not. I have used a half a bottle of bleach already today and its only 3:30! Ha! Its actually not that bad, but Im trying to get everything prepared for this baby boy who has been moving quite a bit today!

The kids are chilling out - enjoying their last week of freedom, before school starts. Im so excited for their books to come in. This is going to be a totally different year, and I can't wait! Homeschooling will change the dynamic of our home quite a bit. Life can revolve around our schedule and ministry, routine will be smooth and even with a baby added to the mix Im ready to take on the challenge!

Im still saving Box Tops for Education for our local Christian School, which we still love. Im sure I will find a student that wouldnt mind winning a prize for bringing it in to school!

This morning I also spent some time searching for diaper coupons online. I found some at shopathome.com - if you guys know of any diaper finding secrets - I would love to hear! These I found expire on September 15, and are good for $3 off the Huggies Pure & Natural and then a coupon for $1.50 off any huggies diaper product. Im not brand loyal at this point with not knowing which ones are going to fit him best. Ana used Huggies, and Colin used Pampers. It was just a matter of what they didn't leak out of! At any rate - I guess I should start taking the Sunday Paper, or filling up with Gas at Kum & GO so that I can get a free one on Sunday - that way I pay nothing for the coupons!

I should have been stocking up before now probably, but oh well! There is only so much room in my closet for extra diapers! :) However once this baby comes, he will go through them like water! The kids today were asking me - "Momma, How many more days til the baby comes?" I wish I knew the exact answer to that question my loves, but its another month at least!

They do have a new pet - Joseph - the beta fish! My mom got it for Ana while she was in Missouri. So far it has survived our house. A fish is my kind of pet! They make ZERO noise, and its peaceful to watch them, so yeah - that is my speed when it comes to pets!

Well another load of laundry is buzzing - gotta run!

For posting sake!

Oh my - how I have neglected this blog. Its amazing how Facebook and Twitter seemed to have erased my desire to post here. I actually this week have felt like I had more to say - as in more than the 180 or so characters that twitter allows you to have while updating your status.
Im still reading some of the same books I was reading, I put some down and finished others, so that always changes me, and makes me want to journal about what Im reading.
Only 12 weeks and 2 days remain until the Baby boy is due. He still is without a name. We are at a loss. So if you have suggestions - please leave them as a comment - Im interested to hear what you think would sound good with Ana and Colin! (and keep in mind that long three syllable last name! HA!)

What A Week

Im so excited, this week I was able to talk with a dear friend of mine that reminded me I had neglected my blog, since becoming so caught up in facebook! Sorry blog readers!
We have had a blessed past couple weeks. So many people have helped us out with Josh's Grandma passing away and taking Dr.s orders to go easy - women in the church brought delicious meals and I am so grateful. I am feeling so much better now, and I know that the Lord has touched me and the Baby. There isn't any other explanation. I have a doctors appointment next week and I am believing that everything will be good to go, normal!

We are getting ready to start painting and packing excess things around here that will hopefully help the house to look more spacious. - How do you make a town home look spacious? Im guessing - move everything out of it that isn't necessary for life for the next 6 months and see how it goes! Then pray like crazy that it sells very quickly! Im going over to a girlfriends house in the morning to pick up her boxes that she has hung onto after moving. Im so glad that she still has them! REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE Jack Johnson is in my head!

Lessons in Trust

With each pregnancy the Lord has blessed me with, I find a lesson in trust. Its as if God is saying to me, Ok, Dara, here is how much you really trust me. How about we stretch that a little?! God is ultimately in control of my life, and my baby. While I try and follow the Doc's orders to a T - the worry still creeps in to the heart of a mother. It is then that I have to let it go back into the Lord's hands and say "God, you created me, and this child. I believe that you are GOOD, and so I TRUST you for your will to be done in my life." I believe He is the Healer, and great physician. There isn't anything that takes God by surprise, since he sees the ultimate BIG picture. Thank you Lord for the gentle reminders that are everywhere I look, that you have my best intersest in mind, and that NOTHING is too hard for such a great God!

Books Im Reading

I filled out a random things note on Facebook, I mentioned that I was reading a few books. Steph has asked me what they were - but I forgot to respond. It made me really think about how my book reading has increased this year.

At the beginning of January my world changed when Josh brought me home an i-phone. It is THE BEST organizational tool that I have EVER EVER EVER had. If I could only have one piece of technology, The i-phone would be it. There are tons of applications that you can download to make your life more organized and easy. One of them is the Bible! It is put out by Craig Groeschell's church www.lifechurch.tv and its called youversion because there are tons of different languages, as well as versions available all the time. At the C3 conference this week I was able to read along with the speaker in whatever version he was reading, as well as look up what other versions said. Very handy.

Any way all of that to say, that I have read more of the Bible with this handy application, because you always have it on your person. I hate to sit & wait and have nothing to do: whip out the Bible on your i-phone and your reading away. I started the daily reading program that is on there as well, when you follow it you will read the entire Bible through in a year, the OT once, NT twice.

Reading more of God's word has enriched my life so much this year already. I have always read God's word but this is such a saturation of it - and the wierd thing is - it has made me hungry to read other things as well. I have always wanted my children to have a love for reading. I have purchased books from scholastic every single month, and while working at scholastic built a huge library before they were even thought about, so I love books. In a way I guess Im trying to make up for what I didn't read as a kid.

So here are the books I am currently reading:

Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World - Joanna Weaver

So You're Thinking about Homeschooling - Lisa Whelchel

A Guide to Motherhood (Herbs, Helps, & Pressure Points for Pregnancy & Childbirth) - by Katherine Tarr

THAT BOOK - put out by Fellowship Church - written by Ed Young & their entire staff.

100 Top Picks for Homeschooling Curriculum - Cathy Duff

What to Expect While You're Expecting - Eisenburg, Murkoff, and Hathaway

Made to Be His Help Meet - Debi Pearl

This last book is a must read for any married woman. The principles in this book will change your marriage! It will rock your world and God will shake you up as you see what His word says about living out your potential as a Godly wife! Its awesome!! It is a message that Today's woman needs to hear, and know you will be challenged. With the majority of issues that hit the church, at the heart of them are a man not living out his calling as the Leader of his home, and a woman not fulfilling her potential as a wife. If I have intrigued you at all - I hope you take a look at this book.