Licking a shopping cart and living to tell about it.

First of all, you have to know me.

A public restroom and shopping carts

are number 1 on my list of GROSS!!

I have taught my little 3 year old that he is tough when he can pee in

a cup so we don't have to go to the public restroom.

He believes me too. I don't believe he has gone to a public restroom but maybe five times in his whole potty trained life.

So, when on Friday I was able to go to Sam's with just my precious daughters,

I was slowly drifting around the store able to take in the relaxed moment without having

to dodge my buggie and another buggie around six kids. I happened to look down and saw my beautiful daughter (2 1/2) licking the handle of the buggie right before my eyes.

I screamed in horror before I remembered I was in public and then I looked into her sweet eyes and thought "my baby is going to get something horrible, she might even die."

For you see, I had just watched a special on the six o'clock news about the hidden germs on a handle of a grocery chart and my baby had gotten them ALLLL....

After a day or two of reflection on this matter I realize how I might have over reacted just a wee bit. I'm not sure it will change the way I do things. Living in a large family has it's benefits, but when someone gets sick around here they stay sick for about 2 days x's that by 6 and you have 12 days in a row of sickness...It's Not fun.

So next time I'll just make sure I germ x the handle, put a baby cover on it, and wear plastic gloves....

.

Some more family pics.

Christmas Eve at the White House

Can I have this dance "Miss Taylor"

Taylor and Tucker attended a Christmas
ball held by our church. It's a great
time for learning social skills.
We have some wonderful families in our church who love the civil war/ball-room dancing and have made it a mission to teach us a thing or two. I'm so thankful to have this opportunity for our kids to learn that Protocol matters and social skills are important.
I want Taylor to know that she should expect nothing less than the courtesy of a true gentleman.
I want Tucker to be able to handle himself in any situation and to be able to be a protector of women.
Having good manners and feeling comfortable in a situation frees you up to be a servant to others. I'm so Thankful we have a church family that our kids can practice these skills with.

One of the things that drew me to Scott was and still is his impeccable manners in public. He knows protocol and he still uses it after 16 years together. I believe that's one way to keep a marriage strong because I still feel like the belle of the ball when I'm with Scott.....

The making of a violinist

Taylor's Aunt Julie bought her a violin a few months ago and Taylor started lessons.
She LOVES it. She loves her teacher and between violin and piano there is always music in the house.

Hymns by candlelight

On Saturday evening we had some friends over. We had a modest dinner and lots of laughter and conversation..This family has 13 kids plus our 6, you can imagine the fun.!

After dinner we turned off all the lights and had tons of candles. Add to that the voices of all our children singing Christmas songs and you have the recipe for a beautiful evening... Scott read the Christmas story as the candles flickered around the room and our children took turns playing the piano. This was a great evening of fun and a great way to end a hectic week.

I choose you

Walking into the ultra sound room I felt just a tad bit nervous. I get to see the face of my child.
The one the Lord has knit together for our family.
For His Glory.
As I'm lying on the table and the first images come across, I feel like I'm the most blessed woman on this earth. Why me?
I blow it more often than not, I have so much to learn and yet he has blessed me again with one of the greatest treasures on this earth.
A baby! A little baby boy who will change our family.
A baby who will test my patience on days.
A baby who will teach us more than we could teach him.
A love that if I decided not to have that I would never get to experience.
Yes, it's very hard to explain to people when your pregnant again or when you want to adopt again. How can I look at these pictures and say, " I have had enough .....I'm to scared to have you. We don't have the room for you, We don't have a big enough car, My in-laws or parents would go crazy, they just wouldn't understand."

Well my little son, I choose you! I choose to take the road that has you intersecting our life.
I choose to be your mommy and to gain 6lbs in two weeks.
To throw up just by looking at a commercial.
To have people stare at me and whisper.
To have people over and over again ask me "Don't you know what causes that".
To have people ask me " is this enough."
To give up my life as I knew it. So that you darling boy can be born..

Yes I choose you over all this world...I choose your life...................and our life with you in it...

Up Date on our baby!

Thank you for all of your prayer and support with our pregnancy! It means so much to know we have so many people praying for our little one...
Today we go in for another ultra sound.
I'm 15 weeks so this should be an interesting one if the baby is turned right...We will be taking our 4 littlest ones with us so this should be exciting.
I still struggle with fear from time to time and the Lord is showing me great things through this pregnancy.
I will up-date as soon as We get home...
So What do you think Boy or Girl? I'll post pictures and let you try and figure it out.

love,
Rob

The sun was not even a wake yet. My night of little sleep. I just wanted a hot cup of coffee and to read my e-mails..I had plenty of time before the rest of the house woke up.

I Thought! Not so. I heard feet coming up the hall way.Oh I whispered I only wanted a few minutes. He never wakes up this early. I never wake up this early.

I drank my coffee and poured him cereal.

I sat down with my back to him and his back was to me. His little feet crossed under him looking out the dark window.

I felt the Lord telling me that this was a moment...This was a few minutes that maybe Cullen needed with his mama. Some precious mins before he got busy with play and me with work...I got up and took my coffee to his table and sat across from those dark eyes and looked into the most beautiful wake up call..I asked him about his dreams and for the next 5 mins I heard about a 3 year olds dream of power rangers.

Important stuff...He told me every detail and I listened.He enjoyed this. No interruptions. Just me and him .. I hung on his every word.

He finished eating and then he was gone....

As I sat there I had to laugh alittle I almost gave up a few mins with my son for the computer. I almost deemed this computer more important than sitting across from my son while he ate his breakfast. I could of justified it.

It was way early.

I need my time

I deserve a break.

I never get one second of time.

All that is basically true but....... not at the expense of his time......

Lord Thank you for stolen moments.

Thank you for waking me up early.

For waking Cullen up early.

Lord help me to be mindful of things that take away from

me being a mama first....

Sharing Christmas with friends