A Clean House

Once again, the angels were at my house this week.  Saturday morning at 10am the troops gathered.  My mom and Hannah, and Jan and Dave, and Josh of course, cleaned my house from top to bottom.  Hannah and I sat on the couch and played cards and watched movies, but everyone else worked so hard.  I was so excited, I wanted to take pictures, but I thought about it and really, pictures of a clean house don't do it justice.  It just looks like a house.  But trust me, it's nice:)  They used the steam cleaner on all of my rugs.  The floor in my room looks brand new.

My mom brought us dinner for the second night in a row and Jan brought us chili.  It is so helpful to have meals right now.  After a day of working, I'll come home and rest for a few hours and then if I get up to make dinner, I'm wrecked for the night.  I think it is a good sign that these boys are putting on weight, but it sure doesn't help me be productive. 

As much as it might sound nice to just sit around and do nothing, it's been very hard.  I'm an active person, always out walking or skating or Tae-Bo-ing.  God has helped me get use to it though.  Since I've been so tired throughout my entire pregnancy, I've not wanted to do a whole lot, and now that it matters from a health standpoint that I be off my feet and careful, I at least know how to do it.  I'm really looking forward to the summer.  Me and the boys are going to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather if it's the last thing we do.  I plan to be at the cottage as much as I can.  I got my K'Tan wrap from Jan for a shower gift last week.  It will hold both of the boys at the same time so I can carry them and walk Thor together without pushing a bulky stroller. 

As we get closer to their arrival, sneaking worries come at me about them getting into position.  I know that "God's got this," but every once in a while I worry. 

Lord, please give me, and my family, peace about this labor and delivery.  Help us to know that you are in control and that you will finish the good work you have started in us all.  I ask also Lord that you would get Jaxon and Jacob to put their heads in the right position and help me to know how to help them do this.  Our homebirth is a statement of our faith in you, our living and loving God.  We trust you and love you.  Amen.

Blessings From Heaven

So Generous!

 

 

 

 

My Beautiful Cake

The Apron Memory Game!

Tuesday was my first baby shower.  My family at ENC put it on for me, specifically, Krista and Christine.  I was so overwhelmed by the generosity of my sisters in Christ.  We were showered with clothes, books, blankets, flowers, diapers, toys, etc.  It was amazing.  I was on the verge of tears the whole time.  I couldn't believe how lovely it was.  Hannah helped me open gifts.  It was a good thing too because I was just so filled with emotion I could hardly unwrap them.

We also found out this week that all the under boards on our roof need to be replaced.  I got home from work on Tuesday afternoon and there was no way into my house.  There were shingles everywhere.  There were two huge stacks of plywood blocking the driveway.  We needed help desperately.  There was no way we'd be able to afford the labor to pay Randy and Allen to clean up the mess.  I called my brother and he "rallied the troops".  His girlfriend Kate, Kate's sister Mary, my dad and my mother-in-law Jan all came over and helped Josh clean up the yard.  I was overwhelmed by this as well.  I had prayed for God to send some angels to our house to help us and he did.  When Jan and I came home from church with the trunk full of baby things, all the shingles were cleaned up.

My poor husband was so tired he could barely move.  We sat on the couch together, exhausted and in awe.  He was amazed by the response to our pleas for help with the roof mess as well as the tremendous amount of gifts that our church family had blessed us with.  Jan and Dave, Josh's mom and dad, stayed until 9:30pm moving plywood into our backyard in the dark. 

But that's not all.  Today, Wednesday the 13th, I came to work and my department had brought in food and gifts and decorated my office to celebrate the babies.  We gathered in the common area and they gave me their gifts.  They got me onesies, crib sheets, a crib blanket and a carseat!!  I couldn't believe it.  God is so good to me.  I don't even know how to praise him enough for the wonderful people that are in our lives. 

Nearing the Finish Line

We're just about 33 weeks along now.  Tami and I have decided that it will be best if I shorten my work week.  I'm going to start working fewer hours each week until May.  Then in May, I'll be done working.  I'm so excited at the prospect of getting the boys stuff all washed and put away, having their bed made up and getting my new sleeping arrangements settled.  I'll be moving into the spare room on the main floor so that I don't have to do the steps so much and with the babies when they get here. 

Right now Josh is working on the house, fiercely.  He's pretty much done with the ceramic tile in the kitchen and is moving on to the roof.  His boss is going to help him finish the roof next week.  Then it will be the walls and trim in the kitchen and the doors to my bathroom and basement.  They're being replaced altogether.  The floor looks beautiful.  I can't wait to see my kitchen put back together.  Jan, our mom, cam over today to help Josh paint.  It looks great and I know he appreciated having her.

My first baby shower is next week Tuesday at my church, Eagle's Nest Church.  I'm so excited!  My mom, sister, step-grandma and mother-in-law are all going to come.  My little sister, Hannah, picked out a bunch of board books for the boys at Love Inc., her favorite consignment shop in Hudsonville.  I'm just so excited to celebrate this pregnancy with anyone who will join me.  It's been so blessed.  I told the ladies at my church to make sure everyone knew gifts were optional.  Also, that I would be perfectly happy with hand-me-downs or second hand things.  I didn't want anyone not to come because they couldn't afford to get us a gift.  This is about thanking God for his faithfulness and blessings.

Physically, I'm doing pretty well.  It's hard to sleep at night because of how heavy my belly is, it makes me uncomfortable after a short time, so I wake up a lot.  Of course there's the bathroom visits constantly as well.  The only major thing I've had to deal with lately is fatigue and muscle pain in my belly from holding them up all day.  For the past few weeks, I've had to come home and lay on my back with all of the downward pressure relieved.  The pain of it made me nauseated a few times.  On the weekends, I do only a few small things, but mostly it's been catching up on rest to get prepared for a week of work.  Going down to a shortened schedule will really help I think.  Also, knowing that I only have 3 more weeks to work will make it easier to get through. 

I also got my pictures from Stacie back this week.  Here are a few that I really thought captured my pure joy and praise.  She released the copyrights on them for me because she used my session as a training session and is going to write it off for her taxes next year.  She was such a blessing to work with.  I highly recommend her for all of your photography needs.  Here is a link to her Facebook page.  Link

Thank you Lord for your grace and strength as I near the end of the first part of this journey.  I ask that you would bless our delivery and the beginning of the next chapter in our lives.  Amen.