Like Honey

Y'all.  I am shuffling around in a cloud of complete bliss and exhaustion.

I just ate a brownie as a mid-morning snack, and I can hear Newbie climbing up to the counter to do the same and I don't even care.  I am mastering the art of picking my battles.  Brownie for breakfast?  No shame.  Shorty running around nakey while a friend stops by with dinner?  Put. your. pants. on.  With two littles, you can't win 'em all, so you've got to have your priorities straight.  =)

After three years, I had forgotten what its like to try and do life in a sleep-deprived state.  Every night the Hubs and I go to bed singing "Eye of the Tiger" because while the rest of the world might be winding down, with a newborn in the house, dusk is like the beginning of the playoffs.  High stakes, man...will she eat? will she sleep? is there enough coffee in the world? whats my name? Its intense.

I think I've called my mom every day asking her to come over so I can take a nap.

Despite all the sleepless nights, we are absolutely over the moon.  I am so thankful for perspective.  We've done this before, so we know we'll sleep again. (Sort of.)  And we've been so close to doing this and then not being able to that it makes each moment (even the sleepy ones) such a treasure.  We are drinking this girl up and loving every minute of it.

Most days (when I'm not wrangling her brother or playing explorers) I just stare at her, in awe that she's here and that she's mine.  We're not taking a single moment for granted, and the sweetness of these days drips thick and rich like honey.  We are so incredibly grateful for the generosity of her Maker!

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And now for a slew of pictures- I have a trillion more, but they're stuck on my phone until Newbie surrenders it, and right now the Wild Kratts on the PBS app are the only thing keeping me from having to ditch the blog update, so the phone pics will have to wait for another day. =)

Birth Day:

(That right there is a heart swelling with gratitude)

(His first words when he saw her: "Oh, how WONDERFUL!")

(Such a proud Big Brother...I am so blessed by that sweet boy!)

(One of our sweet nurses holding our girl while she hams it up- we were so blessed and well cared for by some very special ladies while we were at the hospital...hi, Sue!)

(Finally going home!!!)

*****
In an effort to combat feeling like a sleepy hermit, we've been out and about a little bit here and there.  We took the kiddos to the carnival last weekend and I felt really human.  Which was awesome after living in PJ's for a week. =)  Newbie was a big fan of the Hawaiian shaved ice and the Hubs got a twitch from all the fried food.  Word on the street is he's high-jacking the grocery list and throwing us on the Paleo band wagon.  Good thing he doesn't know where I've hidden the brownies.

(every last drop, baby)

(All dressed up in our carnival best...every color we could find)

*****
My goal with Sister this summer is to be sure and get outside every day.  Because eight months out of the year we live in a polar ice age and sunshine and summertime are to be enjoyed to the fullest at all costs. I'd be lying if I said I haven't forfeited a few outdoor play times for naps because both kids were feeling snoozy, but we have been out a lot and the sunshine can make such a difference on a sleepy afternoon!  Sister got her belly button about a week ago and was rockin' the sun bonnet.

(The best.  Probably ever.)

(Hi, Grandma!  Thank you and Grandpa for the new double stroller!!!)

*****
We are so tired.  And my hair is so messy.  And the Hubs drinks about a gallon of coffee every hour.  And Newbie knows it and has become a master brownie-sneaker and house messed-upper....but we're loving every minute.  Because theses sleepy, sloppy days are the most wonderful gift we've been given.

Shouting for joy and singing His praises from this sleepy corner of the world!

Happy happy Wednesday, friends!

(Father's Day pic with the littles...Blooper reel, anyone?)

***A big thank you to all of you who were praying us through the high blood pressure and biliruben/blood sugar issues we were combating last time I updated.  Miss Mowgli and I have both been completely cleared and given a double-thumbs up in the health department- praise the Lord!!!

Happy Birth Day, Miss Mowgli!

Last Wednesday we were pleasantly surprised (two and a half weeks early!) with a gift my heart doesn't have the words to describe...

On June 5 at 1:15 in the morning, Miss Mowgli was born weighing 8 pounds and stretching 21 inches.

She has the pinkest cheeks and the sweetest smile and her daddy, brother, and I can't stop looking at her and snuggling her and thanking God for her.

(Hello, Jubilee bunny)

We are soaking in every last drop of the Lord's goodness, and the Hubs and I are so, so grateful for the joy He has given us in these two.

My dear friend at http://www.trudyholtzphotography.com took these amazing images of our two loves yesterday afternoon.  I can't stop looking at the little blessings God has entrusted to us, and I can't believe they are mine.  What a gift!

Big Brother can't stop gushing over her "sweet little hands" and her "cute little feet".  He's thrilled to have her home and the first thing he said when he saw her at the hospital was, "oh, how wonderful!"  That boy is such a sweetheart- we just love him to pieces and think he's the very bravest for saying goodbye to two little sisters and embracing God's plan for this new little lady.  We learn things from that little man every day.

Miss Mowgli had some blood sugar issues and is still working through some bilirubin/jaundice, but the Lord has provided and she is a healthy girl!  Momma is tired =) and being monitored for high blood pressure...little details to work out in the midst of indescribable happiness, but we would appreciate the prayer in both the bilirubin and the high blood pressure departments.  =)  Thank you, friends.

And thank you for praying for our girl and encouraging our little family in this beautiful story the Lord has written for us.  The Author is oh, so good, all the time.

xoxo,

Brittany

Memorial Day

We spent yesterday reflecting and remembering and spending a lot of time being grateful for the freedoms we have and the brave men and women and their families who have sacrificed so much to protect them. Throughout the day our hearts were swelling with thanks, and we made a point of carving out time to remember and celebrate the members of our armed forces.  The Hubs has done a great job making things like Memorial Day a priority in our family, and he got us up bright and early to hit the Memorial Day parade in town.  We want our kiddos to know there are brave people who make our freedoms possible, and we want them to know days like Memorial Day are days to slow down and take a beat to remember those who have been lost and those who are currently serving.

Newbie was thrilled about the parade and was so excited when his daddy stopped at the store on the way to pick up a flag just his size to wave while the band and the firetruck went by.

(Hello, little family of four!)

When the soldiers walked by in the parade, Newbie asked: "Daddy, da soldiers beat da bad guys?" ...just about anything boils down to good guys and bad guys for him these days.  It was a neat opportunity to explain that the soldiers help keep us safe.  And he waved his flag even harder on his daddy's shoulders.

(36 weeks now, Miss Mowgli!)

Once the parade passed, we scrambled to the car to meet the crowd following the parade up at the cemetery where they held a Veteran memorial.  We parked and walked up to Jubilee's place just in time to watch the parade go by and the crowd that followed it up to the hill just beyond Jubilee's spot.

We stood for a while by our girl and watched, and though we couldn't hear anything, it was good to stand with our girl while the crowd walked by and gathered up on the hill.  Its usually just us there, and it warmed my heart to see the community gather in a place that is so close to my little family.  Newbie sensed the reflection of the moment and snuggled into his daddy's neck.  He may be three, but sometimes this kiddo really gets it.

And then he was ready to roll. =)  He played the drums for his sister with some sticks he found in the grass, and we sang her a song before heading back to the car while the ceremony on the hill continued.

We left with hearts full of gratitude.  Newbie left with a new found love for bands and parades.  He got Buzz and Baby Mickey in on the action as soon as we got home, and he directed a parade through the house for a good half an hour before lunchtime.

*****

An enormous and heartfelt thank you to the brave men and women of our armed forces and the families that support them.  We are so incredibly grateful for all you do and have done to protect our freedom.

Happy Tuesday, friends!

Miss Mowgli 35 Weeks

I realize I've fallen off the baby bump update wagon more than 80 times in the past eight months I've been pregnant.  And I'm sorry to say that not-the-first-baby syndrome has totally come into play when it comes to taking weekly bump pictures and documenting the ins and outs of this pregnancy.  But I have managed to snap a few shots here and there, and we have been blessed with lots of sweet memories relishing this little girl as she grows and grows!  Buckle up- lots of pictures in this post to make up for the complete lack of them over the past eight months. =)

We had an ultrasound appointment last week and Miss Mowgli checked out with a double thumbs up again- we are so thankful!  Like her brother and sisters, she's not one for showing off for the camera, so the 3D image they snapped was a little distorted, but you can still see the resemblance between this little lady and her big brother.

From what we can tell, these two have twinner noses and cheeks.  Can't wait to see what they look like sitting next to each other in just a few weeks!

We've got four and a half weeks to go until her due date, but the Hubs and I have a hunch sister's not gonna wait that long.  We've been trying to cram in a few family fun nights just the three of us before our world grows by one more little.  Miss Mowgli went to her first baseball game last weekend and she loved her some Dippin' Dots ice cream.  Big Brother is a HUGE baseball fan and had a blast at the game.  He did so well and lasted all the way through the 9th inning and sat so patiently through the fireworks.  He wasn't a huge fan, but he put on his brave face and let us stay. It was a nice change from last year at Disney World when fireworks sent us frantically running in the opposite direction with a cryer. =)

Newbie and I have spent a lot of time at home lately because this momma can barely waddle across the room without getting swollen kankles. He's been a great sport and we've had some fun days playing together being in the same general area while Newbie plays and Momma sits down. =)  

(Popsicles are in no short supply over here these days)

(Can't believe we're already one month away!)

(I'm squeezing in as many snuggles as I can...we try not to squish Mowgli too much, but I can't resist loving on this sweet boy.)

(Hi, Baby Girl!)

This little lady is growing off the charts.  She weighed in at 6 pounds, 3 ounces last week and fell in the 97th percentile for growth!  Jubilee was always so far behind in growth, and we've been praying throughout this pregnancy that God would let Miss Mowgli grow big and strong...at a whopping 6 pounds and 97th percentile, He's answered our prayers with a BIG baby girl, and we are so thankful!  

(I'm going to miss this baby bump, but it will be nice not to waddle everywhere or need a crane to pull me out of bed each morning anymore. =])

We've been scrambling to get everything ready for our girl.  Our basement project has taken a lot longer than we anticipated, but we finally have carpet and paint done, and all of Newbie's toys have found their way to the new playroom.  The toy overhaul opened up space for Miss Mowgli's nursery, and we've been busy as bees getting it ready!  Gigi and Grandad showed up last week to paint...Benjamin Moore's Pink Sea Shell covers the walls now, and I am still in shock that we have a PINK room in our house.  Can't believe we're about to welcome a baby girl!

(These two have painted every room in my house...and a few twice.  Thank you, Gigi and Grandad!!!)

(Newbie and I have been on construction duty a couple times while Daddy's at work.  We managed to put together a swing and a bassinet, but it wasn't easy!)

A month or so ago the women in my Bible study group threw me a shower- I was so blessed with lots of pinks and ruffles!  Those women have been praying for Miss Mowgli since I met them last fall, and they have such a special place in my heart.  I can't wait to pass Mowgli around the circle of these wonderful ladies when she gets here. =) I didn't get any pictures of our little party...how did that happen?!

Just a couple weeks ago, another sweet friend of mine and her mama hosted a shower for me and Mowgli.  I was so touched that she wanted to celebrate my girl- and I was thrilled to have the chance to get a few pink items for her and her room (!!!) because Brother doesn't have many hand-me-downs that aren't covered in trucks or camo. =)  We had so much fun partying on May 5 with a fiesta theme, and I was so grateful for the gift of celebrating a new baby girl a year to the day that we were planning Jubilee's Heaven Party last year.  God is so good!

(I don't know how we didn't manage to get a picture of me and the lovely hostesses, but the sweet girl on the right and her mama are the ones who threw the shower for me.  And the quilt is handmade by my grandmother from the fabrics in Mowgli's nursery- LOVE!)

(Then I opened a gift from my grandmother containing Miss Mowgli's first American Girl doll and a matching dress for her to wear.  Somebody get the tissues. My sister and I grew up playing AG dolls together, and we both just LOST it when I opened this!)

(Happy tears...my side of the family is known for crying like crazy when we're super happy or really touched...this was a combo of both and we went on like this for a while.  Can't believe I get a little girl to play dolls with!)

(This was the only people-picture I snagged...I think we must have been too distracted by the pregnancy-friendly margaritas and all the PINK to stop and grab pictures with all of my sweet guests!  Love these four ladies- they've been through every bit of the past year and a half with me, and I'm so excited to introduce them to the little lady we've been praying for this year!  ...note the baby bump on the far right- girlfriend's due just four days after I am- we're dreaming of same-day deliveries.=])

We have been so blessed by all of the family and friends that have been cheering our girl on and celebrating her soon-to-come arrival with us.  We cannot wait to meet her and share her with the village!  In the meantime, we're soaking up these days with Newbie, and I'm eating my body weight in sugary cereal and ice cream because I know the day is coming when I won't be able to blame it on the baby. =)

Thank you so much for the love and prayers for our girl! We so appreciate each and every one of you that has cried and rejoiced with us over the past two years- we truly cannot thank you enough for your support and encouragement as we've watched our family grow and God's faithfulness hold us fast.  Thank you thank you thank you!!!

What He Carried

A little over a year ago my husband held our daughter for the first and last time.

On her first birthday a couple weeks ago, he lifted our son out of the car, handed him a pink balloon, and knelt down by our daughter's grave to explain to Big Brother that his little sister was having a birthday party in Heaven today, and we were going to send a balloon up to her to help celebrate.

And then, the day after her first birthday, he packed a bag with bricks weighing 40 pounds and he tucked in a cross weighing 1 pound, 10 ounces, just like her.  He made the cross himself and carved her name and birthday into the metal. That night, well after our son had fallen asleep, he kissed me on the forehead and slipped out into the dark to begin a physical challenge that would extend over 13 hours and have him army crawling through puddles on the street, wading through waist deep creek sludge, hauling 250 pound partners up and down hills through the city, and a list of other grueling tasks- all while carrying that 41 pound, 10 ounce pack.  

He signed up for it back in January, knowing it was the weekend after her birthday and telling me his plan to make a cross that weighed the same she did so he could carry her with him that weekend.  He told me about how it was a team and leadership building challenge and how everyone would carry a 40 pound pack on their backs for 12 hours while enduring all kinds of physical challenges.  While I loved his heart in wanting to do something special for her birthday, I thought he was nuts.  But I'm sure there have been times over the past year that he has thought I was nuts.  And we just do nuts together, hand in hand, because when you've said goodbye to someone you both love so much, nuts is OK.  

I loved that he wanted to bring a piece of her along.  A little 1 pound, 10 ounce piece of heart and courage and faith that would allow him to feel the weight of the hurt and give him the opportunity to forge ahead and carry on, all while hoisting that hurt upon his shoulders.

And that's what he's done for over a year now.  He has carried her.  He has carried me.  He has carried our son.  He has carried the weight of a grieving and hurting family, all while pointing us in the right direction and reminding us to continue to run the race- even when its hard, even when it hurts.  

I'm not naive. I know how heavy they are- the things he's carried- and I know its not something he could do alone, that his knees would buckle and his heart would break if he tried to carry it all alone. That he would be a shell of a man, distant and empty if he took it on himself and hauled that pack of hurts through the morning and nights by himself. The burden of leading a family through the deepest of hurts while keeping our hearts focused on the Hope of Heaven?  Its not something one man can shoulder alone.  To point to Jesus and remind us to trust even while our hearts are crushed and our spirits are weary? It's not a one man job. He has carried us through this because each and every morning he bows down and hands it all over to the One who holds our hearts in His hands. 

Each day, he takes that pack full of aches and sets it on his shoulders.  He slips out before the sun rises, kissing me on the forehead before he goes, and then stepping out the door, he lays it all before the One whose burden is easy and whose yoke is light.  

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.  -Matthew 11:29-30

He knows a man's place isn't on his feet but on his knees.  

I'm so very thankful for all the things he has carried and for the God who has taken on our burdens as His own and carried the weight of the world on His shoulders that we might find joy in the morning.  

Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.  Psalm 90:14

And I am grateful to have the enormous blessing of running the race with my best friend.  Thank you for running by my side, Trent, and for all the things you've carried.  I love you forever.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame,and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 

Hebrews 12: 1-3