Friday Post

Our explorer!

sweet girl!

 These three!

Spring has sprung! What a beautiful time of year.

Except that our weeds are popping up everywhere! Maybe we can hit those this weekend.

The boys brought their report cards home yesterday. They are doing great in school.

It is fun to read good reports.

I can hardly believe Easter is this Sunday already.

So thankful for the true meaning of Easter. He IS RISEN, He IS RISEN indeed!

We look forward to spring break this next week.

No homework - okay except for some reading - no school lunches to prepare, less laundry maybe, more time to soak up these boys...

It will be wonderful to have the kids home!

And our May baby boy is kicking, growing, moving... oh how I love him already!

My mom

I wish I had more pictures of my mom.

Actually, what I really wish was that she could have been here longer.

I find that I have shared all of my pictures. It doesn't make the pictures less special,

but this year I feel like I need more memories, I wish I had more pictures. Strange the different things our hearts feel.

A pregnant mind and heart sometimes gets carried away too. :)

Lesha, our mom and Grandma Alma

My mom at Target!

Our family of SEVEN! 

Mom and Lesha

Phil, Matt, our mom

This picture was taken in Moses Lake at our home on Shorecrest Drive.

My mom and dad

  I miss my mom very much. She went to heaven on this date. I have the sweet hope of knowing I will see her again some day. When Merit was three he knew a lot about my mom and could quickly recognize her on any picture. Hazel doesn't know as much about my mom. In a way, that is okay. I have healed, A LOT. I am more sure of God's plan for my life than I was seven or ten years ago. More sure of God's plan for my mom's life. Also, my life is very full. Taking care of this family brings me a lot of joy and keeps me busy. I have less time to focus on what I don't have and more time to focus on what I do have.

But, I can't forget to share my mom with my children. And because I am their mom, and was raised by a very loving, kind, devoted mother, I do believe I am already sharing a lot of her with them.

This has been an odd year though with having to consider more about our mom's heart issue. Because, we are finding, it could and is affecting our generation. If I would have learned this ten years ago, I think it would have been too much to process. We thought before it was not genetic. Now, we know - at least to a certain extent - it is. Part of our mom's condition was the possibility of sudden cardiac arrest. Sudden was certainly the case. She was gone very suddenly. My sister Natasha now has to face decisions and appointments because her issues could be very serious too and I think that any cardiologist meeting her would want to be very proactive. When an otherwise healthy woman, our mom, dies suddenly at the age of 45, any issues with our hearts have to be taken very seriously.

There are so many unknowns in this life on earth. Lots of uncertainties and many opportunities to simply trust in God. I have made an effort to be joyful - not depending on circumstances - but because that is what I need to be, joyful.

I am so thankful I had the mom I did.

ohhhh and this weekend I found these on my door step... beautiful!

What a special gift, they make me smile every time I look at them!

A little catch up...

I am kind of behind on posting, life has been busy. The laundry pile is high and finding time for homework is a bit of a struggle with these longer days. The kids LOVE playing outside in the the evenings! Basketball is over and baseball is in full swing...

The Broncos had a tournament not this past weekend but the weekend before. It

was a fun weekend. They won two, lost two. These boys have improved a lot throughout the season. Papa Stan and Gramma Adie were here for the weekend so that was fun!! It was great that they could see Merit play too.

Merit, making his foul shot

Papa Stan and Merit played a little ping pong in the shop when they were here.

We had three busy weekends. My dad and Matt were here the first weekend of the month, Papa and Gramma the second weekend and an out of town baseball tournament the third weekend.

This past weekend's tournament was played in Yakima. We camped there, had fun and lots of laughs.

Baseball this early can be COLD! We were so bundled up for Saturdays games! Sunday the weather was better. Merit is shining in baseball and it is really fun to see him play.

Willem's reading is TAKING OFF! We are certainly proud of all of the progress he is making. He is also very good about reading books to his litle sis. Hazel is a sweetheart. This girl keeps me entertained.

I haven't had my camera out much lately, but I do have two photo shoots this weekend so that will change. I do love photography, but chasing three kids and being pregnant with a fourth keeps me plenty busy, so I can't say I pursue it like I might in a few years.

This pregnancy is going by quickly and this baby boy is a mover! I usually get up a couple times in the night. Maybe once to stretch my legs, they have been aching some nights. I usually have to pop a couple of tums during the early morning hours too. I am a little more tired than I was a month ago. All in all I feel good. Once I get moving during the day, I feel great.

And awaiting this blessing is oh so sweet!

Wednesday Night

I love the sound of the rain, I am listening to it right now. Today was a painting furniture, drinking hot tea and getting a few spring things out kind of a day. I want to re-arrange furniture, figure out where our baby boy will have his room and make some changes. I suggested some of this re-arranging, changing up to my brother Matt and Vance last weekend. Knowing these two strong men could make it happen... :) They seemed to like the idea of leaving things right where they are. :) And because I don't have a real plan, maybe it can wait. I do need to keep decluttering and organizing though. School projects and papers are in heaps and the laundry pile needs my attention.

Things don't have to be perfect, but a change for the better is good.

Bible Study was wonderful tonight. I love the challenges we discuss, the passages we look at, the time with wonderful women.

The month of March I always think A LOT about my mom. She went to heaven in March and March is a month of remembering her, thinking of her, missing her and being thankful she was my mom.

My dad brought yellow roses to the hospital after she had me.

Yellow roses always make me think of her.

Tomorrow I have a doctor appt. I love this baby boy! What a blessing he is! It will be so fun to have him join our family.

Natasha is trying to schedule the ICD/difibrillator. Insurance, childcare etc. is not easy. It is hard to be that far from family and be challenged with this, especially so soon after a big move. There are times when this all seems sort of unreal. Things aren't falling into place easily. I talked with her today and I heard a patience in her voice that was really good. She has felt depressed about this, frustrated too --- understandably. But she is also trying to be patient and positive. I pray that things just start to fall into place and that the consultation and procedure go really smoothly. There are two ways of implanting the ICD, under the muscle or over the muscle. The under the muscle is a more extensive procedure and there is more recovery time, but this may be a better option for someone so young. She will learn more about all of this at her consultation. I think it is challenging too that she has a two year old in the house... a very fun, dramatic little sweetie, but someone who really doesn't understand any of these challenges and someone who can't be real understanding during recovery time.

I'll update soon.... M

Weekend FUN

I am loving a quiet Monday morning, but our weekend was great too. Matt came over on Friday night and Grandpa Jim came over Saturday. We stayed home with them the whole time. We laughed, talked, hung out a lot in the shop, it was a good time.

Willem got a little motorcycle riding in too.

Love this boy

Willem and me!

Game faces

Willem loves Lego Indiana Jones for the Wii. He has been so lucky to have Phil

and Matt play it with him when they come to visit. It was an Indiana Jones marathon for Matt and Willem! They stayed up VERY late Saturday night playing it and got back to it Sunday morning! :)

This loft has been a really fun hang out. We have a ping pong table up there now too, which has been a blast.

The sweetest 10 year old I know

Sweet Nellie

Merit has a week of basketball and baseball! Two basketball practices this week, one or two baseball practices and a basketball tournament this coming weekend.

The boys and Grandpa

Hazel has been in not much of a picture mood for a couple of weeks. Little Stinker. :)

She has been such a fun girl though. She LOVED Grandpa Jim! Was crazy about hanging out with him and Uncle Matt, so that was fun. Time to get to laundry and cleaning, because this week is going to get busy quickly. :)

A love for ART, our growing baby, HEART update

This little girl likes to have a little "art time" almost every day. Usually she says "I am making this

for mine daddy." Here she is goofing off, having a little snack and working on some paintings.

Speaking of artsy, my friend Maria gave me a BEAUTIFUL valentine.

An altered, encouraging, heartfelt book that she made.

looking through it made me cry!

 I don't have a lot of time for stamping lately and getting out all of the "stuff" can be a

bit overwhelming. Although I do miss it a bit... I have had fun printing off some of my favorite photography and making cards that way.

Baby Update: Our whole family is very excited about our May Baby Boy! Willem and Hazel

talk about him the most. I LOVE the questions Willem asks about how the baby grows and what life might be like once he is in our arms, in our home. He is such a nurturing soul. I am thankful to God that this pregnancy is going well. I love feeling this baby move and kick!! Hazel loves going through baby clothes with me or looking for little boy things at the thrift stores. My next appointment is this coming Tuesday.

Heart Update: Natasha will most likely get a difibrillator this month. She saw an internal medicine doctor in Kodiak who has referred her to an Anchorage electro physiologist. It sounds like they want to get the ball rolling. I think some days this journey feels overwhelming. Peace and acceptance is part of her walk because of her faith and because of prayer. I also know it is never too late to pray for healing. Healing and Protection are my words for 2013. No resolutions this year, but bold of prayers for healing and protection.

Thank you for praying.