Turning a Corner

I hesitate to post this, because I don’t want Liam to turn another corner and go back to his old self. However, Mark and I are so excited that it seems that Liam is turning a corner with his sleeping. He no longer screams, kicks, yells, and fights us when it’s nap time or night time. He actually just lays down and goes to sleep like his brothers and sister! We are thrilled. I think a lot of it is maturity, and the rest is the consistency we’ve had with him. Up until this weekend, Mark would sit outside his door and have to go in every few minutes to discipline him. Up until this week , I would have to lay down with him for nap time to keep him from beating up Ace or running rampant through the house. Now, I can sit and do my Bible study while I wait on him to fall asleep. Ahhh!

He’s also doing a little better with potty training. I know I haven’t posted awhile on this…as it’s still ongoing. Currently, I am potty trained, which means, I send him at certain times during the day (not set times, just when I remember, now, really). I’ve noticed a couple times this past week where he will go potty without me having to tell him. Of course, the #2 is pretty much completely potty trained, but #1 is still a work in progress. I’m excited that he’s actually going more frequently without me having to tell him. I hope it keeps up.

His behavior is slowly getting better and he’s turning into quite a cuddler. He hugged and loved on me a lot this past weekend. He is still pretty argumentative, and can be quite disobedient, but we’re starting to see a more loveable, sweeter little boy emerge! He’s been getting a few compliments in his classes at church, too. That makes it so much nicer.

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Veteran’s Day

As the granddaughter of two veterans I feel that today is special. Our freedom didn’t come from the deep blue and I’m very grateful for all the men and women who have served, given their lives, and made deep sacrifices for our freedom. Steven Curtis Chapman’s website has a beautiful song about Corpsman Thomas McBride, which was written after Chapman met a veteran who gave the sacrifice for our freedom and the freedoms of those in other countries. Click here to hear it and share with those who need to be reminded what a veteran has done for us as Americans.

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I Don’t Want It…

So we’re visiting my parents this weekend. It’s been fun. My birthday is coming up so the pampering has begun…sort of!

Anyway, my mom prepared chili for supper and the kids gathered around to eat. Liam looked at it and throughout Mark’s prayer was mumbling.

“I don’t like ‘dis. I don’t want it. Whine. Whine Whine.”

Mark said amen. Then Liam chirped in, “Okay, I’ll twy it.”

Silly boy!

ROLL TIDE!!!

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Done!

After two weeks of canning, we now have a bushel of apples (that’s a lot folks) put away! Papa, Mark’s dad, orders apples in bulk every year from a place in Georgia. Let me just say that they are not that expensive and they are sweet! Last year, we got a 1/2 a bushel which was enough to see if I could do something with them. This year, we just got a full bushel since I am using more applesauce to make bread and Ceili Rain will need some for when she starts eating. So, I put away over 15 pint jars of applesauce and 18 half pint jars of apple butter (can you say Christmas gifts…if Zoe doesn’t eat them first). I know it won’t last a year, but at least I have some fresh applesauce, which, to me, is way yummier than store bought applesauce (by the way, we buy the unsweetened sauce with nothing but water and apples).

Next year, I’m hoping, won’t involve that much traveling and we will probably increase our order to more than a bushel…we’ll just have to see. I think Mark’s glad to have the apples out of the fridge!

I was laughing last night as I was canning apple butter and wondering out loud, “If someone had told me eight years ago that I would be canning applesauce to make my own bread…” I really just don’t think I would have believed it. Of course, I wasn’t going to stay home nor homeschool either…That just teaches you to never tell God, “no” when you haven’t asked Him first!

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Praying for Our Children

I’ve been reading Angie Smith’s blog since the spring. Her husband is a singer with Selah. She is real, funny, and full of God’s grace. This morning, I was reading a post about praying for our kids. I thought this was great, and worthy of posting a link here. She basically has short prayers she says for her kids as they go through out the day doing normal acitvities.

So visit her site…but I have to warn you…it’s addicting to read her stuff.

Bring the Rain

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Just thought I’d share…

I’m wondering if people realize that our next president is not, in fact, black…nor is he full-blooded African-American…he’s bi-racial. His mama was/is Caucasian. And his father is not African-American. He’s African. Let’s get this straight people!!! However, historically, he is the first bi-racial president in office. And yes, I consider that to be historical…and that’s about it.

Here’s something my mom shared with me from someone she heard yesterday. Apparently a speaker made a statement about thinking about what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s reaction would be when he learned that people voted for the color of a person’s skin and not his character. I believe the speaker my mom heard surmised that it would set back all of the work that Dr. King strove for…where it’s not the color of a person’s skin but who they are that counts. Personally, that’s what Mark and I had discussed earlier…we didn’t notice his skin color but what he said (and mostly what he didn’t say) he would do as president.

We’re praying that God would work to protect and lead our family and our country during these next four years…and of course, since He is Sovereign, His will will be done, no matter who’s in charge of our our country.

‘Nuff said about this election. Feel free to stop reading my blog if you must or just send comments my way (remember they’re moderated…my blog/my prerogative).

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Welcome to Oz!

Happy Halloween, All Hallow’s Eve, Friday…or whatever! I got the kids dressed up this morning since I was finishing Ace’s costume and there’s no guarntee that he’ll actually dress up tonight. We’ve got some other things going on tonight as well. Enjoy your trip to Oz!

Here’s the whole gang getting ready to head down the yellow brick road. I must confess that I bought two costumes (Zoe’s and Josiah’s). I barely got Ace’s finished this year.

The Cowardly Lion was hiding!

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

The Tin Man is a little rusty (I’m so punny).

Dorothy lending a hand to the rusty tin man.

The Scrarecrow searching for his brain and trying to hide from the camera.

Yippee! I have my courage!!
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And #5 is…


Very flexible! In case you can’t tell, that’s her leg kicked up and it looks as though the baby was about to stick the toes in the mouth.

The baby is also very healthy! No problems whatsoever! Growing as a little 20 week on in utero baby should be doing.

Let’s see…anything else…hmmm…oh yeah, I guess everyone wants to know whether the baby is a boy or girl…well…it’s a girl!

Lots to praise God for: a healthy baby and a little girl. Did I get a little emotional when the sonographer announced it? Oh you bet I did. We were able to tell it was a girl, but know that there is still a small chance that something else could have been hiding (but from the u/s picture, I doubt it).

Her name is Ceili Rain Mabry. Ceili (pronunced Kaylee) is celtic for “celebration/party”. Rain is the stuff that falls down. So our translation for Ceili Rain is a celebration coming down from heaven (since, ya know, rain falls from the sky). I must confess that is not original and is the name of a Celtic Christian group but we felt it was beautiful and with such a sweet meaning it fits. We’ve waited for our sweet girl blessing to come down from God for a little over four years (since we decided on the name). Her middle name, Mabry, means “joyous.” She is already a joy to us (well, with the exception of Ace…he’s still trying to adjust to the idea and when Zoe told him he said, “ughhh, man!”). Oh, and she will be called Ceili Rain for anyone wondering. We call ’em what we name them (but sometimes add and embellish it for endearing terms).

Thanks for the prayers for a healthy baby and for our little girl! She is growing and moving all over the place!

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