Baby #3 Reveal and Brotherly Dismay

It's another boy-Kolton Miles.

I am NEVER good at predicting baby gender...even my own baby's gender. With Klayton I thought girl up until about two weeks prior to the ultra sound telling us, boy. With Justus, I thought girl because my pregnancy was so different than it was with Klayton. When we left after finding out it was another boy, I felt so guilty. BUT, this time my gut instinct knew. I did waver once..at 11 weeks the heart rate was 172 and I thought maybe a girl. Then I went in for a dating ultrasound and the heart beat was lower and my instincts were back to boy and never strayed again.
Klayton, really wanted a sister this time. He told everyone he was getting a sister and I would tell him that it might be a boy. He would then speak to my belly:

"Baby are you a girl or boy?
He would then proceed to put his ear to my belly and "listen" for a moment.
You are STILL a girl! Ok!"
He would smile at me and run off to continue doing whatever it is boys do.

Since I was so convinced that it was another boy, Joseph and I began to have more conversations with him to prepare him for the gender reveal if my instincts were indeed correct.
The week prior to the ultrasound he informed me daily,

"Mom, I only like Justus and girl babies!"
or
"Mom, if its a boy I won't like it."

"Mom, if its a boy I will be mad/sad."

Then the kicker came the night before the ultrasound during our nightly prayer time.

Jesus, if its a boy baby please change it to a girl before morning."

Now, taking it to the Lord-that is some serious business!

My ultrasound took forever-a student did it-which I don't mind-USUALLY! I have had students in the past; but when you are impatiently and anxiously waiting to see who baby is...well, just, ugh. Finally, after about 40 minutes of her looking around and not even peeking at where "the goods" were the regular technician came in and our little baby #3 was quick to reveal my instincts were indeed correct! Another boy.

We went to the ultrasound as a family and as we left we kept an eye on Klayton to see how he was reacting. He seemed fine. So, maybe he didn't realize it was a boy and we would take him to McDonalds to gently break the news! You can never go wrong with "Donalds" as he calls it. But, as I organized my stuff in the waiting room we realized he did hear and he was not happy. Klayton did not want to tell anybody that he was having another brother. Later that afternoon, Joseph told him that we need to be thankful for another brother to help protect mommy and that we needed to say, thank you Jesus.

Klayton's reply,
"I will not say thank you Jesus for a boy."

Joseph and I decided not to rebuke him for his feelings and for expressing them. We knew he was honestly disappointed; but we also knew that in time he would come around. We didn't want to make it worse and I knew not to let the comments bother me. We just remained excited and continued to show Klayton we were thankful and excited for another boy. Within a day we could see that he was coming around as he liked to tell people the baby's name-Kolton Miles.

I truly am excited that I have the label "boy mom"! I was not disappointed to discover ANOTHER BOY. I let everyone else be disappointed for me! Haha! I am excited that God has seen fit to let me attempt to raise a few good men for Him and to guide their lives to serve Him and please Him.

Most of the time when people learn its another boy-they say, "maybe next time you will get your girl!" I know they are well intended; but I don't need a next time to try and get what I want. God wants me to have 3 BOYS and thats what I want! The other day though someone asked me what this baby is and I shared that its another boy and her reply was, "wow, what a blessing you GET to have ALL boys-you are blessed!"

Blessed. I am definitely blessed.

Ten on Tuesday

1. I came across this quote on Pinterest tonight, Family is supposed to be our safe haven. Very often, its the place we find our deepest heart ache. So, sad to me that this is often the case. Why do we bring heart ache upon the people we are closest to?
2. Klayton is just cracking me up. This past weekend he has started proclaiming himself, "I am king!" We have no idea where he picked that up from; but we hear it often!
3. Tonight we went to K-Mart and they had a bloodied costume hand. I pretended it was my hand and showed Klayton, he stared at it for a minute and then decided to be scared. It just cracked me up as after a minute long pause he looked at me and said, "I scared." I don't think he was, its just that he has become very aware of the meaning of the word scared in recent weeks.
4. I am thankful for God's provision. I was able to pick up a house keeping job to pay for Klayton to attend preschool. Its only for a few hours a week; just enough for me not to be away from my boys for to long but enough to provide the preschool bill.
5. Yes, I revisited the 80's and got a perm; but it's a life saver! I still don't know how to completely function with two kids so anything that can become a time saver is worth it and having a perm has cut my self-prep for the day to not very long at all...too bad I can't use that "extra" time for sleep!
6. I love good deals. This week I bought a wooden toddler bed for $5! I am SO excited! The woof finish has some scratches so I plan on stripping and refinishing the wood; but seriously other than that its in great shape and still a steal of a deal! Can't wait to get to work on it this weekend!
7. Reading? How I miss having time to read and when I do have the time my eyes are so tired they can't see the words. So, I will just ask, "what are you reading?" Please share!
8. In less than a week my littlest guy will be 4 months old? Um, how is that possible?
9. Sometimes I really appreciate this Tuesday post because I really want to blog; but don't have much to say and this gives me the perfect opportunity to be completely random.
10. Please pray for me and some very important unspoken requests. Thanks and have a Happy Tuesday!

Ten on Tuesday

1. Last week I got 7 inches of hair chopped off! It feels SO different and it feels SO good!
2. I have been in such a blogging rut and I really hope that I am pulling out of it.
3. Last Friday our church had a ladies game night! I had so much fun! We played Bunko!
4. My little coffee drinker.

5. For game night I made a copycat Starbucks cold drink. Recipe: 10 cups coffee, 1/2 c brown sugar, 1/2 c white sugar, 1/2 c vanilla creamer! So yummy and easy-this is what Klayton is actually drinking in the above picture!
6. On Sunday we had a church fellowship and I made a Butterfinger Trifle-by the time I got to it I literally had to scrape the sides for some! It was a hit and so easy! Bake the brownies of your choice in a 13x9 pan, make 2 pkgs of chocolate instant pudding according to directions, use a bag of mini butterfingers and 16 ounces cool whip. I layered brownies (cut into small cubes), chocolate pudding to fill the cracks, cool whip, 6 mini butterfingers crushed and repeat!
7. If you own a Kindle and are a fan of Karen Kingsbury, as of last night they were selling the combo of Even Now and Ever After for $1.99!
8.

9. Yesterday morning I woke up to a little boy shaking me, why? Because he wanted to snuggle...those moments are priceless to me and will always be cherished. Those moments are perfect reminders to me of why Klayton was worth the wait and is my greater yes.
10. I have a lot on my heart that needs prayer. Would you please pray for me and my special unspokens today? Have a Happy Tuesday!

Ten on Tuesday

1. Busy week ahead as I prepare for Klayton’s grandma and grandpa to come visit!
2. This photo really puts into perspective how tiny my niece is!

3. I must confess that I was nervous about the post I did on infertility. But, I am SO thankful that I did, I received comments and private messages from some sweet ladies that are now added to my prayer list!
4. Keep praying for my Grandpa Collins, he is still in the hospital with some bleeding on the brain. We are hoping he will be released sometime this week.
5. I am thankful for friends who have become adopted family! We have a sweet couple in our church, Adam and Afton who love Klayton and well Klayton just LOVES them as well. He loves them so much that he may have thrown a fit when they told him goodbye.
6. Klayton and I have now read over 60 books for the summer reading program! Woohoo! One of our favorite books has been, Goldilocks by Dom De Luise! Such a cute version!

7. Dear Candy Crush, Would you please consider letting me pass level 169 sometime VERY soon? Pretty please and thank you for your consideration! Sincerely, Defeated Player of Two Weeks.
8. I am working on a post about Obedience and I would LOVE for you to answer this question, why is obedience important?
9. So, I'm just going to say it...when is Kendra going to get into shape? I'm hoping she will start making an effort yesterday!
10. What is a post without a picture of Klayton? Not happy...so to make things happy here he is!

Happy Tuesday!

My New Niece

Do you remember me asking to pray for my sister? If not read that here!
So, my sister arrived to Madison on the night of the 10th. They worked to stabilize her blood pressure. Which is another whole story in and of itself. On Wednesday, June 12th Kayla was 28 weeks and it was decided that she would be delivering her baby via caesarean.
Here is her husband Kenny...or as I like to call him, "Temporary Dr. Kenny"!



At 4:29 p.m on Wednesday, June 12th 2013 weighing in at 1 lb. 10 ounces and measuring at 36 centimeters in length RoseMarie Lynn arrived!



RoseMarie was born and quickly whisked away to the "bubble". When baby arrived though she was breathing on her own-which is a miracle of its own! She was placed under the lights, here she is "sunbathing"!



Such a tiny miracle. In her first 24 hours Kenny was able to take her temperature and change her diaper! Check out how tiny this diaper is, my grandparents said it was like the size of a dollar bill and even then it was still to big for RoseMarie!



And Kayla was able to see her for the first time on Thursday night!



On Saturday, RoseMarie was able to be held for the first time and I think her Mama was very happy to have that moment!



Daddy was able to have his time with his little girl yesterday-kangaroo care!



Dear RoseMarie,
We are SO happy that you are here-earlier than expected; but what a miracle that is being seen in you! You are progressing and doing so well, the nurses and doctors are always telling your Mommy and Daddy how it is just amazing them and all they can say is its because of God! I pray that you will grow to know the God that is answering prayers and doing this miracle in you already! We love you and I can't wait to meet you!

Love,
Aunt Kendra

Please Pray

Please pray for my sister Kayla. Kayla is 27 weeks pregnant and has preeclampsia. Her blood pressure is SO high that its at or above stroke level. Her doctor tried three different meds to try and get her BP to come down-nothing worked. So they sent her to Madison, WI and gave the baby a steroid to try and strengthen the lungs. The doctors said it is best for the baby to stay in for 72 hours after a steroid has been given. Unless, serious measures are needed they are going to try and keep baby baking longer.

No Adequate Words

I couldn't sleep tonight. So, I laid in bed for awhile trying to convince my husband to give me a back rub. Then when he started snoring I put the kitchen dishes away and completed a few tasks for our trip in the morning. I soon found myself sitting on the floor next to my little guys bed...tears filled my eyes as my heart became overwhelmed with the gift that God has given me. I long for him to be a sibling someday; but I suddenly realized-again-that maybe in all my hope and dreaming I'm neglecting to remember that God has given me answered prayer in Klayton. Maybe when those hopes and dreams fill my mind I should fill my hands with extra hugs for my little guy...extra kisses for his sweet cheeks...more I love you's to be said. So often I wish for things and forget that this is the only time I get with my little guy...soon he will be 3, then 20...getting married and the fruit of my labour will be seen by a girl who will have stolen his heart. If I could apologize for moments that I've had with Klayton yet I've spent them longing for another child to be added to our little family, or even those moments where he wants my attention yet I'm busy on my phone... Tonight he doesn't need me to lay beside him; but I need him beside me and I need God to know that this little boy was worth the wait and he's a gift that I'm forever grateful and thankful that God gave to me. I need my little guy to know that I love him more than I thought it possible...and really there are no words to rightfully say to him to let him know how much he means to me!

Had I

Had I been Joseph's mother
I'd have prayed
protection from his brothers
"God, keep him safe.
He is so young,
so different from
the others."
Mercifully,
she never knew
there would be slavery
and prison, too.

Had I been Moses' mother
I'd have wept to keep my little son:
praying she might forget
the babe drawn from the water
of the Nile.
Had I not kept
him for her
nursing him the while,
was he not mine?
--and she
but Pharaoh's daughter?

Had I been Daniel's mother
I should have pled
"Give victory!
--this Babylonian horde
godless and cruel--
Don't let him be a captive
--better dead,
Almighty Lord!"

Had I been Mary,
Oh, had I been she,
I would have cried
as never a mother cried,
"Anything, O God,
Anything
--but
crucified."

With such prayers importunate
my finite wisdom would assail
Infinite Wisdom
God, how fortunate
Infinite Wisdom
should prevail.

Faith Puts Me in Awe

I'm linking up with, www.thepinkslippers.blogspot.com today for the Thursday link up of, Give A Piece of Your Heart.
I'm laying in bed, wide awake as usual! As I reflect over my day, I lay here in awe. Much of our lifestyle, missionaries, is lived by faith-or it appears that way! Sadly, there are many times in my life that I lack faith. This morning I woke up hopeful as I knew we had two big bills due. I knew we had money coming our way, so I called our church secretary and asked that she get our deposit made before the cut off. A while later, she texted me to say that it would be only $50. What? That's not enough. Frustration set in. I called my husband who had just left to go into town. What were we going to do? It didn't matter that just the other day we spoke about how we needed to be more willing to live by faith. So, I started praying as I tried to "fix" the situation myself! Then Klayton broke his sunglasses and I started crying as I told him that Mommy didn't have money to buy him new ones. I led my 20 month old over to couch and on my knees I cried out to the Lord. When I opened my eyes, Klayton was kneeling over the couch as well, as if he had been praying. I texted my prayer partner to start praying as well and deep in my heart I was still concerned but yet there was also peace. As day drew to a close, I received another text message from the church secretary. She had made another much larger deposit that would now cover our bills and then some! I was overwhelmed with the goodness of my God!