Eleven Days With Five Kids.

My sister Selina, and her husband Brent, are on deputation to be missionaries to South Africa.  Their burden is orphans.  They will be opening orphanages there in South Africa once they raise all of their support.  

They have seven children.  Four of their children are biological, and the other three were adopted from China within the past four years.  Selina is pregnant with their eighth baby...due in August! I love all of my nieces and nephews so much and can't wait to meet my newest nephew!   

Brent, Selina, Ellie (12), Nathaniel (9), Noah (7), left for South Africa on a survey trip on April 26, and came home today, May 6.  I watched two of their children, Johanna (16), and Ethan (5), while they were gone.  

Selina has been so excited about this trip.  She and Brent have been planning it for over a year now.  I am excited to hear all about their trip once they return.  If you would like to read more about my sister's family and their ministry, you can read her blog The Bergey Bunch and their ministry website Little Fish Ministries

It was interesting adding two more kids to my three.  I thought it would feel strange having to take two more kids out every where I went, but honestly...it felt really normal.  It really made me want to have more babies actually :) Johanna was a big help this week.  She especially loved helping out with Alanna.  Ethan enjoyed playing with Ruy and Liam.  Ethan, Ruy, Nathaniel, and Noah are all SO close.  Ruy was sad that Nathaniel and Noah didn't stay here with us as well :)  

Selina brought the kids to me on Friday, April 25.  She had to leave early Saturday morning, so it was better that she brought them the night before.  Nathan set up a bunk bed in Alanna's room for Johanna and Ethan to sleep on and we moved Alanna's crib back into our room for the 11 days they were staying with us.  Selina got them all settled in and then we went to CFA for dinner.  I let Liam sit with all the "big" kids for the first time.  He thought it was pretty awesome!

 

The kids had a really good time.  I tried to keep them busy so they didn't think about missing their parents too much. 

 

Ethan and Liam had lots of fun playing trains!  Please ignore the boy's "blanket" curtains!  My mom is working on making curtains for them, so blankets are working as curtains for them right now :) 

We went to the park last Sunday evening and the kids had fun playing in the sand and the water.  It took a lot of work keeping them from jumping into the water!

It rained Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday last week.  By Wednesday the kids were really ready for the rain to just go away.  They were all tired of being stuck inside, and I was too.  Nathan was on duty at the Fire Station Wednesday.   We went to the station Wednesday morning, and then to the Children's Museum for a few hours in the afternoon.  Johanna and Ethan had never been to a fire station before, so they were very excited about going.  They both really enjoyed it.  We ended the night with homemade pizza and ice cream cones. 

Ethan wanted to wear all of Ruy's fire gear to the station.

This little boy LOVES fire trucks!  He was yelling "fire truck" when I took this picture.

Thursday was a stay at home day.  Nathan's truck was in the shop getting worked on, so he had to take the van to his part time job.  We spent the day at home, just enjoying a day of sunshine.  My Mom came over at 11AM and took Johanna out for lunch.  I sent the boys outside to play after Johanna left, and soon found all three boys out in the back yard covered in mud!  Our yard was pretty much nothing but mud after all the rain we had.  Ruy decided it was a good idea to dig a big hole in the corner of our yard.  I reminded him that he is not allowed to dig in our yard.  He said " Mom, that's not yard...that's just mud!"  Really Ruy!  Liam had fun jumping into it though, and Ruy and Ethan had a big mud fight.  I had an interesting time getting the three of them washed off, but I was glad they had so much fun getting dirty.

After I got the boys cleaned up from the mud... we went out front and raced cars down the driveway and colored with chalk.  Johanna came home, after enjoying lunch and a fun ride in Nana's car.  I put the little boys and Alanna down for a nap, Ruy and Johanna colored, and I had a few quiet moments to myself.  

Later Thursday afternoon, Ruy and Ethan came running into the house telling me they had something to show me.  Ruy had taught Ethan how to ride the "big boy bike!"  Ruy was so proud of himself for teaching Ethan, and Ethan was so excited for learning how to ride! 

Friday we went to Jamestown.  My Mom and Nathan were both able to come with us!  My Mom brought lots of yummy food.  The kids had such a wonderful time!  It was so much fun watching their smiles and hearing their laughs.  Children make life so much more exciting!

 

Saturday was my 26th birthday.  We started out the day by going to Ruy's baseball game.  Ruy won the game ball!  He was said he won it for me.  

We spent the rest of the afternoon at home.  My Dad got Papa Johns for everyone.  Nathan's parents, brother, and sister in-law came over as well.  Later that evening we went to Qdoba for dinner.  Alanna decided it would be a good idea to pull my tacos down onto my lap....never a dull moment with kids :) It was a nice day though and I'm excited to see what the next year will bring. 

Sunday night Liam rode his bike for the first time!  I was so proud of him.  He was so excited!  I guess it was a good week for boys to learn how to ride bikes!  Then we took a walk with all the kids.  It was such a beautiful evening.  

Selina and Brent landed back in America this morning.  Selina and Brent had a VERY LONG DAY, but I was able to bring Johanna and Ethan to them around 7 this evening.  They were beyond excited to be back with their family.  I'll miss their sweet faces, but I think everyone is happy to have life back to normal.  I'm sure they will sleep well tonight, back in their own beds, knowing Mommy is right next to them. 

My little girl

 

Sometimes...there just are no words. 

Like Father...Like Son

Liam is so much like Nathan.  

He loves being outside, getting dirty, playing with bugs, being in water, trucks, motorcycles, boots, baseball...

He is definitely Nathan's son. 

Liam loves it when Nathan is off work.  He loves being able to be outside with Daddy!  He wants to help with whatever Daddy is doing.

I took a few pictures of them this week, that I just love.

Alanna.Five.Months

Five Months
April 14, 2014
13 Pounds 3.2 Ounces 25.5 Inches

You found your feet this past month.  They keep you pretty occupied.  You love to play with them while you are in your car seat, when I am trying to give you a bath, while I'm changing your diaper, or while you are laying on the floor.  You have only put your toes in your mouth one time though.  You haven't really realized that you have toes to suck on, as well as fingers.  Once you do, I'm sure that will keep you pretty occupied as well!  

You can roll from your back to your belly now.  I can't ever leave you alone on the bed.  You move around so quickly.  I'm sure it will only be a short time from now, and you will be trying to crawl.  You are so much smaller than your brothers were at your age, so I'm sure that is why you are moving so much more than they did.  

It's really hard to take pictures of you now.  You never want to hold still.  You squirm and roll around so much.  

You reached up and touched my face for the first time while you were nursing.  It was so sweet.  I love feeling your tiny little hands on my face.  You also started reaching for Daddy and me just this past weekend.  It made both of us so happy!

You got your first two teeth.  The bottom front right tooth came in on April 5, and the bottom front left tooth came in on April 7.  We didn't even know you were teething.  You have been sleeping anywhere from 6-12 hours straight at night, and you haven't been fussy at all.  I'm pretty sure, you are the best baby ever!  You look so cute with your two new teeth.  I love them.  

You make such a cute, silly face now that you have teeth.  Your bottom lip goes out to the side because you are trying to feel them.  

We try to give you teething toys to chew on, but you prefer either mine or Daddy's fingers,  your Bunny, or your blanket. 

You have started putting yourself to sleep a lot of the time.  For nap-time or night-time, I turn on your fan, turn off the light, and rock you while I nurse you.  Sometimes you fall asleep while you are nursing, but sometimes you are still awake when I lay you down.  I just put your blanket in your hands, and you lay in your crib happily, sucking your thumb.  And in about five minutes you are sound asleep.  You still take three naps a day...two 2-3 hour naps in your crib, and a small 30-45 minute nap in the evening, usually in the Ergo. 

Daddy and I still haven't given you any food...just a few tastes of some things.  We let you try a little bit of lemonade from CFA the other day.  You didn't seem to like it.  And you sucked on a cracker at Uncle Mike's wedding.  I was a little worried about the cracker though, so Daddy stopped letting you suck on it.  

You are so happy all the time.  You love to smile and laugh with us.  You get so excited when your brothers talk to you.  You love to hold Ruy's hand while we are driving in the van.  You don't like to be held over my shoulder.  You push your body around so that you are facing out.  You want to be able to see everything that is happening.  

With every moment that passes, Daddy and I love you more and more.  You have such a special place in our hearts.  We are so thankful God answered our prayers, and gave us a little girl!  

Happy Five Months Sweet Pea! 

How I Missed The Entire Wedding Ceremony.

This past Saturday, my brother in-law got married.  If you've been a Bridesmaid in a wedding, you know how crazy weddings can be.  If your kids have been in a wedding before, you know how really crazy they can be.  Well our entire family was in the wedding.  My husband was the Best Man, I was a Bridesmaid, Ruy and Liam were ring bearers, and Alanna was the flower girl. 

The night before the wedding,  Nathan spent the night at the hotel with his brother.  He had a lot of things to help Mike with in the morning, so it was easier for him to be close to the wedding site.  My Mom came over the morning of the wedding to help me get ready.  She ironed all the kids clothes for me, and did my hair.  She was a huge help.  I might not have made it to the wedding on time without her.  I had to turn around twice to get several things I had forgotten.  

We got to the wedding site about 15 minutes before I had told Andrea (Mike's fiance) we would be there.  I had to nurse Alanna before going into the park, and get Liam dressed.  I decided to leave him out of his Tux as long as possible.  Alanna won't take a bottle so my only option was nursing, which meant I had to pretty much take my dress completely off in order to feed her.  I was really grateful to have my Mom with me because I couldn't get my dress unzipped without help.  Like I said, my Mom was a HUGE help to me the entire day.  I finished nursing Alanna, while my Mom dressed Liam.  We loaded up the stroller, and the wagon (Alanna was supposed to be pulled down the isle in the wagon) and headed into the park. 

We spent the next hour, rushing around, taking Liam potty, showing Ruy what to do, finding a place for the wagon, getting Alanna dressed, putting on my jewelry, etc.  11AM  arrived, and we lined up.  Alanna was with my Mom.  My Mom was planning on putting her in the wagon once the boys and I reached her.  It was a long walk down the isle, with several steps, so it was best to leave the wagon close to the front.  I was the last bridesmaid to start down the isle, and the boys came in directly after me.  Ruy was really nervous.  Liam was happy because he was carrying his rose.  He kept telling me the whole way down the isle "Mommy, my thlower smells like chocolate!"  Both the boys looked so adorable!

I reached the last row of chairs where the wagon was, but my Mom was still holding Alanna.  She whispered to me that Alanna wouldn't stop fussing, and wouldn't sit in the wagon.  I decided just to carry her down the isle, since I didn't have time to try to deal with her crying in the wagon.  Liam ran the rest of the way down the isle...straight to his Grammy (Nathan's Mom).  I thought he would scream the whole way down, so I was perfectly fine with him going to Grammy, and sitting on her lap happily the whole time.  I took my place, holding Alanna.  The pastor had just started speaking when I felt a warm splat on my feet. 

I looked down...green, runny, poop was all down the side of my dress, my right leg, in my right shoe, and all over my toes.  I could not  believe this was happening!!!

I looked at my Mom like "what do I do?"  I knew the only thing to do though was to leave the ceremony.  I handed Alanna to my Mom, and we walked all the way up the hill to the reception hall.  I cried the whole way.  I had been so excited to see my brother in-law Mike, and his fiance Andrea get married.  I love Mike as if he were my real brother, so this wedding was really important to me.

Two of the ladies that were catering the wedding, helped my Mom and I get all the poop off of me.  They wiped my dress down, while I washed off my leg and foot.  Mom changed Alanna and washed my shoe.  Alanna didn't have one drop of poop on her dress!!!  It just ran right out of her diaper, and onto me!  My Mom tried to make me feel better by telling me that in 20 years, I would look back at this and laugh.  But at that moment, it didn't really help.  

We walked back down the hill to the ceremony to hear the pastor say "Therefore what God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."

I missed the entire wedding!

No one in the wedding party saw what had happened.  I'm glad Andrea didn't know.  A bride doesn't need to be worried about anything on her wedding day...especially not in the middle of the ceremony.

 I was able to take pictures with the wedding party.  We just hid the dirty part of my dress.  Alanna threw up on the front right side of my dress before pictures, so I just pulled my hair to the side to cover it up. I didn't end up getting an entire family picture because Liam was so over pictures, and his tux by the time I thought of it.  And Alanna threw up all over her dress.

I was really upset about what happened for about an hour, but then remembered...I'm a mother, and this is what happens when you're a mother.

What really mattered was that it was a gorgeous day!  My husband looked so handsome, my boys looked adorable, my baby girl looked absolutely beautiful, and Mike and Andrea were happily married!

Congratulations to Mike & Andrea!!!
I love you both so much.