2012: What a Great Year

Oh what a year 2012 has been.  This year brought us Simon.  We rediscovered hope.  I am sad to see the year end, almost.  It's a different sadness than it was 2 years ago.  I remember Lucas and Caleb's year, that New Year's Eve.  2010 ending meant their year was ending.  It was hard, I hit grief's brick wall that day unexpectedly.  This year has just been so great to our family. 

 

 

 January we found out we were expecting Cinco, our fifth baby.

 February brought fear as I began spotting and we didn't see a baby on the ultrasound. (Picture not actual picture, but very similar)

 

But a few weeks later, here is our Cinco!  His heart was beating and the tears flowed.

 

In March we took the boys to the circus.  I was able to muster up the energy to enjoy the night. 

 

April was Colton's 6th birthday and 18 weeks pregnant!

In May we learned Cinco was Simon.  What an amazing appointment that day.  We also learned Simon would be here a week sooner than we had been planning.  Whoo hoo!

 

I conquered my fear of buying these in May also.

 

In June we remembered Lucas and Caleb on their 2nd birthday.  The day was a good one, and there was more happy than sad.  

In July we celebrated the fourth with good friends. Twice!

 

 

August saw a crazy heat wave, but we toughed it out to take the boys fishing.

We also went and saw Monster Trucks in July!  That was such a blast!

 

Colton started first grade in August

 

35 weeks pregnant!

 

And my amazing friends threw my baby shower.  What a fabulously perfect day!

September found me 38 weeks pregnant.

And Ethan's first day of Pre-K

 And after 2 false labor trips, my baby Simon was born.  Healthy and Alive. 

 

October was Halloween with my three boys.

 

And who can forget the flood in our house.  Not to mention the 5 day hotel stay with a 4 week old.

November brought house construction, a HUGE Thanksgiving feast with 20 people, and Simon's first bubbly smile.

 

December came quickly. 

Our family.  3 boys here on Earth, and my heavenly babies symbolized by their pin on my chest.

 

It has truly been a tremendous year.  I have grown so much in so many ways.  My faith, by leaps and bounds, as my pregnancy with Simon tested it to it's very core at times.  I am grateful for everyday of 2012.  2013 will be interesting, and I am ready to take it on!

Family Pictures

It is snowing outside.  I love it!  Ethan is lying in the chair in the living room with the stomach "plague" that has made its way around Springfield.  I was hoping we would steer clear of it, but no luck there.  Colton had some problems on Tuesday but not like this.  I feel for the little guy.  And I am keeping him very far from Simon. Not sure how I would handle Simon catching this.

 

On Tuesday night we finally were able to have our family pictures taken.  We've rescheduled them a couple of times and time was running out.  I am mailing out Christmas cards this year (today), and I wanted to include our family picture.

 

Without much more to say, here are some of my favorites!

 

I like this one so much and think we'll just make it his 3 month photo.  We'd only buy one pose anyway, and he'll be three months old in less than a week. (Oh dear, where has time gone?)

Love, love, love this picture!!!  Simon was actually cracking up here.  And I love how Ethan had reached down to hold his hand.

I love that I can get him to smile much more easily now.

Ethan didn't have pictures taken at school this year, so this worked out perfectly!

So much better than his school picture!

I spent 6 weeks or more finding the right shirts for everyone.  I found Simon's sweater first and worked around it.  I love how everything came together so well, and that we were able to make it in for our pictures.

Getting Ready for Christmas

I'm not posting as much as I'd like.  Google has made it a little more time consuming to add photos, and when I tried the other day, it wouldn't load any.  But we'll get there. 

 

This Christmas season has treated us well.  There are times that are tough.  Actually there are moments when this holiday season is harder than last year's.  Simon is here and healthy.  But all we are doing with him for the first time, we missed with Lucas and Caleb.  Willy and I have both had some grief struggles, and I am sure there's some more on the way.

 

Here are some pictures of what we've been up to so far.  I really, really want to get better about posting.  

 

 

The boys with their ornaments this year.  We all get a special ornament every year.  And their first Christmas it is a Pooh first Christmas ornament.

 

Simon and I putting his ornament on the tree.

 

 Ethan and I

 

Colton and I

Simon with the ornaments I made for what would have been Lucas and Caleb's first Christmas.

 

 

We also saw Santa last week.  This close to Christmas you have to go in at 9:00am or earlier to get a pass to see him in the evening.  Luckily, with the pass we didn't have to wait long at all.

 

Simon while waiting to see him.



 And all three boys on Santa's lap. 

Willy later asked me how many people we know and trust would we let hold all three of our boys at the same time. Oops!  I have to admit I was nervous, but Santa seemed confident and big brothers were holding on tight.  And Simon didn't scream.  That picture will be next years!

 

We also had family pictures taken last night.  I'll post some of them probably tomorrow.  It's on my agenda for tomorrow.  But I just want to say having a third child with us makes our family feel much larger than it has in the past.

Random November Photos

Wow! November is over and I am still playing catch-up.  I was really enjoying writing daily (almost) then everything became crazy, we unhooked the computer to move it, and I just quit finding the time. 

Here are some pictures from November though.  And I am not going to forget to post Ethan's birthday post, just waiting on a few other pictures.  Not to mention I still haven't posted Simon's birth story yet.

My house is back together.  I can't wait to post all the pictures of that journey. Willy finished the floors at 4:00am the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.  He worked super hard, and I am so grateful!

I have to admit that I am still trying to find my groove around here.  Having a third child in the house definitely stirs it up a bit.  Some days I feel like I am barely keeping my head above water.  Then there are others like today when I feel a little more together.  I've been told this will all pass soon.  And am I ever looking forward to that.  Darn that Type A personality of mine.

On to some pictures

Our first picture of a true smile!  Such a cutie!  He just melts my heart.

The birthday boy.  He was the most excited this year about his birthday!

 

Hunting with Daddy

Chilling on the couch together.

Taken mid-sneeae.  Simon has the most vocal sneezes.

Watching some tv.  Almost asleep.

He always spits out the pacifier as he's falling asleep.

One of the most priceless pictures I'll ever take.

11~11~12

We've been to church all but two Sundays since Simon has been born.  While I was pregnant with him, I often pictured holding him during worship. I would be holding him close, singing to him as I sang to the Lord.  Well, Simon tends to finish his morning nap during worship.  Often he wakes up just after so I have to miss the sermon to nurse him.  By the time I make it back in for reflection, he is usually back to sleep.

 

Today he stayed awake for reflection.  The song they played was, "Your Great Name"

 

I held my baby, he looked into my eyes, and I sang with all my heart.  The lyrics mixed with my joy and the tears flowed.  They really flowed.  As I sang the words, so many of them rang true through the past two and a half years.

 

"Every fear; has no place; at the sound of your great name
The enemy; he has to leave; at the sound of your great name"

I can't count how many times I feared for Simon.  I would pray for him, and recite 2 Timothy 1:7

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
And the fear would would slowly ease it's grip on me. 

 

I could go on and on about most the lines of this song, but the above just rush through me every time I sing them.  To finally have my baby boy in my arms and be able to sing them while looking into his beautiful blue eyes, well, there are no words.

 

I love that I am able to sit here, after all I have been through, be able to type, and fully believe that God is good!  He does answer prayers, and He is worthy of all praise.


 

 

 

 

Who's Who? A Give-a-way

At 6 weeks old, we have taken pictures of all the boys in the same onesie.  Can you guess who is who?

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love to see the similarities between my boys.  And I love to see how different each of them fill out the onesie.

 

Heck, let's make this a contest.  Everyone who gets it right will be entered into a drawing for a Christmas ornament.   I will choose you ornament special for you.  I will randomly (use a program) choose a number on 11/18/12.