Speak to me

Speak to me…

Just to document it right this moment it is perfectly quiet in my home…… sweet silence.

Pastor Jim has been preaching on the 10 commandments. One commandment a week, this week was Honor your father and mother. WOW did this take a BIG twist the sermon went on to explain how it was our responsibility to raise children that know how to follow this commandment (or really all of them).

This sermon was God speaking to me.

I’ve had a hard mom week.

I have wanted to give up

I’ve wanted to run.

I’ve wanted to give in.

This sermon reminded me that I cannot this is my responsibility that I have to choose my children; I need to put raising them in a God-ly manner first.

I need to be intentional.

INTENTIONAL with my children

With my relationships with them

The words I speak to them

My actions around them.

The pastor did mention seven ways to honor your parents…

Obedience

Assistance

Respect

Thanksgiving

Listening

Integrity

Love

IF I want my children to have these qualities I must also have them.

This morning there were tears lots of tears but God spoke to me and I was listening now to apply it to my life.

My goals this week….. less tv….

To run twice with SUMMER

To have a play date for MILLIE and bake a cake with her. (She loves to bake)

EMMETT is pretty easy right now but to have patience and cuddle him!!

Ill let you know how it goes

ADJUSTING!!!!!!!!

Emmett is a little wierd. he doesnt cry to be picked up he cries to be put down ....flat on the floor.

The girls are adjusting slowly but surely!!!

Today Summer goes to meet her teacher, she starts on monday.

Millie is staying home with me this year, she was upset until we bought school supplies and books for the house. She is now SUPER excited!

I decided to take 4 classes this semester and 2 next. Making me a full time student for at least one of the semesters which brings in a little extra income for our family.

I am taking the math class face to face! That was fun going to campus to buy my books and find my classroom with my 3 children in tow while 18 year old overly excited freshmen were being dropped off by overly emotional parents looked at us in horror. I felt like Van Wilder.

It got better when in the bookstore Emmett started tooting loudly and at the same time Millie started yelling she had to go potty.. oh the joys of motherhood!

Maybe adjusting was not the right word coping may be a better one.

Scared

As i sit here typing with one hand I am not at all afraid to say... "I AM SCARED" I am registering for school and it is going to be a tough semester. I have a new baby and a 3 year old who needs me almost just as much and a 7 year old that loves after school activities.. but its the classes themselves that scare me. They aren't easy and I need 6 to graduate... so i can either take 3 this semester and 3 next or all this semester and graduate at Christmas... before i was in no hurry, now it may be in the best interest of my family to be done ASAP.

Here are the classes...

hist 465 world war II
Forensic Biology
College Algebra
Historical methodology
current American history
historical research thesis course

I need to make a decision soon. Like today but I am scared.....

lots of books!!!!

Well I have a feeling with this new baby my "book of the month" might become book of the "day".

I just finished CHASING EDEN by SL LINNEA and BK SHERER.I choose this book from a reading list of a blog I frequent http://life.yourway.net/.  I have to say this book was written with me in mind. It is a easy going fiction thriller/mystery/romance that involves the US military invasion of Iraq/ the looting of the Baghdad Museum/ history and archaeology and the Bible. There were times that i was lost it was not until close to the end of the book I was comfortable with all the characters and their roles in the story but what I thought was confusion for most of the book was actually part of the mystery side of the book. This book is part of a trilogy so I am done with the review because it is taking time from reading the 2nd book BEYOND EDEN ;) I'll let you know what I think about the series after I'm done!!!!!

little tidbits

I've learned with my 3rd child...........

• Everything gets recalled (literally our crib our bassinet our playpen)
• A umbilical cord and a front carrier DO NOT mix. (bad mommy moment)
• Boys can pee EVERYWHERE (it takes one time of Millie getting peed on and she finally backs up)
• Silence is bliss and worth waking up before the sun rises
• I do have time. By this I mean its okay to put the baby down for a shower everyone will feel better after.
• Baby monitors are great unless baby is sleeping with dad then all you hear is dad.
• Let the baby sleep where ever he or she wants as long as they are sleeping... I had guilt over this with my other 2, Summer slept in the car alot i just reclined my seat and slept too, Millie slept ON Ryan.
• Nursing isn't just a choice but a HUGE commitment... Even when its easy it limits you and when its hard well Holly and Mellisa saw me during that time and Sam lets just say take my worst day and add a screaming baby and mommy... 
• The TV is a babysitter for the older ones, and I have NO shame in using it.
• Lower your expectations for outings, we go completely okay with leaving mid-trip (this is actually not new but leftover from the CRAZY days of Summer being a toddler just revisited with 3 kids)
• this time I have 1/2 the clothes I did with the girls and I am just as happy if not happier! 5 outfits and 4 sleepers I do a small load of laundry every other day but it takes me 2 minutes to fold laundry instead of 20 minutes!!!
• just roll with it, nothing is worth stressing over. Not formula vs breast milk, not where they sleep, not immunizations, no circumcision. Yes research make a choice based on whats best for you then STOP and don't compare your choice with someone elses... ( I learned this in Nebraska where I had so many friends and we all parented different and the judgement was at a minimum as long as the kids survived a play date we could still be friends ;)

okay i'm done just wanted to remember the thoughts I was having over my cup of tea!!!

Welcome....

                          Emmett Ryan Dotson

Emmett joined our family July 25 he was the smallest of the kids so far weighing 7 lbs 9 oz but was 21 inches long. 

Emmett is sooo laid back. He fits in the family well never complaining about our busy schedule.

He is a easy nurser and is already on a good schedule.

He likes to poop at least 12 times a day if not more, and as if to say "YES I am a BOY in a house full of girls"  it is never a quiet ordeal. This makes Ryan smile every time!

He sleeps very well waking up every 4 hours to eat which gives me plenty of sleep!!!

Emmett sneezes all the time always in twos, he gets pretty ticked when this happens!

The girls are adjusting.

They are struggling with their new roles.

I hope things calm down when school starts and we get in a routine again!!!

They do like to help!!!

Which is pretty awesome they like to put his laundry in the dirty clothes and diapers in the trash.

We just said goodbye to the last of our company, its hard to see family leave when we miss them soo much and it so special for them to celebrate our new son with us. Hopefully we see more of  them again soon....