Tons of pics of Mexico - September 2010

WARNING - This is what happens if you drink too much Tequila in Mexico

A week in Rocky Point - Javier was just promoted to Senior Manager of AZ for his company right before the trip, so he had to return to work for a few days and then drive back to join us the last few days. Our wonderful friend from Mexico, took a bus to meet us there and help me for the week. Her son joined us the last 2 days also. It was so nice to relax, make memories and have silly times with Daddy. Javier and I even got a date night to go into town for tacos and ice cream while Socorro and her 22 yr old son took care of the kids!

Our dancing girl at the beach party

Our son Ephrem always thinks he is funny telling us he is with us for dinner or parties or whatever, so we thought we would "bring" him to Mexico. He got a kick out of it.

Awwww - look at my 3 little sausages taking a nap together.

Jameson with our friend Socorro

Pregnancy Update

This last trimester has been hard. I have had pain and issues (mostly due to this being my 7th full pregnancy) which put me on bed rest for a while, not for the baby's safety, but because without it, the pain and pressure were too extreme and I couldn't walk or do much if I didn't lay on my side. I have also been nauseous and vomiting this last trimester - something I have never experienced this late with my other pregnancies. I have also had 2 long nights of contractions ending at 1:30 Am and 4:00 Am :(.

I pretty much gave up on the bed rest a few weeks ago when kids started getting sick. Joanna had terrible hives and stomach pain for a week, then one by one, all the kids started getting sore throats, fevers, lost voice, coughing and congestion. Now Jameson and I have it and Joanna is sick again. The baby is due in 1 week and we are praying that we can bring it home to a healthy family and I am getting nervous about being sick and hacking while trying to deliver - especially since I need to be at full strength to deliver naturally.

Just yesterday morning, I was sitting discouraged in my closet and I thought of Julia's Bible verse, "In me, you shall have peace" and then I immediately thought of the song that says, "Come undone, surrender is stronger" - Until then, I kept trying to figure out the whole birth in my head. I want control. I want to induce so I can be done with the pain, but pitocin w/out an epidural is brutal, so then I was thinking to have the doc strip my membranes, but now that plan is off because I am sick. I get obsessed thinking about it because Jameson was born about 20 minutes after my water broke, so I wonder how I would make it to the hospital and have the kids taken care of if my water broke at home. So you can see how I can spiral into being obsessed with trying to take control. I need to just come before my Father, knowing His plans are far better and higher than mine and surrender this to Him daily. I need to rest in Him and abide in Him and His word and I will have peace.

On a lighter note, I have been 2 cm dilated for almost 3 weeks and the head is super low. I have gained 24 pounds so far. We (mostly Janae) have been cooking some 12 dozen meatballs and dozens of muffins ahead for when the baby comes (I must confess, I have already eaten most of the muffins :0). We are really nesting and getting things off our "to-do" list, which always feels good.

Baby Bump at 32/33 weeks (this is for you Rachel)

Sneak Peek

I have been so bad at blogging, but here is a sneak peek of what we did the week of Labor Day. Of course I have many more pictures of our trip that I want to post, but here are a few of the highlights.

My handsome boy and chicken love

I think he is going to be a golfer like his daddy.

Joanna still loves her chicken "Slushy"

Incredible!

Today we got to see our baby in a 3D and 4D ultrasound. Wow - it was so amazing to watch it move and open its mouth and try to suck its thumb. Once it even scrunched its eyebrows and scowled. We were so thankful for this opportunity. A fellow adoptive mom asked if we would be interested in being a part of a "sanctity of life" calendar. It shows baby before and after birth, and is used for fundraisers for pro-life organizations like Crisis Pregnancy Centers etc. We of course were excited to have our baby be a part of this since we are so passionate about children, born and unborn alike and we probably never would have gotten one of these ultrasounds if we had to pay. Did you see the little foot up by the head in the first picture? And the sweetie ready to pop its thumb in its mouth in the second picture? It has hair and big lips - like our babies always have. What a treat! Thank you so much Harmony!

Pregnancy update

That little sweetie doesn't know that soon he won't be the baby anymore. I have about 12 1/2 weeks left. I am not sure whether to celebrate or cry :). Pregnancy is hard on me, especially trimesters 1 and 3, so I am always anxious for it to be over. I also LOVE giving birth - so if it was up to me, I would just skip to the end. In my opinion, there is NOTHING better - birth and snuggling/smelling my newborns. On the other hand, I have 3 toddlers or should I say "tornadoes"! I will have 4 kids that are 3 and under. I am guessing I will still have 4 in diapers - even though Jeremiah and Josiah do great potty training as long as they are nak*d. So YES - I am scared. I am already exhausted - so it will be overwhelming. My sanity and peace comes in knowing that my joy does not come from my circumstances. I must preach the truth daily to myself that my joy is in Christ alone and that the diapers, messes and tiredness are circumstances that will pass. My joy is in loving Christ and the GREAT mercy and grace he has shown me. I am a sinner that deserves nothing short of God's wrath, yet He has never ending love and grace to give me that I do not deserve. These children are jewels in my crown, gifts, blessings, not burdens and I will rejoice in the children He has chosen to bless me with - oh yes - and I will rejoice in caffeine too :) J/K

Julia's surgery

Yesterday Julia had surgery to get her tonsils and adenoids out. My mom stayed with all the other kids all day and then traded shifts with me after dinner and stayed the night with her. She was released this morning. She has been a trooper.

Here is the update I sent a friend last night:

It went well. She had a much harder time than I thought with the pain when she first woke up and at that time I was by myself with her and my tears were running, not being able to do anything – thinking I have to stop crying so she will stop crying. Then once they gave her a narcotic – things were great the rest of the time and actually she was hilarious – we all got some good laughs from her dopey, repetitive questions. Now Grandma took over and Janae went to visit and they were having so much fun together that I let Janae stay the night too so they could have a slumber party. They were getting all the ice cream and treats they wanted and movies and board games. Julia kept asking where Janae was when she was loopy – so it was sweet and I think just was so comforted to be with her. It is good for Janae too, who needs breaks just to be a kid and have fun because she is all too serious much of the time and has so many responsibilities.
Thanks for the prayers – I kept thinking “God is perfectly good even if she doesn’t wake up – but please Lord, let her wake up!"

We are thankful for our Jules and are really hoping this surgery will help her breathing and sleeping - so that she will be able to feel rested and refreshed after a night's sleep for the first time in probably 8 years.