Shake Your Booty!

Lately, this phrase has been coming out my 3.5 year old son's mouth at least five times a day. And, no, I didn't teach it to him. He has good timing, too, like in the middle of Sunday School, or when I am shopping at Ingles.

It's cute at first, and a little embarrassing for sure, but I guess he could be doing worse things, so for now I try to ignore it as much as I can, and hopefully... this too shall pass!

Thankful for Big Changes

It seems that this is the week of change at our house. Sometimes change is nice! 

Here are some of the changes taking place.

Chandler is officially wearing big boy underwear!
So, he's almost 3 1/2 years old, and "stubborn as a mule" as my Granny says. I finally took the plunge and just started putting him in underwear for good on Monday. After talking to several other moms of boys, I came to realize that Pull-Ups are just a gimmick to get us to spend more money. (I wish I had all that money back!) Maybe they work for some kids, but Chandler just used them as an excuse not to go use the potty. Now that he's wearing underwear, he has to stop what he is doing and go.

I've had to clean up some accidents, including one pee-pee accident on the couch the first day, and I've had to wash several loads of sheets and underwear, but I am proud to say that he has been dry for two days even during naps, overnight, and out on the town.


Chandler is getting a big boy bed.
On Monday I ordered a twin bed with a matching dresser and night stand which will be here tomorrow, and I purchased a brand new mattress set for Chandler's room. I took advantage of a sale going on at Hobby Lobby last week, as well as an awesome sale at Pottery Barn a few weeks ago, and I got him some of the cutest things for his nautical-themed room, which we are thankfully not having to repaint. I know he is going to love it! We have been telling him about his big boy bed, and he has been telling everyone he sees. We have also been using it as a kind of bribe for potty training. Is that horrible?

I found this idea on Pinterest, and we are going to try it out before we order expensive bed rails. Has anyone done this with little ones? I will let you know if they work, and I will definitely be posting pictures soon.


The master bathroom is getting a makeover.
Tomorrow morning Brent and I are putting on our work clothes and painting the master bathroom while Chandler goes and spends some time with Nana. We are also updating the light fixture and mirror (another Pinterest project!), and the yucky hard-to-clean shower door is being replaced by a pretty curtain. I took advantage of a sale and some Kohl's cash and got some new towels and candles, too. I'm pretty excited about this much needed update. I just wish we had the money to pay someone else to do it!


The master bedroom got some upgrades, too. 
On the same day I got all the bath items on sale at Kohl's, I found some discontinued pillows and shams on sale that match my already existing comforter. It's nice to have something new and simple to freshen up the room. My favorite part? Brent has actually made the bed each day this week! Look for before and after photos soon.


Brent will be working less overtime
We may miss the extra money to a certain extent, especially since it's almost back to school time for me,  but I couldn't be more excited that he is going to be home with us more, at least for a little while. Chandler and I both need him.




 

The Top 10 Things NOT to Say to Someone Who Had a Miscarriage

Since I just experienced my 7th miscarriage about a week and a half ago, I consider myself somewhat of an expert at this. Never would I have dreamed that Brent and I would face such heartbreaking trials, but going through them has definitely changed me, and I think they have made me stronger as well. My hope and prayer is that I can help someone else in some way by sharing my own experiences. 

So, here we go. Here are some actual comments that were made to me at some point during our journey. If you are the one who said it, or you have ever said something similar to me or someone else, don't feel bad. I am okay, I promise. Just keep it in mind if you are ever in the same situation with someone again, whether they have had one miscarriage or ten, that you are treading on tender ground when you speak to them on this issue.  

1. Well, you can always try to have another baby!  
       While this is true in most cases, it really is a stab in an already wounded heart. When a woman
       miscarries a baby, she yearns for THAT baby. Yes, most women who have a miscarriage are 
       able to move on after a few weeks or months of grieving. However, there is a lot of "secret" 
       emotional baggage that comes along with a miscarriage, not only for the woman who obviously
       goes through both physical and emotional turmoil, but for her husband, too. It can even extend 
       out to other family members to some extent. The general public never hears about or understands
       the roller coaster ride of emotions that a miscarriage can bring. No matter how many
       miscarriages a woman experiences, and whether she has another baby or not, she never forgets
       each and every lost baby. 

2. You could always JUST adopt!
    This is also true, but take the JUST part out of it. If you or anyone you know has ever gone  
      through the adoption process, you know it's not as easy as it sounds. It requires a lot of time,
      money, commitment, and paperwork, not to mention the potential for additional heartbreak if
      an adoption fails. While I believe that adoption is a wonderful choice, and it is now on our radar, 
      it is certainly not the easy way out. Adoption may be right for one family and not another. Each 
      family must make that decision for themselves.

3. At least you have one child (or more) already!
    I think this is the one that bothers me the most. Yes, I am so thankful to God for my sweet little
      boy. He is a miracle and a gift. I love him more than words can express. However, having him 
      does not take away all the pain of having miscarriages. I don't care if a woman has ten children. 
      If she miscarries one, her heart is going to ache for THAT child that she lost. 

4. You are not alone. It happens all the time.
    Again, this is also true. However, when a woman is experiencing a miscarriage, she often
      feels like she is alone, even if she has the love and support of her family and friends. In my case,
      I have found the most comfort from others who have gone through trials of their own, varying
      from miscarriage, to infertility, to cancer.

 5. You'll feel better if you talk about it.
     I am pretty open about my experience. I don't mind talking about it. My hope is that my story  
       can help someone else. I have found comfort in talking to my husband, mom, mother-in-law, 
       and a few friends. However, some women may prefer to keep their feelings private. I think  
       it should be the decision of the woman who has experienced it, and not someone else. Don't push
       the issue. If a woman wants to talk about it, she will.

6. Not talking about it will help you forget about it.
    This goes in the exact opposite direction as #5, and it is completely false. Whether a woman 
      decides to talk about it or not, and whether or not she has other children (biologically or adopted)
      she will never forget a miscarriage, and if she has had more than one, she will remember each
      of them. Yes, the pain gets more bearable as time goes on, and it doesn't sting quite as much, but 
      I guarantee she thinks about it, sometimes more than others.

7. Why do you keep trying?
    This applies mainly to women who have had multiple miscarriages. When people have said this 
      to me, it has usually come along with a comment similar to the one in #3 above. In my case, I had
      4 miscarriages before I found out what was happening (two before having my son, and two after).
      I have a genetic issue called Robertsonian translocation.  I am fortunate in this aspect, because 
      many women who have  suffered multiple miscarriages never know why. In the past, I have   
      chosen to keep trying because my genetic counselor and my doctor both agree that it is safe to
      continue trying. My chances of having another healthy, full-term baby are very good, but my    
      chance of miscarriage is also much higher than that of most women. Basically, in my opinion, 
      it's no one's business but the couple who is trying to conceive unless it's life threatening.

8. Are you trying/going to try again?
    This is no one's business but the couple and maybe her doctor. If a woman wants you to know, 
      then she will tell you. A woman may not even know what she wants to do, especially right
      after a miscarriage when hormones and emotions are still all over the place.  In my opinion
      this question is never appropriate, whether a woman has had a miscarriage or not. Yes, I have  
      discussed this issue with a few people, but only because I chose to (they didn't ask), and only    
      because I trusted them. It's not something I talk about freely with just anyone.
      
     
 9. Does it make you jealous to see other women who are pregnant?
     In my case, this has never been true. Yes, my heart aches sometimes, especially if someone is 
       pregnant with a baby or has a baby that would have been about the same age as mine, but I have
       never been jealous. I would never wish for anyone to have to go through the pain and loss that I 
       have endured, and I always rejoice with others when they have beautiful, healthy babies. They 
       are all sweet blessings from God. I have several friends who have multiple children, and I am
       truly happy for them. 

10. You work with kids all the time anyway. I'm sure that helps.
      Okay, so this is one I hear because I am a teacher. It doesn't apply to everyone. While I do work 
         with children, and I do love it, it will never replace the ache I have in my heart
         for the babies that I have lost. It would be like saying to a chef, "Well, you cooked lots of food 
         today for others, so I guess you aren't hungry!". 


  

Honestly, the best thing you can do for someone who has suffered a miscarriage

is to pray for them and ask them if there is anything they need.

Some women want to be around others, and some don't. 

Some women want to talk about it, and some don't. 

Take her lead in all circumstances,

and most of all, 

be her friend.

I hope you have found this helpful!

  

Just a Simple Morning

Here we are, in the fifth week of summer vacation. We've been super busy almost everyday (more on that later). This morning, for the first time all summer, Chandler and I slept late and haven't rushed out the door to go anywhere. We are on our own time schedule- not someone else's. We are both still in our pajamas and we've been watching "The Little Engine That Could". Now he's playing on the floor with his cars, making all the car noises that little boys make, and I am taking it all in.

These are the moments that help me remember how thankful I am for the precious gift that God has given me. Being Chandler's mom is one of the best things that has ever happened to me. He was prayed for, and God answered that prayer in a greater way than I could have ever dreamed.

Thankful Thursday

With almost two weeks of summer vacation already behind me (YIKES!), I feel like I have been on the go, go, go almost constantly. I am certainly having a blast, and I am loving being at home with my sweet little man! Here are some things I have been doing that I am very thankful for.


A Weekend Away
Last Friday around lunch, Brent and I packed up the truck and headed to Pigeon Forge. It was nice to have some time together without Chandler. We love him very dearly, but we have also learned that it's important to have time away together away from him occasionally. It makes us better parents.  We got half price tickets to Dollywood thanks to the Stone Mountain membership passes that were issued to us for FREE from Brent's work this past year, and we took advantage of the "arrive after 3:00 p.m. and get the next day free" offer at the Dollywood park, so we saved tons of money and had a lot of fun at the same time. You just can't beat that!

 Jazzercise 
I tried walking and jogging (too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter, plus the jogging stroller and I didn't always get along), I tried the gym (I didn't like working out with men- no offense!), and I tried DVDs at home (it was hard to get motivated at 5:00 a.m. or 9:00 a.m. - the only times I could complete the routines without interruption), so I went back to Jazzercise about 6 months ago. I got an offer I couldn't refuse, and I am so glad that I went back. I need the accountability, and I love the encouragement and energy that the instructors and customers share with each other. I go 3-5 times per week, and I feel better than I have in a long time. I also appreciate that Chandler can go with me. He loves to stand at the childcare window and watch, and his impressions of my exercises later at home are quite entertaining! 

Swim Camp
My little man may be a dare devil on land, but the pool certainly isn't part of his comfort zone yet. As one of the youngest in his swim camp class this week, I hope he is learning from the other kids that it's okay (and even fun) to play in the water. I love how Coach John pushes him to do more than he thinks he can. I know he'll get it one day, and if he's anything like his Daddy, it will probably be coming very soon and I'll wish these sweet, innocent days were back. 

        

                                                        Linking up this week with...

 

Facing My Fears

It seems that everywhere I turn lately, 

God is reminding me that I must stand up and face my fears. 

It was part of my morning devotion one day last week, 

and it was the focus of Sunday morning's message at church.

What do I have to fear, you ask?

Well, there are all of the normal things that lots of others fear, like roller coasters and mice, 

and I don't care too much for Atlanta traffic, either,

but there is one big thing in my life that scares me the most-

Babies.

Now, before you think I am crazy, no I do not have a fear of babies themselves. 

In fact, I think babies are wonderful. 

Honestly, I can't believe that my little man is no longer

a baby, and I certainly adore 

holding other people's babies. 

They are so cuddly and adorable.

I still get very excited when I find out

that someone I am close to is having a baby. 

Babies are a gift from God. I know that as a fact. 

His Word not only tells us that,

but it is evident to anyone who has the blessing of being around

one or raising one. 

So, what scares me about babies, you ask? 

It scares me that Chandler might be the only baby I ever have.

Yes, I am very thankful to have him in my life.

He is a precious gift from God, 

and I enjoy being with him. 

It's a blessing to be his mama,

but it honestly scares me that he might be an only child.

It's not that I have anything against only children,

I know several- both children and adults, 

and most of them have turned out fine.

It's not that I am not thankful for the little one I have,

because I truly am. 

It's not that I won't be okay if I don't have another child, 

because I know I will be.

Life will go on, 

and God will continue to bless me

if I allow Him to.

 

I am very happy with the family God has given me. 

It's just that it breaks my heart

that it may have to be this way,

and that is not what I wanted.

It's not how my "ever after" was supposed to be.

If there is one thing that having multiple miscarriages

has taught me, 

it's that my plans are only that- plans.

 

God is the one who is ultimately in control,

and more and more each day I must learn to lean on Him.

His will and way is perfect, and mine is not.

I must remember to praise Him no matter

what His plans are for me and my family,

even if that means that my family is already complete.

 

 

 

Playing With My Son

This afternoon, I put everything down and played with my son. Yes, I had lots of other things that I could have been doing. It is the last week of school and things are very hectic. I had paperwork to do, award certificates to sign, and grades to post, but I decided those things could wait until after his bedtime. My little boy is only little once.

We went to his favorite place...outside. We threw the football, we ran in the grass, and we used our imaginations as we laughed and played together. I loved every minute of it!

I watched him later as he played in the bathtub, and again as we cuddled on the couch, his chin resting on both of his little hands, and I thanked God again for this precious gift that He has given me. I don't ever want to take him for granted, not even when the times are tough.