you know you've been working a lot when...

10) Your wife can't find any pictures, from the last two months, of you and the kids together to put on her blog...save one!

9) Your daugther brings the phone to Mama asking to talk to "her Papa"

8) You can count the # of days that you have been home in the last month on one hand

7) the neighbor boys end up mowing your lawn for you

6) no one at church even bats an eye when they see your wife and kids there without you

5) your mom calls and asks your wife if she is getting lonely and bored without you

4) your wife schedules an appointment for an ultrasound and forgets to tell you about it...she invites your mom, instead

3) your daughter cries and says, "no work, Papa" when you go to put on pants the same color as your work pants

2) your daughter tells all the boys at sunday school that they can't play with the dolls- they have to go to work

But, the # 1 way that you know you've been working a lot, lately, is...

that your daughter calls you up and asks if you would like to come over and play with her and Jackson and Mommy tomorrow!

Korey has been working a lot in the last 3 months and I don't think that I even realized just how much until a few days ago when Hailey did call up Korey and ask him to come over and play! We've all missed him a lot and are hoping that God answers our prayers and keeps the storms away and our Daddy home for a while!

10 months

and still going strong!

I just love this little guy!

You may or may not remember that when he was born we picked out a verse for him and it was Psalm 4:7a, it says, "You have put more joy in my heart"

Little did I know how fitting this verse would be for this little man, but it definitely fits him to a T! I don't think a day goes by that I don't thank God for him or laugh at some silly antic that he is doing or giggle at the new "situation" he has gotten himself into. He not only has added more joy to my heart- he has added it to our whole family's heart!

It does a body good to hang out with Jackson for a few minutes (or a whole day, if you're lucky enough to be his mommy), 'cause rarely will you come accross a baby so happy and so carefree and so willing to share his smiles with you! Plus, the kid is just so cuddly how can you not wanna just pick him up and give him a squeeze??

Hailey and Jackson 101

There are so many times that I've wished that my kids had come with an instruction manual and I'm sure these two in my womb aren't going to be any different! Why is it that kids are all so different and that we have the hardest time figuring out what makes them "tick" and how to motivate them and what the best way to discipline each one is?? Those are a few questions that I'm just gonna have to put on my list for when I get to heaven...if I even care about it anymore by that point! ;) Lord willing, by then I'll have figured them out, made a bunch of disciplining mistakes, motivated them the wrong ways and done as much as I could possibly do with the tools that the Lord has given me.

Someone once told me that Korey and I are the perfect parent's for our children and that God placed them specifically in our family, because they needed to be raised just how we were going to do it...but, there are times where I honestly wonder what God was thinking! I feel completely and utterly unequipped with how to deal with the two children I have, let alone throw 2 more in the mix! I feel like I loose my patience too quickly, I don't say I love you enough, snuggletime and book reading time are often last on my list of things I'd like to be doing at that minute, I forget to pray before we eat, I don't always want to read Hailey's bible story at the breakfast table, I get irritated when I have two little tag a longs in the shower and tonight I let my daughter cry so hard she threw up all over me when I finally went and got her out of her bed!

What makes me qualified to be the mom to these four babies that I've been given??

I guess, the only answer to that question is- NOTHING!! I am not qualified for anything. I am a sinful, hateful, evil human being with no good qualities on my own and apart from God I would not be a good Mom at all! Good thing that God promises to supply us with all that we need for "life and godliness"! I'm feeling a little tired and overhwelmed today and I'm definitely clinging to that fact...and to the fact that no matter what life throws at me God already has, in place, the grace that I need to meet and conquer that situation!

(and, good thing these two sweet babies have their Grandma K and their Nani to pray for them, to love them, and to give their mom a break) :)