Walking

It's official. The week of a step here and there is now full on walking.





Watch out Mama here I come!

Trevor is 6

I'm really behind on this post. A day after Trevor's birthday, February 16th, I went downhill fast. Highest fever I've had in years. Aches, chills, sweats, horrible headache. Ugh! I was miserable. Unfortunately the miserableness made it's way through the entire household. I think and PRAY that we are all almost through this nasty flu bug and can resume normal life next week.

Back to my boy Trevor.




My baby boy is not so little anymore :(


Last week Trevor turned SIX!


He is such an amazing little boy. Smart, caring, funny, handsome, athletic, imaginative, talkative. Trevor has taken a real interest in knowing God's word this year. It's been encouraging to hear him talk and get excited about things of the Lord.

I love this kid! Alexie loves him too. She adores Trevor and finds him quite entertaining. Just a few weeks ago Trevor was the first person, other than myself, to make Lexie laugh. Trevor has always had a way with the little ones and it's warmed my heart to see him use his gift on his littlest sister.





This has been the year of football for Trevor. Turning six, for him, meant Dad & Mom would sign him up for flag football. Here he is showing me some moves :)







I don't know much about football but I think he's got "star quarterback" all over his face :)


Buddy your mommy loves you so, so, much. I pray that God would save you. I pray that we can take all that passion, energy and leadership capabilities you have and train you how to use it all for God's glory and His kingdom!

Happy Birthday!

Taylor's Fashion Design Experience

For Christmas Taylor received two gift cards to Fashion Playtes. If you have a little girl who dreams up designing her own clothes THIS is the place to send her. It's genius. They can pick the style, color, add in appliques, roses, ribbons ect. They also offer doll clothes that you can make to match. Taylor was quite excited for this and declares it one of her best Christmas presents ever! The dresses arrived last week and she's worn it pretty much every day since :) Oh and she designed the matching headband as well!









Be sure to check out Fashion Playtes for all the little girls in your life!

My Three Month Beauty

She melts my heart!

A Hospital Trip

Last weekend we had our first hospital trip with one of our kids. I'm not sure how we've escaped the ER this long but we have. On a Monday Trevor woke up with a fever and a bad cough. I tried to keep him away from Alexie but to no avail. He ended up coughing right on her face and, in a not so happy with him tone, I said, "Son if she gets what you get she'll end up in the hospital! Stay away please!" Tuesday Rylee was down, Thursday Taylor and by Thursday night Lexie was going down too. Friday morning she woke up completely stuffed up, watery eyes and a bad cough. Mid morning she had this coughing fit that lasted over ten minutes. I ended up calling Chris in tears unsure of how to get her to stop. We stood in the steamy bathroom with her coughing non-stop, crying and turning red. Chris called our Dr. to see at what point we should bring her in. They said right now. So off I went before lunchtime to the Dr. At first check her oxygen levels were low but improved as we sat her up more. The Dr. came in and said her lungs are clear but she wasn't liking what she seeing. She was kind and said something to the effect of I realize I'm sending a mother of four to the ER and this isn't going to be easy but I think it's best. I called Chris and both of us agreed with our kids sick we couldn't ask anyone to stay with them. So off I went by myself to the pediatric ER that's nearby.

Our Dr. had called ahead so I was able to bypass the waiting and went straight to a room. From there things happened fast. She was due to eat again and crying from hunger but was told I couldn't feed her because they had to do a series of tests on her one was suctioning out her nose and chest. It could make her throw up so it was best to not put anything into her stomach until they were done. The nurse came in with the machines and mentioned something about blood. I was already feeling faint from not eating all day so I made the hard decision of leaving the room while they worked on her. I knew it would be a long day and I had to stay strong. Not sure what good that did though as I was in tears outside her room hearing the machine and her cries. I prayed and thought of every mom I've known or read about who has gone through so much more then this one moment with their child and I thanked God for their faith and knew that God was near. As I went back in with my baby they had her hooked up to oxygen. They got a lot out and I could tell she was breathing better. Poor thing looked so exhausted. Her already red eyes from her angel kisses were even redder. I went to feed her and she refused. To traumatized. More crying, chest x-ray, eventually she crashed in my arms and slept for over an hour. Upon waking she was ready to eat.

I'm grateful for my friends that came to support, pray and even distract me during the waiting. Thank Deb, Janelle & Megan. Deb has nursing experience and Janelle is a nurse so it was so helpful having their knowledge in the room. Megan is one of those moms in the background of my mind that I mentioned early. She knows what it's like to actually lose a child. Her faith is AMAZING. It was helpful having her there too.

The preliminary tests for RSV and pneumonia came back negative. Praise God and it was determined she had Bronchiolitis. The doctor thought it best to keep her overnight for observation.

That night was long. I spent the majority of it watching her oxygen levels as she needed to stay above a 92% in order to not be hooked up to oxygen again. I'd watch it go from 100%, 95%, 92%, 90% *alarm goes off, then she'd go back up. She slept pretty decent through it all. I, not so much. There were poor babies crying throughout the night and their alarms going off. So I spent most of the early night hours praying for them and their mommies. At her midnight feeding she spiked a fever and I began praying for Lexie to get better. We woke in the morning with more stuffiness but I could tell she was feeling better. Her fever was gone and she made it through the night without needing oxygen. Hopes for home set in. After another round of suctioning, the Dr. came in and released us to recover at home. Praise God!

I'm so grateful for all the prayers that were lifted up for us! We praise God for his healing and I can say now a week later she is so much better. With all the kids finally well I guess it's my turn to be sick :) I'm grateful for the health I had to care for my kids while they were down. Time to go get some more movies!

We Call Her Linus

Rylee is quite the piano genius. This past year she will sit down, make up a song on the piano, name it and remember it days later. It's a beautiful thing. She wrote a song for Alexie and EVERYTIME she starts crying she plays her song "Baby Sleeping". With blue blankie always by her side, we call her Linus.

To God From Trevor

Found this while cleaning up the school room this week. Precious.



*click on the picture to view larger

6 Weeks

Oh how I love her.

"Look Mom"

"Look Mom!" That's what I hear while talking with some friends at our PE co-op. I look over and there's Trevor riding a two wheel bike on the basketball court.

"Buddy when did you learn how to ride a bike?!?"

I don't know I guess I got off easy with this child. He just sat on the bike and off he went. Starting, stopping, & turning. I can't say I'm surprised as he's my athletic one.

We came home and he told Chris that he could ride a bike now and he wanted his training wheels off. I was a little nervous cause his bike at home is a bit bigger then the one he was riding at PE but sure enough off he went like it's something he's been doing his whole life.





As he was riding around the street he kept saying "God has given me a gift! A gift of balance!" So sweet :) I think I know what we are going to be doing during these final days of decent weather!

Trick or Treat

This year we spent some time trick or treating with our neighbors! It was lots of fun seeing all the kids dressed up and their wide eyes when candy was poured into their bag :) Although we can't and don't support halloween and what it stands for, we do enjoy decorating pumpkins and taking the opportunity to build relationships with our neighbors. I mean really how often can you go door to door with your kids, meet your neighbors (I even got some phone numbers & e-mails) and have that not be weird!


Look at all my candy!!


Costumes in Action :)


these little ones were precious... two different grandma's bought the same bee costume for their granddaughters, who happen to be next door neighbors :)


"H" wanted to be in front directing everyone for our group picture



mom got her to move :)

Sleep

We put our kids in their beds every night. But sometimes they don't stay there...



Ok so by "they" I mean one small boy. If we're in our rooms he'll fall asleep by our door and if we're downstairs he'll pitch his bed at the top of the stairs.



Ah, little buddy. Why in the world do you have such trouble sleeping?!


Wait what's this over here next to you...



nevermind.

Mrs. Boomsma

You may remember this post back in April. Well Saturday our dear friend Andrea tied the knot! Our kids were privileged to have been asked to be in the wedding. They had so much fun getting ready and opening their play bags Andrea had created for them (which was awesome Andrea). Andrea was the most beautiful bride I've seen in awhile. She was glowing inside & out! Their wedding was full of creative touches. Her husband Zach is a gifted musician and wrote music for the processional and their first dance. You should've seen all the girls while Andrea danced with Zach to the song he wrote. Not a dry eye in the room :)

Andrea, it was very evident as I looked out at ALL the people who were in attendance at your wedding how deeply you've affected so many. Including our family. You have served with your WHOLE heart during your single years! What an example you are and what a blessed man Zach is to have you as his wife.

Here's some pictures of the kids getting ready to make their big walk down the aisle.

I just love these shots of them playing. There were so many I had to throw a few together!


Taylor getting ready


Andrea had picked out these awesome bow-ties for the boys. I believe Trev is trying to negotiate here with Ms. Andrea. But Ms. Andrea is no stranger to Trevor's ways and she ends up winning :)




He looked like such a stud too


Janelle came in to say hi... ah two of my favorite people :)


The coveted basket. Rylee took her job seriously, throwing those flowers every which way. When the ceremony was over she insisted on going back down the aisle and picking them all up :)


Taylor was just a baby when Andrea first started baby-sitting her.

The ring. I wasn't so sure about this but was assured it would be fine. Trevor had the ring in his pocket and His job was to walk it down the aisle and give it to Zach in exchange for candy. A pretty fair trade for a kid. I was a little nervous of a repeat of this last wedding but as you can see the promise of candy did the trick. That and my repeating, "Trevor don't fall this time ok?" over and over to him.







The girls made it too just in case you were wondering... but you usually don't have to worry about them :)


We love you Mrs. B!

*props to my friend Ruth who made cake :)