Christmas 2013

We stuck with our usual tradition of Christmas Eve at Mike's parents.  

The kids opened their gifts... Lily was excited about her rain coat and rain boots.
I always appreciate that they are quick to give "practical" but still fun gifts!  :) 

 Peter got a wood working kit but then was found reading his new book after the gift wrap settled.

"The kids" all gave Goo and Pop pictures we'd had taken of the grandkids/cousins. :) 

 Our kids got each of the grandparents a small gift.... Pop's gift from Lily was radishes.  :)

 And a little story book watching and snuggling...

We love having them come with us to our 4pm "Family Service" each year.  It is really one of my favorite services of the year.  Love the simplicity and profoundness of it.

And it has to be noted that Kathy and Ski were VERY generous to host us and our Moroccan friends (parents & 3 boys!) for dinner after church.  I didn't take a single pic but it was lovely. 

I feel convicted about how little I really share with them about the profound and life changing thing we celebrate at Christmas. 

And I couldn't help but also be overcome with the gift of another baby this Advent.  I so distinctly remember thinking on Advent the year after our first miscarriage (2011) and the anticipation, wonder, wait, and uncertainty, but HOPE (not certain hope that He'd give us another one, but knowing that either way, our HOPE is certain because He came).  And last year, the sense of acceptance of His good will for us.

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Christmas morning at our house was fun!  Peter had a couple mornings in a row this past week that he slept until 7:15 or 7:30.  WRITE IT DOWN!  He is our early bird no matter what we've tried.  His usual time is 5:30 or 6.  He stays in his room but he is up early.  So I think Christmas morning (of all days!) was one that he slept in.  But Mike and I had to make coffee so we had them stay upstairs til 7:30.  

 Peter is easy to please in the gift department.  

He shouted a teenage "awwesome!" at every little gift.

 Lily got the "pink bunny" that she requested and named her "Rose Jewelry".

Peter got his requested "Jake & the Neverland Pirate Ship".  He and Lily have spent hours and hours pretending with it.  And as I've said, I think this may be one of my most favorite aspects of kids in the house.  Their little voices of pretend play and imagination makes me happy!

 We had "bun rolls" and fruit for breakfast.

 Mike's parents stopped for coffee and a visit before heading to church.

Hugs for Daddy.  

Another happiness pic... Lily's tutu/hairbow (such fun & joy for her) and Peter's "belt" (he nearly always has one on "to hold a sword").

 We went to my parents and opened our "3rd grandparent" set of gifts from NeeNee.  Nearly every gift opening session this year, I hardly knew what they got b/c they are so fast at plowing through it!

 Yes, fake fingernails from Nee Nee!  :)

 Fun with Grace!

 And finally, gifts from Maw and Paw.  (At this point, I'm in a daze!)

 Some reading time with Uncle Henry

 Peter was so exhausted he feel asleep like this the day after Christmas and then napped for 3 hours!!

Merry Christmas!

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law (hallelujah!), so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Galatians 4: 4-5

First Day of Break

Peter was out of commission through yesterday.  But still some good snuggles.

And note the Peter Pan costume.  I love it.

We could tell he was coming around last night so there was time for the start of a last minute craft.  I have been thinking I really miss doing things at the dining room table (or little black table) with them.  I really loved going thru the alphabet with them.  It felt like a reasonable "curriculum" that gave us something easy and structured to do without having to come up with something regularly.

So these few minutes were a good refill for me.  Hopefully, there will be more "school" or crafting over break.  I really just want to sit and hang out with them over crafts and "school" and hope they are agreeable.... that's the tricky part.  ;)

Peter was feeling like his normal self today, so after baths to wash away the germs and crusties, he just wanted to play with Lily in his room.  I looked in from the hallway and saw this... oh, my heart.  Their two little heads peeking out... & now big bodies packed into the little tent together to play a game and read a book.  

And note that Lily set the tent up on top of her pink blanket.  Details.

These are the moments that I am in love with this joy of little kids.

The Pop UP Puzzle game and a Berenstain Bears book inside.  :)

 Peter had speech and then we went for a quick little trip to the grocery store.  

Lily had to sit in the cart with Peter.  I think they've missed each other so much, that they were both thrilled with the closeness.  :)  And I thoroughly enjoyed it too.

Oh, I love them and I'm glad they like each other.

Peter had his yellow belt testing later today.  Mike had the idea for us to go out to eat afterwards to celebrate (which we never do).  Sounded fun.  Peter wanted cheese pizza in front of the TV (like father, like son) but I convinced him we should go to Johnny Rockets (beside TKD) to get milkshakes with dinner.  It was a bit of a flop.  Everyone was tired.  The kids didn't really eat their food.  We were all just done.

But still a fun day to spend with the kids!

Abundance!

So much wonderful going on!

*  Our oldest little man has been sick since Wed.  He came home early from school.

He's sad looking but its been nice to have the extra time with him.  

We have the best grandparents though!  My mom was here on Wed to help so I could continue the normal schedule of running around for various pick ups and last minute Christmas errands for teachers, etc.

*  We had our 20 WEEK ULTRASOUND yesterday!  

I was SO giddy and excited beforehand (with a little sobriety mixed in occasionally).

Everything looked good.  We saw boy parts for the first time on U/S.  And how fun and real to see him moving around and all of those individual bones... vertebrae, little pigs, arm and leg bones.  :)  In the room waiting, I said to Mike that I am still shocked that we are sitting here, doing this.  I just didn't see it or think it was our story.  Thank you, Lord!  I am so thrilled.  We also talked about talks we'll be able to have with our kids when they are teenagers.  :)

So that Mike and I could be there together, Goo took Lily to dance and Pop stayed at home with sick Peter.  We are so so blessed with & thankful for awesome grandparents!

*  Lily has been such a sweet little helper with Peter being sick. She gets tissues, draws pics for him, adds random things to his stocking, and offers Peter candy from her preschool party.

Goo came over to stay with him so that I could go in for her party today.  Which was really sweet since it'll be our last preschool *Christmas* party for a few years.

She was also excited to see "pictures" of her little brother this week.

{She was so meticulous and *neat* in decorating her gingerbread house... ah, boys and girls!}

*  Its the start of Christmas break!  Woohoo!  In a few days, I'm sure I'll be sick of being home.  But I am looking forward to some slower days of being together with the kids (& Mike!) to connect more & get my finger a little more on the pulse of how everyone is doing.

Handsome

This picture of Peter came home from school for my "Holiday" gift.  

The quality/white balance (like I really know what that is... but it sounds right) is off.

But the picture of Peter is just so great.  I love those tightly closed lips.  And the confidence, maturity, and friendliness in him.  We've come so far!

First Appointment & Details

We had our first appointment with this baby pregnancy in early Oct.  I was 9 weeks along.

I'd delayed our appointment a little because there was a big anniversary weekend at church.  I really wanted to attend and celebrate.  And I didn't want the possibility of it being marked by grief.  Mentally, there were also three "fun" things to do in the days after my appointment, that I was really looking forward to and would be so sad to miss... a YL banquet- then we always go out with friends afterwards, a dinner update with a missionary OB-GYN from our church who works in Kenya, and (less exciting) Lily's class trip to the pumpkin patch (I think they asked me to go after I was trying to avoid it?).  

Another fortunate thing is that I ended up going to a different hospital than the one I've always gone to, and worked at.  My usual office didn't have an appointment time that worked.  So they offered that I go to their other location.  And it hit me that that would be a wonderful thing to not have to walk into that same room I'd walked into twice before.  

So Mike obviously came with me to the appointment.  I told him that he was walking every.single.step with me into that office, not meeting me there, not dropping me off, etc.

We ended up waiting a loooooong time (to the tune of 1.5 hours maybe) to go back.  

I was nervous but ready to know.  And mostly that morning, I felt fairly relaxed or maybe just happy to spend some extra time sitting with Mike.

Immediately at the start of the ultrasound, the tech was very gracious and quickly said 

"Good News!  The heartbeat is great!"

WOW!  Tears of joy and relief and astonishment!

The heart rate (160) was so significantly high that it was wonderful & didn't leave much room for worry.  A few other findings that has been concerning in the last pregnancy were not true this time around, which gave reassurance.

We met with the doctor & I had some lab work.  It ended up being a long morning and Mike got to go pick Lily up from preschool (maybe first time ever so a treat for her!).  It was a warm, gorgeous, sunny 70 degree day!  The three of us went to lunch to celebrate and ate outside.  It doesn't sounds so exciting to write it out, but it just stands out to me as a wonderful day of such JOY and SHOCK and AMAZEMENT!  The bright sunshine, a lunch date outside with my sweet family, and good news to celebrate!

The next few days were such joy.  It felt like such a gift to be able to go to those events, with the idea of a little one growing well.  :)

Wonderful Announcement

Where to even begin this post that's been in the making for months?!

We are expecting another baby!!  

Oh my goodness.  I could not be more excited!!  
God has been so so good to us and so so generous.
Another little one to love, another baby to snuggle.  Another time to be pregnant.
(I'm weird and really love pregnancy!  Its so amazing and wonderful!)

Our due date is May 8th so I am 19 weeks along.

We did not find out the sex with Peter and Lily.  They were "surprises".  But after some hemming and hawing, we thought we'd change it up this time.  And that it would be fun for the kids to know ahead of time, to prepare and manage expectations.  

So with the blessing of some extra tests (after our history of two babies in heaven and now "advanced maternal age"--- but being pregnant makes me feel younger.... at least so far.  The excitement, the joy, the physical benefits of all those hormones, I love it!  ;)  Mike may disagree?

SO we have some additional news.... It's a BOY!

After the all clear that this baby is "healthy", there is only thrill at the thought of another baby and child.   But you may have guessed that the above news sorta increased my anxiety a touch.  But God has been good to help me trust Him and his plan for us.  
Yay, another baby boy!

Praise Him from whom all blessings flow.

We are having another baby!  I can still hardly believe it!
Thank you, Lord!

For as the heavens are higher 
than the earth,
    So are My ways higher than your ways,
    And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:9

 {17 weeks in both pics}

{And I got to be pregnant with Jessica at Thanksgiving- 
likely the one and only time to be pregnant with a Dennis sister!?!
God is good!}

Prayer Request

Hello there, blog readers (family, office family, a few friends)!

Will you all start praying for Peter's spring EEG?

As you know, he's done SO well.  We think he's been seizure free for 2 1/2, nearly 3 years at the time of the EEG.  We are so so so very thankful for God's goodness and mercy to us in this.  

As we discussed with his neurologist this past spring, we'll plan to repeat his EEG this spring.  I am hoping to have it done over spring break (Apr 14-18).  

Thankfully, I don't feel too anxious about it.  Having seen God's faithfulness to us over the last 3 years, I trust He will continue to give us what we need.  Even on his med, life has been great.  But I'd also love to know that his little brain is healed and healthy.  

So would you pray that God would continue to put His healing Hand over our child's brain in the next months and that his EEG would look great.  Either way, we trust Him and thank Him for his purposes in this.  I'd love Peter to have freedom from seizures and medication.  

Preschool Sunshine

Lily and I stayed after preschool one day so that she could ride her bike.  She said after school that she didn't want to just go home and I didn't esp want to either, so we played in the sunshine.  Which is always welcome in December!

 She's been more hesitant to embrace the bigger bike, which makes sense b/c she is significantly higher off the ground than Peter on the same size bike.  But this day to practice on her own, I think boosted her confidence.  

 Every now and then she'd tell me she wanted to rest and she'd sit for a few seconds then get up and go at it again.  :)  So cute!  I told her she looks like a little Christmas elf in this outfit.

This school year with her is interesting and feels different than previous years.  She definitely feels "older" and no longer my sweet little doll of a girl.  Still such a sweetie but she has more of her own ideas and plans.  And she is so very capable (except when it comes time to clean up or put away).  Her spirit feels more independent from mine, no longer just my side kick.  Which is bittersweet but seems natural and I know is part of growing up.  I find that I have to make a more conscious effort to lay aside my plans and engage with her.  Which I'm not great at.  But thankful for this sweet afternoon with her.

November Pictures

... In no particular order...

Lily preschool class singing the blessing before we ate at the preschool Thanksgiving Feast.

 Each of the kids had a Native American name on their head band & Native American necklace... how creative/cute is that!

 Friday afternoon Bike Riding!  He is a machine on his bike.  I love it.

When I need encouragement, I take them bike riding!

He is also getting awesome at writing!  Go Pete!

 We had a rough week a few weeks ago and I told Mike we were all in need of HIM (yes, the Heavenly Father "HIM", but also of MIKE... it gets so much harder in the dark winter months to have good Daddy time when we can't swim at the pool most afternoons/eves).  So Sat I found him crafting a fairy doll with the kids.  #gooddad

 My two couch snugglers.

 and TV buddies (tho we hardly ever watch TV with the school year schedule).

Sat we went to a family reunion.  So thankful these two are also still car sleepers!

More Thanksgiving Pictures

Our Thanksgiving week was fun of lots of fun travels.  I was so excited that Peter was done with school a day early.  It gave me & the kids the chance to go down to my parents' house (Mike had to work) and see some of my aunts and uncles.  My Uncle Ray (below) and Aunt Bettie (two down) drove down from Cape Cod.  They surprised my Uncle Henry (three down) with their visit, as they usually stay north and Henry and Barbara are the family at my parents for Thanksgiving.

 Can you tell Peter convinced a lot of family to read to him!

 Lily did some crafts.

 It was a rainy, yucky day but after Paw finally got home from work, we all had cabin fever.  So he took the kids out on an adventure.  We put bags on their shoes since it was so messy... they thought it was a hoot!

 We came back home and spent Thurs and Friday with Mike's family.  We had a secret mission at this park.  Afterwards, Peter and Tom loved getting scared by Anna saying "Boo!" to them. :)

Mike and Liam are bike riding in the background.

 Lily loves to mama Anna and got all of her toys out for her...

 ... and read this book to her.  So sweet!

  Saturday we went back to my parents.  There had to be a ride into the woods.  Its our standard entertainment and refreshment.

 Mike and Holly walked, while the rest of us rode, then walked.

 Peter and Lily got tired of the walk, so thankfully Robbie had his UTV and had been waiting to give them a ride back to the tractor.  :)

 And then back to the house...

 Peter needed some Holly love so jumped over to her seat.  :)