Update

Well, our home and land is officially on the market...we think of it as our thrown fleece...now we wait and see...

Here's a new picture of Lily...she keeps changing...

A lot has happened since I last "blogged", and I have decided that I want to get it all down in writing, because I KNOW that one day I am going to look back at this point in our lives and remember how the Lord worked a miracle.

Last Friday, Luis came home, sat me down, and told me that he lost his job. I could tell that he was shocked, as he had never been laid off like that before. The company had just had a meeting with the mechanics the week before, and praised Luis for his work, so you can imagine when the lay off came out of the blue, he was like a deer in the headlights. It's not like Luis has never been without work, but this is the first time that it has happened while I am not working. No doubt, he feels the weight of responsibility. Somehow, when it was just the two of us, and we took a step of faith going to Arizona (without set jobs or a place to live), it didn't seem as monumental as this. When you have three little sets of eyes who look to you for everything, the weight of urgency becomes all that much more heavy. So, Friday Luis and I did the only thing we knew to do...the thing that we have learned that makes the difference in every situation...we prayed!! The Lord gave us both such peace in the midst of it all, and we felt like God was moving...how, we weren't exactly sure, but we had a peace. Saturday morning, I woke up, and I totally fleshed out. I think I cried most of the day. I was angry with his former company for the way that they, once again, had "played around" with someone's life. I was angry at the fact that they seem to care so little about people, and so much about the bottom line. I was angry at a company who made promise after promise, but lacked on the follow through every time. Luis had stuck with them, even after his raise that was due never came. He saw people come and go...frequently...disgusted with the way the company treated people. My tears were mostly because I hate seeing injustice...but I have to admit that some were also tears of thinking what we were going to do now. I lost my vision for that day, and became consumed with the here and now...the unknown...the bad report, and I had no peace. Sunday morning, we got up for church, and although we were 20 minutes late, we managed to catch the last half hour of Sunday School. Every word was like honey...as if it was custom made just for us. The sermon was also spot on, and it was so accurate that Luis went up to our Pastor after just to ask him if somehow he found out about our situation, which he had not. God is so awesome, and His word is so powerful! Needless to say, I got my vision back, and Luis and I were once again at peace, knowing that God was "working all things together for good". Monday morning, Josh and I opened his Bible lesson for school, and we looked at the new scripture verse that he needed to memorize for the week...John 14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me (Jesus)." I just laughed, then Josh and I talked about how that applied to our family right now. That night, after Josh's baseball game, we ran to the Bi-Lo for some groceries. On the way back, we passed the West End Baptist Church, who's sign said, "Don't Worry. God has a plan." I laughed again. Thanks God...I needed that! Tuesday, Luis called the Pastor who is the instructor for his Pastor Licensing courses that he has been taking for the last year. He is one test away from his first license, which officially allows him to pastor a church. He called the Pastor to ask him to pray for us, for God's direction for our lives. At the end of the conversation, the Pastor had offered Luis a position as his assistant pastor in his church in Anderson, SC, just south of Greenville. He told the Pastor he would be praying and seeking God's face...as we only want to do exactly what God wants us to do. So, we wait, and pray and listen to hear God's voice. We don't know exactly where God is taking us, but it is exciting to see Him work. I am so thankful for His peace, for without it, I would be a basket case, no doubt. I am also so thankful for a husband that wants nothing less than the will of God for his life and the lives of his family. I am also thankful for children who have adventurous spirits, and are learning first hand how awesome it is to follow the Lord! So, for now, we are plugging along. Luis received his last paycheck yesterday, and he was offered a job yesterday as well. It only pays half of what he was making, which is not nearly enough to cover our bills, but we know God is doing something and we are watching it unfold. We went to the grocery store last night, and I started crying right there in the aisle. My sister walked in, and handed me a bag of diapers that she had just bought for Lily. And I tell you the truth...nearly everything we had on our list was on sale...and not just marked down a little, but either 2 for 1 or else a huge mark down. I cried because even there, in the middle of Bi-Lo, God was working a miracle. We checked out, with our cart overflowing, and the bill was only $88. I can not remember the last time we got out of the store for our weekly groceries and paid less than $100. Anyway, I'll be writing more as the days go on, but suffice it to say that even in the midst of the storm, God is there, and working, and so faithful. Good things are on the way, I just know it!

My Brown-Eyed Girl...

Luis and I have been having the "They look blue!" "No, they look brown!" argument like we did with Jonathan. I won that one, and I am SO going to win this one as well! Leigh, one of the midwives, walked into the exam room during Lily's last check up and immediately said, "Why hello there big brown eyes!" to Lily. I just smiled with contentment and couldn't wait to tell Luis when he got home...ah...sweet victory! hahaha...but in all seriousness, her eyes really do appear to be turning brown. Here's some pictures...you won't be able to see her eyes closely enough, but she is changing so much each day!

Growing by leaps and bounds...

We just came home from Lily's 3 week check up in Bamberg. It will be the last time we see Anna (my midwife and friend) in that setting, so it was a sad visit for us. Josh gave Anna an endless hug as we were leaving. I thought we were going to have to bring Anna home with us! It has been such an amazing experience having a midwife that was so awesome during every stage of pregnancy and delivery. We are truly grateful for all she has done for each of us.





Little Lily is growing! Last visit, she weighed 6lb 1oz (which was a 10 ounce drop from her birth weight). At this visit, she weighed 7 lbs and 9 ounces! And I was afraid she might not be gaining...haha. All in all, she is extremely healthy, and a very tranquil baby (except, of course, when she's hungry, then WATCH OUT!). What a joy she is!

Funny quotes

Here are some things that the boys have said in the last three weeks since Lily has been home....

Josh- "She's the most beautiful girl in the whole universe"

Jonathan- "Is she going to drink milk from your booty?"

Jonathan- "Then how does the peepee get out?"

Jonathan while watching Lily eat- "That's a big gallon of milk!"

Jonathan- "I want to see the poo-poo"
Me- "Do you want to change her diaper?"
Jonathan- "Gross, no way!"

Josh to our Pastor's wife in Sunday School- "She cries REALLY loud...I can hear her all the way from Mom and Dad's room to mine"

Jonathan- "Don't cry Lily, my Mom is coming"

Josh to Aunt Marybeth in the waiting room during delivery,
"I am so glad Lily is here...no school for 2 whole weeks!"

Bi-Lo Check out lady- "Can I take her home with me?"
Jonathan- "No, she's ours"

Catching up

Well, I haven't been much of a blogger lately...it's not that there's not anything to say, just not a whole lot of time in which to sit down and actually put my thoughts in writing. But I have managed to find a window of time, while the boys are playing nicely in the living room, and Little Lily (who I think will always be called "Little Lily") is napping. I thought it would be nice to write about what has happened in the last 2+ weeks, and catch everyone up on the details. Then someday when I am old and gray (I am already getting gray!!) I can look back and remember this special time in our lives. So, lets go back to the night of the 19th, the day before Lily was born...

It was about 8:30pm, and I was starting to feel a little discomfort. I was sure it was the beans that I had eaten earlier, so I was taking advantage of a calm Saturday night, while Luis and the boys had called it a night very early. I was puttering around on the computer for a few hours, and with each passing hour, I noticed that my pains were a little more intense. At about 11:30, I started to think that they were real contractions, but now everyone (including my midwife) would be fast asleep, and I didn't want to wake anyone up...besides, my pains, although getting stronger, weren't less than 10 minutes apart. At about 2 AM, I tried to lay down to get some sleep, but I was restless. I did manage to sleep about 2 hours, but was awaken by ever more increasing pains that were now coming closer together. At 6:00 AM, I woke Luis, and told him that I was having pains. I then put a call in to Anna, my midwife, who told me to come into the office around 7:45. Then I called my sister, Marybeth, just to put her on alert (haha). She was going to be there with us to help with the boys until Lily arrived. So we gathered everything together, and headed up to Bamberg. When I got to the office, Anna checked me and I was already dilated 5 cm and my contractions were about every 4-5 minutes. Needless to say, this was the real thing, and she admitted my to the birthing center right then. At about 9:00AM we got the birthing room, and Lily came at 1:07 that same afternoon. In the midst of it all, God taught me a great lesson. Many of you who know me, know that I am not a big "surprise" girl. I don't like the unexpected. I don't like suspense. (Unless it's a good Alfred Hitchcock film). So for the months leading up to Lily's arrival, I was anxious about all the details concerning Lily's delivery...all the whens, wheres, and hows would keep me up at night, going around and around in my brain. Being that Luis works in Hardeeville, then travels to Savannah, Hilton Head and Beaufort from his job site, troubled me when I thought about how long it would take him to get back to his site, drop off the company truck, and then make his way to Bamberg. By the time he arrived, Lily would already be practically entering first grade! haha. But God, in all His mercy, let me go into labor on a Saturday night, and deliver on a Sunday afternoon. Luis was home. Marybeth wasn't working. There were no other families at the birthing center. My water didn't break in some inappropriate locale. I didn't have to be in labor for hours and hours on end. I didn't even need a drop of medication during the delivery. (Although towards the end, I did ask what was available...which was nothing in terms of things that would effect the baby, so I opted out!). I couldn't have asked for a smoother, more peaceful birth. God was just reminding me, once again, that He's got it. I don't need to worry. I don't need to make anything happen. I just need to do what He tells me, and leave the rest up to Him. Needless to say, I haven't mastered that test, and I am bound to repeat it again, but I am trying to keep this lesson fresh in my mind, so when the test does come, I'll be able to rest in knowing that there's nothing that God can't handle, and He already has it all planned out, so I don't need to try to be a super sleuth or anything.

Since then, life has been good. The whole family is adjusting to the lack of sleep and our beautiful new addition. I am not completely feeling like myself yet, and I have a tendency to try to push myself and do too much. Physically, I am feeling good, but my hormones and emotions are like a bouncy ball still, and I know it takes time. Luis has been so patient with me, which has been such a blessing. He's even learned how to run the dishwasher! (The first time, he forgot that he could use the top shelf, too! haha). My boys are my little sweet helpers, and love their sister so much. Joshua kept saying that Lily was the most beautiful girl in the universe! (Let's see what he says when his little sister starts getting into his "stuff")...but all in all, life is good, and sweet...and God is so faithful!