Just a couple more...

One question, where's my binkie?

Hope's fingers never get lost!

Double joy around here... Hope & Halle

I don't know how I lost my other post on the girls. I went to add to it and lost it somehow. I took them to their 4 month checkup on Monday and have been trying all week to do an update on them and send out an email with a link to this blog. Anyway, they're doing SO well. Halle seems like she weighs a ton more than Hope but I was suprised to find out that she is only one and quarter pound heavier. She eats so much more than Hope. And they're both amazing sleeper going 12 straight hours each night, when they're not sick that is. Poor little ones had a cold, got well and then now we're all fighting something. Ry has a cough and Aidan has it too I think. Anyway, our beautiful girls are just as sweet and fun as they could be and we're enjoying them so much! There are days like today where I am trying to do too much and then I realize what I value the most might suffer when I do that so I promised myself to just enjoy my kids. Yes, I'm like you Aleah, I cannot enjoy them when the house isn't clean so that has to happen. It just does. It's the extra things like selling on ebay or getting ready to go scrapbooking all weekend. Those kinds of things I need to watch it with. And with a new chuch plant beginning there is just so much I could jump into with both feet but I'm going to cool it and pray about everything I do. Okay was supposed to be about Hope and Halle..

So Halle weighed 13lbs 6 oz and was 24" and Hope was 12lbs 1oz and was a surprising .5" longer than her sister. The ped and nurses couldn't get over how beautiful and smart and happy they were. I couldn't agree more. They're doing amazing. Just so healthy and interactive. The more I've been reading the more I find that cocaine is one of the better drugs to have been exposed to. I guess Meth is really bad. And I had to call their social worker yesterday. Just needed to hear it I guess. Still not a single contact from bio mom. On to some cute pics...

You're never to young to be introduced to power rangers and their ability to save mankind. Just don't fling the thing up and down lest you smack yourself in the face!

Just cuddling the kitty.

...and having a little fun!

I can't help but wonder what secret Hope thinks is so funny. They have truly "found" each other. It's the best! I just love having twins, I love the fact that they have each other. I've already been praying that God would show my how to parent them in such a way that they would really value one another and treat each other with sweetness and respect. I guess it's all the boys fighting lately that has me praying!

And I have to say that while this face is still made quite often it's not nearly as often as this...

So there are our sweet smiley girls at 4 months!!!

Stillness

Whether you turn to the right or to the left,

your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying,

“This is the way; walk in it.”

Isaiah 30:21

I just love how God speaks to my heart when I need Him most. The hard part is I have to be still and quiet to hear Him and I'm often moving to quickly to do that. He gave me five children to care for and teach and sometimes I feel so insufficient for the task. I love to be organized and on top of things but with 7 to do laundry and dishes for I feel so behind and I hate that! I want to be caught up on scrapbooks, finish painting every room, and even get the yard looking respectable. That sandal I can see out my kitchen window has been under the trampoline for a month! More importantly I want to know that each boy is getting all the encouragement, instruction, attention and direction he needs. I want to make sure Chad is happy and loved and that I maintain that solid foundation for our home. I want to remember all my family and friends birthdays. I want to know to make all the right choices with my time and I know I am not. Sometimes I'm too tired to do the most important thing. I'd love to have spring cleaned and gotten all those things done I had on my list for May but now it's September and they'll have to wait until next year. I struggle with guilt of not meeting everyone's needs and constant thoughts of the future. What needs to be done regarding the girls adoption, should I be homeschooling, the new Calvary Chapel Monroe, etc etc. It can be overwhelming and it seems like 24 hrs is definitely not enough to do what HAS to be done.

Just when my day has been so busy that I'm dizzy and exhausted, I see Aidan cuddling Hope and hear him tell her how happy he is God brought her to us! It's all worth it!!!Tucking Ryland in last night he told me that he loved me more than any grown up could ever get loved by a little boy (to the moon and the stars and Jesus in heaven and back again). With Aidan in school for 6.5 hours (far too long!!) and Ethan for 2.5 hrs, he and I are getting to spend more time together; he lives for craft time after the girls go down for their morning nap. I know I am meeting his needs. :o) And Ethan on our special date last night told me that sometimes he has felt like Daddy and I care more about the babies than them but that after our time together he knows that's not true.

I realize that all I have to do is the next right thing and sit at His feet every morning and walk in His spirit throughout the day. It is all good and no matter what comes our way, His love will quiet my heart, reminding me that each day lived for Him will have eternal worth.

"STAND STILL," my soul, for so thy Lord commands:

Even when thy way seems blocked, leave it in His wise hands;

His arm is mighty to divide the wave.

"Stand still, my soul, "stand still" and thou shalt see

How God can work the "impossible" for thee,

For with a great deliverance He does save.

Be not impatient, but in stillness stand,

Even when compassed; round on every hand,

In ways thy spirit does not comprehend.

God cannot clear the way till thou art still,

That He may work in Thee His blessed will,

And all thy heart and will to Him do bend.

"BE STILL," my soul for just as thou art still,

Can God reveal Himself to thee; until

Through thee His love and light and life can freely flow;

In stillness God can work though thee and reach

The souls around thee. He then through thee can teach

His lessons, and His power in weakness show.

"BE STILL" ~ deeper step in faith and rest.

"Be still and know" thy Father knowest best

The way to lead His child to that fair land,

A "summer" land, where quiet waters flow;

Where longing souls are satisfied and know their God,

And praise for all that He has planned.

~Mrs. Charles E Cowman

Too cute for words. :o)

Zorro? Darth Vader? Fireman?

Oh my goodness, I just love 7 year old boys. (And five and four year old boys too.)

The simple things...

Simple things like finding the first egg laid by our new chicken Pepper make our day. Can you see the smaller one? Too bad both ducks turned out to be boys so we'll have to stick to eating chicken eggs. Well we made zucchini bread with it and Ethan and Ry helped. I couldn't believe how hard Ry worked to shred the last little bit. It was delicious. Though the loaf with gluten-free rice syrup was not nearly as good as the one made with sugar (shhh, don't tell the boys). Of course with some chocolate chips on tops and even Aidan downed two pieces.

Aidan and Ethan start school...

Aidan has begun second grade and Ethan is into Kindergarten! There were no tears from him (the way there was with Aidan) though he did want me to follow behind the bus and walk him into his classroom. He likes his teacher and was up and ready to go early this morning for his second day! I was having some camera trouble with no time to mess with the settings but here are a couple pictures anyway...
A confident and excited second grader! Ethan started the next day. And Ryland still not too happy.


The littlest boy, on the left, was so dissapointed to not be allowed to follow onto the bus.




Here is Ethan making his very first friend. Me: "What is his name?" Ethan: "Chrashopper". Me: "Are you sure it's Crashopper?" Ethan "Yes, I'm sure." Me: "Could it have been Christopher?" Ethan: "Oh yeah, Christopher!" Only time will tell I suppose.

He was a bit nervous, can you tell? We actually did a have a couple hard days. A very very long story of one thing after another. Related to Ethan... The first thing out of his teacher's mouth was "Is this Ethan? You need to go straight to the office." I'm not joking. His immunization record was late. But really, couldn't she say "Hello I'm Mrs. Hiskey, it's nice to meet you Ethan." And then tell me that I need to be sure to talk to the office secretary? Then coming home on the bus in the middle of the day (so Aidan wasn't with him) I was waiting for him and the bus went right by. His head turned back to watch me and his eyes got bigger and bigger. I was waving my arms and everything. I waited another 10 mins thinking the bus would come back but it didn't. I called the school and the driver returned him to school because I wasn't there. Ha-ha. I had to wake up the girls and go pick him up. They've had a cold and have been up a lot at night, so they weren't too happy. Then Aidan's best friend from last year was told not to play with him at all this year because of a silly incident at the end of the last school year. He was so sad and indignant (rightfully so). Hopefully the rest of the year goes better than the first week!