Updates. Updates.

There are so many things going on right now, I'm not even quite sure what day it is... but I wanted to give a couple of updates to record some of our most outstanding achievements this past week or so.

• Isaac lost his first tooth and his second one shouldn't be that far behind. I'm not a huge fan of wiggly teeth, so I am ecstatic it is now safely in our cabinet.
• Elijah slept in a toddler bed a few times and did pretty well. I'm not sure it is a permanent thing yet, he just turned a year old a few weeks ago, but we are going to make as much progress with it as possible.
• Zoey LOVES 3-yr-old Preschool and is learning things pretty quickly... we are doing great with the alphabet, numbers, shapes and colors.
• I am now in my 9th month of pregnancy and am quickly remembering what the end feels like. We are almost done setting up the nursery and pulling out all the newborn stuff... didn't I just do this last year?
• We are LOVING our neighborhood and have been given more baked goods then we can eat. Seriously, I have never met nicer people in my life... one of neighbor girls already helped Chris with Elijah at Isaac's hockey game! (Their family ran into him at the rink) 
• We are currently in discussions for this 3rd boy's name.... Zoey is pretty stuck on "Jesus Christopher Bunk" and doesn't understand why we wouldn't want to use our favorite name. I told her it would get a little confusing when we call on Jesus for strength and then ask him to stop throwing Cheerios. She is even more confused. 

Well, those are our updates for now... back to unpacking boxes!

Bunk... Number 21

Ready for his 1st game.

Hakuna Matata

Last night we hit our limit.

To say we are exhausted is a complete understatement.

I mean look at my husband in this picture... he is wiped out!

I decided to make a executive decision and call an emergency movie night. The kids got their PJs on, I made the popcorn and we all snuggled on the couch to watch The Lion King. It was just what the DR ordered. We all needed to laugh with each other, touch each other and breathe. It was such a perfect night.

Things at our house are going at a really good pace. Each day Chris and I get more and more excited about our new home, even though there is a ton more work to do. Chris and my dad set up Isaac's car bunk bed last night, so all the kids slept in their own rooms and did great. (Elijah will move in with Isaac shortly). My next project is the nursery and I'm excited to get all the baby stuff out again... good thing our washer and dryer is being delivered Monday! Thanks again to everyone who has helped us this past week... even with packing/moving tips from other states. It has been a huge blessing knowing that we are so loved and thought of!

{On a random note, I think out of the hundreds of times I have seen The Lion King, I get choked up every time Simba looks into the sky and says "You said you would always be there... and you're not." UGH! I was holding back tears last night too... such a good movie!}

saying thank you is just not enough.

"...the Lord your God will bless you in the land that he is giving you."

{Deuteronomy 28:8}

This is the scripture I read this morning and it couldn't have been more perfect. Actually the entire chapter is how I feel right now. {Read it here} We had our big house move this weekend and to say I am overwhelmed is an understatement... but it's not in the way most people would think. Yes, we have loads of boxes everywhere and I had to comb my hair with my daughter's doll brush yesterday, but the overwhelming part is how blessed we are.

We are blessed with an incredible house.

We are blessed with incredible family and friends.

We are blessed with super friendly neighbors.

We are blessed with very adaptable kids.

We are blessed by a God who knows us.

We had so many people show up Saturday morning to help us move... people who have a million things going on themselves! Almost every time I would sincerely thank someone for coming, they would reply "How could we not bless a guy like Chris?" As his wife, this statement meant so much to me... I mean I know how hard he works and how much he does for others, but it was such a blessing to hear others say it and gather around to bless him. {It was also SO fun seeing all his friends give him a hard time about the stuff they were loading up!}

I do want to thank everyone one more time for the over-the-top help you gave us this weekend (loading up our stuff, unloading our stuff, bringing food, watching our kids, doing our laundry, driving us all over, etc) We couldn't have done this without you!

Field Trip to the Firehouse

 

 

 

Seeing OUR Baby #4

I am completely blowing my mind right now.

I had an ultrasound early this morning because of some concerns from my DR. When I got in the room, the "new tech" told me that she was still a student and that after she got me set up she would have her supervisor come in. She then mentioned that I was "very lucky to get her." I wasn't sure what she meant, until this 33-year veteran tech started to show me the pics of my baby. I couldn't believe the angles she was getting of my little boy. I have NEVER had a 2D ultrasound like this... she even mentioned that she doesn't know why people need 3D ultrasounds... I guess with her doing this, you wouldn't!

our home

Today we are 1 week away from getting the keys to our house and I can't control my excitement. This has been a long time coming! I got reprimanded for not posting any pictures, so I posted the one from our realtor's website. We do have a ton of work to do on the house, but are waiting until after baby #4 is born and the holidays are through to get started on our 10-year dream-house plan.

Here are some of my favorite details (This is for Jennie Brady):

4 bedrooms upstairs

Den on the main floor

2.5 bathrooms

Huge yard (with built-in pool)

Natural fireplace in the family room

Large 1st floor laundry room (with room for kid cubbies!)

Hardwood floors throughout

...and more and more and more.

Let me just say that God is SO faithful! Chris and I had 3 things that were very important to us, almost non-negotiable, and this house has all 3!

{brain dump} session IV

This morning was one of the roughest I've had in a long time.

The icing on the cake was that Elijah didn't sleep well last night and has been really fussy today... and by fussy, I mean screaming every time I put him down. I'm pretty convinced he isn't feeling very well, since this isn't like him. 

I hit a point where I knew I needed reinforcements. I laid the kids in bed (both of them screaming at the top of their lungs) and sent a text to my family for prayer. I know they all prayed (my mom had to call too to make sure I was ok, surprise, surprise). Within 5 minutes of that text both kids were silently sleeping in bed. Small miracle, I know, but one that was very evident to me. I had been trying to have these results for the last 2 hours!

I am finally sitting at the computer with a cup of coffee and some much needed time with God. Whenever I have "this" feeling, I always resort to Isaiah 40.... it's my comfort chapter, and I'm pretty confident I have most of it memorized. Here was today's favorite part....

Isaiah 40:11

"He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart; He gently leads those that have young."

Spirit Week

This week was Spirit Week at Isaac's School and there were so many fun activities. Yesterday was "TIGER DAY" and Isaac couldn't wait to come home and watch the Tigers win! Today is his "FUN WALK" and he is so excited to see his Principal get a pie in the face.

no longer for sale!

the sign in front of our new home!

Well, the day is FINALLY here...

we are closing on our new house at 4pm today!!!!

I don't remember the last time I have been so excited!

There are so many things to do....

 Zoey wants a Cinderella room.

Isaac wants the boys to have a room and the girls to have a room

(this plan would include Chris and I)

There have been talks of a climbing wall, an indoor trampoline, a tree house, a music room and merry-go-round.

Isaac and Zoey were talking yesterday in the car about how they like sleeping in the same bed... they had big plans on how to make sure that would still work, but they could still have their own rooms. It was so cute! It was also a reminder that this season in our life where things were a little displaced, the kids still enjoyed their life and experiences. Whew!

Back to Blakes

It was field-trip day for Zoey's 3-year-old Preschool class and all her friends were by her side. I love having time to hang out with my little girl and give her some undivided attention. She has so much personality!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isaac Week

This week is "ISAAC WEEK" in his Kindergarten class and we spent lots of time putting his presentation poster together. I love that his wish is "that everyone can know God and that I can be in Star Wars." That is SO Isaac!

Bring-A-Friend

Saturday was "Bring-A-Friend-To-Hockey" Day and Isaac was so excited Drew was going to be there! Thanks Poxon family for coming out and hanging out with us! Drew, you look good in a jersey!

The boys in their gear.

Ready to go!

We may be signing this big guy up for hockey sooner than we thought!

He was so tired!

Isaac's 1st shot at goalie.

The girls making the time pass.

What does jealous mean?

Isaac: Mom, what does "jealous" mean?

Me: It means that you are upset because you want
something someone else has.

Isaac: That doesn't make sense...
then why did that song just say that God is jealous?

(We were listening to the song "Spiritual Revolution" by Jake Hamilton where is says, "You are the standard. You are jealous, and I believe You have called me to be holy, I can't retreat")

The conversation that took place after that question was so intense, and I loved every minute of it. It was one of the 1st steps in my children understanding the unconditional, ravishing love of their Creator! If you have never done an in-depth study on the "Jealousy of God" I encourage you to do so...

you will never be the same again!

Exodus 34:14
"Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God."

Deuteronomy 4:23,24

Take care, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make a carved image, the form of anything that the LORD your God has forbidden you. For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

Here it is in a nutshell:

God's very name is Jealous. The jealousy of the flesh says "you have something I want and I hate you for it." The jealousy of El Qanna is a zeal that arises when sin threatens a covenant relationship. El Qanna arose in God to the extent of the sacrifice of His only Son.