For Jill....and all the other mommies of Glory Babies

It's amazing what happens when tragedy strikes your family.

When I lost our fourth baby back in December, people asked me all the time, "How are you doing?" I would answer with the standard, "Okay" and try to leave it at that. It was just too hard to talk about without becoming emotional. I needed to heal first, before I could talk about my loss.

I have found that tragedy is like anything else in life. When it is new, it is all that consumes you (and, maybe, others as well.) It is all you can think about, and even when you are able to NOT think about it, random things that have nothing to do with your particular circumstance will bring you back to it anyway. But, as time passes, and weeks turn into months since "IT" happened, people stop asking. It's code for, "It's time to move on, now." That is never really said out loud....and only the people who have experienced a loss like what I am talking about really know what I mean. It's the whole, "life goes on" mentality. "You can't dwell on this forever. Pick yourself up, and keep going."

You start to try to heal, and then begin to have some good days. Then, many more good days. Then, the good days begin to outnumber the bad ones....until the bad ones are actually few and far between. Oh, there will always be bad days. But they do decrease over time.

I've been doing really well. God has provided me with great healing, and for that, I am so thankful.

But circumstances of this week have brought strong, painful memories flooding back to me. Pain that I thought had faded away through God's healing. I have realized that, though the pain may been deeply tucked inside, it may never fade away completely. And I think that is how God wants it to be. It is a now one of our distinguishing characteristics. A marker we have, we women who have known this pain....for us to use to be able reach out when this pain turns it's grip on others.

Heaven welcomed two more glory babies in the last 48 hours.....and it has brought me back all over again. It has hit close to home, as one of these mommies was a personal friend of mine. My sadness, while not overtaking me, has returned.

I would have been 31 weeks on Friday. 31 weeks. That is hard to think about. In a few weeks, I would have started going to Dr. Shepherd every week. Then, soon after that, I would be experiencing new life all over again. Bringing a new one home from the hospital again (and realizing all over again just how CRAZY people drive out on the road). The sleepless nights. Nursing. Showing off our precious bundle at church. Toting FOUR children around now, instead of three. Experiencing all of those first.....coos, smiles, teeth, sitting, crawling. Being able to be the protective and nurturing one to my sweet newborn.

All those what ifs.

Here is the thing, though. I can not dwell on those things. I choose not to dwell on those things. The Bible tells us to "think on those things that are TRUE....." For me, and for so many others, the above paragraph is not a true reality. It is one that exists only in my head. Imagining all of the things that I would have done, and what the baby would have been like....that's exactly what it is. Imagination. That is not a reality for me, and for this fourth child of ours, it never will be.

And, I know, for God's glory and my greater good, there is a perfect and holy reason for that. I don't quite understand it, and I don't feel as though I even need too. That is exactly the definition of faith. I am believing and trusting in something that I can not see for myself. Only God knows why our baby is not with us. Why so many others--Maddox, Miller Grace, Tristan, Copeland, Madeline Grace, Audrey Caroline, Tabitha Grace, Joshua, Poppy Joy, Eva Janette, Noah, Mary Grace, Eliot, Jonathan, Asher, and so many more babies that were lost in utero--the list goes on and on--have babies that are sitting at the feet of Jesus today instead of being in our care.

One thing I feel the need to say here: I am not sure exactly who reads this blog of mine. But, just in case, if you are sitting here reading my words today, and you do not know this same Jesus that I know, let me strive to make one thing very clear. My God is not something that I (or anyone else for that matter) have created as sort of a 'coping mechanism'. Well, if I only could believe that my baby is in a better place.....I would be able to handle all of this. So, I will choose to believe that he is in heaven now. That makes me feel better.

God is REAL. He is alive, in heaven, ruling over this earth. He is coming back, someday that I believe will be soon. He loves me, He loves you. He cares about every single thing that happens to me, no matter how small. He does not cause evil, but He does allow it--again, for His glory and our ultimately greater good.

And He loves my sweet little glory baby so much more than I ever could.

God has taught me so very much through all of this. Not only through my loss, but others' losses as well. I am a better prayer warrior now. When I see a family suffering, and I say, "I will pray for you....", I mean it. I add them to my prayer list. I pray for them. Sure, I miss a day here and there. I am certainly not perfect; far from it, in fact. But these families that are on my prayer list, both on my blog and at home, they mean something to me. I want to help them, and the best way I know how is by diligently praying for each of them. I am a better servant now. When I see someone who has a need, I am brought back to when I had a need. How many people reached out to me (or did not--both equally taught me something) when I needed it? How did they reach out to me? What can I, can any of us, do to help those who are grieving a loss, or going thru any other sort of life difficulty or tragedy?

Jill, it is going to take time. Don't let anyone tell you different. Jesus sees each tear, and he counts them....even the ones that never come from your eyes, but are there inside of your heart. This is going to hurt. It is actually surprising just how much it hurts. But God will heal your heart. He always does, if you allow Him too. And, I am confident that you will.

Our babies are playing together at Jesus' feet right at this moment. What an amazing thought. Love you Jill, and I am praying for you.

~Glory Baby, by Watermark~
An amazing, touching song that speaks wonderful truths!
(the music will not start automatically--
please click on launch standalone player to hear)

For Ethan

Occasionally, I write posts that are intended for my memory's benefit only. This post today is one of those.

Ethan,

I write today with a huge smile on my face, as I am sitting here thinking about what a huge blessing you are to your mommy. I have shorted you, my poor third child, in many ways....one of the most flagrant being not keeping up on your baby book like I should! I have written the most important dates (walking, teeth, solid foods) on the calendar, but I haven't kept track of a lot of the little things. This blog has become an effective tool for your mommy to be able to remember lots of 'stuff', so, today, I am making an effort to keep track of your cuteness in this way.

You have done some of the cutest things lately, this morning being no exception! I came in your room to get you from your crib after you woke up, and when you saw me, your face broke into the biggest smile and you actually started clapping! It was like you were saying, "Yay!!! It's Mommmeeeeeee!!!! She's come to get me!!!!!" It was so funny. I said, "Are you clapping for Mommy?" and you looked at me and clapped some more!

Then, you pointed to the window. (This is one of the newest things you have been doing recently--pointing. And it is terribly adorable.)

Back to your pointing to the window....one of your favorite things right now is to look out of your window first thing in the morning when you wake up. I go in your room, pick you up, and you point to your window. We go over for a couple of minutes, and look outside in the side yard to see what is going on. We talk about the squirrels, and the birds, and the grass, and how it is going to be so nice when the weather breaks and we can finally get outside to play! Then, we change your diaper, and head to the kitchen for breakfast. You then proceed to do your best to break free of my grip so you can head over to the sliding glass door to check out what is happening in the back yard! It is so cute how you don't want to miss anything that is going on outside.

I swear you said 'Cheerios' today. At breakfast, you looked right at the bag, pointed, and said, "Chee-Chee-O". It was just as plain as day. I couldn't believe it, and even your big brother Colin remarked, "Did you hear that mommy? Ethan said Cheerios!" It was a very funny moment, and one that made me realize just how fast you are growing up. Pretty soon you will be saying full sentences.....

You love your daddy so very much. You love to walk over to him, stick your head right between his legs, grab one of his thighs, and say, "Uh, Uh!" We have obviously figured out that this is your way of saying, "Pick me UP, Daddy!"

By the way.....that trick works like a charm with him every time.

You love when things make loud noises. Surprising for a baby, but you do! Things like the blender, shredder, or vacuum turning on makes you outright dissolve into giggles! (Which, then, dissolves Mommy into giggles, then you giggle more, then I giggle more....vicious circle.)

You have figured out that when the music is turned up, that means it is time to DANCE! You wave your arms back and forth, and sometimes, when you are really getting into the groove, even bend your knees to bee-bop along to the music! I do have that one on video for you to see when you get older!

A couple of nights ago, when you were a bit fussy after I had put you down in bed for the night, I went and got you. I thought you might just be a little thirsty, so I fixed you a bottle and held you while you drank it. Voila! That hit the spot, and you actually fell asleep right in my arms. This is an absolute rarity for you, as normally, you will NOT fall asleep unless you are snugly tucked into your bed and under your precious blanket! But you did, it was sooooo sweet. I let you sleep for a few minutes, until I knew you were really out. Then, I lifted you up and laid you on my chest, and you slept there for about the next hour while Daddy and I finished watching a movie. It was so sweet to snuggle with you. I got sad when it hit me that both of your brothers are now too big to do this with.

Soon, you will be, too.

So, I am going to continue enjoying every minute with you while you are little.....I love you so very much, and I just wanted to make sure that you know it.

Shrek boys

Grandma MJ got the boys some new Shrek undies recently. The boys are soooo proud of themselves in their new digs, and it was too cute not to post!

"Donkey" and "Shrek"

p.s. Did you notice they are holding hands in the second picture? :-)
They will love that someday, I'm sure!

My "blog-over"

I don't know if that is really a word or not....but I'm using it anyway! I love the new look of this blog!

I, of course, being the computer savvy one that I am, did all of this completely by myself. No help from anyone, at all.

Yeah.....RIGHT. Have you ever tried to do anything in HTML? Give me a break.

Actually, everything you see here is attributed 100% to a wonderfully talented graphic design artist named Hilary Keegan! She put all of this together for me, and I am forever grateful to her for doing such a wonderful job! She was even able to edit the characters on the header graphic to almost completely match our family! I think my favorite parts of the graphic are the bald king with a blond goatee and the 'strawberry-blond' hair on 2 of the boys! :-) (We are still 'tweaking' a few things, but it is almost done!)

Hilary even has her own Graphic Design website, if anyone is interested in their own 'blog-over'!

Thank you so much Hilary, for all your hard work....I can't say enough about how pleased I am with everything!




p.s. Let me know what you think!

The Easter goodies

I realize it's a little late....but here are some shots from the afternoon Easter egg hunt!

Ephesians 6:1-2 and 1-3

Poor little sicklings....mommy is still making them get their Bible verses on camera!



Ephesians 6:1-3--"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with you, and you may live long upon the earth."




And, just for fun....Cameron's funny version. Apparently, he thought I was getting upset with him when I asked him to 'look at the camera and hold still', or whatever I said in the video, so he proceeded to turn on his 'sad face'. (This face happens frequently in our house....basically, whenever something is said that Cameron doesn't really care for.)

Notice just how quickly Cameron can turn on said sad face; just how far his 'sad lip' pooches out; just how believable this 'sad face' is (he doesn't fool us anymore, however); and then just how FAKE 'sad face' actually is by how quickly he can turn it off! Then, imagine living with a child who is able to do that! :-)




Is he too much, or what?!?

Got to love those matching PJ's

Worthy of it's very own post because it is such a cute picture.....

My three little men in matching PJ's.

If you're around it long enough....it will get you

Sickness has been floating around our house for the last week and a half.

Cameron just got over a double ear infection/sinus infection/bronchitis. Colin has had a mysterious fever for about 4 days accompanied by lethargy and loss of appetite, but apparently nothing 'hurts' on him. He just wants to lie around all the time. It is getting better--he is actually up and playing with his brothers this morning, which is a great sign. Ethan has a never ending runny nose (as do all three of the boys, truly, because of their allergies).

And my dear mother.....Ugh. She has a double ear infection, strep throat, sinus infection, a swollen eye that she can hardly see out of...and can barely move her bones ache so badly. She is just miserable, but got a shot of antibiotics at the doctor last night, along with a couple of Rx's, so she is on her way to good health again (hopefully).

Poor Shane has had the worst sore throat of his life this past week....it was so bad, in fact, that instead of being miserable and waiting the normal 5-7 days to go to the doctor and then get medicine, he decided that he would use part of our date night on Friday to go to convenient care. You know, be ahead of the game.

Except, what happens? The ONE time that he decides to actually be proactive and head off whatever is coming on (before it actually gets so bad he can barely function) by going to the doctor, the checkup revealed that there is nothing more affecting him than a really bad cold. No strep, no infection of sinuses or ears....just a really painful cold.

He got an over-the-counter allergy pill for the $150 convenient care fee. That seems like a poor return on an investment to me. (Give me some sort of prescription. A sleeping pill. Some nose spray. Tylenol with codeine.....something. Just don't make me feel like I came here for nothing, PLEASE!)

So, he has been miserable for about 5 days now, but just this morning, he told me that his throat is finally starting to feel better. What a relief! I can't believe I have managed to escape all of this, I think to myself. Actually, I've thought that several times over the last few days.

I sit up in bed and swallow......ouch.....what in the world? I go to the mirror, open my mouth, look inside and see a bright red throat with a little bit of white stuff towards the tonsil area. Pretty sure that is a bad sign......

What was that again about NEVER saying anthing like, "I can't believe it hasn't gotten me!?"

Sleepyhead

This is what total exhaution looks like when you are Ethan:

Apparently, he was just so tired that he couldn't even turn his head to one side or the other....just planted it right straight down in the mattress and gave up for the night! :-)

Bummer.....

Hey everyone!

Well, I didn't win....but I sooooooooooo appreciate all of you who voted for me! :-)

The ones I know....
Jill
Julie
and Kenzie (oooohhhhh, wait, that's right....Kenzie didn't vote for me.)

GOTCHA Kenz! :-) lol

And some I didn't....
Donna, Beth, twithhoney, anonymous--twice--, Patti, Holly, and Kirst (some new friends, thank you!)

It was worth a shot--maybe next time!

Shameless Begging

***EDIT: 10:48 a.m.***

AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

She extended voting until 1 p.m. today....GO VOTE!! I am one of the frontrunners....how exciting!! :-)

Alright. I am asking, no.....begging for your help here.

Remember this picture and this contest that I mentioned about a week ago?

Well, the voting for it has begun, and I have several votes, but there is one lady who has more than me! I have never won a contest like this before, so....

Please, if you love me (and you know that you do) take literally two minutes to go to this post at My Semblance of Sanity and leave a comment that says, "I vote for Devin!!"

I will be forever grateful. Thank you.

Thank You

I wanted to post this video on Easter, but because of the 'time constraints' of that very busy day, I wasn't able to.

I have loved this song, and the message behind it, for a long time. I so enjoy singing it, and about a week ago, I was in my car listening to Sanctus Real's CD, and this song came on. I thought to myself, "What a perfect song for Easter...."

"I am not sure why He chose me, but Thank you Jesus! Thank you for what you have done for me...."

Hope you will take 2 1/2 minutes to listen, read the lyrics, and enjoy this music. (By the way, I do not know the man in this video--just did a search on You Tube--but I thought he did a really good job making this!)

Sanctus Real, "Thank You".

A year makes a BIG difference

I thought the comparison from last year's Easter picture .....to this year's Easter picture ......was really neat!

My babies are growing up so fast....

Colin's special egg

Colin got a very special egg for Easter.....a GOOSE egg! :-)

He was playing "chase" on an indoor playground with another boy on Saturday, and his forehead accidentally met up with the corner of a wall....OUCH! He's pretty tough, but shed a few tears over this one!
He informed me this morning that he didn't like this egg as well as the rest of the eggs he got for Easter. :-)

From all of us to all of you....

Happy Easter!

We have had a very exhausting (but wonderful!) day so far today (which I will post all about at another time), but I just wanted to take a minute and post a few pictures from church this morning, and wish everyone a wonderful day!

***Man, isn't this guy handsome?***

I'm off for a nap....been up since 5 this morning! :-)

Ephesians 4:32

Ephesians 4:32 "Be ye kind, one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you."


For some reason, Cameron decided to say the last 2/3 of this verse with a duck mouth. I have no idea why he did it, and actually filmed him saying the verse again (the right way) after he was done saying it this way. So, I have two versions of him doing this verse. I was going to put up the regular version, but decided at the last minute to do this one instead.....it was just too funny to pass up!

Remembering

Today, I am writing for the benefit of me only....so that in 10 years, I will be able to look back at all the different posts from when the boys were little, and be glad that I didn't neglect to post anything.

Though this post is strictly for my remembrance purposes, I hope you enjoy it too.

There are a few more funny things that Colin has done/said lately:
1. "I want Guhnola cereal mommy." (I think that mispronunciation is so cute.)

2. Today, he asked for 'teeter-totters' for lunch (that would be tater-tots).

3. Colin has had a 'snotty' nose for a couple of days now. As we were sitting in a relatively nice restaraunt on Saturday having lunch, Colin proudly proclaimed, "Look Daddy!" He had blown a snot bubble out of his nose, and it was just sort of sitting there, right above his lip, just glaring at all of us. (For Jason and Roger who are dying to know--it was about the size of a quarter.) While Cameron and Shane were laughing hysterically, I was mortified and quickly asked Shane to "take care of that!" What does he do? Shane proceeds to try to blow it off of Colin's nose, I suppose in hopes that when it released itself, it would fly away into the air like regular bubbles do....

Being the only girl in a house full of boys is hard some days.

4. Colin and Cameron have been learning Ephesians 4:32 this week (video to come soon): "Be ye kind, one to another; tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you." They both had some difficulty remembering the last phrase, so for a few days we just kept repeating it over and over....."Even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you. Even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you. Even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you."

Saturday, we went to the mall for a family outing (they have a great indoor play area at a mall about 30 minutes from us) and eventually we all needed to take a trip to the 'family' bathroom. Colin had to do some business ('nuff said, and gross in a public bathroom, but what do you do?) and when he was done, Shane walked over to him to.....let's just say to do the honors. Colin was on one of those really tiny kid potties, and when he was bent over, he was dangerously close to the floor.

Shane noticed this, and said to him, "Colin, do NOT touch the floor."

(By the way, I would like to take this moment to say that I am so glad that my hubby is as germ-phobic as I am.....)

Anyway, Colin said, "Okay Daddy." He was quiet for a second, then started repeating, "Do NOT touch the floor. Do NOT touch the floor. Do NOT touch the floor.....even as God for Christ's sake has NOT touched the floor."

Shane and I looked at each other and almost died. What this child comes up with....

But I am thankful his memory verses are in the forefront of his mind!

Camo boys

The Merritt boys love all things Camo....

Thanks Grandma MJ for our new Camo shirts!

(Mommy loves that we all match!)

Seriously....Is it Spring yet?

Speaking of the post just below....this just about sums up how the Merritt boys have been feeling lately!

****I have entered a fun contest (a new one for me!) Michelle is asking for us to post a hilarious photos (of anything we want). You then add a funny caption to make the photo even funnier! You can visit Michelle at My Semblance of Sanity, and enter the contest, too, if you would like (or, in the very least, go vote for my entry please!) :-)****

Colin's invention

What is it they say about necessity is the mother of all invention?

Well, when it's freezing outside, and you can't go to the park.....you make the park come to you.

As Colin has figured out.....

You take one ordinary Gazelle

You take the cushion from one ordinary glider

You add some imagination, and you've created a park swing!

The 'seat' of this park swing can also be removed to create a jungle gym.

Shane and I both thought this was the funniest thing, when we walked into the office to discover what Colin had 'invented.' So far, it has provided literally hours of entertainment for the two of them! The boys both have a major case of stuck-inside-itis....at least, if we aren't able to get out to the jungle gyms and swings at the park just yet, we can have one right here in the house!

Overheard in the Merritt household last month

Setting: Colin has had a runny nose for about a week--constantly running.
Mommy: "Colin, tonight we are having one of your favorite soups for dinner!"
Colin: "What soup, Mom?"
Mommy: "Tortellini soup!"
Colin, completely elated: "Yay!!" Then, in about 2 seconds, his face dissolves from elation into utter disappointment, and he says:

"Oh mom, I can't eat soup tonight....my runny nose will run straight into the soup!"

********

Cameron's new phrase: "What's that all about mommy?" (which sounds more like, 'what sat all bout, mommy?')

Setting: O'Charlie's restaraunt.

Date: Valentine's Day. Mommy and the boys come over to Champaign to surprise daddy and take him out to a special Valentine's lunch. The Merritts are seated at a table that is right in front of a utility closet. The Merritts are all seated and eating semi-peacefully. Enter waitress, who comes by the Merritt's table and then opens the door to the utility closet, goes inside, and closes the door.
And....Action!

Cameron, looking at the waitress, and watching her every move, sees her go into the closet and proclaims loudly: "What sat all bout, Mommy?" for all the restaraunt to hear. Nearly everyone sitting around us laughs, which he notices, and then he lets out a giant laugh, which made them all laugh more.....vicious circle.

This has since become Cameron's favorite phrase, and he says it constantly.

********

Colin has recently been working on numbers, and has become very aware of the number 4. He knows that he is 4 years old, and knows that he wears a size 4T. He has to check everything he puts on--his coat, his pants, his shirts--and make sure they are his by making sure they say "4T."

Since I have begun my quest to lose weight, I have kept the scale out and on the bathroom floor. This has been an object of fascination, of course, and the other day I was teaching them what the purpose of the scale is.

Mommy: "See, you step on the scale and it weighs you--it tells you how many pounds you are in numbers!"
Colin decides that he wants to see how big he is, and steps on the scale. He looks at me, puzzled, and says:
"Mommy, this is wrong."
I am puzzled, because while Colin does recognize many numbers, I know that he doesn't know how much he weighs to know if it is wrong or not.
Mommy: "What do you mean it is wrong?"
Colin: "Well the numbers are wrong.....why does it not say 4T?"

********

Colin loves to compliment me, and has found a new word to do so: Expensive.

Colin (when I am all dressed and ready for church): "Mommy, you look so expensive."
When I am actually dressed with makeup on and my hair done (could be any time of the week, but do you get the feeling it doesn't happen often, since he is asking me this question?)
"Mommy, you look so expensive....is it date night?" or "Mommy, you look very expensive, is it church today?"
Obviously, those are the two occasions that Colin has learned gets me out of my PJ's.

********

Words Colin still says wrong but that I don't have the heart to correct because I know it won't be much longer that he is still my 'little boy':

Explorer: kasplorer
Refrigerator: fridge-a-frator
Vanilla: ranilla
Surprise: kaprise
Kiwi (as in, the juice that we drink is strawberry-kiwi): weegi (Can I have strawberry-weegi juice mommy?)
And one of my favorite phrases: "You scared me out of death, mommy!"

********

Cameron has this new thing where no matter what you say to him, he says, "I'm a gock" which, in translation is, "I'm a shark." Then, he pretends to be biting you while making what he figures is a good biting noise, which sounds like someone trying to hack up a lung....it really is very funny. He loves anything with fish and loves watching Nemo and seeing the part with the sharks.

While sitting at the lunch table:
Mommy: Boys, we are having tacos for lunch today! (I was getting rid of leftover taco meat)
Cameron, looking unsure, begins what I believe is going to be some protesting over my choice of lunch, so I quickly say, "Sharks love tacos Cameron!"
Both boys quickly get all into this game. You can just see on their faces that they are thinking, "Yay! We are going to pretend we are sharks and eat all of our tacos!"
The boys are at least 1/2 way thru their tacos, and loving them. The game is working really well, until my smarter-than-he-should-be-4-year-old says,
"Hey! Sharks don't like to eat tacos.....so, I am just going to turn back into a boy so that I can finish eating my lunch!"

********

Colin was examining my nail polish in church one night. Now, he knows that blue is for boys and pink (which I currently have on my nails) is for girls.
Colin (who, remember, is my nail biter): "Mommy, I think I am going to let my nails grow out so that I can wear nail polish too."
Mommy: "Well, you know how only mommies wear make-up, not daddies? And how only mommies have purses?"
Colin: "Yeah..."
Mommy: "Well, it the same way for nail polish. Only mommies wear nail polish. Not daddies or boys."
Colin, thinking for a minute, then says: "Even if I wear blue?"
Mommy, smiling and holding back a laugh: "No, bud, even if you wear blue."

********

Cameron was asleep in his bed at naptime one day, and Colin had woken up. Ethan was awake as well, and I needed to take a shower. So, I asked Colin if he would play with Ethan in their room while mommy took a quick shower. He of course said, "Sure!" so I gated them off in their bedroom and hopped into the shower.

I had the door open, so that I could listen to them playing, to make sure they were okay, when all of a sudden I hear Colin yelling. I listened, and quickly discerned that it was a play yell, and not and "I need you right now because something is wrong" yell. Shortly after Colin began yelling, Ethan started in....I am thinking to myself, well, I guess Cameron will be up pretty soon!

Several minutes goes by and I get out of the shower. Amazingly, I walk by the room to find that Cameron, despite the intense hollering, is still asleep! Colin then comes out of his room and says to Shane:

"Dad? I was playing with Ethan in our bedroom, and we were both hollering really loud....It's a miracle, but God kept Cameron asleep the whole time!"

Verses of the week

Several people have inquired what I am doing to teach the boys their verses, and I will share with you a tip (that was given to me by my friend who is a mother of seven) that has worked wonderfully for us. We put our verse for the week on a 3x5 card, and I fold the card to make a 'tent' (the verse is just written on one side, so the entire verse is facing you when you look at the card). Then, I set it on our dining room table. Since the verse is always in plain view every time we are eating, it is a perfect opportunity to work on learning it! The boys and I work everyday at breakfast and at lunch. At dinner, when daddy comes home, the boys show him their progress by reciting what they know so far--so, really, we are working on it then, too!

So far, the plan is working. Cameron is going along at about 1/2 the speed of Colin (which is to be expected, of course); Colin has 5 verses memorized now, and Cameron has 2. They know some short phrases of some other verses as well.

It is so amazing to see how quickly a 2 and a 4 year old can learn a verse, and I am continually fascinated at how well Cameron and Colin are doing! I am keeping a chart for each of them in my office, and each time they master a new verse, they get to put a sticker on the chart, and I write the reference and the date they learned it. Stickers, it turns out, are big motivators! I am also keeping a sheet for each of them that has each verse they have memorized, along with the reference, typed out on it. That way, I have all the verses they have done in one place, so it easy when it comes time for review!

Now, for your viewing pleasure.....




Psalm 34:8 "O taste, and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him."





Deuteronomy 6:5 "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might."

Coffee Drinkers

Look at what my wonderfully sweet, thoughtful, and highly caffeine addicted in-laws gave my boys a couple of weeks ago:

Their own 'coffee cups'! Now, mind you, we are not coffee drinkers around here and obviously that is not what the boys are drinking out of them....but they love using these cups. That is the first thing they ask for when I ask them if they are thirsty and want a drink....."Can I have my coffee cup?"

They are so proud the themselves with these big boy mugs!

I am such a huge fan of things that have the boys' names on them. For each of the boys' first Christmases, Lynette and Roger got them a name puzzle--their names spelled out in large letters of different colors. We've never opened them--they are for decoration in their rooms and not for play (because mommy says so, that's why)--and they are one of my favorite things the boys have! Of course, now coming in a close second are these great 'milk mugs', as I have so re-named them! Grandma and Grandpa Merritt managed to find each boy's name, spelled correctly and everything, in three different colors. What a great gift!

Ethan's not quite sure how to use his yet....."I don't think this is quite right...."

" How did you say to do it Mommy?"
" No, no milk on this end...."
"I'm just not sure if I will get the hang of this very soon.... "
"but I'm happy with it anyway!"
Thanks Roger and Lynette--the boys love their mugs, and so does mommy!

Blink and they're grown

As I was looking at some new pics of my newest nephew Callen today, I was reminded of something that I wanted to post a few months ago. I had forgotten all about it, so, here it is today, a couple of months late.

This is a picture of baby Colin and Uncle Jay at Colin's very first Thanksgiving. (The pics of Callen and Jay being cozy together reminded me of this shot!)

Uncle Jay and baby Colin, crashed together on the couch

Enjoy Callen while he's little Jay....before you know it, he'll look like this!

This is Colin, not such a baby anymore, this past Thanksgiving with Uncle Jay. By the way, in case you were wondering....they were all cozied up together on the couch watching Strawberry Shortcake. :-) To be fair, Reese was in the room watching as well, but I truly think that Jay was enjoying the show as much as Reese was. ***hee hee!***

I thought it was so cute how Lynette took almost the same picture that I had, only four years later!

Love you both, Jay and Karie, and love the pics--keep them coming!

Don't say it...

You know how you say things like, "Boy, I haven't been sick in a really long time!" or "Man, my face has been really clear lately!".....

....and then the very next day, you get a sinus infection/bronchitis or wake up with 6 pimples on your face?

I swear, this always happens to me. I have told Shane so many times, usually after one of the above examples or something similar happens to me, "I am never going to say stuff like this ever again, because as sure as I do, it happens."

Well........

Remember my post from just yesterday? All the great progress we are making with Cameron on potty training? (Do you see where I am going yet?)

We have had so many great days in a row with Cameron going to the potty. We keep telling him what a big boy he is, and how great he is doing. Well, I think that maybe we told him just a few times too many, because last night, he decided that he was a big enough boy that he could go all by himself.

Now, many of you know Cameron. Of all my children, he is my--well, roughest is the word that comes to mind. He doesn't walk around things, he walks over them. He considers 'playing with you' to be running from the other side of the room and slamming into your thigh muscle and then laughing hysterically while you are on the ground, moaning, and rubbing said muscle. (Yes, this just happened this morning.) He just is a bit brute-like......notice, I did NOT say he was a brute, because I hate when people label children like that. You can not simply take one of his characteristics and lump all of his others into that one. It just doesn't fit. He is very gentle and caring in many ways, (like after he realized that I was really hurt, he came over to me and, patting my back, said, "I sorry mommy, okay mommy?") but he can be so rough in others. Anyway.....

So, Cameron tells Shane that he needs to go potty, but Shane was busy at the moment. He told him that he would take him in just a minute. That answer apparently did not satisfy Cameron. The little stinker didn't come looking for me to help him, either (I was busy in the other bathroom anyway). Instead, Cameron took it upon himself to: 1. go into the hall bathroom, 2. put up the toilet seat, 3. step up on his stool, and 4. go pee-pee.

Miss any steps there?

In case you haven't figured it out yet, he forgot to pull down his pants and his underwear. So, he stood there, right in front of the potty, and peed right in his pants.

Of course, as soon as he realized what was going on, he knew something was wrong and began crying hysterically.....both Shane and I came flying into the bathroom, to the rescue, and reassured him that this was only an accident, but that he was never, ever to go to the potty without Mommy or Daddy helping him, ever again.

I'm NEVER telling anyone when Ethan potty trains....

New Addition to the Merritts

Check out my newest nephew!

Callen Micheal Merritt was born on February 21st around 6 a.m. 8 pounds, 3 oz, and 20 inches long. Isn't he handsome? Shane's brother, Jason, and his wife Karie are the proud mommy and daddy. He joins big sister Reese, who is 2!

We are so thankful that everything went so well, and he arrived safe and sound. Can't wait to meet you in person baby Callen!

By the way, I think he looks like Shane.....

***:-) just kidding Jay :-)***

The newest of tricks

It's finally happened!







He usually laughs like crazy, hold his arms out in front of him like Frankenstein, and falls down about one step before he reaches his goal (as evidenced in the videos) but as of Tuesday, Ethan is officially walking! It is absolutely the cutest thing to see!

In other happenings around our house, the boys are all sick right now. Cameron is the worst off (Ethan and Colin are tying for a close second). The poor child coughed so hard last night in church that he threw up! Yes, my fear of one of my children throwing up in church in the middle of a service has now become a reality. All over me, all over him, all over the pew. Shane came to the rescue (as well as a couple of other church members) and we got everything taken care of. It was so cute--I didn't witness this, because obviously I was cleaning up throw-up, but apparently after the opening prayer (right after we left with Cameron) Colin raised his hand and said, "Pastor? Cameron just threw up and Mommy and Daddy took him out to clean him up, but could we pray for him to feel better?" :-)

Luckily, Cameron had an extra pair of jeans in the diaper bag (since we have been potty training, I take an extra pair when we go out 'just in case') and was wearing a zip-up hoodie over his shirt, so we were just able to strip that off and change his pants. It could have been a lot worse!

This morning, I discovered that Cameron had some 'dirt' on his face. Not so unusual for him.....anyway, when I got a washcloth to wipe it off, and discovered that it wasn't coming off, I looked a little closer and found that the poor thing actually has broken capillaries all over his face and around his eyes from coughing so hard! It is pitiful. You wouldn't really know he was sick, if it weren't for this terrible cough--he is in really good spirits! But, say a prayer, if you would, for poor Cami to feel better soon!

Here is some video of him, telling you of a few accomplishments of his:







If you didn't recognize the verse, it was Genesis 1:1. "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." It is so cute listening to him say that.....

And, I think Cameron is officially potty-trained, which is such an exciting thing for him (and me!). He hasn't had any accidents in several days, and I believe he really does understand what is going on. He knows when he needs to go, and will certainly let me (and anyone else that happens to be standing within earshot) know too! As you can see by the video, he LOVES wearing 'big-boy pants'! (By the way, if you didn't understand what he was saying about the diaper, he was saying that he wears a diaper at night....)

Now, onto Colin, who is quite the little memorizer!





Genesis 1:2 "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters."

He is doing so well with letters, numbers, and writing. He is getting so big, and smart, and is such an amazing help to me!

There is a lot going on at our house, as you can see! Hope you enjoy this quick peek at the boys!

New Blog

It appears that I am not the only mommy carrying a few of those extra dreaded pounds.

The response to my last post was much higher than I had anticipated. I have heard from several other women who are in the same boat as I am. The great thing is, they all want to do something about it too! One of the other blogger mommies I know, Edlow, has decided to do something that I was actually thinking about doing myself. She has started a 'weight loss' blog--it will be completely dedicated to our journey to the land of the skinny! :-) And I am going to be a contributor....I'm very excited about this! Encouragement when you are doing this kind of thing is extremely important. It will be great hearing from and talking to other ladies who are doing the same thing I am!

We will be blogging our ups and downs, losses and gains, and encouraging each other on a weekly and daily basis. If you would to join us in being a contributor (there are three of us so far) and write about your weight loss journey, let us know! You can either leave me a comment or email me privately.

I will be adding this blog to my sidebar, so if you'd like to check out the blog, feel free--hope you enjoy!

Click here to visit Motivated Mommas !

I'm setting her free

A couple of months ago, I found a new sign for my kitchen. It was one of the funniest things I had ever seen, but the reason why I had to have it when I saw it was because, truly, I feel as though it describes me

TO.....A.....TEE.

For years, I have heard that skinny girl hollering....I know she is in there somewhere! I found her once, right before I got married. (I had real incentive then!) Not that I ever dream of getting back to my "just married" weight (that, truly, would not even be sustainable for me) but I am determined to find a girl close to that size again, even if she isn't quite as small as she once was.

I have decided that I am going to work really hard to release that girl that has been locked inside for so long. I did really great getting the baby weight off after I had Colin. Then I got pregnant with Cameron, had him, and 5 months later was already pregnant with Ethan. I never really got all of Cami's baby weight off before I put Ethan's on. Not necessarily my fault, considering the time frame there.....but definitely not good.

Now, I have two babies worth of baby weight to lose......but I am determined.

Okay, I am exaggerating a bit. Truth be told, I don't really have all that much to lose. About 13 pounds or so. Doesn't seem like much, but some days it might as well be 50! I love good food, and I love goodies like Fannie May candies and ice cream. I will not give those things up....but this is not about that. It is about eating those things like a sensible person. Not eating 1/2 pound of Fannies all at once. And I can do that, by the way.

And, of course, I want to be healthier, too! That is always a bonus side effect from being more weight-concious.

So, my plan is:

• Pilates, at least 4 times a week (it's only a 20 minute DVD, and I know I have an extra 20 minutes somewhere in my day)--exersise is key for me to lose! Plus, I have a Gazelle, and I would like to do that 4 times a week as well. This will mean that on some days, I will be doing both....and that seems like a large hurdle for me as I am just starting out, but like I said: I'm determined.
• Eating better
• Eating a bit less :-)
• Drinking lots more water
• And, as soon as the weather cooperates, getting outside for walks/running/biking/anything else that requires lots of movement....chasing 3 boys, maybe?!

So......I guess I have to do it now, because I feel like now I am accountable. I've told all of you. And, I am going to be adding a sidebar on, so that I am able to post my weight loss each week. I don't care if I only lose 1/2 a pound--it's something, and I'm going to post it!

Anyone want--or need--to join me?? We'll encourage each other!

***EDIT (2/19): WOW, everyone, what fantastic feedback I am getting already! Thank you, those who have encouraged me....for the last two days, I have done really well with eating AND my exercises! I will admit, I am a little tired after today's round, but I know it will get better. Out of the three ladies who have commented so far on this post, all three of them are in this boat with me, and I am so excited that all three of them want to do something about it! Edlow, Julie and Amanda--so far, we are all in this together! I thought about each of us setting some kind of goal, and checking back with each other every week, to see progress and encourage each other--as Amanda said, let's be skinny Moms this summer! What do you guys think? And, by the way, anyone else who hasn't commented yet who wants to join us is still welcome! (If you don't want to comment publicly, you can go to the profile page and email me privately.) Any takers?***