It's beginning to look a lot like....

It's 85 degrees here and I've got all the windows open. So as much as it doesn't really feel like Christmas here, we're getting ready to go get a tree today. The debate is do we get a American style full Christmas tree, a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, or maybe just a palm tree and hang some pineapple lights !?!  Presents fit under all three so what difference does it make?

This is how my kids spent their day yesterday, and my son even hot sun burned. So, I'm having a hard time really getting into it this year. 

If you ask the kids, they think we need all three... But I'm not really for that plan because that just means three trees in the house that I have to keep them from climbing on. No thank you. I am having a hard enough time keeping our crawler/almost walker from killing herself on the stairs. Why are stairs so attractive to a baby??

The kids have decided they want bikes and monkeys for Christmas this year. One may be possible, the other.... not so much. I'll let you figure out which one we're actually considering. 😏

It's also hard to feel Christmasy when there's fishing involved, and not the ice variety. Ya, I know, majot subject change, but my son got to go fishing for the first time and I had to slip it in somehow.

Isn't he just the cutest?!?! 

Allright, back to the main topic. What kind of tree do we get? Suggestions would be great!!! 

What's Christmas to you?

With a title like that, you might think I'm going for some deep reflection on the true meaning of Christmas.

You'd be wrong.

If you follow me or some of my boys on facebook or instagram, you might have seen our big discussion on the appropriate time to start listening to Christmas music. In case you missed it, the answer is whenever you feel like it. Most Christmas songs are cheerful and full of joy and if that gives you a pick-me-up, then you don't need to wait until after Thanksgiving for the boost.

Side note:  if your favorite carols include Blue Christmas or Christmas Shoes, then you have bigger issues than I can deal with in a single blogpost. Also, Christmas Shoes is not a Christmas song. It's a travesty that ought to be destroyed.

So I have a few questions for you about the holiday season. Feel free to answer one or all. Feel free to listen to Christmas music while you answer. Or Easter music. I don't judge.

1.What's your favorite Christmas movie?

2. What's your favorite Christmas song?

3. Name a holiday tradition that you always observe.

4. Finish this statement:  "My home's not decorated until ..."

5. What one decoration do you absolutely hate?

6. When do you put up your Christmas decorations?

My answers are in the comments.

Along Came Amelia (Part Two)

If you want to ready the whole story of Along Came Amelia, you can go to part one. I mean you should because who really likes to start a story in the middle of a book, right?

For the next two hours after Amelia was born nurses were in and out of the room, checking on me and checking on her. Amelia was doing well, however, I wish I could say the same for myself. There were no complications with the actual delivery but afterwards I was having postpartum Hemorrhaging.  The nurse came to my husband and I and told us that I would need to have a D and C with the possibility of having a hysterectomy. As she was explaining it to us out loud, and the words actually came out of her mouth, "If it ends up being a hysterectomy, you wouldn't be able to have any more children." It was heartbreaking and I couldn't help but to cry. 

**For a while I have been asking my husband how many children he actually wants to have. He never really has given me an answer other than, However many God wants us to have. I agree with that but I still have a number in mind, you know? You may not be sure that you want to have anymore but for someone to decide that for you is devastating.

I had tears streaming down my face as they took me from the delivery room to the Operating Room. Matt and I agreed there was no point in him waiting in the waiting room outside the O. R. when he could be with our newborn daughter. I was sad and scared heading to surgery for the very first time. They told me this surgery would be about an hour. One hour turned into three, because as I was having the D and C, my doctor found a second Placenta. This happens one in every 100,000 pregnancy. I was that one. I didn't end up getting the hysterectomy.

After the surgery, they moved me back to my room. I was back in my room for about 20 minutes when the doctor came to check my progress from the surgery. They weren't happy with it and before I knew it, I was heading back down for my second surgery. I was still too out of it from the anesthesia from the first surgery to realize what was actually about to happen. They were taking me in for a hysterectomy. My husband had to leave to go take care of some things for our other daughters and my mom was in the room waiting with Amelia, both of them were left thinking we weren't having any more children... 

At least that was the plan. My doctor discussed the situation with one of his colleagues before heading into surgery and he suggested a procedure that would keep me from having a hysterectomy. My doctor agreed to give it a try but we wouldn't really know if it would work or not until the next day. 

After the surgery was finished, and before I came back to the room. The doctor came into the room where my mom was and had told her about the procedure that he had done and that he didn't do the hysterectomy after all. She called my husband to tell him the news and he praised God for a miracle. 

After a restful night, the doctor came in the next morning and...

The procedure worked! Praise The Lord! 

Two weeks after being discharged I had a short consultation with my doctor. He said to me, "I bet you're wondering what I did in there." We had a laugh together and then he became serious as he explained to me what had actually happened. He shared with me that he was scared, which came as shock to me. Doctors aren't supposed to be scared, are they? He told me that my family gave him comfort as he talked to them each step of the way. He shared with me how calm they were and how nice of a gentleman my husband was. That made my heart happy, but I knew the only way that we were able to be calm and positive through it all was because God was there with us. Not to mention we had so many people praying for us.

If you're reading this blog today and you were one of those people praying, Thank You!

With just having finished Thanksgiving and being reminded what we just went through while writing this story. I've got a song on my mind and want to share.

New traditions

Well, we just finished our first holiday in Brazil! It was fun, but different than what we're used to.

First of all, it's hard to wrap your head around Thanksgiving and Christmas when it's 90 degrees outside.

Then there's the fact that Thanksgiving dinner is a little different due to the fact that you can't always find the same ingredients.. For instance, if you like green bean casserole (don't admit it if you don't because that is just wrong) you have to make the cream of mushroom soup from scratch and make the French fried onions from scratch.

On the dinner menu, my husband cannot have Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie. I had never made a pumpkin pie before... Or any pie..  Or pie dough... Ya, so that was a lot of firsts.

I started with a test pie. The dough seemed to turn out fine, and the pie mix seemed to turn out ok... After making the pumpkin puree, and realizing too late that I needed to strain the pumpkin so it wasn't too watered down. Finally,  the pie was in the oven and it would be done just in time to eat after dinner...

Did I mention, along with never making a pumpkin pie that I had never eaten one either. And that I didnt know you don't generally eat the pie hot... It's better room temp or cold. Or so I've been told.

Ya, so the pie was finally done when my hubby shared this little fact about not eating it hot. So the next morning he had pumpkin pie for breakfast. 😂 And I'm happy to say that hubby loved it!

First pumpkin pie.. Success!

Thanksgiving day came and we had some other missionaries over and celebrated together! This Thanksgiving I am thankful for friends over here to get together!!

What’s It All About?

Good Thanksgiving-Eve Morning! (Is that even a thing?) I was going to post something deep and thought-provoking about the upcoming holiday tomorrow, but then I was up for twenty hours yesterday while cleaning, running errands and doing some baking and prepping for Thanksgiving. Then we had church and then I drove six hours to go pick up Joel and bring him home for Thanksgiving. I've had four hours of sleep and we're about to get back on the road so unfortunately, I'm not nearly as profound and thought-provoking as I'd hoped.

In lieu of that, I know that many of you may be stressing out about making sure everything is done and ready for family, food, etc. If I were not so exhausted, I know that I would be. So as you stress over the details:

• do I use my nice plates and have more dishes? Is a plain ol' paper plate too boring? Does any store still have any Thanksgiving plates and napkins that I could pick up?--and by the way, they don't
• If I don't make a pumpkin pie this year, is it still really Thanksgiving? What do you mean it takes more than a day to defrost a turkey?)

I'd like to point out that, as important as a defrosted turkey is, none of those details you're stressing about is what makes Thanksgiving. Tomorrow is a day for thanking God for all He's given you and making memories with your loved ones. If those memories include frozen turkey and flimsy paper plates, so be it.

And that's as profound as I can be right now. So let me ask you, what one item MUST be on the table tomorrow? What would you never go without for Thanksgiving dinner? 

Along Came Amelia (Part One)

In the beginning weeks of this pregnancy I had a feeling that something might be different this time around. I wasn't sure how or why yet, but I was thinking maybe it would be a boy this time or maybe the baby will be early. My previous pregnancies were pretty much textbook, quick appointments, no issues, no concerns. I say that not to sound proud, but to say I was blessed!

Little did I know that things were going to be different this time around in an entirely new way.

At 19 weeks, we found out we were having another little princess! ( Yes, we were excited!) 

At 27 weeks, I had my Glucose test and failed. 

At 28 weeks, I had to do a  3 hour fasting glucose test just to be sure, I failed again and I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes at my very next appointment. 

At 32 weeks, I went in for a non stress test each week for baby girl. Also, started testing blood sugars 4 times a day!

At 34 weeks, I was put on insulin for the Diabetes. I also went from one non stress test a week to two! 

Due to being on Insulin my doctor told me that I should expect to deliver at 39 weeks.

After each appointment that I had it was "Just one more thing" that I had to deal with. The night before my 38 week appointment, I was in tears because it all became so overwhelming. I was uncomfortable and so ready to have our baby girl. The morning of my last appointment my doctor asked me just how ready I was, she asked if I wanted to be induced early. I couldn't believe I didn't just shout "YES!" I was trying to think it through and not just base the decision on "how I felt".  It was only 5 more days until I was induced anyway, and baby was doing just fine. So, I told her I would wait.

Who does that? Who chooses to be pregnant 5 more days?

As soon as I had left the office, I knew that I made the wrong decision. I called my doctor back as soon as I got home. She called me back early that afternoon and scheduled my induction for the next morning.

We arrived at about 4:30 AM on October 31st to be induced. However they couldn't actually do anything except hook me up to monitors until about 9 AM because they didn't have any orders in the computer. As soon as the doctor arrived to the hospital that day they decided to give me Cytotec which is another form of medicine used to jump start labor. Then, the waiting game began. I was having a lot of contractions in the early afternoon. They gave me another dose of the Cytotec by mid afternoon and I was dialated to a 3 by early evening but I didn't make much progress after that. They told me 9 PM they weren't going to do anything else until morning and that I should rest. At about 6:30 AM, Nov. 1st. I was still only at a 3 and they started the Potocin. The nurses were coming in every 30 minutes to check my blood pressure and each time they came in they upped the dosage of Potocin. At about 9:30 I quickly progressed and was dialated to an 8! At 10:15 I finally called for an epidural, they were there within 5 minutes and by 10:30 I was all good to go. They told me it would take about 20 minutes for it to take full affect and that I would start feeling at ease. A little less than that 20 minutes and I was fully dialated and ready to push! At 11:54 our beautiful 9 lb 3 oz. baby girl was finally here!!

Phew the hard part was over, or was it?

To be Continued...

Hurry up and Wait!

Hurry up and wait! That seems like a lot of our life since we've gotten to Brazil. Several different people have said that phrase to me and it really fits.

There were a lot of steps involved in getting set up and it almost seemed like each one was dependent on the other! How are we ever going to get everything done!?!?! Well, it seems we are almost at the end of our "hurry up and wait" stage. We have a car, a house, our visas are registered on this side (well mostly), we finally have everything fixed in the house, and now we are just hurrying up to wait for language school! Lord willing, that will happen right after thanksgiving!

I am learning a lot in this hurry up and wait phase. God had this waiting time for a reason in our lives. I've learned that I'm not quite as tough as I thought. I didn't come to Brazil thinking that I wouldn't have struggles, but I considered myself tough. We had rough situations in America. I've dealt with mice and roaches and ants in my homes in America. I've lived for a week without any hot water in our home. I have even washed my laundry in a bathtub for a while because we did't have a washer. All of that which led me to believe that I was tough and prepared.

Go ahead. You can laugh. I am.

I have come to realize I am not tough. I realized that when it dawned on me that we have to have someone's help to do practically everything. ME... the independent, don't ask for help from anyone, me...

  I realized I'm not tough when we lived for over a week without being able to go in my own bedroom and bathroom because they were infested with bees.

 I realized I'm not tough when I looked up one night and there was a bat flying in my living room... and he came back the next couple of nights as well.

I realized I'm not tough when I woke up one morning to find my five month old like this.

Those are all the mosquito or gnat bites she got in one night. 

I realized I was not tough when I all we ate was chicken soup, chicken salad, and sandwiches for two weeks because I was too scared to try and fail at making anything else. 

I realized I was not tough when I realized that they don't have salsa here in Brazil, and you can't find everything necessary to make it! Who doesn't have salsa!?!? I just feel like that's a crime and everyone should have chips and salsa. 

I realized I'm not tough when I see pictures of my family all bundled up in coats and I remember that it's holiday season. "I'm dreaming of a green and pineappley Christmas"  just doesn't have the same Bing Crosby flair. 

Now that I've had my pity party, I've also realized...

I don't have to be tough.

God doesn't expect me to be tough. He expects me to lean on Him for that strength that I am finding out I don't have.

As hard as it has been to feel like we're here in Brazil and accomplishing absolutely nothing because we don't speak Portuguese, there's been a reason to hurry up and wait. Because for me to be used here, I think I had to come to that realization that I'm not tough, and that I need to stop trying to do everything on my own. 

Now, I'm off to sweep up the bugs that invaded my house in the night.  But before I go, for your baby viewing pleasure!!

Time On My Hands

Since I live with a bunch of males, and since Opening Day of Hunting Season is this week (what do you mean you didn't know that?!?!), I'm finding myself spending more time alone these days.

So while my guys are getting up in the wee hours of the morning to make their way through the frozen darkness to their stands, while they're shivering and changing their socks because dampness worked its way into their boots, while they're showering with "scent away" so the the deer don't sense their presence (HINT: if doesn't add perfumes to the soap, but it doesn't necessarily take care of all of the b.o. either), I've had people ask me what I'm going to do with all my free time.

Well watch out because the guys don't have the monopoly on the fun!

I started the week with an attempted root canal. I say attempted because, after novocain that numbed my jaw and my nose and after spending two and a half hours in the chair, the dentist came to the conclusion that some oral surgery was going to have to take place before the root canal. Blades and lasers were discussed (I am not making this up) and then ultimately it was decided that I needed a different course of action. I was scolded for putting this off for so long, but then told they don't have another appointment for another month so I guess this problem is not going to get fixed any time soon.

Later in the day I read by a cozy fire, watched a little television, made soup in the crockpot and sorted and organized my jewelry. All of that, and I'm only on Day One!

Don't be jealous. Not everyone can maintain the level of excitement that I can.

I have more stuff planned for tomorrow. My plans include dusting and vacuuming and possibly reorganizing the pantry. I'd clean the fridge out too, but I need to pace myself. After all, it's going to be a long week.

So what do you do when you have free time?

Brand Sparkling New

Well, Miss Amelia would have been new today, because today was her actual due date! We are so happy that she came early!

We've had and eventful 12 days of life so far!

We've had baths, which we don't like.

We've had photo ops with big sisters!

We napped before, during, and after church!

Meanwhile...this was happening! 

We have been enjoying our girls, all four of them!

Thinking on Thankfulness

So, with Thanksgiving coming up, I've been thinking about all that God has done for me recently.

• I'm thankful for a house with a yard. That's not always common here.

• I'm thankful for how God worked out us getting this house. He made it clear without a shadow of a doubt what He had for us. There are normally a lot of steps involved that our landlord passed (which never happens) based on the testimony of another missionary.

• I'm thankful for that other missionary and their family, not only for their testimony and for how they've been such a blessing to our family.

• I'm thankful for my babies and their happy spirit

• I'm thankful for how when we needed a dog, we were given one for free. Which also never happens.

• I'm thankful for friends here in Brazil to help our family adjust.

• I'm thankful for text messaging and vídeo calling because then family doesn't seem quite so far away.

Like this new sweetie that I can't wait to get my hands on and smuggle!! 

What are you thankful for this holiday season? 

Casting Your Vote

As I write this, I don't yet know what the results of Tuesday's elections will be. I've been praying for sometime about the elections, and I'm desperately hoping God allows us to have the results we need and not the results I'm afraid our nation deserves.

I do believe it is our duty as well as our privilege to vote. We vote in every election, and we've also taught our children to do their civic duty as well.

I've seen much (and I'm sure you have as well) on social media lately from people who expressed their political point of view and encouraged others to vote, hopefully along the same lines. I do think it's important to vote, and I have no patience with people who didn't bother to vote, but then complain about how government isn't doing it's job.

Many people wouldn't think of missing their opportunity to vote in an election, but I wonder how many of us realize that we cast votes every single day. We vote what to do with our time, and we vote on what's important enough for us to focus our attention.

Here's a few areas where people cast votes without realizing it:

On the job--when someone makes an inappropriate comment or joke, how do you cast your vote? Do you vote for that sort of thing by laughing at it? Do you realize that staying silent is also a way of voting for those things that are offensive? Or do you vote against that sort of behavior by politely letting them know that it's not acceptable?

At church--Do you realize that every time you decide to stay home from a service, you're voting to close the church? You may not think it's that drastic, but if you are "too tired" or "too busy" to attend, you are sending the message to everyone that church is not that important.

*You're sending that message to those around you that you might have witnessed to or invited to church. Why should they care about it if church isn't important to you?

*You're sending that message to your children. Why should they care about church if you don't? If you're too tired or busy to attend on a regular basis, don't be surprised when they end up not going at all once they're adults.

*You're sending a message to your fellow believers. Your attendance encourages them. It also encourages the pastor and the Sunday School teacher and your fellow choir members and nursery workers and ushers. When you're not there, you're telling them that worshipping with them just isn't high on your priority list.

In the neighborhood--When we were missionaries in Uganda, the leaders of the town we were in told my husband that Christianity brought morals, integrity, discipline and character. That's true whether you live in Uganda or in the United States. With that in mind, if you're not witnessing to those around you, if you're not passing out Gospel tracts, if you're not inviting people to church, then you are voting for a decline in morals, integrity, discipline and character in the area in which you live.

These are just a few of the areas where we cast our vote as we go through our daily lives. So let me ask you, what are you voting for today?

A Special Delivery

Our Baby girl is finally here and we could not be more excited!

Say hello to Miss Amelia Shay!

Big sisters are so helpful already, and Stella said, "She loves her new baby sister with her whole heart".

Daddy is smitten!

She is the perfect addition to our home!

Stayed tuned the next couple of weeks as I will be taking a short break from blogging but will for sure be posting baby picture updates!

Picture picture

I know all you really want to see is the new baby, but I don't have any pictures of her. I have seen pictures and she is absolutely adorable!!! 😍😍😍

  Here is what I do have pictures of, though...

A standing baby.. Shes killing me... 

Amazing coffee

Crazy kiddos

True MK.. You can sleep anywhere 

Stylin dude. Check out those we some shoes! 

So , how was your week?