God's Call

I thought I would not be posting much anymore about what I am reading in the Bible.  And maybe I won't.  I am not sure.  But I do know that sometimes it will just speak to me and I am going to write about that if I feel like I want to.  

Right now I am in Isaiah.  I have honestly never gotten through any of the prophetical books.  But I have a renewed desire due to the Bible study I am currently doing with my Monday night girls.  I am so thankful for this group of women that comes together in a desire to know God's Word and grow more Jesus-like because of it.  

So, Isaiah 6: 8 says, "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send?  And who will go for us?'  And I said, 'Here am I.  Send me!!' "

I almost missed it.  I almost did not realize this was God calling Isaiah to be a prophet.  I knew God was telling Isaiah to go and tell the people of Judah something, but I did not realize this was God's first time letting Isaiah know that he would be prophesying for the Lord.  Thankful that I ended up in two different Bibles and ended up seeing the little aside that was in one of them.  I have about five Bibles here, but none of them is a study Bible.  I guess that just went on my list.  

Anyhow, this stuck out to me, this call.  What do I want to be when I grow up?  OMGoodness.  I am grown up.  I have three kids, a husband, a house, and a minivan.  I live far away from the people who used to take care of me and now I am taking care of others.  Little people who need me.  I am living the dream I had for my life when I was a little girl (although it is not as easy as I thought it would be, lol).  God is so good!!  

And now I wonder what other calls will He have for my life?  And I wonder what calls will He have for my  boys?  Right now, Jackson wants to be a restauranteur and a fireman.  Max wants to be a firefighter, a policeman, and a daddy.  And I, I just want to be faithful to the God who has given me more than I could have asked or imagined.  I want to love like Jesus and give out His grace and tell the story of His great love, His great sacrifice.  I want to be better than I was yesterday and less afraid of what people think of me.  I want to give into this hurting world in a way that makes a difference for the world, for His Kingdom, and for even just one person.  

And I want to raise my boys up to hear the call God puts on their lives.  I want them to love like Jesus and make their Jesus-love mark on the world in the way that God created them to.  

And so my prayer today is that I can love these little people enough and give them enough grace (the way God gives me) that they will desire to follow the God who sacrificed everything for them.  I pray that they will look at me and see love and grace.  I hope they can see how I love that they are each different, and yet brothers.  I hope they can see that they each have amazing and special gifts from the Lord.  I hope that I can help them grow and use those gifts to serve a great, big God.  I pray that I am strong enough to help them have discipline and make good decisions.  And I pray that they can love me through my own growing and changing as these years go by; that they can give grace to this mama, because Lord knows, I am going to need it!

Thomas at 16 weeks

April 21, 2014

I think it is safe to say I can start posting monthly pictures rather than weekly.  Maybe I am a bit overboard?  I will keep the weekly pictures for my own records, lol.

Tummy time!

At the zoo smiling because he got to be out of the Ergo while everyone ate lunch.

Sleeping in Daddy's arms on Easter Sunday

The purple mouth is from a natural medicine called Gentian Violet, which can be used to treat thrush.  Our pediatrician recommended it!

He is eating his hands all the time now.

Jackson loses his second tooth!

April 3rd, 2014

Jackson, Max, Thomas, and I went to this little "thrift" type store here on base.  Jackson had been going through the whole store wiggling his tooth, which I did not really think was that loose.  We were in the checkout line and I think he was actually telling the lady about losing his first tooth.  I was getting all of our things up on the counter and all of a sudden I hear him yelp and exclaim, "Mom!  My tooth came out!"

When I looked at him there was blood all over the place and the ladies at the counter rushed to find me a paper towel, which Jackson held to the place his tooth had previously been.  I told him I did not think the tooth was so loose it was going to come out.  He said he gave it a good yank.  

Thanks Jackson.  Very appropriate place to give your tooth a yank, lol.  Could it not have waited till we got back home?  I guess not, lol.  

This time the tooth fairy brought $3 and Jackson kept it all for himself.  

Toothless brothers

Now Jackson can fit a good portion of the tip of his tongue into the toothless space.

Thomas at 14 weeks and 15 weeks

More cloth, fluffy bottomed baby.  He stretches his legs out straight like a poker very often.  He is not one to sit upright with legs in front of him.  I have to hold him straight or he will straddle my leg to "sit" with me.

Close up!

Thomas toes!

14 weeks!  Where does the time go?  

He was not happy about getting his picture taken this time around, but I did get half a smile out of him for the first picture.  That did not last long.

15 weeks, I forgot to take a picture with the blocks.

Tuxedo man!  Thanks, Grandma Watts, for the cute outfit!

I bought him this when we were in the states on our way to Hawaii back in August.  You can't really see how adorable the whole ensemble is, but it has a palm tree on it.  Thomas keeps wanting to put his hands in his face, which makes it hard to get pictures.

Thomas at 13 weeks and 3 months

At this point in time Thomas is smiling a lot.  He has broken out the short baby giggle a few times for us.  He is drooling all over the place and sucking on his fists, but he still takes a pacifier really well.  He seems to realize when toys are in front of him and will grab small things when you put them into his hands.  He is still a spitty baby.  And it comes out of nowhere.  And he almost never burps right after eating.  

He still has a little birth mark above his lip and stork bites on the back of his neck.  He likes to "talk" and he can get worked up pretty quickly.  He does not love tummy time, but will stay there for a few minutes if someone lays right next to him and talks to him.  He will stay in the bath for only about 5 minutes and then he is ready to get out.  He sleeps "through the night," but gets up every 3-6 hours to nurse and he is mostly in his crib.  I am satisfied with this.  He is my earliest to bed of all three boys, usually going down between 6:30 and 7:00 pm.  He does not nap well, ha ha.  He seems to want to be more than a cat napper, but we cannot seem to make it happen.  He is getting better about car rides, which up until now he did not seem to like.  I gave him some toys though, and he seems to have found himself in the mirror.  This is very nice for all of us, as I am more willing to go for longer drives.  

Post bath baby.  He probably smelled pretty clean.  Too bad you weren't here to smell him!!

Smiles!

13 weeks and a fluffy green bottom

Grandma Clemens got Max this outfit and I have another in 18 months size that Jackson wore.  

Auntie Cara and Uncle Alex got this outfit for Thomas.  There are little sharks all over it and it is so soft and cozy.  It obviously makes him very happy!!

Thomas at 12 weeks

We were still at Auntie Cara's house when Thomas turned 12 weeks.  It was fun dressing him up in cold weather clothes, all of which used to be Jackson's.  This little blue outfit was a gift and you can't really tell from the picture, but it buttons really high up on his neck.  I only buttoned it for the picture because it seemed like it would be uncomfortable.

If I remember right, this outfit was from Mike's Aunt Carol.  Love!!

Diaper baby!!

This outfit was from Auntie Cara for Jackson and now Thomas got to take a turn:)  Actually, a second turn because I did put him in it one day here in Hawaii.

Best buds for sure.  I can't even believe that Thomas was that small.  How quickly you forget how tiny they are when they come into the world!

This was back home in Hawaii after our trip to Michigan.  Love him!

Visit to Clemens Fam

Thomas and I spent another of the days of our trip to Michigan with Mike's side of the family.  We just hung out and visited at Grandma and Grandpa Clemens' house and then they took us out for dinner before taking us home.  I might have snuck in a nap on the couch for a minute there too, lol. 

This is our adorable nephew Jacob.  He warmed up fairly quickly.

Aunt Laura with Thomas

Jacob checking things out.  He was not too worried about this baby coming on the scene.

Playing with Auntie Carla and giving out a smile or two

Grandma Clemens with Thomas

Grandpa Clemens with Thomas

Aunt Laura and Uncle Jeff with Thomas

Grandma and Grandpa Clemens, trying to get their fill

Visit to Watts Fam with Thomas

I was able to spend a day with both my family and Mike's.  My awesome mom surprised me by picking up my Gram (my mom's mom) from Sterling Heights and then coming to Cara's house to pick up Thomas and me.  Then, she hosted a bunch of our family for dinner and visiting.  It was a lovely day and so good to see everyone.  

This is Gram meeting Thomas.  

Uncle Kenny (my brother) and Thomas

Aunt Kara, Hunter and Thomas.  Kenny and Kara were trying to see how Hunter would do with the baby because he is getting a sister in August.  Took him a minute to warm up.  At least now he knows that the baby is not going to come out ready to play with him!

Two cuties!

My Grandma and Grandpa Watts (Thomas' great grandparents, my dad's parents).  

I just love this shot.  Something about my Grandma:)

Grandma Watts with Thomas