Pics easier to post. Words longer.
Friend took these pics & I wanted to share.
The end. More pics later.
...She can laugh at the days to come. Proverbs 31:25 NIV
Wednesday, May 25
Brandon pics - 1st installment
Infant in arms - shorthand.
Pics easier to post. Words longer.
Friend took these pics & I wanted to share.
The end. More pics later.
Pics easier to post. Words longer.
Friend took these pics & I wanted to share.
The end. More pics later.
Sunday, May 15
...and then there were 5!
Brandon James Boyer decided to make his fast appearance into this world.He was born May 5, 2011 at 1:25am and was 8 pounds 2 ounces and 20.5 inches.
The short version of his birth is this:
1. My water broke 10:50pm on Wednesday night
2. We called Mrs. P to come over and stay the night on our couch at 11:22pm
3. She was at our front door at 11:30
4. 11:50pm, we were in the car driving to the hospital
5. 12:01am, I texted to close friends and family members, "We're off to a Cinco de Mayo part @ the hospital! Will keep you posted."
6. Jim has video of me at 12:45am, looking like a beached whale, sitting in the hospital bed saying, "I wonder if he'll hold out until the clock starts with a 2? Our other two kids were born with the clock starting with a 2." Numbers, I can't get away from them.
7. Soon after I started questioning the nurse about an epidural.
8. I believe the contractions started to get serious around 1am, and for some unknown reason, the nurse kept diverting my attention away from an epidural. Didn't make sense at the time.
9. Brandon made his debut into this world at 1:25am.
10. Thanked the good Lord for a healthy baby and for living so close to the hospital.
There is one little girl who is in heaven around here.
Mom and baby are happy and healthy.
Blogging will be shortened and sporadic. I'm sure you understand.
Thursday, April 28
Stationery Sweetie
I've been faced with a slight dilemma lately. Although, not a bad one by any means.
Our precious little girl has fallen in love with stationery and her desire to practice writing, spelling, drawing, labeling envelopes and placing stamps has provided a bit of a storage issue.
I collected her wide array of "gifts" to just mommy and daddy for about 2 weeks and this is what we got from our cutie patootie:
Storage dilemma aside, because we all know I'll figure that one out, I love watching her little talents flourish and especially looking at her envelope labels: Mommy Kelle Boyer, or Daddy Jim Boyer.
Most of the time, her drawing pictures are of a multi-colored flower, in healthy green grass, with a bright yellow sun in the corner and cheery blue skies.
She's mastered writing all of our names and I Love You.
For those that asked, I even suggested stamps, envelopes and more stationery for her birthday presents.
She has already taken a liking to folders, labels, stickers, colored pencils, light-up pens, envelopes, stamps and mailing things to her friends/family. She's her momma's girl.
Getting stuff in the mail is the ultimate treat!
I never tire of receiving her hand-written notes/drawings sealed inside her personalized envelopes.
She is such a sweet girl.
Our precious little girl has fallen in love with stationery and her desire to practice writing, spelling, drawing, labeling envelopes and placing stamps has provided a bit of a storage issue.
I collected her wide array of "gifts" to just mommy and daddy for about 2 weeks and this is what we got from our cutie patootie:
Storage dilemma aside, because we all know I'll figure that one out, I love watching her little talents flourish and especially looking at her envelope labels: Mommy Kelle Boyer, or Daddy Jim Boyer.
Most of the time, her drawing pictures are of a multi-colored flower, in healthy green grass, with a bright yellow sun in the corner and cheery blue skies.
She's mastered writing all of our names and I Love You.
For those that asked, I even suggested stamps, envelopes and more stationery for her birthday presents.
She has already taken a liking to folders, labels, stickers, colored pencils, light-up pens, envelopes, stamps and mailing things to her friends/family. She's her momma's girl.
Getting stuff in the mail is the ultimate treat!
I never tire of receiving her hand-written notes/drawings sealed inside her personalized envelopes.
She is such a sweet girl.
Tuesday, April 26
Beware the crazy swollen foot lady
Those of you with young who are easily scared, BEWARE! Stay clear of the brick house with the swings out front.
There is a lady that lives there and is walking 'round town who is frightening young children.
But not on purpose. She's a mom herself.
Thank goodness, her own children are not scared of her, for that would be cause for alarm.
But it's possible she will frighten other children caught off guard and unaware of her "condition".
You see, she has one abnormally enlarged foot, because of the baby growing in her tummy (edema, pressure on the vena cava, and all those official medical terms, yada, yada, yada). Which in turn has caused her to resort to the only pair of shoes that fits: flip flops. Not a good combination for Easter attire.
The other foot is slightly larger, but not terribly noticeable. It's the same foot that has decided to show off every single pregnancy and has won the race all three times.
The good news is, this lady is harmless. Although, her looks from the cankles down may be scary, she really just wants to GET THE BABY OUT!
There is a lady that lives there and is walking 'round town who is frightening young children.
But not on purpose. She's a mom herself.
Thank goodness, her own children are not scared of her, for that would be cause for alarm.
But it's possible she will frighten other children caught off guard and unaware of her "condition".
You see, she has one abnormally enlarged foot, because of the baby growing in her tummy (edema, pressure on the vena cava, and all those official medical terms, yada, yada, yada). Which in turn has caused her to resort to the only pair of shoes that fits: flip flops. Not a good combination for Easter attire.
The other foot is slightly larger, but not terribly noticeable. It's the same foot that has decided to show off every single pregnancy and has won the race all three times.
The good news is, this lady is harmless. Although, her looks from the cankles down may be scary, she really just wants to GET THE BABY OUT!
Friday, April 22
GBB Spring Program
It's been a whole year since last year's Spring Program.
I still needed a hanky, but this time for a little different reasons.
Besides being big pregnant, uncomfortable and frustrated with the boy for not sleeping exactly when and how long I had planned on him to sleep, all I could do was think about how 5 years ago I had an infant just a week old. And now I'm sitting in the church watching her sing in front of hundreds. She just seemed so much bigger than last year.
She wasn't nervous or anxious or scared. Just singing like she had been taught and practiced many times. She was a year older, a year cooler, a year wiser, a year bigger and a year smarter. And it all showed in her confidence walking up onto the stage, ready to perform.
Nathan did better than I thought he would have, thanks to the Job-like patience of Daddy.
There was one incident where my tears were caught by a family member's video camera and I had to quickly hold up the crinkled up tissue to hide my red-splotchy face. It's all so embarrassing, can you imagine how my husband feels and how my kids will feel?
After the performance, Katherine got to hang out with the cousins and friends and play in the grassy area.
These girls have become good friends: A, AC & Katherine. All blue-eyed cutie-patooties.
That night was a little harder than usual also because of the National Exam I was scheduled to take the next morning. After the performance, the kids went with Bamah & Papa to stay the night and Daddy and I went home to finalize the packing of my books, pencils, protractors, erasers, snacks, calculators, etc. We woke up bright and early the next morning at 3:45 and we were out the door by 4:45. We grabbed a quick bite to eat at Perkins before we got to the testing facility, and I was checked in by 7am.
Everybody keeps asking, "How do you think you did?" and my answer is:
I have no idea.
There was about half an hour where I was fighting sleep, but soon the York Peppermint Patties kicked in and my sugar rush perked me up. There were many moments of doubt, "Why am I doing this again? Who in their right mind would go to this much trouble to do this?" There were moments of confidence, which must have happened right after the sugar high because I was flying through the questions then.
My first 4-hour test I finished in a little over 3 hours. The sweet 80-year-old proctor lady declared me a genius and told me when to come back after lunch. And the second 2-hour test I finished in a little less time.
The highlight of the whole test-taking experience was when the sweet 80-year-old proctor lady fell asleep in her chair sitting in the back of the class. She fell out of her chair with a loud thud, unharmed thankfully, but I started my giggle fit and couldn't stop. Reminded me of when I'd get in trouble in Mrs. Brydon's Honors Biology class for laughing at other classmates for nodding off in her class. Something about people sleeping, including myself, cracks me up and I can't stop.
I've got enough going on to worry about this test. I'm guessing just about the time when I truly forget about it, the results will come in the mail and my heart will fall into my toes.
I still needed a hanky, but this time for a little different reasons.
Besides being big pregnant, uncomfortable and frustrated with the boy for not sleeping exactly when and how long I had planned on him to sleep, all I could do was think about how 5 years ago I had an infant just a week old. And now I'm sitting in the church watching her sing in front of hundreds. She just seemed so much bigger than last year.
She wasn't nervous or anxious or scared. Just singing like she had been taught and practiced many times. She was a year older, a year cooler, a year wiser, a year bigger and a year smarter. And it all showed in her confidence walking up onto the stage, ready to perform.
Nathan did better than I thought he would have, thanks to the Job-like patience of Daddy.
There was one incident where my tears were caught by a family member's video camera and I had to quickly hold up the crinkled up tissue to hide my red-splotchy face. It's all so embarrassing, can you imagine how my husband feels and how my kids will feel?
After the performance, Katherine got to hang out with the cousins and friends and play in the grassy area.
These girls have become good friends: A, AC & Katherine. All blue-eyed cutie-patooties.
That night was a little harder than usual also because of the National Exam I was scheduled to take the next morning. After the performance, the kids went with Bamah & Papa to stay the night and Daddy and I went home to finalize the packing of my books, pencils, protractors, erasers, snacks, calculators, etc. We woke up bright and early the next morning at 3:45 and we were out the door by 4:45. We grabbed a quick bite to eat at Perkins before we got to the testing facility, and I was checked in by 7am.
Everybody keeps asking, "How do you think you did?" and my answer is:
I have no idea.
There was about half an hour where I was fighting sleep, but soon the York Peppermint Patties kicked in and my sugar rush perked me up. There were many moments of doubt, "Why am I doing this again? Who in their right mind would go to this much trouble to do this?" There were moments of confidence, which must have happened right after the sugar high because I was flying through the questions then.
My first 4-hour test I finished in a little over 3 hours. The sweet 80-year-old proctor lady declared me a genius and told me when to come back after lunch. And the second 2-hour test I finished in a little less time.
The highlight of the whole test-taking experience was when the sweet 80-year-old proctor lady fell asleep in her chair sitting in the back of the class. She fell out of her chair with a loud thud, unharmed thankfully, but I started my giggle fit and couldn't stop. Reminded me of when I'd get in trouble in Mrs. Brydon's Honors Biology class for laughing at other classmates for nodding off in her class. Something about people sleeping, including myself, cracks me up and I can't stop.
I've got enough going on to worry about this test. I'm guessing just about the time when I truly forget about it, the results will come in the mail and my heart will fall into my toes.
Wednesday, April 20
Ragamuffins Wanted
This email came to me from the Mother's of Preschoolers group I attend, and it couldn't have hit home any closer.
Ragamuffins Wanted
By Tally Flint, Mom-E-Mail Coordinator
Do you ever look around at your life, and wonder what God was thinking when he gave it to you? I do. I love my large, boisterous family. But I so often feel inadequate to the task of mothering my brood. Just the other day, I lost my cool trying to contain my three-year-old twins at my seven-year-old’s school performance. I yanked their arms, hissed shushes into their ears and let out little sighs of disgust. On the way home, I not only felt exhausted from trying to keep them under control but also ashamed at how easily I slipped into the mean mama I so don’t want to be.
With all my faults and foibles, how did I possibly deserve the gift of raising four beautiful children? The answer: I didn’t. I don’t. My life is not a reward for my performance, but instead a grace-filled outpouring of God’s love for me.
"No life is too far gone
for God’s restoration."
One of my favorite books provides a passionate description of how God's message of grace and love was designed especially for the ragamuffins – the dusty, broken, screw-ups who shuffle along on the road to grace. At Easter, we celebrate God’s ultimate gift of grace: sending his son to redeem a hurt and fractured world. No life is too far gone for God’s restoration. In fact, it’s in the messiest of situations when God often does his best work.
I’m beginning to think God gave me the challenge of raising my children, in part, so that each stumble would land me in his loving embrace. Ragged little me, beautifully redeemed.
Our finished bedroom
Ta Dah! The new and improved master bedroom!
Make sure you look at these old pictures because the difference is shocking!
The old bedroom
The new and improved bedroom decorating project, designed on a dime...
Biggest change = blue-ribbon blue paint was replaced by a silver-y blue. Can I say Love It enough? No, I cannot. The bed quilt has been around since when we got married, almost 10 years ago. Even before then I had this same quilt back in the college days. Only back then, it was a queen size.
I stopped by the same used furniture place that I bought the short cross-beamed bed frame, and bought two Cape Cod inspired night stands. They didn't match exactly, but after a nice, fresh, hi-gloss coat of white paint, they look almost identical. I had the baskets left over from the bathroom reno BK (before kids).
For some reason, I've had a strong desire to create a window-inspired structural piece above our headboard. These windows came from a house that was literally falling apart, located in the "back 40" of Jim's parent's land. We made a trip with the grandparents in Papa's red truck, trudged through the 12-year-old pine trees and undergrowth, overgrown bamboo and carefully entered the house with the collapsing roof. Jim and Papa carefully removed 6 windows: 3 with muntins, 3 without. Then it was my job to clean up these two and paint them. Love them! I even added a light behind it.
For the window treatments, I used the same sheers that we already had, just cut them in half (because they were being used as a swag pattern) and raised the curtain rod to create the appearance of higher windows/ceiling.
We ended up removing the two dark-wood dressers Jim brought to the marriage from his childhood and "the boys" inherited them. So we're down to 2 dressers, from 4. Yes, that was difficult, but there's more room now. :) Especially for the bassinet.
Ultimately, the only "purchases" were the paint and night stands. Some sewing, painting and rearranging later, it looks like we have a brand new bedroom. But most importantly, I love it. It is a relaxing place for me to rest and one I am extremely proud of.
Kind of like these two "posers". They insisted on being in the pictures also, and why not.
Make sure you look at these old pictures because the difference is shocking!
The old bedroom
The new and improved bedroom decorating project, designed on a dime...
Biggest change = blue-ribbon blue paint was replaced by a silver-y blue. Can I say Love It enough? No, I cannot. The bed quilt has been around since when we got married, almost 10 years ago. Even before then I had this same quilt back in the college days. Only back then, it was a queen size.
I stopped by the same used furniture place that I bought the short cross-beamed bed frame, and bought two Cape Cod inspired night stands. They didn't match exactly, but after a nice, fresh, hi-gloss coat of white paint, they look almost identical. I had the baskets left over from the bathroom reno BK (before kids).
For some reason, I've had a strong desire to create a window-inspired structural piece above our headboard. These windows came from a house that was literally falling apart, located in the "back 40" of Jim's parent's land. We made a trip with the grandparents in Papa's red truck, trudged through the 12-year-old pine trees and undergrowth, overgrown bamboo and carefully entered the house with the collapsing roof. Jim and Papa carefully removed 6 windows: 3 with muntins, 3 without. Then it was my job to clean up these two and paint them. Love them! I even added a light behind it.
For the window treatments, I used the same sheers that we already had, just cut them in half (because they were being used as a swag pattern) and raised the curtain rod to create the appearance of higher windows/ceiling.
We ended up removing the two dark-wood dressers Jim brought to the marriage from his childhood and "the boys" inherited them. So we're down to 2 dressers, from 4. Yes, that was difficult, but there's more room now. :) Especially for the bassinet.
Ultimately, the only "purchases" were the paint and night stands. Some sewing, painting and rearranging later, it looks like we have a brand new bedroom. But most importantly, I love it. It is a relaxing place for me to rest and one I am extremely proud of.
Kind of like these two "posers". They insisted on being in the pictures also, and why not.
Sunday, April 17
And she's officially 5!
Which means I officially have a 5-year-old! Redundant, I know, but a must to give my brain enough time to let it sink in.
I have a child months away from starting Kindergarten. Three-year-old school was hard enough.
I have a child half way to double digits.
Wasn't it just a week or two ago I found out I was pregnant?
I have a child who is 5 going on 15, with a touch of Valley Girl!
And I couldn't be more proud of her.
Just the other day, our neighbor was commenting on how proud we should be of our kids and my response was, "Yep, and it all started the day she was born. All it took was for her to be. To eat, poo, cry and sleep and I felt like I had sliced my heart wide open for the world to see."
There was no turning back. I was Done. Sold. Gone forever. Amazed by the amazing-ness of our precious baby.
And here she is, growing beautifully and gracefully.
She has embraced turning 5 with much pride.
Many questions have surfaced revolving around being 5.
Timeline-type questions:Mom, so will I still be 5 when Nathan turns 3?
Will I be 5 for next Christmas?
Responsibility-type questions:I remember you telling me I couldn't eat gum until I was 5, but I started at 4.
You know, if you had twins, you could feed the boy baby and I could feed the girl baby, because I'm 5 now and even bigger a helper.
Her birthday party was on a beautiful Spring day.
I prayed for a Spring baby, because I love Spring time so much.
She was born less than a week after the first "official" day of Spring in 2006.
We brought her home to warming temperatures, flowers blooming everywhere and sweet orange blossom fragrances.
She is a great mix of her mommy and daddy. Stoic, yet dramatic. Head strong, yet compassionate. An observer, yet spontaneous.
She can't wait for this baby to arrive. She's anxious to help any way that she can and I know she'll be great.
Katherine, Sweetpea, Sunshine, my precious girl. You are loved and adored by so many. I tell you all the time that when you were still up in heaven as an angel, Jesus did a great job matching us up to be your parents and you, to be our daughter. We are having a marvelous time learning all about you, ourselves and Him, through you. You have opened a whole new world for us to explore and learn from. We couldn't be more proud of you.
I see speckles of myself, your daddy and brand new traits scattered throughout every single day. You are truly one of a kind.
Congratulations on another beautiful year. Keep up the great work, Punkin.
~Mama
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