April 17, 2009
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Easter and Treasures
A little late on the update, but it’s been a busy week preparing for the 1st annual School Yard Sale/Pancake Breakfast fundraiser…
Also been a busy week of potty training. I had to launder little undies this morning, because all 9 were used up in 3 days. So, right now there is a colorful, fluttering display on the clothesline. Quite darling, I must say! But not so darling when they get thrown in the washbasket one right after the other… Maybe I’m tackling this too soon?? But I’m on my “nesting instinct” rampage so – watch out, potty-trainable child!
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We spent Easter Sunday lunch with Ben’s family and Daniel & Anita – a lovely day, a yummy picnicky-type lunch of grilled burgers with all the trimmings, baked beans, potato salad, and fresh strawberry pie for dessert!
Before lunch I asked Ben’s sister, Laurie, to take a few pictures of our little family. It seems that I am the one behind the camera 99% of the time, and Ben and I rarely get pictures taken *together*! Even the whole weekend we were in Charleston a few weeks ago, we had not one family picture! So Laurie kindly obliged and did a lovely lovely job!
Some of these are very similar but I couldn’t decide between them, so hence the many picture post! [p.niss - don't say you weren't warned.
)]Our little Easter family… Zoe’ was much too excited and distracted with her little friend, Blake, being nearby that she didn’t want to pose or look at the camera.
this pose got a little uncomfortable with the little baby under my ribs… !!
it was a windy day - as you can tell by my daughter’s dandelion-seed hair!!
love this next picture of Zoe – complete childhood bliss!
another one of Zoe… the little tiara she’s wearing is the same thing I wore on our wedding day – a string of rhinestones. she looked like a little fairy in her creamy dress with a sparkling headband!
my dear husband and me!
a few maternity shots. 36 weeks – already!! this pregnancy has gone by so so fast… there have been many times that I’ve had to re-count where I’m at with my weeks, and many times I’ve been 2-3 weeks ahead of where I thought I was!
With nearing the end of my pregnancy, I’ve been so blessed with some verses from Scripture…
One that I loved when I was pregnant with Zoe, that I’ve kept coming back to with this pregnancy, from Isaiah… “[The Lord] will gently lead those who are with young…” Such a precious, tender promise! In those days when I feel overwhelmed and exhausted, the Lord is a gentle God I can run to… This pregnancy has flown so fast, and I’ve been so busy with a precious, busybody toddler, that I do not feel emotionally prepared for this baby. I’ve been praying that God would do that, prepare my heart and our little family, for the arrival of a new member.
Some days I feel a bit of stress with the upcoming arrival of this baby. I know it will mean staying at home more days than I do now, not being able to go as much. But that doesn’t look at big to me as does the question of how can I love another child like I do Zoe’? I have been blown away by the amount of love that I have known for Zoe’, didn’t know it was possible for a mother to love her child so fiercely! And now I wonder how I can love two children! I have heard from other parents that the love is there for the second child, and the third, and the fourth, and however many enter the family! And I believe that must be the case, but it just feels like my heart isn’t big enough for this!
But I can rest in the promise that God will gently lead me. He who knows all things and is in complete control will also be with us through this transition…
The other is one I don’t ever remember reading before, but that jumped out at me from Psalm 17:14b…
“You [God] fill their womb with treasure…”
Wow, I needed that beautiful reminder. In these last days, when I feel large and uncomfortable, having trouble sleeping well at night, I need to remember – I am carrying a treasure! One that is worth every bit of discomfort, every sleepless hour, or anything I feel like I’m just enduring right now…
I remember when I was pregnant with Zoe’, a friend of my mother’s told me when she was pregnant she always thought of herself as a treasure chest! That was such a beautiful mental picture for me, that despite my distended stomach and me wondering how much bigger can I get??? that there is a beautiful treasure and reward that is coming…
So, here’s cheers to the treasure chest!
And not only mine, but all you other expectant mothers out there!
and some of Zoe with the Baby Bump… I think she may be finally understanding, maybe just a little bit, that a baby is coming. She likes to lift up her shirt and point to her “bebe”! Even daddy has a “bebe” according to Zoe!
Oh, and she loves to wear a bandaid across her belly button – just like mommy! Giving some love to the Baby…
with my baby, who will not be my baby much longer!
And I just had to throw this one in here - Blake and Zoe’ were having so much fun together that afternoon! This little wagon was such a great entertainer, they played together for the longest time! Even after they’d fall over the side, they’d climb right back in and keep playing!
a lovely weekend to you all!
-clarita
Comments (8)
i liked the post. great family pictures, but I loved hearing your thoughts about having the second child. Love is amazing and something that God designed so perfectly. It does seem a little harder to know that I will be able to really pour my time/love/energy into the second child like I did with my first and still give my first all the above that she needs too… and I love the Bible verses that have been special to you this time around! Thanks for sharing them. blessings in the next 4 wks. Can’t wait to hear the news!! =)
Lovely family. And you look stunning. Seriously – I am so amazed at how great other ladies look at that stage of pregnancy compared to how I feel when I am there! ( :
Can’t wait to hear some news from your house – I’ll keep checking!!
Mj
Wow, I LOVE the concept of being a treasure chest!!!! That helps put perspective on some of the marks of being the chest.
(A title I read the other day that I loved–”On the Home Stretch; Just Wish I Didn’t Have the Marks to Prove It.” 
) BTW, I picked up a book at the library the other day called “The Baby Whisperer–Toddler Edition.” I didn’t notice it was for toddlers when I got it, thought I was getting newborn info; but now I’m so glad I have it. The last chapter is on helping your toddler adjust to the idea of having a new sibling. It’s really good and I plan to post some notes from it at some point.
I too have cherished that verse in Isaiah during my pregnancies especially with the sickness that accomplishes them. I also have wondered how I could possibly love another child like I do Jenson. Love your post! Can so identify and your pictures are adorable. My you feel the shepherd guiding you throughout your final days of pregnancy. God bless.
you got some really good pictures-you look great!!!!! cant wait to hear the good news!
You’re such a cute preggo mommy.
I’ll look forward to hearing the news, too! I hope all goes well for you.
You look stunning as always. I remember those feelings of “how am I going to have enough love for another child?” and the feeling of needing to enjoy every moment with my firstborn, and how life will once again never be the same. It’s amazing when it actually happens, and the love is there. Puts a new meaning to the phrase, “Love has no bounds.” Best wishes in your last weeks!
I’m back to comment! Read your post while we were in Ohio with hit & mostly miss wireless service, so I downloaded your post out on a bright and sunny deck and then went inside to read. =) Anyway, your little family of almost four looks great! I’ve been trying to figure out if you know the gender of your baby if you would wear an appropriate color to match–such as blue. . . or is that just to throw us all off?? — but wait, looking at those pics again more closely, maybe that shirt is just black & white . . . I thot it had blue in it too–shucks, I thot I was on to something!!)
We finally got names nailed down . . . well at least the first names . . . one of each gender [helps to be in the same vehicle for 5+ hours to get around to this topic!!]. Makes me so-o-o happy to think of this little person as “so and so little girl” or “so and so little boy”, but guess we will wait to find out til that great “being born” moment!
Hope you’re having a happy week!