Friday, January 30, 2015

JDD Number Three

These last few weeks of pregnancy, I've been doing my best to finish my never-ending to-do list (I complete one thing, only to add two more!), but also prioritize so that I can listen to my body & give it the rest it needs.

I'm so thankful to be one of the crazy few who really love to be pregnant. I love the process of carrying my children. I even love the process of giving birth. That being said, I am getting antsy, humongous, & so ready to meet my baby boy.

While I love this life process, I also feel like I turn into another animal for a while. My sleep patterns change. I sleep 3-4 hours at night, which means I usually need a nap during the day, & this strange sleep pattern usually continues until my baby turns one. I'm so thankful my lifestyle allows this.

We've been busy finishing up any last minute things we may need to do before Jeb comes. Some of it has been important things-like gathering things Jeb will need when he arrives, & just sorting through the boys' old things to have them in place. My nesting has also kept us busy. We just "had" to repaint the guest bath, redecorate the boys' rooms, organize their clothes, while we were at it, organize the Master closet, redecorate the Master Bath, get the boys new sheets, get the carpets cleaned, scrub the baseboards...(these have been D's favorite things!) Then things I've been most busy with have been small things that aren't "musts," but are important to this Momma like having groceries mostly stocked so that I don't have to go to Walmart for a while after he's born, make Upward goodies for Jax's team (the season ends the weekend before Jeb comes), have small goodies for the boys to take to school to celebrate when Jeb is born, have their Valentines ready, have their teacher goodies ready, get some of Jeb's things monogrammed (how else will he know it's his?!), etc.

& then lately, we all have been doing our very best to stay well-just barely clinging to our health! As D fights off a sinus infection (thankful that's all it is!), we are taking our vitamins, washing our hands, & drinking our orange juice.

The past few weeks have been busy, but fun, & God has given us lots of love through our friends & family.

It all started one Girls' Night. We went to dinner at a super yummy restaurant, then went back to one of the friend's houses for dessert. As we're making dessert plates, my sweet friends bring out lots of fun presents!! What a fun, precious surprise!



5 days later, I go to a Girl's Night with my Bunco group (that doesn't play Bunco). Soon after I get there, I find out that they've gotten me lots of fun goodies too!!
This one was to give ME things that would pamper me. Soooo sweet & thoughtful!


Then, three days after that, our wonderful church gave us a fantastic shower!!


The adorable dessert table in the boys' room colors.


Cute, yummy cake.


John scoping out the goods.


The most adorable alligator made from pineapples. SO creative!!!



Some of the churchHospitality Team that made this beautiful celebration happen.


We were so blessed & spoiled, it was like I was having my first baby ever.


The insane part...one of the hospitality hostesses followed us home & UNLOADED MY CAR!


Even Jax & John got a ton of gifts.


This is the present-opening I had to do AFTER the shower.


It took me all week to get everything organized & put away.


I'll probably have carpel-tunnel from writing all the Thank Yous. Just when I think I'm finished, we receive another gift! What a blessing!!! We have been blown away!

We are so excited for Jeb to get here & experience the love that people already have for him!


Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Inadequate Words



I know I've been pretty absent on here lately in regards to sharing my thoughts. It's not for a lack of thoughts, but actually the opposite. My brain has been going non-stop.

From before Thanksgiving on, it's like I've been stuck in my own mind, swimming around in the many thoughts & reflections. Over the holidays I really grew to embrace my melancholy mind. As a naturally positive person, I don't at all mean this in a negative way. & here I face the same conundrum of trying to put my mind into words. My joy, & even happiness, never waivered. But for once, I preferred the slower, sometimes sadder songs (over the joyous sounds of Chipmunks Christmas music), I was happy to reflect on my successes as well as my shortcomings of the year, I wasn't afraid to confront my worries, & I welcomed the convictions of the Holy Spirit.

To give you an idea, my favorite Christmas song was Reliant K's - I Celebrate the Day.
(Check it out) Music here:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JsPFNY4Z5t0
Lyrics here:
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/relientk/icelebratetheday.html

As I start out a new year that can't help but begin with change for our family, my mind continues to be flooded with thoughts. Like most, I begin January with ambition & thankfulness for a fresh start. I have a new resolve & goals based upon the conviction I mentioned earlier. I so look forward to knowing my Creator more intimately than I have before & I prayerfully, actively, & eagerly wait to see His mark on my life.

I will end this jumbled mess of words by sharing some of today's thoughts- 
As I prepare for the birth of my third child, I am overcome by the love that I have for my children & this person that I have yet to know. It reminds me of the love my Heavenly Father has for me. 

His love for me as His child

His love for me b/c He GAVE His child for me

His love for me in spite of how well He knows me

Psalm 8 puts today's thoughts into words better than I can.
Who am I that You are mindful of me God? My Lord, how majestic is Your name!

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Loving 2015

We are loving 2015 so far!



This verse has been at the forefront of my mind for weeks. It was a very important verse to us a year & a half ago (the story is all in my blog) & God has reminded me of it a lot recently. I'm so excited for the new things He is doing!


D enjoying one of his Christmas presents. 


The boys stayed with my parents for a few days after our trip, so D & I were free to party-hop on New Year's Eve. What a blessing to spend that time with precious church family!


When the boys got back, the house went back to being noisy & messy. Just the way we like it.


Some real characters.



The boys having lots of fun with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. 


I so enjoyed having this break with my Littles. One morning Jax woke up & told me that it was one of his stuffed animal's birthday. So John decided it was also his stuffed animal's birthday. We all decided this meant cinnamon rolls with birthday candles for breakfast.


My handsomes modeling some Christmas clothes.


Having fun hiding under Daddy's desk after church.


Playing with our friend Halle at dinner after church. One of the highlights of our week is going to dinner with church family on Sunday nights.


We've built Legos & played with them.


Love their fun imaginations!


John playing with his favorite Christmas present. I get a chuckle out of this b/c it was a quick last-minute purchase (to even out the number of gifts each boy received) D made at Dirt Cheap!


Jeb's still baking! We have about 5 weeks left till his due date. I've been busy trying to make sure everything is squared away before he comes.


I vacillate between heavy-duty nesting (this pregnancy that has meant: cleaning out, reorganizing, repainting, planning, redecorating, & many Pinterest projects. Poor Dustie...) & just being plain tired! 


The pregnancy insomnia has kicked in full-force, so I've definitely been a fan of nap time. I try to use snuggling with John as an excuse.


The boys went back to school this week. (This was a pic taken Tuesday by my friend Deena.) They were both super excited. They missed their teachers & friends. I'm so thankful!


Jax got to go hunting with Daddy. He was so excited. It was precious! (I guess it's time to get this kid some camo!)

Hope you all are having a wonderful 2015 as well!!

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Cordero Christmas!!

Later, on Christmas Day, (check out previous posts for before) we drove to New Orleans & met up with my family.





We ate dinner & exchanged gifts. 
(Here's Mimi being...Mimi. Lol)




The boys got lots of snuggles.




The next morning, we went to the French Market for a little bit.



Then we went to have a yummy Louisiana lunch.

After lunch, we drove to Biloxi to have a little fun on the beach.




Uncle got the boys a remote control airplane, so all the guys went down to fly it on the beach. I stayed up in the warm room & took these pictures from the balcony. :)



The next day, we went to the outlet mall to check out the sales. Then we went back to the room to play & relax. 







We had a very fun & relaxing Christmas!