13 months and counting

Hanging out here, like this was a normal position...in a box, under the bike. He did all this too..hee.
Loves the bath...forgot to write that below.
He was so pleased with himself getting this stool and climbing up here to adjust the vcr. He was sooo mad when I pulled him down..


Well, I sort of missed the thirteen month update on my miracle baby.
Here are some brief things.

1. He's not like his brother in that usually if I tell him "no" once, twice and even three times, he obeys. He even does this fake little pout cry thing when he really wants to do it (like climb up and play on the computer).
2. Doesn't hardly make a peep at anything. Still pretty easy going, altho when he's had enough, you cannot distract or change his mind.
3. He still loves his schedule. Up at 7, first milk (we've graduated to sippy cup!!!! phew.) Bfast at 8, milk at 12, lunch at 12:30(ish); milk at 5 and dinner at 6ish. He still won't drink but a sip of water in his cup, but can handle milk, so we're keeping that going.
4. He loves to eat...loves it. He'll eat just about anything, just not too much sweet stuff. He also doesn't like bread, altho if it's certain sandwiches he'll eat it. He doesn't like jelly (just almond/peanut butter)! (who doesn't like jelly?!)
5. He's in and out of small spaces and boxes. Opens them, empties stuff out, tries to sit in them. He also loves jenga blocks and things that he can hold, carry around and then put places. (this might be one of my favorite things about kids...finding things around the house in special spots...actually, Skye still does this!) HE AMAZES US WITH HOW HE THROWS THE BALL. Like if you give him a ball he'll throw it to you and really try and catch it. If you show him his ball, he laughs..he LOVES it!
6. He doesn't ever want to be rocked or cuddled before bed. When he's tired, he wants his bed, his blue blanket and his pass. He wakes up at 10pm still about 3 nights a week...stays awake and "talks" with us for about 5 minutes, wants to be sitting next to me or by me, and then wants to go back to bed.
7. He belly laughs at Piercy sometimes. A laugh that neither me nor Alan can get him to do.
8. He just did the sit-to-stand-without-hanging-on-to-something-thing today over and over, so he's getting ready to walk..just getting ready. He wants to hold my hand and walk all the time.
9. He just finished his first swim course and got a little ribbon! hee!
10. He says half words sometimes, about 4 a day. If he wants something he calls Mummumama a little bit until he gets what he wants, otherwise he'll randomly say "da" and a version of "brabro", brother.

We've got his best friends birthday parties (they're twins) to go to on Saturday, so I'll be posting pics of that and he doesn't know it, but he's very excited.
He's my dream come true and I don't know what I would do without this miracle baby. I always think back to how sick I was and thank God each 14th that goes by. Chase Ray, you do encourage me to pursue God.

Track and Field

how I'm going to process this day. I'm glad that I have days like this to remind me that I cannot do it on my own and it's not my plan for my children's life that keeps them alive and well. I'm just a conduit not the conductor. I'm just the servant not the master. I was so embarrassed today at track-n-field because I feel like things we've been working on and the tender side of my child (he's sooo tender) completely went out the window and he was "up there" with the preschooled, moms working all day---kids. I say this with bold pride as I know that not every child who is preschooled and daycared is insensitive and not tender. Words like "not fair" "cheating" "I'm faster than you are" and all that pride talk was displayed. It did not help that others were tempting him beyond belief...I was so gutwrenchingly sad. Sad for him that he got distracted and sad for him that he was so swayed by children who really weren't trained. Sin runs deep and early, doesn't it?

We had 50 minutes of traffic on the way home and I think I took advantage of about 20 of them. I wanted to know what was going on in his mind...like at one point did he snap. At one point did he just get overwhelmed and start giving it back to them. It was nice that we got to talk through it for so long and that I didn't just take him into the bathroom and discipline and/or send him to his room. It was almost as if we worked through it the way God would with us...gently talking back and forth, wooing us to "His" side...gently asking us "why did you do that?" "what were you thinking" "why didn't you ask for help" "how can we change it for next time" "who can you ask for help"? All those types of things.

Anyways, that's what happened at track and field, and that was after a day of much patience, much wooing, much correction...phew. At one point he just sat down and cried, saying, "I don't want to keep disobeying, I just can't" My heart is really wounded for him..I see his struggle and I told him that...that I can identify with him and it must be hard-- but he still cannot disobey.

I Have a couple aches and pains

I can't type long as I have a few aches and pains. One of them being that I sliced my finger from a broken dish in the dishwasher, reaching in so I have a big bandage on it. The second owie that I have is that my feet are acting up again. Last year, when I was pregnant, I broke the arch area of my foot, had to have a lot of therapy, inserts and tapings. Well, now my right foot is doing the same thing, except I haven't broken anything. The doc said it was because my feet have grown so much with each pregnancy that I don't have the arch I used to and things have switched around a bit. I LOVE MY FOOT DOC, BY THE WAY. So, he has me on a tennis shoe only, with special inserts, and tapings and we'll hopefully get moving in the right direction. It gets so bad that I can't walk sometimes....which is definitely not convenient for Piercy!! (he told me)
Then today, one of the items I had shoved to the top shelf, came down on the corner and fell on my bad hand..the one that the veins got damaged last pregnancy. Tears just streamed down my face and I was shaking it hurt so bad..weird.
So, I'm going to bed to try and make it up with the 5am club (Alan says he wants me in this club, as the 6am club doesn't have quite the ring to it!).
Love you!!

Moving from Shamu to Skipper

What we spend a lot of time doing during the day...building jets and different lego creations
very intently closing his eyes and telling me the description.
of course it makes all the noise.
I climbed up in brother's bed and figured out how to turn on/off the light switch..kept me going for about 20 minutes!
Looking at brother's maps.
Me and Skye in the convertible during buddy time.
Swimming lessons with Chase Ray.


So, I'm officially not Shamu anymore. Skye was referring to me as Shamu at the pool and we would play trainer and Shamu games. He was very excited about this role for me, announcing many times very loudly how I played such a good Shamu!
But last night at the pool, he deemed me the Skipper, saying that my belly looked more like the Skipper (Giligan's Island) than Shamu. Phew..He said, "momma, you're still fat, just not as big as Shamu...isn't that great momma?!" Yes, my love, it is so great!! Oh my..

Here are some pictures of our week.

Double Bar Framed Glasses, retainers and martinis

This is us after eating..and the camera decided to keep flashing off of Jen's forehead..not my glasses..we were laughing at that!

This is Jen obeying me. I told her to put my glasses on and then close her eyes and I'd take a picture of her..she did it! I think she looks good with my purple/green glasses~





So tonight was me and "Ms. Jen" (as we call her around here), went out for our once a year, just the two of us, celebration. Between the two of us we have 6 children we care for, 2 men, 1 older brother and some other random people. Phew..that was a lot of scheduling and organizing, but we did it and God was certainly partying with us.
We started off by getting a banana bomb..Jen, what was your drink called again? and I got the ever so sophisticated martini.
We talked about who was the ugliest in 7th grade, with me winning (glasses, head/neck gear to be worn during the day, and a very frizzy perm) but then after further talking, Ms. Jen won with this: 9th grade, double bar glasses (the frame has an extra fashion bar for your nose ridge rest), a frizzy perm and retainer...IN 9TH GRADE. the double framed/bar glasses were for boys, not for pretty girls.
We also ate. And ate. We shared sausage, arugula potato soup, salad and lots of laughs. She had fettuccine parmesan chicken and I had portabello mushroom ravioli. Then we shared this not so fantastic piece of custard, choco and cheesecake. We also drank lots of water. We're not used to having a martini and then driving home.
After dinner, we browsed BORDERS bookstore, which is a "no duh" for me and my good friends after we eat. If I had tempted her, she might have split a coffee with me. And you know what one of the best parts..o.k 2 best parts: 1, we stayed out in the parking lot talking for about 45 minutes after Borders closed at 9 and 2, we split the bill down the middle, even-steven. Neither of us took any notice to the amount nor the split. She probably would have been fine if I had asked her to pay the whole thing. That's my Jen. I LOVE HER!!
We also talked a little bit about our boys, a little bit about our hair and a lot about our walk with God. She's honest with me and I love that. She isn't intimidated/overwhelmed by me..I love that. But what I most love about her is that she loves the Lord and wants to talk about all the great things He's done for her this week. Phew..I needed that refreshment.

14 Yeah!rs

Hi. This is me and my sweetheart. 14 Years God has given us together. Thank you Alan and thank you Lord. I'm not consistent and I'm just not an easy gal to be married to. I am grateful and proud to say I'm Alan's wife.
Silly shot..not the best of us, but it's 1 and 4 = 14!!

Really uplifted

Well, today God really poured out special extra blessing on Lisa Miller. Yipee. My day began rough and Skye was having some trouble letting me clean and be a wife, but after a disappointing experience in the morning, and a hard email to type, here's what God gave me to lift me up!

1. I got to talk with my dear far away friend. Albeit 15 minutes, it was good for my soul.
2. I got to talk with one of my friends here just about an hour away. She and I have similar issues and yet we both are wanting to see what God is doing. It was really encouraging to see what goodness God has for me and how He is blessing me through some of my answered prayer.
3. I got to visit with one of my newest friends tonight. I wasn't expecting to go and do what I ended up doing and she was there. She just loved on me and held my kids and talked with them and we just shared truth and gospel and discouragements/encouragement. It was refreshing and encouraging. She really digs my kids and so I can share little stories with her and she laughs and says stuff like, "you have the cutest kids ever" and "he's so smart" and "I can't wait to be a momma like you". I mean..what more could a girl want?
4. I got to share the gospel and what my relationship with Alan looks like with my mailman! Some of you know that I've been working on my mailman for 4 years now. It was a totally gut real talk and I didn't hold back. I got to use words like "precious gospel" and everything!!
5. I got to talk with Alan about life, our jobs and each other. We weren't irritated, he didn't fall asleep, the kids were in bed at a decent time and we just really enjoyed each other's company. Those moments are few and far between during the weeknights. I'm ending this hard and awesome day with this,
"Dear Lord. You care, You care and you care...all the time, each time. You want to know my struggles. You moved my heart from bitterness and sadness today, into gladness and thankfulness. I confess that I'm not very good at staying on track sometimes. I confess that the kids waking up early is very hard for me. Thank you for allowing your words to pour through me when I was talking with Mr. Leslie. Thank you for giving me kind people to encourage and LISTEN to my rantings. Thank you that you chose me, died on the cross for me and you want to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. You move mountains Lord and create lillies for me to see, all to show your power, glory and love. Thank you that through this dark time of confusion and anger in certain areas, that you take it and hold it for me and walk me through it. I am a blabbering fool so often Lord. I know I disappoint and yet I also know that I LOVE to be with you and you LONG to be with me. Help me to keep finding moments throughout my day as well as time before the kids wake up to see your goodness. I could go on and on Lord, but my eyes cannot. I love you and love your care for me."

Tonight's Prayer During Devotions

From Skye:
"Dear Jesus, thank you for the power of dark of our side what will fight and win the Japanese during Pearl Harbor."

And one post about Skye too

So Skye has had a really bad case of fungus on his hands and feet. Probably started being in the locker room at the Y or something, but anyways, it spreads like wildfire and is very hard to cure---especially with him as he's so hypo sensitive to his body and pain. He didn't even tell me he had a cracked toe (on the underside) until there were 3 toes like that. So, we've been putting creams on his hands and feet 3-4 times a day and he's had to wear socks and gloves everywhere. The good part is, he's not made one peep about it. The extra good part is that I think he's stopped sucking his thumb?! What? Yes, I think so.
So we were at the park the other day and we were on this grassy knoll and playing and rolling and fighting and kicking and all sorts of crazy moves and at that moment it was me and him and I was on the ground and we were "fighting" back and forth. Then he says as he is backing up and then running full force towards me,

FUNGUS RAM!! FULL SPEED AHEAD!!

as he proceeds to ram hard into me with his hands cupped on the top of his head, jamming into me! We were on the grass laughing so hard..it was very funny to us!!

Then tonight Alan was repairing our fan. It is a sleek tall fan and it fits our little living room. So, he decided to make it a project to teach Skye, so he and Skye are twiddling around with this little fan motor project which is a bit more complex now than the blade system, as it has a little computer in it and everything. So, they get it working, reassemble it and it is blowing for a few minutes. Well, I was on the phone and relaxing in the cool breezes when all of a sudden the fan stops working. I roll my eyes, call Alan over and say, "babe! your fan doesn't work anymore." He looks at me and rolls his eyes while we both think similar thoughts of "cha ching" and then we hear this little snicker over in the corner. We turn and look and there's Skye snickering and holding the fan remote..."tricked you momma!" he says!

Shoes and growth

So, I'm just posting this cuz I can't believe that I just bought my Chase his first pair of big boy shoes. No robeez, pebblefeet or any of those little soft shoes..he's ready for big shoes! They look so huge to me, but as you can see, they are still pretty little. I don't remember what size foot Skye had, but Chase just seems a lot smaller than Skye. Anyways, here's his 4 1/2 Wides. We went to the outlet mall and got them for $15 less than in the store. Pretty good. One thing I was really struck with today is how God keeps moving us forward even tho at times I'm pushing back. Pushing, whether it's with my bad attitudes, sin, or just resistance. I love the stage that our family is in right now. I love Skye being 5 and I love Chase being one. I know that I will long for this age someday and my heart will ache for more kids once we're out of this stage. I also know that I make poor choices sometimes from the way I speak to Alan cuz I haven't had a break, to the way I'm impatient with the kids due to my lack of sleep or just grumpiness (is that a word?). I don't always feed them nutritious food. I don't always put them to bed exactly at 7:30 and yet, God keeps growing them and growing us.

I've had a serious and been on this bad attitude/sad streak. I feel so helpless in a certain family situation. I feel so anxious about the upcoming job of being a teacher. I feel so impatient with Alan and how he is so tired that he doesn't read me well. I feel lonely that I don't have my dearest nearest me. I feel so guilty that I spent too much money and missed golden opportunities due to my lack of self control. I feel fat due to my lack of self control and just plain stage of life. I feel bitter towards many "friends" that have really taken a different path. I feel mad at the church sometimes for not having this or that. I realize that it's when I'm resisting that God keeps pushing me. He knows what I want and need. He wants to meet that need and He will if I let Him. ugh. I feel like I could do better if I could just take ME out of it! There's a song that has come to my mind a lot and it's not even a Christian song, but I make it Christian..

"I need you like water, like breath, like rain..." Oh Lord, cleanse me from my unrighteousness and lead me to a path of understanding. Keep me loving the things that heal me. Keep me wanting the things that point me to You.

A little bit of Chase

Refine and Refresh

God told me a while back that this would be a season of refinement and refreshment. I don't usually hear God too audibly, but in this season for me, I've heard him a bunch of times (makes me cry!).
I've looked to others for so long to satisfy my heart. I've watched how they did things and analyzed their methods to death. Should I be doing it that way? I've compared and contrasted and really sunk some valuable time and energy into satisfying this little voice inside of me, with the wrong thing. I've really sought to define who I am and whether or not it is of "worth" or cool or ______ (fill in the blank) by what others have said and done. It has left me depressed and very lonely.
Let me give you an example. If you are reading this and you think this was you, it wasn't, as the person this happened with, has never read or been invited to my blog. I only say this to point out my need for Christ in this safe place. So, I'm talking with a person on this given Sunday and then someone else comes along and the conversation is dropped. Of course I just say, "see you all later" and the person says, "o.k. bye Lisa" and then that's it. Now, this is a very small example of some patterns that I've seen. After this happens, I feel very sad. My soul is wounded. I think to myself, "why wouldn't this person just finish the conversation with me (albeit boring or whatever) and graciously say, "I'll catch you later if you don't mind, I really need to say hello to ??? over there".
But then my cycle in my mind starts. "Why did she just drop me?" "Am I not worth the time to talk with?" "Am I not cool enough, smart enough, exciting enough? skinny enough? Is my husband not extroverted enough to sit and banter with the guys?" All these thoughts come to my mind.
Then I notice that people say a lot to me that they'll show up to a meeting with me or say they'll do something and don't. I just got so consumed with how others were thinking of me, and what others were doing and that I really got little mini panic attacks about it. At one point, God said to me, "refresh and refine" with ME. You will NEVER get what you need from others. If you continue to get sad and bitter over these situations, and say things you might regret, then you are not a good friend/person to be with either. That is not a scent of the indwelling God. This is not what He's called me to.
So, I know this might seem so boring to read, but God has really been working on dependence on HIM, fully. And that means, doing what I say I'm going to do...not just acting like it. Part of being who God wants me to be is to sit and be with Him so ME can be replaced with HIM. I'm so grateful for some really recent meaningful times of singing with Him, worshiping Him in the reading of the word and other Christian books (Shopping For Time, How People Change, Chronological Bible) and just sitting before Him and telling Him what I think of things and processing out loud with Him instead of with others. Now, not to say that I haven't said things or done things I regret, but I'm just so thankful for the Proverbs and for the lessons that God's been giving me in Kings and the old testament.

"Dear Lord,
Thanks for being my antidepressant. Thanks for being my stabilizer. Thanks for taking my "potty mouth" and "rambling mouth" and forgiving me. Thank you for seeing my heart where it's at and taking me at my word. Thanks for treasuring me. Thank you for giving me Alan who can sift through my banterings and give me clearer words, at times. Thank you for handpicking him for me. Thank you for being my completer and for the stories of the kings that you set in motion many, many years ago and how it's encouraging me and showing me more of who you are...so many years later. Thank you for caring about my silly insecurities. Thank you for giving me confidence that even if I'm one in a million doing things the way I think they should go, you not only forgive me for my arrogance, but help me see how I can honor you in the middle of my opinionated and strong willed ideas. I'm truly unique (and a mess) Lord and yet I've come to not only realize this (by your gentle nudgings) but can't help get a smile on my face knowing you can be the only one to know things I think about and that's o.k... Lord help me lead others to you. Get rid of the obstacles I put in others way that hinders them from knowing you. Please help me continue to learn how to serve cheerfully...especially when I have to wash the high chair down for the 100 th time that day. Amen."

Every six weeks with Ms. Jen

Here's Chase Ray at one end of the tunnel and I'm smiling and encouraging him to come to me. He just stands there looking at me smiling..he's so fun.O.k. now we're talkin...come on little man!
He made it!
Fully in the water! How fun.
Ooops, this one should be above the other one..he was looking and playing and then it erupted on him!

The sand pit...can you say "sleeeepy?"
Our friend Aiden walking..he's 3 months older than Chase..
Squished up me and Chase..no make up and no hair..oh well, sometimes packing lunch and disciplining are more important than getting ready!
Jen's Dillon..he's growingup!
It was fun playing with the trucks in the sand..
Jen and Me..much better picture this time! Altho..we need a spa day Jen!! Phew.
Aiden and Alex in the background.
Jen's niece Dori (Dorithea)..she's adopted from Ethiopia!! Everything we did, she would jump up and down and say and repeat it with much enthusiasm. She is so fun.
3 of the 4 Jen has...dillon is by me.
WE had a good time despite missed naps and trying to round up 6 children. It was good to just sit and do the kid thing and not have to talk so much..such a nice girl, that Jen is.

Inside Out

Close up of the boys lower section. One thing I love about this is that this rack, I chose it for the sliding capabilities. So all the hanging things you see, linens and horse and tent folded, can be accessed in one second and then draped and slid back in. The very top of the boys shelves. I had to make it good for toys, boys and linens..phew.
Don't know how this one got copied again, perhaps the horse had something to do with it.
We're on to the bottom left of my side of the reach in closet..sorry for the order, no time to rearrange.
Then here's BigAl and the top and bottom right of "his" side
Altho it's his side, he has to have a few girly things on it, such as left over Mary Kay products I'm saving for gifts and my gym bag.
This nifty little contraption is similar to the larger slider in the boys' closet. It slides in and out so ties are easily accessible.
A shot of the whole boys' closet. I put Chase's clothes up at about my neck height, so I wouldn't have trouble easily reaching in and out and then Skye's clothes at a height he wouldn't have trouble reaching in. Then we thought when Skye's gets a little taller, as he'll easily outgrow me (he's already up to my shoulders) he can have the top one and Chase gets the bottom.
Notice linens on the right on very narrow shelves. Of course, I don't need many linens, I only have a blow up mattress, my living room benches linens (they push together for a rigged twin bed) and ours!
A close up view of another slider on my side. I use it for lingerie and scarves and stuff.

Decided it was time to see if any Martians were living in the back of my reach in closets. Found out that there weren't any Martians, but there were other things that needed to go. So, here's the after pictures. Sorry no before. YOu might have disowned me had you seen those. Let's just say the closets got so full, you couldn't even close them.
I'd just like to express gratitude towards my husband. The house has been in complete disarray for about 3 months now..cleaning, organizing installing, going down to the store to get that last part...etc., etc. He has spent hours installing and rearranging things the way I wanted them so we can get the most out of every inch of this flat. He also didn't complain. He is not naturally a handy man, so I am grateful for any project he does for me. Thanks Alan (even tho I know you don't every check this!!) for serving me in this way and for making me feel clean from the inside out!! God told me this next few months was going to be a time of refreshment and refinement, but I didn't know it would be this kind!