a little bit of real life (and my 37.5 week maternity pics!)

i am sitting at starbucks studying the bible, working on some blog posts, and basically avoiding all the germs in my house that are swirling around my family right now.  and because of this... you get to enjoy a blog post from me filled with my maternity pictures.  enjoy.

i was kicked out of the house this morning by my caring and thoughtful husband.  he took the day off to care for our 3 sick kids (and the lone non-sick one).  he knows how prone i am to catch stomach bugs and doesn't want me to catch this one with being so close to having our new little one.  three weeks ago i had food poisoning and it induced painful contractions that i prayed to go away.  this is not the way i would like to go into labor.  God, i am trusting Your perfect timing and that You know all things.  when i do not understand the timing, i trust that You know the timing and Your hand is upholding me and those i care about.

though i am still 2.5 weeks out from the due date, the impending arrival of this new little guy is all so real due to my sister-in-law's waters breaking 2 weeks and 5 days early this past week and her having her beautiful little daughter much earlier than she was anticipating.  wow.  we were only due 2 days apart!  i could have this little guy anytime now really, though so much of me doesn't feel ready and would like him to wait.  just wait until this sickness is out of my house, please!

my wonderful sister took maternity pictures of my 37.5 week belly yesterday during a brief pause in the pouring rain that has been here for about a week and will stay a week or so longer.  she did a great job and i love the documentation of this 5th pregnancy.  though she is not a professional photographer, i would say she is pretty good at it.  but, then again, she is pretty good at anything she puts her hand to - she is just like that in being creative and all.

you want to know something?  real life is not always fun and exciting.  sometimes it is drudgery and full of sickness and a lot of no fun things.  i remind myself to keep my eyes on Him and to acknowledge His activity and upholding of my life.  He really is so faithful even in the midst of the hard things we go through and the difficult days.  we just have to choose to take our eyes off of ourselves and put them back on Him.  (please tell me i am not the only one who needs this reminder so often?!)

dark can give birth to life, suffering can deliver grace, the ugly can be beautiful.  God transfigures everything for His glory. ann voskamp

so, what do you think of the maternity photo shoot?

i am enjoying these pictures while i can because sooner than later i will be posting some newborn pictures for all of you to enjoy!  isn't that wild?

still counting gifts to 1000...

584 - 601:

584. tears before the Lord during prayer for His help.  He cares.

585. warm tea and honey for a sore throat.

586. practice contractions.

587. clean laundry to process.

588. uriah's 1st piano lesson.

589. garlic oil for little hurting ears.

590. a new niece born this week 2 weeks and 5 days early... and perfect.

591. all the kids' books newly organized (by the hubs and the kids).

592. a wonderful husband who sent me away while the stomach flu took over our house and is cleaning everything to try to protect me and the unborn baby from these germs.

593. my sweet and talented sister (not sister-in-law this time, she was the one who had the early baby!) who took my maternity pictures for me at 37.5 weeks along!

594. growing anticipation to meet this little one within me.

595. the Lord's perfect timing and that i can trust Him though i do not understand.

596. surviving the 1st soccer game in the freezing rain and the 1 year old screaming for 40 minutes straight (my 1 year old).

597. reading isaiah 37 and being blown away by the Lord's deliverance of His people.  when He was so faithful to literally fulfilling the short term prophesies, we can trust Him to be faithful to literally fulfill the long term ones we haven't seen come to pass yet!  so exciting!

598. listening to kevin prosch in starbuck in my ear buds.

599. the best midwife that i trust to take care of me when i have this baby.

600. a washing machine to clean all the germy articles in my house.

601. forced time to be by myself.


i am linked up at a holy experience.

if you have a blog, let me know if you have a list of your grace gifts so i can visit!  if you don't, write something you are thankful for in the comment section.  i love hearing from you!

if you haven't liked this facebook page, you can in the upper right of this post.  i would love to keep in better touch with you!

charis

peace. be still.

word for the day: loud

start.

it all started with a sharp word towards one of my kids, for what reason i really cannot remember.  a heated impatience threatening to boil over and consume everyone within its immediate range, i gave a look at my husband.

"what's wrong?" he asked.

it isn't what is wrong.  there really isn't much that is wrong.  actually, if i would take the time to step back and give an honest look at life around me a lot is very right.

it is just too loud inside my head.

sometimes i wish all the noise in my brain would stop.  be quiet.  give me some space to really think.

sometimes i know that i am being driven by some primal urge to make the noise just go away - to shut off the loud and replace it with quiet.  this animal-like instinct can unfortunately wound those around me and there is no one left guilty for any crime except me.

when Jesus said to the storms, "peace. be still," i wish He would come say it to my internal life.  i am tired of the storms inside that affect the way i act on the outside.  i despise that i take my stress and unrest out on those i love the most.  i long to act from a place of peace rather than a place of irritation.

finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.  philippians 4:8

what i fill my mind and heart with is surely going to affect what comes out, right?

be still, and know that i am God.  psalm 46:10

i long to be still.  i long for quiet in my soul.  Lord, make the loud noises stop.

stop.


want to join in?  it is easy.



5 minute friday rules:
1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Please visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them.

as always,  i love to hear from you.
charis

randomness

we were having fun at a wedding

doesn't it feel like it is time for a random list of thoughts again?  i thought so.  here are some random things on my mind at this very moment.

my sweet thumb sucker - i was a thumb sucker too

1. it is one of those grey days outside.  it is ok though because we are battling colds around here.  i even got this one!  oh my.  pumping up on citrus and all the good for you stuff to get this out of the house and all of our systems before the new baby comes.   about 3.5 weeks left til the due date, but my babies have ranged between 2 weeks early and 1 day late, so we will see when this new little guy decides to make his arrival.

2. i have always been pregnant with a family member.  (crazy, right?)  my incredibly talented sister-in-law (her work is featured on my blog a ton!) is due only 2 days before me with her 3rd kid - 1st girl!  i have feverishly been trying to get stuff ready for her baby shower this weekend.  i am so excited for her!  i can't wait to meet my new little niece (#13!!).  i am making the popular salad that i blogged about last week at barbie's for the shower - mmmmm good!

3. simeon and this new little guy will be my closest two kids in age.  my first three had due dates within 4 days (guess we are fertile a certain time of year every other year??), and ended up having birthdays within 2 weeks of each other exactly 2 years apart.  then we had a 2.5 year gap between david and simeon which was amazing - who knew how much a difference just 6 months makes in the maturity of a 2 year old!  now this will be our closest two right after our furthest two... simeon is just 20 months and the baby literally could come at any time.  so, they will be around 20-21 months apart and it feels so much closer.  i really don't think simeon has a clue that a new baby is coming.  i am soaking in the last days and weeks of him being my littlest baby.  i told the family i am still calling him my big baby.  baby doesn't end til around 2, in my opinion.

4. prayer request: i would appreciate prayer for two things about this baby's arrival. 

1. we need to settle on the right name.  i feel like the Lord guided us so much with our 1st 4 boys' names and i am really wanting the perfect confirmation for this baby's name as well.  we have ideas we like, nothing we have agreed on, but also haven't had the confirmation my heart needs yet.  
2. i would like prayer this baby would arrive at the perfect timing.  my midwife missed my birth with simeon and i would really like to have her deliver this time around.  she brings so much peace with her and makes me feel very safe.  i also would like all of us well before the new little guy arrives - i have done sickness in the house with a newborn and it is no fun!

5. i made beet sourdough pancakes this late morning.  sounds gross?  oh, my friends, it is soooo not gross!  amazing is more the word i am looking for.  you should definitely check out the recipe at my friend katie's blog.  (check out some of her other recipes while you are at it - she has great ideas that are healthy and yummy at the same time!)

 36 weeks pregnant!

still counting gifts to 1000...

571 - 583:

571. listening to john thurlow play my heart's cry on the piano keys.

572. fresh flowers in vases in my living room.

573. replacement parts for my broken rocking chair are ordered...and will be here before the baby is born!

574. found the perfect yarn for the new baby's blanket.

575. learning to knit something new and turning frustration moments into learning opportunities.

576. borrowed bradley books to brush up before labor.

577. my sister's homemade tiramisu.

578. herbs and herbal teas to prep my body for the big day.

579. thoughts of possible names swirling in my head... knowing the Lord will show us the right one.

580. pink pancakes.

581. a beaming bride walking down the aisle.

582. dancing with my 4 boys on the dance floor - watching childlike abandon.

583. soaking up the days left of simeon being my youngest.

i am linked up at a holy experience.

if you have a blog, let me know if you have a list of your grace gifts so i can visit!  if you don't, write something you are thankful for in the comment section.  i love hearing from you!

charis

being brave

word for the day: brave

start.

the time is coming soon, whether i am ready or not. 

i better get ready.

it is completely natural and yet the most intimidating thing i have ever done and will ever do again. 

i have to be brave.  being brave doesn't mean that you aren't a bit nervous on the inside.  being brave doesn't mean you are ignorant of what is coming.  actually being brave is counting the cost and going into it fully aware of what it will take and what it will look like.

and no one knows for sure the day or the moment that it will start, but God has left that mystery up to Himself.  but i do know it is coming and i need to prepare.

in so many ways, as i write, i think of the parallels to the time before the return of Jesus.  i mean, they call it birth pains, right?  and here i am, thinking and reading and planning for very real, very physical birth pains in just a matter of weeks.  part of me is nervous.  part of me is excited.

but i know, most of all, what it will take is all of me being brave.

God has not given us a spirit of fear, but a Spirit of power, love, and a sound mind. 2 timothy 1:7

He has been my Rock to navigate me through 4 births already, and i know He will be my Rock once again.  even when things get more intense and the contractions get stronger, i don't have to be a hero.  no, i just have to keep my mind steadfast and look at the One who is my Hero and He will guide me through.

He is always faithful and there will be such a great prize waiting for me on the other side - my baby.

someday He will be the One waiting for me on the other side and that will be the best prize for being brave.

stop.


want to join in?  it is easy.



5 minute friday rules:
1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Please visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them.

as always,  i love to hear from you.
charis

amazing asian chicken salad

today i am sharing at my freshly brewed life in the spring in my step series!



i am sharing an easy recipe for one of our favorite main course salads – asian chicken salad.  as you know, we love to eat healthy, real food and love to save money while doing it!  this salad is fast and easy to put together - a healthy meal everyone will love!  (i was just requested to have this salad at an upcoming baby shower).

here is a little excerpt of facts i share on why to eat more cabbage:

since our star ingredient is cabbage, i would like to list some of the health benefits you get from eating more cabbage:

• rich in vitamin c, iodine, calcium, vitamin e, magnesium and potassium
• aids in treatment of constipation, headaches, excess weight, heart diseases, arthritis, eczema, among other ailments!
• ranks up with broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts with the reputation of fighting cancer
• rich in fiber
• ½ cup chopped only has 16 calories!

come over and read the rest of my post and recipe - i would love to hear you stopped by!

charis