The Wise Guy Who Said "Prayer Doesn't Change God, It Changes Us" Might Have Been Right

I'm sitting at the dining room table, watching Charlie cover his sweet cheeks with the last licks of a chocolate-vanilla swirl pudding cup, wondering if an extra dose of chocolate and another cup of coffee can miraculously make me as blissfully cheerful as he is.

C'mon pudding, work your magic.

At the wise ol' age of 2.5 weeks, Joseph thinks the perfect time to sleep at night is between the hours of 2 a.m. and 5 a.m., not a minute sooner, not a moment longer.  Moms, I know you feel my pain, and I truly am consoled by the fact that you understand the blinding ache behind my blood-shot eye-balls. Unfortunately, I'm getting no sympathy from the male species of our household.  This is what I got from them this morning:

Hey mom, would you take us bowling this afternoon?
I don't think so boys, mommy only slept for about 3 hours last night, and I really need to catch a nap this afternoon.
Well, how about the pool then? Would you take us to the pool? You can fall asleep there and still look normal.  
Sorry to disappoint you, boys, but I'm not going to look normal (or take this circus bowling) any time soon. I could, however, handle drive-thru Starbucks and a Redbox.

Now, it's 1 o'clock, Joseph is wide awake and the boys are outside trying to pole vault into the baby pool with the telescoping wand that I use to wash windows.  Clearly, I'm not going to nap. Thus, I shall blog.

There's so many things I want to write about, but there's one topic that's been on my heart more than the rest, and I know that if I don't write a little something about it now, I never will.

Do you guys remember back about a month ago when I asked you to share your prayer intentions with me so that I could take them to the hospital and offer them up during labor and delivery? (Thank you, Kathryn, for the beautiful idea!)  Well, somehow I want to express to you - all 96 of you - my deepest thanks for responding to the invitation to share.

In hind sight, I truly believe that those intentions most likely more necessary for my good than for yours.

I hope that doesn't sound selfish or prideful.  Those long days of waiting leading up to the Joseph's birth, were much tougher than the birth itself.  I was really tired, swollen and struggling to sleep at night for more than an hour at a time due to sciatic pain in my lower back.  Feeling exhausted, yet trying to keep up with five busy boys, handle the normal housekeeping duties, along with the mental strain of waiting for Joseph past my due date, tested my emotional strength in a way I had never experienced before.

But, every day, you all came to my rescue.

{Candle from Full of Grace Divine Designs}

Every afternoon seemed to afford a window of time in which I could retreat into my bedroom, light my holy candle, climb into bed and sink myself into your struggles, for a while escaping my own.  For almost two weeks, taking the time to meditate on each one of your intentions became a welcome habit, and as the days passed, I became sincerely attached to dozens of people I do not know, and will most likely never meet.  People struggling with alcoholism, infertility, cancer, worry for their children, divorce, loss, grief....the list goes on.

The culmination of this experience was quite humbling for me.  Not only did the intensity of suffering that many of you shared with me keep my own little pains in perspective, it impressed upon me more deeply than ever the conviction that the words, "I'll pray for you" aren't meant to be offered lightly.

Yet, I'm afraid they sometimes are.

I am guilty of such insincerity - of earnestly desiring to console friends and family in their times of suffering with promises of prayer, of having good intentions to commit to that promise, but failing in the follow through.

Have you been there, too?

To to say what you mean and to mean what you say - and then to DO what you say you will do is honesty and integrity - it's loving our neighbor as ourselves - at its core.  Countless people so kindly reached out to me throughout my pregnancy, especially toward the end, to let me know they were praying for me, and I cannot tell you how much I clung to those words. I counted on those words. Words that offered hope in the deliverance of graces that I longed for, graces I knew would carry me through - minute by minute - every moment of the days of hurting and waiting and trying to be patient and trying to be a mom and trying to meet needs without begrudging the weight of the responsibilities, the weight of the crosses I was being asked to carry.

Someone once told me that one of the great fruits of suffering in this world is that suffering offers others the chance to pray and that prayer is unifying.  I'm a believer in that - as confounding and mysterious as suffering may be, the boldness and beauty of all that is borne from it cannot be denied or ignored.  When we share in that suffering together, through prayer, we can experience Christ and through Christ, one another.

How can we not be changed by that?
Indeed, it is in giving that we receive.

So, thank you.  Thank you for letting me pray for you - all those days prior to the birth, and of course during labor and delivery as well. You'll never know the blessing you've been to me!  I'm still holding on to your intentions.

Happy Independence Day!! 7 QT Friday

A very quick 7 QT Friday today, because there's cupcakes to bake, salads to make, crafts to create and drinks to partake!! Tonight we're heading over to Steve's parents for all the fun and festivities.  I've got 6 squirrely boys who absolutely cannot wait!

1.

Happy Fourth of July from the "birth" day buddies!!  This is a shot from their 2 week photo session, which did not go a smoothly as I had hoped it would - squirming pups and  a fussy baby don't make for optimal footage.  But, despite all the wriggling and sleepy stretching, I did manage to capture a little bit o' sweetness!

2.

Mmmmm....summer salads! I've had my eye on this roasted corn and avocado salad since last summer and thought today would be the perfect day to whip it up! Fresh, healthy and delish!

3.

You guys probably already knew this, but Pinterest is a great place to find fun cocktail recipes. We made a red, white and blue sipper last year that was really yummy, but decided to go for something a little less sweet, but equally jazzy this year.  We'll be shaking it up with Hendricks gin - my favorite!

4.

Firecracker cupcakes?? Yes, please! What makes these cupcakes so fun are the Pop Rocks and sprinkles combo on top of the frosting.  The cupcakes pictured here are made from scratch with a blueberry pie filling.  We simplified them *read* boxed cake mix, zero pie filling, canned frosting. All the glory goes to the Pop Rocks!

5.

Fireworks. Lots of fireworks. "We're going to put on an awesome show for you, mom!" Sweet, I'll be front and center, fire extinguisher in hand.

6.

I love a good military movie, so when one of our friends recommended that Steve and I watch the HBO series, Band of Brothers, I was all in.  I am up late at night doing the rocking, nursing, walking routine with Joseph, so it's a perfect time for mommy to be entertained. We are really enjoying it so far!

7.

I really believe that every high school history class should be required to watch Saving Private Ryan and to read the book, When Hell Was in Session, Admiral Jeremiah Denton's account of his experience as a POW in North Vietnam during the Vietnam War.  If we don't know what has been sacrificed in order that our freedoms might be preserved, how can we truly appreciate them, uphold them, and fight for them when they are being compromised??

This book hit close to home for me since my dad is a Vietnam veteran.  I will never know or understand the depths or meaning of his experience of war.  But, I do know that I am eternally grateful for the patriotism and love for our nation that he has instilled in our family.

We owe our military, past and present, a huge debt of gratitude.  I think we them best by living in such a way that demonstrates a sincere patriotism: respecting and supporting our military, learning and knowing American history, teaching it to our children and being willing to contribute to our communities by helping others as generously as the armed services have contributed to our nation in such an exemplary fashion.

HAPPY 4th OF JULY!!!

Joseph's Birth Story - All That and a Litter of Puppies

Every pregnancy and every birth has added new and memorable pages to our family story. While some of our birth stories have been somewhat smooth sailing, others have been a bit more eventful.

With Henry it was the hospital mix-up coupled with a "no room at the inn" scenario.  Our doctor's office called us the day before I was scheduled to be induced only to relay the fabulous news that we couldn't deliver at our chosen hospital due to insurance restrictions (whee!!).  When we arrived for check-in at the "approved" hospital, the maternity ward was under construction and they wouldn't have a room available for us for 24 hours - super convenient. Needless to say everything worked out peachy.

With Charlie, 7 days before my due date, I was browsing through a book store with the boys when *surprise!* my water broke. Driving myself to the hospital with contractions 3 minutes apart was all sorts of fun. All I remember about the drive was Beethoven was playing on the Symphony Hall radio station that morning, but even his melancholic melodies couldn't slow my contractions or the speedometer down.

I didn't think that story could be topped, but oh, boy was I ever wrong! Joseph was not about to be outdone by his older brothers...

For days leading up to Joseph's birth, I felt a slow decline in enthusiasm and hope that our child would ever decide to make an appearance.  Out of frustration, I decided to abandon all efforts to keep the house clean, laundry baskets empty or to rest whenever possible. Instead, I rebelliously decided that giving Charlie's room a make-over (which turned out so cute, and I promise pics soon!), baking unnecessary amounts of sweet things and hauling kids all over creation to football camps and swimming lessons would keep my mind off of my uncooperative midsection.

On the Morning of June 19, I woke up with more of those ho-hum contractions and went about ignoring them as usual.  Before loading up the troops for swimming lessons, I stepped outside for just a moment of fresh air, and that's when I heard a faint whimpering coming from below the deck.  I knew instantly that Rose had finally had her puppies.

(We had been quite the pair during the previous months, shuffling around with our bulging bellies, trying not to look miserable.)

The morning was chilly and overcast, the air damp from the night's rain showers.  Sure enough, I found Rose beneath the deck, curled up tightly with three of her newborn puppies.  I had been remarking sarcastically all week that if Rose gave birth before I did, I was going take her to the pound. Kidding, of course! (Hormones can make a girl say the ca-raziest things!) I will admit, however, to being slightly jealous.

We had prepared a little nest for Rose in the garage, hoping she would bed down and give birth there, but animals will do as they please and apparently she thought laboring on a pile of rocks on the cold damp earth was a better option. Whatever.  I waddled back into the house to grab Benedict who helped me gather the puppies and relocate them to the garage where it was dry and warm.

Off to swimming lessons I went, still contracting, still in denial that the little clinchers would actually get with it any time soon.  I mingled with friends, snapped a few pics of the boys and headed back to the ranchero for lunch. And, that's when the belly started getting busy.  Could it be? After 10 days of on/off contractions, could this really be the day we'd been waiting for?

Trying to contain my excitement - I didn't want to jinx anything - I made lunch for the crew, including Steve who was in a field just a few miles away bailing wheat straw and waiting for me to arrive with his lunch. I pulled up to the field, handed him his cooler, and shouted out over the roar of the tractor, "Keep your phone close, we're going to the hospital today!"

After such an eventful morning, I was ready for everything to slow down, to find some quiet and relax until it was time to go to the hospital.  But, first, I knew I needed to check on Rose.  To my great surprise, she had given birth to 4 more squealing pups!  After a long night and morning, it was evident that she was exhausted, as she struggled to lift her head to reach her babies.

Before I was finished assessing the newborns, she began delivering another pup, but this one was taking a long time, and I could tell that without assistance, the pup may not survive.  I spent the next 20 minutes helping Rose through the final stages of labor, moving the newborns close to her so she could lick them until they were clean and ready to nurse.  The boys came eagerly in and out of the garage to count Rose's progress.  They were completely enthralled with the whole event, but had no idea I was in labor too!

During this entire episode, my contractions were definitely in full swing.  I kept thinking to myself, c'mon Rose, can you finish up here so I can go have my baby? I'm sure the situation would have made for some sweet reality show footage.  Mother of 5 helps golden retriever deliver 8 puppies just moments before sprinting to the hospital to give birth to her own baby.

By this time, my contractions were serious.  Rose, baby, you're on your own.  I called Steve and, in a semi-desperate voice, told him to put that tractor in park and bust it home, because it was time to go have a baby!  Before I knew it, we were in the car narrowing the 30 mile distance between hospital and home.

When we arrived, I just kept thinking about how quickly Charlie came, so I was very eager to get changed and settled into my room.  Unfortunately, I had forgotten about having to go through the "preliminary evaluation" station where they determine whether or not you're actually in labor.

Really.  Really??? Don't 5 time deliverees get a pass on that one??  Can't you just take our experienced word for it?? Steve and I didn't know whether to laugh out loud or scream when, after 45 minutes of being strapped to monitors, a quiet, young (did I mention young?) doctor casually sauntered in, looked at the rolls of paper spilling out of the beeping machine and declared, "Well, it looks as though you're having contractions!"

These are the times when I kick myself for never having mastered a foreign language.  Being able to let my feelings flow freely in Gaelic would have been super handy in that moment without offending doctor what's-her-name. Anyway, somehow, I managed to charitably (although I'm sure my eyeballs were blazing from lack of sleep and frustration all in one pretty little look) to convince her to call my OB for the "OK" for me to stay.  I was not. going. home!

Thanks to Dr. Jensen, within minutes I was out cruising the halls, stopping every couple of minutes to grip Steve's hand as the pain became more and more intense. (This is where having your prayer intentions to meditate on became an even greater blessing to me, but more on that later.)  In just a little more than an hour, I was surrounded by a team of fantastic nurses, my doctor and Steve, ready to push.

That very moment, when the doc announces that I'm fully dilated and can push is my favorite time in the birth process. With every single baby, Steve and I cry tears of joy and hold each other tight, knowing we are just moments away from meeting the very soul our love has created and been longing for for months.

Joseph William Karol was born at 6:58 p.m.  He weighed exactly 8 pounds, and measured 21.25 inches long.

Immediately, the nurses lifted him into my arms and I was able to hold him for the longest time (Steve got to hold him too!) before they measured, weighed and bathed him.  It was wonderful having that precious bonding time alone together.

The next day, Steve's parents brought the boys in to meet their little brother.  Words cannot express just how much I look forward to and treasure the moment we get to introduce a new sibling to the family.  I treasure this first encounter so very much - the looks of love, of surprise, of wonder, of joy. Some of them have so much to say, others are content to ponder the beauty of new life silently.

Charlie was the first big bro on the scene.  He walked right up to Joseph and with a huge grin asked, "Is this our baby??" He was so delighted! We've been in stitches with him since day one, because he cannot say Joseph.  To Charlie, it's Jo-phis.  Jophis has become his most affectionate nickname.

George, who is wildly enthusiastic about life, takes on a very sweet and calm disposition when he holds Joseph.  It's really neat to see them together in this way.

Out of all the boys, Henry was the most connected to Joseph during my pregnancy.  He hugged my tummy many times each day and would whisper, "I love you!" to the baby.  He proudly tells everyone, "Jospeh loves me the best, because I hugged him lots when he was in mommy's tummy. That's how he knows me!"

Andrew is always the quiet one with newborns.  The look in his eyes and his tender embrace expresses loud and clear that he is truly in awe of new life.

Benedict and Joseph, the oldest and the youngest.  Benedict held Joseph the longest at the hospital.  He already has that innate desire to protect, to comfort, and to care for his youngest brother. Seeing Benedict grow and mature in this way is so beautiful!

Grandparents...

Father and Sons...

On Father's Day, I shared a photo of Steve with the boys, along with this verse from scripture, on my Facebook page.  The verse has been on my heart each day since, as I continue to contemplate God's goodness and abundant blessings upon our family:

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth.  

How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.

~ Psalm 127:4-5

Theme Thursday: Swim! - King of the Cannonball and Other Impressive Moves

Hellloooooo there!!

After being completely off the grid for a week, I am happy to be back (sort of) in the sphere of blogging. I've missed you guys!! {*hugs*} Today, the blogging stars must have magically aligned just for me, because I actually experienced one solid hour of feeling caffeinated + oldest son proving he's the best baby holder ever + rest of the crew enjoying rainbows, sunshine and unicorns in the basement (or whatever kept them entertained - some things are better left a mystery).

Perhaps a more prudent way to spend the star-aligned hour would have been to soak-n-scrub a pile of spit-up stained laundry or unpack my bags from the hospital, but I confess to procrastination all for the sake of participating in my first ever Theme Thursday link-up at the ever-popular Clan Donaldson.

Today's theme: Swim

{I really can't wait to share Joseph's birth story with you, but I think I'm going to need a little quality quiet time to unfold all the details. Honestly, we thought Charlie's birth story was tops, but nope, this one tops them all.  Need a teaser? Think swimming lessons, wheat harvest, a plethora of newborn puppies and a baby all wrapped up in one happy little day. I promise to tell the tale soon!}

Now on to the swimming!  George and Henry are both taking swimming lessons this summer. George is in a technique class and Henry in a beginner class.  George would love to join the community swim team, but first needs some coaching to refine his flailing into actual strokes.

Backstroke...nice!

Butterfly...sweet!

Mystery Stroke....classic George!

Cannonball....A Husband specialty!!

Of all the boys, Henry has been the most timid when it comes to being in or near the water.  We tried lessons last summer, but he was miserable, so instead of forcing him to learn, I decided to just relax and wait until he was ready to go for it.

This summer, he has completely turned a corner.  With every lesson he's become more confident in the water, and all of his apprehension has quickly turned into joyful enthusiasm. I am so thankful, because it's always been really important to me that the boys to learn how to swim well, and to have fun along the way.

Our family loves to go tubing and water skiing, and knowing that all of the boys can swim well gives me peace of mind and peace of heart whenever we are involved in any water recreation sport, which may include survival games like dunking, chicken and Marco Polo. We are a family of boys, so this is how we roll. Polite hotel swimmers, girls doing graceful handstands, *ahem* my apologies in advance.

On the final day of the first session of lessons, each student had their chance to jump off of the diving board.  Henry was last.

He proudly stepped up on the board, shuffled to the end, and with hands on hips, shouted out to the teacher, "Are you ready??" Then, he proceeded to jump up and out with all his might shouting, "Aaaggghhh!!!" at the top of his lungs.

I'm not sure if it was his plan or not, but he succeeded in dunking his sweet, patient teacher who was waiting all along to catch him.  They both popped up out of the water laughing, Henry's arms wrapped tightly around her neck.  "That was awesome, Henry!" she said.

Without a doubt, he knew she was right!

5 {Favorite} Lady Like Lovelies

Happy Wednesday, Friends!! Last night around midnight, when I should have been resting up for this labor and delivery that really is going to happen at any moment (fingers crossed) I was blogging instead, because the book I had spent an hour reading, hoping it would make me sleepy, actually just made me think and think and think.

Anyway, while mulling over hot blogging topics, I remembered that today is 5 Favorites over at Moxie wife, so I decided to whip up a little list for those of you who dig the 5 Fave.  Even though my swollen, Oompa-Loompa figure isn't exactly the epitome of summer sassy, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite lady-like lovelies that keep me from feeling 41+ weeks frumpy.

- 1 -

Sonia Kashuk Pink Innocencia Lotion

Sometime during my college years I developed an acute sensitivity to fragrances, and exposure to them typically leads to a full on migraine headache. Even though I love how lovely the perfect fragrance can make you feel, I'm really limited to the lotions and perfumes that I can wear.  A couple of days ago I decided to venture outside of my standard scent and try something new. Running through Target, I stopped at a Sonia Kashuk fragrance display and was pleasantly surprised that none of the lotions or fragrances triggered a headache at all! The pink innocencia is my favorite - light, fresh, floral and super-feminine. 

- 2 - 

Isla Drop Earrings from Stella & Dot

I don't know what it is about a pair of earrings that just makes me feel a little more polished, no matter what I'm wearing.  I'm a sucker for Stella & Dot jewelry, and the Isla Drop Earrings are perfect for summer.  

- 3 -

Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter 

This is the perfect combination of lipstick and lip gloss. It's the one lip-product I reach for every day, and while I have really enjoyed wearing a wide variety of colors, peach parfait is my favorite. At around $6 a tube, it's a bargain beauty!

- 4 -  

Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel {Full Strength}

Chalk it up to hormones or aging or both, but the past two pregnancies for me have not been glowing ones.  At the moment of conception, my face freaks out. All of the wicked dry patches and dark spots make my usual make-up less routine a little less comfortable.  Since my standard exfoliation product started feeling a little irritating, a few months ago, I decided to give the full strength Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel a try, and I must say that I'm hooked.  If you're not a fan of grainy, abrasive exfoliates, give this a try.  It's a little pricey, but lasts a long time.  I use it twice a week and after 6 months, the jar isn't empty yet! (FYI: I purchased mine at Ulta with a coupon.)

- 5 -  

Burt's Bees Dusting Powder

Dusting your feet with powder, especially in the summer, before slipping your shoes on is one tip I learned from my mom that I've been using since high school.  I like to sprinkle it inside of all of my shoes to keep them fresh, and applying a little before slipping my sandals on keeps the funky feet smell at bay.  The dusting powder from Burts Bees has a light, fresh scent and its super-fine form is easy to apply.

Do you have any favorite products to add to my list of lovelies?? 

Please, do tell!

More goodies right here!