So, what to say.
I am absolutely exhausted. Chloe has been up the last two nights - for two hours at a time. Last night I think I got something more like 2 long naps rather than a night's sleep. Chad got up with me at one point and I just burst into tears. I just wanted to sleep SO BAD. It is now 8:30pm and I plan on going to bed pretty soon here ... Of course I hoped to lay down and rest a little this afternoon but of course the 2 kids who nap around here had other ideas. I spent a lot of today praying that God would just give me the energy I needed to get through ... and He did. And I didn't get grumpy with the kids either. (That for me is an achievement when I am tired!)
Speaking of prayer. This fall my ladies' Bible study did a study on prayer and it has really breathed new life into my prayer life. (Okay, that and feeling desperately needy these days ...) I just feel more and more convinced and convicted about bringing my life's concerns before God. And God WANTS us to bring our concerns to Him! I spend a lot of time asking for wisdom, energy, and the usual requests - but I also have been praying more for OTHER people. Right now with the circumstances of my life, there is very little I can "do" to help other people. I can't serve on committees, I can't be involved with any ministries, I can't even leave the house very often ... but I can pray for people. So even in the dark of the night as I feed little Chloe, I am often praying. When I am doing dishes, I am often praying. And I am enjoying this little "ministry" at home. It helps me feel connected to God, and to the people I am praying for. One of the blessings of this "season" in my life, I suppose.
So Chad & I took the kids to get their pictures taken on Saturday. Does anyone else out there get as stressed as I do over this? I look at other people's family photos and all their kids are smiling and looking all perfect ... and then there is picture-taking with my kids. I always have to resort to major bribes to get them to cooperate with getting their pictures taken ... Audrey is much easier as she gets older but now I have an unpredictable almost 4 month old to boot. Anyhow. I had it all planned to get Chloe up at a certain time, feed her, get her a short nap, and be off to the studio. Well. Miss Chloe had other ideas and decided to get up an hour earlier than my planned wake-up time, so she was all thrown off. By the time we were shooting photos, she was already tired. Every time I put her down, she would cry. It was nearly a disaster but it ended up okay after all. Got a few good pics of each kid and one okay picture of all three.
A little sampling ...
So that's my life over the past few days. What have you been up to?
6 comments:
Finally! The pictures of the kids are great - did they all have a white background? Sorry you haven't gotten much rest. Hopefully Chloe will cooperate tonight.
Yahoo! The scary picture is gone! It reminded me of a sci-fi movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger, where this guy has a little guy on his chest. Very weird. Wish I stopped watching those kinds of movies a much longer time ago! :)
The pictures of the kids are beautiful. Squeeze them all and say there are some folks in Illinois that want to love on them sometime soon! Oh when, oh when?!?
I am right there with you on a few things...my kiddos are not as physically needy anymore, but homeschooling them has me running here and there constantly (even if sometimes it is just mental running!). It struck me (late last night, around 2:30am actually) that all this busy-ness has put a damper on my prayer life, and I am going to be trying to change that.
Also, kid pictures...family pictures...I am always so stressed about hairstyles and matching clothes and unscuffed shoes....ack. Hate the stress..but always feel victorious and pleased with the result after I come home with the pictures.
Love you guys~
I love the individual pictures of the kids! Chloe looks a bit like a deer in headlights in the one with all 3-LOL....it is still cute though!
I'm hoping Chloe will start sleeping better really soon...maybe it's just a growth spurt or teething. "This too shall pass." Praying for you!
I never leave Picture People without being a sweaty, stressed out mess of a woman. It's awful. Haven't been there in years because of that.
Love your discussion on prayer--you can pray for us. The adoption process has been taking it's toll as we are at the point now that we are "looking at files" of children. It's much harder than we anticipated. Pray for our social worker to find the right files for us to see and for supernatural discernment as we look at them.
The pictures are adorable. I just can't get over how big they are all getting. I see them almost every day and there is just something about the formal photo shoot pictures that makes them look so "grown-up."
As far as the prayer side of your life. I admire your prayerfulness that you have included into your life. I find myself praying at very odd times throughout the day. Mainly because it is a 2 minute break I have or I am on my way to sleep. When you look at what God wants for you, it becomes easier for me to just release those things that are not in my control over to God. He does answer prayers, even if it is hard to see those answers. Hang in there Amy. You are doing a really fantastic job, as exhausting as that must be with 3 kids. You are very loved and thought of often. Keep the tears flowing as I find it is a tremendous release for me. God is right there to pick you up. Thoughts and prayers are with you.
Thanks for sharing that with us Amy, I read alot of similarities with my life in there too :) When I have those moments of overwhelming emotion and I head to our room or bathroom to let it out, God reminds me that He IS right there with me in every moment and has it under control and loves me more than anyone ever could... AND He loves our children more!
Those photos are great, Audrey is such a little lady and it shows, good job! Carter... too stinkin cute! Chloe, just precious!
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