Thursday, September 29, 2011

Im back~

Im back! Just a quick hello. I don't have much time to update tonight other than to say we are all doing good and our newest edition is now 17lbs! So he is eating and growing a ton. We are so in love with him. Emily is developing her own personality and boy is she strong willed. She is 1 going on 21 :-) And as for my older kiddos... they are all well and growing like weeds.
I had mentioned in my last post that I didn't know if I needed to blog anymore and I still don't know. Im still praying about that. There are so many people that use the internet for bad things and they choose bloggers like myself that are striving to be different, and they laugh and poke jokes at us. That is simply WRONG. That said, I don't know if I want my family exposed to that. So until I figure it out, I'll try to post more. Right now though, I am going to go grab my little man, snuggle up on my couch and try to enjoy my upcoming weekend. My beloved has taken vacation from work and will not return until Monday. So were hoping to enjoy some time together. We even got to go on a date out to eat tonight( with Jackson of course), but still, I cherished the time we had tonight. I love you baby <3

Friday, May 13, 2011

He's Here!

Our new baby boy, Jackson Steven Tyler Smith, was born May 6, 2011 at 7:01 pm after about 4 or 5 hours of labor I began to feel the most intense pain I have EVER felt. My contractions became 1 on top of the other, not even giving me a chance for relief from them. Then I thought my water was breaking. I had not been dilated any up until this point, but I figured that was what all was going on. I was wrong. I kept feeling the "water" trickling out and decided I would feel to see what it was. It was blood and a lot of it. I lost it, and my oldest daughter ran to the nurses station to get help. My husband had just stepped outside to make a phone call, but I was afraid that I couldn't wait for him to return. I look back now and wonder why I didn't push the nurses button. Panic and fear I suppose. The nurses checked me and I had only dilated to a 1. I was having a placental abruption. I called my dearest friend Jennifer to ask her to pray for me and within a few minutes, she was there with my husband and oldest daughter. I got my epi and things are a blur after that until recovery. I woke up to a healthy baby boy who is a GREAT nurser ( thank you LORD!!!!) and a still alive me :-) My uterus was left in tact and I suffered minimal blood loss. I have actually had a much better recovery so far, than I did with my Emily. I am so thankful for the quick actions of the hospital staff, their discretion, and most of all for the blessings of my Lord thru this ordeal.

Since then, my husbands parents have began giving us a hard time about children and homeschooling and are basically up to their old tricks. Please pray for Cameron to have the strength to stand his ground and the right words to say to defend our family. They want a "face to face" this weekend to tell us how it is "going" to be. My husband is a quite man, but once pushed to far, he can really speak his mind, especially when it comes to us. So since all this is going on, I may be permantly shutting down this blog. I dont post often but I have shared some pretty personal info that I don't know if it was the right thing to do or not. I have also been convicted about the fact that I get too wrapped up in the internet on blogs, message boards, etc. I know that the Lord is calling us to a simple life and I honestly don't know yet if this blog is a part of that life. So if I decide that I will post a final post and then close the blog. Thanks for all the prayers and walking with me on this journey. God bless you all!

Blessings~
Maudie

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Baby Update #1

I am still pregnant :-) I had a good, but oh so ever long, appt. this morning. I am NOT dilated at all, but I am contracting. So my doctor pretty much said that if I feel the need to go to labor and delivery , she will go ahead and deliver him if I am contracting. So in the morning I am going to see what is going on and then make my choice. I have tied up all my loose ends around here, other than putting the car seat back together and the bassinet back together. I cleaned my room ( but not my closet, lol) and I cleaned and organized my school room. My laundry room is still a mess, but I may tackle that in the morning. I am going to walk a ton in the morning also. If all else fails, I will be holding little Jackson in my arms Tuesday. But please pray that it does work out for tomorrow. Cameron is really hoping for that too so he doesn't miss but 1 days work. Well thats all for now! I am off the computer to go and watch a movie with Cameron and the kiddos before bed. God bless :-)

Blessings~
Maudie

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Another Update~

We survived the tornados and are so thankful for that. The storm went right around us and touched down 15 mins from our home. My mil and fil's town was basically destroyed, but they too are fine. We live about an hour from the Crawford and Lee families, so we are still greatly impacted by the realness of all the bad weather. The lady that took care of Cameron's grandmother lost her grandaughter( age:8), her daughter in law and her ex husband. They were all in one home, as they cared for elderly people also. All 4 of the elderly women they cared for passed away as well. I just want to stress the importance of continuing prayer for all the people impacted by this storm. A week later, there are still many missing in the state. God has a plan, but we may not understand it. I think that His plan in this storm was to open the eyes of so many people who think that life is something that we are guaranteed. I think it was to open the eyes of people who did not believe in the Lord and His power. I pray that thru the lost earthly lives, will be a gain of heavenly lives and that people will see that the only way to survive in this world is by relying on Jesus.
Now on a lighter note..... We are still awaiting baby Jackson's arrival. I have what I hope to be my last appt. of this pregnancy tomorrow with my ob/gyn. I have had alot of pain this last month and I am miserable. I have never been this big and uncomfortable. I am definatly ready to hold my little man and nurse him and snuggle with him. I am also ready to get home from the hospital and hold my Emily too. I am going to really miss her while I am away. I have never been away from her for longer than a few hours, much less a whole night! My mil is coming to stay with the children and my mother, but Emily doesn't care for her to much. She does LOVE her big sister Taylor and that is who has became her "buddy". I am so thankful to have Taylor to help with her. All of my girls are good with Emily, but Taylor is just a tad better in the role of care taker. She has a real heart to serve other people and I am so proud of that! I know I have said this a million times, but I want to start blogging more often after the baby gets here. I feel like sharing my life with others may benefit someone someday :-) I have gone back and forth with whether of not blogging is too personal or just plain time consuming. I then think about all the blogs that I read that have really touched my life. I find these women an inspiration to me in my quest to be what the Lord would have me to be. I want to do that for other women. Its my prayer that I may be a light in this world of darkness and that by being open with my struggles and shortcomings, that I can touch other people and lead them to Christ. So with that I will close for today, but ask that you all remember me and my family in prayer as we prepare for Jackson's arrival. I have a list of specific prayer needs if you feel led to pray:

~ Prayer Needs in the Next Few Weeks~

1} Safe delivery with NO COMPLICATIONS
2} Healthy uterus after delivery/mininal blood loss
3} Successful nursing/alert , happy, baby
4} Good recovery with no after affects of epi
5} Emily's safety while we are away
6} Overall good experience of birth,nursing,recovery and emotional
well-being in the weeks following the birth.
7} Childrens behavior while we are away
8} For school to pick back up and be a success when we start back
9} To be able to find a routine and schedule that works for us

Thank you all in advance for praying. I will be back tomorrow and let you all know when I expect my little mans arrival once I return home from the doctor. Due to my pain and the constant contractions and stomach issues, we are praying for Friday, May 6 to be his birthday. Cameron will also only have to take off 1 day of work and that will make it much better on all of us. Thanks again and God bless :-)

Blessings~
Maudie

Monday, April 25, 2011

Prayers Please

I just wanted to ask for prayers please. I am still dealing with high blood pressure ( a tad) and my doctor decided today that she will give me until May 9 to go into labor on my own or else she will deliver the baby that day.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Update~

Im still here and VERY pregnant! Jackson is atleast 8 pounds they suspect and I should be having him within the next 2 weeks. Of course I am praying for this Friday, the 29th, and should know something Monday. If you all don't mind, please pray for me to be content with the Lords timing in his delivery. I am in a ton of pain though and I am not the nicest person to be around at the moment. We have all been sick and I am on antibiotics and so is Tweedle. I do have some good news though.... my Tweedle is finally getting teeth!!!!! I thought we would have to buy dentures,lol! They are sooooo cute, but of course, every part of her is cute! I love her so :-)
Well thats all for now. I know its short, but I am on my way to go lay down. I willl be back next week for sure to let you all know when my little man is expected to arrive! God bless and I pray that everyone has a wonderful Easter as we all take the time to celebrate the best gift of all: Jesus... OUR LORD!!!!

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Update~

Im still living and breathing ;-) but I have been very busy. We all had the flu, beloved was out of work for a week, and my Tweedle had a really hard time and caught her first ear infection after the flu. So basically we have been busy being sick, which is no fun, let me tell you. I have been really having a hard time emotionally lately with all the things that the Lord has laid on my heart. I have had to make the painful choice to distance myself from several people, some including family, and return my focus to the Lord and my family here at home. I am reading a devotional book that I bought from Vision Forum (www.visionforum.com) that speaks about contentment and the other one I am reading speaks about Joy. In one of them, the author talks about sometimes you must let people go and that for the majority of the time, people are in your past for a reason. And that there is a good reason most are not in your present day life. I am realizing this more and more. I am trying my best to find out what it is the Lord has in store for me. I only want that, whatever that is. If His will becomes mine, then my life will be much better. For years I have tried so hard to control and micromanage every part of my life and then a news flash hit me....... I am HORRIBLE at it. I made a new commitement to the Lord that I am totally dedicated to Him and to doing what He created me to do. This has meant letting go of people, memories and things period. It means letting go of all control, all the while having faith that the Lord knows my needs and will take care of me. I am also focusing alot on my children and their homeschooling, their spiritual condition and our relationship all together. I want us to enjoy every moment we have together. I am also purposing to be a better wife, homekeeper, and daughter. I want to be content here at home. Even if there are days that go by and I haven't left the house. I used to think that I had to leave home everyday. Even if it was just to run to the store to get away. I wasted so much time, gas and money on dumb things. My family ate way too many fast food meals because I was too lazy to plan our menus and keep up with them. I am sooooo done with that. Here are just a few of our new goals as a family:

1} A garden ( tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, squash, okra, maybe corn)
2} Chickens for eggs
3} I am commited to nursing Jackson for atleast a year. My beloved allowed me to purchase a very nice medela pump incase I have any problems.
4} A clean and organized home
5} Staying out of debt if at all possible
6} Spending more quality time together as a family
7} Finding the right place to fellowship as believers
8} Being with more likeminded people
9} Letting go of relationships/hobbies that will not bring joy to the Lord or that may be a bad influence

So all in all we are planning many changes. I am also determined to learn to sew and be more frugal. I also want to make more homemade, from scratch meals. I am planning on making some freezer meals before Jackson is born, so we won't have to be so rushed to get out and about after he comes home and so my girls can just defrost and throw them in the oven. Speaking of Jackson, we only have until the first week of May and my Ob/Gyn is delivering him as long as his lungs are mature. I will be 38 weeks the first week of May. So I am in the homestretch now. Well I can smell dinner, and my girls have prepared me a plate, so I am going to go do what any 7 month along pregnant lady LOVES to do..... EAT ;-) God bless!

Blessings~
Maudie

Friday, February 4, 2011

Time 4 Learning

I've been invited to try Time4Learning for 1 month in exchange for a candid review. My opinion will be entirely my own, so be sure to come back and read about my experience. Time4Learning can be used as an online homeschool curriculum, after school tutorial or a summer skill builder.Find out how to write your own curriculum review for Time4Learning.
www.time4learning.com

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

My 30th Birthday!

Today is my 30th birthday! I feel like normal. I am not having a great so far. My older 2 girls have been rather testy the last couple of days. So I am trying to relax. I am planning on writing in this blog again, but I don't know when or to what extent. Well I am going to finish up our schooling and then I am going to try to enjoy the rest of the day. God bless.

Blessings~
Maudie