fasting

i know that i can not fast from food due to nursing but i have started a different fast. I am fasting from movies, T.V. , and needless Internet. I am only getting online to check email's and to update my blogs. I am also on a spending fast. This time of the year many people are spending more then they have, I will be trying not to spend at all.I do know that the bills have to be paid and gas must be put in the car, but i will do my part in keeping the price down. When I go out I will back a lunch,if I want something I will make due or write it down to get in a month or so. I will report on how things are going only one a week( so to keep off the computer) and I pray that this can bring me closer to God.

what I'm thankful for

Now that Thanksgiving has pasted I fee that I should say what I'm most thankful for. I would have done this on the day but I was with some good friends that have become more like famiy, the first two things I am thankful for. Friends, family, for a warm place to lay my head at night and next to someone that loves me. I thank the Lord of my sweet children and all the joys that they bring into my life. I am grateful for modern medicine, without which non our children or I would be here. I am blessed to have food on the table, though sometimes it may not taste so good.
I am happy to have this wonderful life and all those in it.

Before baby comes

Before Elizabeth came into this world there were a few things that needed to be done like wash the car. So as a family of 4 we got ready to become a family of 5!

Here's Jamie learning how to use the sprayer. needless to say I got a bit wet.

Just because Michael is little doesn't mean that he can't help, or at least get wet.

This was a wonderful day of family togetherness. We all had fun and laughed and got wet. The weather was so nice that no one caught a chill but not so hot that is was work. It is so nice to have time just us. So often we are packing our days with "things" to do and people to see that we forget that the best things and people are the ones in our own household.

Thank you Jamie, Michael and Jason for reminding me of that.

I've been trying to bake more and these are some of the sugar cookies I made te other day. They were really yummy and are all most gone now! i also made a pie and will have to make another to show you all.

Who am I?

For those of you that don't know me in the real world or that just want to know me a little better I want to tell of myself and my life.
To start, I am a daughter of God. I love my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ more then anything, and i believe that one must do so to truly love anyone else in their life. My life has been so blessed by my marrige to my wonderfu husband Jason. He is a flight medic in the Army and enjoys helping people. Jason is such a kind and loving person, and I am blessed to have had him take me as his wife 6 years ago. In those 6 years we have been through some of the hardest things and some of the happest times and copple can indure, and Lord willing there are many more to come.
Next on the list of "me" would be my 3 beautiful children. in orde there is Jamie Lynn 4, Michael Grayson 20 months, and Elizabeth Lillian 8 weeks.After being told at 13 years old tht I may not be able to have children, and suffering no less the 4 miscarrages my husband and I see each one of our children as a blessing and welcome as many as God would have for us.If you are wondering if we are like those Duggars the answer is yes... and no. I am myself and live my life the way I see fit but there are more then one thing that we sheir in common.
I have the best job in the world, I am a homemaker. Yes homemaker, not stay-at-home mom, but homemaker. The reason I use that term is that I do so much more then mothering. I am a nurse when the children are sick, a cook, a driver, I clean the house and teach homeschool. Yes I am the one that makes this house a home and so I am a homemaker. This home is our shelter from the storm that is the outside world. It is not that there are not things that are enjoyable, but in general the world is a place of worry and trubble. I try my best to make this place one that my family can enter and feel safe and not worry about worldly cares and tune into GOd and His will for our lives.
Well for now I think that I have covered the basics. There will be many more posts that I can go into more detail about spicfics of my life and my beliefs. so until then may the Lord bless you.
---Melissa

A blog worthy life.

So last night one of my friends, Natasha, was over visiting after the kids had gone to bed.Seeing as both our husbands are away for army stuff we have often found ourselves talking the night away. most of the time the topics hang around religion and family, but last night it turned on to lack luster lives. We talk of how it seems that so many of the girls we knew in high school are now married with kids and they have the nice house and all the frills of the "nice life". After talking for some time on how we are indeed blessed with the lives we have we also made a pact to try and live a "more blog worthy life".What that means exactly neither ones of us is sure but we are going to try. So I will be trying to live my life so that when I wright about my day and tell my tails that there will be something worth telling. So here's to hoping that I can make my life look as good on blog as it really is.

A new life begins

Welcome to this world Elizabeth Lillian!



On September 19 th I went in to the labor and delivery ward to be checked for dilation due to having contractions for days. When I had been checked I was found to be at 3cm but not in real labor. I had been planing a c-section from the start of the pregnancy due to my repair surgery from my last delivery. When I explained this to the doctor on call he informed me that he believed that a vaginal delivery was possible and that he was willing to do mine. After about an hour of talking we (the doctor and I) decided that I would have a trial of labor and see what happened. The main worry was that the baby couldn't slide past the mesh placed to hold my bladder. The plan we had come up with was that I would labor and see if the baby decended past the mash, if not then I would have he c-section.
Labor started off fast and hard. I in was admitted have contractions every 2 min, but the strength was not surfeit to change the cervix. Once I moved into my own room the order came for pitcion. To make things smoother I had and epidural placed so that the pit could be ajusted without causing too much pain. The epi work very well of hours but then would wear off. I had the meds increased 4 time before it wasntime to push.
Unlike my last two births that doctor wanted me to ouch slowly so as to let everything have time to strech out and not tear. Because of this this the pushing phase lasted much longer and the epidural was no longer working. Elizabeth came right past the mesh without any issues and I began to push harder. I was in a large amount of pain and pushing was getting harder. It took all the strength I had to push her head out! In normal births once the head is out the body will come on it's own, this time was not normal. Elizabeth's shoulder got stuck on the top of my pelvic bone. In order for the doctor to get her out he had one person pushing on top of my belly and one from the side trying to unloge her shoulder. As if this was not bad the doc had to make an episotmy that went all the way to my rectom.
After two minutes of what was the worst pain ever in my life Elizabeth came into this world. She was quickly taken to be check by the peds team. Her shoulder and been sprained when it got stuck so she was not moving it. Other then that she was healthy and had a good strong cry. As for my cut, it took the doctor almost an hour to repair it and will take me over a month to heal.
Elizabeth and I are at home now and doing very well. She is nursing like a pro and growing already. I have be very well taken care of by my wonderful husband. This whole experince has made me even happier to be a mother and wife to this family. I look forward to many years of memories and milestones and hope wright about them all so that my prosperty my learn for the life I was so blessed to live.