New Pics of Kids

Ok Fine....I Will Post Again

I cannot believe I have not posted in over a month! Life is full right now, and by the time I catch up on everyone else's blogs, I have no time to blog myself. Here is a quick update on our life.

Kayla is doing great with 1st grade. She tends to get overwhelmed with lots of work, so we are sticking with the basics. Math, reading, and handwriting. I try and get the other stuff in with the stuff we read together. She is obsessed with space, so we read about space....science done. If she asks about Indians or a state we do research into that....history and geography done. The beauty of homeschooling a young one is how flexible I can be. As long is she is enjoying what she is doing, she learns so much more than me forcing subjects down her throat.

Wyatt is starting to really grow up. He actually sits and does projects for longer periods. He talks constantly, and still has his wild side, but he does seem a little more under control. Currently he is obsessed with motorcycles and football.

Anniston is well....a 15 month old. Temper tantrums because mommy doesn't understand what aaaaahhhh means, getting into anything that she should not be, and unable to sit still for more than five minutes. Boy is she adorable, though.

We still do not know what baby #4 is. Hopefully I will get to the sonogram place in the next couple of weeks. I am almost 19 weeks, so right now is actually the ample time to get that information. I just haven't done it yet.

This season is full due to the start of basketball season. I am enjoying coaching for my fourth season. I love being able to serve the church in that way and love working with my girls. I appreciate how they put up with my kids running around the gym during practice. I love the relationships I have built with them over the years. Some of my graduates have become my friends, love my kids (bonus I receive from coaching is babysitters), and we have learned a lot from each other over these years. It is a crazy time, but I really do love it.

I hope everyone has a great week.....but I wonder if anyone will even read this. You have probably given up on me!!

Recovering

I wanted to give an update on my family for those who have heard of our recent drama. Thank you to all who have been praying for us.

For those who did not hear, we spent Thursday mid morning/early afternoon at the ER with Wyatt. I decided to take him after watching him pass out in front of my eyes and proceed to vomit everywhere for what seemed like forever. He became a rag doll, white as a ghost, very feverish and I could not get him to keep his eyes open. So......off like a crazy woman to the ER I went thoughts flying through my mind of parasites in his brain or meningitis and other terrible ailments. The diagnosis? Pneumonia. I was grateful because I had come up with many more terrible problems in my mind!

Friday morning we were off to the Dr. again because of more vomiting. I also had the girls checked out. Here is what we have.

Wyatt - Pneumonia.
Kayla - Crackling in her lungs. She was put on a nebulizer and it got better, so they prescribed her a inhaler.
Annie - Double ear infection, but nothing in her lungs. Thank God!

Now Mommy feels terrible, but the important part is that the kids are doing much better. Wyatt is becoming his normal self again today.

Our dramatic week is over, my babies are feeling better, and my house is clean thanks to Mom, Janelle, Julia, and Lauren. A clean house makes EVERYTHING better!

Have a great weekend.

First Appointment

Today I had my first appointment with my midwife. We have decided to have this baby at home. I would have never thought that I would have a baby at home, but after my last hospital experience and seeing Rachel have Elsie at home, I was sold. Even PJ is on board.

I am using a midwife in Winter Springs. She is pretty kooky (is that a word?) and earthy. Basically everything you would expect from a homebirth midwife!
She has a house on lots of land that the kids got to explore while we talked over everything. Unfortunently, our maternity health insurance is terrible, so it is cheaper to pay out of pocket for a homebirth than to use a typical practice and hospital with our insurance. Maybe that is why PJ is on board! Either way, it seems like this is the way to go and we are at peace and even a little excited about it.

I got to hear the heartbeat (only one Mom!), which surprised me at the early stage of 10 weeks. I am still coming to grips with the fact I am even pregnant, so hearing a heartbeat was a little weird. It was almost like I was surprised it was there. Maybe I thought this was all a funny joke. Now it is official, there is a little person in there!

Keep us in your prayers if you think about it. The main requests would be:

Finances
Having 4 children
Health of baby
This mommy taking care of 3 while wanting to only lay in bed all day, not move, not eat, feel bad for myself, and sleep sleep sleep........

Thank you!

Help

First let me say thank you for those who participated (keep them coming!) in our name quest. I have enjoyed hearing what everyone thinks! Once I know no one else is going to post, I will post the winner. Although, that does not mean we will use it. You have got to give us a few more months of fighting and arguing before it is official.

Here is my actual "Help" question.

For those who homeschool, and have young children, what ideas do you have for keeping them out of the way? I start school with Kayla next week and have been racking my brain of what to do with Wyatt (2yo) and Annie (1yo). Hopefully, Annie will continue her morning naps until she is 4. Yeah right.

Please comment any ideas you have, or have used yourself. Thanks!

Baby Name Vote

PJ and usually have major issues naming our children. I would like to take care of this name thing early on, so I am allowing all of you to take part in the vote. We may not listen to you, but it would be fun to hear what you think. I will give names and meanings.

Girl

Natalie Jewel Herron  (Natalie - To be born, or Christ's birthday)

Danae Elyse Herron  (Danae - Showered with gold)

Boy

Garrett Jacob Herron  (Garrett - Strenght of the spear)  PJ's favorite

Gareth Jacob Herron  (Gareth - Gentle) I personally like this better than Garrett. More unique.

Colton (Cole) Jacob Herron  (Colton - swarthy person. Swarthy means a person with a dark complexion, in case you
were wondering)


 I heard today my father and mother-in-law read this, so I better hear from you both too, Roy and Mary!  No more stalking my website without making comments!!  :-)


Added:

I wanted to add a couple things (for those who read this before I said this)  We can swap the girls middle names. Example:  Natalie Elyse instead of Natalie Jewel etc.

Also, for my brothers and husbands sake...

Virgil Jacob Herron  (Virgil being Wyatt Earps brothers name)

Doc Holliday Herron   :-)

I think my brothers and husband would love for us to have a little Doc and Wyatt or Virgil and Wyatt running around.   :-)

Still Alive

Yes, I am alive and well. Feeling pretty much like BLAH, but hanging in there. I am hoping I start feeling better by the time we start school. I decided I will share what the top 10 things I am looking forward to this Fall/Winter are. I think it might make me feel better this morning!

In no particular order:


1. Football season starting! I love football and I love fantasy football. I can't wait to come home on Sundays to the unlimited games (Direct TV Sunday ticket), watching the Redskins, and lounging on the couch while my kids nap. Good times.

2. Starting homeschooling.

3. Coaching basketball. This will be my 4th year coaching the Regent Acadamy's Girls Varsity Team.

4. The MOM's meetings starting up again.

5. Holidays. I can't wait to go shopping the day after Thanksgiving!

6. Family nights. We are starting to get together once a month as a family to go over the Fruits of the Spirit. I think my dad wants us to love each other more. Or maybe it is have patience with each other? Self-control?

7. Weather getting cooler, or at least not being oppressively hot.

8. Doug and Devi coming to town.

9. Feeling better and getting back into a rhythm and schedule!

10. Watching my kids grow up a little more and getting ready for one more!

Shrinking Family

I have been thinking recently how next year we will officially be a family of six. It is amazing that already people consider our family large. I cannot go anywhere without somebody giving me a look of sympathy and telling me "wow, you have your hands full". I find it funny most of the time. I think about what people must have though of my mom when she was walking through the store with six little ones in tow.

I wonder what people will think when I have two in a stroller, one walking with me, and a pregnant belly. Most will think we do not know how to use birth control. Although, perhaps that is true!, I would love to just leave out the part about the "accident". I would love to see the looks on their faces when I say how excited we are to have four children. That we would have it no other way. I think being happy about having four children in six years would be pretty shocking to most.

According to the Census Bureau figures, since 1970 the percentage of households containing five or more people has fallen by half. And it keeps shrinking. I am not here to say we must all have at least four children. What I am curious about is why it is so bizarre to have more than 1 or 2 kids, as if there was something irresponsible about it.

I was talking to a lady at church on Sunday about my pregnancy. She has 7, I think. She was saying that more people will ask you bizarre questions. One person asked her if she thought she had to many children. She answered back, well which one of these children you see do you think I should not have had?

I would LOVE to hear from people on this. There are so many different reasons for family sizes. I think it would be very interesting to hear how many kids you have (if any), if you are done, if you do not have children how many do you want, why?

I would really love for this NOT to be a debate about how many children are to many, not enough etc. I would just love to hear the perspective or opinion from others. I have noticed that "large" families in today's society are taboo, so assuming believers are the only ones reading this blog, are they becoming taboo even for us?

Anniston Janelle is 1!

What would our life be like without our sweet Annie? I found out I was pregnant with Anniston 
when Wyatt was barely 7 months old. This was even a bigger shock due to him getting over colic the month before. I felt somewhat normal for one month, only to find out I was pregnant.

Oh, but the joy she brings to our life! Yes, she has that Herron personality.....loud, rowdy, temper, and oh so cute! I love watching Kayla and Wyatt hug and kiss on her. I love how much she loves her daddy, Papa and Granma, and all her aunts and uncles. (Yes, especially Janelle!) I am so grateful to God that he is in control and not us. He knew we all needed the baby girl!

Surprise!

I know it has been a while since I last posted, but we have been busy trying to wrap our minds around our latest news. I found out earlier this week that I am pregnant with my fourth! This comes as a total shock to both PJ and I, but we are slowly getting used to the idea and God is helping us to realize that this child is a gift from Him, regardless of whether it was planned!

I had always wanted four children, PJ was content with the three we have for now, but apparently God wanted us to have four quicker then we planned. :-) So, by the grace of God, another little Herron will make an appearance sometime late
March. Kayla will be 6 1/2, Wyatt will be barely 3, and Annie will be 20 months. Lord help me!

Here is a quote my friend Megan put on her blog when she found out about her fourth pregnancy. I have read it before, but it is a wonderful reminder.


From Stepping Heavenward.

“I shall now have one mouth the more to fill, and two feet more to shoe;
more disturbed nights, more laborious days,
and less leisure for visiting, reading, music and drawing.
This is one side of the story to be sure, but I look at the other.
Here is a sweet, fragrant mouth to kiss;
here are two more feet to make music with their pattering about my nursery.
Here is a soul to train for God, and the body in which it dwells is worthy of all it will cost,
since it is the abode of a kingly tenant.
I may see less of friends, but I have gained one dearer than them all,
to whom, while I minister in Christ’s name,
I make a willing sacrifice of what little leisure for my own recreation, my other darlings had left me.
Yes, my precious baby, you are welcome to your mother’s heart,
welcome to her time, her strength, her health, her tenderest cares, to her life-long prayers!
Oh, how rich I am, how truly, how wondrously blest!”
Elizabeth Prentiss | Stepping Heavenward

The Price is Right

I do not watch The Price is Right often, but I used to love it. I just came across this article today.

I will post something for real sometime soon. Life is crazy right now.  :-)

Pictures

Just wanted to let those of you, who care, know that there are pictures from 4th of July and Kayla's 6th birthday at our picture blog.

Happy Birthday Kayla!

My baby girl is 6 years old tomorrow! (Thursday the 19th). I cannot believe I am the mother of a six-year-old little girl.

I remember the day she was born like it was yesterday. I went into the hospital sometime after 5am because of heavy bleeding. I was scared that something was wrong, but I heard later, my mom was even more afraid then I was! They checked me, but I was not in active labor. Apparently, a blood vessel had burst or something. Since I was five days late already, and they did not know really why I was bleeding, my midwife broke my water around 8am. Five hours and twenty minutes later, Kayla Sheree came into this world.

She had her daddy's dark hair and his side of the families eye color. She weighed 8lbs 8oz and was 19 inches. She was so fat! I remember just being in shock that I had a baby. She was such a good baby, but only liked to sleep in her carseat or swing.

She has brought so much joy into my life. God has used her to change my perspective on so many things. From homeschooling, to realizing my parents were right about pretty much everything, to me wanting my life/job to be raising her. She is growing up so fast. She talks constantly, wants to know why about everything, is a wonderful big sister, smart, absolutely gorgeous, fun and has a smile on her face almost constantly.

Thank you Lord for giving me my baby girl. Protect her as she grows Lord. I pray that she will continue to want to know more about You and will live her life to glorify You. Thank you for entrusting her to PJ and I and help us to raise her to be God fearing, to love the church, and to serve you. Please help us to be examples to her of what that looks like. Bless these wonderful childhood years she has and I pray she looks back on them with fond memories. Soften her heart towards the Gospel, Lord, this next year. I am a truly blessed woman! Amen

I Have Now Been Tagged

I got tagged by Janelle at Reformed-TULIP-Charismatic-Girl. The rule is that I must list 5 reasons why I love Christ. After that, I must tag 5 other bloggers. So here it goes.

1.  I love Christ because He elected me!  Why He chose me, I will never know, but how grateful I am!!    "though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of Him who calls"  Romans 9:11

2.  I love Christ because He chose to give me the parents I have. I do not understand the love of Christ to give me the undeserved gift of the most loving, forgiving, wise, and fun parents in the world. They have sacrificed their life in more ways then I can explain for me and my siblings. I love them so much!!

3.  I love Christ because he uses all the circumstances in my life, whether I think they are "good" or "bad", to help me grow, help me to become smaller and Him to become bigger, and to help me trust in Him. He gives me favor even when I do not pursue Him.

4.  I love Christ because He forgives me over and over and over.    "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace"  Eph 1:7

5.  I love Christ because He gave me a wonderful husband who loves me and his family so much. A husband who is committed to me, loyal to me, and puts up with my randomness and annoyances and calls them cute. A husband who gave me three of the most beautiful children in all the world and who I cannot wait to get to know even better over our lifetime.

Here is who I want to tag:

Erin at My Family/My Life

Tammy at The Griffith Family

Meghann Roberts at Four!

Megan Russell at Russell Life
(BTW Megs, I did not even know you came here till I saw your comment on my last post. Congratulations on your news!! I tried to comment on your blog, but it would not let me for some reason. Email me. We got a new computer and it did not save your address.)

Kathy at Laffy Kathy

Contentment

Why is it that I so easily lose sight of the joy and privilege I have of staying home with my children? Well, I actually know it is because of my sin, but it concerns me when I get to a place of discontentment. Usually I know this is happening when I find myself getting frustrated or angry with them. Or, thinking that I "need" a break. And even having thoughts of what I could be doing, the money I could be making, and the recognition I desire from others about what I do (especially my husband).

It is hard when I get up every day to the same exact thing I did the day before. Annie wakes up, I feed her, Kayla wakes up after her, Wyatt wakes up last (mostly because it took him SO long to actually go to sleep the night before). I feed the older two. I put Annie down for her morning nap, try to get cleaning done while disciplining the kids for arguing, fighting, hitting, biting etc. etc. etc. I try to find fun things for them to do to keep them occupied and keep me from putting them in front of the TV. Annie wakes up, feed them lunch. Clean up and down for afternoon naps. After that I make any phone calls and emails. Kids wake up, start dinner, eat dinner, bathe kids and start the bedtime routine. Nowadays, that process with Wyatt seems never ending. Kids are down, spend some time with PJ, go to bed and start the same thing over again in the morning.

There are times I wish away this season of my life. The day Kayla can babysit her siblings, so I can go to the store by myself, or have a normal date night (without worrying and feeling like we cannot go anywhere because Wyatt might not go to bed!). The day they will occupy themselves and not want me to play with them all time time. Oh, and of course when I can actually drive somewhere without stopping to discipline for screaming in the car seat, or climbing out of the car seat.

The problem with all of this is that I am wishing away the time of have with my children. I cannot wait to put Wyatt to bed, but actually, I love it when he wakes up in the morning! He comes down stairs and does the same thing. "Hi mama. Time to wake up?? Kiss!" I love going into Annie's room to see her jumping up and down in her crib and laughing showing her adorable dimples. Watching six-year-old Kayla change her baby sisters diaper, or feed her lunch, or even just kiss on her.

Although I can be so discontent, would I trade what I am doing for anything else? No. But, I want to LOVE what I am doing. I want to have an eternal perspective about what I am doing. I want to remember that it is the greatest possible job I could have. I would not trade being able to watch my baby learn to walk for any job in the world. Or, sharing the gospel with my daughter and showing her how to be a wife and mother. Or missing out on the crazy things Wyatt says. (Yesterday he asked of we could go to Jesus's house. I said no baby, Jesus is in heaven. So, he asked if we could go to Chuckee Cheeses house) I get to teach my children to read, about how Jesus died for their sins, how to add and count to 20.

I pray that each day I will not take for granted, that I will not wish I was somewhere else, and I will thank God for how he has blessed me by allowing me to be at home with my kids. May all of us find joy in whatever season of life we are in, and not wish it away, because no matter what you are doing right now, we will all look back on this time as the season God has us in. May we not regret how we used it.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven
Ecclesiastes 3:1

Dumbing down....even board games

I found an article in the Boston Globe about toy-maker Hasbro introducing “express” versions of Monopoly, Sorry, and Scrabble that will only take about 20 minutes to play. “Busy lives” and “shorter attention spans” the article said.

Has it come down to children’s lives being too busy, and their attention spans too short, to participate in a full game of Monopoly, Sorry, or Scrabble. I personally loved the memories of the hours spent playing those game and many others including Clue, Yahtzee, Chutes and Ladders etc. Instead of speeding up games (or dumbing them down) could we not use board games to teach children focus and patience?

I know some of you are thinking, good grief, not a big deal. I personally think this is just another sign of what our societies family life has come to. I wonder if those same people, who are going to buy the express games, have time to sit and watch a movie? Jake, Joey, Janelle? When is the last time you asked mom and dad if they wanted to sit at the dining room table and play scrabble instead of watching or going to a movie? Do you have enough time in your lives to do that?

I understand there are times that you cannot finish an entire board game. But, spend the extra money to buy express games? Why not just declare a winner? Oh, never mind, that might hurt the child's self-esteem if they lose.

Sports

I have a random question. If or when you have kids, do you plan on them playing sports? Why or why not? If you think they will, what sports? Why?

Dumbing Down Part 3

Sitting facing the television, muttering half thoughts or reactions into black space - this is the primary linguistic training ground for most of my students. It does not in any way adequately serve the goal of developing and strengthening verbal communication because there is no meaningful interaction. I have before me in my classroom a generation of youngsters whose world encourages linguistic passivity. I must build an awareness of the demands of clear verbal communication on the most rudimentary interpersonal levels.

A. Jane Hamilton
MIddle School Teacher, Hillsboro, NH



According to Dr. Healy (Endangered Minds) language shapes culture, thinking, and brains. The verbal bath in which society soaks its children arranges their synapses and their intellects; it helps them learn to reason, reflect, and respond to the world. The brain is ravenous for language stimulation in early childhood but becomes increasingly resistant to change when the hour of puberty arrives.

The brains of today's children are being structured in language patterns antagonistic to the values and goals of formal education. The culprit, which is now invading all levels of the socioeconomic spectrum, is diminished and degraded exposure to the forms of good, meaningful language that enable us to converse with others, with the written word, and with our own minds. The results are inevitable: declining literacy, falling test scores, faltering oral expression, ineptitude with the written word that extends from elementary schools into the incoming ranks of professionals. Corporations run writing courses for budding executives, universities re mediate basic skills, secondary schools lower standards, and elementary schools add more "learning disability" classes.

Educational planners ignore the basic problem and tout curriculum and methods devised for a previous generation. Old methods are not working because young brains have not been shaped around language as a quintessential tool for analytic thinking. If we want growing brains to build the foundations for traditional modes of academic excellence, we must confront the habits of our culture that are changing the quality and the quantity of our children's conversation.

As noted in a previous post, much of the blame inevitably falls on television, but that is only one symptom of the problem. According to Dr. Healy, no one has defined long-term effects of headphones versus conversation, of computer games or drills versus active social play, of dvds instead of books. How can children bombarded from birth by noise, frantic schedules, and the caretaking of a fast-paced adult world learn to analyze, reflect, and ponder?

Now, how do I as a parent deal with this? Obviously, we live in a culture of technology, a culture where no one plays outside (I had a neighbor knock on my door yesterday to tell me that my children were playing in puddles of water and mud in the rain and it is gross. I was like, um, it was my idea! I don't think she thinks I am a good parent anymore).

I would love to hear some ideas of what some of you moms, dads, singles, whoever, have done, did, or would do, to help avoid the trap of technology over kill.

Vacation

I am back!

Below are some pictures from the vacation. I will be posting all of them here later tonight. We have some really good ones!

We had a lot of fun while we were there (Flagler Beach, FL), but realized quickly that "vacation" with kids is very different. I told PJ it was like my normal life, but in a different environment. It was worth it to see the kids having a blast and to spend a lot of time with the fam. Mom, dad, Jake, Janelle, and Julia were there the whole time. Joey came on Wednesday (he had to work) and Jesse and Rebekah stayed until Wednesday. Josh and Rach came one day and on Friday we got some day visitors from some singles.

Normal posting to resume soon, but in the meantime, check out my other site for some great pics. Jenn, Lauren, and whoever else, if you want some of the pics from when you were there, you can easily download them from the site.

Check out my Slide Show!