On Makeovers, Anxiety, Insanity, and Nicknames

So, I did it again...my blog has a new look!  There is just something about completing a creative project that I just love.  Doing graphic design stuff on my computer is almost therapeutic for me.  Which leads me to my next topic.  Anxiety.  I have never considered myself an anxious person nor have I ever really struggled with anxiety.  However, between all that has been going on lately (see THIS POST) I have been so anxious.  It really comes out in the parking garage here at our condo.  The garage is super tight and we have to park at the very top so we have to go round and round like 18 times and usually Anna Mitchell is crying (not just a little cry but an all out scream fest) because like all my babies, she HATES the infant car seat.  Then we get to the top and the parking spaces are SO narrow and I'm driving a rental car I'm  not used to...all this leads to my blood pressure rising and heart racing.  It's the craziest thing!  So now I usually just get Jeff to drop me off in the front of the condos with the baby or I meet him down there when we are leaving.  I seriously can't handle the parking garage:(. 

I've started the Insanity workouts this week with some friends who are in Miami with me.   I need accountability and I need to get in shape folks.  I also need to lose some serious weight.  I am having the hardest time getting my weight off this time around.  So, hence Insanity.  Y'all it is so insanely hard!  But I am committed and over the next 4 weeks, I am going to work really hard doing these videos.  When we return home, I may have to buy them myself to continue the workouts.  I'll have to find some buddy's to do them with though as that really helps me be motivated. 

Next topic...nicknames.  All our kids have them.  We shorten everything around here except Samuel's.  Isn't that crazy too?  I always thought we would eventually call him Sam...but that hasn't happened.  I think some of his teachers and friends call him that but he's still Samuel to us.  However the girls names are all shortened.  We mostly call Ellie Kate just "Ellie" and Abigail is quickly becoming "Abbie".  So now Anna Mitchell has become Annie more and more frequently.  I'm not sure anyone else is calling her that but I am:).  My poor girls all have so many names to answer to:).  Ha!

That's it for this Tuesday morning.  Sorry for no pics...just random thoughts and tidbits from yours truly. 

Miami So Far...

We are staying busy in Miami mostly at the pool or at the park below our condos. I'm thankful for Paige (a student from Bama) who has raised support to come down and join me this summer in caring for our children! She is such a huge blessing...taking kids to pool, helping with laundry, staying with kids during meetings, etc.   One reason the kids are having so much fun is they get to play with some of their best friends everyday (the Kimberlins were also in Colorado with us last summer). 

Coming Up For Air

In the last week we... 

1. Finished up school and preschool

{the girls on their first day of school}

vs.

{the girls on their last day of school}

we gave their teachers these cute gifts (pinterest inspired of course)

Samuel's sweet and funny letter to his awesome teacher

2. Packed up our house and moved across town

3.  Then jumped on an airplane

to fly here for 5 weeks

Miami, Fl

 

where the kids have been doing a lot of this while Jeff is in meetings preparing to welcome about 40 college students for their summer mission project!

{not noted in pics from the last week are the car accident Jeff got in, our girls spending time in Birmingham and Atlanta with awesome family who helped us so much so we could pack up and move, Samuel's last 3 baseball games, and delayed closings on all houses involved}

Our life isn't crazy at all:)

 

4 Months Old

Anna Mitchell, you are 4 MONTHS OLD!

You love to chew on your fists and the doctor told me your gums are swollen.  How is it possible that you will be getting teeth soon?  You are growing too fast!

Your little personality is so sweet.  4 months has always been my favorite age and we are just eating you up all the time because you are so sweet.  You are a very happy, smiley baby and you love to "talk".  You have lots of facial expressions and you are still quite spoiled and love to be held a lot (mostly standing up).  My baby girl, you have just stolen our hearts a million times over.  I am so thankful God gave me you. 

You mastered rolling over both ways the past few weeks and now you won't stay in one place anymore.  We think you are pretty strong.  You are a good sleeper and sleep all night and take 3-4 naps a day with one of those being a long 2-3 hour one. 

Your reflux has gotten better and you actually don't spit up that much anymore...although it could flare up anytime I'm sure.  You still take prilosec two times a day.  We transitioned to bottles and formula in the last few weeks much to my dismay.  Something about mama's body just doesn't produce milk past 4 months (it was the same way with your sisters).  You have done fine though and I have to say that it's nice to not be the only one who can feed you.  

 

At 4 months you are:

13 lbs 11 oz

24 inches

{both are between the 25-50 percentile...

seems like you are a petite little thing and definitely the smallest of my girls at this age}.

Look at how you've grown the last few months...

Amazed

So thankful for the high and holy calling I have to be mama to these 4 precious ones.  The Lord has truly answered the longings of my heart.  Samuel painted the ceramic pot for me at school and then planted a flower from our yard it in.  Ellie Kate made little coasters at school and Abigail made a pretty picture with her hand print.  They were all so excited to give me their gifts and I will treasure them forever!   Jeff brought me some of my favorite flowers, hydrangeas, since I can't seem to get them to grow well in our yard:). 

I am also so thankful for my own mother and all she taught me by loving and serving her family so well (and how she still does). 

I would also be remiss to not mention being thankful for a woman I don't know and probably never will.  She is the one who gave me a precious gift for she gave life to a special little boy who made me mama for the first time.   

Thank you Jesus for all the ways you orchestrated a way for me to celebrate this day.  I am still amazed at the reality that I have FOUR little ones in my care.  What a treasure!  What miracles!  God brought me through the valleys and the dark nights of infertility to this.  I'm pretty sure I never would have ever imagined in my dreams that this is where I would be at 33 years old in 2012.  Our God really is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20)

Happy Mother's Day!

A Covenant Baptism

This past weekend, Anna Mitchell had her covenant baptism.   She was able to wear the same dress my other girls wore.  It was handsewn by my grandmother.  So special!

 

It was a special ceremony.  Ellie Kate was really hilarious though and couldn't not stand still during it.  She's such an active girl!  Anna Mitchell did great and we are so thankful for our covenant community at our church! 

After church, we went back to the house and had a low key lunch that I had prepared.  

We are so thankful for all the family who came to celebrate and participate in such a special ceremony/occasion! 

 We love our baby girl and are so thankful for the incredible blessing of her life.  What a high calling and privilege it is to do our best to raise her unto the Lord!