Ethel Edith Spring Show TOMORROW!!

Don't forget tomorrow is the big Ethel Edith spring show!

For all my local stalkers - Miss Ollie Faith is going to be working the show wheeling & dealing as well!  I plan to wear her around in her sling.  I'm guessing her hair is sure to seal the deal on many pieces of furniture!  Gotta train the kids young!

Come out and see us!!

Details are at the link above!!

A Full House

This sweetie is excited.

She has been doing the "butt" shaking dance around these parts.

She's getting a SISTER in August!!  Baby Penelope is due August 22nd.

That's 5 kids, 4 adults, & 2 dogs living it up in this homestead.  We are blessed & having fun!!

When God Made Me...

he obviously built me some very poor milk ducts!

Ha you didn't "girl" talk coming did you? 

I didn't think so!

You see I ALWAYS get a blocked milk duct when I nurse & let me tell you it makes a large knot and hurts like a mother.  True story.  The block is the size of a grain of sand & causes pain like a cow kicked you in the boob no joke.

Well this time - typical fashion it happened.  But no no no...the only week we had zero doctor appointments.   I developed one super sore boob.  Then, a fever.  Then, a fever of 102.5.  A fever that high with 3 kids is unpleasant to say the least.  I ached so bad the bones in my toes hurt to walk, and I swear I could feel my liver aching. 

Yes...I am that ridiculous!

So I went to my OB Monday & guess what...no blocked duct.  This time my boob reared it's ugly head with mastitis. 

Awfulness...I think yes.  Antibiotics 4x daily...praise the lord.

I am better!  Just in time for our HUGE Ethel Edith spring show THIS Saturday!!!

So this week I had one doctor appointment...more next week...and the next...and the next.  Be jealous - I read a lot of magazines!

Everyday is a picnic...

when you live with your cousins!

The sunny days here have been nothing but fun!

An old quilt.  Good friends.  Cookies.

Throw in some juice.

Shoes to run and play in.

And...the hamburgler.  She gets all the crumbs.

You are sure to have a great time together!

Max

...or Rascal.  The name debate with the kids is still ongoing.

Meet the newest member of our family.

The Easter Bunny befriended his foe, and delivered Max in the middle of the night

We awoke at 6 AM to the most exciting screaming all through the house. 

This kitten melted some hearts in our house!

Even Trudie has made a new friend.

Maggie's dog, Hazel, not so much!

Prayers for Vada

Through blogging I have made many friends.

Some of the greatest help emotionally through this process with Ollie have been other blogging mothers who have or are experiencing the same things.

My sweet friend Tara has been a treasure to me.  So many helpful e-mails & I can never thank her enough for her kind words when I was having a rough day.  No one truly gets it like these other mothers do.

Tara has 3 girls that are precious.  Her youngest, Vada, will be having her heart surgery mid-May.  I ask you to pray for Vada & feel free to blog about her, or add her prayer button to your blog.  I know Tara would greatly appreciate it!

I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him.   1 Samuel 1:27

Let me indulge you...

with multiple pictures of Miss O.

You want to know how she's doing? 

Well she's kicking butt & taking names.

She loves her big brother.

He makes her laugh!

She gets sick of the camera in her face far too often!

Her big sister is her role model!

Three Reid kids...well one day this means massive amounts of trouble!

She rocks a good outfit combined of many different outfits since she is SO small & Easter was chilly this year.  When she's officially out of newborn clothes, I will be shocked!  She's 10 weeks old and hopefully, fingers crossed, ten pounds.  Don't let the cheeks fool you!

Oh yeah she's doing good!

Her hair looks wind blown.

She loves her tongue!

Her eyes are still blue & her lashes are getting longer!

She's just stunning really.  So many words describe this teeny tiny bundle of joy, hope, and most of all faith!

May 6th - next cardio appointment & we get our surgery date!  Pray for Ollie and her surgeon Dr. Huddleston!!

Thankful Easter

I am thankful that God gave his only son for our salvation.  We are so unworthy, and still HE loves us.

I am thankful to live in a country where I can practice my religion and not be persecuted or oppressed.

I am thankful for a husband that is my best friend & that makes me a better wife daily.

I am thankful for Aubrie Grace.  She is so smart.  She tells the best stories & sings like a canary, sort of.

I am thankful for Everett Mason.  He loves me unconditionally & gives the best hugs.

I am thankful for Ollie Faith.  Her smile melts my heart & through her I have been transformed.

I am thankful for my parents, they have raised me to know right from wrong & how to be a good mother & wife.

I am thankful for my sisters, and that they have become my very best friends.

I am thankful for my brother - in - laws, I now really have brothers that I love like blood.

I am thankful for Caroline JoAnn.  She makes me laugh daily & she's a big sweet heart.

I am thankful for my friends, they destress me when I need it most & know my heart even though we may not visit for far too long.

I am thankful for all of my family - it is big & their humor & love surrounds us constantly.

I am thankful for my home.  It's not just a house, it's a place full of joy & love.

I am thankful for my church, it has taught me so much, and my walk with Jesus is closer because of it.

I am thankful for St. Louis.  It is there that Ollie's heart will become healthy. 

I am thankful for modern medicine & living in a country where it can be obtained.

I am thankful for belly laughs, children's giggles, and food on the table. 

My house is full of so much this Easter, I couldn't be more thankful!

My Brothers

If you haven't visited my Mama's blog yet, you need to.  She has surprised me with her wit time and time again.  I'm not sure why, because I always knew she was hilarious.  We had peer pressured her into blogging & she reluctantly went along with it saying what will I blog?!?

Now she blogs daily.  I learn stories I never knew.  I laugh my butt off often at her stupidity.  She's what we call 'Stupid in a good way'.

Beyond what she calls blathering, she's full of a lot more.

She's full of faith & her walk with Jesus is close and personal.  Her support of me never wavers.  She's the best mom!  I am proud to be one of her children.

She recently shared a very personal story of our life that I have never shared here.  It wasn't my story to share.  I felt that only my Mom could tell it best.  It is the story of my younger twin brothers.

When Jade & I were told about Miss O's heart and possible DS in October my heart broke not only for myself & Jade, but for my parents as well.  They have loved and lost & I didn't want them to relive this fear again.  In fact it was one of the first things I told Jade when we got in the van that day.  I worried about my Mom often over Ollie's heart, now I realize she has more faith in her pinky toe than I had ever imagined.

I now have a deep understanding of where my parents have walked.  They are an amazing support team for Jade & I because they have lived it.  They have one of the best marriages because of what they have experienced.  Their walk with Jesus is close because he has carried them.

I know in my heart that Miss O will have a different outcome.  I know she is a blessing & a gift from God for our family.  We are blessed to walk this path again.

We are blessed to have our close knit family, we are blessed to have Ollie Faith, we are blessed to one day reunite in heaven to have our entire family together again.

God is good all of the time.

Busy Bee

I have been busy busy busy!

Being a stay at home Mom is tough work friends!  Throw in some jewelry stamping & custom sewing along with furniture painting, furniture shows, and room flipping for clients, add in multiple doctor or therapy sessions in a month & wowsers - time flies!

So I wanted to share my most recent big job.  I flipped a bedroom for a little girl.  Our Ethel Edith blog has pictures of the after.  Check them out!  Mom helped me - she's a creative wizard!!

P.S.  next Saturday (April 30th) from 10-2 at our parent's house is our big spring show for Ethel Edith.  We have several friends setting up with us!  If you are near central IL - please come out to see us!!

A Real Life Pudge & Biggs Adventure...

Yesterday we took Ev Mason to St. Louis Children's to get the stinky cast removed.  I had blamed the stale urine smelling cast to a mid-night oops I peed the bed event that happened.  Nice Mom - I know.  Now I believe that maybe casts just stink period.  Because they cut that baby off - him laughing hysterically the entire time - and his entire arm smelled rancid. 

It.was.rank. 

After the stinky cast deal we were so fortunate to meet the real Pudge & Biggie in person!  They smartly waited until after cast removal to meet up! 

If you don't read about these kiddos you need to do it now.  First, their Mom is absolutely hysterical.  Beyond her hilarious stories, these kids are stinking the cutest things ever & they are even more scrumpdiddlyumptious in person!!

Courtney wrangled these two into town after a 4 hours drive solo.  That is one impressive Mommy!  They were escorted into the cafeteria in their personal limo wagon.  LC immediately jumped out when she was freed and walked through the cafeteria waving at everyone - like hey I have arrived!  She's a heart stealer this girl. 

She's also a slight table dancer.  Who can't love a tiny girl in a pink tutu with the best pigtails ever?!?

They quickly taught Everett the ways of cell phone games.  He is now officially hooked!

Biggs became my friend in a heart beat & I love love loved holding him.  He has the prettiest blue eyes a girl could ever wish for! 

Mom got her turn to wrangle him as well.

We couldn't get enough of these two kiddos.  I seriously could steal them from Courtney.  If only they lived closer I could have played with them all day!!

Their Mom is a sweet heart as well - she's answered SO many questions for me about Miss O's heart - I just think the world of her.  She also e-mailed me some pictures she took of my kids.  Obviously her nice camera blows my poor point & shoot out of the water!!