Blessings Abound

So for the past few weeks I have felt completely showered on with blessings. Not that I was never blessed before, but lately it has just been such an eye opener.

Part of me is so happy I can hardly contain it.

Another part thinks everything is just going to come crashing down at any second because I am NEVER this lucky and things are so good, I have nowhere to go but down.

Then another part remembers years ago when Adam and I would say "When is it OUR turn?".

Let's start at the beginning......

Since staying home, the biggest challenge for us has been learning to accept "no" for an answer when we just can't afford to do as many frivilous things.  One thing on our never ending list of projects was to get Landon a play set. 

But have you seen how expensive those things can be?????!!!!

Then one day, a guy Adam works with calls and says "I am tired of mowing around this playset in my back yard.  Do you want to take it home?"

OMG....

For FREE!!!

Then, since we moved, I have struggled to find my "niche" as a newly SAHM, adjust to a new city, find friends, etc, etc......

And one day, I meet Shayna.

Shayna got me to MOPS.

MOPS introdiced me to a whole community of SAHMs.

MOPS is where I met Dana.

Dana owns Children Stay N Play.

Perfection.

Remember how I said a big challenge has been financially adjusting to our new limitations under one income? 

Then comes Dana who offered me a job as a teacher at her daycare, where I can take Landon for FREE!!

Again, perfection!

Then, just this week, I got a phone call.....

from a director at College of St. Scholastica here in Duluth.

She offered me a job teaching adjunct at the college!!!!

I will be teaching online.

I am teaching graduate students. 

This is not one, but TWO feet in the door.

I get paid......

......to work from home in my PJs.

They want to work around my schedule with pregnancy and due dates.

Do I even need to say it again???  

PERFECTION

 And let me not forget to say that clearly this is not all luck and good fortune.  Nor is it anything to do with good works or "being owed" a good thing.

This is purely and completely a GOD THING!

Plain and simple.

Every coupon that comes in the mail for exactly the thing I am needing, every person I meet who teaches me something new, every perfectly timed instance of pure chance, is a gift from God.

Even when I completely forget that I left dinner on the stove and it comes out like this:

Yes, I really did this.....

But even then, I am reminded that God is in control and He will take care of ALL our needs. 

Something completely ruined and seemingly hopeless can be turned into something wonderful and full of promise and security. 

Even burned dinners....

(Much better than the first try, especially when I didn't forget about it!)

May you all have blessings abound and find several reasons to be thankful this season. 

I know I have quite a few! 

Busy Busy Bees

Oh my goodness!!!

I realized a while ago, before I stayed home, that being a SAHM was a LOT of work, but in recent weeks, we have become SOOOOOO busy! 

And it is great!!!

I think the main difference from busy before and busy now is that the things keeping me busy are the things I WANT to do.  They are fun activities that keep Landon and I involved, we meet new people all the time, and it is everything I think kids should be able to do but can't because they are in daycare or something.

Now before anyone snaps at me for the daycare thing.....I have no issues with putting kids in daycare because you have to work.  I did the same thing and was not at all UNhappy with the process; I just much prefer being home to witness the milestones and to have a little more choice with what and when the activities we do take place. 

So, now that we are all good, let me tell you what we have been doing!  :)

First, a friend told me about a fantastic group called MOPS, which is Moms of Preschool Students.  Can I just tell you how AWESOME this is???  It is a group for moms who stay home.  We meet a couple times each month, have a short devotional, there is an activity or service project, and the best part.......the kids come and play together in nursery while the moms have "mom time"!  From that group, I have met some amazing ladies!!  We get together for play dates, craft nights, girl's nights out, and all kinds of things in between meetings. 

Speaking of crafts.......

My neighbor in Iowa taught me how to knit on maternity leave with Landon.  I really liked it, but never was able to keep up and before long, I forgot how to do it.  Well....at a craft night, I re-learned how to knit and continued on my project (whatever it may turn out to be) after 2 years! 

Definately not fantastic by any means, but it was fun and maybe one day I will have a crafty talent.....

Also new to our resume of activities is swimming!!  Landon is in the AquaTots class at the YMCA and LOVES it!!  He is so cute in his little swim trunks and floaties! 

Yes, I know this isn't the Y, but you get the idea!

AND.....I got a job!!!  I know, sounds a little odd since I just raved about being a SAHM, but this is the IDEAL job!  So at MOPS one day, a lady came in to tell us about her new drop off daycare center.  Basically, you bring your kids and drop them off for a few hours while you go to an appointment, date, shopping, etc.  No contract, just pay by the hour.  Sounded nice, but what caught my attention was when she said "And we always have certified teachers with CPR training on the premises at all times".  Well, what do you know??? 

I am a certified teacher with CPR training!!!

So I asked her more about her program and she asked me about my credentials.....

Next thing you know, I am employed!

And the best part....

Landon comes with me and plays with the other kids for FREE while I work! 

Pros for this situation:

1.  Landon gets some socialization

2. We get out of the house

3. I meet great people

4. I can earn a few extra bucks

5. The schedule is SOOOO flexable; I only work maybe 10 hours a week!

Cons:

I have NONE!! 

The place is called Children Stay N Play......anyone in the Duluth area, check it out!  Especially if you want to have free hands while Christmas shopping *wink wink*

http://www.childrenstaynplay.com/

We are open Black Friday too......

And don't worry, we still have plenty of time around MOPS, swimming, and work to do everything we want and need to do at home! 

Like play in the 'now that barely dusts the ground from time to time...

We can't wait for the real snow to come so we can REALLY play in it!!

And the result is in......

So the ultrasound was today......

And we know the sex of the baby!!!!!!!

First off, everything looks good, baby is very healthy, and baby is quite the active little thing!

Looks amazing, huh??

So let's do a quick comparison to see what the "tests" say the sex will be:



Here is me at 20 weeks with Landon, carrying very low, indicating a boy... 

And here is 20 weeks with Baby #2, carrying much higher, which would say girl....

Then there are the cravings........

With Landon, chocolate milk and blueberries.  The sweets say girl...

With Baby #2, olives and pickles.  The savory/sour tastes say boy.....

And my favorite (because of course it is the most accurate) *snicker snicker* is the Chinese Calendar...

For Landon's pregnancy, he was a "girl".

For this pregnancy, it said "boy".

So let's tally this up........

I am carrying high (girl), craving savory (boy), and the completely hocus totally true Chinese calendar put in it's vote (boy).

And if all these "tests" were true, I would have a daughter named Landon right now, instead of this absolutely adorable, very much so a boy, BOY!

So.....drumroll please............

We are having a..........

GIRL!!!!!!

Soooooo very excited and proud!



Trick or Treat!

This year was Landon's third Halloween!  It is hard to believe we have been participating in Halloween as parents for 3 years!!  Of course, his first year he was only 3 1/2 weeks old! 

But he was still absolutely adorable as a monkey:

The next year he was just over 12 months old and had only taken a few steps, so he wasn't so into walking all by himself all over the neighborhood! 

Such a cute little tiger!

And a huge fan of the candy!

This year he wanted to be a "doggie" so we settled on Scoobie Doo.  I must preface this with an explaination of the *slightly* snug costume......

You see, we picked a costume that was his size and even read the inside tag to make sure the costume inside matched the label on the outside.

Then we put it on him....

Ever heard the phrase "fat man in a little coat"??  That is what we immediately thought of!!!

Although we checked labels, we did not actually put the costume on Landon's body until 10 minutes before we went out to Trick or Treat. 

And this is what we ended up with:

A little high-water, but this is Duluth!  There are solutions!! 

Obviously, it is a bit chilly here, so between the hiking boots and jacket, we were able to mask most of the "not supposed to be seen" skin. 

He actually left the house looking like this:

He had a BLAST this year!!  Mr. Independent went up to doors by himself and learned very quickly that all he had to do was hold out his bucket and candy appeared in it! 

He made out pretty well, I would say!

(Even in his *slightly* snug costume!)

Now let me remind you, most of the candy he collected falls into that "allergy" category (produced in plants that also produce nut products), so Mommy and Daddy ended up with quite a nice haul as well! 

The night ended with big sugar enduced smiles!

And candy-stained clothes!

Happy Halloween!