30 weeks

The baby bump turned 30 weeks on Thanksgiving! 

Which means on Thursday I will be 31 weeks with only 8 weeks to go until baby! 

We are so thankful for this baby growing inside me and for our family all together. 

Being parents & being pregnant is hard, but we are truly blessed by it! 

We cannot believe how quickly time is going and how soon we will be a family of 5! 

Very much excited for it and a bit nervous too because it will be a change. 

It won't always be easy, but it will be good. 

With each of our children, we know they were just meant to be. 

Always meant to be by God and our lives will forever be changed because of them. 

It will be no different with the sweet one growing inside. 

Being thirty weeks pregnant is HARD. 

Not that I've forgotten that pregnancy gets difficult, 

but I think preggo brain made me forget some! ;)

I feel massive and know there's probably lots more growing that will be done. 

Everything feels achy and swollen. 

My back hurts and bending over simply isn't going to happen much longer! 

I'm trying to rest more and think of things I need to do before Sutton comes. 

Also, thinking about her sweet face and wondering what she'll look like. 

I'm sure so much like her brother and sister! 

We cannot wait (well… I'm sure Braden and Maeva can because its going to change their world)!

59 days and counting! 

She smiles at me when

I tell her she's beautiful.

I promise, sweet Maeva, I'll always tell you that you're beautiful.

To me, you always will be.

So thankful God made me your mama.

Thankful

^^^ Maeva at 2 days old^^^

I didn't plan on starting up on blogging right away and maybe it won't be an every day thing, but I do enjoy it and I do feel like it today, so here I am!

I'm overwhelmed today by so much. Overwhelmed by love for my little family... 

James, Braden, Maeva... I just love them so much, I'm sure that if love could make my heart explode, it surely would. I'm overwhelmed with thankfulness... there is so much to be thankful for! 

I'm thankful for Maeva and how perfect she is. So adorable and precious to my mama heart. 

I'm thankful for a great doctor and that the c-section went well. Thankful I'm recovering quickly.

Thankful for James and the fact that he is so caring and doing whatever I may need.

Cleaning, cooking, taking care of our babies, letting me nap. 

Thankful for parents, in laws, and grandparents who bring us food and buy us crock-pots! ;)

Thankful that they are willing to take care of our sweet big boy while we had our daughter.

Thankful that they are willing to come and play with him. 

Thankful that they love on him to show him that he is still just as loved. 

I'm thankful that Braden is adjusting well to his little sister.

That he wasn't too mad at us...

 for leaving him with grandma for a few days while we were at the hospital.

That does mean sleepovers for him in our bed though because he missed us so much! 

I'm thankful that my husband was able to take time off work and be home with us.
Thankful that we are able to just be a family for a few days before things go back to "normal." 

I wish this was our normal...him at home...always all of us together. 

I'm thankful that we were blessed with another baby. 

I was talking to James today and told him that when it was just him, Braden and I, it was perfect, but now with Maeva, its even more perfect.

I'm thankful that God trusts us with these little ones. 

I'm thankful for the life we have. 

Our babies.

Each other. 

Caring, loving people, around us.

Jesus... especially Him because of Him this is the life we have. 

Thankful for toddlerhood

"Being a parent is the hardest job you'll ever have." 

All of us parents have probably heard that a time or two. 

It is something that pops into my head on the hard days because I know its true. 

When the toddler is fussing, throwing fits, won't listen, ect... I know its true. 

It really is the hardest job. 

I figure it always will be. 

It's tough when they are an itty bitty newborn with the crying and being up all sorts of hours.
It's hard when they are a toddler because...
they desperately want to be independent and at times you have to fight them on that!
Its hard when they are a teenager, I am sure, because I remember how I was with my parents.
I imagine its hard when they are adult too.
You have to sit back and let them be adults.
You have to watch them make their own choices...
and at times probably wanting them to chose differently.
Or seeing them in hurt through out life because that's how life is sometimes.

Toddlerhood has been really hard lately. 

Most days are tough because Braden so desperately wants to do things his way, when he wants too! 

I mean I get it, because well, aren't we the same way? 

But he can't always have his way, because everything he wants isn't always what is best for him. 

I've found it easy to get caught up in the bad moments. 

I've found it easy to complain about his fussing or fit throwing. 

However, I don't like that... I don't like that some days all I do is complain about him or seem to some like I don't enjoy being his mama at all because I love him dearly. Being his mama is the best job. 

So today I'm telling myself to be thankful for motherhood, thankful for my toddler.

Because truthfully, in my heart, even in the bad moments, I am so thankful for him. 

I wouldn't have my life any other way.

I am thankful for a toddler who is growing big and strong. 

Its so fun to watch him enjoy new things...

like coloring and actually using the crayons instead of eating them,

Or cars, cars, cars. Always cars. 

I am thankful for a toddler who enjoys being outside. 

He'd be outside all day if we let him.
Its his favorite place and I love that.

I am thankful for a toddler who sleeps in most of the time.

Who plays in his room in the morning until he wants to come out.

Who is, more often than not, happy when he wakes. 

I am thankful for a toddler who likes to kiss and hug.

Who likes to wrestle with his daddy...

And cries when daddy stops because apparently it is just that much fun! 

I am thankful for a toddler who eats well.
Thankful that he asks for yogurt, bananas, strawberries, and apples. 

Okay... often it is oreos too. 

I'm thankful for a toddler who likes to read books and play with blocks. 

Thankful for a toddler who likes to play with his parents but also by himself. 

I'm thankful for a toddler who is getting better at listening! 

So thankful for that! =)

I'm thankful for a toddler who is most of the time a happy little guy.

Full of smiles and giggles. 

Who really is just the most adorable little boy I know. 

So much to be thankful for when it comes to him. 

He really is a great little boy!
Love my Braden! 

35 weeks

Earrings: Made them. Headbands: Walmart. Tank: Old Navy. Skirt: Target. 

I wish these pictures were taken at a different location rather than our bedroom, but I guess thats what happens when you don't see your husband until ten o'clock at night. A busy day we both had. 

35 weeks. Again, like I always say I cannot believe it. Only 24 more days until my c-section. 

I've been marking down the days for a while now, but it feels like these last days are going to drag on.

I'm so anxious to meet Maeva and just have her here with us. 

I'm so ready to be a family of four and figure out how to adjust to that. 

I'm ready to see daddy with daughter or older brother with little sister. 

I'm ready to be a mama to a baby again...because even though Braden is still my baby (and always will be), I must face it, he certainly is growing! 

I'm ready for so much, but still nervous about things too. 

Can I be a mama of two and not lose my mind? ;) 

Can I function during the day with very little sleep? 

Can I? Can I? Can I?

I know that there will be days that I feel I can't, but I also know that the anxiety won't be around forever. I have help if I ask and Jesus is always there. Thankfully, Jesus is ALWAYS there. 

I'm feeling huge. My feet and legs hurt from carrying around this baby and at times it is super hard to breathe, but I don't want to complain about being pregnant... I was convicted about that the other day.

There are some women who aren't able to have babies or lose their babies. My heart aches for them. I cry for them because I can't imagine how they must feel, how their heart must ache. I hurt with them, really, I do. So I don't want to complain because it truly is a blessing. Thank You Lord for this baby growing in me and please Lord be with those women who can't have babies or have lost.... You are close to the broken hearted, I know this, so please Lord wrap Your arms around them. Amen. 

On My Struggle with Being Content

This blog is a place where I want to be real and more open,
which involves sharing my struggles.
Some of them are bigger than others.
The one, I have on my heart right now, may seem small to some,
but what it can do in one's life, is big.

Its about being content. Or, actually it's more about, being discontent.
Last night as I was catching up on the Bible study I'm doing as part of She Reads Truth,
I read about being content. 
It was one of those moments where I was reading the word of God
and I KNEW that He was speaking to me. 
Those moments are hard, but good.
I knew he was saying "Kassie, be content, you have no reason not to be."

He's right. I have no reason to be discontent. 

There will probably always be things I want and things I think I need. 

That doesn't mean that I will always get those things 

and it definitely doesn't mean I can't be content while waiting! 

That's huge for me to realize! Sometimes I have to wait on things and be content with that. 

I don't want to get stuck on the list of things I want because then it's easy to be ungrateful.

That is not the type of person I want to be!
I want to be content. I want to be grateful. 

So, I'm going to work on that because really, I do have so much to be thankful for! 

I have a roof over my head.

There's plenty of food on my plate and clothes on my back.

I have a wonderful husband and son!

Our little girl is growing well and will be here soon!

I know a God who is good in all He does.

That is what I am grateful for today and I will rest in the contentment of those things!

Do you struggle with contentment?

How do you redirect your discontentment to contentment? 

Please tell me! Ideas are always nice! =)

Mother's Day

Blessed to call this little boy mine.

The day I became his mama was the best day.

Cannot wait to have this baby girl and be a mama to them both.

=)

Dear Braden

There is no greater joy than being a mama.

You taught me that. 

From the first moment I heard your cry,

tears filling my eyes and streaming down my face, I was filled with joy.

I never knew what joy was until that moment.

You show me joy everyday... there is no one that can show more joy, than a child. 

Thank you for showing me joy, baby boy. 

It's a great gift. 

You, sweet boy, make me laugh and smile more than anyone ever could.

Just looking at your faces, I can't help but burst into laughter. 

You do things... like drag your dino over to me because you want to ride him 

or say "yes" and I can't help but smile because you're growing so much. 

It makes me so proud to see you grow, to see you develop a personality. 

I've never been so proud. I will always be proud of you, no matter what sweet boy, 

mama will always be proud.

I love you sweet boy.

Love, 

Mama 

What do you want your child to appreciate?

My husband was currently taking a sociology class online. 

Considering I studied it in college, it interests me. 

Therefore I've been eavesdropping on the video's he's been listening to. 

Some of the things I heard have stuck with me.

Last night as I was listening the woman said, "If you want your children to appreciate something, they have to see your appreciating it."

This got me thinking about what I want my children to appreciate. 

I want my children to appreciate many things.

I want them to appreciate the things they are given, whether big or small.

The clothes they have, the toys the play with, the roof over their heads, the food on their plates.

I want them to appreciate the people they have in their lives.

My husband and me, their grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, teachers, all people they come across. 

I want them to appreciate learning. The fact that they can learn.

That they are able to go to school, reading, writing, having a passion and learning about it. 

I want them to appreciate the things we do.

Vacations, being outside, spending time together. 

I want them to appreciate the fact that daddy works hard. 

For us, for them, for our life.

I want them to appreciate that because of that, I am able to stay home with them.

I want them to appreciate affection.

Hugs and kisses, being cared for, being loved.

I want them to appreciate God and His word.

To read it, to know it, and live it. 

I want them to appreciate everything, to be grateful because this life, all we have, we don't really deserve it. 

As I think about this, I know though, that if I don't appreciate these things, then how can I expect them to? 

I can't, not really. 

I know these things are important and good. 

I know these things are meant to appreciated and I'm meant to be grateful. 

So, I need to work on appreciating and being grateful. 

So, I will....starting today... I will have a grateful heart for this life I have.