Random Things, Part 2

2. Our Not-So-Perfect Life.

Dearest Little One,
I have to laugh at all the little baby commercials where the mommy is a perfect size 6 with beautiful hair and makeup, cuddling her perfectly beautiful newborn baby. Her life seems like perfect bliss, and the maternal instinct of all women of child-bearing age kicks in.

What makes that perfect moment so funny? Because it is just that: perfect. And sweetie, that will NEVER happen here!

There will be many times in the next few months where Mommy is at my wit's end. Believe me, it happened when both your brothers were newborns. The combination of a recovering body (NOT a size 6), a tired mommy and daddy, rambunctious boys, and a crying newborn will soon be the norm in this household.

But, call me crazy, I am kind of looking forward to those moments, because it will be a part of life, the life that God has called me to. And you know what? I wouldn't change a thing.

I love my God. I love my church. I love my husband. I love my boys. I love my family. I love my friends.

I am blessed, and I cannot wait to hold you, my littlest blessing.

So, even though our life will not be perfect, you will forever be a part of it, because God has chosen to place you in our family.

And I, for one, am grateful.

Random Things I Want Baby Kealen to Know, Part 1

I was inspired by The Other Mamma's top ten list for her soon-to-be-arriving princess, and I thought it would be fun to let our little guy in on a few noteworthy items that he may want to be prepared for as well. So, here it goes . . .


1. You have two older brothers who can't wait to meet you!
Many times throughout the day there is a little boy hugging and kissing you inside your warm and safe home. And while I am excited that your brothers are so affectionate with you, I cringe at just how "affectionate" they may be once you meet them face to face. Just so you know, little one, we are trying to teach them good baby etiquette, but they are having a hard time with the idea of your needing personal space. So as your momma, I am apologizing now, and I will try to keep their loving on you at a tolerable level.

While we are on the subject of older brothers, I feel I must also warn you about the noise level you will most likely encounter. I know that according to the baby books and articles I have read, you already hear all the noise in our home. But again, I must remind you that what you hear is a muffled precursor. The decimal levels will be much louder outside the womb, I promise you!

To be fair to my first two boys, it isn't so much the volume level at our home as it is the constant chatter. And I do mean constant. You will learn a lot about Legos, Star Wars action figures, marine life, math facts, and Make Believe from your brothers. From the moment the first is up (usually by 6:30) until they both are in bed, there is chatter.

And for the record, I do enjoy it. Most of the time.

So, little buddy, as I think about adding your noise to this crazy place we call home, I can't help but smile. And if your mamma knows anything about you at all, I know that you will soon be able to keep up with both of your big brothers, and I KNOW that you will come to love them as much as your daddy and I do.

As much as I look forward to meeting you in person and getting to know you, I want to encourage you to stay put for a few weeks longer. Your home in my tummy is calm and quiet. Enjoy it while you can, because the moment you enter this world, you will forever be added to the crazy, constant chatter of this Kealen family.

While it may be a little loud, it is full of love. And we can't wait to officially welcome you into the mix.

Gentle Reminders of a Great Big God

For the three people who sometimes follow my blog, you know that my blood pressure has been an issue for almost my entire pregnancy. Well, it seems that issue may play a part in our peanut's birthday!

At my last appointment, my doctor mentioned that we may need to induce a few weeks early. Over the next two days, my mind went to my very long to-do list, and I began to feel the pressures of all my expectations rising. I had so much I wanted to do before this baby came. What if I didn't get them all done? What if my blood pressure created real health concerns for both me and the baby? What if . . .

As my jumbled thoughts went into high gear last night, I was reminded to be still.
My heart wanted to argue, "But Lord, what if people stop by our parsonage? It needs to be spotless.
And, Lord, I have so many loose ends that need to be tied. If someone else tries to step in and take care of all of them, they will become one giant jumbled knot!
And what about the health of my baby?"
Again, I remembered, "Be still."
As I began to calm my heart and ponder on Psalm 46:10, I realized that there are two commands that I need to follow.
First, I do need to be still. I need to stop all motion and craziness and busyness in my life.
But I also need to know (and accept) my God as being Who He is:
- the loving Father Who is gently forming my little one in His perfect way.
- the sovereign faithful Lord Who holds my future and my baby's future in His hands.
That verse continues with the promise that God will be exalted. His sovereign plans will be carried out, and nothing, NOTHING that happens in my life will EVER come as a surprise to Him.
For me, it is not enough just to stop fretting and be still. I must also consciously recognize and trust in my God to do what He sees best for my family.
And you know what? When I began to focus on my faithful Father, the worries stopped. The fear of uncertainty gave way to a peace, and my spirit was able to rest quietly in the faithful and trustworthy hands of my God.
So today, if your thoughts are struggling with unanswered questions and the craziness of life, take time to
"Be still and KNOW that I am God" (Psalm 46:10).

My Ever-Growing List

Preparing for baby needs to get kicked into high gear around here! A friend of mine asked me yesterday what I still needed to do before this baby gets here. I responded.

A lot, but I have a few more months. She looked at me and smiled. "Actually," she commented, "you have a little under two months!"

WOWSERS!!!!!!!!!

Her comment made me realize that I have a lot to do in the next seven weeks. So, here goes the beginning of my ever-growing list.

1. Set up the crib.
2. Wash the baby bedding.
3. Wash all the tiny, adorable baby boy clothes. (Thanks, Jennifer, for dressing my baby for his first few months of life!)
4. Packing my hospital bag.
5. Getting a new pediatrician! (Our practice will no longer have a pediatrician on staff!)
6. Register Jack for second grade.
7. Purchase Jack's school supplies.
8. Finish cleaning/organizing the kitchen cabinets (only three more sets of cabinets to go!)
9. Heavy-duty cleaning of the house!
10. Prepping and preparing freezer meals.
11. Finishing my baby sewing.
12. Choosing a name for this baby!
13. Finishing the blanket I am crocheting.

Just looking at this list makes me want to take a nap! I will be one busy mommy in the next seven weeks, and I am already praying that I will not stress too much if some things on my list don't get done.

While I know that I have put off doing some major projects, I have taken time each day in the last few weeks to spend quality time with my two boys. I have had such a fun summer with them, and I would not trade those moments with them for anything!

But now . . . I must get my rear in gear and get busy.


(Oh, and if I find the cord to my camera, I will post some new pics of some of these projects!)