Baby Update

  I thoroughly enjoyed all the various responses about the baby news.
  I didn't hear any negative comments, if anyone had any, they were kind enough to keep them from me.  :)  

THANK YOU.
 (I tend to be a bit emotional these days) 

I had a few really good laughs with people's responses and I felt completely encouraged by many kind encouraging words. Some people just didn't have the words, (because sometimes we just know; these blessings can be hard on us) but when they saw me, they would just give a great big encouraging teary eyed hug. 

  It said it all!  

I got a congratulations call from my Uncle Dan, who blessed me to the bone. 

He encouraged me and prayed for me and this baby.

 He told me this baby would bring more joy than I've ever had. 

 He also reminded me that this baby and every baby is created by God and He has NEVER made a mistake.

 He also told me to have a better attitude.

He told me to be proud of this pregnancy and quit moping around.

  Yep...He called my whiny butt OUT!  I needed a little or BIG attitude adjustment and He told me exactly what I needed to hear.  

It was really interesting how he kept saying  how much JOY this baby would bring, over and over again throughout our conversation, and it stuck in my mind very profoundly.

 A few days after that conversation I was looking through my prayer journal from the first of the year ( I was looking for something else)

 and I ran across a journal entry in which I was asking Jesus to bring me more JOY.  

Well, He heard me and brought me JOY in a way that I would have never thought to ask for. 

 It reminded me that since I surrendered my life to HIM and pray to HIM, He blesses me and answers in such  beautiful
 FATHER KNOWS BEST 
 kinda ways.

I think of how the Lord has built this family and brought each and every person together, and I can tell you with absolute certainty,

HE HAS DONE THIS, AND HE IS SO GOOD!!!!

Psalm 92:4-5English Standard Version (ESV)

4 

For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;

    at the works of your hands I sing for joy.

5 

How great are your works, O Lord!

    Your thoughts are very deep!

****************************

Here's the human side of the story: I feel like garbage.  Sorry, but it's just true.

  I feel sick about 20 out of the 24 hours of every day. 

I have lost my mind.  I can never find my phone or remember what time it is. 

It drives me and everyone around me NUTS! 

 My butt started "showing" way before my belly. 

 (this is how I grow)

 Charlie is fine.  He has a way of "working" through stuff.  He has been working non stop since the day we found out, so I'm pretty sure he is "working" it all out!

We had another ultra-sound and we got a good look at the new little life and the tech told us not to paint the nursery yet,
 (he has no idea that I have never painted a nursery in 7 pregnancies)
 but he thought it looked like a girl.

Reece is OF COURSE the most excited about the baby!!!
 He wants the baby to be a boy and he thinks he should look like Mik, and Luke, and him.  

I think that is a great combination.  :)

God gave me a beautiful treat a few weeks ago. I got to spend a weekend with my sisters in Phoenix and I felt good the whole time. 

We have not spent time all together with no kids or hubbies in 7 years.

 We had such a wonderful time, it was just what we all needed.  

We laughed until we were all exhausted. 

OOPS!!! We did it again.

I am going to save us all that awkward silence or the weirdness of not knowing how to respond and
make this blessed
ANNOUNCEMENT ON MY BLOG:

No, and yes, I do and I don't know how this happened.  Please defer all questions and comments to Charlie.  I have given every answer and heard every comment I know of for the last 6 pregnancies and this time, it is just his turn to answer.

Try to catch him when he is not bent over gasping for air.
 He's been a little short of breath lately, you know, over the excitement of it all.
 **at least that's what he tells me his problem is**

If I ever do give an answer....I will use my favorite quote from my friend Lovelyn,
"Sure we know what causes it, and we are really good at it."

My mind is as confused as my body these days.
It's a bit different being a pregnant granny.

We absolutely know that children are a blessing and a gift and we are being absolutely completely showered with blessings and gifts beyond anything we expected to expect.  

We never said, "No more," because we always thought we needed to keep our hearts and doors open to any kids that the Lord has for us.  We kinda thought He had us on the path of adoption from here on out, but this is what happens to me when I think I have God's plans figured out;
He just goes above and beyond my wildest EXPECTATIONS!

We have joked that when this baby comes we will both have to get our reading (granny) glasses on to see the little love.

When we aren't tearing up we are cracking up!!!

I was very excited and ready to pass the baton to my daughter to keep the babies coming in this family, but as God would have it, He has just made me the best Nay Nay EVER!

 I may not be able to quilt or make crafts for my grand babies,  but God blessed me with the gift of baby making and I get to give my Granddaughters, A LIVE DOLLY to play with. 

I was pretty clueless for a while and then when I learned the blessed news....it took me a while to form any sensible words, let alone form the words and say,

 "I'm pregnant."

We had an utlra-sound and it jarred us into the reality that there is a pretty perfect little person just swimming away in my very nauseous belly.

Psalm 139:13-16English Standard Version (ESV)

13 

For you formed my inward parts;

    you knitted me together in my mother's womb.

14 

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.[a]

Wonderful are your works;

    my soul knows it very well.

15 

My frame was not hidden from you,

when I was being made in secret,

    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

16 

Your eyes saw my unformed substance;

in your book were written, every one of them,

    the days that were formed for me,

    when as yet there was none of them.

Please don't be offended if you are a friend  or family and you are getting this news for the first time on my blog....I have not been feeling great, my brain is not working great, and it's been a bit of a challenge adjusting to the little person.

 We were gonna wait until.....well, until it was born, (totally kinda kidding) but we had to tell the kids, and telling Reece is like telling the news media.
When he heard the news,
he lit up like a firecracker and was just sparking all over the place.
We didn't want to put his little fire out, so we let him loose.  :)  

Now....go ahead...shake your head and laugh all you want...we think it's funny too!!!

We know above all...GOD NEVER MAKES A MISTAKE AND HE IS THE GIVER OF LIFE.

We are thrilled in our hearts...it's the rest of me that is feeling a bit queasy.

First Week of School

First week of school, or shall I say, the week of ENDLESS paperwork.

Charsie is a Senior this year.

I really have no idea how this happened.  

This kid is my right arm and I feel my arm taring away.

It is wonderful to see her ready to fly, but there is a definite ACHE that I can feel building in my heart.

Proverbs 11:24-25The Message (MSG)

24 

The world of the generous gets larger and larger;

    the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.

25 

The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed;

    those who help others are helped.

 Reece is a big 1st grader this year.  I just don't know how I will make is through my days without him to keep me in shape.  

This kid creates more laughter and frustration in a day than I can tell you. 

 His *ways* keep me in a constant state of alert. 

 He is a complete riot and he also is the cause of a lot of riots. 

 If you ever think of it....pray for his teacher!!! 

 Just pray for abundant energy to keep up with "abundant energy" in her class.  hehe 

Psalm 92:4-5English Standard Version (ESV)

4 

For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;

    at the works of your hands I sing for joy.

5 

How great are your works, O Lord!

    Your thoughts are very deep!

 These are my middle school peeps.  Mik, Esther, and Luke are all in "those years".

  Most people are about half scared of middle school peeps.....and they have good reason to be afraid.  So far, there is only one in the bunch that has acted like a true middle schooler so far, and it just comes and goes like a fever.

My prayer is that if they all have to "act their age", I just pray they take turns, and do it one at a time.

 God could not have placed a better 3 together in the same age group. 

 They are all so different and compliment each other is every way. 

 I guess my Father knows what He's doing when He puts a family together.  

Psalm 103:2-6English Standard Version (ESV)

2 

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

    and forget not all his benefits,

3 

who forgives all your iniquity,

    who heals all your diseases,

4 

who redeems your life from the pit,

    who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

5 

who satisfies you with good

    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

6 

The Lord works righteousness

    and justice for all who are oppressed.

We have a big year ahead of us.....and I'm so thankful for friends (Shelly), that when they see a Brewer kid that looks temporarily misplaced, they just throw them in the car and bring them home.

Happy Anniversary Part 2 - Years 5-10

I would definitely label these our "American Dream" years. 

 We were living large.

We worked like crazy, and we rewarded ourselves generously. 

We lived with the idea of more is better and getting ahead is best.

Charlie built us a beautiful custom home on 5 acres with a barn, and a yard, and a swing set.

These were the years we put on a very fun, wild, and successful

 Bull Bash. 

We had our third baby. 

Charsie Lee Brewer joined the gang on July 11, 1997.

She was the bonus! 

 A girl and a boy and a bonus baby!

haha. 

 Little did we know........

We went on a few super great vacations.

  One was to a beautiful resort in Jamaica.

We celebrated our 10 year anniversary in Las Vegas with my parents.

Our focus has changed over the years, but I would be lying if I didn't say, when I looked at some of these pictures I was jealous for my old life.

Things just felt more controlled and prettier back then.

Looking through the pictures brought up some really fun memories and stirred up some pretty selfish thoughts as well.

I wouldn't trade the memories for anything, I am grateful for each and every stage of our lives, because that is what has brought us to this point.

 I also wouldn't trade my crazy messy out of control life for anything.

We live a much richer life now!!  We live with real abundant treasure!!

We have learned the value of Kingdom treasure and we know there is nothing we can 

buy or build or earn that will ever compare or measure up.

Matthew 13:44English Standard Version (ESV)

The Parable of the Hidden Treasure

44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

*clarification:  I know there is nothing wrong with great houses and cars and vacations.

We HAVE, and DO all these things!

Our focus is just different...all the stuff is just wonderful gifts to enjoy.

Before, they were the goal.*