Journey to a Gracious Woman

Now, more then ever, I am need of FLYLADY! I have been using her methods off and on for a few years now, but I have NOT been consistent! With just having our fourth child, I am in major need of organization and consistency. I tend to get sidetracked easily and begin new projects before finishing what I’ve started. Classic symptoms of a woman in CHAOS (Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome). Time to start those babysteps again! But I REALLY need to stick with this plan EVERYDAY!

If you are desperately in need of some order and relief in your home, I highly recommend Flylady. Just click the link: www.flylady.net

It’s been five days since we brought Elizabeth home. She is such a joy! Having her home has doubled my workload! It has been really hard trying to keep up, and obviously I am still healing. Although, this is the fastest recovery yet! PTL! God is so good. The doctors and nurses always say I was “made to have babies”. You don’t know what a compliment that is!

The other children simply adore Elizabeth.

Gabriella (6) was the one who originally prayed for a sister and she just loves on her and asks about caring for her. She’s been playing with her baby doll and mimicking everything I do! We have a little mommy-in-the-making here.

Benjamin (3) is just in awe of his new baby sister. He loves to give her kisses and makes sure I know when she’s crying. When I first got home we explained to him the baby that was in my belly was now out, and home. He ran up to me, lifted my shirt to expose my belly and said, “All gone?!”. It was the cutest and we got it all on video! (I ought to upload it to YouTube!)

Jeremiah (16 months) is also fascinated with “Baby”. That’s what he calls his baby sister, and it’s fitting, don’t you think? I have to keep very close eyes on him with the baby out in her chair among us. Jeremiah, being just a toddler, can get rather rough with her. He kisses her every chance he gets – sometimes it’s more of a “head butt”, rather then a kiss. He also tries to climb into her chair with her. So, usually, if he’s awake and crawling around, unless Elizabeth is awake, I lay her safely in her crib.  I feel bad telling him he can’t converse with the baby the way he would like, because he cries and I don’t want him feeling rejected, ya know? So I’m trying to turn it more positive and trying to teach him how to be gentle.

Elizabeth, whos is nearly 1 week old (at 10:08pm tonight) is a very good, mellow baby. She only cries when she needs something and those needs are rather obvious: poopy diaper, hungry, needs to suck, cold, etc. She makes it very clear what she needs. She is an excellent sleeper, though I think that may have something to do with her being 3 1/2 weeks early. She only wakes at night to feed or have her diaper changed or if she comes out of her swaddler. All valid needs! Most of the time I need to wake her to eat. She looks so much like Gabriella and actually her temperment, so far, is much the same, too. I know, she’s only a week old, but it’s amazing how much you can see just from how they act straight out of the womb.

Gabriella only cried for a few minutes out of the womb and she is a compliant, very sensitive child.  Benjamin screamed for a good hour straight out of the womb and he is a strong-willed child (though his will is not hard to break). Jeremiah cried off and on out of the womb, and though his personality is still in the works of showing, he shows signs of sensitivity, compliancy and a strong will, all pretty equally.

Jonathan (hubby) is a proud daddy once again. He, and I agree, says that the miracle and love of having a child never gets old. It’s just as exciting as the first. We both agreed it’s hard to see Elizabeth as our last child ~ however, a good 3 year break is in order for me! LOL I will use this time to get in shape and get back into running.

I am doing very well, I think. I haven’t had any “baby blues” – I am just overjoyed with how much God has blessed us. It’s unfathomable to me. The one thing I am still learning is taking out all 4 children by myself. I did this on Wednesday and it was just a nightmare. It must’ve been really bad timing because the boys were both tired (they wake up too early), Gabriella was acting funny, even, and at one point the three eldest were all crying at the same time. I was about to join them! So, I get to go out AGAIN today, to the doctor’s, with all four children. This will be difficult – the exam room’s aren’t all that big and I have to lug my double stroller in there. So, I’m praying for a smooth visit.

More to come on our adjusting!

So often as mother’s, we feel like our quiet times with Jesus must be done in absolute silence in order for God to hear us or honor our time with Him. Where did this idea ever come from? I believe it to be completely false.

First off, this puts the added pressure of trying to find this “quiet” time. Secondly, if it is not found, our times with Jesus simply get pushed to the side, for the next day only in hopes that we can get a quiet half hour or hour alone with Jesus.

I first learned this truth from a wonderful book called “Passionate Housewives Desperate for God”, written by Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald. It has stuck with me since. Certainly there are opportunities for those alone, secluded times with Jesus that may last more then just a few minutes. But…..

1 Thess. 5:17 says to “Pray without ceasing”.

There is no specific time of day or amount of time listed here. We are to be praying constantly. In order to do this, it must be simultaneous with our daily living.  I, personally, see this as a better way to commune with God. It releases us from the guilt of trying to perfect something not even required of us and it also helps us build a stronger relationship and foundation with the Father. Afterall, the more time you spend talking and listening to someone, the more you get to know them. The more intimate the relationship. Why wait until we’re alone and it’s quiet, since this time is a rare occasion to grab a hold of?

Instead, in addition to having conversations with Jesus throughout the day, we can take 5 or 10 minutes while the children are independantly engaged to jot down a few things in a prayer journal for a friend, family member or yourself, or read a few verses to live by or promises to remember and repeat them over and over in our heads throughout the day. Pray them into our lives. There can still be the sounds of our children’s voices in the background. God still hears us and honors us if we pray while our children are awake and playing.

It is far better to get these snippets in all throughout the day then to mistakenly wait for the “perfect” time when it is dead silent in the house. The reality is, this isn’t realistic!  Why not invite God to converse with us while engaging in the very life He blessed us with?!

So, for those of you feeling guilty that you don’t get enough “quiet time” in during your days and weeks – I encourage you – stop waiting for the quiet times and converse with God during they busyness of your day! The reward is far greater. This way we do not allow the opportunity to pass us by because our “quiet” time with God never comes.