8/19

 Adi got up with the boys the next morning since I’d had such a late night at the hospital. Delaney got super sick when we got there and had the worst achey cold, so she was no help. Even though she could have, we didn’t want her to get anyone else sick with a brand new baby coming .

Lu makes fun of Adi and her “dinner rolls” shirt from Thanksgiving that she always wears, so of course she put Henry in his “bread” Thanksgiving shirt.  

I was charging my phone so sat down to eat in a little nook by the couch and Henry came up right next to me and plopped down to share. I’m obsessed with this guy!

And this gal!

I love a good hearing test shot. 

I picked up the boys from school while Adi played with Henners. 

We knew the crew would have to stay another night, what with Lexi’s antics. 🤣 Emmett’s 7-year-old incredulousness. 

It was *so* hot outside that we really just stayed inside to play mostly. And this girl after 3 brothers has alllll the bows. 

Mia says “no bow - no go.”

9/27-9/30.5

 There was a baptism after church so we got home around 4 and I finished up Disney dinner prep. I’d done most of it Saturday night and Sunday morning.

We watched Lilo and Stitch, so it was a very coconut and pineapple themed meal. 

 Used the leftover pulled pork from the girls graduation party and did not add the pineapple. Too much of a good thing is still too much. 

We watched our movie and prepped for the week and it was just another quiet Sunday. 

On Monday I had to force myself, and it was tough, to finish the first coat in Frankie’s room. Then Matt had to buy more paint, but when he got back I had to force myself again to do put on the second coat. 

That plant is crazy and just soaked into the walls. I swear it needed 3-4 coats. Maybe we should have used a primer, but I’ve never been a primer gal and we buy the “higher quality” paint to avoid it, but. 🤷‍♀️

Anyways, I painted forever and then passed the reigns to Matt and then Delaney when she got home. 

*girls coming down to Disney dinner. I always make them guess and none have been right. Also, a little wave of sadness only grabbing down 4 glasses instead of 5. 😢 

So Monday was deviated to painting and we had leftovers for dinner and Frankie stayed to watch the JV football game and then everyone did homework and our days are long and busy.

*After first coat.  

After second coat.

Maggie sent me this. Aloseph in their heyday!

What my room currently looks like. Moving clothes and furniture and all the things is so messy and such a lot of work. 

I took a sister to run an errand Tuesday morning while Matt did a few touch ups. Then when he was done with work we moved D’s furniture into her new room. 

I made pork chops and grits for dinner - working my way through an old Pioneer Woman cookbook. 

We had a lively discussion during scripture power hour. Not really about the scriptures, but it’s good to counsel together as a family. 

Today I passed on the pumpkins galore auction and moved the pile of stuff out of our room and into Adi’s new room. 

I looked at Christmas gifts, worked on some calling stuff, put away some laundry, organized some emails, downloaded an app to communicate with Christian during his deployment, and a dozen other little tasks that often fill my days and make me feel like I’m not getting much accomplished but I’m always busy. It’s just a busy season, it’s fine. 

9/23-9/26

A friend from Clovis recently posted about how it feels like this is a season of everything all at once. It’s beautiful chaos. 

Adi had a field day at Amy’s wedding. We joked that they had to pay extra for all the photo booth’ing she did. 🤣

On Wednesday I drove the ballet bus at 3, shopped, then drove the ballet bus home at 6, picked up Frankie from cheer at 7 with dinner, then drove her to church. My afternoon/evenings are filled with driving. Just a few more weeks. 

Thursday was more of the same, only Matt and I volunteered at the free yard sale that was this weekend. Only, Matt went and then went to Nate’s for guys night, then after my driving duties, I went. 

Everyone was off on Friday so we all enjoyed a much needed sleep in day. We had talked about doing several things, but then didn’t do any of them. Then D had dance at 3 and Frankie had to be to the school before 4, so we didn’t have the most time, but it was nice to have a slow morning. Then Matt and I went to Frankie’s game at Westlake. They, of course, lost, but we sat with the Kinneys and it was nice to visit.

Frankie loves this cute exchange student from Spain! (Whose name I don’t remember 🤦‍♀️)

It was a beautiful day and is just getting a little bit cool. 

They had food trucks outside so we got Frankie some tacos. 

When Frankie has her license we’ll be able to make it a real date night and go somewhere after the game, but until then we have to hustle back to the school to pick Frankie up. 

On Saturday morning Matt and i volunteered at the free yard sale again. It was busy busy but there were so many donations that we still had a lot left over. 

I got Mia these cute little dresses and a bagging cute clothes on Thursday too. 🤗

Matt and I picked up one of his English Connect students and her baby to shop, and then a Walmart order and then came home for more work.  

Delaney is taking over Adi’s room, including painting it. 

Frankie is taking over Adi’s bed, but Delaney doesn’t want Frankie bed, so that means we got to move 3 beds. Also dresser swaps. And paint prep. 

Then Matt ad Delaney go started working while I made salmon for dinner and then 2 brownie trifles - 1 for the baptism and 1 for us. 

I also continued my mom and dad bin project. 

It was a busy day and we were so ready for our Sunday day of rest. 

And these cuties made good use of their zoo membership. ❤️

Mia Michelle is born!

Lexi left the boys notes to read before school on Mia’s birth day. The were excited to read them and then they fought over them. 🤣

Check out this blast from the past! They also have an old blockbuster. So nostalgic. 

They went to the hospital early to get things rolling and I hung out with the crew. 

I headed to the hospital after they broke her water, and stopped by Trader Joe’s for flowers on my way up. 

Damian and I played games and we breathed through contractions and Lu got an epidural, and a little nap, and then since she was able to relax she was ready to roll. 

Girlfriend came into this world just after 5pm. It was so special to be there to see my granddaughter born - at #5 this was a first for me. 

Alexis had a little bit of placenta left and was bleeding a little more than normal so they gave her something to slow her bleeding and everything was fine. 

I picked up some dinner for everyone and everything was still good. 

I held Mia so they could eat, but about halfway through her waffle fries, Lu started feeling sick. 

Their nurse came by to check on things and saw that Lu was losing a lot of blood and got her to the bathroom where she weighed the blood and clots lost and called for a doctor. 

That doctor was there for like 2 minutes and called for another doctor. They got Lu back to bed and when there were like 5 doctors plus several nurses working on her, and things were getting very tense and very loud, I took Mia out into the hallway.

I won’t go into too much (more) detail because it’s really not my story to tell, but that was one of the scariest hours of my life. I sent out a few pray for us texts and rocked Mia and prayed my heart out. At one point there were at least 10 doctors in her little recovery room. She ended up losing a liter and a half of blood, got a transfusion and several medications, plus a few other things to stop the hemorrhage before things calmed down. When it was over Damian came into the hallway and we looked at each other and started crying. It really was truly awful. 

But God really is truly good and even though it was still a rough night, Alexis was out of the woods by the morning. Including the fact that she didn’t really remember what had happened. Damian and I remember enough for all of us. 

Precious baby girl got her shots and even though she was still hooked up to a thousand machines, her tough mama was able to breastfeed her. 

It was a long and exhausting day for a newborn girl.

There was only one couch and I knew Damian would never lay down if I stayed, so I left around 11 when things were fully calmed down and lu and Mia were sleeping.  

I gave hugs and encouragement and a promise to keep my phone turned up. So grateful for good medical care and healthy bodies and prayers answered. This little miracle was worth all the hassle. 

August 17th

 The day before Mia was born we took care of the crew so Alexis and Damian could rest and prepare. Henry put on Lu’s carpal tunnel wrist braces and thought he was a funny guy.

Adi and I took turns with the boys school run. They go to two different schools and it takes between 40 minutes and an hour, so it was nice to only have to do one. 

This is a little story of their homecoming one day. 

Happy brother tries to help unload, but Carter has a treat bag he doesn’t want him to have. 

Henry wants it. 

Carter says “no thank you, Henry. It’s not for you.”

One-and-half-year-old and very opinionated Henry isn’t happy with the situation. 

A fit gets going. 

And finally, a look up to ensure everyone is appreciating his fit. Honestly, he is so fun! I’m not responsible for him everyday, so I just 100% think he is the best. 

We had a fun family night playing games and I’m sure I made something for dinner. 

Late blogging is probably better for all because I don’t remember details so we have much shorter posts. 🤗