Saturday and Sunday were such nice days that we were able to be outside quite a bit. I went on a walk on Saturday with Rich, David, and Caleb, while baby Seth took a nap.
Walking with my husband is just like walking with the boys, only the dead trees that he picks to push over are much taller. . . . . .here is one starting to fall, just after he pushed it.
He had a fascinated audience. . .David and Caleb stood still, watched, and were quite impressed.
And David immediately wanted to find himself a tree to push over.
So his Daddy helped him find one.
Very satisfying.
Caleb had the quote of the walk when he said, “OH! THE SUN! It’s shining in my eyes! The sun is out!” He was so excited and he reminded me of myself….I do the same thing when the sun appears after cloudy days.
On Sunday, the weather was even nicer. The long pond is thawed, but the smaller swimming pond still has ice. The children absolutely loved the spring feeling in the air, but Rich and I still did not think David should have stripped all his clothes off—all but his undies—to splash in the pond water. Rich went right out on the porch to tell David to get his clothes back on. Shocking.
It was a milestone day for the children, because they caught the first tadpoles of the year. Jacob had a plastic dogfood scoop, David had an old cake pan, and Ethan had an old pot. The water was so icy cold that they didn’t want to use their hands.
Here’s the first catch. Jacob made Caleb look at them, but so far Caleb does not want to be part of the action. We studied the tadpoles to see if they were getting their back legs yet. It’s amazing that these things turn into perfectly proportionate frogs later on. They hardly resemble them now.
As you can see, Grace also tried going without warm clothes, too. She wore shorts and a t-shirt. She was the first one to go inside, “I’m cold, my hands are freezing from that water”. . .here she is, looking into the big plastic tub that they were putting their tadpoles in. She made David upset because she dumped them back into the pond too soon. I think she was feeling motherly and felt sorry for them.
Happy Spring days. Good days to be a kid. Good days to be a mom, watching.
As for me, I am hopeful that I am finally coming out of my week-long funk. Yesterday at church I felt weepy and out of sorts, but my sister once again came to my rescue and sat with us in the pew…and went out with me when I had to go sit in the nursing room to feed Seth. “Just sit and talk to me about happy things” I said to her, and since she is the talkative cheerful sort she did just that.
When we came home from church, I was still feeling nervous and anxious, but by the end of the day I was relieved to be feeling calmer inside. I kept a detailed diary during baby David’s early days and I took some time to read it yesterday. It helped so much, because I felt so many of the same feelings back then, and I could read and see for sure that the heavily anxious times do go away with some time and patience.
And, as a special blessing, Seth only woke up one time last night. It was the most peaceful night I’ve had in a while. We went to bed at 10, Seth woke up at 1:30. I determined to enjoy t
he time with him, I got myself a snack and cozied up with him on the couch. By 2:15 he was back to bed, with his suckie. I went to bed, fell back to sleep, and the next thing I knew, Rich’s alarm was going off at 5:30. He got up to go make coffee and found Seth just beginning to fuss and cry. So, I got up and fed him, happy that he had slept so well. 5:30 may sound early, but it’s a good time for me because that way I can see my husband before he goes to work, and have some quiet time before the others wake up at 7.
This week my sister is coming over on Wednesday. I have a doctor’s appointment scheduled for that day and she is going to watch the kids for me. Then, on Thursday, the doula is scheduled to be here at 10. Rich is taking Friday off from work and that is the day the maids will deep clean our house. So, there are things to look forward to and for that I am deeply grateful.
I am thankful for the prayers of my friends that read my blog. When I think of all the people who are praying for me, from places that I have never been to, I am overwhelmed. It just amazes me, that because of the internet, we Christians have the opportunity to support, encourage, and lift one another up. Thank you for that, and please know that I will gladly do the same for you, when you too need some extra love and prayer.
Speaking of prayer, my parents have asked for some…..for their beloved Pastor Steensma. Some of you may remember me asking for prayer for him this summer. I even signed your names to a card for him, and he later told my parents it was one of his few memories of that time. Anyway, he is a life-long diabetic, in his mid-50’s, and has been having some serious heath concerns relating to his diabetes. Currently, he is in the hospital, seriously ill with a fever, having some trouble with a foot, and a blood clot in one of his legs. He is in great need of your prayers, please lift him and his family up to the Lord, and ask God for healing for him. Thank you so very much.
God has put this following song in my heart lately and I’ve been meditating on the words. It’s the hymn, “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” and there are other stanzas, but these are the ones that have especially touched my soul:
Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen
How thy desires e’er have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?
Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew
What the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.
Praise to the Lord, who with marvelous wisdom hath made thee,
Decked thee with health, and with loving hand guided and stayed thee!
How oft in grief
Hath not He brought thee relief,
Spreading His wings for to shade thee!
Here’s to a good week!
Much love~
Shanda
Good to be Home 
Glad to hear you are looking upwards. You have been on my heart this past weekend. I hope that you know that your church family loves you too! ;)Hope you have a blessed week and may the Lord give you great strength… Ephesians 3:14-21 “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.”
I’m glad you were able to rest last night. You are in my heart and in my prayers, dear one. One moment at a time–no need to rush. You’re a wonderful, beautiful mother.
Dear Sister, I love you and am praying for you. I am glad to see this happy post, i was getting worried. Call me if you need to talk!
What BEAUTIFUL trees Here in south TX we do not see such TALL slender trees – reaching high up into the sky. It reminds me of a trip my mom and I took to VA to visit a college I was interested in. We had a nice drive from the airport to the small town the college was in and all we could do was take in the amazing glory of God’s creation all around us. Maybe thats why we got lost??
Enjoy your beautiful sunny days. Remember, although we may have not met in person, and we may live many miles apart, our sweet Jesus has bonded us in an amazing way. Sisters in Christ – here for one another in prayer. Thinking about you, and praying for you this week Many prayers for Pastor Steensma as well. ~ Ashley
Sounds like a wonderful weekend!! I’m so glad you are feeling better & this week will be busy for you. It is wonderful that you have a sister that lives so close to you that can help you out like that. I will be praying for your parents pastor, I hope everything goes ok.
I’ve been praying for you Shanda. You are such a dear sweet person and I know that the Lord is holding you in His hands. He cares, He sees what you are experiencing, and of course He will bring you through it.
Those tadpoles are the hugest things ever!! I’ve only ever seen tadpoles that are about as big as the tip of your finger. Those are monstrosities!! I guess those are the kind of frogs y’all grow over there on the east coast?
Shanda, you’ve been in my prayers and I’m glad to hear you are feeling a better. A little extra sleep does wonders too,as all mothers know 🙂 I will be praying for Pastor Steensma. Thank you for sharing more great pictures!
Blessings~Cindy
Love the post Shan,
The pictures of Rich with the boys reminded me of our brothers pushing them over long ago…..Glad to hear that Sethypooh slept so well last night how exciting! You are doing an amazing job! XOXOX Amanda
Good to hear things are going better. The pictures are wonderful. I love how Grace dumped them back into the poind 🙂
Glad to hear that your night went well. It must be a guy thing to push over dead trees – Roger can’t resist one either.
Love You!
I’m soooo glad you’re getting help from the doula and the maid service. Something to look forward to! The spring-like weather is a blessing too…makes me in a better mood! Love and blessings.
No doubt, your boys are so much like their Dad…mine were too. Rich standing by the tree looks so much like Jacob and Ethan. Caleb is so cute peeking around in the pictures. I am glad you all got out and enjoyed the forest. It just opens up your whole being to go out and walk and look,doesn’t it? I have never seen such huge tadpoles, but I remember your frogs from the past are huge too. We can hear the frogs here, but they are just teeny little guys…maybe because our water sources dry up here in the west. So happy Seth had a good night and that help will be coming in. I am continuing to lift you in prayer. Keep trying to rest. I love that hymn too…wonderful to ponder! I prayed for Pastor Steensma, as well as you as I read this. Please pray for a young man, Stuart, that I love very much. He has walked away from the Lord and is much troubled in mind and spirit. Praying our good Shepherd restores this one to Himself.Lord bless you and yours, Jenny
I am very happy to see a cheerful post from you, Shan! You are much in my thoughts and prayers. I love the pictures of your venture outside with Rich, David, and Caleb. Like father, like sons, eh? So nice to see sunshine and bare ground! Thank you for sharing the hymn. The tune is running through my mind now. I will pray for Pastor Steensma. I think it is wonderful that you have a doula and maids coming (teeny bit jealous about the maids LOL)! Have a wonderful week, my friend!
Wonderful post. It is such a blessing to hear and see that you have such great support in family.
Ooh your post made me so anxious for spring! I just came indoors from a walk with my darlings. It was wonderful and now they are soundly sleeping. You will continue to be in my prayers!
I am glad to hear that you are doing better. You have been in my thoughts and prayers.
It’s so funny that you posted this hymn – it was the very one going through my head as I started reading this post! (Probably because I started off the morning listening to a cd with that hymn playing while making the bed. )I love all the nature pictures here, and I’m so glad you had a nice weekend with Rich and the kids. I know Rich’s absence will be very, very difficult, but the Lord will give you grace and be with you during the upcoming business trip. My heart went out to you while reading that last post, I felt the way you described for not only weeks, but months after Lee was born. Like such a wimp! There were women with newborns returning to church one week after their baby’s birth, and I could hardly manage my first time back when Lee was 7 WEEKS OLD. I was in so much pain I couldn’t sit, stand, or move much or long, and it was frustrating in so many ways – I wanted to be enjoying my baby but felt in “survival mode,” the house was constantly a wreck, and I felt isolated being so far from family and friends. All this to say that I can’t imagine being in YOUR shoes, with a newborn PLUS 5 other children at home and all that entails, and good grief running errands??!!! Yes, you were not meant to handle all of this right now, it is good and appropriate to have some help at this time. Thank God for His provision! If I lived closer I would be bringing a meal.Sorry for such a long comment, these posts hit close to home for me; you are always in my thoughts and prayers.
The sun is warm here today too ~ such a very welcome change ~
Glad you all had a chance to get out in the nice weather, it’s been quite lovely. I wish I had gotten more of a chance to talk to you yesterday, sorry I didn’t get the chance to. I miss talking with you. I’m glad to hear things are looking up for you…hope you have a great week. Love, Trish
Will continue to keep you in my prayers. I think fresh air, your nature walk, Rich being home, and some troops headed in to help you with your housework are all “GOOD THINGS” and you deserve them!
So glad you’re feeling better. I’ve been praying for you. It’s so awesome to know that there are so many of your blogging buddies all across this country praying for you and your family – the power of prayer is amazing!!!!!
Have a great week and enjoy your “help” this week.
I loved all the pictures! My favorite is the one of Jacob on the tire swing. I love everything about that picture. It sounds like you had a good day and keep looking forward and up Shan! What a great thing to do–reading over you diary from the past. “Unless the LORD had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death. When I said “My foot is slipping,” your love, O LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.” Psalm 94:17-19. Love you! Lish
I am glad you are doing better. You have been in my thoughts and prayers. I have to tell you something…..we have been trying to save money around here by making things from scratch and eating from a menu called the Hillbilly Housewife and I have thought about you…..how you love to bake and being a great momma to all those kids of yours. I praise God for you and your “mommy loves you” attitude. (It has helped me in a lot of ways) I am so thankful for you. A big hug to you from way down here in Texas!
glad you had a lovely weekend~ love that last shot!
I am all about the slightly inappropriate mini’s around here! : P But, SPRING deserves a PARTY, no?
I have been praying for you for the past 5 days fervently. Continue looking to Him, dear, and meditating on those lovely verses and thoughts you encourage others with!
Loves!
Shanda, I read this poem this morning, and thought of you.Mother of Boysby Miriam Seiber LindPraise to the High One for giving me joysPeculiarly sweet–I’m the mother of boys!Mud puddles, torn blue jeans, toads,whistles, and worms,The furred and the feathered, and whatever squirms,Black knuckles, bats, arrows,and thundering noise–They’re all in a day for a mother of boys.But ah, ’tis a dear joy to turn the blue eyesTo the manifold wonders of earth, sea, and skies.And ah, ’tis a dear joy to watch small hand seizeThe hand of his God in the knowledge of these.Spare me, O High One, to praise Thee more–whenThis mother of boys is a mother of men.