We have a WHAT?

We have an 8 month old baby...that's right.  We just celebrated our 14th anniversary and my husband's 36th birthday, and we have an 8 month old.  And no, we still can't believe it. 

The last 8 months have just flown.  I know it goes fast...this is not my first rodeo.  But, 8 months?  It seems like just yesterday we were in disbelief that we were pregnant.  Now, here he is...all 20 pounds of him.  Gideon Matthias has been an absolute joy.  He is one of the happiest babies, most of the time.  The only time he's been sick has been ear infection related, and although that wasn't fun by ANY stretch, it's easily treated!  We've definitely gotten through the hardest part of infancy relatively unscathed!  He's in 12-18 month clothes and is OH SO CLOSE to crawling.  The only problem is that he lives with 4 adults and 2 older siblings who just really don't enjoy listening to him fuss because he wants to get somewhere.  So, his fussing is pretty short lived and Malachi and Marie typically just give him what he wants!  Yes, I'm totally falling into the trap of "this is my last" and probably not working as hard as I should at getting him to be mobile...but I won't apologize for it!  At his 6 month checkup, I asked our wonderful pediatrician about him sleeping through the night and, through a smile (and I'm pretty sure I heard a giggle), he encouraged me that about 3 months prior he was okay!  I felt so dumb!!  Malachi was NOT a big baby, and Gideon IS...so I had no idea whether or not he NEEDED those calories!  2 hard nights and he is sleeping perfectly now!!  He's in our room with us - not ideal, but it is what it is - so when he wakes up, we have to just be still and quiet and he'll generally put himself back to sleep!  He's got 2 teeth now and is eating some table food.  He's a GREAT eater (obvs) and is the center of our family's world at the moment!  Such a blessing and a joy to have him in our life!

Malachi is doing wonderfully well!!  He's growing up right before my eyes.  He's only a couple inches shorter than me and is a tremendous big brother.  We've got some maturing left to do, for sure, and that hasn't come without pain.  But, I get nothing but compliments on his attitude at church.  He's finished 4th grade and will be starting 5th grade in the fall!!  This year he has mastered multiplication and is doing great with long division.  He'll be starting fractions in math next year...EEEEEEKKKK.  (This is where mama gets nervous about homeschooling!)  He's also doing perfectly with his cursive skills and has pretty well figured out simple parts of speech!  A couple months ago we began piano lessons with our awesome music minister and he's really picking it up quickly.  He's always had a knack for music, but he's really talented.  I can't wait to see where this takes him!

Selah Marie is just a joy.  She is the easiest child most of the time.  And when it's not easy, it's still not hard.  She is ALWAYS willing to help, to be there, to do whatever she can for me.  She always asks what she can do.  She is the most fun to watch with Gideon and loves to make him laugh!!  In most ways, she's an 18 year old young lady trapped in an 8 year old's body.  She has more compassion and love in her little finger than most do in their whole body!  This year she really picked up (and caught up for the most part) on her reading, which is a huge triumph!  She excels at most things in math, it just takes her a bit more time to pick up on it.  But, once she does, she's off!  Her cursive is beautiful and she is incredibly artistically talented.  (um...help please!) 

Both of the older 2 are going to church camp at the end of July with their sweet cousin, Kadi Jo and about 40 other juniors from our church!!  A couple brave families are going with the juniors and I'm so thankful for their willingness.  You know who you are and we thank you!!  Because two of the three will be out of town, my parents have agreed to watch Gideon for 4 days and allow Thomas and I to go away.  Interestingly, we are going to be vacationing about 45 minutes away from the junior camp.  We're considering crashing one night, but I think we're just going to concentrate on the two of us those days!  We can't wait to spend some time catching up and eating dinner together...like, at the same time! We have a tremendous amount of help - more than most for sure!  I mean, we live with my parents...so we couldn't really have it any easier!  But, it's still life with an 8 month old, ya know? 

This year we celebrate 20  years of being "together" and have been reflecting a lot about where God has taken us throughout the last 20 years!  We've learned so many hard lessons...we've loved, we've struggled, we've forgiven, we've worked, we've laughed, we've cried, we've mourned, we've rejoiced.  Through it all (most of it, anyway), we've tried to follow the Lord and we know He's the Giver of all good things!

In a week, we'll be hosting the teen girls from our church at our home for a game night and I've been asked to give a devotion.  5 years ago, I spoke to the teen girls on waiting for the Lord.  We had one child.  Now, I'm on the other side of that wait, and my 8 year old daughter just walked past my door and waved at me and my 8 month old is being rocked to sleep in our nursery.  I can't wait to delve into my Bible and put into words everything my God has done for me!