the embracing chaos blog
A Timeless Four Generation Photoshoot!
The three of us have experienced some of the hardest things you can go through in life, but because of that, you see the JOY of the Lord in our smiles. We have all suffered much, but we've also come to know God in a deeper way because of it.
The Best News and a Family Update!
Goodness gracious, it's been awhile since I've posted on here. Some great things are happening, some difficult things, and some normal every day things....but that's life, isn't it? :) Here's a little family update with what's been going on lately!
Best of 2020
I understand that life is filled with both the glorious snippets and devastating circumstances sprinkled throughout a calendar year. But I challenge you to look back and find the GOOD of what God did each month. Maybe it was that you had some time to yourself to really invest in your passions. Or maybe you had a really bad month but it was the same month that you caught up with a lifelong friend over Zoom. Maybe you bonded with your kids or had a baby in the midst of COVID. Whatever the case, I want to end 2020 with a heart of thankfulness and always see what God did rather than what I think was missing.
A Birth Story + Newborn Photos
I can't believe our sweet girl is HERE and in our arms. Most of you don't know our entire story of God's faithfulness and promises coming to fruition through this baby, but it's truly a miracle. I'm still in awe of God. How He works, how He teaches, how He blesses, and how loving He is to His children. We are so grateful!
Family Vacation During Covid
Crown Reef Resort is not only a beachfront hotel but also a waterpark that is extremely kid-friendly. Wesley really loved going on the two big waterslides with Andrew while the younger boys enjoyed playing in a splash pad-like area. They also have a large pool, multiple hot tubs (something our boys love), and even a lazy river! The best part was that we never had to wait in line for anything!
Homeschool Update
If you're doing the homeschool thing this year, you know that some days are just flat out rough. Then, some days we do all the things and I go to bed feeling so content and thankful. And then some days are in between. Regardless of how crazy the week may be, I see now more than ever that we are doing holy work.
Suffering to Sanctification
I'm not joyful in my sufferings nor am I happy when they come my way. But I can have the nearness of Christ, sharing in a suffering that He already took to the cross, and then rejoice with the hope I have in Him. I don't want to live my life "waiting for Jesus to return," but I can experience a part of Him that I'd never know if it weren't for the trials I've faced.
Homeschool Round-Up
As you know, we're homeschooling for the first time this year! Wesley, our 6 year-old was supposed to enter Kindergarten in August 2020, so we'll be doing kindergarten and first grade with him. Reid our 4 year-old will be doing Pre-K and Kindergarten, and then Nate will just be tagging along learning basic preschool concepts.
Baby GIRL!
So, here we are, with a baby girl on the way almost 8 months after my initial journal entry. Not because we "deserve" it, not because we did anything right or prayed all the right things... but because this baby is a gift, and so He deserves to be praised. We are so grateful. We are so thrilled. And we can't wait to kiss her precious face!!!!
Baby FOUR
A lot of people have asked what this looks like from having thyroid cancer First off, because of treatment I had to wait a certain amount of time to even consider another baby because of what it did to my body. I won't go into all the details but I knew women could get pregnant after thyroid cancer but I had my doubts and didn't think it was in our cards because of what I was experiencing.