He was tired, SO sad, would NOT let me put him down, and had a low grade fever for several days.  I was SO  lost as to what he could have, especially because he hadn’t left our house for 5 days before showing these symptoms.    Sad Tado, sad mama.

Until he woke up from his nap (4 hours!) with a rash covering his chest and tummy, and hives on his legs.  I immediately made an appointment for him to be seen but then memories of my cousin’s little girl having something similar crept into my foggy head.  I called my cousin and in all her wisdom, described the EXACT symptoms Kaden had, and told me it sounds like Roseola.

And after researching it a bit and watching the rash fade slowly, I’m pretty sure I agree and Kaden is on his way back to himself.  Although, the symptoms quite parallel those of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, too.  Hmm.

2.  On a more positive note, I received such a flattering compliment earlier this week – a pregnant mama saw some of the photos I took of her co-worker Michelle, and contacted me saying she’d NEVER considered maternity photos until she saw these.

THAT is such an amazing thing for me to hear because I REALLY feel very passionately that every mama needs photos documenting her pregnancy.  Whether by me or another photographer…

So, now she booked maternity and newborn sessions and I can’t wait!

3.  Gage and Cooper finished up their 4 weeks of swimming lessons yesterday.  Here are some photos from Tuesday’s class…

Waving at his brother…

Riveting, I know.

Preschool swim lessons are quite exciting… no, not really.  But they loved it and I loved being back in the pool area and having a half-an-hour twice a week, to visit, watch, and relax.  Money and time, well spent!

4.  Maybe its all the recent changes going on in our home these past few weeks, with my business and Matt’s business, and illness, and comings and goings and pooey weather…. but I am really feeling the need to stand still for a bit and just re-focus.  Prioritize and give myself a schedule.  Which would absolutely include limiting my time online.

It is SO easy for me to toodle around online for way too long now that my computer is smack-dab in the middle of the house.   But, I get so sucked in that I often don’t even hear my boys asking for food.  Which, they ALWAYS are.

And then the day is over and I pray that the next day, I will be a better, more attentive Mom.  Not a day goes by that I don’t pray for that.

5.  And, Happy Easter everyone!  I really REALLY hope that the Lord’s resurrection is at the center of your celebration this Sunday, and everyday.

Lately, I can barely even talk about Jesus’ sacrifice without crying.  I’ve been reading to my boys about it in their Bible, and tears, every time.  I’ve never before felt so deeply touched by His love and commitment as I do at this point in my life.  I can’t pinpoint why, but it is having an incredibly humbling impact on my heart.

He is Risen… He is Risen indeed!!

Happy Easter. 

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The boys, however, love it…

… and there was actually enough this time to make a snow man.  Carrot nose and all. 

2. You may notice that in the right-hand sidebar there is a new, big blue, Facebook icon.  It takes you to my Facebook ‘Business’ Page, where you can “Like” me.  Consider those quotes, “air quotes” because I’m not to fond of the suggestion that you go over to my business page to “Like” me.

But, considering you visit my blog, I assume you must kind of “Like” me… unless you just visit my blog to reassure yourself that you’re not the only one who occasionally feels lost in the life of motherhood.

Either way, when you “Like” my business page on Facebook, it really helps to get the word out that I am open for b.u.s.i.n.e.s.s.   And I’d REALLY appreciate your help in doing that.    This is, I’m sure, not the last time I will put out that plea…

3. We are being bombarded by deer.  And here’s why I think that is…

The snow is masking all of the natural smells of the forest.  The ONLY smell, therefore, filtering through the air is that of the Pioneer Woman recipes I am cooking.  SO.  The deer smell it and flock to our house.

That’s the reason they stare into our windows at dinner time.

4. Kaden.  Oiy.  I’m too tired from whisking him off of the table top about 63 times today to even get into discussing his latest shenanigans.  That will have to wait.

5. I watched Minute to Win It earlier this week and the girls who were competing kept saying they were “Too Blessed to be Stressed.”  Corney sounding, but so true. That phrase has resonated in my mind ever since then.

I find myself getting stressed out with my kids and think of that phrase.

I stare out at the snow and get anxious about it…  then I see these little bitty birds and I remember that God says He takes care of even the birds… so why would we think He wouldn’t take care of us?   Too blessed to be stressed.  Really.

And on that, rather serious note, have a blessed, not stressed, weekend! 

Oh… and by the way!  All of these shots were taken with my 100mm 2.8 Macro.  Proving that it is SO much more than just a Macro lens!

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1.  Studying the Bible with Matt.  I’m ashamed to say that we don’t do this together nearly enough but I enjoyed it so much that I’m praying it becomes a regular part of our day…

2.  Matt installed a sensor in our laundry room so that the light turns on automatically when I come into the room.  It is silly how much I appreciate this.  It sort of reminds me of the feeling I had when everyone stood up for me at my wedding.

3.  Gage read Cooper his bedtime story last night.  THIS was awesome.  Utterly awesome.  The reading, the cuddling, the quiet time…

… it doesn’t get much better than that.

4.  A few days ago I signed up for Momtog Moms.  It is a blog started by DrewB, an amazing photographer who began the whole ‘Momtog’ idea (as far as I know).  The next day, she, DrewB, visited my blog and commented on this post.

I was floored.  That she came to my blog and that she commented!  Its like a celebrity coming to your house!  And to have someone whom I’ve admired for a.long.time shed me a compliment… well, that’s pretty cool.

5.  I had the blessing of working on photos of this little princess throughout the week…

… and more photos of her to come on Monday…

Have a weekend full of highlights!

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“A penny saved is a penny earned…”

And it reminded me that I had these photos of Kaden to share…

At the time I was quite focused on his newly acquired ability of climbing onto the chairs… … and then, onto the table…

But, after hearing the words about saving your pennies, I can’t help but appreciate how sweet it was to watch him pick up each penny and put them back into the electrical box.  Where his daddy had been saving them. 

And then I cleaned them all up, most of them off of the floor, and put them safely into his piggy bank.

Because for every 5 he’d put in, he’d dump them back out.

(And, yes, as I mentioned on Friday, nothing is safe now that he’s climbing…)

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Cooper and Kaden were sick again, all day and I spent a lot of my time cleaning very unfortunate messes, while trying to comfort the one who made the mess, while being concerned that the other was soon to add to it.  Fortunately, I wasn’t adding to the mess but as the day wore on my patience with this bug (that the boys call ‘Toots’ thanks to Curious George) and it was during my final cleaning of the day that I wanted to cry and be done.

So, when I finished cleaning, I took a breather from the action and checked in on Karen Russell’s blog and read this verse from James 1: 2-4…

² Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, ³ for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. ⁴ And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Well.  I know this trial that we’re experiencing right now is minor. Minor in that I know my boys’ lives aren’t threatened and on the other side of this annoying and messing and completely draining flu bug, are healthy, active, growing bodies.  None-the-less, it is a trial.  And as the Lord is telling me here, very clearly, that I need to be joyful in this experience as it is giving me (us) a chance to rely on our faith and persevere because of that faith.

(The boys passing the time playing on the computer)

After reading that verse my mind started reeling about the lessons I can find within this experience, knowing that if I stop to think about it blessings come from every turn our lives take.  God works everything out for good.

So… I find joy in the sweetness and calm that fills our house with children who are feeling under-the-weather.  I find joy in that during the day, I hear prayers being uttered out of my boys’ mouths, asking Jesus to heal them.  I find joy that the Lord gives us distractions against the illness and that we have a comfy home to be sick in.  I find joy in that even though it is overwhelming to balance 2 or 3 sick kids (and one sick husband) at least we’re not in this alone.

I find joy that as much misery as this little guy is in, he finds such comfort in my arms.  I find joy in the fact that they have maintained their appetites and dehydration has not been an issue.  Did I mention he finds comfort in my arms?

I do find joy in the time I have to spend sitting down, cuddling with a very lovey Kaden.  Because throughout the day, if he wasn’t napping, I was holding him (whenever I wasn’t cleaning up a mess).  And this was his favorite place to be.  (Nice photo, Doot!)

I find great joy that Matt read the story from Luke chapter 8 to the boys the other night, about Jesus healing a sick little girl and a frail old woman, and that that has sparked new faith in them.  They pray and pray for healing and I am waiting for one of them to ask why God has not answered their prayers, like He did in this Bible story.

Then I will be able to go over with them all of the joys we were able to experience even during this trial.  The good He has brought out of it.  And it was wasted suffering if we don’t recognize those joys.

And, of course, we’ll discuss the bliss we experience when we reach the other side of it… the joy of health!

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