Back at it...

Got woken up from a deep sleep to Eli grabbing my face and shaking it like a box of cereal. He then looked like he was about to cry and mumbled "where's grandma. I miss her..." Then he crawled up next to me and cuddled. Sometimes I have to look past the rude awakening and love the little moments.

Alissa...it's been a while since you've mentioned that you come on here to see if I have posted anything...and it had been so long since I had written anything that I felt weird and out of place. But I have miss so many memories...I guess it's time to get back at it!

I have had my 3rd kiddo. Rowan Grace Hicks.
Beautiful brown eyes and soft brown hair. A contagious smile. Happier than Eli but a mirror twin of Liam.  Sleeps like a literal baby and only gets grumpy when her brothers shove their faces in her face or if she is hungry.

I am so scared to see her as a teenager. I have already noticed her attachment to the men. I'll be holding her and daddy or grandpa will walk into her line of site and she wants to fly out of my arms to them. Watch out future boys...she does have 2 older brothers and a dad with tattoos...and me...

The biggest change since last I wrote is that we live in an RV now. A 1989 windstar. What a 'bute! The engine turns on great, and nice tiny kitchen, a couch that when you sleep on it you feel like you just rolled on a gravely ground all night, a bed in the back that...if you can believe it...is worse than the couch, a broken bathroom, a non-working fridge and windows everywhere! I love it. I have moments that I hate it. But God has placed us here for a reason. I see it as training for future Missionary work, and currently Patience and Endurance. God's hand will always be in our lives, but sometimes it's hard to look through the difficult circumstances to see where His plan is heading or if He is even there. (Thank you Lord for this chance to be tried and tested in a new and unique way...)
We started out living at my mother-in-laws house which had it's own adventures. But after a few weeks someone must have reported us or the city just took note and gave us a deadline to move. Thankfully God placed in our loves an amazing family. The Webbs. They serve God, through hospitality, in the most tangible way. They opened up their home and farm to us and we went from living in an apartment with a gravel driveway to a 5 acre farm in the span of 2 months. We get to hang out with Chickens, Turkeys, Ducks, Alpaca, now 2 horses (Hucle Buckle is being fostered), a cat, 3 Kittens, 3 dogs and pigs (I named one Phyllis....) In all, God has greatly blessed us.

What does God have in store for my family? I don't know, but I take encouragment that He knows what He is doing and His plan is His and for His glory.

Thanks Alissa, BTW, for being such an amazing and beautiful friend. I love it when you visit me on the farm...and can't wait to bombard your home with all my kids sometime soon. See you at the park tomorrow! Love you :)

Peace out Blogspot. Until next year....

LOVE this song. It reminds me of my wedding day. <3 br="">

It's been almost a whole YEAR since I wrote on here. Babies definitely take up precious time. And by babies, I mean 2 of them. Eli and Liam.

Two little bundles of silly, destructive, energetic, happy, intuitive, exploring baby-fat.

I love them to death.

Aprill 22nd is Taylor and Eli's birthday. 25 and 2!

May 30th is Liam's birthday. 1. 

July 9th is my 27th birthday.

And July 22nd is our 3 year ANNIVERSARY!!!

So many big events, all in one fell swoop. I'm excited!

2 things I have been thinking about lately: Being a Wife and a Mother.

I have only been married for 3 years, but in these 3 years we have experience so much. Happiness, anger, love, stress, joy, big decisions, small decisions, messiness, moving, debt, babies, fights, snuggling, distance, heart-ache, fatigue, laughter, God. I could keep going, but my post's need to be quick....you know, with babies and all....

 I wouldn't take back any experience. I wouldn't take back having my babies so soon in our marriage.While I have thought about how fun and enjoyable my life could be not having to worry about the life of two little kids, we would lose so many things we have grown in. And those things have shaped us for the good.

I have been a mother for almost...3 years. I definitely count pregnancy in the figure :)

My body has been damaged, expanded then deflated, stretched, gone through  trauma, fatigue and worry. But would I give all that up for freedom?  I'd do it again in a heart-beat...and honestly am soon going to be ready to have another baby soon! (Time to start working on Taylor) Being a mom is such a challenge, but such a joy. Being a stay-at-home mom is such an honor, although sometimes I don't feel that way. But as Eli starts to say "Please" and "Thank-you" and Liam gurgles with sweet baby happiness, I can't help but thank the Lord for strength to pour my life into theirs. I love the sweet mornings, making Eli oatmeal, watching Liam scarf a bottle. God has blessed me. I'm glad I can sometimes see that through the thrashed, smelly home.

          Lately I have been thinking about my relationship with Christ. How close do I feel to Him and how can I get closer. I finished reading a trilogy by Ted Dekker, the Circle Trilogy. Black, Red and White. It gives an amazing visual image of how Christ created and romanced us, how we fell away through sin and his amazing plan of bringing us back to Him as His Bride.

2 Corinthians 11:2

English Standard Version (ESV)

² For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

Revelation 19:7-9

English Standard Version (ESV)

⁷ Let us rejoice and exult
    and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
    and his Bride has made herself ready;
⁸ it was granted her to clothe herself
    with fine linen, bright and pure”—

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

⁹ And the angel said^[a] to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

          God has such a beautiful story He has put us in. To see myself as a sinful person makes me sad, to sin against a God with such a powerful love for me, but it makes His story so much more intense and profound. God's love is deeper then I could ever understand, and to stand before Him as His bride someday soon will be thrilling. I am so grateful He has pursued me. Now it is my job to pursue Him and to get closer to Him. It can be quite a challenging  task, but given the Lord's perseverance for me, I know I must strive harder for Him.
          I know a lot of this doesn't make sense. It is my rambling mind, but I felt I needed to voice my mind.

          Now that I got that out of my head...a MONTH AND A HALF before little Liam comes. My mom bought a birth kit that has most of everything I will need for a home birth. Lots of pads, bed pads, a plastic sheet, Ziploc bags, some tinctures for cramps and inflammation, and a bunch of other stuff. Can't wait to pop this guy out and have, hopefully, a long break from pregnancy! (Lord willing...:)