Blessings from Heaven

Today our sweet Lucy Marie was blessed.  She wore her sister Abigail's blessing dress because we couldn't find just the right one.  Abby was thrilled. My sister Jennifer was able to be there to represent my family and to share the special day with one of her namesakes.  She's so great, she has two neices with her middle name. 

 

We had a great brunch after the blessing and Grandma and Grandpa Gibb, Uncle Ben, Aunt Stacey, Aunt Jennifer, and Aunt Mary Jeane came to join in the day.  It was a sweet, peaceful day and I know that we have been blessed so much to have Heavenly Father share four of His daughters with us.  

Lucy was blessed to be healthy and strong and bring peace into our home.  That has already been the case.  Remember you sweet children today and the day you held them in your arms and loved them. 

To all of my family who couldn't be there, we missed you and love you and felt the love of all who have come and gone before us.  We are not alone in this journey!

Motherhood...

What a great way to lead into our great news and special pictures. I had a 12 week ultrasound yesterday and our cute baby #4 is looking healthy and strong; strong heartbeat, healthy spine and active already.  I'm farther along than I thought, so it looks like 13 weeks and a few days.  I'll take any days that get me closer to the next trimester. 

I get asked constantly if I want a boy, and I have to admit that after yesterday I was really hoping to have a chance to have a little boy in our home, but it made me so upset when the interesting ultrasound technician predicted a girl and I was sad. (Who can tell at week 12 anyway?) What's the big deal anyway? What is wrong with having four girls, like it's a disappointment to have four beautiful girls.  So if I do have another sweet Gibb girl, be very happy for me, because it's a miracle every time a baby comes to someone, and especially after going through what we do to bring them here.   Besides, who would be unhappy having any child with this man?

I've just felt sick most of the time, but last week had a reprieve for 6 whole days in a row.  I guess my house really needed to be cleaned.  I also prayed for a glimmer of hope to come to me, and that was Heavenly Father's way of showing me that answer to my prayer.  I also had a chance to get away this weekend and spend some time in the mountains with some friends. I had a great time and laughed so hard it made me younger.  I keep thinking about that when this week I feel like I'm going to pass out and throw up for two days in a row.  It didn't help that Sydney didn't feel well and we spent yesterday afternoon at the toilet, but I was given a great deal of strength and stomach power to take care of her.  She's fine, but it was an interesting day being a pregnant mommy.

I'm grateful for the sweet miracles that have happened. I was diagnosed with blood clots a few weeks ago and they are getting better.  I have a husband who loves me enough to take over in the house and wait on me when I'm not feeling well, when he knows that all I want to be doing is blessing my family and home.  I'm so used to being able to accomplish so much in a day.  It's been humbling to take a seat and really try to enjoy the chance to take naps and move at a slower pace.

I keep up my movement. I have a treadmill next to the couch, so I try to get at least 20-30 minutes of walking each day.  It's taken a shift in my thinking to put myself in a baby producing mode for my body rather than a weight release mode.  It's amazing watching this body become ready to hold a child and give birth.

I just picked a pint of beautiful raspberries from my garden, 3 acorn squashes, a melon, tomatoes and zucchini.  I am blessed with bounty.   I am thankful to be alive and experiencing the good along with the challenging things in life. 

Mother's Day....Boy does Heavenly Father love me!

I find it amazing that on a day we remember mother's I felt like Heavenly Father was sending His only little moments to tell me how much he loves me.  I'm blessed to be a mother to three beautiful, smart, and kind girls.  They are not perfect, but neither is there mother.  Nonetheless, God still loves me and knows I'm doing the best with what I have at the moment.  I pray my children will overlook the imperfections and remember my love.

I'll try to describe the beautiful moment as best I can.....I woke up with the sunrise, which I LOVE to do and made my way down to the patio in the back. I sat smelling the beautiful petunias Spencer bought me and read the Bible about Moses instructing the children of Israel to "Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God"(Deuteronomy 8:11).  All I could think about what how blessed I was to be sitting on a beautiful day and learning about the blessings of following the Lord.

My family eventually woke up and I looked up to see Spencer's face.....

Who couldn't melt looking at that face?

 The girls came and brought me the gifts they made at school...they were great.

 They played follow the leader and giggled and laughed and brought me joy.

 We were able to go up to Spencer's parents house in evening and see the new Gibb girl and share in another mother's joy of being a mother the second time.  My sweet sister-in-law just came home from the hospital and we were glad to see her home.  She'd been through a lot and had earned her title of motherhood these last few weeks.

But it all comes down to this.....

It is in those sweet moments where you hold the gifts of heaven and remember how much Heavenly Father loves His children, so much He sent His son, even Jesus Christ to save our souls and redeem us from death.  Such mercy, such love! It is mercy and love that make it possible to continue each day as a mother. 

Happy Mother's Day!

I wrote a mother's day song in February....hope you enjoy it. 

A Sister, A Mother, A Friend

Words and Tune by Julie Gibb

NEW YEARS 2010!

It was a great New Years!  We participated in our cities first night celebration, watched Harry Potter, and clanged bowls and spoons at midnight. Our 7 year old said she was really tired and told us how hard it was to stay up that late.  We thought so too! We toasted in the New Year drawing to a close our phrase..."Peace is mine in 2009".  We really have found more peace.  I'm excited to keep that peace rolling and set out for a New Year.

We waited in lines and played games!  My favorite was the toilet paper toss into the outhouse.

Painted our faces.... and have our own little butterfly.

Celebrated 2010!

Posed for pictures!  Lots of butterflies at our house.

Had Story Time at the Library...the kids sat there longer than the games!

Blew in the New Year!

And banged our pots and pans to let the WHOLE Neighborhood know it was midnight!  It made me miss my sisters and my mom.  We always banged pots no matter how tired we were.

Happy New Years Everyone!  

Since New Years is the time for sayings and goals, mine is simple.....

I KNOW I CAN in 2010!

Santa Clause is Coming to Town!

It seems like I sing this song a lot more these final weeks before Christmas.  Maybe I just use it to have a little more peace... but here is to you all in honor of this special time.  If only our children, or anybody else could realize that sometimes all we want is no fighting and arguing for Christmas!  I wish Santa came more than once a year!
(Download our song as a podcast )
(Download our song as a mp3)

You better watch out!

You better not cry!

You better not pout, 

I'm telling you why.......

Santa Clause is Coming to TOWN!!!!!

Sydney really didn't cry.  She just sat there, not realizing she could ask for something from Santa.  She still doesn't get him, but she knows about Jesus and that's alright with me.  Abby said to me the other day "I really don't care what I get from Santa."  Somebody must have said something to her at school.  She is 10 after all. Phoebe asked for a DS and I didn't get it.  I guess it's a gaming thing.  I'm SURE she heard that at school ;).

I'm a Keeper

We had a great discussion on the family at church today.  I find it amazing that the week I seek for those who could help me be a better mother and parent....the discussion is had and many couples came to mind.  This same day my husband and I are swapping back and forth with our two year old and her runny nose.  I realized my desire to be a good mother is a good thing and that God is pleased with my efforts. 

For many people, a two parent secure household is normal for their growing up, as it should be.  I grew up very independent and played a bigger part than the average child with a single mother.  It is about the great and wonderful things I was taught, the great and wonderful things my husband was taught, and the two of us taking what works and finding the rest that works.  Isn't this earthly experience grand.

I'm grateful that on these days, God instilled in me a desire to learn and grow.  I think without that, I would be stuck in an unchanging place, and unable to see the good I am doing.  My sweet daughters shoveled the snow with me this morning and without asking went to help the neighbors.   My girls must have been watching, and helped me realize what a kindness that is.  I had never seen it that way from my perspective.  It was something that had to be done at the moment.  This is important when I reflect upon my day and mull over the things I could have done better.  I am going to reflect on the things I'm doing right more often.  I guess I'm a keeper!

What is going this week of September 20-26?

We have had a new week and many great things happening.  Our sweet girls are in school and learning great things.  They get their weekly work done by Tuesday, so dance and playing with friends can be done with out distraction. They are so fabulous and motivated!  Sydney works right along with them, drawing on her paper and doing her "homework." 

I have started the 90 day transformation team and it has been transforming to me.   I am excited for the great things I am learning every day to improve myself and my families lives. 

Spencer is working in Riverton now.  They moved his work there and he has been commmuting at 6:45am to get there and be home early.  He is awesome, and I appreciate his great efforts to do this to spend time with us in the evening. 

I have finished canning for the moment and will soon have a great store of melon (I don't recall their names right now) and tomatoes.  The raspberries are still growing! YEAH! 

My dad and his wife are coming to visit us today for a few days to see us and go to conference. That will be fun and great for them to experience the live sessions of conference. 

The girls are still in dance and loving their teachers and the new moves they are learning.  We find them in the dining room, with our electric piano playing all the classical fun songs to dance to.  It has been a great blessing for them to have this movement and outlet to express themselves.  Dance is great, but then I am biased because I love to dance. 

All and all, a great week.  Sydney is loving playing with our neighbors and playing outside.  She misses her sisters at school and loves to say goodbye and hello when they go and come.  She is growing very fast and potty trained this last month. WAHOO!  We love the no diaper days. 

We have truely been blessed and are continually amazed at the gifts we are given each day to grow and learn.  Sending love all your way!