Home Again, Home Again....

Rig a jig, jig.

Cheesy, I know, but that is what's stuck in my head currently.

We are comin' home! :)

Beckett is so excited, he smeared beans all over his face!

I'm so excited too. However, in all the prep work that it takes to come home, I am seeing something yucky in myself. And by yucky, I guess I mean - sinful. I get so stressed, so worked up about packing and flying and getting the house ready and on and on. I get cranky and am short-tempered and it's not a pretty sight. I'm trying to figure out why I'm like this. I think it has something to do with the unknown and not being in control. Flying from a 3rd world country is not always perfect. There can be road blocks in the road that prevent you from getting to the airport, flights can suddenly be canceled, the man looking at exit-visas might not be so kind. All of this makes me worry about the what-if. And when I worry, I start to plan how I can possibly prevent all this - leave 4 hours early, check and double-check flight status, be super duper kind to the visa man. It ridiculous!
So, I'm praying tonight that I chill out, that I trust the sovereign Lord that is bigger than all of this, and enjoy the fact that I will be in D-town in a day - enjoying A/C, and homemade food, and love from family!

The craziness

I feel like I've said this before, but maybe I haven't.

Life in Nicaragua is full. In the states, life is crazy busy and packed. But life here, right now, is very full for us. It's hard to say exactly why, but it is.

Maybe these are the reasons why:

*We have 2 kids now that demand a lot from us. Don't get me wrong, they are awesome and we are thankful for them. But they do take away a lot of previously-had free time. From 6 (or 5:30) in the morning to about 8:30 at night one of our kids needs us. Again, it's not bad at all! It's just limits any major rest time.

*It's the end of the school year. Which means David has exams to make, exams to give, exams to grade - exams, exams, exams! And David doesn't make easy exams - no just multiple choice. They're pack full of short answer, true/false, and essays. This makes him a good teacher, but also a teacher that is grading late into the night!

*David is basically in charge of graduation this year. To type out what all the involves, overwhelms me - so I won't! Just know, it is a ton and takes up so much of his time.

*We are coming home in little over a week! Again, this is greatness !, but involves a ton. When we were childless, it was rather easy. Throw some stuff in a bag and make sure you have tickets. Now it involves - getting a lawyer to say we can take our kids out of the country, going to get 4 exit visas from immigration, packing up 4 suitcases, getting our house ready to have people in it for the summer, and on and on. Typing this also overwhelms me!

So to sum it up - our life is full now.

We are both greatly looking forward to some rest and relaxation while in the States (also for some awesome grandparents that will let us go on some dates!)

Orange Dress

I have not bought any clothes in over a year. No clothes, not a shirt, not shoes, no jeans - nothing.

Isn't that weird?

When I lived in the states, I probably bought a piece of clothing once a week. It was most likely from Target.

We don't buy any clothes here. For many reasons.

1. There is no Target, so where would I go??
2. I have 2 kids. I don't see how anyone shops with 2 kids. I can just imagine trying on some jeans and Beckett running wildly through the store. Oh, it sounds terrible.
3. Clothes here are just different from clothes in the States. It just not what I'm accustom to.
4. I was never a huge shopper anyways, so it was easy to not go.

We usually buy all our clothes when we go home to the States in the summer and at Christmas time. However, I was pregnant last summer and already had a ton of maternity clothes and we didn't come home for Christmas.

All this to say, I haven't bought any clothes.

Weird.

However, all this changed yesterday.

I bought an orange dress. And it's lovely and fits my post 2 baby body. Praise the Lord.

That is all.

Rain

The rain has finally come. WOOHOO!!
I'm pretty sure it's officially the rainy season.
As I write this, I'm realizing how funny that probably sounds - to be excited over rain?? Life is different here, though. It hasn't rained here since October. And since October, it has steadily gotten more hot, dry, and still. So when the rain comes, it's like the earth is letting out a huge sigh of relief. The dust is not so intense. Plants come back to life. It cools down significantly. Crazy flying ants come into your house. It's greatness, I tell you, greatness!
But rain can mean different things to different people. We live in a concrete house, with a good roof and drainage system. Many people in Nicaragua are not that blessed. The rainy season to them, must bring worry - will my house flood or my things be damaged.
So, as I am rejoicing in the rain, others are not. I wish that didn't have to be. That they could enjoy the change, rather than worry. How would I feel if I constantly feared what would happen at the next big rain?
Life is not fair. It just isn't.
It makes me hope that the people who live such hard lives here know the love of Jesus and will one day be in a place where there is no worry, no fear, but rejoicing and praise. What a day that will be.

Paint!

My mom sent down some super fun finger paint for Beckett's birthday and the other day we broke it out!

I would not say that he is super interested in crafts quite yet, but we did have fun.
Or I should say, he's not interested in sitting for more than 2 minutes.

Enjoy the pics.

Grabbing of the Feet

I absolutely LOVE when babies start to play and grab their feet!

I LOVE it.

I can not emphasis this enough.




Hatley also has a strange ability to make her arms disappear. She's gifted.

NCA boys basketball

We've got basketball fever around our house! (Umm, did you see the Mavs game?)

Here are some pics of the champions of the Movistar Copa in Nicaragua (NCA, of course!)









We're super proud of the NCA eagles and there 17-0 record!

Matching outfits

I have this crazy desire to dress my kids in matching outfits - everyday. Is anyone else like this? For example: Beckett is wearing a green shirt today and I got out Hatley's green onesie. I was totally disappointed when I spilt water on it, before I could put her in it.

It's like my life would be more complete if they were wearing coordinating clothing. Weird.

I don't actually ever do it.
1. Because Beckett is a boy and he gets in the dirt and water within .7 seconds of waking up. I would constantly be changing him to match Hatley.
2. David would think I'm a lunatic.

Sometimes, only sometimes, I want our whole family to match (or I'd take blending, as well). Again, David would not go for this!

This is so unlike me.

They didn't even match on Easter. So sad.

(they were cute though!)

My baby is 2

My 1st baby that is.

Yesterday, we had the huge blessing of celebrating Beckett's 2nd birthday.

I've heard a 100 moms say things like, "I can't believe how big he's getting!" or "It was just yesterday that he was a newborn!" or "How did my baby grow up so fast?" It's mom-talk. And yet, it's so true with my baby boy. I CAN'T believe how big he is. It WAS just yesterday that he was a tiny newborn. How DID he grow so fast?

I can remember the day we had him. It was full of joy and fear. Joy with what the Lord had given us. Fear in knowing I am no way capable of raising this child right! He was so little, so fragile, so dependent. He stole our hearts that day.

Now, he is big (not so big, but bigger than he was!). He is rough and tough. He wants to do everything by himself. And he still has our hearts.

Oh, how I love him.



Eating a doughnut on his 2nd birthday!


Every birthday needs a trip to McDonald's, right?


Opening a gift from Grandma! Thanks Grandma!


Singing Happy Birthday.


Hanging out with Alicia!


We love you Beckett.

The story of Hatley

I read a few other blogs and it's always interesting to me when they share their baby's birthstory.

Here is Hatley's.

In Nicaragua, you get a sonogram at every appointment. Which is great! So, from about 20 weeks on, I knew that Little Miss was breech. Our first delivery was a c-section and I was trying my hardest not to have another one. However, being breech does not lend itself to a natural delivery. At every appointment the Dr. would tell me to crawl around on my hands and feet como un gato (like a cat). I did this faithfully. Which is not so much fun, especially when you have another baby who thinks it would be fun to climb all over me while doing this. I would rub my belly in a circle, I would envision her turning, I would pray and pray, and I ate some crazy things to try to get her to move. No luck, she was stubborn.

So from week 20 to week 39 and 6 days, Hatley was breech. At my 40 week appointment, I came to the sad realization that she wasn't going to turn and so we scheduled the c-section. I was okay with it, because I knew there was nothing I could do. Breech babies are almost always delivered via c-section. My Dr. asked if I would want to have one more sonogram on the Friday before the c-section (on Saturday). I said no. David, however; thought it could be a good idea. So we scheduled that too.

On Friday, I went in expecting to hear that she was still breech and that we would move forward with the c-section. However, she moved! I remember thinking that it was a gift from God. That even if I did have to have a c-section, He answered my prayers for her to move! I went to another doctor on that day to have a more in-depth sonogram and everything looked good - excecpt that the cord was around her neck and around her shoulder. It wasn't a big concern, but something to keep an eye on.

So we waited. And again I prayed and prayed that I would go into labor. Oh, how I wanted to go into labor. I wanted to feel how it feels, I wanted the chance to try to give birth.

I went back to the doctor on the following Tuesday and got the supreme bad news that I needed to have a c-section. Ugh, I was beyond dissapointed. The reasons for the c-section were: I was "supposedly" a week and a half past due (not exactly sure about this), because the cord was around the neck and shoulder she could not descend low enough to begin the labor process, I was low on amniotic fluid and she was "supposedly" getting too big.

It's such a difficult thing when you hear this. Obviously, you want what is best for the baby. But there is also a huge desire to have the baby naturally. I struggled (really still do struggle) with thinking that I was less. That I couldn't do what God made for women to do. It's so dissapointing. However, when the doctor tell you this, it's close to impossible to say no. You want what is best for your baby, you want her to be safe.

So, after many tears, we decided to go ahead and have the c-section on the next day, Wednesday.

If you've never had a c-section, let me tell you, they are not my most favorite thing in life. I'm sure going thru 20 hours of labor is not awesome either though! :) Suregery is scary, at least to me. I don't like the anestesia, or the strapping down of your arms, or the cutting of my skin, or the blood. I do like the end result of a super cute baby though!

(c-section in process, hope that's not too graphic!)

After I was cut open, the doctor announced she was a girl! What a special moment! When you don't find out the sex prior, it's always a fun surprise! She ended up weighing 6 lbs, 10 oz (yeah, not big, I know!) She was wisked away to be cleaned up and I was taken to recovery. After what seemed like forever, we were finally reunited! She was a great nurser from the beginning (which I am SO thankful for).

(Hatley Michelle Russell)

Although there is a bit of sadness in the way she was born, there is immense joy in having her here. She is a gift from God.

I'm not 100% sure the c-section was needed. I don't know if I waited what would have happened. But I can't really think about those things and I usually don't. I do think about the fact that the Lord answered my prayers of turning her. That he blessed us with a healthy baby girl. That she was/is a great nurser. That even though I live in a undeveloped country, there are some amazing doctors here. I am so thankful for all those things! God is good.

(My sweet baby girl)

There will be no apologizing

or so Chase tells me.

I know I haven't blogged, but I did have a baby. And if you have kept up with my blog, you will know that I have clearly stated that I am a terrible multi-tasker. Terrible.

Having 1 baby slowed down the blogging a bit. The addition of the 2nd baby, has drastically slowed down the blogging again!

Chase says, I don't need to apologize, but everything within me says to. I'm fighting that feeling...

So let me tell you what has happened since I've been gone.

We had a baby!









Her name is Hatley Michelle Russell (Russell, you know because she's a Nica and Nicaraguans have 2 last names). And we love her tons.

We've been asked many times about her name. So here it is: We heard the name Hatley a while back and have always loved it! What does it mean? It doesn't have a meaning! We just like the name! For the longest time we could not come up with a middle name. About 2 days prior to having her, we finalized Michelle.

We're those rare people that don't find out the sex of the baby prior to delivery. So, having a girl was a big surprise!

She's a sweet baby and we are so thankful that the Lord blessed us with her.