Welcome May

April has come and gone. Why is it time just seems to fly by? Probably because we're all so busy shuffling between work, church, school, extracurricular activities for our children and more. If only we could put a halt on time, soak up those special moments with our loved ones and truly enjoy those moments instead of worrying how we're going to check another item off our list. But, then I can't imagine not having all these tasks & activities going on. JOY! We grow so much through these experiences.

Our girls have become great little social butterflies. They look forward to dance & softball practices/games. They love more than anything our time spent at church and even keep myself & Kevin tuned in to what is important - our faith - constantly growing and learning. So, instead of feeling burdened we relish in what we can do and how we, as a family, can grow through these experiences & opportunities. JOY! I hope all of you can enjoy each moment as we have. We all are so very blessed. Be a witness to others and remind those with busy schedules to soak in each moment.

Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

Love that verse.

May is one of my favorite months. Spring has brought forth the greening of the Earth and the sights and sounds of new life are abundant in nature. New life...I am now down to the last month of my pregnancy. Baby Crawford is doing great and growing, growing, growing. Contractions come and go. Some stronger than others. Only a couple of times have I actually timed them. I just seem to get them off and on throughout the day now. By the day's end I am tired and fatigued. Bags are almost completely packed just a couple of items I still need to add. Pre-registered at the hospital yesterday so we're sitting on go.

My co-workers have been putting in guesses to when the baby will arrive and whether it will be a boy or girl. What are your guesses? Here are a few stats to help you make a guess.

35 weeks along (Morgan came at 35 weeks and Madison at 37)
Belly - round as a basketball or maybe I should say 2 basketballs :-)
Carrying low but hey I'm short so everything is low. LOL
Baby's heartrate: 135/140 bpm

Here are a few photos of Madison & Morgan. One at Easter, Madison as Amelia Earhart for school research project and Morgan at softball practice.

Welcome Third Trimester

I am now in my third trimester with number 3. This pregnancy has flown by. Whew! Can't wait to meet the new little Crawford soon. So many have asked for an update and I'll do my best.

Boy or Girl??? We still don't know the gender. We chose to wait until baby makes his/her arrival. But, if a mommy's instinct is anything to go by I feel this may be a boy. Why? Here are few fun things and most are old wives' tales. The heart rate is much lower 145/150 - both of our girls had high heart rates 166/170. I carry this baby low and out front in the belly for sure. No morning sickness in the beginning. Craved meat like crazy in the first and most of the second trimesters. And this baby is SO active, never still - takes after Daddy for sure. Kicks, punches & squirms like I've never felt. I'm waiting for baby to just kick right out. :-) Plus, I've just felt so different this time around. Though I was given the best answer to that remark at one of my prenatal visits. Doc said, "Kelly, you're much older this go around. Things will be different." I couldn't believe it, I knew at that point what it felt like to be thought of as your actual age. :-) Afterall, I still had it in my mind pregnancy cannot possibly be any different than in my 20's. But, it has been. I can't fully explain it but ladies be ready if you have babies in your 20's and then wait to have more in your mid-30's.

As for names, nothing definitive but here is where we're at now.
Girl: Makenna Leigh
Boy: Kohen Lee
Lee is a family name on Kevin's side and also his middle name. The name Lee is rich in ancestry and history within this family so no matter the gender this baby is stuck with Lee. And we couldn't be more happy to use it.

Madison and Morgan are so excited for their new sibling to arrive. They are such sweet and nurturing little girls I know they'll be great big sisters. They want a baby brother but we've said many times how great a little sister would be too. They did agree especially when I said how they could dress her up with ribbons and bows. :-)

Overall, we couldn't be more happy than this expansion of our family. We are so blessed and realize we shouldn't take any pregnancy for granted. Please keep us in your prayers in the upcoming months. I'm known to deliver early but praying I make it to 37 weeks.

End of February...already???

It's so hard to believe how fast time sweeps by us. It's hard to fathom that we are in the last week of February and March is around the corner. There are so many things I wish I had documented and didn't. Working full time, mother of two almost three and wife of a business owner and farmer keeps me spinning in circles. But I love every bit of it. I asked God to use me and He certainly does in so many areas.

This season of Lent has already made me reflect on the areas in which I'm used. Sometimes I question if I'm spread out too thin but if I begin feeling that way I simply ask God for direction and time management. Guess what? He makes it happen. I forget that I'm serving daily at work where my actions and attitude are constantly being examined by my peers. I hope in my peers' eyes that they do see Christ in and through me. Our job is not easy and we get very eager and tempered customers on the phone that push our very limits but if I can only keep my cool, smile and assist my co-workers those tempered customers tend to ease up. I've learned in the last 6 years my work is not for my company but for God. I'm serving Him.

As a mom I sometimes get carried away with the little tasks in my life like homework, laundry, meal preparation, little chatterboxes who want to tell me every aspect of their day when all I want to do is mundane tasks. But, I remember those little princesses are the closest things in my life to our Heavenly Father. They are so precious and love unconditionally. I can't wait for the end of my work day just to be with them. They put the biggest smiles on my face and warm my heart.

Then there is the wife in me. Boy, do I have a great husband. Yes, we certainly have our share of arguments and struggles but we've learned that we complete each other in so many ways. I've been very impressed as Kevin has renewed his faith & trust in God. He reads His word everyday and feels the conviction in circumstances like he never has before. He's found a new confidence in listening to God's direction. Sure enough God has sent little messengers along the way to reaffirm He is near. Kevin has been such a rock & caretaker for me during this pregnancy. My work hours were long for several months and he made sure the girls were picked up, dinner cooked, homework completed, baths taken and even laundry. I cannot thank him enough for taking the lead in these areas.

Love is our word we're focused on this year. And we're experiencing it in so many ways.

We are anticpating the arrival of our new "love" early June. I'm in my 25th week as I write this post. Boy or Girl? We're not sure. We look forward to meeting this little person who has been performing acrobatics the last month. I'm beginning to think there is an octopus in there. :-) My intuition says we're having a boy. Can a mother really tell? We shall see. I think I'll deliver in May. As with both my first two pregnancies I delivered early. I just pray this baby is not too early and comes out plump and healthy.

March is upon us and Spring is soon to come. A renewing of the Earth, a renewing of all things. I pray that each of you will feel a renewal or a rebirth in March. God Bless!

P.S.
My laptop crashed this past week so as I soon as I get my new one I will post pictures.

Love through Chaos

So, I have been harassed by many friends and family members as to why I don't keep our blog updated. :-) Truthfully, time management. Kevin and I have this great way of pulling ourselves in so many directions but we LOVE life and sharing experiences through work, church, family, extracurricular activities, clubs and farming. However, when work is over for the day and the girls are home we close the rest of the world out and LOVE solely on them. After all they are the most precious little beings given to us - our gifts from God. We do struggle to manage our time but through many prayers and listening keenly for God's direction we manage. Our home is not always well-kept, the laundry tends to pile up, piles of school work and art tend to collect in a corner but we're making memories. We eat together every morning before going to school & work and every evening for dinner as a family. We pray together and we simply manage. We also have the greatest family and friends, church family and co-workers anyone could ask for who would stop in a second to help us. So, yes our life is chaotic but LOVE carries us through it.

LOVE...the word love is mentioned 686 times in the Bible (according to biblegateway.com - I wasn't about to count them for myself). Jesus gave us two very firm commands. From the book of Matthew, 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ What more should we do than LOVE? No matter the journey each of us take. Hang on with LOVE.

Our family has chosen LOVE as our word for the year. We made no New Year's resolutions but decided to choose a word and focus on that. We will focus to LOVE God more than we ever have. And to LOVE our neighbors (that's YOU) in ways that God sees fit. Our family is expanding this year with a new baby and that baby is definitely LOVE in it's purest form. We couldn't be more happier.

I will wrap this post up by wishing each of you a year full of LOVE. May LOVE find you at every corner you turn, every face you see and may you find HIS love running over in your heart.

August, already???

It has been forever since I've posted anything. Spring and Summer became so busy for us that I neglected to post to my blog. I will be uploading photos soon. Our garden & animals have kept us busy busy. Please check back soon for some great pictures.