Some things....

So being the Mommy I am, I had to take a picture of Delainey right after she asked Jesus into her heart :)



Other things going on.....

Well, Cait wants to walk so badly! She will let go of things and stand independently but then she will get jello legs and fall. It won't be long and then we will have a runner on our hands. She crawls really fast as is - I think we will have our work cut out for us! She has also learned to really laugh - it is hilarious! I wish I could tape it and put it on here. It is a nerdy evil laugh - you just have to hear it. She knows how to tell us no no by shaking her head no and she can shake her head for yes but she isn't telling us yes when she does it. We will ask her "How big is Caitney?" and she will put one or two arms up in the air as we say "So big!" Before we know it, she will be talking just like her siblings.

Nothing new with E. Same old little guy. He is dressing himself from head to toe now! That is a load off me - one less person to get ready in the morning! But for some reason he has an aversion to buttoning his own pants. Of course that could have something to do with him almost totally skipping the size 5 pants that I had for him and going straight into size 6.

Speaking of that, it seems like all 3 kids are moving up sizes at the same time. Lainey's pants are getting tight around the rear. So she will be moving into girls size 10. I hope she grows more length in her legs over the summer so by the time fall gets here, the 10s will fit in length. Eli, like I said, is moving into size 6 pants. Then Cait is almost totally out of 12 month clothes and into 18 months. Poor girl has no clothes! I'm glad her birthday is coming. Eli has maybe 2 pairs of pants that fit well. Lainey is doing all right thanks to the Hills :) I'm glad that spring is upon us so that atleast they will get more wear out the new or new-to-us clothes I end up buying.

Me - I don't have many clothes to wear either. Are you sure it is inappropriate to wear scrubs 24/7? I guess that is the bad thing about being pregnant or in the year after for 6 years of our 10 year marriage. I haven't stayed in the same size consistantly for over 6 months. So, I have no clothes. Honestly, my body does not want to shed the weight after pregnancy like a normal person's does. Or maybe that is what I tell myself to feel better. But I have followed the same pattern after each birth - never losing all my baby weight and then putting all the weight back on. I've been tested for diabetes and thyroid issues - all clean. Who knows. Genetics are not in my favor either. But, I have a 3 day conference coming up where I have to wear professional dress (or atleast nice dress slacks and shirt) and I have 1 dress and a pair of slacks that fit. And the slacks aren't really appropriate for spring. Oh and let's not even talk about shoes...ugh. Hate shoe shopping! What's a Mom to do when she needs clothes and so do the kids??? I guess hit up the Goodwill - if they have my size :(

I guess the point of blogging is to just think via computer. All that I have done in this post is babble randomly......

Date for the Baptism....

Delainey will be baptised this next Sunday April 7th during the 8am service at our church ( DQ First Baptist ). She went forward today at church. So anyone who wants to join us is welcome!!

Overwhelmed

That pretty much how I feel most of the time. Looking back over the past year I have had so many changes. Finished my BS degree, had a baby, worked a temp job with great people, found out my temp job was going to be permanent at the same time a job opened at SIU, got the job at SIU, began the mental shift of my former professors now being my peers and friends, attempted to adjust to 75% time work that really seems like full-time, bought a new used car, broke my elbow, cait started with ear infections, Mom broke her ankle, another ear infection for cait, Eli has strep throat, another ear infection for cait, I was sick in there somewhere, Shawn gets strep throat, Eli doesn't get rid of strep throat the first time, another ear infection for cait, numerous snow or rain days that reek havoc on my schedule at work.........wow, that is a lot.

Many of those things are minor but when they pile up on one another, it starts to take me over. It's a wonder I haven't went looney!

Then, in a month or so I will be leaving my family for a 3 day National Oral Health conference in Miami. Now, it will be nice to have a break and get some "me" time. I have never been to Florida. It is all major expenses paid so it isn't a burden financially. But, away from the kids for 3 days? I'm sure they will survive. Maybe they will appreciate me more? And lets not forget that I have only flown once in my lifetime....and it was a short flight. I don't even remember if I was nauseated or not. Should be interesting. I'm kind of nervous about that. And I'm sad that I don't get to share seeing the ocean with the kids and especially Shawn. Apparently it can be seen from my hotel. I always thought we would see that together. But, from what I understand I better get used to flying if I want a future in education - they fly everywhere for conferences! Then at the conferences I will continue on the mind-shift of seeing my former professors as my peers and friends. I will be rooming with them - how strange! I guess the idea that your teachers aren't real people extends even into college. I do know better.

Oh and lets not forget that at this conference we will be hosting a "roundtable luncheon" to talk about school based sealant programs. Yeah - never done that before. Apparently it is no big deal but that is coming from tenured profs who do similar kind of things all the time. I so do not feel like I know my stuff enough to get up there and talk. Let alone be so out of my comfort zone with the trip already. Another thing to stress about.

Yeah, those last paragraphs were very random but it felt good to get out. I'm just overwhelmed with all that plus a baby that still has an ear infection. Oh and soccer season has started back up so we will spend several nights and all Saturday mornings in Pinckneyville while both Eli and Lainey play soccer. It is great for them and we enjoy watching them. But it makes our week very hectic and is pricey with the cost of gas.

I do love my job though. It is the perfect job I never knew I wanted! My boss is great most of the time. I love the little kids we work on. The students haven't been too bad yet......well maybe one of them. The pay is ok but the benefits are awesome! I couldn't ask for better hours and the flexibility is out of this world. The fact that other than Wednesday afternoons and Thursday mornings are the only days that are set in stone is wonderful. I can come and go as I please as long as I get the 28 hours in and the work done. I am truely blessed with the job even if it takes me out of my comfort zone by making me fly.

Hmmmmm.....ok I think I am done. I do know God is in control of all this and is going to work everything out. Sometimes I guess I like to waller around in my problems like a pig in a mud puddle........

Good, bad and in between

So today was quite the day!

I took off work today so that I could take Eli and Cait to their pediatrician appointments. Eli's appointment was for a well-check and Cait's appointment was for an ear recheck. Eli's appointment went really well! He is a healthy little dude. I had forgotten all that was involved with a school physical!!! He had to have a urine test (pee in a cup - he thought that was sooooo funny!), have his finger pricked for a hemoglobin check and have a tb test. Plus, they are now requiring a second chicken pox vaccine before kindergarten so he got that too. He didn't appreciate the extra stuff that had to be done but he is alive.

Cait on the other hand still has an ear infection. We will be starting her fourth antibiotic tommorow. I went to go get it filled tonight and Kroger didn't have the medicine. So, I will have to get it filled tommorow at Walgreens. She is actually quite fussy but she also has a cough and snotty nose along with the ear infection. We go back in 3 weeks to have it rechecked.

Then this afternoon Shawn and I had a guy come from Woods Basement Systems to see about fixing our water problems. I was afraid that it would be too expensive and we would have to wait a while to do it but no! Since we already have two sump pumps, it saved us close to $2500. We are set up to have the basement fixed on May 21st & 22nd!!!! Yeah! Shawn is super pumped about it. So, next step is to start saving for carpet. Shawn wants a projector tv down there.....I really don't care what he does. I just want a place for the kids to go when they have friends over and to go in storms!

Delainey's soccer practice started tonight. She is quite more aggressive than last year. Poor little thing got a ball kicked straight into her chest. I was proud of her - it scared her and she ran to the coach and then to me. We got a drink and she got back out there to play. That is pretty tough for her. Eli has practice tommorow night - which we aren't too crazy about it being on a Wednesday. I hope he is more into the game this season. He needs to get some energy out somewhere!!!

Well, that was the day. Cait is fighting sleep and Shawn is trying to get her down. I'm ready to hit the sack!

Wonderful news!

Shawn and I have wonderful news tonight! Delainey accepted Jesus into her heart tonight!!!!

Yesterday she looked up at me anxiously during the invitation at church and said "Mommy, what do I do? What do you want me to do?" I honestly had no idea what she was talking about. Well, that was the Lord knocking on the door of her heart. But, she did calm down and went on with her day. Then tonight after before she got in the shower, she asked me when she could get baptized. I told her that we would talk with Daddy before bed. So before bed, Lainey, Shawn and I sat in the living room and Shawn led Lainey to the Lord!!! It was an awesome thing to be present while my child experienced this :)

Later I thought - "I blinked didn't I?" I blinked and my first baby girl is now old enough to understand what Christ did for us and accept Him for her own. Some of what we have instilled in her has come to fruition - not that our job is done in that regard by any means. Time sure does fly! It's bittersweet, sadly happy..........I have to be careful to enjoy the moments as they come.

An introduction :)

So this is my attempt at blogging - hahaha! I am the Mom of the File family. Shawn and I have 3 kids - Delainey, Eli, & Caitney. Shawn is a teacher, coach, and youth pastor. I am a dental hygienist and work at SIU as the manager of a school-based sealant program. Delainey is in 2nd grade. She plays piano & soccer. Eli is in pre-K and also plays soccer. Cait will be 10 months in May and well....she just plays! We are all active in our church in different ways - Shawn and I in the youth group and the kids in various children's programs. I hope to be able to use this blog to keep our friends and family up to date on what is going on with us!