How I love being a mama!

So today I walk into my living room to find my 3 babies sitting together and playing so happily! I wanted to cry lol. It was so precious to see my girls sitting there building stuff for AJ to knock down joyously and getting the ball for him every time he rolled it under the couch. I love how much they love each other and how they take care of the other. I can only imagine, if I feel such utter contentment and joy at seeing them be good to one another, how God feels to see us offer a box of groceries or a simple hug to a sister/brother in need. It makes me want to be the daughter God wants! I love learning more about God as I watch my babies learn and grow. I'm so blessed!

My monkey girls have a birthday!

Tati at 3 weeks
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I think she was 2 here...
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Bunni at birth

1st birthday...


My little girls keep growing and it feels like since they were born time is in fast forward mode! Does it seem like that to anyone else? I blinked and the little newborns I had in my belly turned 4 and 2! They are so precious and such blessings as daughters. They love and take care of each other, sure they fight and Bunni tends to beat up on Tati a bit but don't let anyone else try to take something from one of them because the other one will be there to defend her in an instant! What a blessing it has been to see them grow and be the chosen parents to help mold these children into the people that God will use. I feel so privaliged to have my babies, Mother's day is a day to glory in my babies. I now know why mom's should be recognized, sleepless nights and sitting by sick babies and offering up endless prayers requesting wisdom to love them. Here are some pictures of their beautiful faces!
Our family at 6 1/2 years

So I got my rebate!

I'm so excited! The rebate for diapers.com worked and I got my rebate last week. I even took a pic of the check (I know I'm goofy). I got 3 brand new bum geniuses 3.0 one size diapers for $28 and change, that's less than $10 dollars per dipe when they are usually almost $18 each! If you're intrested in getting almost $25 off your first order at diapers.com here is the info (there are stipulations on some items). They have all kinds of stuff from dipes (cloth and disposeables) and accessories to carseats and gear! Free shipping on orders over $49!

You must be a new customer to diapers.com for this deal to work.


1. Sign up for a new diapers.com account.


2. Pick out what you want. You will need $49 in diapers!


3. Use the code TANI5948 to get $10 off your order plus free shipping (this is also a referral code).


4. Fill out that form to get your money back for the parenting magazine subscription, put it in an envelope, stamp the envelope and set it in a location where it will not get lost! (You will add your invoice to the envelope when your delivery arrives)
Here is a link to the rebate form if you missed it!
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2.../Picture15.png
It's a PDF file for you to print. It has instructions on the form.


5. When you get your order, take the invoice out, put it in the envelope, mail it. You will get $14.97 back via a snail mail rebate.


Your total after rebates for a $49 order will be $23.64!

***there is even a way to use your manufacturer's coupons!

Diapers.com sells diaper, clothes, maternity, food, and more so there are so many possibilities! Don't forget to put the code TANI5948 ;)


Now I'm trying to build up my referral credits to get a good double umbrella stroller, I'll let you know how it goes but you can help me by ordering!

What if this were the last memory?

Lately I've caught myself so busy or tired as I put my babies in car seats or to bed that I'm in a hurry to get it done and can just want them to sit and let me strap them in or sneak out without having to sit and read. Its something that has grieved my heart. Lately I believe that God has been nudging me with the question, "What if this were the last memory?" It brings tears of shame to my eyes to think that if something happened and my Father called me home I would stand before Him knowing that my babies' last memory of me is a rushed frazzled mama telling them to just sit still or giving them a few quick kisses and groaning at their request for me to read or even worse to pray with them. The vice verse of the situation is terrible too. How awful to think that I want them to serve God so much but can feel that there is anything that could require my attention more at that moment than showing them that nothing holds more value than spending time with them in the presence of our Father!
As the Lord has brought it to my attention I catch myself putting them in their seats or any other routine in our day as times that I should lavish kisses and words of life to my precious children. Tati is going through a stage, that started about a week ago, where she follows me everywhere, and I mean everywhere! She is literally my shadow. If I'm brushing my teeth she is sitting on the counter next to the sink, if I'm nursing she figures the best way to tuck herself close to AJ and me, if I'm working in the kitchen it takes a second before you hear a chair dragging to position herself next to me. After 2 days of this I finally asked her, "Tati, what are you doing?" She looked at me with eyes so full of love and admiration that I could never begin to deserve and said, "Mama, I just want to stay close to you." How can I ever live to deserve such love? I didn't know what to respond, she made me cry.
Although its embarrassing to admit how terrible I am (lol) I know that God is working in me to give me the heart that I want for my children, they are my treasures, the only eternal rewards I possess on earth now. So now when Bethani is wiggling in her car seat and laughing that I can't buckle her instead of looking at my watch, I look into her joyous eyes that are so full of life and laughter, and when Tati is literally on me, I look at the deep love and devotion in her that I should feel for God, and when AJ wakes up at 3 in the morning, I look into his eyes that are so sweet in gratitude and humility that they are mine and for only a short time so I'm not going to take them for granted.
Today I was introduced to Maddie, a little girl that was loved in the short time her parents had her for and will always be loved in her abscense from them. Her parents made a speech for March of dimes and here is a paragraph that touched my heart with what God has been working in me: "Because her lungs were so premature, she required multiple breathing treatments per day, and often needed supplemental oxygen when she was sleeping. To Madeline, these were just minor inconveniences on her way to conquering the world. Her father and I felt blessed every day to have such a smart, loving, beautiful baby. We often would look at each other over her curly head and wonder how we got so lucky. Often, I would remember the day that my OB/GYN told me I would miscarry her. We never took our daughter for granted." I hope that you will read their story and be impacted to pray for them and love your babies like never before, you can find their speech at http://thespohrsaremultiplying.com/2009/04/march-for-babies-speech-2/
Blessings and thank you for allowing my honesty and shame, I refuse to hide what God is working in me shameful as it may be for me :)

Another GroBaby giveaway!

AAAHHH!!! The Cloth Diaper Whisperer has a Gro Baby giveaway too!!! They have some of the best prizes this week is their Fluff Fridays Week 26 and they are giving away a GroBaby System Sample Kit, which includes (2-Gro Baby Shells with 2 snapa in soaker and 2 boosters and 1-Gro Bab Snap-in soakers 2pk) PLUS ONE-Magic Stick Diaper Ointment . I've been entering their giveaways and losing a bit of heart but I have nothing to lose huh? I hope I win, you can enter too! http://www.theclothdiaperwhisperer.com/2009/04/fluff-fridays-week-26.html

The diaper I want to try!

Since I started looking at building my stash for AJ I've been looking for dipes he can share with Bunni since she is still not getting the potty training as much as she wants to, and because it makes more sense to me to get him diapers he'll use until he potty trains also. Well since I had to buy them in January after he was born and Gro Baby wasn't out until the end of March - early April, I haven't been able to try one and really want to.
My stash isn't extravagant but is totally functional, I have bleached and unbleached Chinese prefolds (PFs) and Wonder Wrap covers in kiwi and mandarin, a Thisrties cover in small and one in medium, and 3 obe size Bum Geniuse (BGs) pocket dipes. I am so excited because I entered a Gro Baby giveaway (I haven't had much luck in giveaways but who says I can't win one!) on www.snootybootydiapers.com. Check them out for your chance to try!
I am also going to start reviewing some (WAHM items on my page and letting you know some awsome sources for cloth diapering, baby, children, and momma items; and other items that will help you be a bit greener! Please subscribe to our blog if you're interested in learning about my new ventures in this area.
I really love cloth diapering, it feels so good to know that my little ones are getting less rashes and good items that save us money and help lessen waste. We are trying our best to be wise with what God gives us and feel that for us this is a really good start! Blessings and hope to hear from all of you!

Easter

Tati keeps bringing up Jesus to me these past few days all the time. It puts a smile on my face that my little girl keeps thinking of Him and as she says, "He died on the tree," and waits for me to tell her, "for you and for me." She then proceeds to list off all the other people Christ died for that she can think of, sometimes it gets long but every time it warms me and I can only imagine the pleasure it brings our Father in heaven. We haven't taught or even told our kids about the Easter rabbit or Santa really, I think that looking for eggs is just a special activity that has nothing to do with the day. Not because we think that its terrible to do so, but because we are convicted in our heart that they first come to know the meaning of the day. That at Christmas they know that the celebration isn't for Santa or in the expecting of gifts but that God sent us the Savior He had chosen for us long before to come in the humblest way. At Easter we want our focus to be the cross that Christ bore for us to redeem us of our sin and brings us boldly into the precense of God. We want for them to know that our Savior did pay the price and then conquered death on the 3rd day when Jesus Christ ROSE from the dead!!! He defeated Satan and the grip that he once had over us is now gone because of our beautiful Savior. How amazing to have a Father who may hold back on things we want and think we need but always provides in the most amzing way. If He gave his most precious son, what can I think that I'll lack that He won't provide?
I pray that your day be filled with the knowlege of a Father who loves you with extravagance and Son that bore our sorrows not so we cold hide it in shame but so that we could wear our forgiveness as the crown that it is and the powerful testimony of God's faithfulness! Happy ressurection day! Blessings!