Random Reflections and good pictures

This past week has been a week of reflection. So, I've had lots of random thoughts....

1. I love blogging. It's like being in therapy, or having an imaginary friend to talk to at odd hours of the night--which seem like the only hours I have for friends now, or pretending to be a writer/journalist, or just memorializing your family's life.

2. Having friends and maintaining friendships is a hard thing to do as a mother of young children, which is so ironic, because I feel like I need friends in my life now more than ever.

3. Sometimes it is great when you don't have a lot of money, because you can't help but realize how richly blessed you are with more important things--like children, family, and faith.

4. I love being married and being a part of two different extended families (really four 'extended' families). It has exposed me to so many different ways of life, and allows me to be related to a lot of wonderful people.

5. I love nursing my babies, and what a priceless and precious connection it creates with them.

6. Nursing babies is such a hard job, and sometimes it sucks! (no pun intended :)

7. This next week is a HUGELY monumental one in our Skow lives: I register my firstborn--my baby boy--for Kindergarten tomorrow. Then he will be baptized on Wednesday by his Daddy. Then we will dedicate our sweet, little baby Adelyn to the Lord and His ways on Mother's Day. Wow! Big week!!

8. God answered some major prayers for us these past few days. He provided His peace throughout a very emotional, and potentially tense, time for Dawson's family. He also gave strength to those who needed it, and joy during a time a sorrow. Thank you, Father.

9. And Final....I want to become the best version of myself. I think I've decided that I want to stop trying to "be like" other people--like have 'her' legs, or 'her' clean house, or 'her' cute hair, etc. I just want to allow God to change me to become my best self, physically, mentally, and most importantly, spiritually. Now that I've realized this, all that's left is the hard work, discipline and total surrendering to God. Geat--No problem! :)

Now for some random pictures.....

Laying in bed for story time before naps--a daily part of our routine I should remember not to take for granted


My sweet husband, leading a Skow/Leftwich/Paul family sing-a-long, part of celebrating Pawpaw's legacy


Granny and just some of the family that were enjoying the good songs, the great conversation and the healing laughter


Ellie, with one of her cousins (and current heroes) Look how happy she looks, because she's getting attention from one of the 'big girls'!


Caleb's response to "give me your 'handsome face'"

A Life Worth Remembering

Dawson's grandfather, his "Pawpaw", went home to be with Jesus last night. We are mourning our loss, but celebrating his victory. Bill Leftwich was truly an incredible and extraordinary man. He was an artist, an author, a carpenter, a true cowboy, a veteran of WWII (he was actually a tank commander on the German frontlines and full of unbelievable stories), a public speaker, a mesmerizing storyteller, a devoted Aggie, an even more devoted Christian, a man who dearly loved his family and so, so many other things. He is one of those people that you feel privileged to have known. And I did not just know him, I got to be related to him. He touched my life in many ways, and shaped our family. The world is now a dimmer place without his bright, shining light.

Enjoying Life

Dawson is back to work today, and our week of vacation with him is officially over. I'm sad that it had to end, but the week was full of fun family times. The highlights were our picnic at Somerville, play times with friends at the park, a trip to the zoo in Ft. Worth, an AMAZING dinner at the Lightcatcher Winery for Leah's (sis-in-law) birthday and then just spending time with Dawson's family in Ft. Worth. Here are some pictures from our fun times....

Some cute kids at the zoo--all saying "cheese" :)


My beautiful girl


Daddy holding Adelyn--I'm sure she loved her first visit to the zoo


Our sweet family--celebrating Leah with yummy food and good family time!

Fun in the Spring

There's nothing momentous to report. We are just chugging along, trying to stay sane. Caleb has started playing tee-ball, and we all have fun at his little games. Ellie is continuing to take her role as big sister very seriously, and insists on loving on her 'baby sisser' all day long. And Adelyn is doing well and getting fatter. She slept for 7 hours in a row on Easter night. It was our own Easter miracle, and a gift from God to me. Still hoping for a repeat performance! Dawson has been busy with church stuff, but he is taking a week of vacation next week!! I can't wait for all FIVE of us to spend some time together!
Here are some recent pictures of our fun times....

Their bountiful baskets from the egg hunt at Memaw and Pawpaw's house


Adelyn's first Easter--her only contact with the eggs this year!


My Dad with his gran-girls :)


Devil Ray #12--Ready to Rock!

The difference between #1 and #3

Birth order is a somewhat interesting topic to me. I haven't read any books on it or anything (for the most part, I don't read books on parenting or kids, I just wait for my best friend, Missy, to read them, and then give me the highlights :), but I have had several conversations with other moms about it. I don't know if I buy into the concept that your birth order defines your personality, but I can definitely see the differences in my parenting and/or caretaking of my three children.
Examples--sad, but true:
1-When Caleb was a baby, we gave him a bath almost everyday. Adelyn is lucky to get a bath once a week!
2-Also, when Caleb was a baby, I took a picture of him with every new outfit he wore. With Adelyn, I have to try to remember to take pictures of her.
3-With Caleb, I boiled everything that went into his mouth. With Adelyn, I lick everything that goes in hers, and call it good.
4-With Caleb, I was deathly afraid of blankets. I always thought blankets would somehow jump on his face and suffocate him. Adelyn safely sleeps with blankets...the kind that can't jump.
5- With Caleb, I listened to everyone's advice and tried almost every suggestion. With Adelyn, I figure out what works for us and stick to that.
6-When I nursed Caleb, I was keenly aware of my boob sticking out, and did not feel comfortable doing it most places. With Adelyn, I could care less about my boob sticking out, and I just try to not offend anybody with it.
7-Also, when I nursed Caleb, I got out of bed for every nighttime feeding, and sat on the couch while I nursed him. With Adelyn, I put her into bed with me, for at least half of her nighttime feedings, and fall asleep while doing it.
8-When Caleb was a baby, I was sleep deprived, even though I got to nap with him sometimes during the day. Now, with Adelyn, I am beyond sleep deprived, and NAPS? What are those?? :)
9-When Caleb was a baby, I would hold him for hours, and I would sometimes set him in his swing or his bouncy chair just for his own stimulation, or because I needed to cook a quick meal. With Adelyn, that poor baby practically lives in her swing and bouncy chair. I have to deliberately make time to just sit down and hold her.
10-When Caleb was a newborn, I kept wishing for him to get a little older, so he would sleep more, communicate more, etc. With Adelyn, I recognize how incredibly fast their little lives go by, and I keep wishing that she would stay a 'newborn' for as long as possible.

So many differences. Sometimes I feel like each one of my kids has a different mother. Oh well! As long as they all three have the same Almighty God that can protect and provide for them, despite their mother's deficiencies, then I think they'll turn out alright. :)

Some recent photos...

My girls with their Nonny--they love her!!


Babes in Bluebonnets


Daddy and Addie just chillin'


My adorable little tee-baller

There is no greater joy....

"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." Mark 1:17

It's the only hope and prayer that you have for your children that has eternal importance. And now, only because of God's unending and abundant grace, our prayer has been answered! This past Sunday night, my sweet Caleb prayed and asked Jesus to forgive his sins, to come live in his heart and be "his boss". :) Other than the births of my three babies, it was the most awesome moment I've had as a mom. And to God be all the glory and credit! Wow. When Caleb first starting asking about praying for "Jesus to come into his heart," Dawson and I were excited, but concerned that he was too young. We wanted him to fully understand the decision he was making, and to be able to grasp the concept of Jesus's death and resurrection. But along the way, through wise counsel and prayer, we realized that none of us fully understand the greatness of that life-changing decision, and that no one can grasp the supernatural wonder of our Savior's death and resurrection. So, on Sunday, when Caleb said he wanted to ask "the Spirit to come live inside him", Dawson and I felt so privileged to guide him through the process. To hear his precious voice pray and express what his little heart had already been feeling, it was truly like witnessing a miracle. And then after we all said 'Amen', Caleb looked down, patted his chest and said "Hi Spirit!" :)

All I can say is Praise God! and we can only hope that our other two will someday follow in his footsteps.

Showers of Blessings

It's funny how my life has been described a lot lately in terms of weather. First, there was (and still is) "the Fog" and then, the most commonly used phrase was "when it rains, it pours". This was beig used by me, and other friends and family members when they heard about the string of complications that had happened to us recently. Within the last two weeks, we have been dealing with Adelyn's terrible jaundice that has kept us in and out of the hospital and doctor's office, the sharp decline of Dawson's grandfather's health, our brakes going out on our minivan, our dryer dying and then finally, our vacuum going up in smoke. Because of these circumstances, the downpour metaphor had seemed very appropriate. In fact, I was starting to joke about, but almost believe, that God hated us, and I had begun to plead with Dawson about finding some doves and sheep to try to make a peace offering with God, so He would stop smiting us.

However, our 'down pour' has now turned from burdens to blessings. All within the past two or three days (aka-in God's perfect timing), Adelyn's jaundice has started to decline and we got a clear bill of health from the doctor, Dawson's grandfather's days here with us have extended beyond what we had thought, some dear friends offered us a free, working dryer, and then another precious friend gave us her spare vacuum cleaner!! Can you believe that? And as difficult as it has been on my pride to accept some of these generous gifts, I am incredibly grateful for all of these answered prayers. I still haven't really even had the opportunity to fully absorb the greatness of God's provision during this crazy time in our lives.

Thank you so much to all of you who have extended encouraging words, meals, offers of help and prayers toward us. All of it has meant so much to us.

In other news.....being the mother of THREE is CRAZY!!! I am overwhelmed every day, but I am trying to take it hour by hour. In the midst of the insanity though, there are many precious moments with the three angels God has blessed me with. Here are some pictures from the past few days....


My sleeping Beauty


My not-so-sleeping beauty, on her special new blanket from our beautiful friend Jen


All dressed up for our outing to the post office--they dressed themselves (Ellie obviously has her mother's fashion sense :)


Never a dull moment!


One of my new favorite activities