A Look at Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Thoughts from a Mother’s Heart

As Thanksgiving day approaches, and Facebook, blogs, and the internet becomes flooded with days of thanks, thanksgiving crafts, devotionals on thanksgiving, etc., I decided to write my own post on Thanksgiving. I could do the 30 days of thanks as many are doing, and I enjoy reading their thoughts. But God has been at work in my own life again, and I’m determined to write down my thoughts…before I forget them! J

I love Thanksgiving, enjoying time with family, feasting on a huge dinner and all the other things that go with the holiday. But as I’ve had more children, I’ve discovered that it’s easy to be thankful most of the time, but I’m not always as joyful as I should be…especially with young children. It’s hard for me to be joyful as I wake up to an overflowing toilet (“too much paper, Mommy?”), deal with children who seem to do the same thing over and over again…like wake up the baby, “She wanted to smile with me, Mommy!”, and find that someone used the shower curtain for toilet paper…always, “Not me, Mommy!”. J However, God has been working on me gently correcting my attitude, giving me numerous opportunities to share grace and teach my children. (For example, on our way to someone’s house this week, a child ended up with the dessert on his shoes and all over his pants…it was an opportunity to dig deep … and keep my mouth shut! J Sometimes, the best thing to do is to take a deep breath and say nothing (at least for the moment).

Painting!

Well, all those ramblings to say I’ve come up with a few words that go with THANKSGIVING. Please take the thoughts I've come up with the humor that I've intended to go along. I love my children, and I do love being a mom!

T-

My baking helpers!

          Teachable moments…oh how God has been working on this with me! J Before I had children, I envisioned sweet little children quietly sitting on the couch, while reading stories together. Not so much, reading time consist of usually ½ of a story while sitting under the dining room table which is made into a fort! J  I envisioned cheerful dinnertime conversations discussing how God made the world and the things He’s done for us. However, God gave me lots of boys who want to know things like, “Why did God give me boogers and why can’t I eat them?” or “Why do I need to change my underwear, they don’t have any streaks in them?” I’m learning that life is much different through the eyes of boys…but I wouldn’t change it for the world! J

          Time…I’m thankful that God gave us time…He made the sun to come up and the sun to go down. I love the hugs, kisses, “I love you” from my boys, and I’m also thankful that God gave us a time for rest at night! J

H-

          Health- It’s easy to take for granted that my children are healthy; but since sickness can take place overnight, it’s definitely something I’m thankful for on a daily basis.

          Home- I love, love the fact that we have a place to call home. I’m not always thankful or joyful about how it looks, but that’s a work in progress. J One closet will look decluttered and organized, but meanwhile the troops have emptied out the laundry baskets to make “boats”. J

          Heritage- I’m so thankful that my parents raised me in  Godly home, where Christ was King. I never want to forget that I’m so blessed to have a heritage where I never knew parents that were not saved and that our children have Grandparents who love and pray for them.

A-

          Attitude- We have a either a good attitude or a bad attitude, but I’m thankful for both. A good attitude shows me that maybe one of our children is grasping the concepts we’re trying to teach…a bad attitude shows me exactly what we need to work on-sometimes a NAP! J

N-

          Naptime- This one is at the top of my list! J While some of the boys are outgrowing nap time, I still insist on quiet time (i.e. “sanity hour”) every day.

Craft time

          Noise- Perhaps something weird to be thankful for, but in a house full of young children…usually, silence is NOT a good thing! J Generally, if I can hear them playing, I can envision what’s happening; however, when things are quiet that’s usually when drawers are being emptied, shampoo is being rubbed on the rug, or the hinges are being taken off the door! Yes, I’m very leery of silence! J

K-

          Kisses- Nothing brightens my day like getting a kiss from my children. While our lives are a work in progress, kisses remind me that these days are short!

S-

          Salvation-Oh, how I’m thankful for this one! Every morning is a reminder of how thankful I am that God saved me. God loved me enough to send His Son to die for me, and Jesus has saved me from my sins. I have admitted that I’m a sinner, believed that Jesus died for me, and confessed my sins to Him and my desire is to spend eternity singing His praises.

          Spouse- Outside of my salvation, my spouse, Roger, is next on my thankful list. While not perfectJ, he loves me, loves our children, and loves the Lord…I am blessed!

          Soap-Where would I be without this?! We go through a lot of soap here, although on occasion we do have to remind certain children to use it! J

Siblings

          Siblings-I’m thankful that God blessed us with more than one child…at least with having them close together they can always play with a different sibling if they can’t get along with one! J

G-

          Grandparents-Roger and I are both blessed to have parents that are saved. My mom has been a HUGE help to me in homeschooling the boys this year, and I am so thankful for all her time and effort.

I-

          Irritations-It is extremely easy to get irritated at the little ones in my home, (“Why did it seem like a good idea to jump out of the tree with trash bags for parachutes?!” or "Why did you use the toilet plunger on the toliet WITH the stick part?!)  but the irritations are a reminder that I have another opportunity to respond rightly! J The days are filled with teaching opportunities, and I need to see them as opportunities not irritations.

V-

          Victories-The battles that are won on the parenting front leave me with much to be thankful for every day. Sometimes, it just the child that responds politely (a work in progress!) or perhaps a bigger battle such as being kind to the annoying sibling! J We try to offer lots of praise in our home for right actions, attitudes, and responses, but it sometimes seems like we’re moving forward at an immeasurably slow speed! J Sometimes, it seems like we’re constantly fighting the same battles,(“please use your fork”, “we don’t talk about butts at the table”, “did you use soap when you showered?”)  but I have to remind myself that we’re working with a different child than last week. J

I-

          Interesting- With having four boys in four years, and then a girl, I can honestly say my life is always interesting! J I’ve never been bored, haven’t finished a book in one sitting in over three years (at least not one that’s on my reading level! J) and I’m never caught up on laundry. BUT…I laugh every day (and sometimes cry), I get hugs and kisses from little boys every day, I always have someone to read a book with or build a fort, I never wonder whether the day will be “interesting”…because it will be interesting! J

N-

          Nature-I am so thankful for the great outdoors! J We are blessed to have a great yard, and the kids go out EVERY SINGLE DAY! J They build forts, drive their daddy crazy by dragging “supplies” out of the garage J, ride bikes, climb woodpiles, throw wood in the basement, plant gardens, dig for worms, and it’s not every mom that gets to have frogs living in her camping cooler! J

G-

          Girl- Wow!  I’m so blessed to have a little girl in our house. To say she is loved would be a GROSS understatement! J She has someone kissing, touching, or in her personal space just about every waking moment! I have to put my foot down in order for her to be left alone! J Emma “Cake” (as Wyatt still calls her) made the top of the list for the boys thankful lists this year, and I’m delighted to have a little girl in our house.

Siblings

 

So, there you have it…my take on Thanksgiving this year. We are so thankful for the friends and family relationships we have and we don’t take them for granted. We are blessed beyond measure!

Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

         

Emma's Report!

Praise the Lord! We are shouting and singing the praises of our King today!

We arrived in Milwaukee about 12:00, found the Children's Hospital, grabbed a bite to eat, and arrived early for our appointment so I could nurse Emma. Our appointment was for 1:15pm., and the clinic was very prompt to call us back to the exam room right on time. The nurse weighed Emma, took her height and head measurements, and then we waited. Thankfully, we did not have to wait long!

The neurologist doctor came in asked us several questions about Emma's progress, how she ate, slept etc. Then she felt all over her head, and said that she was looking for ridges that would show the bones are fusing together. But since Emma's head is shaped right, her forehead is flat, and Emma's head is showing signs of growth, the doctor said that she believes that there is nothing to be concerned about at this time! YAY! She said that Emma has tiny and petite bone structures, and with lots of hair, it's easy to wonder if the soft spot is the way it should be at this time. Praise the Lord...it is exactly as it should be! We have no follow up visits, no future trips, and nothing that is raising concern in the doctor's eyes! We praise the Lord for answered prayer, for all of you who told us you were praying, for my parents who watched the boys, and for wonderful friends who stormed the gates of heaven on our behalf...THANK-YOU!!

On another happy note, since we were already in the Milwaukee area, we were able to visit with some dear friends. Jared and Beka Longsine have been our dear friends and graciously offered to assist in any way that they could be of help. Since the appointment was so short, we were able to meet up with them and spend some time visiting together. They thoughtfully included us on their ninth anniversary dinner, and we enjoyed visiting and fellowshipping with them. All in all, it was a wonderful day filled with rejoicing and God's blessings. Our hearts are full and overwhelmed with gratitude to the mighty God we serve! Thank-you!

Roger and Sarah

A Prayer Request for Emma Kate

We are leaving in just a few minutes to head down to a hospital in Milwaukee. At Emma’s two month checkup, the doctor was concerned that her soft spot seemed a little small for her age. So, we are going to have some tests done on her skull to make sure that her skull sutures are not closing too quickly. We would appreciate your prayers as we are treading in unfamiliar territory! Thankfully, we serve an amazing God, and our Saviour, who is never caught by surprise! Our God is a faithful God, who will never leave us nor forsake us.

Most likely, Emma will be fine and these tests are routine. But I do know that God hears the prayers of His children, so I do not hesitate to enlist the prayers of others. We will keep you all updated!

Finally...an update!

"A Surgery, A Surprise, and God's Perfect Timing"

Life Changing Events!

Our Beautiful Baby!

 

It’s been an interesting, life-changing week for the Robertson family, and it’s been exciting to see God’s hand in it all.

A few weeks ago, around July 17^th, Roger and the boys went on the Father/Son outing with several others from our church. While on the canoeing trip, Roger and the boys were playing “keep away” in the water. Roger stepped on something in the water and cut his foot with a long, deep gash. When he got home, he told me he needed a “band-aid” and I told him he needed to go to the Emergency Room to get it looked at! He did take my advice and the doctor ended up putting seven stitches in the side of his foot. He was supposed to come back in 10-14 days to get the stitches removed, so he went in on August 5^th. Meanwhile, his foot had started to swell on Sunday, and it was pretty red by the time he went in to get the stitches removed. The doctor removed two, gave him an antibiotic and said that it looked like it was getting infected and to watch it carefully. Well, by the time Tuesday afternoon came around, the redness was swelling, Roger had a low grade fever, and the foot was very swollen. He called the ER, and they said that the antibiotic should be kicking in soon, but he needed to make an appointment with the doctor for Wednesday. Since I already had a prenatal visit scheduled for Wednesday, Roger came along to my appointment. Our family doctor, my ob-gyn, and our baby delivery doctor (all one person!) took a look and said that she would schedule him an appointment with the surgeon.

Fast forward…Wednesday afternoon…the surgeon schedules Roger for 3pm. The infection was spreading quickly and the surgeon felt the need to cut it open and clean it all out before the situation turned more serious. So, off we went to the surgery department on Wednesday afternoon. My parents took the boys, and Roger was prepped for surgery. While we were in the prepping room for surgery, I could feel contractions starting! Since I had already been in on Sunday with labor pains that went nowhere, I decided not to say anything to Roger. He went in for surgery around 4pm. and the contractions were starting to increase. They weren’t necessarily getting stronger though, so I decided to walk across the street and walk on the track. After walking two miles, I thought maybe the REAL deal was on! Contractions were coming 2-3 minutes apart and they were getting uncomfortable!

I decided to call the birthing center (from the surgeon’s wing of the hospital!) After talking to the nurses there, they encouraged me to come up, especially since I tested positive for Group Strep B. So, I went to tell the surgeon’s receptionist that when Roger got done with his surgery could they please wheel him up to the Birthing Center. The look on her face was priceless!  She willingly agreed to let the surgeon know and off I waddled to the Birthing Center.

Our "Rose" among "Thorns"

I arrived about 5:30pm. with consistent, uncomfortable contractions, but I wasn’t in terrible pain yet. When the nurse checked me, I was at 3 cm and about 80% effaced. This wasn’t a huge change from Sunday, and I knew I still had a long ways to go!  I was hooked up to the monitor for about 20 minutes, but baby was doing great. I was then up and walking, bouncing gently on the birthing ball and trying to keep those contractions coming!  About 7pm. , the surgeon came up to tell me that Roger was done with surgery, but they were waiting for some of the effects of the anesthesia to wear off. He told me good luck, and said he was glad that we decided to have our baby and the surgery done at the same hospital!  Shortly after that, the nurse came back in and I was hooked back up to the monitors. The contractions were still coming, but the intensity wasn’t increasing. We discussed what to do, and then decided to go ahead and get the antibiotic going for the Group Strep B. I’m allergic to penicillin, so we couldn’t use that one. The next one they use, I have a resistance to; so I was given the third option. In went the IV, and the antibiotic started dripping into my body.

About 7:30pm., Roger arrived upstairs. It was a sight to see my big, strong husband being pushed in the room in a wheel chair!  The nurses got him situated in a chair with his leg elevated, and he was given strict instructions not to move. Technically, he wasn’t supposed to be out of the surgeons wing since he couldn’t wiggle his toes yet, but they gave him a pass since his wife was in labor.  The first thing I remember telling Roger is that my hair felt like I had lice, and my scalp was itchy!  Twenty minutes later, I was telling Roger to call for the nurse…my head, my face, my chest were breaking out in hives! YES, I was allergic to the antibiotic given for Group Strep B! So, between contractions and itching it was a miserable hour! The nurse came in and immediately turned off the antibiotic, but I had already received about 75% of the dosage. I was given Benedryl, which helped with the itching, but made me tired!  About 9pm. the doctor came in to talk to us. I wasn’t progressing as quickly as I would have liked, but I had already received 75% of the antibiotic, so we had ten hours to have a baby. Otherwise, we’d have to repeat some type of antibiotic for protection against the Group B Strep. That being said…we started on Pitocin!

Pitocin was started about 9:30pm. and I quickly became miserable! I really wanted to have this baby without an epidural, so I was determined to stick with it! The last check I had at 9:30 ish revealed that I was still at 3cm and about 90% effaced. The cervix was still too high to be comfortable breaking my water, so that’s why I was started on Pitocin. At about 11:30pm…labor was getting old fast! I wasn’t dilated too much more, but my cervix was lower, so my water was broken. That really started to increase the contractions, and the intensity was hard to take. Roger was stuck to his chair, so he felt like he wasn’t much help, but I tend to need to labor through pain on my own, so it was for the best. He was on one side of the bed in the chair, I was on the other side of the bed on the birthing ball, so we were quite the pair! 

I survived the Pitocin, contractions, and continuous monitoring of baby until about 1:30am. My body was really fighting the contractions, and I was having a hard time relaxing through them. I was convinced this baby was never coming, but since I had been on Pitocin for four hours, I thought that I had probably really advanced and how long could I possibly have left?! After the nurse checked me and told me “Well, your almost to 4cm, and almost completely effaced.” I promptly told her to please go find that epidural! (Much to my husbands relief as he was feeling helpless, the pain was intense, and he knew the epidural would at least provide some relief for me) The nurse came back and said that they would start the IV fluids, and the anesthesiologist would be up in 30 minutes…which was the longest 30 minutes of my life!

Finally, epidural was put in about 2:20am. It helped immensely, except it was only working on the right side! The contractions were hard and intense on the left side, and I was feeling every one of them! It took some time, but about 3am. I felt the left side go numb as well, and relief flooded my body.

Around 3:20am. the nurse was going to drain my bladder to see if that helped things speed up. However, when she went to do that…I was complete and ready to push! She then told me not to push, she was going to get the doctor! Yay…finally! J Even with the epidural, once I sat up, I could feel the pressure to push. Thankfully, the doctor was ready, and after about 3 pushes…baby Robertson came into the world! J She was tiny, petite, and priceless…and a complete shock! The whole room erupted with squeals of delight as her identity was revealed. Roger had already known…since the ultrasound!...but managed to keep it a secret for 18 weeks! I had no idea, and promptly told the doctor, “I didn’t know we could make girls!”

Emma Kate Robertson...at nine hours old.

We had no ideas on names, but she didn’t mind!  She weighed in at 6 lbs. 7 oz. and 19 inches long. We did decide to name her, Emma Kate, to which Wyatt calls her “Emma Cake”.

In and through it all, God’s perfect timing has been amazing! Going into labor while Roger was in surgery was an unusual and unique experience for us both. Roger said the first things he remembers after surgery is being shaken gently and told, “Your wife is up in the birthing center, she’s in labor.” But he wasn’t coherent enough to care at the moment, so when he woke up again, he was in a different room. He was wondering if he dreamt the whole thing, when the nurse came in to confirm where I was and that “no, you can’t go up until at least some of the medication wears off.” Thankfully, he didn’t miss the important and exciting part, but in God allowing us to have Emma on Thursday, Roger was able to have off Thursday and Friday to rest his foot …praise the Lord! We are truly blessed beyond measure!

Travis has adjusted to loving his sister...even though it's not a
puppy like he requested!

The boys adore their little sister and she receives more love than she could possibly know what to do with! We are absolutely delighted with our little girl, and as tired as I am, I wouldn’t trade these moments for anything! I could do without the fatigue, tears, and emotions…but it requires me to depend on God for every source of grace He gives.

Roger’s mom has been able to come for a few days and help out, which has been a huge delight to my heart. The boys are adapting well, but our family is going through transition, so prayers are appreciated!



Much Love!

I run...I walk...I waddle!

 

Tomorrow marks the 38^th week of being pregnant, and I’ll admit that I’m ready to be done! The latest of my babies so far came at 38 weeks and 3 days, so it’s looking like this one will take the cake for the latest baby!

My children are growing impatient and asking every day if the baby is coming out soon. I usually reply, “I don’t know.” Garett told me the other day “Mom, maybe it’s a girl baby and she can’t find her way out!” I was like, “WHAT?” But I think in his mind, he was thinking that we only have boys and they’ve all managed to find their way out, so maybe it’s a girl baby! J WOW! The way kids think amazes me…and amuses me! J

Several people have mentioned to me that sometimes walking will help you go into labor. I was complaining to Roger that I was a little tired of hearing that so he challenged me to add up all the miles I’ve accumulated since becoming pregnant. I really only have a record since February because we weren’t able to record miles in Alaska. But since returning back to the lower 48 states in February, I’ve accumulated over 400 miles of running, walking, aerobics , or biking miles…needless to say, I don’t think I’m going to put myself in labor by walking! J

I did decide to give up running at week 33 ½ simply because I was giving myself contractions and didn’t want to go into labor. I’ve continued to walk, averaging about 15 miles a week, and now I’m into waddling! J My pace has slowed down, my bladder is getting stepped on, and my endurance is lower, so I’m hoping baby decides to come soon! J

This pregnancy has been different from the others in the fact that, well, it’s been almost three years since the last baby! J Secondly, I’ve worked harder at exercising, not that it seems to have helped the scale much! L Thirdly, the boys are all older now, so I have daily inquires about my belly, the baby, and WHEN! J

We are so looking forward to meeting this little one, and we praise God for the blessing of new life. I’m overwhelmed with the challenges of facing a first-grader, a kindergartner, two preschoolers, and an infant, but I’m confident that God will give grace for every moment. It’s getting hard to be patient, but I do love soaking up the memories of the four boys knowing that these moments are passing by all too quickly! So, I covet your prayers for a safe delivery, a healthy baby, and a quick adjustment to a family of seven…wow! J

37 weeks and 2 days

A Holiday, a funeral, a “vacation”, and home on the horizon!

 

My Little Boys!

It doesn’t even seem possible, but a little over a week ago, I was sitting at our kitchen table discussing the events of the Fourth of July. Roger and I were planning out the activities for the day, when my mom called. My Papaw had passed away and the family was preparing for the funeral, which was to be held in North Carolina. Roger and I had to make the decision about whether or not we were going to try to attend. I didn’t feel up to the task of driving 17 hours at 34 weeks pregnant with four small children, so after praying about it, we decided to see about a plane ticket for Roger. He would get a round trip ticket from Charlotte, NC. To Milwaukee, WI.  Since Roger can’t miss any work right now, we needed a ticket that would allow him to drive me and the kids down to N.C. and then he could fly back for work. The following Saturday, 7/13, to drive us all back home again. I was a little skeptical that we would be able to find a ticket in our price range with only a two day window, but God provided!



Jet Skiing!

We went about our plans for the Fourth, attending the parade, picnicking at a friend’s house, and then moving on to a cookout with fireworks! What a day! My parents were planning to leave on Thursday afternoon, and they called to ask if some of the boys wanted to leave with them. Wyatt and Garett decided to go with Nana and Papa, and the other two boys would come with us.

Fishing

Friday, 7/5 was a circus day with running around to complete errands, clean out the truck, gather snacks, finish laundry, and try to get ready to leave by the time Roger finished up with work …a huge task! We did manage to pull out of our driveway headed to North Carolina at 5:30pm. Roger and I were already tired, but we knew we needed to get some of the many hours out of the way. We made it until 12:00am. before stopping for the night outside of Indianapolis. We were up and on the road again at 6:30am., so the night was short! We did make good time to North Carolina and pulled into the driveway of the funeral home, about 10 minutes before the wake was to start. I’m thankful that God allowed us to make it there safely and in good time.



Slip n slide!

 We visited with family for a bit, and then headed to the lake house. This was the home of my Papaw, so I had some memories from years past at the lake. We stayed up late talking, and then Roger and I had to get up early to take him to the airport on Sunday. My parents brought the boys to church with them, so at least I didn’t have to get them up early to come along to the airport. I and the boys, along with my parents attended my sister’s church and then needed to leave immediately after to get to the funeral on time.  I had been having contractions on and off all morning and by the time we arrived at the funeral, I was starting to get a little nervous! I had been having on and off contractions for about four hours, and was starting to think about what I was going to do if this was for real! I knew that I was probably over stressed, dehydrated, and hungry! J Thankfully, we survived the funeral, the graveside service, and then got to eat the luncheon! J After lunch, I did start to feel much better and the contractions stopped…praise the Lord! We went to my Aunt Lisa’s house and spent the afternoon swimming and relaxing.

Fishing

The boys have completely enjoyed their visit here to the South, and other than missing Daddy, they have no complaints! J They’ve been jet-skiing, boating, water tubing, fishing, swimming, and lots of fun in the sun! J This mama, on the other hand, is looking forward to going home! J I love my husband and praise God for him! I’m thankful that my parents were there for a good part of the week and willing to help out, along with my sisters; but, it’s hard being a single parent (and 34 weeks pregnant!).  I’m still the one who has to put them to bed, get up with them at night, discipline, and correct, and try to have endless amounts of patience…so yes, I’m ready to go home! J

Papa fishing with the boys

My Papaw was extremely helpful in allowing me to complete my college degree, he loved the great- grand kids, and I’m thankful that God placed him in my life. He had been in poor health for the last several years, so it wasn’t a huge surprise that he passed away; but, I treasure the memories I have with him. I’m thankful for the opportunities that I and others had to present him with the plan of salvation. I rejoice in the fact that God allowed him to live for so many long years and for his love for his family and his service to our country. While I will miss him, I’m glad that he is not in pain any longer. My heart’s desire is to see him again in Heaven.

Garett's fish

 

Pictures!

June Activities…in a nutshell! J

It would be absolutely impossible to fill in all the cracks in the last month, so I’m going to stick to mostly pictures! To give you the gist…we finished up speech lessons for Wyatt, 4K for Chandler, participated and helped in Vacation Bible School, enjoyed a visit from an Alaskan friend, canoed, camped, visited a little amusement park, took a trip to the zoo, went strawberry picking, hosted a college/career activity, numerous swimming activities, and a host of other daily events.

 I’m continuing to grow with baby Robertson J, and everything seems to be on track. The other day I commented that the baby must be sitting on my bladder, and a few moments later Wyatt stated that his “ladder” was full too! J

The days are very full, and summer is relatively short, so we are working to enjoy the moments to the fullest; and we are never bored! J

Boys and water!

Garett and Travis

More water!

Waiting for the ride

Our trip to Bay Beach

Wyatt having fun

The boys

Yeah, more water

Two little boys

Volcano project

The little strawberry picker

Our boys

The Strawberry picking crew

Successful picking

32 weeks!