God is good... all the time

I am so thankful for God's mercy, that he is patient, slow to anger, and abounding in love.  My pastors wife said something last month that has stuck with me.  She said that God isn't a god of 2nd chances because we would need a 3rd and 4th..... but that God is a God of new life!  Praise God that when he saves us He changes us as well.  In my case, the process of growing more like Jesus seems very slow with many times of wondering if I am growing at all.  I am so thankful that when God sees me that he sees Jesus blood that was spilled on the cross for me and that now covers me.  My only hope is Jesus Christ!

It has been a fun couple of months regardless of the horrible weather.  My birthday was April 11th and it was a week that I was kind of down.  Clay surprised me with a birthday letter when I woke up which was enough to make my day.  However, he also added that his mom, Cooper Grandma, would be coming to watch the girls as he and I would go for a date to the Thai restaurant in Grand Island.  That was then followed up with cake and ice cream with some of our Nebraska Christian friends.  I also had my good friend Tonya bring me by a latte and my good friends Sara McCoy and her son Fynn along with Linda Peterson come over and play with the girls and I and then took us out to lunch.  It was truly the best birthday that I can remember.  Clay also surprised me with a new bible because my binding broke on my old one.  

One of the best things, in our opinion, about Nebraska Christian where Clay teaches is the International kids that live there.  We have really enjoyed spending time with them when we can.  We had the opportunity to be substitute dorm parents in the boy's dorm and then in the girl's dorm as the dorm parents took weekends off.  It was a blast and the girls did great.  We desire the dorm kids to know how much we care for them and want to share Jesus with them and see that the best way to show this is for us to spend time with them.... do life with them.  It is kinda crazy when we do this with 3 kids 2 and under but thankfully they are understanding.  

Here are a few pictures of our time.  I need to get more pictures of the International kids with us next time!

We had Cinco De Mayo at our church last Wednesday with a great meal and pinata which the girls loved!

Clay has 6.5 days left and then we are going to take a week long vacation to Kansas City.  Can't wait!

Recovery

Once again it has been months since I updated this.  Sometimes it seems overwhelming to write down everything that has happened since the last time I wrote.... so I won't write down everything but only the things that really stand out.

1.  Mabel..... what a sweet baby!  She is so happy and pretty easy going.  However, all we have to compare her to are the twins who were 3 and 4 pound premature babies.  We were first time parents and it was pretty much the first time we were around infants.  So we were pretty stressed out.  Anyway, Mabel is such a blessing.  At 7 weeks on the day, she went from sleeping 3 hours at night to 7 and has increased to 11-12 hours/night.  She even slept this well and was happy when she was sick.  Mable loves her toes.  We catch her on the monitor playing with them instead of napping.  She loves to be held, talked to, her sisters, talking, car seat toys, being played with, mommy's hair, her play mat and rice cereal which we just started, and when daddy plays guitar.

Isn't she so cute!!

 

 

2.  The 3 girls and I went to Lexington in January to celebrate my dads birthday.  It worked great since Clay had an away junior high basketball game and then had the concession stand at the next nights basketball game, since he is the junior class sponsor.  We had a lot of fun in Lexington.  We spend time with Nana and papa Jones, GG (great grandma Jones) and Zach.  We also went to a Lexington basketball game. 

with papa at work

GG

Girls love DQ star kisses!

Uncle Zach and Mabel

 





3.


















3.  February was a long month.  February 10th McKinley started acting a little funny.  Extra clingy which isn't out of the ordinary but she also wasn't eating great.  That night, Clay, the girls, Cooper Nana and I went to a eberskeeber (fried pancakes) dinner.  With McKinley in my arms I was reaching for my tray and she threw up all over both of us.  We thought "ok, thats why she was acting funny" and left it at that.  The next day she started acting sick in her chest- coughing, fever... things continued to get worse.  February 13th Mabel had a dr. visit which they diagnosed her with RSV.  I told the doctor that the twins were coughing... and he said that they had RSV as well and we would do breathing treatments for all 3 of them.  That afternoon McKinley was hot, lethargic, breathing heavy and very fast and just looked horrible.  We took her to the clinic and they sent us to the hospital because her oxygen levels were so low.  Kinley and I stayed in the hospital that night and Clay went back and forth that day and the next.  It was a bit complicated since Mabel won't take a bottle.  That was the first and only time the twins have been apart for more than a half an hour (weird!).  We were able to come home Valentines day night.  Adelain ended up having 2 ear infections and Mabel was very close to having to go into the hospital as well.  She is still on the mend.  We had both my mom and Clay's mom help for 3 days- we have the best parents ever!  We thank God for our girls health every day and don't take it for granted as much as we did before!

Cooper Nana

4.  Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn.... read it... or don't if you want to stay comfortable.  Guarantee you will be challenged.  Not only in your finances but in life in general.  Wow!  Going to be tough following the Lord in many areas of our lives.  Excited and really scared!!!  Ask us about it and we will share and it will keep us accountable!

5.  We are all excited for nice weather and time outside!  Clay has an alumni basketball tournament this weekend and then preaches at our church on palm Sunday since our pastor will be gone.  Please keep him in your prayers as he seeks Gods guidance on this.  We look forward to going to Lion King in Omaha with my parents and my sister Megan and her husband (IF Mabel will take a bottle.... working on it!), Easter in Aurora with the Mankins and a family trip to Kansas in May! 

God has been showing me how blessed I am.  There are hard days but there honestly hasn't been a day that I didn't want to be staying at home as a wife and mother.  It is a joy to be Clay's wife and Adelain, McKinley's, and Mabel's mommy.  I have the best job and family that I could ever ask for.

We are so thankful for Jesus.  Jesus is enough.  He satisfies every need and want.  He is truly life.  There is nothing that compares to the riches of Christ.  

1st Husker game!

Welcoming Mabel Elizabeth!

I need to keep this blog updated more often!  I saw that the last time I updated I was still pregnant.  Feels like so much has happened since then!

Mabel Elizabeth was born September 26th.  She weighed 7''2 and was 19 inches long.  I couldn't believe it when the doctors showed her to me.  She was HUGE... well compared to the twins she was huge!  We were so thankful to have a healthy-beautiful baby.  Mabel has been a great baby.  It took about a month before we tried to get serious about putting her on a semi-flexible schedule.  Since about week 5, she has slept an average of around 7 hours and has gone over 9 hours a few times.  A lack of sleep just seems to do something to us and therefore we are extremely thankful for that!  Mabel smiles a lot and is pretty content, except when her big sister McKinley is around.  Mabel seems to be a little scared... I dont' blame her!  The girls love Mabel, especially McKinley.  Adelain has a healthy fear of her but not McKinley.  She is getting better however.  

The addition of one new family member has been pretty stressful.  Although the twins like their sister, they also are at an age where there seems to be a lot more discipline opportunities.. ha!  It has been a challenge for us but we are trying to be more consistent in training them up!  

We went to Aurora for Thanksgiving.  That was a lot of fun.  It was Clay's mom Kathy and his sister Sara's family.  We had a feast, played some cards, and relaxed.  Since there were so many babysitters around, I even went Black Friday shopping.  Mabel didn't sleep great at grandmas so she ate at 3:45 am and I left after that.  I left Aurora around 4:30 am and was back at 10 am with all of our Christmas shopping done.  I am a bargain shopper and loved the thrill of saving money and buying gifts for other people! We were able to stay in Aurora about 3 days which was great since we will be with my family in Lexington for Christmas. 

All 3 girls are down for a nap right now so I don't have a lot of time but I wanted to put up some pictures!  

14 days left!

It has been a long time since I updated this!  We will be updating more frequently now that we have Internet at the house!

There is only 14 days till our new baby girl is due!  We have been very busy preparing for her.  We had to buy a van so we could fit 3 car seats in it and another crib.  Those were the most essential things and were still finding things that we need to get!  We have been cleaning, organizing, downsizing, and giving away a lot of things as we don't have a lot of room in our house.  We are physically ready to bring her home, but not sure about "really ready!" 

Clay started back to school and is thankful that he decided not to coach this year.  He prayed a lot about it and is really enjoying more time at home... and so are we!  Clay is a big help around the house as I am having a harder time doing things.

The girls are doing really well.  Growing like weeds and getting more fun all the time.  They enjoy going to the library and playing with toys, playing legos, putting together puzzles, reading books, eating string cheese and any time of ice cream treat, dancing, dogs and cats, hats, being outside, being with family and friends,  and really enjoy getting up from naps and laughing/talking for up to 30 minutes a day!  McKinley started calling Adelain "Aya" awhile ago because she couldn't say her name.  Adelalin was a bit confused and started calling McKinley "Aya"  as well.  So now we have 2 Aya's in the house!  It is going to be hard being away from them while were in the hospital!  

SUMMER FUN:

-We had a great time at our Jones family reunion in CO.  The entire family was there- our family of 4, my parents and brother, sister Megan and husband and 2 kids, sister Michala and husband and 3 kids, grandma, uncle Scott, aunt Starla, cousin Shawna, cousin Kelly and husband and 2 kids, aunt Sheila and uncle Kent, and cousins- Sydney and Cecily.  There was 9 kids 3 and under with 6 being twins!  We always love our time together but seemed too short!

Immediate family at reunion

 3 sets of twins!  (cousin Kelly and Marco with infant twins and in front sister Cala, Jared and twins)

Grandma with all her great-grand kids

JULY BIRTHDAY

My mom had a big birthday this summer (won't tell you which one!).  We decided to have a birthday party with some of her friends which was a lot of fun.  My dad really wanted us all to come because Elwood was having its fair which he loves to take his grand kids to.  It was a lot of fun being in Lexington with everyone!

Here's the girls at the fair- Adelain is the one that is having a lot of fun- ha!

The four of us in front of my parents house

 Hilarious!  They really all do love their grandparents! (5 of 7 crying!!!)

HUSKER GAME:

Last weekend we were able to go to the first Husker football game of the year.  We went with my dad and mom while Clays mom watched the girls.  It was kind of a last outing before the baby comes.  I had been watching the forecast for the week and the day before the game I told Clay that he should find someone to take because I thought it would be too hot to go to.  I am SO glad I did!  Clay asked Rylan our nephew and they both had a great time in the really hot stadium!  I was very content as well sitting in the air conditioned student union. 

 Clay and Rylan in front of the stadium

 Here's the girls this summer.  

McKinley REALLY loves her hats!

Here's Adelain enjoying her corn on the cob!

 

 The girls and I outside the house a week ago