Life is Precious....

I sit here tonight so thankful I have my sweet Sebastian, nursing as I type. Between nursing he now slides down from my lap and toddles around my chair....

A year ago I was struggling nursing a preemie...born at 34 weeks...http://lisaolschewske.blogspot.com/search/label/Birth%20Stories

However across the country another baby was struggling to read here: http://godscanvas.wordpress.com/2009/07/30/fiat/ a family so similar to mine...Catholic, homeschooling and military. Little did I know how much we have in common, we know several of the same families back in Georgia and a few special priests (Fr Kevin Peek and Fr Joe Peek) yet we have never met or ever spoke to one another.
Yet I feel such a connection and such sorrow for this family. I came across their blog one day while I was searching for other military, catholic, homeschool familes...their blog popped up and I began to follow it. What a small world.....
I pray for this family very often. I am so thankful my baby came home with us...Every life is precious no matter how long they are with us. I have four souls in heaven praying for us one of these souls was also miscarried on May 5 1999 (Sebastian was born May 5, 2009)....some day I hope to meet those sweet babies I never held, that I never nursed. For  they are with Our Father in heaven....

Mommy doing Kangaroo care

Sebastian grasping daddy's finger

Ansely at Camp Timpoochie "Operation Military Kids"

So this week has been so quiet at our house....Why? well we are minus two of our children. Tatiana is on her second week away from home up in Georgia at our dear friend's home Erika aka Agape Acres here you can see a little of what she has been  up too :http://agapeacres.blogspot.com/2010/07/summertime-bloomers.html

Ansely is away at Camp Timpoochie this week, a special camp put on by Our military kids. You can see what they are up to here: http://camptimpoochee2010.blogspot.com/. A camp for children with a mom or dad deployed. I am told she is doing great. Ansely is at the camp for ages 8-13 even though she is 14 because I did not want her exposed to a bunch of older kids yet  (gotta keep them pure as long as I can)
She has been more of a "councilor" I have been told and they are begging me to let her come back next year as a 'camp councilor' . Here are couple of pictures I have found so far of her at the Camp Blog!




Ansely help fold the 4-H flag

Ansely with her cabinmates

Awesome Archery A

 

Ansely touching a rattlesnake!

WWMD? Mothering and the Gospel reading, July 18, 2010

The Gospel for Today is Luke 10:38-42


Jesus entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
"Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me."


The Lord said to her in reply,


"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her."

WWMD?? (what would mary do)

I know I do not always share the Gospel readings but since I sadly had to miss Mass today due to my baby having a fever all day, and myself not feeling well I needed to take time and read and ponder the readings.

Im not a scholar by any means but God did make me a very intune attached momma. As I read the Gospel at first all could do was chuckle...because my oldest daughter Dehvin is an amazing teen that loves to help me. She is the firstborn, the mother hen so to speak. Not that the other children are any less helpers ...my point well she is the one always scurrying around cleaning....and she will say to her siblings or esp to me so and so is not helping mom are you going to do anything...Of course I do ..

But taking this reading more to heart :

"There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her."

Mary chose to sit and listen to Jesus...

I chose to follow my God given instincts and nurse my babies, to wear my babies/toddlers...no one can take that away from me. If every mom would follow her heart, her instincts that God gave to us, and stay attached to their babies , would' nt the world be so much better?

To me  the most important thing is nursing and loving our babies, the house can wait, the cleaning can wait the world can wait..Sit, listen, read, love your children...they will be only little once..

The picture above is me holding Sebastian in the sling like I do everyday....what a beautiful thing! So when I attend to the house, dinner or reading to the children, I do so with my baby close to me...

Have a Blessed week ahead.....

Raw Berry Crisp

As many of you know I love raw foods and try to come up with new things but never have time. Here is a creation that is super yummy!

Raw Berry Crisp

6 cups mixed berries, such as blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and sliced strawberries


1 tablespoon Raw Agave , more or less to taste depending on sweetness of berries

1/4 cup raw pecans

1 cup raw walnuts

1/2 cup pitted dates, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

In a (7- x 11-inch) dish, toss berries with Agave. Put pecans, walnuts, dates and cinnamon into a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Scatter nut mixture over berries and serve immediately, or chill until ready to serve.

Our last Summer fun with Daddy

July 8-10 2010

We enjoyed every minute of Ryan being home on leave. I tried to make it as memorable as I could. We cooked out, played games, went to the pool, the beach, and went Kayaking at the salt run. Even did some fishing...But nothing was caught. But we had so much fun together as a family.

Ryan actually got to fish

I am in the Kayak with Felicity

Dehvin

Tatiana

Ansely

Ryan, Ethan and Tat

Felicity

Sebastian

July 4th 2010

I am so thankful Ryan was home for the 4th of July! This year we went to the beach so the fireworks would not be too loud for Sebastian. We could see  fireworks from all over the area at the beach. Ryan helped the kids chase ghost crabs and we played tag...

Ghost Crab

Here they are looking at tiny sand fleas (what we call them )

they were glowing in the dark

Love that Ethan's face

Walk for Our Troops, July 3 2010

July 3, 2010
We have been really enjoying being together as a family again. I thank God for this time together. We had a local event on July 3 that honored two soldiers/families that were home on leave.

One was ours at this first Walk for troops event. I also donated blood for the first time since I was 17! This is a HUGE thing for me, those that know me know how much I HATE needles. IT felt good knowing I was saving three other lives and the LEAST I could since my husband said I should ...joking
Here is a link to the local paper we were in :
http://spotted.staugustine.com/galleries/331163/

Ryan Holding Felicity

Alligator Farm visit

June 29, 2010

We went to the Alligator Farm today. IT was hot and humid but we did not care. We were there a short time but will go again as a family I hope since we have a family membership.

Alligator Farm June 29, 2010

Ryan with the children..

Lisa with the children

Ryan and I with my little marsupial ;)

Big Alligator waiting for a bird

Tatiana and Felicity (love that look)

Close up of my flowers

Flowers say so much

Ryan surprised me with flowers. I have not had flowers in years....I feel so loved. I am enjoying every minute of being a family again.

Waiting for Daddy

Daddy came home on leave June 25. We all went to the gate this time to meet him as his got off the plane. The flight was delayed and it was interesting being a the airport gate with 6 children. The looks from people were funny I bet they were in fear all these children were flying with them.
I think they figured it out though since the children carried American flags and were wearing patriotic dresses.
We saw the plane land I already had tears of joy watching the plane approach.

Me with my dear husband, I love you so much

Daddy and our children

Daddy kisses Sebastian and he did not cry

Felicity hugs daddy very tight

Sebastian woke up hearing the kids screaming "daddy is here"

The children are so excited as the plane approaches

Here comes the plane