9 months old....

It was 90 degrees outside the last time I blogged. The month we said goodbye to our first house and hello to neighborhood life. Moving is seriously hard work. Physically and emotionally. I have come to terms with the fact that we may never completely unpack. There are things that I have no room for in our house, yet I cannot bring myself to throw away.
The babes are growing up before my eyes. I can't believe Manning is halfway through the first grade. Or that today Ruby Kate is 9 months old.

Time passes so quickly in the world of babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and children. This is the first time we have had a child in each stage. God is teaching us a lot in this season. We do not have all the answers. We must cry out to Him and constantly seek His instruction as we parent these four.

"Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:12-13

They make me laugh. They bring me to tears. They teach me every single day. Our lives are so full.
Thank you, Jesus, for these precious treasures.

Happy 9 months, Ruby Kate! We love you so much and praise God for you!

 

Bachelor Pad Goodbyes

I heard the song "Strawberry Wine" on the radio the other day and was amazed when I realized I remembered every line. I did a little research and realized that this song was released in August 1996. 18 years ago. I can vividly recall singing "I still remember when 30 was old." At 14, thirty sounded ancient. If only I knew then what I know now. For starters, 30 is not old.
Time passes so quickly. Days fly by and years go by in the blink of an eye. Kevin built our house 11 years ago as his bachelor pad. I am sure God chuckled at Kevin's plan when he allowed us to meet the following year.  We married two years after the creation of the "bachelor pad." Together we have been here a little over 9 years. We have brought 4 of the most precious blessings home here. This house has watched 1 single man become a family of 6.
And tonight we sleep here for the last time.
We officially move into our new house tomorrow.
Excitement and sadness mingle as we close this chapter and begin a new journey.  Tomorrow we focus on getting settled in the new house that holds our future. But today we hold tightly to the past. Thank you little house in the country for all the sweet memories.

Sibling Rivalry

I never had a sibling. (Not from a lack of asking begging on my part.) Since I was my parent's only child, I knew little about sibling rivalry. Boy, am I catching up on lost time and learning ALL about it.

These two oldest of ours fight like there is no tomorrow. I spend half my time feeling like a judge in a courtroom deciding who is to blame. The rest of the time I am a referee in a boxing match. Until I surrender, throw my hands up, and let them battle it out. They argue about everything. Who has more. Who has less. That is mine. No, it's mine. I had it first. He hit me. It goes on and on. At the very best, everything is a competition. At the worst, it's an all out war. No one is innocent. They are equally guilty in the matter of brother vs. brother.
The craziest part is that they love each other so much. If one gets a treat, they immediately ask if the other one can have one too. They defend each other and play so well together (when they want to.)
I need some tactics to help both them get along and me to effectively manage their disagreements.

What's your opinion:

What are some ways you help your children work things out when they argue?

Are certain ages more likely to fight?

Do same gender or opposite gender siblings fuss more?

Doing better

I promised myself I would do better with my blogging this year. We are over half way in and so far I am failing! It is so easy to neglect. It is so easy to think I will always be able to remember these days. The little things that make this season so special. But I won't. I won't remember the thoughtful comments of my first born, the deep belly laughs of the second, the squeal of the third when he sees me, or the soft breath of the newborn as she falls asleep on my chest. This time is fleeting and I never want to forget the joy I feel right now. So I commit to doing better at documenting. Even in the midst of moving. Yes- I said it. We are moving!
We close next Friday on both our house and the house we are buying. It is a true adventure to pack up an entire house with the help of these four little people. As sad as I am about leaving this house, I am so excited about being closer to town. I love our house and the time we have shared here. However, no matter how many memories these walls hold for us, this structure is not home.

 

This is home.

These 5 people.

No matter the place. As long as I am with them I am at home.

So thankful that God gave me each of them.

 

“I don't care if we have our house, or a cliff ledge, or a cardboard box. Home is wherever we all are, together,”   - James Patterson

 

 



 

Keeping it Real

Life with 4 kids is busy and chaotic. But so much fun. They make us laugh, keep us young, and remind us to keep it real. We have only been a family of 6 for two weeks but I have already learned some lessons on our new reality.

1. 60% of my house is clean and clutter-free. Don't ask to see the other 40% for at least the next 10 years. There will be a time in my life when everything is in it's place. Now is NOT that season. I am working hard to be ok with this. I like things neat. I enjoy vacuuming. However, organizing a play-room is absolutely futile in my world. I have seriously considered taking our clothes to the laundromat. The idea of having multiple loads of laundry washing and drying at the same time is hard to resist. I am learning to deal with the idea that I will always be 5 loads behind.

2. 3 floor length mirrors + a badly lit dressing room + a 2 week postpartum body = A BAD idea
If you ever consider doing this, let me give you some sound advice. (Yes, I did this. Lesson learned.) You do not need new jeans. You definitely do not need a new bathing suit- even if you plan to go to the beach in the next month. Wear a cover-up. Wear sweat pants. But for goodness sake- Do not try on bathing suits 2 weeks after delivery especially in front of mirrors that allow you to see yourself from every angle.

3. The best way for my husband to express his love is by changing the middle of the night diaper. It's the little things.

4. We have the best family and friends. They rock. They have shown us so much love and support over the last few weeks. They have brought food, watched our kids, and kept us company. God did not mean for us to do this life alone and we are so thankful for the people He has given us.

5. I could not be any happier. There is absolutely nothing that could be better than this life.

Pop tart Kisses

We are all in love with this little girl. She has stolen our hearts. Every single one of us. She is such a sweet baby and has brought so much joy into our lives.

I am incredibly thankful that God gave us Ruby Kate. She is a daughter of the King and I praise Him for her. I am so grateful that I get to be her momma.

I never think I can love my husband anymore and then we have a baby. Again and again, I fall deeper in love with this man as I watch him with our babies. He is smitten with baby girl. Over protective. Madly in love. It makes me that much more crazy about him. 

I was slightly concerned about bringing a new baby into our world of rough and tough boys. I quickly found I had absolutely no reason to worry. Our boys love their sister and are so amazingly good with her. Even tiniest boy, who I did not know had a gentle bone in his body, is careful with Ruby Kate. He is quick to put her pacifier in when she cries and is so attentive to her needs.

Manning asked me everyday for months when I was going to have Ruby Kate and he was beside himself with excitement the day she was born. His teacher told me that he journals about her all the time!

Of the three, Myers is the most "into" his baby sister. He constantly helps me take care of her and always wants to hold her. Just this morning, as soon as he finished breakfast, he asked to hold her. As I laid her in his lap, he covered her face with kisses. A few minutes later, I noticed she had pop tart crumbs all over her forehead. Sweet boy left evidence of his love.

We are so incredibly blessed with the gift of our 4 children. God is so good. So faithful.

Counting days

 

39 weeks 2 days. I cannot believe she's almost here. I am at the point where complete strangers ask how much longer I have and my husband teases me about my sausage-like toes. I have 3 friends who were due the same week as me. I am the last man standing. The only one still pregnant. I tend to always win the "who can stay pregnant the longest" contest. My body seems to like being in the state of pregnancy. I do not take this for granted. I am so thankful that we conceive easily and carry to term. The other night as we watched her squirm in my belly, Kevin commented, "She looks uncomfortable in there." To which I exclaimed, "She looks uncomfortable? What about me?" Just like my last 2 pregnancies, I have gained between 40 and 50 lbs. Ok- so this time it is a little closer to 50. (With Manning, I only gained 28lbs and he weighed 7lbs 8oz. By far, my smallest baby.) I have an ultrasound on Tuesday, to determine an estimated fetal weight. I look forward to seeing what size she measures, although I know these ultrasounds are not always 100% accurate. I feel pretty confident that my dr. could simply write: BIG in the blank for estimated fetal weight. She feels like my biggest baby yet and Myers was 8lbs 14 ounces so I know what big feels like.

If she has not arrived by Thursday- that will be induction day. March 20th sounds like a great day to have a baby, doesn't it?

People ask me if I still get nervous about labor and delivery. The simple answer- YES! I think I could do this 10 times and I would still be a little apprehensive about the process. I told someone the other day that having a baby is a lot like knowing you have to stump your toe tomorrow but afterwards someone is going to give you a $100. (Yes, I am way more excited about having my baby than getting $100 and I realize that stumping your toe in no way compares to the pain of delivery) But you see my point. I know the pain of childbirth, but I also know the complete and utter joy of new life.

 

 

          Almost 6 years ago,  we experienced this for the first time. Manning Ryan made us parents and changed our world forever.

 

 

 

 

Kevin and I look like babies ourselves.

 

 

 

22 months later we welcomed Myers Wilson. Proof that your heart can double in an instant. There is room to love two in just the same way.

 
We induced at exactly 39 weeks with Myers and I am glad we did. He was a BIG guy. His momma might not should have eaten ice cream everyday. We laugh about his size at birth because now he is so small.

 

 

21 months later we met this little guy- McCann Riggs stole our hearts from the moment he entered this world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am hoping the next time I post, it will be filled with pictures of our sweet girl. Please pray that we have an easy labor and delivery and most importantly that Ruby Kate will be healthy.

"For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well." Psalm 139:13-15

 

 

 

 

  

 

Her nursery is complete.....

With 2 weeks left to spare, Kevin and I finished Miss Ruby Kate's room. This project was a true labor of love. (With the majority of the labor part falling on Kevin.) On September 26, 2013, when they told us that our fourth child would be a girl, I immediately started envisioning what I wanted to do with the nursery. The room that has been dedicated to trucks, boats, and balls for the last 6 years. No more! It is all pink and frills! The transformation is crazy and it turned out just the way I had hoped.....now all we need is our little girl!

 

Wall above her crib

 

 

 

My favorite corner

 

 

Tiny, silver tutu

 

 

Her dresser

 

 

 

My momma's baby picture

 

 

 



Monogram above her crib

 

 

 



 

Love, love, love this bird mobile! So delicate and feminine.

 

 



 

Curtains and toy box....I just realized I didn't take a picture of the crib but this is her bedding too!

 

 

 

So loved...

 

 

That's all for the nursery but I just heard the UPS truck pull up to my house! Whoo hoo! Not only is her nursery done but her stroller and car seat are here! One more thing checked off our seemingly endless list of things to do before she arrives. We can't wait! Praying for an easy delivery and a healthy baby girl!



 





Renaming the blog.....

Today I am thankful that it is time to rename this blog. In a matter of weeks (3-ish) or possibly days (please let me have her bag packed and car seat installed), Miss Ruby Katherine Hatchell will be joining us. I am truly thankful for the blessing of another child. I am overwhelmed with excitement over meeting our first daughter. So with her upcoming arrival, "Life with my Boys" will no longer be an accurate description of our family.  I need help! What ideas do you have for a good blog name? Kevin likes "3 Hims and a Her" and I like "A Ruby in the Rough," but I want to hear your thoughts. My creativity is limited these days. Babies steal my brain cells and I am already predicting this is going to be one smart little girl if my absentmindedness (is that even a word?) is any indication.

Every time I ask someone in person what they think about a new name for my blog I always get asked, "Will you have to change the name again in 2 years? Will there be more Hatchell babies or is this the grand finale?" I honestly can't say. That is a very debatable and emotion-filled question that is better left unanswered. I am so incredibly thankful for the blessing of our 4 children. There are days that I simply can't fathom the richness of God's goodness bestowed on me through my babies. To think, 9 years ago when Kevin and I got engaged he was set on 2 children. Only 2. No more. And here we are almost a decade later with double that amount. The neatest part is my husband was just as excited the fourth time I told him there would be a new baby as he was the very first time he found out he would be a daddy. God is so good and I am so grateful that HE is in charge.

I am looking forward to your feedback on a new blog name! And hurry- we are running out of time!

Convictions

http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/2014/01/when-christs-body-got-too-busy.html

I read this blog the other night and was convicted to the core of my being. Every ounce of me. Guilt, sadness, and fear swept over me all at once. It is so easy to get caught up in this life of ours. The hustle and bustle of raising children, the overwhelming need for perfection, the desire for more. It's in all of us. That's the way we are made. Sinful and self-absorbed. We cram our days so full there is little time to examine things outside of circle of existence. It's not easy reading things like this. It hurts our pride and condemns our current norms. But I know God put the words in this blog in front of me. He meant for us to be broken for the things that break Him. After reading this entry and many more,  I just knew I needed to do something.

Do I think Kevin and I need to pursue an international adoption? No, or at least not right now, God has not called us to that. (I am sure some of our family members and friends reading this just took a collective sigh of relief.)

Do I think Kevin and I need to about HIS business of taking care of the widows, the poor, the orphans all around us? YES! Absolutely. His Word commands us to.

" Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27

"But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?" 1 John 3:17

I would like to believe that I would never turn my back on someone in need, but how many times am I so consumed with my own life that I overlook those very people. If God placed a child in our path that needed a family. Could we say yes? Would we think it was too much for two parents with 4 biological children, a small house, and limited money. Those are just the beginning of the excuses my human side would use to build a case. But He asked Peter to WALK ON WATER. What is crazier than that? It goes against our human way of thinking. That's how God works. So I know it would be very foolish of me to say what is going to happen. God's bigger than my plans or my attitude. I pray that when these situations arise we will be quick to rely on His truths and respond with a resounding "Yes" without doubt or question.  I  always think about that song, "What If Jesus Comes Back Like That." For those of you not up-to-date on 90's country- here are the lyrics:

"What If Jesus Comes Back Like That"

He came to town on an old freight train
He jumped off in the pouring rain
Everybody says he's insane
Just a low down account hobo

He made his bed beneath the county bridge
The town folks said that's not his
They signed a petition they're gonna get rid
Of that white trash low down no count

What if Jesus comes back like that
On an old freight train in a hobo hat
Will we let him in or turn our back
What if Jesus comes back like that
Hey what if Jesus comes back like that

Born with a habit of drug abuse
She couldn't help what her mama used
It wasn't like she got to choose
Now she's laying there all alone

Got a monkey on her back
Nurses say they never saw a smile like that
Doctor says she might stand a chance
If somebody takes her home

What if Jesus comes back like that
Two months early and hooked on crack
Will we let him in or turn our back
What if Jesus comes back like that
Oh what if Jesus comes back like that

Nobody said life is fair
We've all got a cross to bear
When it gets a little hard to care
Just think of Jesus hanging there

He came to town on a cold dark night
A single star was his only light
The baby born that silent night
A manger for his bed

What if Jesus comes back like that
Where will he find out hearts are at
Will he let us in or turn his back
Hey what if Jesus comes back like that
Yeah what if Jesus comes back like that
Will he cry when he sees where our hearts are at
Will he let us in or turn his back
Hey what if Jesus comes back like that
Oh what if Jesus comes back like that

 

 

And if that's not enough- watch this:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7At75kN_YsI

 

 

My heart breaks for the needs in our world. There will never be a perfect time and we will never have enough money. But God commands us to go and to go now. I don't know what God is asking you to do. I don't even know what God is asking me to do! I do know that we must be willing. We must accept the impossible, allow for discomfort, and examine some of our choices. Please pray with me that we will open our hearts and lives to what Jesus has in store.

Snow days

I am early. It's only been Friday for 44 minutes and I am posting. This has to be some sort of record. I am NEVER early for anything anymore. On time is the goal- who am I kidding? Getting my crew anywhere on time is a cause for celebration these days. No matter how early I start- there is ALWAYS something that slows us down. Lost shoes, dirty diapers, breakfast dilemmas, the list goes on and on. That's why these last few days have been so incredibly nice. No where to go and absolutely no schedule. I like snow days because they force us to slow down and stay at home. I didn't play in the snow this time. It was a little too slippery for this about-to-pop momma. But boy did my guys have a blast. They were out there for hours.

 

Baby boy didn't love it quite as much as his big brothers. He decided taking a nap in the warm house was a better option.

 

These 2 braved it for almost 4 hours! Crazy kids! I am glad there Daddy is tough. Momma would have been frozen after 30 minutes! I am so thankful for the blessing of snow days, warm houses, and family.

 

"But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious." 1 Peter 3:4

 

 

 

5 for Friday.... on a Monday morning

I am a few days behind- but for a REALLY good reason. We just got back from 4 delightfully restful, relaxing days at the beach with my family. Four days of no laundry and no cooking. Seriously, I did so very little. Literally, the most stressful part of the whole long weekend was a intense game of hearts. (We are a competitive group!)

1. I caught up on ALL my scrapbooking for the boys and even started Ruby Kate's. This is crazy impressive. I typically stay at least a season behind so I took full advantage of the extra room and time I had this weekend. It was so nice to be able to spread everything out and work little by little all weekend. At home, I pull it all out and work for an hour while McCann naps. Then I have to put it all back up because we don't have much unused space in our house. I am so thankful to be caught up (for the moment.)

2. My aunt took me shopping for my birthday. It's not until March, but I may be slightly busy that week. Baby girl is due the week of my birthday. I wonder if I am going to be 31 or 32 when she is born. It was so nice to be spoiled.

3. Our boys slept LATE. (They did not get up at 7am) They are all great sleepers as a norm, but Manning and McCann are typically early risers. I don't know if they were just overly tired from playing hard everyday. Or if our sleeping arrangements influenced their sleeping habits. All 5 3/4 of us slept in the same room. We had two double beds in our room and forgot the bed rails. So Kevin slept with one and I slept with the other to avoid them rolling off the bed. (McCann was in the pack-and-play) The last morning we were there I woke up at 8:45am to a room full of SLEEPING boys. This is unheard of but I thank God for those wonderful hours of extra rest.

4. The day we went shopping, I offered to take both the older boys with me. Only Myers was game. It was such a special day. I rarely get to spend time with them one on one- but I love it! It was so nice to be able to focus on him! Kevin and I are committing to doing this more often. Taking time out to give each one of them our undivided attention. They need this and so do we.

5. I was sad to leave this place and the leisurely life we embraced this weekend. Then, as usual, I saw truth in the voice of my babies. When we got home, Manning said, "Momma, I love the beach. But I love being at our house even more."



5 blessings on Friday....

It is so easy to get caught up in the stressfulness of life and miss out on all the good things that surround us. The glimpses of Jesus in everyday life, the signs of His grace, the beauty of His love. So this year, I am going to attempt to devote time every Friday to listing 5 blessings that I am currently experiencing. As parents, we seek to build a spirit of gratitude in our children and that has to begin within ourselves. We are not entitled to anything. God does not owe us a single thing. It is only through His mercy and redeeming love that we get to experience the blessings of this life and the ultimate gift of salvation. We need to give Him the credit he so rightly deserves. A simple "thank you."

1. My sweet, compassionate, people-pleasing first born was chosen as a "Terrific Kid" for his class for this semester. Two other students chosen at his school were 2 of his best friends. It was a special day for our family. We are so proud of Manning and his buddies.

2. You see my puffy cheeks, squinting eyes, and overall swollen face. This a sign we are getting closer to meeting our very first daughter. 3 out of 4 pregnancies this is what my face has looked like as they 3rd trimester progresses. Ironically, with Myers, my largest baby to date, I did not swell the least little bit. As much as I don't like looking like the marshmallow man- I am so incredibly excited to meet Ruby Katherine Hatchell. I saw one of our neighbors out today and she asked me how many days I had left. Days? How about weeks? I have 9 more weeks, it merely appears that I am ready to give birth like....tomorrow! Thank you, Jesus, that pregnancies do not last longer than 40 weeks.

3. We started working on her nursery. It's painted, curtains are hung, and even a few accessories are in place. It's crazy how things change. When I was pregnant the first time around, EVERYTHING in the nursery was ready by 20 weeks and by 30 weeks all of Manning's clothes had been washed, pacifiers sterilized, and bassinet was in place. Yeah, right. As much as I am looking forward to washing teeny, tiny pink clothes- it's just not going to happen today (and probably not tomorrow either.) When you are constantly 5 loads behind on laundry- drowning in a sea of super hero pajamas and grass-stained jeans- you become a realist. Wash what has to be cleaned and don't stress over the rest. (Even if they are pink and absolutely precious!!) Don't worry though. It will get done. She will have freshly washed clothes laundered in (generic) Dreft when she arrives. I contemplated getting the swing, bouncey seat, and car seat ready but I know as soon as I do that 3 little bottoms will be quick to "try" these things out. So, if by chance baby girl comes early-someone please come over and get her things ready. =)

 I thank God for the blessing of all 4 of our children and all the laundry they create.

4. I spent 2 delightfully wonderful hours with my dear Sunday School friends last night. Man, we have fun when we get together. We surely missed those who could not come and we are already planning when we can do it again. I love these women so much. They are all God-fearing, husband-loving, true to the core ladies. I thank God for placing them in my life.

5. Kevin does not start back to school until Jan. 20th. I am so thankful for this break God has given him and I pray that this will be an easy semester for him. He ended up making A's in both of his classes last semester. I call that success especially since he worked, helped with the boys, and put up with a pregnant wife-AND still made A's.

It's a great day to be alive- remember to thank God for his blessings today and always! He is so good to us and deserves our endless praise. 

Learning as I go...

My sweet husband got my blogs printed into book form as a gift to me this Christmas. (I, having too many perfectionist tendencies, immediately asked if he had corrected my grammatical errors and spelling mistakes.) I love these keepsakes even with their countless linguistic flaws. I love reading and reflecting on each blog- remembering life during that particular time. I am so thankful that I documented those memories. I hope I will record even more in 2014.
 I love to write and find such joy in the process of putting my thoughts on paper. However, I often struggle with confidence in my subject area. I am not an expert at anything. I am not fashionable. I have boring hair. And if you are waiting on me to teach you how to cook, sew, or budget you better be very patient. There are days I wish I had an exciting career filled with travel, business attire, and praise. Then I feel like I would be equipped to share all sorts of interesting stories. These moments of desire for a life so unlike my own usually occur at the end of the longest of days. After hours of whining, arguing siblings, and disobedience- it is easy to lose focus of the beauty of being home with my babies. Then God pulls me back in and sets me straight. THIS is what I was made for. The constant care of these precious little people He gave to us. I am definitely not using my hard earned Clemson degree and my resume is surely not impressive. But my heart is full and I am at peace even in the daily struggles of raising 3 (almost) 4 small children. They teach me more about love, mercy, and grace than I could learn in 1,000 years working outside of the home. They love unconditionally and forgive without question. With each new day, I learn more about what it means to be a mother. I learn what to allow and when to enforce rules. I learn when to impose boundaries, and when to give them a break. It takes time to figure out how to find the balance to this parenting gig. I am certainly no expert and really don't know that I will ever be. But I am so incredibly thankful that God (and Kevin) have given me this opportunity.