Life Happens....

So a couple weeks ago I blogged about how I could feel like things were about to change. Since we have moved back with Nathans parents (and yes that is where we live now in case you didn't know that) things have been crazy. We have had to adjust the kids to living somewhere else, the girls are starting a new school, Nathan has been busy studying for tests for work and lots more that is not my story to tell. I have been keeping a prayer journal and for about 2 months now I have been praying for Nathan and what God is trying to show us with his new job at the new dealership. I have been praying for myself that my fears of loosing everything once again not be entertained and that I can lean into God and trust that he will provide and that his plan is perfect. I struggle don't get me wrong just ask Nathan when I have a meltdown get out of my way (not an excuse I need to work on anger management..one thing at a time people). There are days that I cry A LOT there are days that I feel so close to God and have an amazing amount of faith. (by the way I am not blogging this for attention or any poor thing comments because this is just an outlet for me if you feel like I am doing this for attention don't read it because you don't know me too well then). I have thought about keeping things quiet but then I am not being my true self. I feel like if I put it out there than that is more people praying and maybe more people that will be encouraged or feel like they are not alone in what they might be going through.
Last night Nathan lost his job! We had a feeling that it was going to happen but it didn't soften the blow by any means. I trust God and like I said I could feel change was coming and I knew that once I surrendered my plans and my will that God would do the cleaning that was necessary. I believe that his plans are so much better than my own and that doesn't mean easier. I feel like screaming at the same time though because I also have 4 kids that I want to feel safe and loved and a husband that really does work hard for his family and deserves to have things go right. Again though right in my head is different than Gods plan. I think about when we left my old job which was a mess of a place and then two weeks later found out I was preggers with Isabell I went a little crazy. I could only think we have three kids and one on the way and I no longer have a job. If that would have never happened I wouldn't have found the place I work at now which I love! I know that God loves us more than I could ever love my own children so he does want us to be happy and have success so I am going to continue to place my faith and trust in him (and allow myself the occasional break down ;) ). So if you would like to say a prayer for us do not to find a perfect job but pray that the one that God would want for Nathan would be there, pray that we continue to look to God for the right path to follow and that we have peace and clarity through it all and that we remember to praise him even in the storm :)

Feeling like a change is brewing....

Do you ever feel like something big is going to happen?? I feel like that today maybe it was the sermon at church today that just really has had me thinking today or it could even be that I am turning 30 soon lol (i think it is the sermon). I was sitting in church today with that intense look on my face I was really trying to take it all in. I wonder what Randy thought if he saw me today because I felt like i was on the edge of my seat lol. I have total faith that all this junk I am walking through is for a reason and that God is doing amazing things behind the scenes :) A friend of mine at Awaken last week was so generous and gave me a big hug and just told me that she knew God was doing big things and that this was just a moment we were going through (not sure if that is exactly what she said but it was what I heard). This last week I did not get to journal much and I felt the difference. But tonight after sending an email to a friend I sat here and prayed, you know that kind where you feel like God has his arms wrapped around you and you are just talking to him :) God has also been showing me a lot of things through other people that have truly encouraged me and I love that. A friend of mine was so blessed this past week with gifts for herself and her kids that it makes my heart overflow for them with happiness. I seriously have been in awe of what God has done for her, its like a little reminder that he loves all of us the same and wants all of us to be blessed. I am not talking about just gifts I am talking about the peace that he gives us and the faithfulness, grace and mercy. OK sorry for the randomness tonight, well whatever big things good or bad I know he will prepare the way for us. I hope everyone has a great week!

My little May May

So the little girl that God uses to help me learn patience for the last year has really struggled. She has been having not only angry temper tantrums that last sometimes 2-3 hours but she had to repeat 1st grade because of some learning disabilities. She had a really hard time understanding why she had to stay in 1st grade when her other friends where going on to 2nd grade. I did my best to explain that she would be the oldest and be able to help the younger kids how things go in 1st grade and that by next summer she would be even better in Math and Reading (not sure if I handled it right but I did my best). She was diagnosed with ADD back in March we tried medication but she started getting headaches and then the medication was on back order so she went months without it. This time was the hardest time for our family her outbursts continued and then since younger siblings like to mimic the older Sam and Isabell started having tantrums. There were days that I would close myself in the bathroom and cry because I couldn't take all the screaming. She ended last years school year at a .68 reading level meaning she was just half way through the kindergarten reading requirements. She entered kindergarten at a .98 and now she is a 1.38!!! I have had to retrain my thinking and realize that she is not a 1st grader that should be in 2nd grade but a 1st grader period. She has not been on meds and although there are still tantrums we are dealing with them differently. I have cut out almost all TV and computer time so that she is strictly playing with toys during the week. I am so proud of her and how far she has come in these last 5 months. She really is my daughter that gives me gray hair and headaches but she is also the one that has the biggest heart of any child I know. If she sees a homeless person she wants to give them money, if she hears that an adoption agency has children to adopt she wants me to adopt them lol. She is always telling me that a child in her class needs prayer and she always remembers to pray for them. Today on our way home she said that she knows she was supposed to stay in her class again because a little boy was in a car accident yesterday and she was the only person who asked him why he was crying. God did good when he made my little may may so I will count the gray hairs and deal with the headaches because God has AMAZING plans for my little girl :)

Deal of the Day

I went shopping for some Christmas presents for the girls with my mother in law and found a new store that I guess has been there for 6 months. Sears Apparel Warehouse on Hall road. It is where The Great Indoors used to be. Everything right now in the kids clothing is $5!! I found the cutest jeans and sweaters for the girls and great outfits for Isabell. It is really plain in side just racks and racks of clothing. Women's clothing is $7 right now and every Tuesday if you spend $25 you get one item (any item but outerwear) free! I am going back on Saturday to finish my shopping.

Happy Birthday Isabell

This day two years ago I was being prepped to have a C-section with our 4th baby! I was so nervous..unsure how I could be a good mom to four kids since I was already overwhelmed with three.
I knew that she would be early because the two before her were, so it was not a surprise when I woke up early in the morning to severe cramping. Leaving the kids with my in laws off we went to the hospital. She was going to be 5 weeks early and since i was a pro with preemies what should I be afraid of right? Wrong I was worried she wouldn't be able to breath and was worried I would have to leave yet another baby in the NICU and go home without them in my arms. When Isabell was born she was very healthy we almost thought she would be able to stay in our room with us. She was born at 5"11 oz our 2nd biggest baby! When they were looking her over they realized she would have to be on oxygen and kept in the NICU. my recovery was my worst yet (just a confirmation that we made the right decision to tie my tubes;) ) I shook for hours, got sick and itched all over for 24 hours. When I finally got to see my baby I was yet again in awe of GOD! How he can create such amazing human beings in another human being is just beyond my understanding. She had the tiniest features of all of our kids and made the cutest little noises. Four days later I was released and delivered the news that she would have to stay..But Beaumont started a new program for preemies and their families. I was able to stay for free in a room across from the NICU so that I could nurse her on demand and bond with her. I was so thankful that family helped Nathan take care of the other three kids so I could bond with my baby and I am convinced that because of that bonding she was able to get home faster. She was released from the hospital at 7 days old! We were so blessed with our Christmas present and she has continued to bless our family. She is walking and talking and talking and talking and talking lol She is a diva for sure the baby of four and spoiled! I think we will keep her :) Happy 2nd Birthday Miss Isabell Dorothea Cathers!

Playing with Grandmas necklaces

An evening of Beauty...

The girls were in desperate need of hair cuts. If you have girls then you know what I mean they wake up with a rats nest and then the next 20 minutes is spent trying to get knots out when someone is screaming and pulling away and crying! So off we went to see Stephanie, who has been a good friend of mine since High School and has been the only person to cut my hair since she was in hair school and I was pregnant with Jordan. She has done each of the kids first hair cut and the kids love her. This was part of the kids Christmas present from Nathans parents so Grandma came along for the experience.
Mariana decided to go first and since she wanted her hair cut short she was able to donate 6 inches to Children with Hair Loss. She also wanted bangs and I admit I tried talking her out of it but as you can see she looks adorable!!


Holding her donated Ponytail!

Isabell was next for her very first hair cut! She was unsure at first and then as you can see she went from pouting to crying to happy (once she got candy) She looks so cute though and came home to stare at herself in the mirror :)


Not sure I like this................. OK not liking this

Yummy sucker...I'm good now!

Jordan was last and she requested layers so long layers she got and looks so cute! She looked so grown up in the chair and was such a pro at this hair cut business ;)


Beautiful!! So Mature :)

PaRtY tImE!!!

So here are just a few pics from Miss Isabells 2nd birthday Party! She is in love with penguins so the Happy Feet party was perfect for her. My mother in law knows a stay at home mom who is very talented and makes cakes out of her home. Her name is Christin Michalek and she did a great job on Isabell's Penguin cake. Click on her name to check out her website and all her fabulous cakes! I already have some ideas for the other kids birthdays and excited to use her again!

She was so excited about her party and was not happy that she had to wait to have cake :)


Although she received lots of great gifts and she loves all of them...the baby doll takes the prize!! My Nana and papa got her a peek a boo baby doll that talks and she is in heaven! She was squealing and couldn't wait for Nathan to take her out of the box. I wish we had a picture of my niece Madison though (she has the same baby at home) because she was very confused on why her baby was now at Isabell's house lol

Meeting Santa

So we don't go every year to meet Santa because it is just not something that I have found fun...standing in line for hours with kids who are just going to cry once they get on the lap of the old creepy man. Well this week my sister in law invited us to come along with them to meet Santa at Somerset but the catch was we had to be there at 745am! I was really not sure Isabells ear infection had been back and I had a ton of stuff to do but the kids really wanted to go and I wanted to at least see what the Somerset Santa was all about. So at 630am I woke the kids up gave showers and out the door we went. We got there and my sister in law was already in line and once we got to the front desk our time was 904am...an hour to kill. Well since we have never been to Somerset we decided to let the kids go up and down the glass elevator and ride the escalators. One hour later we were called up to the castle as follows..Princess Lauren..Princess Jordan..Princess Mariana..Prince Salvatore and Princess Isabell! We walked into the castle and there was Santa and his helpers surrounded by beautiful Christmas decor! We took some pictures and he asked each child what they wanted...NO tears! Once we said our goodbyes we were escorted to a treasure chest full of coins (Sammy was beside himself) and each child picked three coins! We then spent the next 2 hours going to a list of stores to pick our prizes! Jordan: a bouncy ball that lights up, a microphone and a Lego guy..Mariana: two chocolate coins, a Lego guy and a bouncy call..Sammy: a Lego guy, two chocolate coins and a glow stick...Isabell: a crown, a glow stick and a microphone! They had a blast running back and forth from each store and through the North and South buildings (Sammy especially loved the sky walk which he called the road bridge lol). It was a really fun morning and I think we have found our new Santa tradition. Even better was the time we got to spend with family!
Waiting for Santa :)
Santa's Castle
Waiting inside the Castle for Santa
Santa asking each one what they wanted for Christmas
Sammy was not scared at all..Isabell was a little unsure
Digging for coins
He loved it!!

A much needed wake up call

Today a friend that I once was very close to and because we all start having kids and lives become so busy pulled me aside and asked if i was upset with her??? She said that I always seem mad with her! I hope if she reads this she does not get offended that I am posting this but I am thankful she asked this. I feel like sometimes my face portrays one that puts people off. I am sometimes concentrating so hard that I don't realize that my face can come across as angry or lost. She is really a sweet friend that I have always admired and to think that for who knows how long my craziness has made her feel this way makes me a little sad. Being a mom to a big family and working makes it hard to have friends (and hard for my friends to have me as a friend). I have learned over the last year that having really good friends in my life is the most important thing and that no matter what I should never be too busy to stop and say hi with a smile to a friend.
Tonight in my group at church a friend said that as women we need to extend grace to each other. Why do we beat our girlfriends up? Why do we expect so much out of them? Why do we expect them to solve our problems? I really feel like for the first time in my life God is allowing me to have godly women in my life and showing me how to be a friend. So if you are reading this thank you for the little wake up call. I know you meant it differently but I really needed that tonight :)

Let the countdown begin....

So I know Christmas is soon but I am talking about My little Isabell's 2nd BIRTHDAY!! I can not believe that she will be two years old! The other night I was holding her (she is the only one that willingly lets me rock her) and talking very quietly about when she was born and how sweet she was when she put her hand to my mouth and said "stop talking now"! She is our little Diva as we like to call her and she is very spoiled. She may have pushed me over the edge in regards to my sanity but she has blessed us in so many ways, I do not know what our little family would do if God didn't give us little Isabell :) so the countdown to the tears (for me) begins only 5 more days......