What I love about McKenna ~~~ 5 weeks

I love how alert you are.

So aware of who and what is around you!


No one can say my girls are tongue tied!

I love all of the new sounds you are making.

Finding your own voice in this family.



Get him!

Go ahead bite big brother's nose!

I love how you are interacting with Mia and Josiah!




And of course I love you LONG hands

and

feet!

So soft and sweet!

My Blessing!!!

McKenna means "able".

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Phil 4:13

Our Miracle has ARRIVED!!!

McKenna Jubilee

September 15, 2009

3:44p

8 lbs 13 oz

21.25 in

McKenna at 1 week old getting ready for bath time.

She was going to her 1st doctor appt.

McKenna (12 days old) and Mom

Dad and McKenna enjoying there favorite passtime: cuddling!

McKenna enjoying the ducks hanging over her swing.

3 or 4 days old.

Big Brother Josiah holding his brand new bundle of joy!

1 day old!

Big Brother Josiah, Big Sister Mia

and

Baby McKenna

the night she was born or the day after.

McKenna was born at home on Mom and Dad's bed with the help of our wonderful midwife, Colleen. Colleen got to our home at 2:45p.

Checked Mom about 3:10p.

Called Dad at 3:10p to say "Come home, NOW!"

Dad arrived at 3:25p.

McKenna arrived at 3:44p.

Anyone wanting more information on Colleen, midwives in general, homebirth, etc. please feel free to ask.

We don't by any means have all the answers but can share our experience.

Thank you for setting such a Biblical example...

My morning Bible reading was especially sweet this morning. I was reading I Thessalonians 2 and this jumped out at me:

11For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

God had a 2-fold message for me this morning: 1) thankfulness for all of the people in my life who have done exactly this and 2) reminding me that this is how God wants me to treat other people in my life.

So I would like to thank a few of the people God brought to mind: Uncle Ray and Aunt Ruby, Pastors Mitzi and Lynne, the small group in Michigan, and of course our home fellowship group here in Mississippi.

Lord, please help me to follow your leading today and every day! Thank you for everything - even those things I don't understand. As I teach my children your ways are not ours and your plans are perfect - ours are flawed.

Blessings!!

Tiara...

As perfect as we thought Tiara was for us... we had to send her back. She attacked Saint. We miss her and our hearts are healing from her loss but we had to protect our family.

Please pray that she finds the perfect home and is healed of her thunderstorm anxiety. As another blog I read today says: Lord: You give and take away

You give and take away

My heart will choose to say Lord,

blessed be Your name

One addition to the family before the much anticipated addition comes in a few weeks!

Saint, has enjoyed being the only dog but we continued to feel he would be happier with a buddy.

So after many months of waiting for the right timing and the right dog - God put us together.

Last week we found a Great Pyrenees, named Petunia.

We knew after reading her story on petfinder that we were interested in her.

After we talked to the nice folks at Zeus' Place in New Orleans we were 90% convinced she was the right one for us.

We met "Petunia" on Saturday and we were convinced that she was "our girl." She answers to "Tiara" better than she did to Petunia.

She is a year and a half old and so the "hard part" of getting a new dog isn't an issue.

She is potty trained, crate trained, calm, and laid back!

She chews appropriately or drops it when asked to.

Saint who is equally wonderful is used to having been the "puppy" of the bunch in his previous home and the "only" here for over a year. So he doesn't know what to do with the "new puppy" that dwarfs him by 3 times in weight and about 5 times in body size.

We are already working on the finishing touches so to speak with Tiara.
So far she has proved an absolute joy!!!
The biggest challenge: getting her to realize that a thunder storm is no big deal.

Thank you Lord! You have answered another prayer in the Sodini family prayer requests.

Human baby update: 33 weeks and counting. We are waiting to meet you little one!

Baby...

Can I just say I am ready to have this miracle!

31 weeks and counting! Anyone care to join me in praying that our newest angel will come closer to 37 weeks than 42 weeks? All prayers always welcome!

Oh, by the way, I am finally showing. At least when I wear the right maternity tops. Most of the time I just look big not pregnant.

Chris got to go HOME to Michigan!

Chris got to spend time with most of his family!!!

His parents, Beth and Fred are both enjoying our niece drawing pictures.

Jen was very happy to see her dad, sister, and grandma and grandpa!

The girls, Bekah and Jen cooking for Chris and his parents the night he arrived!

The whole reason for Chris' trip:

Our oldest graduated from Midland High School :)

We could not be more proud of Rebekah!

She has put in so much hard work and grown up so much!
Rebekah we know that you are going to make an excellent chef!

We love you, Bekah!!

Dad, Mom, Mia, Josiah and Baby

God Always has a Purpose

We just don't always see it right away. We began our day at 0400 thinking that we were placing Chris on a plane to Michigan. After a curve ball or two and several changes in course we have arrived at a place of peace. I believe we have both grown today. Thank you Lord! You, Lord, have guided us and directed us and kept us on course. You have taught us to go with our gut- not because it knows all but because it heard You and understood your course. Thank you, Lord.

Your son is driving home to Michigan. We both know that this is your plan. We are not second guessing ourselves we are moving forward in faith.

We still don't see your purpose in today's events. But we do see the light for the step we are on. Please bless my sweet husband and our girls and his family this weekend. Have thine own way.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

Everything but the kitchen sink...

goes into an evening that happens once every year or two. This particular evening came almost exactly 18 months after the last one of this kind. So we did everything from eat dinner together, to celebrating birthdays to swimming.

My Mom and Dad - have been married 37 years!

The original 4!

"Papa" and Josiah

Josiah, "Nana", Mia and Me

Mia and Grandpa

For not intending to get wet-I was soaked~!

We had a blast!

Mia showing off for Grandma.

Both of the kids got comfortable enough to put their faces underwater!

Josiah is our fish but this was huge progress for Mia.

Rob's day was made when he got to play with his nephew.

Josiah is pretty happy about it too.

All in all we had a beautiful evening! Short and sweet!

Have a beautiful rest of your vacation- Mom, Dad and Rob!

We love you!

"Mom, when will you teach me to mow?"

"When you are dressed appropriately and we are mowing."

So as you can see the very next time Daddy mowed she was dressed appropriately. And so was Daddy~!~! In our house "dressed appropriately" means wearing long pants (preferrably jeans) and tennis shoes and socks or in Daddy's case work boots.

Of course the lesson included the basics: when the mower is running you only touch the handle!!!

She did great!

Tot School

I think it is safe to say Josiah absolutely loves Tot School! ~not to mention having his picture taken! He wants me to read "cocoon" all the time and he loves to follow along with the book's predicatable pattern, counting what the caterpillar eats and of course the cocoon and butterfly parts! Our friend gave us a life cycle set for the caterpillar and that just makes him love the whole thing even more!

I am sorry I waited so long to start doing things like this with the kids! But you know what ...

that just means that the possibilities with the new baby are absolutely endless~!~~!

God is so good!

I am amazed at how pieces begin to come together when you are not even trying! Once you start doing this kind of thing you find materials all over the house. He loves to have me write "Aubrey" on anything and everything. He loves using magnets on cookie sheets. He wasn't too sure about the spagetti noodles in the parmesan (sp) cheese dispenser (an empty plastic seasoning container of any size with holes 1/8 of an inch wide or bigger may even work better).

The best parts of the whole process are his enthusiasm and Mia's joy at being able to teach him all kinds of new things.

Isn't God Great?!?!

I got up with my Honey this morning. A rare event in itself these days. When I walked him to the door I noticed our neighbor across the street. Bless her heart she is a single mom of a teenager who has just inherited custody of her two young niece and nephew. They were headed to the car in a hurry as "Aunty" has to be at work. "Aunty" says, "Don't run!" The two year old little boy stops running and stands in the sidewalk. The four year old sister who is watching "Aunty" turns forward just in time to knock over little brother. "Aunty" says, "See I told you not to run." Lord, I pray deep breaths and a patient peaceful heart for my wonderful neighbor as she begins motherhood all over again.

I know we all have hurry moments. But I am so blessed that I don't have to get my children up at the crack of dawn every morning and rush them out the door to spend the day with someone else. My heart broke and overflowed all at the same time this morning.

Thank you Jesus for all of your many blessings. Children are a blessing from the Lord, now if in my hurried state I could just find the address for this scripture. Psalm 127:3 "Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him."

Catch up...

Many days I think what can I post on my blog and draw a blank. Other times I know there is an event I want to post and don't get it posted right away. Today is no exception. I have wanted to post about the last horse show (last Sat.) and now that I download pics to the computer I have 10 things that should have already been blogged on. So here goes...

Josiah took 3rd in the 8 and under Assisted Barrels! He had a blast! He doesn't care which horse he is riding but today it was Patches!

We thank the Lord for protecting the 3 year old little girl who had just fallen off her pony minutes before he rode.

Josiah had fun all afternoon!



Mia is having fun riding in the cake walk or warm up time. (above and below)


Mia took 2nd place in the 8 and under Unassisted Barrels! She loves riding Popeye.


Mia (Popeye) and Chris (Blondy) are enjoying riding together!

Just because I love him and he looks so handsome in this pic!

Mom you have asked for pics to show you how tall the kids are. I took them probably six weeks ago and forgot to put them up for you.

A few weeks ago we had several days of severe thunder storms and as a result had a mighty rushing river through our backyard. When I looked to see just how mighty and rushing it was God had a surprise for me.

This beautiful crane (I think) was sitting at the edge of our property next to the lake. He just sat there for several hours. How beautiful God's creatures are.

Oh, and in case anyone doesn't know I figure that at almost 18 weeks its high time to say...

we're expecting!!!

Mia took 2nd Place in the Barrells

Last Saturday we all spent the entire day at the horse show. We had to help out for a shift and then wait most of the day for Mia to ride Blondy in the 8 and under Assisted Barrells. I tried taking pics of her riding but that didn't work so well! I'll get some still shots at the next show.

Josiah had a ball playing in the dirt all day! He climbed up and down bleachers! Ran through the rain and had an absolute blast!

My learning curve continues as I have let my computer work for five hours attempting to process a video that is all of a few seconds long.

Can Mia be old enough?!?! Oh yeah!

We were enjoying dinner last night when Mia said "Mom, my tooth feels funny." I leaned over and checked and sure enough she has a loose tooth. A few minutes later I felt that I needed to check further. And there is not just one loose tooth but 2!!!

So here's our quandry.

While we look forward to celebrating this amazing milestone with her we don't want to go the "Tooth Fairy" route. Any suggestions!?!?

Mia

Of course you all know that Mia is my right hand girl.

She is my helper no matter what my project.

Here you see her practicing for her upcoming barrel race!

So excited... now if she could just concentrate.

But in her off time from horseback riding she is helping me make sure our newest angel and I get all of our protein every day.

So as I sat down momentarily this morning to handle a computer task:

she asked if she could put my eggs into the pan for me.

I said sure!

Boy, was I amazed when I walked over to find not scrambled eggs but an actual omelette!!!!

Her finished product!

Thanks for all of your help, Mia!

Mommy loves you very much!!!

I'm It... How did that happen?!?

Mary Grace has tagged me this morning. What a wonderful surprise.

1. Go to the 4th folder where you keep your pictures on your computer.

2. Post the 4th picture in the folder

3. Explain the photo.

4. Tag 4 fellow bloggers to join in the fun.

This is my AngelBaby looking absolutely eccstatic about her very first day of Kindergarten in the public school. She couldn't have been happier. I have the absolute best pictures of her from this day. Oh, I only paid $4.00 for her cute little dress. (for those bargain shoppers among us).

Little did she know that she would only attend this school for 2 weeks as Mom and Dad heard the Lord say "Pull her out and homeschool her!" And so we did. Six months later we are thrilled that we have brought her home.

So now I get to tag 4 lovely bloggers:

1. JoyfulChaos

2. Jodi

3. Denise

4. Angi

Enjoy and have a blessed day! Thanks MaryGrace for making me smile today!