parenting – Page 4 – The Bless Your Heart Blog

Happy 4th Birthday, Sawyer

Happy birthday, sweet Sawyer!!

My phone just dinged reminding me it was your birthday…as if I needed a reminder. You are in my heart and on my mind every minute of every day. At age four, I see you in your princess dress and cowboy boots waving your little hand off to the truck drivers as they pass…I smell the scent of my body spray (that you helped yourself to the last time you were in the bathroom) mixed with your coconut Barbie detangler…I feel your sweet, soft hands on my arms or around my neck and the matted fuzz of pink teddy since he’s always near by…I hear your voice singing “Let it Go” and praise and worship without skipping a beat…

You’re the neatest kid I know! You’re a little bit of an introvert like your momma, but when you’re with someone you love and trust – you are on! I feel so blessed to be able to know you the way I do…

I do believe you have the sweetest, most sensitive spirit on the planet! The way you care for me and daddy absolutely melts my heart. I love the way you leave water by my bed when you get up in the mornings and you sneak out, so I can have “a little more sleep.”

You care for my heart just as good as your daddy does. So many nights I have prayed with you before bed and begged the Lord to forgive me where I’ve fallen short and to help make me a better mother and you are always so quick to tell me I’m “the bestest mom in the world.”

You’re so forgiving – you get that from your daddy. You don’t have a grudging or vengeful bone in your body. I can recall several occasions where you’ve gone to bed and hours later called us back upstairs because you felt bad about something or were afraid you hurt our feelings somehow or felt the need to apologize about something.

You care for and protect your baby like his second momma. And? He adores you, sweet one. He wants to be just like you, I know it! Daddy and I love to see you hold his hand and help him down stairs and feed him his snacks. He’s a lucky boy to have a sister as wonderful as you.

I love your creative mind! You absolutely blow me away when it comes to imagination and resourcefulness! I love to watch you sort through the trash in daddy’s pickup to find something to block the sun or gather his old pop cups to make a vending machine in your play kitchen or the way you tape a box to the back of your pedal car to make a trailer to haul trash in. Seriously, who does that?!

Your memory astounds me; it is truly a gift! You remember names and places and things we’ve done better than I do. When you tell a story, it’s specific and succinct and accurate. I love that you can get us to Denver (or get us home) almost better than I can!

I love the way the world is drawn to you. You’re like this cute, curly-haired magnet that just sucks people in! I’m sure I’m a bit biased, but I’m also a keen observer and I don’t see this with other people as much as I see it with you; everywhere we go, people want to come make conversation with you or say hi to you or give you gifts. You have the ability to affect the world for Christ just by being YOU…people see Jesus radiating out of your sweet little face, it’s true.

You have the heart of a worshiper; a little David. Some of my favorite times with you are when we just sing to the Lord as long and as loud as we can. I love when I hear you singing in the other room, expressing your love to Him the way you know best. Sugar, He loves to hear you sing…

I love that you love all things girlie; the bigger the bow, the fluffier the ruffles and the sparklier the shoes, the better! But you also know how to work and you definitely aren’t afraid to get dirty. That will serve you well…

You have made the past four years the best four years of my life, no doubt. On your fourth birthday, I bless you in the name of Jesus! I bless you in your coming in and going out; your lying down and your waking. I speak to your future and I pronounce it blessed! I bless you with rich relationships with people who point you to Christ. I bless you with good health and a long life. I bless you with humility and forgiveness and grace and mercy that is as endless as you give it now. I bless you with obedience, that you would follow the Lord all the days of your life. I bless the work of your hands, that all you would set them to would prosper and bring glory to the Lord. I bless you with a continued love for the word of God and I bless you with His abiding presence in every way, in every day.

YOU are who I want to be like when I grow up…and you? You can stop growing up any time you’d like…

Four Years Ago Today

Four years ago right now, I was a nervous wreck. Literally, a wreck; ugly crying…snot streaming out the nose…inconsolable… I was (very) pregnant with Sawyer and was scheduled to be induced at 6:00 p.m. and I was scared to death.

Her due date was August 9th so she was already nine days overdue at this point. I knew she needed to come out and I was sooooo very ready to meet her, but I’m not a big fan of the unknown.

Being induced wasn’t part of “THE PLAN.” Oh goodness, how often is that true? THE PLAN was to go into labor naturally (and let me tell you, I tried…all of it…spicy mexican food…a bumpy trip across the pasture checking cows…extensive walking…all of it. Except castor oil…that didn’t sound fun). THE PLAN was to start having contractions and then get up and get ready and go get a pedicure with momma Jeanie and Tredessa. THE PLAN was to eat a leisurely lunch and then head to the hospital and welcome my sweet girl to the world. THE PLAN did NOT include an induction.

My sweet momma Jeanie came over about this time and talked me off the ledge I was perched upon so clumsily. I made it through the morning, had lunch with my honey and then cried some more. (It was the hormones!!) *ahem*

We met momma Jeanie at the hospital and checked in at 6:00 on the nose. We got settled in, began the induction and then Wrex fell in love with the contraction tracker. He’d sit there and say, “Did you feel that one? That was a big one! Here comes another!” It was so cute…and not annoying at this point. 🙂

45797_10150256651930335_3885124_n — Love this girl…

Poppa Dave showed up and brought Chick-fil-A and Mt. Dew and we partied with Tredessa and my sweet “sister” Tara until midnight.

45714_10150255141850335_3526879_n — The best labor team on the planet!

I was not in active labor at this point, but it was fun to pretend! So glad my feet were clean…

Honestly, it was one of my favorites nights EVER! There was so much excitement and encouragement and love; it was the perfect way to welcome our sweet Sawyer.

Dave and the girls left around midnight and Jeanie stayed with me as I tried to sleep. That’s always such a joke to me. Sleep…during contractions…yeah, ok. I was in for a natural labor so sleeping through contractions wasn’t gonna happen…

Everybody reconvened the next morning and I kept them waiting. I was progressing, just pretty slowly. I contracted and walked and hugged toilets and got into all kinds of weird positions that I’m still so sad that Jeanie and Tredessa had to witness – ha!

Wrexy broke down about 4:30 that afternoon; he was so worried about his girls and he hated seeing me in pain. It was a sweet moment that actually kind of re-energized us. At about 6:00 pm, it was time to push! I was absolutely exhausted at this point…

I was so hot (surprise, surprise) and there wasn’t a fan in the room so Wrex was fanning me with an instrument packet. I remember that he kept hitting me in the face because he was in deep conversation with our doctor about the differences and similarities between a human birth and that of a cow. *ahem* Farm wives, you know exactly what I’m talking about…

This part of her birth was quite supernatural for me. I don’t remember just a ton during this time; the Lord was my strength, no doubt. We had gone through three or four shift changes of nurses, ten other babies being born, codes over the loud speaker…and I remember hearing this cry and I asked, “Was that Sawyer?” I was so delirious I didn’t know if some other lucky duck had their baby or if it was actually my turn…

Three and a half hours of pushing later, she was here! 24 hours of hard labor later, my angel was here!

45825_10150256651975335_832703_n — Just a few minutes old…

They put her on my tummy and I got to gaze upon her sweetness in exhaustion. Jeanie spoke the name of Jesus over her and then handed her off to daddy. Those brave souls that lasted long into the night joined us in our room and sweet Sawyer had quite the welcoming party! She deserved it!

We slept about four hours that night…

It's exhausting being so cute... — It’s exhausting being so cute…

and partied some more the next day; we had a ton of sweet visitors – LIFE is worth celebrating, you know?

Aunt Dessa, after a little rest... — Aunt Dessa, after a little rest…

Let it be known, that this woman is a saint! There is no way I could’ve made it through this labor without her by my side!

It was a sweet, sweet few days – some of my favorites, no doubt. It just sure doesn’t feel like it’s been four years since I birthed this sweet baby girl…

They say the days are long but the years are short. Tis true…

Random Rambles

Besides playhouse move-in day, yesterday was also chicken moving day!

The 100 little hens that we ordered a while back were ready to join the big flock in the chicken house. Sawyer is an incredible helper! She carried two chickens at a time and made about 10 trips with us. They were still exploring their new digs this morning, but I’m betting they feel right at home soon enough.

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On the playhouse front, I had to laugh/grimace/shake my head yesterday. After breakfast, we went back out to play and I had a little mowing to finish up. The kids played in the little house for about 20-30 minutes and then I see them scurrying off……..to the barn………where they played for over an hour. HA! Sweet Tredessa reminded me that the barn was just like a really big playhouse…

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I was talking to a friend last night about some of the struggles life throws at us. She was saying she just felt like she was unequipped to deal with some of the trials that her family has been going through as of late; she felt like she had no strength to dig in and conquer. She felt frayed and frazzled and a little scared.

As I was chatting with her, the Lord gave me a picture of childbirth. When you get into transition phase – right before that sweet, beautiful baby that you’ve been waiting on for nine (long) months physically makes its way into the world – things get rough. The pain is intense, it feels like it’s gonna never gonna be over and you start saying/screaming/yelling/crying “I can’t do this! It’s too hard! I’m not gonna be able to do it!” – the tell-tale sign of transition. Don’t ask me how I know. *ahem*

And lo and behold, you’re able to…you’re more than able to…and out comes this sweet little life that has been knit inside your womb by the very hands of God. And? Every month and day and minute of pain and discomfort was worth it.

Isn’t that how life is sometimes, too? When you’re being held over the refining fire…when the Lord is working things out for the better for you, even if it feels like the worst…when we finally get to the other side, there is LIFE. I’m praying that for her and for you…and for me.

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Sweet Sawyer put on her swimsuit yesterday all by her lonesome!

I didn’t tell her it was on backwards because she was so proud of herself and I was proud of her, too. Plus, she looks stinkin’ cute with her backwards suit! And in these sunglasses…

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Daddy took Sawyer to the sale barn today as part of “birthday week” and I stayed home with little man to have some one-on-one time with him and to catch up on some housework. I had just sat down with a notebook and pen to make a lit of things that ‘needed’ to be done when I came across this post from Ann Voskamp.

I get increasingly frustrated by moms that celebrate their kids going back to school, not for the sake of the kid, but out of their own selfishness. THAT’S another post for another day…

Ann beautifully captures the order in which things should be. She writes:

What if I want to play more games of monopoly and leave the dishes in the sink more often? What if I want to take you fishing more Saturdays and blow off cleaning up the garage? Why doesn’t someone tell all the homemakers: Cleanliness isn’t next to godliness. Love is.

Oh. My. Heart. I’m crying again just reading it. Let’s just say I haven’t done much cleaning…and I’ve loved every minute. Please, please take the time to read her post…

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I’m off to see if I can catch a nap before WD wakes up…it’ll be all over after that!

Daddio

Happy Father’s Day, handsome!

I don’t say this because I have to or because I’m your wife or because it’s what I’m supposed to say…I say this because I mean it and I believe it…..you’re the best dad I’ve ever met.

You are consistent and unwavering in your love for our children. You don’t love them based on behaviors or actions or attitudes; it’s completely unconditional, no strings attached…you love them just because they are.

You teach them the ways of the Lord and pray for them and over them and with them. You are leaving a legacy of the fear of the Lord because of your love for Him and how you mirror His love to them.

You are gentle, firm and steady; disciplining and teaching in love. I am so glad that I don’t worry about the kids with you; you are slow to anger and abounding in love…a safe place for them to fall.

You are eager to give them different life experiences and allow them to try new things and new adventures.You never reject their cuddles or hugs or showers of affection…you embrace them! You encourage their loving kindness and they love the reciprocation.You are unafraid to be silly with them and take part in the things that are important to them. We talk often about what’s big in their lives, as you always want to be involved and aware.

You’re never embarrassed by us or make us feel like a burden when we tag along to the sale barn or ranch visit. We know it’s a lot more work with three other bodies around so thank you for always making the time and effort for us.

You’re such a teammate and help to me. From the day they were each born, there’s never a job that you put into my category as ‘mom’…everything is fair game and you help me more than any other spouse I know of. Thank you for that. I love that you want to be a part of the mundane tasks of child rearing and not just the more glamorous ones.

You are gentle and kind, never harsh or demanding. You’re never too tired to play and you do a tremendous job of making us a priority.You love their mommy and you show them that through your words and actions and support; they have a strong sense of security because of that.

Being a dad is no easy task. Society has made it increasingly hard for men to be worthy role models and leaders. There are so many ideas and distractions and dreams and lies and sins fighting for their attention. There is a world and a devil ready to devour them at the drop of a hat. There is a media that sets out to dumb them down and disgrace them…it’s not an easy time to be a man or father. THANK YOU for fighting to do it so well. We celebrate you today! We sing your praises at the city gates! You are a man of noble character, integrity and loyalty, with high esteem for his family. Your greatest mission field in this season is your home and we are living proof that Jesus is alive in you!

Thank you for loving the Lord and allowing Him to shape you into a father after His own heart.

Thank you for loving us so selflessly, so unabashedly, so completely.

Thank you for providing for us so well and for never being afraid of a little hard work.

Thank you for making us feel so safe and secure; you are our rock.

Happy Father’s Day, honey. I am so proud to be the mother of your children.

And Happy Father’s Day to my dad!

Thank you for all you always did for our family to make sure we provided for. Wish we were celebrating together today…we love you!!

Happy Father’s Day, men!

Happy Birthday, Sexy Wrexy!

You are the most handsome of all.

Gracious words stream from your lips. God himself has blessed you forever.
Put on your sword, O mighty warrior!

You are so glorious, so majestic!

In your majesty, ride out to victory,
defending truth, humility, and justice.
Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds!

Your arrows are sharp, piercing your enemies’ hearts.
The nations fall beneath your feet.

Psalm 45…a word the Lord gave me regarding you many years ago. I pray it over you still, especially on your birthday.

You are a tremendous man of God and the fact that I get to spend my life with you humbles me daily. I don’t know of anyone more loyal, gentle, loving, kind, forgiving, selfless, gracious, merciful, hard-working, even tempered, servant-hearted, encouraging or capable than you. You are the glue that holds our family together. You keep us grounded and rooted in the Lord and lead us in the ways of righteousness.

I’ve known you for 13 of your 32 years and am so proud of the man that you were, are and are becoming. On this birthday, I bless you with health and vigor – 32’s not that old! I bless you with boldness to shine the light of Jesus in dark places; boldness to be ok with being so different than the rest of the world (it’s a great thing). I bless you with obedience, that you would continue fulfilling the Lord’s call for you and I pray that you will see the fulfillment of His promises regarding you. I bless you with a sound mind and strong hands to do the work of the Lord. I bless our marriage, that it would fulfill you and honor you and bless you right back. I bless your coming in and going out…with the presence of Jesus in all that you do.

I love you, sweet husband of mine. Happiest of birthdays to you!

Random Rambles

This girl has my heart.

She's half Nebraskan... — She’s half Nebraskan…

She’s the best kid I could have ever imagined even asking the Lord for.

She’s a picture of grace and mercy and forgiveness – bountiful in each.

My suntan/sprinkler partner... — My suntan/sprinkler partner…

I really, really wish I were more like her.

Cute girl in a cute shirt! — Cute girl with a big pink bow!

Lord, help me to be the mommy she deserves.

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Today was housecleaning Thursday combined with mowing Thursday. Everything looks spic and span…and I’m beat.

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Wryder has been slowly repaying Sawyer for all of the care she’s given him over the past year.

He’s got a long way to go but it is so much fun to see them play so much together!

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Sawyer has figured out how to get in the crib with Wryder via various toys in the toy room.

Thankfully, he hasn’t managed to get out………yet.

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In order to save a few dollars, I starch and press all of Wrexy’s dress shirts here at home. After I’ve ironed them, I always stick little notes in the pockets. Nothing too elaborate, but a little note of some sort to make him laugh or to let him know how special he is to me; it’s a simple way I can show some love. Sawyer has recently gotten in on the action. She’ll color and decorate the note paper and then write her message and tell me what it says so I can write it out to make sure daddy can understand it. Wrex sent me this pic the other day…

That girl loves the sale barn…and that daddy loves that girl.

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Our sweet neighbor and friend had a birthday today and I whipped up this cute door hanger for their baseball loving family.

Imagine there's a burlap bow and a jute rope hanger, will you?! — Imagine there’s a burlap bow and a jute rope hanger, will you?!

I had seen a version of this floating around Pinterest and I thought it was ADORABLE. Turns out, it was an easy naptime project!

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We popped into the local dollar store yesterday and in a basket of clearance items were some Disney princess stick on earrings for $0.40! We bought ’em.

I remember my grandpa buying me stick on earrings when I was a little girl and I loved them! My parents didn’t really have any major rules on getting ears pierced but I was scared to death to do it until about 6th grade. Thankfully, I had those fashionable, sticky, sparkly shapes to get me through…

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We’re headed to Denver tomorrow to celebrate the graduation of two young ladies who we’ve had the pleasure of doing life with. To think I first met them when they were 7 and 8 makes me feel OLD. Why can’t that danged clock slow down…

Happy weekend to you!

The Phipps Kids, Au Naturel

The wheat fields surrounding our house look so pretty and lush right now. (We’ve been fortunate to have about an inch of moisture and are praying for more.) There’s an area of really long grass that butts up to the field to the north so I took advantage of yesterday’s beautiful weather and shot a few pics of the kids. I want to call them “au naturel” because this is how I see them in my mind’s eye…Sawyer with her wild curls, Wryder and is his inquisitive eyes…play clothes and dirt smudges…nothing contrite or over fussed…just my kids. I am so grateful that I get to spend my days with them…

Random Rambles

It’s 6:45 on Friday morning and I’m sitting in bed, blogging and eating a banana. Apparently, the letter of the day is ‘B.’ I kid, I kid.

I mowed and burned tumbleweeds yesterday and my sinuses are paying for it today. Ugh. Wrexy left for work around 5:30 and I was up popping Advil, allergy medicine and Sudafed. At this point, I think I might survive the day.

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We’ve been working on our basement this week. Our house is 100 years old (no really, it is) and we have an outside storm cellar/crawl space that we’ve been wanting to get situated for a while now. You know that I’m hoping that the severe weather season is a mild one, but in case we do have to spend extended time down there, it would be nice to have a clean, clutter-free space. Wrexy framed in a room, installed a door, put up new lights, and we’ve been shop vac-ing 100 year old dirt for days. It’s gone a lot faster than I thought it would and we’re about done!

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Sawyer has recently taken a liking to “chip tacos,” also known as crunchy tacos. (She likes mexican food of about any kind, especially chips and salsa – girl after my own heart!!) We cooked some up for lunch yesterday and I made some pinto beans to go in/with them. I put her beans in the bottom of her taco and as she was eating her taco from the top down, she noticed them in there.

Sawyer: “Oh, look – beans!”

Stef: “Yeah…it’s like a little bean family in a canoe!”

She played/ate her little canoe (what was left of her taco shell for a while) and then I hear…

Sawyer: “There goes momma!”

I look up to see what she’s talking about…and it’s the beans! She grabs two more and says, “Come on, dad, let’s go together!” And another and says, “Wait for me guys!”

She was totally giving life to the bean family and it tickled me to no end! She’s a funny girl!

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While mowing yesterday, it was a little breezy. Every time I headed north, I found myself huddled down in my sweatshirt and when I turned south, I reveled in the soaking warmth of the sunshine. I found myself saying, “I just want to face the sun…” And boy, do I. I want to live a life facing the SON; I want to keep my eyes fixed on Him. I don’t want to be shaken or moved or distracted or pulled elsewhere…I don’t want the world to speak to my soul louder than Him. I want all Him, all the time…..

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Wryder is such a funny little guy. He really does bring us so much joy! He is into everything and it is so fun to watch his mind work and explore and figure things out.

The other day, he had it in his head that this cat was real.

Look at those eyes... — Look at those eyes…

You could just see it in his eyes! He finally finished up lunch and I let him touch it and he was shocked…and a little pleased. We definitely have another animal lover on our hands.

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He got several toy trucks for his birthday and he loves to play with them, of course. I found this construction vest at a garage sale this weekend and I think he looks adorable in it!

He had so much fun dumping legos…until about 12:45 and then he was ready for nap!

Sawyer was, and is, a fantastic sleeper but Wryder takes the cake! Kid naps for 4-5 hours a day and sleeps 13 at night – woooooo hoooooo! (I know, I know…I should never complain about being tired…but I am…and I do…)

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Today is “fun Friday” but I really have no (firm) idea what we’re gonna do to make it “fun.” I suppose we better start with breakfast…I hear little bodies a stirring.

Happy Friday!

Sawyer the Second

It’s still a bit chilly here today. A high of 55 doesn’t really scream May to me but at least I haven’t planted flowers yet.

Since we spent the morning inside, we decided to have a little fun while brother was napping. We rolled out a big piece of paper and made Sawyer a twin!

We traced her body and then added all the details. I got a mirror out for her to look at herself and make observations and then she transferred what she saw to the paper.

This one’s a little hard to see but she’s on there!

Once we were finished with all of our details, we cut her out!

I think she’s adorable in any form!

Oh Momma

Thank you, Lord, for entrusting these sweet little miracles to me. YOU made me a momma and for that, I’m forever grateful…

Thank you, handsome, for choosing me so long ago (and every day since) to be your wife and the mother of your children. I absolutely love our life.

Thank you, sweet munchkins, for letting me smother you in kisses and dote on you and show you off – I’m so very proud of you, ya know?! Thank you for sharing your days with me and for teaching me so much about the Lord; I could never have imagined His great love for us until I had you.

Just being a mother is the best gift I could receive today, though you have showered me with so much more. It’s an honorable, notable job which I am privileged to hold.

Happy Mother’s Day to all you mommas out there!

…to those of you who’ve prayed to join the ranks, I stand with you in prayer that the Lord would open your womb…and soon!

…to those mommas who have lost little loves far too soon, my heart aches for you, especially today. I pray the Lord showers your day with extra helpings of grace. More so, I pray that you have an intimate relationship with Him so that you may be reunited with those sweeties one day…

…to those of you who are struggling in relationship with your mother, my heart aches for you, too. Relationships are messy and satan comes to kill, steal and destroy them. I’m praying for humility, renewal and forgiveness for both sides…

…and to the special moms, sisters, grandmas, great-grands, aunts and cousins in my life, both of blood and spirit, who have mothered me, mentored me and loved me, I pray that you are remembered near, far and forever for your loving sacrifices. You have my heart…