Joyful Contentment

These days I have many people asking me how I am doing with all the adjustments we have right now. I always say we're good! But in recent days, I'm finding myself running on empty. With little sleep, you just don't feel like yourself. I mean, last night I fell asleep hard on the couch watching my favorite show, So you think you can Dance. That is so not me. I actually woke up upset with myself because I missed some of the performances! But with little sleep, needing to feed a baby every three hours, two other children that need you to feed them, play with them, love them, comfort them, discipline them, and change one of them, you begin to feel stretched in every possible way. Then there's the two most important relationships that get pushed aside, your husband and the Lord, who graciously wait for you to come to them when you get around to it.
So this morning I find myself zapped of the joy that I want to have in this circumstance or phase of life right now. As I prayed, I was reminded of Philippians 4:11, "...for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content." Content in this phase, not wishing it away, but embracing it, as if it is exactly where I am to be right now. This is exactly where God wants me, and that alone should bring joy. He sees it as a noble task, one to show my family God's love, but also one to grow me in my relationship with Him. Walking through this circumstance with joy is what will bring Him honor, and me peace. So today, I claim this truth, that I will be content in my circumstances and that He will bring me joy. Knowing full well I cannot do this on my own, I ask Him for His grace and strength to get me there.

Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

Turn to me and be gracious to me;
give your strength to your servant
Psalm 86:4, 16

Adjusting to life with 3

Sometimes I wonder, do I really look like the mom I feel like? You know the one. The one that has kids running in five different directions, carrying diaper bags, purses, papers, sippy cups, pacifiers, and a child while pushing a stroller carrying a child with a three year old asking a gazillion questions that really don't matter at the moment. Oh and the three year old is attempting at helping push the stroller, but ends up going in one more direction, that makes six! You've been there? Please say you have or am I just the frazzled mom that has her hands very full.
Anyway, today I had to tackle something for the first time with all three kids...picking up Micah from school. At his school, you have to walk in and pick him up at his class. So I debated for a while, what strategy will I use to go get him. Yes I said strategy! Will I keep Haleigh in the car seat and use stroller and Caleb walk, or carry him? Or Haleigh in the front carrier and Caleb in the stroller? Or the double stroller, but car seat won't fit in it. Can Caleb walk holding my hand the whole way, or will it be a fight because he wants to run loose. Can I carry him the whole way? (He is a tank!) So after much debate, I settled on keeping Haleigh in the car seat and stroller and Caleb walking.
So it wasn't long before I was holding Caleb and pushing the stroller. Already, I regretted my decision. After I couldn't take it anymore, I had to put him down. So he walked on the sidewalk next to the stroller. After repeatedly stopping the look at the grass or the car that passed or just to let him catch up, we finally made it to the building. Then we had to weave our way through the crowds of people and kids in the hallway that Caleb stopped to admire every person! Bless his heart! Good thing I wasn't in a hurry!
After making it to Micah's class, I actually thought, oh good, my three year old will help! So he pushed the stroller, while I had one hand on it and one hand holding Caleb's. Then a repeat of the same thing going into the building. I finally just carried Caleb to the car. I mean, I must have been quite a show for the other parents. No one else is carrying that many kids in. Some have a little one Caleb's age on their hip, but not two plus the preschooler. I had many hold doors for me. I could almost hear their thoughts. I was that mom! Hands full, frazzled, not paying attention to anything else but making it to the car. Whew! I never thought I would be so happy to make it to the van. Seriously, can we get a carpool lane! Better luck next week! Maybe we will go with the stroller and the carrier.

Haleigh Kate Week 1

Obviously, I have been a little busy this week, but I wanted to give a quick update on our precious little girl! She is doing so well and is so precious. It is amazing to see how she has already changed and grown in one week! She has already gained her birth weight back, plus some! The doctors keep telling us she is doing really well, skin color looks good, etc. I am falling in love with her more and more each day! She has had Ed wrapped around her little finger since day one! Here are some of my favorite pics from this week:

Here is Haleigh ready to go home from the hospital

Meeting big brother Micah for the first time
And meeting big brother Caleb for the first time, he was much more timid. It was so cute, he just didn't know what to do!

HALEIGH KATE MARTIN

Haleigh Kate was born today at 2:34pm. She weighs 8lb. 1 oz. She is very healthy and so beautiful! Katie is doing great and once again AMAZED us all! Thanks for your prayers.

My mind is just on other things

So these days, with my induction date on Wed, it is hard for me to concentrate on much more than being comfortable and doing last minute things to get ready for baby. However, I must say, that with every baby we have, I have gotten more and more laid back on the preparation thing. Like I still need to pack for the hospital, but I need to do laundry first and that means picking up big heavy baskets of clothes, doing a lot of bending over, and I'm just not feeling it right now! Anyway, I have pushed Halloween to the back burner over and over, partly wondering if we would even be doing Halloween. We do have a pattern of having children on holidays in this family.

Anyway, this is Micah's first year of really having an opinion about what he will be for Halloween. The lion, the cowboy, and monkey were all my ideas, but he seemed content to be those in previous years. However, this year out of ease I wanted something low budget/effort. I, of course, thought a ring bearer/groom would be perfect! I know, lazy right! But he loved dressing up for my sister's wedding so I thought it was going to fly until he reminded me that my idea was so uncool! Shame on me! So other ideas have come and gone, but I think we have finally landed on one. Ed brought home a Brazil soccer uniform for Micah from Peru that he loves to wear. So he will be a soccer player with the uniform, cleats, shin pads, socks, etc. But with one special addition...mommy's belly/baby sister will be the soccer ball! I thought, I can put on a white tee and cut out little black pentagons and tape them to my shirt, how easy is that?! And sweet little Caleb will be the lion that Micah was a long time ago. That's what you get for being the little brother!

So we are excited and the kids can't wait to dress up! Next year I'll really have to give it more effort for Micah. I didn't realize how big of a deal it is! Of course, my child is a little particular when it comes to clothing!

Fall Days

Since Katie is kinda busy with contractions and stuff like that, I thought I'd take care of the blog. Warning! This may be the last blog that's not super girly and pink. The next post could introduce a new little Martin. Pray for us as it could be any day.

Here's some pics from this weekend:

Here's Micah from long range. You won't believe this, but he MADE THIS SHOT! That's a 10 foot basket! First shot he ever made on a 10 footer and we caught it on camera.
He'll shoot all day if we let him. His season starts in January!

Baby C loves his little sister. He puts his head on Katie's belly and says "aww".

Caleb in the Pumpkin Patch. He was so frustrated that he was not strong enough to pick up the huge ones. So frustrated that he laid face-down in the dirt and cried.

Micah after he found the "perfect punkin".

The bros.

Family shots:

November 4th

Ok, have you seen the little baby ticker up there? Yeah, my baby girl is going to be here before I know it and everyday I'm asking myself if I'm ready. Well, I've had nine months to get ready, so ready or not, she is coming! We are so excited and can't wait to meet her for the very first time. My due date has been adjusted a little and I also got an induction date! So if I have not had her by then, we will induce Nov 4th! I am so excited to have her here and not be pregnant anymore, especially with all this flu stuff going around. It has me unnerved a little and so I at least don't want to be a high risk individual anymore by being pregnant. With Micah in preschool, working with teenagers, and our kids in the church nursery all the time, I feel like we need to really be on guard. We might hibernate this winter!