Maya and Ariyah

My niece Maya came over. She is one who really like to dress up and be the princess. So we got the make up out, and well, they had fun.. :)

Ministry??

Ok, so today I have had a little free time. Maybe not really free time, but rather I have chosen to sit and blog. These past few years have been crazy, and I am ok with that. But now I am needing to take the time to figure out what God really wants me to do. This is really hard for me. This past year I have volunteered in the Childrens ministry on Wednesday nights. When I had My sweet baby boy I backed down from Coordinator to give my children the time they may need with me. I am now doing child care for our college ministry Sunday nights. This involves taking care of the leaders children. (rarely are there any guests.) Now we have started a sunday school class for marrieds. Sigh...

You have no idea how much I desire to be in the ministry at church, but I am not sure these are the areas I belong. I dream of the day I can come along side of my hubby and support him in the ministry. I have passion to make sure people are taken care of. You know make sure the coffee is ready, the food is out. the chairs are set up. Making sure all the stressfull things are done so no one else has to stress out about it. I know in reality that my amazing hubby cannot do everything. (right now he is working 60 hours a week, helping wednesday nights, helping sunday mornings, and taking classes. Plus we have to fit family time in there too.)

So now I pray, and will continiue to pray that I will figure out where God wants me to serve. I don't want to be the one just doing stuff. I want to be serving my God to the fullest of my ability. But if it is not what I am called to it just stresses me out and is not fullfillng to anyone involved...

Ariyah sewing!!

Wanted to share what Ariyah and have been working on. We dug out my sewing machine, which I love, but have not been able to use for a while. Ariyah made her first blanket!! She did every step of the blanket. She even sat in front of the machine and fed the material through the machine. I am a proud momma!!

So much going on.

God has amazed me with the most amazing children. We are needing to do so many things right now, and they just come along side us and are part of it all. Jared has been working alot in Springfield, IL. This was getting really hard on Ariyah, so if possible we go up and stay at a grandparents house so we can all see him, and saves gas money also.

Jareds Business seems to be keeping us busy, but if that is not enough, I have started substituting at a handicapped school in Carlinville to help out with our finances. It has been quite a blessing. They have been letting me take both kids with me. So Ariyah is not missing her schooling on those days since the students are pretty close to the same educational level as she is. Actually there are days that she gets to help teach because she has already learned what they are doing. Ariyah is a natural teacher. She enjoys helping others and is always helping me teach Isaiah. ;)

This is a picture of Ariyah helping me put Dishes away. don't worry I am never far away. If you look close you will see that we have also already started our garden. Daddy and Ariyah have planted our tomatoes and peppers. Last I looked only Ariyah's tomatoes are sprouting. Jared took these up to his shop so they could more sun, and not be in my kitchen. :) what a good man. :)

Isaiah Michael Stuemke

Our sweet baby boy entered the world on Oct 19th 2010. My delivery was picture perfect. My water broke at 9:15pm. I put my baby girl to bed at my in laws and waited for Jared to drive up to Springfield and meet me at the hospital. we were admitted at 12:30am and my contractions were just starting up. My wonderful Hubby was the only one in the room giving me all the support I needed. (of course the nurse came in to check) Our midwaife was great, and gave suggestions for the contractions, and let me get in the bath tub for a while. At 3:00am we called the nurse and told her they better hurry. At 3:17am Isaiah entered the world. He was perfect.

Ariyah absolutely loves him, and is now asking for a sister next.. haha.

I am feeling soo big

So I will be 40 weeks on Friday.. hopefully Isaiah will come out soon. Uncomfortable and contracting are a good sign, right? The weather has gotten a little warmer, so now I am burning up at night. Ok, Ok I will stop complaining. I really am excited, so is Ariyah.

Ariyah moved into her big girl bed last night and did great. She is so proud of herself. The room still has a lot of little things to be done, but nothing that makes it unlivable.

My next appt is Wed. hopefully we find out I am farther along than I think, but we will see. We had a completely natural birth with Ariyah, and that was amazing, I am hoping and praying we can do the same with Isaiah. It is such a special moment. We have chosen to use a midwife, but we will still deliver in hospital. best of both worlds. :)

Our Unknown Baby

Today marks the due date of baby Stuemke that has never been met. 5 years ago today we should have been welcoming our first baby Stuemke. Although I am still saddened by the fact that my child is not here with me. I am comforted by God who holds my baby who is waiting for me to finish here on earth. The pain dulls with time, but the memories of love for someone I have never met strenghtens with time. God has allowed us to grow as a family, and I have learned just how precious children are to Him.

Today is a day I remember to pray for the other women who have lost a child. I pray it will not deter them from God, but bring them closer, that they will find another women who has gone though it.

Before my miscarriage and my 1 1/2 years of depression to follow, I had not known anyone else to lose a child. But I soon realized that it wasn't that it didn't happen, it was that women didn't speak of it. which meant they weren't able to console others who were suffering. I soon found out that of my three close friends, and a few family memebers have had one. I then decided that I wasn't going to dwell on this, but find out what God wanted me to do with these feelings of hurt and emptiness. Soon after that I was pregnant again. My little Girl was born that June beautiful and perfect.

I have realized that I am not to start a club or an organization, but to be open when I find a friend. Since the loss of our first baby, six of my friends have lost babies of thier own, some have lost two. I now know how to pray and love them in the propper way. And stay back until they are ready for any comfort.

My God is amazing and can use anything or anyone for His glory.

I will never forget my unknown baby, but instead we remember with angel food cake once a year. We don't sing or anything, just remember.