Puzzling

 

Grandpa Georgia has stopped in a couple times within the past couple weeks to bring us treasures from yard sales or stores he's been to and found good deals at. The one item he bought the kids were foam airplanes that you put together and can decorate and then fly in the back yard. They LOVED them! But, they didn't last long being foam and they are heart broken that their planes can't be fixed by Daddy's glue anymore.

Another 'treasure' he found was the above puzzle. Caleb & I started working on it (even though it says for ages 5-8) on Sunday morning. I told him to sort the pieces with edges in one pile and no edges in another. Then I told him to make piles of similar colors (while I was feeding the baby). Once Ryan was finished eating, I sat down and we started putting it together. Soon Daddy joined us and so did Joshua. Caleb liked sorting more than trying to fit small pieces together. But, we finished it as a family. :)

Dad had a little piggy bank for Ryan and knew that the older boys wouldn't understand why he was getting something and they weren't, so he picked them up some things, which they enjoyed. Joshua told him that they're still in the "best buddies" club, which girls can't join until 10 am (Joshua's rule for the club since Grandpa Georgia said 'no girls in the boys club').

Ryan Josiah - 3 Weeks Old!

Ryan turned three weeks old yesterday! The above picture is from Monday, and the ones below were taken yesterday on his three-week birthday. He loves to be held and snuggled, especially by his mama. He also enjoys watching his brothers for short periods of time, and he'll occasionally take a pacifier which soothes him when he does want it.

I thought he had smiled yesterday (doesn't the above picture look like a little smile?) but he was giving me a blow out instead. That's one thing he does quite well!

His little basketball outfit (a hand-me-down from Caleb) has a "3" on it for three weeks old!

I'm hoping to remember this precious face forever... his tiny hands and super soft feet. But, I know how quickly his looks will change. And while I'll remember how it feels to snuggle with him in my arms, the little details will most likely leave my brain. And these pictures will remind me of his cuteness. How I love to cuddle with him and wish it was the only thing I had to do. Or, better yet, I wish I could clone myself so that I could play with my older boys and enjoy time with each one of them yet still be snuggling the baby. I do put him in a carrier to have my hands free at times. But, until he can hold his head better, I still need to keep my hands on him to make sure he's okay in it.

Happy three weeks, my littlest man!

Skizzers: A New Do

 

This past weekend, Shawn & I agreed that the boys were in serious need of a hair cut. He took them to the back porch to cut their hair rather than the bathroom so there's less of a mess for me to clean up. While it's nice, it's great to cut their hair outside the house. I had to feed Ryan, so Shawn was solo with the two older kids. He started with the buzzer with Caleb, and Joshua thought he could start on his own hair awhile. After all, he has been a huge helper to us since the birth of the baby. He can reach things, and he understands what we're asking of him, etc. So, I know that his heart was in the right place when he grabbed the scissors. Before Shawn knew it, Joshua had taken a big chunk out of the top of his hair. I was up in the rocking chair when Joshua came up to me and said in a sweet little voice "Mommy, I promise never to start my own hair cut with scissors again." Then I saw it... his bald spot! Thankfully hair grows back, just like teeth. For the best view of his head, see the picture below. Oh, my silly boys! I appreciate you wanting to help, and I appreciate you leaving all cutting and scissors to us (unless you're working on a craft, and NOT your own hair!).

Play Dates & Meals on Wheels

For the past couple weeks, we have been truly blessed by various friends & neighbors bringing us meals. [My mom had bought us food, too, and my sisters both brought us a meal as well! Don't want to leave anyone out! I'm thankful for it all!] The first week I was home, the gals from my Study & Share group brought a meal every other day. It was wonderful, other than feeling a little disheveled when people came (there are days I get to shower and days when I feel like simply getting dressed is an accomplishment!). The second week, I had two friends ask to come hang out and meet the baby in addition to other folks bringing us food. I wasn't sure if I felt up to it, but I decided that the boys would really have fun seeing friends.

With the school right behind our house, we have access to this fantastic play ground in addition to our backyard. Again, when we were house shopping, I didn't realize how cool this feature would be. I am so blessed by it now! I love our yard (even though it still needs work!) and how close we are to everything. I love the running trail close by and all our very sweet neighbors. We have been truly blessed living here, even with all the work we had to do to our house.

On Tuesday, my friend Rebecca came with her three kids. The boys played well together, and her daughter Chloe stayed in her stroller while Ryan stayed in his (these pictures are from the Sunday before - I didn't grab my camera for any play dates. Whoops!). She also brought gold fish for the kids to snack on, and they played some more in our back yard before going home. On Wednesday, my friend Becca came with her daughters Alayna & Kyla. We hadn't seen them for a little while - in fact, I couldn't get over how big Kyla is! And Becca is expecting her first son late July. The boys had fun playing with their friends once again.

Aunt Becky called on Thursday and offered to come help me the following day, which I readily accepted. [Mom also helped me that week by running to the store for milk, etc. THANKS!!!] Becky played games with the boys and taught them to cheer "Go, Becky! Go, Becky! Go, go, go, Becky!" Then when it was Joshua's turn they would sing with their arms in the air "Go, Joshua! Go, Joshua! Go, go, go, Joshua!" And they would laugh and laugh. She also looked at Joshua's new Phonics book & Caleb's new Look-&-Find book from Mamaw with them - they enjoyed their morning with her. That night, Jeff & Ginger from our life group brought a meal to us and stayed for dinner with their little son Jacobi who will be two years old this fall. The older boys showed him their trains and played with their new little friend while we enjoyed chatting with our friends. They didn't stay long, noting that they remember what it was like to come home with a newborn. We enjoyed the visit.

There have been several folks bringing us meals, and I am truly grateful. It is so nice not to have to worry about what to cook. And it makes me appreciate all the people I have in my life - it's nice to have friends & family who care when you aren't feeling the best. While Ryan has been a wonderful addition to the family, bringing him into the world was downright painful. ;-) Now I'm feeling mostly better, but I'm utterly exhausted. Then I feel guilty for feeling that way. I KNOW this is my last baby, and I want to enjoy every second I have to snuggle him, even if it's the middle of the night. I also want to give my older boys my time and attention. I don't want to have to lay down and nap in the afternoons when they do because I know that I need time for cleaning and laundry, too. But, I can't survive on two hours of sleep a night. So, I know that I have to keep working on balance. Please pray that we get into a groove!

That said, all the well wishes, gifts, cards, emails, meals, etc. have been so wonderful and make me feel particularly blessed. Thank you!!!

Father's Day Weekend

I'm trying to remember what happened a couple weeks ago, and lack of sleep does make the brain a bit fuzzy. But, I'll do my best! Since I was unable to drive and going a bit stir crazy, the weekend of Father's Day (June 18-19), we toured two Parade of Homes - one on Saturday and one on Sunday. Both were by the same builder and in Manheim Township near us. I loved the first one we saw (of course, they're asking $750k for it, so we'd never buy it and couldn't even afford the taxes if they'd give it to us!). It's fun to look and dream. This one had a great yard for kids, great layout in general, and I loved that it had a running trail right by it, similar to our house. The second house we saw was the winner this year, but it was a little too modern for me and not really built with children in mind, I'm sure. Shawn liked it. I thought the drive way was ridiculously steep, and I was extraordinarily sore after going to look at it. I probably did too much, but it was fun!

When we got in the car, we started playing the game "Joshua, are you here?" and he'd say "HERE!" Then we'd go on to Caleb, Daddy, Mommy and baby Ryan. Someone always says a little "here" for Ryan, and Joshua tells us that we have to teach him how to talk so that's why we answer for him now. Then one of the boys (typically Caleb) will not answer or say "Nope, I'm not here!" and we say that we simply must turn around and go back for whoever was left behind. As Daddy pretends like he's going to turn around, our "missing" boy will pipe up that he IS with us and we all act relieved. The boys love the game. We play it often.

I got the boys dressed Sunday morning and I put them all in "Dad" shirts. Joshua is wearing a shirt that says "Dad is my hero" in the above picture, and Ryan's onesie says "Dad's team" on it below. Caleb didn't have a "Dad" shirt per se, but he's wearing an Atlanta Braves t-shirt, which is Daddy's favorite baseball team. I loved the first picture on this post of Daddy with all his little men. I love each one of my boys!

After getting the boys dressed, I made omelets for breakfast at Shawn's request. The boys had signed a card for Daddy, and I was surprised that Caleb signed his own name and it was legible. It wasn't the handwriting of an adult by any means, but you could tell all the letters and what it said. Joshua also signed the card, and I signed it from Ryan. The little gift we had gotten Daddy, he had also bought himself earlier that week. And since I wasn't driving, there was no returning it. But, his weed-whacker had died, so he ordered one online that day. Not an exciting gift, but something that he needs and wanted to get.

The boys helped water the flowers that weekend. Caleb puts a little water on the flowers and mostly dumps it on himself. Joshua loves to play the "branches" game with Daddy, where Daddy cuts down old dead stuff out of our yard (some of which starts at the neighbors but dips into our back yard) and the boys help put the small cut pieces into the cans that we take to the compost dump. Joshua found a branch that looked like antlers and told us he was a deer. I wished I had had my camera for it because he did actually look like a deer! I love to see his imagination as he plays!

I also took the boys to the playground out back to give Daddy a few minutes to himself. I don't remember what he was doing, but chances are it was to mow the yard or use power tools without "helpers." That said, he is a great father and tries to include the boys where it's safe for them to be. Even though it's quicker just to work yourself, they love to be Daddy's little helpers, and he's great at bringing them into what he's doing. I am blessed by his intentionality in raising our boys and his parenting skills. When looking for a spouse, being a good dad wasn't something I really thought about. I am so thankful that Shawn is a great husband AND a great father. Happy Father's Day, my love!

Who Dat?

 People ask me "Who do you think Ryan looks like?" Honestly, we thought Joshua looked like a mini version of Shawn from the moment we saw his 3D ultrasound pictures. But, as far as the other two... I'm guessing they're a good mix of both of us. I see Shawn in Caleb, but I think he has some of my features, too. When people ask "Who does Ryan look like?" they're asking which one of us - Daddy or Mommy. My answer is always "Caleb." Here's a picture of Caleb about a week old on the left, and one of Ryan a week old on the right. My lighting was a bit off (darker) for Ryan's picture, but I think they look similar. It will be interesting to see as Ryan continues to grow!

Ryan's First Bath(s)

 Ryan got a bath in the nursery on his second day of life besides the wipe off when he was first born. He first sponge bath (since his cord was still attached) was when he turned exactly one week old on Tuesday, June 14. He was NOT a big fan! Here he is afterwards with his diaper on, ready for jammies.

 

 He was happier once he was dressed.

His cord finally fell off on Monday, June 20. So, on his two week birthday, he got his first bath in the baby tub inside of our bath tub. Once again, he didn't enjoy it too much. But, Daddy gets in and holds him while I quickly wash him and rinse him, so it's a very fast process. You'll enjoy it more, buddy, once you can play!

After Ryan was done, Joshua & Caleb got into the tub. They enjoy playing with their stacker cups and boats and all sorts of other toys in the tub. Joshua still hates to get his head wet. Caleb doesn't care, but if Joshua really protests, then he follows big brother's lead in protesting.  With summer upon us, the boys are outside (and therefore dirty and sweaty) so bath time has become almost a nightly event for the older two. In the winter we don't bathe the boys as often, especially since Caleb's skin is so sensitive and so dry. He's struggling right now with his skin, too, in the heat - please pray for him! But, they LOVE their outdoor time. :) Praise God for sun! And for our sons!

Happy 57 months, Joshua!

My oldest son turned 57 months on Saturday, June 18. I can't believe he's almost five years old! With each new birth in our house, I'm reminded of his rough start in life. Making his debut seven weeks early after many gestational issues, he weighed less than a bag of sugar. Now he's completely caught up and doing well. I'm SO thankful for my miracle child!

One change I’ve noticed in Joshua lately is his imagination – his play with toys is now more interactive where he gives them each roles and acts out scenes. He also was pretending that he was on a beach the other day and told me where the sand was, etc. It’s hard to describe, but I LOVE to watch him play and see what he comes up with. Many times, he’s cracking me up with his sense of humor and wild imagination!

The above picture is one of his silly faces that he loves to do. We call them 'cross faces' depending on why he's making them. These drive me crazy. I hate weird faces, and he loves to strike a pose. On this particular night, he was doing it for Daddy to take pictures of him and he could see them, not because he was angry or offended. I'd like him to be able to vent his frustration, and yet the faces do bother me. So... we're trying to teach him other ways to 'vent.' BUT, that said, doing strange faces is better than hurting himself or others, so we struggle to find the fine line of parenting. I want him to be the best Joshua he can be. We tell him how much we love to see his smiling face instead, and we hope that these faces become another memory for the books...

Joshua is by far my biggest helper. He cleans up his toys, he gets things for me when I ask him to, and he even helps Caleb at times when he's struggling (say to figure out which way a shirt goes on when it's inside out, etc). I love to see Joshua jump in and help, even when he's not asked to. He is a good big brother. Daddy is teaching him how to be the best big brother he can be. After all, Daddy was a big brother in his family! Joshua smiled wide when he heard that. :) He wants to be just like Daddy!

Grandpa Georgia asked Joshua what he wants to be when he grows up. Answers in the past for us when we've asked have included (in order): a police officer, a tractor trailer driver and a professional baseball player. His latest answer, though, was "I want to be a grandpa when I grow up." How cute! I told Joshua he can't grow up on me too fast!

Joshua has really been enjoying his puzzle books from Mamaw (thanks so much!) that come in the mail. He loves to put the stickers in place, connect the dots to make pictures, solve word puzzles and picture puzzles, etc. We work on them together, and it's amazing to me to see how his brain works. I think he's super smart (but all parents think they're kids are amazing, I know!). He's getting better at writing, too, and he can sound out words and is starting to spell some. I think he'd be reading already if I had more time this summer to teach him. I know once Ryan gets on a better schedule, we'll be able to work more together on it.

Joshua still loves music and singing, which I adore. He highly enjoys playing outside, too, and doesn't seem to mind the heat on most days. We've been blessed with sunshine lately! Hallelujah! My boy loves to play soccer outside and would really like a pair of soccer cleats. He also wants a rocket/space ship for his birthday this year, he tells me often. He's anxious to go to kindergarten since some of his friends are heading there, but I'm glad he'll be home with me one more year. I want to spend all the time together that we can!

There's so much more I could write about my beloved boy, but alas, the baby is crying. So, I must run. Happy 57-month birthday, Joshua Bean! I love you!

Ryan's First Doctor's Visit

On Monday, June 13, Ryan had his first appointment at the pediatrician's office. We saw Dr. Kernan at 1:50 pm. She was also the doctor who released Ryan from the hospital on Saturday, and we really like her. Mamaw was here to help with the boys that day (THANK YOU SO MUCH!) and Shawn agreed to come home over lunch to drop the baby & me off at the doctor's office. But, he decided to stay since it didn't take long - that way Mom didn't need to wake the boys from their naps to come pick me up (since I'm not allowed to drive for a few weeks post-op). I was thankful Shawn took a long lunch to be there for the appointment - our other boys needed their rest!

Ryan's stats for his first appointment were as follows:

• Height: 19.5" (27.44%) - this is shorter than he was measured at birth, but the doctor said that's normal
• Weight: 7 lbs 6 oz (25.86%) - this is less than when he was born but more than the 7 lbs 3 oz he hit when we were in the hospital, so she noted that he's growing well
• BMI: 13.64
• Head Circumference: 13.5' (15.21%)

 Dr. Kernan answered our questions and gave us a sheet of tips on things like preventing exhaustion in new moms and how to take care of babies, etc. She told us to start the Polyvisol multivitamins and to schedule another weight check for the following week and then a 1-month and 2-month check-up.

So, we took Ryan back today. This time the appointment was at 9:50 am with Dr. Noori. He weighed 8 lbs even (30.15%). So, they said he's growing just fine and I don't need to come back until his 1-month check-up. She also answered questions I had about his peeling feet and the roof of his mouth having a white circle in it (which she said was a something-or-other 'pearl' or cluster of white cells, which is totally normal).

Please pray for Ryan's overall health! Caleb has a slight cold, and I'm praying Ryan doesn't get it. Also, pray that he continues to eat well and grow at a normal pace. :)

Ryan - Week1!

 I've been so busy (and frankly SO tired!) that I've been neglecting the blog, but I don't want to forget these precious memories. So, I'm going to attempt to do a bit of catch-up as Ryan is finally content. The morning of Tuesday, June 7, went well, I'd say. We got the boys ready and took them to Mamaw's house. Then we proceeded to the hospital. We were taken back to triage where they put monitors on the baby to make sure he was doing okay before the surgery (which was new from the last time I was there). They also had a new jump suit for Daddy (making him look more like he belonged in the loony bin than a hospital). Before, they always had scrubs for the fathers, but they realized how dangerous it was to have random men looking like they belonged with the hospital. These new outfits went over their clothing and looked very silly - no mistaking that they were just dads now! He refused to let me get a picture of him in it, but he took one of his face before we went into surgery.

The nurse who prepped me for surgery was hysterical. I laughed a good bit of the morning. After I told her that people have a hard time getting an IV into me, she told me it was her first day. My face must have told the horror I was feeling, and she cracked up. She said that she was the newest to the department and she had been with LGH over 23 years. She said that this area was so great to work in, people don't leave it. She did have a hard time with the IV, though, and I'm still bruised from it. But, such is life! I'm used to it! She also gave Shawn juice & crackers to eat to try and make sure that he wouldn't pass out in the operating room. I was starving (no eating after midnight for me, and no drinking after 5:30 am), so I joked that when I was in the bathroom, I should have picked up a brochure on "what to do if your spouse is abusing you." I told him that he'd stop getting all the special treatment then. The nurse laughed and said that they're usually a pretty good judge of character and Shawn seemed very sweet. I agreed that he was nothing but awesome. :)

I met with the guy from anesthesia, and then I met the actual guy who did the epidural (two different folks this time, which was different). I thought the one who actually did it was a bit strange at first (a close talker!) but he was EXCELLENT at his job. It still was awful getting the actual needles in my spine (by far the worst part!) but he told me to let him know the second I felt nauseous or uncomfortable, explaining that he could fix 'slightly' sick and not over-the-top. So, I did. Anytime I felt sick at all, I told him, and he fixed it immediately. The one time he commented "yep, your blood pressure was far too low, which explains why your stomach is upset." That happened with Caleb, too, I remember. Only I vomited the ENTIRE surgery with my middle son. This time, the guy was right on top of things and I did well the entire surgery. He even pulled down the corner of the sheet when Ryan was yanked from my womb so that I could see him! It was fantastic!

When the surgery started, I thought it had been a LONG time and I hadn't heard any crying yet. I was terrified that something was wrong. So, I asked. Dr. Conslato explained that with the scar tissue from my two previous c-sections, she had to go slowly and methodically to get to the baby. She just hadn't reached my womb yet. She promised to let me know when it was coming. Then the anesthesia guy told Shawn to come and stand where he was at, and he took Shawn's place next to my head. The guy then took my hand, and he told Shawn to watch as the baby was coming out then. The guy seemed very interested in the delivery, yet very sweet. Then, after the baby was born, Shawn took a couple pictures, followed by this same guy snatching his camera and taking a bazillion pictures. At first I thought it was weird, but I SO appreciate the photos he took. He got the ones of our family and of Shawn holding his son. The guy's name was Doug, and he was really, really great.

After the baby came out, the NICU nurses cleaned him up while we were in the room with them and took his weight, etc. while Dr. Conslato finished tying my tubes and stitching me back together. I was so blessed that I wasn't sick and I was able to kiss my son and hold him a little while I was still being operated on.

I thought Ryan was BEAUTIFUL! I can't get over how blessed we are to have three good-looking children. The nurse whispered down to me that they very-rarely-to-never give a 10 out of 10 on an APGAR rating, which rates the overall appearance of the baby. But, his skin was nice and pink and he was good-looking all around with no defects or deformities. All I could think was "Thank you, Jesus!"

We didn't name Ryan for hours after he was born. We had one last conversation about names and then decided to go with our top choice. Others we had considered were Nathan, Javier, Cole, Brody and a few others. I also liked the name Othniel as a middle name (since that was Caleb's younger brother in the Bible who was also a judge over Israel). But, when we said Nathan Othniel Good, we realized his initials would be N.O. GOOD. That didn't work! I'm glad we picked Ryan Josiah. Below is a photo of Dr. Conslato with our baby in the recovery room. I told her I wanted a picture since she had delivered all three of my Good boys, and she agreed.

We had started our morning at 7:30 at the hospital and didn't get to a couplet care room until almost 3 pm. Part of the reason was that it takes forever for anesthesia to wear off of me. I still couldn't move my legs for hours after the surgery was done, which was exactly how I reacted when I had it with Caleb Luke. They gave me a diet of liquids for my first meal, and I never did get to eat the broth - now I can't remember why. But, by the next day I was STARVING and thankful for being put on a normal diet again.

I was anxious to see my older boys and have them meet their little brother. So, I asked Mom to bring them in. Otherwise, we asked visitors to wait until I was feeling more up to company. I had tubes coming out of every inch of my body at that point, from a blood pressure cuff to an IV to other not-so-fun parts of surgery. So, it was nice to wait for other guests. But, I was happy to have my boys and mom in to see us right away. The first night I had a GREAT nurse overnight. Her name was Kendra, and she told us that she has six boys and a daughter (who is NOT her youngest - Shawn asked!). She said her 23-year-old son who is her oldest is fantastic and she called her 8-year-old son who is her youngest to remind him to wake up for school at the end of her shift. She used to be a midwife that delivered babies at home for various people, including Amish. I loved her stories. And she was GREAT! She got me moving and out of bed a little earlier than I would have liked (man was I sore!) but it gave me the freedom to become more detached from wires and to eat a normal diet again. She said the sooner the better for getting up and moving. And, even though she was late leaving her shift, she made sure I was all set without some of the tubes before leaving for the day, rather than letting the next nurse neglect me. I was SO tired of hearing from all the rest of the nurses about a "new computer system" that made them terrible with their care. I understand that it's a difficult system, and yet I was tired of hearing the excuse and seeing no nurses come on a regular basis.

Visitors the rest of the week included Grandpa Georgia & his girlfriend Robyn, Aunt Missy, Aunt Jen, my friend Rebecca from Bible study, Uncle Brian & Aunt Gayle and their two kids, and my friend Karisten from small group. Mom and the boys also came in every day. We were glad to see them. Shawn would take them to the playground and feed them snacks. [This was the first time that there was a fridge in our room, which allowed him to buy some food for himself and not have to buy the cafeteria food all the time, which is expensive and not that great.] I missed taking a picture of Karisten and Grandpa Georgia, but I took one of the gifts they brought me in the room to represent them.

Now, while the cafeteria food is TERRIBLE, the food that is served to patients is downright AMAZING! I loved the french toast this time round with bacon. The macaroni & cheese is top notch, and I ate chicken salad sandwiches. Anything that came prepared to me was excellent and I love not having to cook. Overall, I enjoy being in the hospital. Other than recovering from major surgery, it was great to lay with my feet up, hang out skin-to-skin with little Ryan, have my husband to be with me 24/7 and get to talk with him, have visitors and well wishers via the phone and Internet, etc. This will be my last time having a baby, so I soaked up every minute of it!

The second day of his life, Ryan screamed the entire day. My milk wasn't in yet, and he nursed round the clock but was still hungry. He was also completely cranky, which we read in our brochures and posted on posters around the room that this is normal behavior for a newborn. Day 2 is just dreadful. But, Day 3 he got his circumcision so he was pretty loopy in the morning. He still doesn't sleep well at night and wants to be right next to me at all times, but I know that this is all an adjustment for a newborn! I was thankful he passed his hearing screening the first time and the doctors and nurses said he was doing well.

When we left, the nurse we had was TERRIBLE. We hadn't seen her all day, so I finally called to tell her we were ready to go. She didn't give us any of the normal 'gifts' that the hospital gives typically. I remember with both my other boys getting a little bath tub that we washed them with, the brush they used on their hair, open and new packs of diapers, etc. She didn't even offer us the open pads and open Vaseline for his little circumcision. We had to go shopping when we left the hospital. I thought maybe with cutbacks the hospital wasn't as generous. Then I heard from friends that they all got the gifts - we just got screwed with a woman who couldn't be bothered. Such is life! I was glad to come home on Saturday. I missed my two older boys SO much!

Caleb was excited to see the baby in the pack 'n play they had "helped build." I am blessed beyond measure by my three boys and their Daddy. God has been SO faithful to us! My little Ryan - you were worth the wait!

Happy Father's Day!

My Little Ryan Josiah

 Ryan means "Little King" ; Josiah means "Jehovah Helps"
Here is where Josiah is found in the Old Testament, or at least a little about him. There's more written, but this is a good bit of why I liked the name so much...

2 Kings 22

The Book of the Law Found

 ¹ Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years...

² He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.

2 Kings 23

Josiah Renews the Covenant

¹⁹ Just as he had done at Bethel, Josiah removed all the shrines at the high places that the kings of Israel had built in the towns of Samaria and that had aroused the LORD’s anger. ²⁰ Josiah slaughtered all the priests of those high places on the altars and burned human bones on them. Then he went back to Jerusalem.
 ²¹ The king gave this order to all the people: “Celebrate the Passover to the LORD your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.” ²² Neither in the days of the judges who led Israel nor in the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah had any such Passover been observed. ²³ But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, this Passover was celebrated to the LORD in Jerusalem.
 ²⁴ Furthermore, Josiah got rid of the mediums and spiritists, the household gods, the idols and all the other detestable things seen in Judah and Jerusalem. This he did to fulfill the requirements of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had discovered in the temple of the LORD. ²⁵ Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the LORD as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.

High Five!

Today I'm feeling extremely thankful for my family of five. I have an amazing husband and three incredible and healthy boys. God has blessed me beyond my dreams! Praising Him today for the wonderful family He's given me. Please pray that we all get a little more sleep but that we also enjoy every moment we have. :)