Sunday School Lesson put to the test

So right now in Sunday school we are studying anxiety and stress. I haven't been able to make it as much as I like due to praise team and then work but I did make it 2 weeks ago and learned a lot. The one thing I learned that I really struggle with is that anxiety and worries are actually a sin. We really need to remember to turn these worries over to God, so while I believe in this, God has tested us over the last 2 weeks. Following this lesson, approx 25 minutes after, Brandon threw his back out again while picking up Harper as she ran from him at church. With shingles partially removed from our roof (we are putting up steel), and me needing some extra help with the girls due to pregnancy and homework, Brandon throwing his back out was not the best timing. So last week I tried to suck it up and take care of Brandon (which I'm not very good at!!), work extra hours (yep I was scheduled an extra shift last week), take care of the girls, and take care of the house (which is lacking majorly, so if you come over please excuse our mess.) After working this weekend I was sore, achy, and cramping so at my appointment on Tuesday I told the doctor and she decided to check my cervix, which I wasn't real surprised but I am dilated at 31 weeks which led to a wheelchair ride down to Labor and delivery to monitor contractions, 48 hours of bed rest, and 2 steroid shots. Fortunately the FFN test showed I most likely wont deliver for the next 2 weeks. However, the doctor decided it is best that I'm off work until I am 36 weeks, and no lifting over 15 lbs, which basically means no picking up Harper who thinks she needs to be carried by mommy a little too much. So now the stress adds up even more, first of all I've only been working for a little over a year at my current job so I really don't have anytime saved up, which means when my short-term disability is up and then I am actually required to take maternity leave I am going to be without any pay, 2nd we still really need to look at getting a new vehicle for Brandon so that he can pick all 3 girls up from daycare when I do go back to work, 3rd I need to finish 1 1/2 more weeks of school, and then all the other daily stuff like cleaning the house, laundry, paying bills, finishing my 10 week countdown list, etc...

Anyways so here is to testing my anxiety and stress Sunday school class. I've typed out my worries, I'm praying and trusting God will provide, and now to try and get some sleep and enjoy the next 4 weeks home with my little girls Teagan and Harper and hoping Blakely decided to stay cozy in my belly a little longer.

10 week countdown!!

Ok, so I'm on the 10 week countdown, or so I hope :) I'm kind of banking on the fact that I had both Teagan and Harper at 38 weeks, Miss Blakely will arrive around the same time right??!!

Lets Hope!

So 10 week countdown and there is sooooo much to do!! Poor Brandon thinks I've lost it trying to get everything organized before Blakely's arrival.

Here is the list

1. Teagan sleeping in her own bed all the way through the night.

2. Potty Train Harper :) She did go potty 4 times today whoo hoo

3. Freezer Meals (I plan to start this tomorrow!!)

4. Sort through the Bins and wash Blakely's clothes

5. Find closet space to put Blakely's clothes (possibly buy another dresser??)

6. Finish my spring cleaning (Yep spring cleaning :) haha

7. Laundry, Laundry and more Laundry

8. Complete Christmas Shopping

9. Continue to blog

10. Oh and complete my BSN I will be done October 25!!! Lots of papers to write before than.

So I started this a week ago and I'm just getting to finish my blog today. I'm getting a little overwhelmed with trying to finish everything plus the daily stuff and work. Maybe I will get a boost of energy this weekend :) Brandon unfortunately has a lot he wants to complete outside too, but I guess if everything doesn't get finished it won't be the end of the world.

Playing Princess

I have always hated the "Princess" craze that goes on with girls, to the point I have refused to buy or let me girls have anything Princess. Part of the reason I have this feeling is I don't want my girls growing up thinking they are "little Princesses" and basically have be spoiled, get away with anything, and everyone should bow to them type attitudes.

No matter how hard I've tried to keep Teagan from being a "girly girl" "princess" I have completely failed. However, I don't consider it truly failing because I don't think she's got the spoiled, get away with anything, and everyone should bow to me attitude that I have feared. Teagan is truly just a "girly girl" she loves to play dress up, loves to put on make up, and have her nails painted, and wear dresses, and loves the color pink. This is nothing that I have taught her, it's just Teagan and her personality and that God made her what she is a GIRL. One example is that we are looking at getting her a pedal tractor for Christmas and we were looking through the toy catalog and she saw the pink tractor, and said "Daddy I want the pink tractor" and Brandon (who really wants to get her a red one and not a "girly" one) said "Teagan don't you want the red tractor? It will match Daddy's" Teagan replied "No Daddy red tractors are for boys, and pink tractors are for girls" LOL I think Brandon might as well just get used to pink :)

Not that we've tried to make Teagan a "Baby X" example for those of you psychology/Sociology people but we've never tried to push this is what girls do and have this is what boys do and have. Teagan has taught me a true lesson here, it's our nature we are girls, we have certain feelings, certain likes, certain emotions, because God made us girls and it's OK that we are girls and God has certain roles that a girl plays and certain roles boys play.

I had pretty much given up on trying to avoid Teagan being a girly girl, when we go shopping I pretty much just buy her dresses because I know that's what she will wear, and I paint her nails, and let her put on make up and perfume sometimes, and its fun I really enjoy being a girl with her and I look forward to having Harper and Blakely want to play along soon too!

My lesson from Teagan is not the first nor will it be the last, I think it's part of being the first born she will teaching me many things about being a mom as I will try and teach her many things about being a girl. I feel even better about this as I am reading the book "bringing up GIRLS" by Dr. James Dobson. Last night in the chapter it talked about why girls love to be princesses and dress up. It also gave me a new perspective, if we look at some of the Disney examples of Princesses like Cinderella, Snow White, and Belle. Why wouldn't I want my girls to grow up like them?? Cinderella served her step sisters and mom really without complaint, she later found her true love, with a glass slipper, and lived happily ever after. Cinderella didn't go through man after man, kissing and being a "sexual object", she had one Prince, and she fell in love and they got married. Snow White was about to be killed by her step mother and she lived in the forest where she served the seven dwarfs and found her true love, got married, and lived happily ever after, and Belle she fell in love with a Beast, taught him many things, and he became a Prince and they lived "HAPPILY EVER AFTER"

My hope for my girls is someday WAY DOWN the road, find their one true Prince, fall in love, get married, and live Happily Ever After. I don't want them to settle for anything less, I don't want them to be "sex objects" like we see on TV of women with several men and never truly being happy. I want them to be Christian women that have respect for themselves, their bodies, and respect for others, and not settle for anything less than what God has planned for them. Which we know is truly amazing!!!

Baby girl #3

We finally had our ultrasound on Monday and like I said previously Brandon was convinced it was a boy and I was not so convinced......A mother's instinct I guess but yes we are having baby girl #3, Blakely Ann Sowers.

So everyone keeps asking if we are disappointed?? Heres the answer: No how could we be disappointed?? She's healthy, she's growing, and God has blessed us with another girl. During the ultrasound we just kept laughing. Brandon and I both know how crazy its going to be with 3 girls in the house, and poor Brandon is getting further and further outnumbered (Which I am ok with :)

I keep thinking about when I was growing up and playing with babies and pushing them in the stroller never in a million years did I expect to have all girls. And today when I was sitting there in the living room with both girls on the blanket wanting their toe nails painted, I thought to myself never imagined doing this either, and when Teagan wanted to brush Brandon's hair the other night hahaha I bet he never imagined 3 little girls sitting on his lap wanting to do his hair. I always thought that I would have at least one of each, a boy first of course to protect his sisters (just like my brother protected me haha) and then after that a couple girls. Now that plan is out the window and we just move on and enjoy 3 little girls running around our house and maybe someday there will be a boy in our future.

Like Brandon said the other day "someday the boys will come" (whether its one of our own or one of the boys that wants to date our daughter.)

Sowers 5

Well it sounds like I am going to need to change the name of my blog to Sowers 5, or maybe the mom who never posts anymore.....(one of the 2 name changes will be coming soon)!

Yep Sowers 5 We are very excited to have baby #3 which we are expecting to arrive around December 13th or 2 weeks earlier like the last 2 would be ok with me :) Since I am at week 13 and I haven't been near as sick (I wont say I'm not sick) but not near as sick as I was with the girls Brandon is convinced it's a boy but we will see in July. I'm not so convinced.

Teagan is very excited and is convinced she is having a baby brother but Harper is having a baby sister so I'm not sure how that is going to work out because We know for a fact there is only 1 in there.

My goal is to remind myself of this everyday:

God has blessed us so much over the last 3 years I am excited to see what else he has planned for Brandon and I. We have 3 wonderful children (Yes I'm expecting the 3rd one to be just as wonderful) like most 3rd children are ;), we love our new Home, and we have been so blessed with a wonderful community and church family.

There are so many heartbreaking stories right now when I read my friends post on Facebook, or I see it at work in the ER, or see it on the news. I just continue to pray for God to heal those around me that are suffering. It has made me realize how we need to be thankful everyday and appreciate everything we have.

Terrible Two's

Well first off it's been awhile since I've posted so just a little update on us......So far this year we have celebrated Harper walking, Harper's First Birthday, Teagan is successfully potty trained, and we finally closed on our house!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now the sun is shining, spring has arrived and it can only get better right??? :)

Now a few stories that I have to put in writing so I never forget.

First the story I don't think I will forget even if I didn't write it down:

Harper was acting kind of fussy, pulling at her ears, etc....so I decided to take her into the doctor and My friend Missy was so kind to let me drop Teagan off at story time at the library and she watched her. Once Harper and I were done at the doctors we went to get Teagan and spent some time playing some more with her friends, but when it was time to leave Teagan didn't really agree, I was getting so frustrated because she was running away, laughing, and refusing to put her coat on, finally I said to Teagan ok I am leaving without you and I turned to walk towards the door, Teagan turns to her friend and said "that's ok my mommy will be back later"

Hahaha Who does she think she is????!!! I guess she knows I will always be there :)

She did continue to melt down on the sidewalk on the way to the car leaving lip prints on the sidewalk, I was so embarrassed but I guess it happens to everyone.

Story 2: Harper's birthday was so much fun we had lots of family and friends that came to celebrate the weekend and Harper loved every minute of it. Unfortunately it was a little rough for Teagan to see Harper getting all the new toys and clothes. My Grandma got Harper a little baby that is so cute and Harper loves and it now stays in her crib away from big sis.

Anyways Teagan took the baby from Harper and gave Harper her old babies then when you asked Teagan what the babies name was she said Teagan, and what are the other babies names?? Harper

Haha she's pretty smart

Ok well that's all for now I'm suppose to be doing homework!! YUCK!! October I will be done and I will officially have my BSN....HOORAY