Obsession

Last week Phillip and I got a DVD in the mail called "Obsession - Radical Islam's War Against the West." We had no idea why we had gotten it, and have since found out that some of our friends here in St. Louis have received it as well. All I really wanted to say is, if you DO get this in the mail...WATCH IT! Here is a little youtube clip...check it out. It is really crazy and eye opening. "Obsession is a film about the threat of Radical Islam to Western Civilization. Using unique footage from Arab television, it reveals and 'insider's view' of the hatred the Radicals are teaching, their incitement of global jihad, and their goal of world domination. The film also traces the parallels between the Nazi movement of WWII, the Radicals of today, and the Western world's response to both threats."

Along this same note, if you haven't read "The Last Jihad" series by Joel Rosenberg you really should. There are five books to this series and they are all earily prophetic of the world climate right now! Again, this really opens your eyes to what is happening around the world while we sit in our nice comfortable homes, not realizing the end of the world could be so close at hand. What a hope and security I have knowing that when I die, or when America gets blown up (really!) I will be in Heaven with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Just thought I would share something to think about!
PS. Check your local library for The Last Jihad series first before you go out and buy all of them.

Shelly

Pumpkin Patch 08

Today Phillip and I went to the pumpkin patch with the girls. This has become a yearly tradition for us. The first year we went, I was pregnant with the girls, the 2nd year we took the girls, and this year we took the girls again, but also with a pregnant mommy again! Check out our pictures below :)





We went to see Fireproof, the movie, last night and LOVED IT! It is a great movie about marriage and working to save it!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE go see it!

Surprises

So much of life we can't plan or know in advance what will happen. We have to leave it up to the Lord, knowing that His plans are MUCH better than ours anyway, even if they don't make sense to us at first.... That has been the ultimate challenge for me during this pregnancy. We were surprised to be pregnant, surprised when I started bleeding at 12 weeks, surprised it was a BOY, surprised to be on partial bedrest at only 18 weeks, surprised to have to do weekly shots, surprised when things went well and I could get up again, surprised when I had to lay down again, and now surprised that I am actually 36 weeks and NOT DILATED!!!! Well, I really am 1/2cm but that doesn't even count. After all this time here I am and I'm not even progressing quickly! I am going to take daily walks and start to get my stamina back up. I'm pretty out of shape after laying around for 4 months...not to mention having gained almost double what my goal weight was. I am so excited to be able to not have ANY restrictions! I am still having contractions all the time, but they don't hurt and are obviously doing nothing, so I'm just waiting for the "real thing" to begin. Here are a few specific prayer requests I would love to have lifted up. Since I had a C-section last time, they are not allowed to induce my labor. If I go beyond my due date I will simply have another C-Section, no matter what. However, I really want to have a natural birthing experience and get to experience giving birth this way. In order to do that, I MUST go into labor on my own. I am also measuring 39wks, which means Canon could be a fairly large baby, with a fairly large head!!! So I am praying I won't have any complications during labor which alarm the nurses and doctor to opt for a C-Section. Thank you for those prayers. :)
As soon as the girls wake up I am headed out for a walk, and then tonight Phillip and I are going to see Fireproof - the new movie with Kirk Cameron. You should ALL go see it this weekend and promote it if you can. It is about marriage and promotes "fireproofing your marriage".
Thanks again for all of those who are praying for me and Canon, and for those who've been so sweet to call, comment on the blog, or e-mail saying they can help in any way. I have such a huge support group of friends and family and I am so blessed.
Thank you!
Shelly
ps. pics to come.....

dr. update

I went to the doctor today and I'm 50% effaced and 1/2cm dilated. This was really good for me since I was 50% effaced last week and I was expecting to be 2-3cm dilated when I went today because I've still been having contractions quite a bit! So...the dr. said take it easy this week but it looks like making it to next week (36 wks) is a huge possibility now! I am so excited and really feel like I'm going to make my goal! Thank you to ALL those who've helped me in making it this far!!

my charming kids

my sister found this blog and sent it to me. i added her to my friends over there on the left. it is called "my charming kids" and I LOVE IT! she has 3 (soon to be 4) kids really close in age and feeds them organic, healthy food, and uses cloth diapers, and is a Christian! she is an expert blogger so it is fun to read. check her out!

Will we have a September Baby?

Yesterday marked my 34th week of pregnancy! What a milestone and we are SO glad to be here. I had the girls at 32 weeks, so every day I am pregnant is somewhere I've never been!
On Wednesday night I started having quite a few contractions and just felt, well..."different". So when I went to my appointment today I was not surprised that my cervix is shortening even more and softening. It is at 1.7 cm and my doctor said we need to settle down these contractions so that I can make it two more weeks. I am back on bedrest and now on Procardia, a medicine I was on while in the hospital with the girls to help reduce contractions. Because it is only for two weeks I know I can do it. If Canon were born now he would be in the NICU, and in two weeks his chances of NICU time are almost none. Please be praying for two more weeks!
Above is a picture of me at 34 weeks and the girls pushing each other in the stroller. Have a wonderful weekend!

Revival at ZOE!

I've been wanting to post for quite some time about all of the awesome things the Lord is doing at ZOE. ZOE has always been different from what I, or most people I know, have know about "youth groups" In fact it is pretty different than any "youth group" I've ever heard of. The Lord has given Phillip such a vision for ministry that opens up opportunities for the Lord to move in the lives of these kids, AND their families. All the time kids are coming to ZOE and hearing the incredible news about Christ. After meeting with Phillip or Ashley and going through the bible to really understand what it means to give your life to the Lord and put Him in control of your life, these kids are changed and want everyone they know to know about the Lord. Their parents are then going through the bible and giving their lives to the Lord! This has been happening ever since ZOE started 6 years ago. The incredible thing is that all of the kids are SO on fire for the Lord that they are inviting all of their friends to ZOE and each week it keeps getting more and more crowded. At Hot Summer Nites this summer they had to move up to the church because they ran out of room. There are so many new kids each week that Phillip is having about 5-10 kids give their life to the Lord each week, and around 280 kids are coming to High School each week. BIG things are happening in these kids lives and each week Phillip is booked with appointments to go through the bible with these kids to teach them what it really means to surrender control to the Lord. It's not just a raise your hand if you want to be saved and no one will ever talk to you about what that means kind of thing. It is so much more and it is so exciting to be a part of all of it. I am so proud of Phillip and his desire to reach these kids and their families. He has such a greater vision for ZOE than I could ever dream of. If you are reading this, and you are from STL...you should come check it out! www.zoeland.com
Praise the Lord for ALL He is doing in ZOE!

A hole in your head?

I know that it is not unusual to have your kids 20 months apart, nor is it that unusual these days to have twins. So what I would like to know is how come every stranger I see has to make some kind of comment about my life?
I've been unable to get out much this summer and go shopping and have thus avoided the many crazy comments I am now receiving. Of course now my belly is very noticeable and people just can't seem to walk by me without saying something either to me, under their breath, or to the person next to them. It's not like my girls are screaming or throwing fits while we are out. They are always well behaved and I'm always glad to be out and about. Again, I understand that my kids will be close in age and that I will be pretty busy, but hey....the Lord did this and we feel blessed. We never planned twins, and we never planned to be pregnant again so soon. We are excited they will all be close and feel blessed the Lord has given them to us. Of course I'm not going to ramble all of that off to a stranger after they make an exasperated comment at me....but what I am searching for is a really good come back. I need something to say to them that will make them stop and think and say, "wow, there is something different about her." So I am enlisting your help. Who can come up with the best come back comment. Maybe you'll have some inspiration after I tell you just a FEW of the comments I received at just ONE store yesterday:
"wow, are they twins? and you're expecting another one?"
"I don't know how you are going to do it!"
"You sure are busy"
"How old are they?" - then these people (who worked there) kept staring at me while I shopped for like 5 minutes!
"You are going to be busy, but....you'll survive!"
"Girl, you need a hole in your head"

are you kidding? help! :)
Shelly

Canon's Room :)

Thanks to a wonderfully sweet family we are borrowing a crib and changing table for Canon. We won't have the crib until Christmas time, so he will sleep in the pack n play in our room until he gets his own real bed. We do however already have the changing table. So the room is finished until then...and of course will change and be rearranged later. So here are the pictures of his room for now. Thanks again to all those who helped, especially Phillip and my mom. :)


My sister made this for us! :) Thanks Ang!
My cousin's wife Christy had a baby boy in November and graciously let us borrow all of Brett's baby clothes! What a blessing to feel like I have something to put him in when he comes home!

This is where the changing table will go after we get the crib.

This is where the crib will go after we get it :) The canvas says "The Lord is with you Mighty Warrior" Judges 6:12