Thanksgiving 2017

Thanksgiving has come and gone! We spent our Thanksgiving as we have for many years...with the Whitehurst family. They are our Salem family ♡ It was a special time because Bonnie's mom (Grandma as she is known to us) was there!

Donald is a master with the Traeger. We have created a new term...traegering. Yep, Donald is Traegering the turkey! It was AMAZING!

Bonnie used her magic to whip together the rest of the feast. We merely provided the pumpkin chiffon pies and the chaos ;)

It is such a blessing to have friends to share the holiday with.

Let's Give This Another Try

I am so NOT good at the whole "keeping up with the blog" thing. Considering my profile said I had 3 kids...it has been a while! So here's a quick update on our little family.

Jonah is now 12 years old and in the 6th grade! He has the joy of having Mom as his teacher for 3 out of 8 classes. I love that I get to see him in this environment of school. He is at that age where keeping an eye on him as he navigates the treacherous waters of middle school isn't a bad thing! He loves school. He is SO social. This year he tried soccer for the first time and he LOVED it! I preferred the schedule to that of last year's football schedule! Now he his gearing up for basketball. He does well in school and is loving that he can now go to youth group at church.

Liam is 10 years old. He and Jonah are pretty much opposites! He doesn't really enjoy school or sports. He is very much into games he can play on the Wii or with us as a family. He has finally found a love for reading and is enjoying Harry Potter! He has a kind heart and is quite good at math (totally didn't get that from his mom)! He loves being around people but has been finding it hard to connect and make friends at school. We are praying that the Lord helps him in this area. He has grown so much this year! He is going to be taller than me pretty soon!

Keira is 7 years old and in the 2nd grade. She LOVES school and all things social. She is a lot like Jonah in this area. She has also found the love for books, but she'll take playing over reading still. He is also very quick in math and loves to do crafts and play games. She is one tough little cookie with 4 brothers surrounding her. At her parent teacher conference her teacher mentioned she is a bit bossy and chatty... I had to admit she comes by that honestly ;) She is such a blessing to us!

Silas is in kindergarten and he turned 6 in September. He is NOT a morning person and does NOT like getting up for school. He is pretty bright, but has the attitude of "I know that I know this stuff. I know that YOU know that I know this stuff. Let's just call it good and not bother with the whole paper and pencil thing." LOL! Nice try, Kid! School isn't his favorite place to be but he has come a long way since last year. He is so sweet. He will still let me give him a kiss and a short snuggle at night (not TOO long, Mom) but he is growing up fast. He lost his first tooth this month!

Finley is our baby and is 4 years old! Wow. Time flies! Finn is my most affectionate child by leaps and bounds. He still crawls into bed with us a few nights a week. In the wee hours of the morning I will feel his little person squash my legs as he crawls over me. He grabs my face, kisses me, tells me he loves me, and falls right back to sleep! I know these days will end far too soon. He is also one of my more social kids. He enjoys school but loves being home too. He and Silas are best buds and worst enemies all rolled into one. Those two can get themselves into quite a lot of trouble if they aren't watched!

Jonathan has recently gone back to school. He is pursuing an Associates Degree in Applied Science with a CAD certification. He is really good at this stuff! I think he's found his niche! Now to survive the coursework so he can settle into a career that will, we believe, be very fulfilling for him. He will be doing all sorts of things within the computer aided design world. Most often people in this field will work with architects. There are other divisions that use this too (lots of state and city work). We are excited to see what the future holds with this program.

I am still teaching. I now work at Salem Academy. I left CCS after Finley was born in 2013. I took 2 years at home and homeschooled Liam and Jonah. We did one year in Spokane as Jonathan accepted a job, but ultimately we ended up back in Salem again. I then joined SA teaching 5th grade. I moved to 6th grade last year and am now teaching 6th grade Language Arts, Science, and Geography. This has been a really fun year of teaching so far!
I am also working with a company called VIPKID. It is a Chinese online program that teaches English to Chinese students. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! God brought it to me at just the right time. I started at the end of July and have taught 706 classes so far. These kids are adorable! The program is well-designed and easy to teach. It is all the fun of teaching and none of the prep work or grading/conferencing/meetings/paperwork... I find it a bit humorous because all through college I REALLY wasn't interested in ESL education. Now I find it really enjoyable. I am also teaching a TOEFL prep class for our international students here at SA (once a week). Feel free to message me if you are interested in hearing more about VIPKID. It is legit. It is fun. It pays well and I am so glad the Lord dropped it into our lives.

That is the short version of where we are and what we are up to. we are just taking things one year (or even 6 months sometimes) at a time and trying to listen for what the Lord has for us. With Jonathan in school and a new career field opening for him, we don't know what changes that might bring our way. Looking back over the last 16 years I can honestly say, I may not like the whole uncertainty of the future at times, but God hasn't let us drown yet! I do find myself going back to my favorite verse Psalm 27:14...Wait on the Lord. Be strong. Take heart. And wait on the Lord. I have learned that the process of waiting is anything but inactive. I have to continue to live while in the midst of the "wait." That isn't always an easy task, but God is faithful!

A Crazy Busy Wonderful Life

Here's to admitting that I couldn't even remember the blog address...that is how long it has been since I've blogged...oh dear! Well, I guess it is update time.

Since school let out things have been busy, busy, busy! I always seem to forget that I feel busier being at home than when I balance work and home but I love the days with my kids! We've filled our days with swim lessons, swim and play time at the Kroc, rearranging bedrooms and closets at the house, visiting friends and family, and trying to get things organized before Baby Boy Mangis arrives. Throw in a week of illness for most of us and teeth cutting and you have one tired mom!

Jonah's Update: He is almost 6! I look at my boy and wonder where the time went. Jonah has been very responsible this summer. He LOVES helping Keira. A million comments, questions, arguments...come from him. Jonah has a never ending run of words and observations. He is working hard on reading and it is exciting to see the world of words come alive for him. Jonah tests and tries to argue or "explain" so our summer battle has been our family rule, Obey the first time, every time, right away...then you can ask why or put in your two cents worth. We'll get there...he has a beautiful heart. Poor Jonah ended up with Jonathan's tiny mouth and crowded teeth. We found out today that he will need some early orthodontic work to avoid serious issues later. His baby teeth are crammed in there and instead of falling out many are getting pushed back as the adult teeth come in. The dentist estimates at least 6 will need to come out and some widening procedures done.

Liam's Update: Liam is your typical 4-year-old boy. He shoots everything in sight, protects us from the bad guys, has a vivid imagination, and also has a pet dragon named Toothless who lives in "my forest." Toothless has amazing abilities and many many birthdays! I love his creativity. Liam is our early bird. He is usually up around 6am asking if he can "watch a show" or play the Wii. Thankfully, Liam has not inherited his Daddy's mouth so far we are in the clear on that one! Liam has a tendency to get very frustrated when he can't do something and growls (literally) about it. Our cute little man tries to get away with murder around here but his heart is precious and he is sharp as a tack!

Keira's Update: My how our little girl has grown! She is quite a firecracker! Keira loves rough housing with the boys and can certainly dish it out. She has a precious little laugh and a glint in her eye that mean trouble is on the way! Keira had a big growth spurt recently and her adorable little summer dresses are a bit short! She's cut quite a few new teeth and is saying lots of new little words. Lately she has taken to saying "Mommy" and "Daddy" which is so precious! She has kept a reddish tint in her hair and has the independent spirit that goes with it. I am looking forward to doing a 2-week session of "swim lessons" with her while the boys are having their lesson. She loves the water so hopefully it will go well!

Jonathan's Update: Jonathan is working really hard. I am always impressed with how he comes up with so many solutions to people's problems. Blessed doesn't even come close to describing how I feel when I look at the man I married. He is an amazingly involved Dad and loves spending time with his kids. He is always willing to help out at home with whatever I need. Unfortunately, by the time the kids' bedtime rolls around we are so tired we don't get many items off that "To Do" list!

My Update: About 2 months left in this pregnancy. I feel like there is less than that though and have felt farther along than I am throughout this pregnancy. That probably means that I will be "overdue" with this one! I am almost done with my two grad courses for the summer and then I am picking up two "easy" ones from PSU soon. That will leave me with my thesis....oh that evil thing that I must tackle to accomplish the goal of earning my Masters! I get a little anxious when I look ahead at the amount of work for that thesis balanced with a new baby, work, and home but I see the light at the end of the tunnel!
The pregnancy is going well. Our little boy is growing and causing all the normal pregnancy issues such as heartburn, fatigue, and sore feet. Other than that it is a textbook pregnancy. I plan on going to the local birth center for this delivery and am excited to try and see how it goes! I've had natural deliveries with all the others so I am hoping it goes smoothly with this one too!
My newest adventure is that I am going to start selling Premier Design Jewelry! I thought and prayed about this for quite some time without mentioning it to anyone. Jonathan and I discussed it and we are hoping it will bring in some extra income but we won't be depending on it. I love the product and the prices and the hostess plan. It is a great company (a great Christian company) and I am really praying it goes well. I won't be doing lots of parties this fall because of the baby but I want to do several every month so that this coming spring I can step it up...hopefully!

So our little family is growing by one more and the boys talk about the baby all the time. Liam asks every other day if we can go and get the baby out now. They come up with all sorts of "facts" about things that he can and can't do...it is pretty cute. The summer is just flying by and I dread the boys going back to school. I am jealous of that time with them. I am proud of them and, despite our bumps along the way, the life God has given us is blessed beyond what we imagined possible!

Favorite Things

Jonah:
 I love that my 5 1/2 year-old is so good with his sister. He is responsible and kind-hearted. Jonah is so like his daddy that it makes me laugh...he is like a little clone! I love that he still likes snuggles and hugs and kisses. He warms my heart.

Liam:
 My independent one. He is so fierce! Even his manner of speaking is very matter of fact, very emphatic. I love that he has an imaginary dragon (Toothless) who lives in the forest (the wooded area by the park). He is so detail-oriented and smart. His attention span with his sister is half a second but he talks to her in this high baby voice...very sweet. He's my thumb-sucker, snuggle when he's tired, all boy little man!

Keira:
My little girls toddles around the house trying so hard to keep up with the boys. She chatters all day saying, "Ma ma ma ma," or , "doh doh doh" (those are just a few). When the boys are outside she stands at the french door chattering and wishing she could be out there too. She has more hair than either one of the boys did! She loves to rest her head on my shoulder (though kisses are hard to come by). She has grown so fast I can hardly believe it.

We live a pretty blessed life. Sometimes we wonder why things happen but the good Lord knows what He's up to!

Does Four Make a Housefull?

Around January 14th I found out that we are expecting Mangis Baby #4! 3 more tests, a blood test and an ultra sound confirmed that. I was hesitant to believe the first test because I had gotten a false positive back in August. Of course that was orchestrated by God as it led to discovering the closure of the left ureter which led to my first out-patient surgery and 6 weeks of misery!

Anyway...back to baby. I am about 10 weeks along and baby is due September 27th. I've never actually made it to that magical "due date" so we'll see when this one wants to join us here! Seeing as I can't really hide this much longer (I seem to be showing a bit already) I'm going to try and phrase my answers to the questions/comments I am bound to be approached with...

1. Did you plan this? (or...for the less tactful folks...Did you do this on purpose?) Well, I wouldn't say I "planned" it but I am married and I don't use birth control so I can't really say "surprised" since I know how these things happen!

2. Are you crazy? What were you thinking? :)  Well, babies are blessings no matter the timing or number!

3. Are you going back to work? I will work as much as I can in September and then return in January. Of course, my preference has always been to be at home with my kids but that opportunity is not open to us right now. And no, I don't like leaving my kids while I work. Each year is harder than the one before but we walk the path in front of us rather than dwelling on what can't be. For use it isn't about maintaining a lifestyle but making ends meet.

4. That wasn't very good planning. Some of God's greatest blessings come at seeming inopportune times.

5. Who's going to sub for you? We're working on that.

6. Do you want a boy or girl? I really don't care either way. A girl would be easier in that we have all the clothes and it would be two kids in each room but another boy would be fun too. I honestly don't mind either way.

We knew we wanted another baby. It is so wonderful to have two boys close in age and we want that experience for Keira. Jonathan and I are thrilled to welcome a new life into this world.

I really had a hard time believing that I was pregnant because I've had few symptoms! A little nausea here and there and being really really tired but one of the reasons I didn't jump to telling everyone right away was that I wondered if the lack of symptoms was a telling thing. The first months of pregnancy are different when you've miscarried. At lease they are for me. The first miscarriage was your basic find out you're pregnant and a few weeks later find out you aren't. The second one was more surprising for me. I won't go into the whole ordeal but it was challenging for us. So, when I really didn't have symptoms with this one I mentally prepared myself for the possibility that we'd walk that road again. I think we've waited also because we know that when we tell others the boys would find out through them if we didn't tell them...that is a LONG wait for a 5 and almost 4 year old!

Life is going to get a bit more hectic and a lot more blessed with the coming of this baby. I know Jonah will be thrilled. He informed me one day, "When we have our 6th baby..." That one gave me a laugh. He seems to think that if we don't have 6 then we will have enough kids to fill up the seats in the van. He is so precious. We'll see about Liam. He doesn't like change much but he'll be over 4 when the baby comes and he does love his sister. Keira will never know anything different!

As for me, I am looking forward to a new experience having a baby. My doctor no longer does OB care so Jonathan and I went out to Bella Vie to see if that option was something we were comfortable with. We like it there and feel comfortable with their back up plans and processes. I'm excited about that! I am also looking forward to not working during Thanksgiving and Christmas. The first half of the school year is my favorite but it is very busy and the calendar is always jammed full. I am ready for a chance to be at home and busy there for once! I'll probably be so sleep deprived that I won't know which way is up but I know that I'll cherish those memory making times.

All-in-all I'd say we are happy, excited, thrilled, and anticipating God's great plans this year!

Us...for now

Here is a snapshot of our little family as of today...
Jonathan ~ The great and wonderful husband~ Jonathan is working hard. He's a great asset to the company he's working for and is an amazing father. He loves playing with the kids and is so involved. I count myself blessed to have a husband who loves spending real interactive time with his kids. He's even sweet enough to share those early morning wake up times with the kids, and he mans bathtime!

Jonathan and Liam

Jonathan and Jonah looking in the mirror

Snuggles with Jonah

 

Daddy's little girl

Natalie (me) ~ I am teaching 3rd grade this year, among other responsibilities at the school. I think this is my 7th year at WCS and I love that school! I am a bit over halfway through my Masters degree. Of course I'd love to put that off longer but Oregon wants it finished or I lose my teaching license...not something I'm willing to give up yet.2010 has been a tough year for me. Having a baby, 3 outpatient surgeries, moving to a new house, switching grade levels at work, managing a home and 3 kids...it has been a challenge but I remind myself daily, sometimes hourly, that God never gives us more than we can handle. He has given me a great man who shares my burdens and increases my joys, friends to help out when necessary, and grace to make it through the toughest moments. God is good all the time, even when I look up and say, "really?" I feel like He says, "Just watch and see."

Jonah James ~ our oldest ~ Jonah is in kindergarten and is learning how to read! He loves the social aspect of school and is such a helper at home. He is your typical oldest child and we love seeing him grow and change. It seems like just yesterday that we brought him home and began that great journey of parenting. He's excited to turn 6 (August 24) and often talks about what he wants to do for his birthday.

bathtime with Keira 2010

1st day of kindergarten Sept 2010

Liam Samuel ~ baby #2 ~ Liam is 3 years (and almost 10 months...very important to him that we specify that...he turns 4 on May 9th). He goes to preschool twice a week for a few hours each time. He loves it and is thrilled that he can write his name. He is in that precious stage of saying the letters he sees on everything. Liam is our tough guy, our lefty, and our detail-oriented child. He and Jonah play well and fight well! Looking back at pictures of our precious 2nd born I am always reminded of how God walks with us through times of uncertainty. The day before Liam's 2 week check-up he wasn't his normal cheerful self. I figured the doctor would know if anything was wrong. You always seem more willing to take things in stride with the 2nd! That morning found us rushing from the doctor to Salem's amazing NICU. Once they got him hooked up to the monitors I was shocked to see his heart racing at 280...more than double a usual heart rate for a baby. Jonathan was on his way from work. They quickly figured out Liam had super-ventricular tachycardia (SVT). There was a microscopic bit of tissue on the cartilage of his heart heart which was short-circuiting the rhythm. They assured us it was easily managed but as a mom you think the worst when something is wrong with the heart!  We spent several days in the NICU getting the dosage right and being sure he wouldn't slip back into SVT. As I walked around the NICU God once again proved His provision. I looked at those tiny babies who were struggling just to live and found myself able to put this all in to perspective. I'll take SVT over the battle these other parents were fighting any day. That next year was a challenge. Liam didn't gain, he dropped weight significantly and looked so pathetic. We tried everything only to discover that he had a rare side-effect to the meds. Once he hit a year and we took him off the meds he gained weight like no one's business! He is still our little guy but he is just fine for his age. There are no lingering effects from the first year's ordeals. We are so grateful.

1st day of pre-school 2010

Keira Noelle ~ almost 10 months (May 5th) ~ Keira came to us after our 2nd miscarriage. I felt like I was waiting for the "other shoe to drop" for the first trimester but my pregnancy with her was pretty standard. Other than a bad case of the flu and mystery stomach pain those 9 months went off without a hitch. Keira was right in the middle of the boys in every way. The labor was half of Jonah's and more than Liam's, delivery was much easier than Jonah's and harder than Liam's, her weight and height were exactly in between the boys too! Keira is my textbook baby. If they were all so easy! God knew we needed an easy one in the mix! She is growing so fast. Over Christmas she started crawling, cut her first tooth, and hasn't stopped since. Now she is everywhere, getting in to everything and keeping us on our toes. She is standing on her own and desperately wants to walk and keep up with those boys! She says momma, dadda, no-nah (Jonah, we think), and no no...so cute! She gets excessively happy when she sees her bottle and goes down for bed like a pro...she doesn't always stay alseep at night but every baby has to have at least one issue I suppose. I didn't really think it would be that different having a girl but it really is! She is a joy and a blessing.

So, life is crazy, full, and always ready to provide a challenge. I couldn't choose a better family to spend these years with. My goal is to focus on spending true quality time with one another and not just allowing ourselves to "get by". I still harbor that secret hope that some unknown relative will leave us an unexpected inheritance and I'll be able to be home with my kids all the time. I never really thought I'd work full-time with 3 kids but God has set us on this path and we'll walk it through to the end.

The Beginning

So, many friends are doing blogs and I figured I'd give it a try. I do enjoy writing but of course adding another item to my "To Do" list is a bit daunting. I'll make my commitment to try and stay updated. My hope for this blog is to create a space to track the milestones and memories in our crazy life. Logging in those precious memories of days that are flying by so very fast is the underlying reason for blogging (at least for me). It seems that I blink and my babies are already on to the next phase in life. There are times I long to slow time down so that I can drink in these precious, exhausting, and always full days. Days of change, days of joy, days of prayer...God has given them to us in abundance and I want to make the most of them so that I don't look back and think, "I wish I had..." So, blogging, here I come!