Lydia Elise

Lydia Elise Palmer was born November 10th, 2011 at 2:41 am. She weighed 7 lbs. 14 oz. and was 20 inches long....


Okay, so our announcement is a little late considering little Miss Lydia is almost four weeks old, but when you have three children four years old and under, things don't always hardly ever happen in a timely fashion...so here we are.
The timing of my entire pregnancy has been such an amazing demonstration of God's sovereignty and faithfulness.  As if His Word isn't clear enough, He has been gently telling us over these past months, "It's okay, you can trust Me.  I'm in control, and I will always do what is best for you!"  What a sweet Savior we have.
In March, we found out we were pregnant again, and our baby, Kylie, was only 7 months old.  Nathan has always had a the-more-the-merrier outlook on our child-bearing, and so have I, I just wanted to control the timing.  Even though I knew this was such a blessing and was surrounded by mothers who struggled to conceive, I cried.  I mourned what would soon be the end of Kylie's babyhood... I wanted her to have all the time that Zach had had as "the baby".  And I was not prepared to face another 4 months of morning sickness so soon.  We were supposed to move in the summer...how was I supposed to do all the work involved with that, and still take care of our home and children if I was sick as a dog?  I didn't know how, but God did.  He provided sweet ladies to make me meals.  Their daughters (and occasionally sons) watched and loved our children.  One particularly precious girl cleaned my house on a weekly basis.  He provided friends to fellowship with, because for some strange reason, socialization helps distract from my morning sickness.  When it came time to move, almost our entire church body showed up to finish packing last minute things, load the truck, clean the house from top to bottom, and of course, care for Zach and Kylie during the process.  Someone even brought us coffee that morning!  I did absolutely nothing aside from directing the flow of traffic within the house that day...it was amazing.  It was made very clear to us during that short time, that no matter how impossible things seem, we really can "do all things through Christ who strengthens" us.  He will provide sufficient (and often much more than sufficient) means and strength for whatever plans He has for us.  And those plans are in fact "for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

I cried, once again, as we left Auburn that day, already worrying about all the changes to come, as if God had not just done amazing work before our eyes.  My morning sickness had subsided just in time for us to travel across the country, so I thought everything was in place as far as our pregnancy went.  When we went to a last minute doctor's appointment we were informed that my pregnancy was high risk, and that I may have to have a c-section.  We also found out that we were having another girl!  The house we had hoped would be waiting for us wouldn't be ready until two days before Nathan had to leave, and we were trying to find a church in practically no time at all.  Not to mention we were attempting to travel cross country with two small children, a large U-haul towing a car, and me...who hates driving long distances.  All these things weighed on my mind as we left our home.  The trip was amazing, no one got sick, the drive was uneventful, and we made some amazing memories as a family.  When we arrived in San Diego and needed to unload our U-haul, there was yet another church family ready and willing to help.  Once again, I did absolutely nothing.  Due to our house being ready "late", Nathan and I got to spend two weeks with my parents (a.k.a beach vacation with built in child care).  Once in San Diego, the Lord provided me with two other pregnant, military, christian wives for moral support through the rest of my pregnancy.  When I finally made it to my new doctor, the reason I had been high risk had completely resolved itself.  Nathan made it home almost three weeks before Lydia made her debut.  And he will not have been at work for more than two weeks straight until the middle of January.  Yes, Lord, your timing is perfect.

We now have another beautiful little girl to call our own.  Even through all my grumbling and doubting, through all my faithlessness, the Lord has shown us His perfect faithfulness.  He loves us and desires to bless us despite our failings...which are so many.  We are so thankful to have been blessed with yet another child to raise for His glory.



A few pictures from the hospital...there seem to be less with each successive child...



At home...either making cute faces...or sleeping.



Another daddy's girl:).


We are so thankful for our sweet Lydia.  Thank you, Lord, for being patient with us, and for giving us Your best for our lives, instead of allowing us to decide what is best... Your best is always better.

Homecoming

We welcomed Nathan home on Monday, October 24th!  It's an amazing experience to be reunited with someone that you love so much.  Here are a few pictures!




All dressed up...waiting to see Daddy!




Shamu!  Surprisingly, neither of the kids freaked out when he walked up.




Finally, the ship came into view, and we were allowed to go on the pier to wait...sailors started lining up and waving to their families.



We were so excited to finally see him!  It all became very real in that moment...he was really back!  In case you can't find him, Nathan is standing towards the middle of the line and is waving.



In case it isn't obvious, we were all very happy to be together again!



Zach coming back from a Daddy-lead tour of the ship...he was so excited.


One of the things we were a little concerned with was how Kylie would handle homecoming.  With her being so young and communication being so spotty the last month of the deployment, we weren't sure if she would remember him, want to go to him, be scared of him, etc.  I will never forget the sweet look on her face as Nathan walked up to us.  She could not get into his arms fast enough, and the daddy-daughter bond they shared before he left is as strong as ever.  We are so thankful to the Lord for preserving her memory while Nathan was away.  Zach did great also, he didn't stop talking for a long time...he had saved up a lot of conversations for his dad:).
Nathan had the rest of the day to spend with us, went back to work for 2 days and then had a week and a half of leave.  It was so nice to have some time to be completely with each other, especially as we look forward to the next transition of adding another baby girl to the household within the next week or so.  Nathan went back to work this morning, so now we are working on settling back into a routine, our new normal, at least until Lydia's arrival.
Thank you to everyone who has lifted us up in prayer and has been there for us in so many ways during our time apart.  The Lord has used you to bless us in a mighty way.  We look forward to meeting and then introducing you to our new little girl in our next post!

The Home Stretch

As we near the end of Nathan's first deployment and of our third pregnancy, I keep wondering where the time has gone, as well as wishing it would move faster.  Both Nathan and I are very weary at this point.  Aside from being away from the family, Nathan has had almost no fellowship with other believers for months.  And being almost 36 weeks pregnant, I am very tired, physically as well as emotionally.  We are literally taking it one day at a time, because that's all we can do.  

We recently rejoiced with another family that we have spent a lot of time with as they welcomed their husband/daddy home, and as much as I thought it would make me sad, it has given me hope.  To see that they really do come home, and that life does get back to normal, is very encouraging.  

The Lord has continued to provide for our needs and has been our comfort through some very hard days.  He has given us a greater appreciation for each other, and increased our love for one another (something we weren't sure was possible:)).  He has demonstrated his faithfulness in countless ways, and I don't think any other time in our lives has shown His providence to be for our good and His glory more clearly.  As tired and drained as we are, we know His strength is made perfect in our weakness, and that is such a comforting truth that we have known for so long, but had never had the opportunity to truly experience until now.  

One of our greatest encouragements has been how well our children have handled this time.  While there are a few obvious reactions to not having a father present, they have done amazingly well, and we are so thankful to God for that.  It has made mothering them alone a lot easier than I feared it would be.  Kylie has started walking and is learning new words daily, which is so fun to see.  Even in her saddest moments, she always manages to put a smile on her face, earning her the nickname "smiley Kylie".  Zach has been memorizing scripture at an amazing rate, so much so that I am not able to keep up.  This alone has been such an encouragement and motivation to me and has helped us stay in the Word as a family.  I would encourage any parent who has a child who can speak in sentences to begin memorizing scripture with them (long before they are able to read), it is such a blessing to participate in hiding God's Word in your child's heart, and you will end up memorizing it, too!  

We appreciate everyone who has prayed for us, and ask that you continue to lift us up as we prepare for our family to be reunited and to add a new member!  We are praying that both transitions would go smoothly, and that Nathan would be able to make it home before Lydia makes her debut.  We will be sure to share pictures of his homecoming and of baby Lydia when she gets here!

Half Way There

Today marks the halfway point of this deployment, which is both exciting and a little daunting.  On one hand we get to say "WOOHOO, we're half way there!", but on the other, it means that we still have a while to go.  It is a great time to reflect on God' faithfulness, in general, and thus far this deployment.  It has been a long couple of months and the next couple will likely seem longer because we will have less communication and the newness of San Diego is beginning to wear off.  Still we are trusting that the same hand that has carried us through everything we've come up against, will continue to do so.  He has brought us some great new friends, and allowed us to stay in contact with old ones.  He has provided a new circle of very supportive ladies for me, and lots of children for Zach and Kylie to play with.  He has allowed us almost constant communication with each other, which has made the transition so much easier.  Most importantly, He has brought us to a place where we are forced to rely on His strength.  Neither of us could make it through this on our own.  It has become very apparent to us why there are so many broken families in the military.  The family was not designed to function with members thousands of miles apart; it is hard!  The only thing that can keep a husband and wife as one, and allow children to continue to feel their fathers love from so far away is God.  He is showing us that there is nothing that is too hard for Him, and that is such a comforting reality.

Some of our best memories in Auburn revolved around college football, so of course the phrase, "half way there", brings back special memories in that context as well.  It makes me a little sad that as football season approaches we aren't preparing to have a living room full of our closest friends, all wearing orange and blue, cheering on our beloved tigers.  Thank you to everyone who stayed up late with us, ate too much junk food with us, and got too worked up over a game with us:).  We will be with you in spirit!  War Eagle!

Please continue to pray that God would watch over us and keep us while we are apart and that Nathan's sail home, and all the stops along the way, would go smoothly.  Also, we are earnestly praying that Baby Lydia would arrive in God's perfect timing, and praying that it would include Nathan being here for her arrival.  Thank you for your prayers!

Babymoon #3 - Bath, ME

babymoon - trendy term for some sort of getaway that expecting parents go on some time during the pregnancy to take advantage of their soon-to-be-gone freedom.

We have never officially gone on a trip for the purpose of having a "babymoon", but it has worked out each time that we get to have a special vacation together before said baby arrives.  This time I was able to fly to Bath, Maine to visit Nathan for a weekend, and it was wonderful!  We stayed at an awesome bed and breakfast, ate lots of lobster, toured a lighthouse, and took approximately a gazillion pictures of the breathtaking scenery.  The goal was just to spend time enjoying each other, and we were able to do just that.

Nathan gave me the grand tour of his ship, USS Spruance.  I feel so privileged to have been able to see her before she commissions into the US Navy.... and to have had such a handsome naval officer showing me around;).  There are no cameras allowed in the shipyard where she is currently located, but here is a link if you want to see what she looks like <http://www.public.navy.mil/surfor/ddg111/Photo/Super_Trials_DDG111.jpg.



This was the first time Nathan and I had ever stayed at a bed and breakfast, and we thoroughly enjoyed it.  It was quiet, family-owned, and the breakfasts were creative and delicious.  It was nice to have a house to relax in together, even if it wasn't our own.



The beach we went to was so beautiful!  There were so many interesting rock formations, a whole other part of God's magnificent creation that we had never experienced before.  And because of all the rocks... no sand!!! In case you didn't know this already, neither of us like sand one bit, so this was the perfect beach for us.




The original reason for coming to the beach was to see this lighthouse.  Neither of us had ever been in one before, and since there are so many in Maine, we felt like it was a necessary part of our trip.
Top left: the lighthouse from the beach, top right: the staircase leading up into the lighthouse, bottom left: a cool looking antique compass that was in the lighthouse museum, bottom right: a view of the beach from the lighthouse.



Tiana filling out the guest book just before checking out of the bed and breakfast.

We are so thankful to the Lord for this special time that we had together.  We made a lot of great memories and know that this short time together will help us make it through the next couple of months apart.
To my parents, thank you so much for watching the kids for us so that we could see each other for possibly the last time before our new baby arrives.  Also, thank you for painting the house for me while I was gone!:).

Zach's 4th Birthday!

Okay, first of all, I just need to say that I cannot believe that Zach is already four!  When you start having babies everyone tells you that they grow up so fast....they're serious, it's not just one of those things that people say.  It has been amazing to watch Zach transition from a baby into our little man.  With Nathan gone he has definitely stepped up to his role of "man of the house", and does his best to take care of Kylie and I... it's so sweet.  This summer we have watched the Lord begin to soften his heart and give him an amazing appetite for learning the things of God.  I pray that this pattern will continue not only in his life, but in the lives of our other children as well.

Alright, before I drench my laptop in tears, let's get to the party!!!  We did a Cars theme this year, our first actual theme ever, and I think it went well.  Zach loved his cake, had a blast playing with his friends, and is still talking about the fact that I remembered to buy birthday hats (it's the little things:)).  Here are a few pictures!



Mr. Lightning McQueen...or at least my version of him...he didn't turn out quite like I had envisioned, but all of the kids (especially mine) thought he was awesome, and that's all that matters!



Kylie was NOT as fan of the birthday hats, and as much as I tried to get her to smile for a picture in one, she refused... Zach, on the other hand, thought they were awesome.



We were at a huge park, and where were they playing?  Behind the dumpster:).



Cake time!  He is definitely pretending to blow the candles out just so I could get a picture.  Thanks to our ever present coastal breeze, I could not get the candles to stay lit for more than a second (if that).




Kylie (a.k.a the easiest baby to entertain ever).


I also tried to take some pictures of the gift opening process, but being that this was the first kid party (party to which we invited other children) I had ever done, I was completely unaware of just how close to the present being opened EVERY child at the party feels they need to be.  He loved all of his gifts!

Thank you to everyone who came and helped to make his first birthday without his daddy extra special, and to everyone who has helped to shape him into the amazing little boy that he is.  Thank you, Lord, for giving us our sweet boy and for giving us strength and grace as we raise him into the man You would have him be.

Happy 1st Birthday, Kylie!!!

We have been super busy moving, unpacking, and adjusting to life without Nathan, but I thought I should at least get Kylie's birthday post in before it was time to do Zach's!:)  Even though we were in transition and had a combined party with her and my ten year old brothers, it still turned out great.  I got to make a cake, got some cute pictures of her in her birthday outfit, and she seemed to enjoy it, so that's a mission accomplished in my book.  I'm really not the type of parent who enjoys over the top kids birthday parties, anyway.  Here are a few pics from the party!



Kylie's cake!  I have to admit, girl cakes are a lot more fun to make than boy cakes.  I'm so thankful for my sweet girl!



Kylie getting ready to not blow a candle out...and go take a nap before having cake.  I know, we're no fun, but both decisions were made for the best interest of all parties involved...and she won't remember it anyway!



Thank you, Lord, for my precious little girl and all the joy she has already brought us in just one year.  We love you, Kylie!