Remembering Sebastian...

Last Sunday, while most of us were celebrating a typical Father's Day, one of my best friend's, NAT, was giving birth to her precious fourth born; her son, Sebastian.

A few months ago, at the routine 18 week scan, Nat and Greg and their other gorgeous kiddos found out that Sebby had a CONGENITAL DISORDER CALLED TRISOMY 18. Nat called me the day after that ultrasound and told me that the news was not good. We were all so shocked. We prayed so much for this little man. It was just a routine scan and yet it picked up something that would change the lives of this precious family forever. Trisomy 18 is a fatal disorder and sadly, last roughly last Friday, Seb passed away in Nat's womb.

That meant that at 34 weeks pregnant, last Sunday, she gave birth to her precious little Sebastian who sadly would not take a breath here on earth. Nat said that Seb's birth was the perfect Father's Day gift as Greg got to hold all four of his children that day. What an incredible thing to be able to say on the hardest day of her life.

I can not begin to imagine the heartache that Nat and Greg and their children have endured over the past few months and especially over this past week. They have gone through so many highs and lows over the course of this journey so far. In the midst of their suffering and pain, they have chosen to cling to God. When they could have turned away, the ran to Him. When they could have cursed Him, they have praised Him. Of course they have also asked Him to give them their boy! We all begged Him to do that. But as NAT WROTE HERE IN THIS POST, Jesus prayed to take the cup of suffering away from him, but desired more than anything that the will of the Father be carried out, "Not my will but yours be done". This has always been Nat's prayer.

Our boys were born one day apart. I will never forget that. I will never forget Sebastian Levi.

My heart is so grieved for this beautiful family and even now as I type this, I can't stop the tears from streaming down my face. How I wish I could fly interstate to be with my Natti. How I wish I could have been there for her this week when her milk came in and when she just wanted nothing more than to hold her sweet little boy. I wish I could have met him too.

Tomorrow is Sebastian's funeral.

I am asking you, my lovely blog readers, to please pray for my best friend Nat and her family.

Please pray for strength and courage for them. Please pray for the comfort of God Almighty to be with them in a very real way. Please pray for their broken hearts. Please pray that God will continue to be glorified and honoured through this, which is the desire of Nat and Greg.

And please, take a moment to remember sweet Sebastian who touched so many lives.

Thanks everyone.

More to come soon,

Love,

Reasons to Be Thankful...

I think most women who have been pregnant would be able to say that physically, the final couple of weeks of pregnancy can be difficult. Everyone is different though and each pregnancy different; some seem easier or harder than others. The body is heavier, more tired and you are up more often in the night. Couple that with very strong + regular contractions, intense pubic bone pain and the fact that as a homeschooling mama you have 4 other kiddos around you all day every day and there is the very real fact that life is harder in these last few weeks.

{I must add here that I have been very blessed to have had Brett at home during this season and he has helped out alot around here}.

Since we've had a baby born at 34.5 weeks before, we always try to be 'ready' just in case that happens again even though the rest were either 'over due', a week early or pretty much smack on! When you get to 40 weeks, you feel as though you have been 'ready' for months!

So I think sometimes it can be hard to maintain a positive attitude during these final weeks and days. There is no denying that it is uncomfortable and at times, painful....it is! But I want my attitude to be one that reflects the joy and love that I feel towards Yah for allowing me to carry this precious life.

I want to choose to be thankful in the midst of the challenges.

I want to choose to be joyful in the midst of difficulty.

I don't always do it, but I want to try to!

So, to help me, I decided to keep a little list on my iphone that I called,

'Reasons to Be Glad I Haven't Given Birth Just Yet'.

Then, when I need the encouragement, I can look at this list and be thankful for the things that I've been able to enjoy in these last weeks and days of pregnancy.

Here are some things on my list from this past week:

Reasons to Be Glad I Haven't Given Birth Just Yet:

* Got to have a 9am sleep in today on Shabbat (last weekend)

* Bubby gets more time to grow stronger in the womb which means less chance of complications arising

* I have been able to get almost everything on my pregnancy 'to do' list done!

* I got to start making two MCN (modern cloth nappies)

I finished making them! Wooohooo!

I tried to remember what my lovely Natti had shown me in the past (thanks Nat!) but I was hopeless at remembering how. I googled SO many MCN tutorials and was about to give up when I found THIS ONE ON YOU TUBE. I feel very thankful that I found this and was able to have a go at making two newborn MCN's!

{I snapped 5 - yep 5 - sewing machine needles in the process lol but I got them made! They have 4 layers of microfibre as the sewn in booster, organic bamboo lining and PUL for the cover}.

* I had time to bake another batch of lactation cookies

* I got a chance to try out a new recipe - my own version of curry cauliflower and veg soup

* Had time to play a family game of 'Sorry' with Brett and the kids

* We had a chance to go to some Garden Nurseries together shopping for vegies and herbs for the garden

* We had time (and money!) to go to enjoy lunch at our fave cafe today...perhaps the last time we will get to do this as a family of 6!

* We had time to enjoy being outside in the garden while Brett showed the kids how to plant strawberries...

...to be hung inside the new greenhouse...

* We had time to notice that Liji's peach tree is growing some new leaves! He planted this from a peach seed himself last year and it is really taking off!

* Got to price materials for the ABA (Australian Breastfeeding Association) card making fundraiser that I am helping to organise and made all the sample cards for the workshop :)

* We had time to read aloud '50 WAYS TO BRING OUT YOUR CHILD'S BEST' over dinner one night and discuss as a family as to whether the kiddos felt we were doing some of the things mentioned on the list and what we could all work towards improving.
Was a great discussion starter!!!!

* We were able to play cards before bed together as a family

* We got to have our first turn at cultivating sprouts (see previous post!). Been wanting to try this for so long and finally got around to doing it!

* Had the chance to have our last long catch up with Ben & Jas and also Elissa and the kids which was so lovely :)

* Took time to marvel at how quickly the herbs have grown and thanked Yah for it!

* Got to have a long game of family charades before bed with everyone participating

* I got to play chess with Stass today

* Got to have a great skype with my sis Dee

* Had the chance to video bubby wriggling under my skin in my tummy! Such big movements and I really wanted to relish this perhaps for one of the last weeks!

{Fair warning before you press play....bare tummy here!}

* Got to have another chiropractic adjustment :)

* Had the chance to have a LONG soak in the tub with candles lit one night...bliss!

* Got to get the baby car seat fitted (the lovely guy didn't even charge us to fit it! Praise Yah for his kindness!)

* Took the kids to an op shop, bought some plastic skittles, went to a cricket pitch, ate icecreams and played bowling together! So much fun!!!

* Also went on a lovely bushwalk that day

* Got to experience Hazel using a REBOZO {traditional Mexican style scarf} to make sure bub was in the optimum position ready for birth...he had kind of been sneaking off to the right hand side a bit and we both wanted to try to see if this would help to bring him around more to the centre...

* Took Zip out on her own to a local Play Group for the first time. She LOVED it (and so did I!) Was lovely seeing her interact with other children so happily. Yay Zippi!

* Got to menu plan and get home organised for another week :)

* And speaking of weeks, here I am one day shy of 40 weeks!
{lol I always seem to be wearing this shirt when I remember to take these shots. Hilarious!}

This list reminds me to be thankful.

It reminds me that soon, our life will change and we will have new family dynamics.

It has reminded me that while pregnancy can be tough, the joy of sharing life with the little one growing inside, is not always the outcome that all families may get.

One such family, is one of my closest and most precious friend's NAT.

During this, her fourth pregnancy, Nat found out that her sweet little boy, SEBASTIAN LEVI had a congenital disorder called TRISOMY 18. Nat is currently 33 weeks pregnant and the prognosis given at the time of diagnosis was not good. Nat and her sweet family have endured alot these past months and have clung onto the hope that God may grant them a miracle and spare Seb's life. However, their prayers is the same as what Yeshua (Jesus) prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane..."Take this cup of suffering away from me....but not my will but your will be done Father".

Please, keep this family in your prayers during this time leading up to Sebastian's birth. Please take the time to read about TRISOMY 18 and Nat's post on HOW TO SUPPORT US (which has helpful tips on what to say to families during challenges times like this that their family is going through).

Please pray for little Seb and for Nat and Greg and their family.

I was also really moved by the press conference today that showed the GRIEVING LALE FAMILY who tragically lost 11 members of their extended family this week in a house fire in QLD. I can't imagine what that poor family must be dealing with. Incredibly difficult stuff. The father reminded me of my own dad and of how close islander families are. I know this first hand. Praying for this family too.

Once again, it is a reminder to me, that life can be very short.

And it makes me even more thankful for the life that I have right now.

Thanks to everyone who has commented, texted, rung, emailed or prayed for us this week.

It has meant alot to me.

I send my love to you all :)

Well, more to come another time.
Shabbat Shalom all.

With love,

Grrrrrrr!!!! And a prayer request!!!!

We have two computers. One we use all the time for all our photos and documents (laptop) and the other one we use for daily homeschooling and other tasks.

I haven't exported out our documents or photos from Picasa on the laptop over the past two years because I didn't know for a while how to do that. Then once i had found out how to do it, i put it off because it was such a HUGE job. Anyway, over the past month I've been slowly exporting out the pictures onto an external hard drive.

Well, now the laptop won't let me export out. It keeps crashing all the time, half the time won't boot up at all and ALL our photos and documents are still on it! I've managed to get it open twice this morning but then it has crashed on itself twice :(

I know this is my own doing but I have learnt my lesson and I am begging that you might pray with me that by some miracle and I get all our photos and documents off the laptop. A weird prayer request I know but please pray...I don't want to have lost all our photo-memories and all the homeschool documentation and things I've worked so hard on over the past 2 years.

Thanks :)

More another time,
Lus x

Let's be praying...

for a dear friend of my friend Sarah. Little Finlay has been diagnosed with stage 4 Neuroblastoma. Not something I would want my children going through although i know that God's plans are so very different from our own.

We are also praying for a very special young woman and her family - Georgina Brooke's. I've mentioned Georgie here a couple of times before. She went to the Easter show a very happy healthy young girl and has not been the same since. I followed her journey on a blog that was being kept for some time in the public but for various (and understandable) reasons, Greg + Angie (Georgie's dad + mum) felt it time to make it private. I've been following along and again can not understand the hows or why's of it all. But their faith, perseverance, courage to hang onto Jesus through the hard times and share Him with others in the midst of it, has been completley inspirational and challenging to me and many I know. Please continue to lift up Georgie before our Father and pray for strength and encouragement for this amazing family too.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." - Ephesians 3:20-21

please pray...

ETA: Thanks everyone for your prayers. After 5 hours at hospital my boys are home. Looks like it's a mix of a virus + a bronchial congestion although lungs, etc are clear. Praising God there was no fever and although he kept vomitting at hospital, its been a while since his last one and he's managed to keep down some fluids and some toast now. So thanks again so much for having my back in prayer. Love to you all x

PS: Sarah F, will try and call you soon mate - would LOVE to catch up!

for our little ethi. he is really unwell at the moment + being checked over at the hospital. he has flu-like symptoms with a croup-like cough, is very weak + has been vomitting this morning too. Please pray for healing + also that the rest of us stay well :)
thanks so much!

I was really encouraged by this verse this morning, reminding me to cling onto the One who is able to do all things: Ephesians 3:20-21

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

5 things I am thankful for today:

1. Ethi himself asking for prayer even though he was feeling rotten, being able to chat about our God who heals + reciting some scripture together to encourage him

2. Brett's cellulitis being gone so he wasn't in pain + was able to take him to the hospital

3. Helen + Nomes' kindness :)

4. Preservative free wheat bran that we found that the kids (well some) like for brekky

5. Disinfectant :)

L x

I'd love some prayer please :)

I'm tired.
Good.
In love with God, Brett, kids, life, etc.
But tired.
Really tired.
Would love some prayer please.
Thanks :)

5 things I am thankful for today:

1. Great heating
2. That things worked out really well in the hospital for Donna after Lily broke her finger when we all went out to the playland. Praying she heals well. Grateful for you bringing Donna into my life Lord!
3. A quiet night in
4. Great prayer meeting last night with friends from our beautiful church family
5. Chocolate :)

Love Lus x

One pound blessing...

I've only come across THIS BLOG today and read of the loss that this family has endured recently in the passing of their dear daughter Kayleigh. She was born one pound and after i think about 10.5 months on earth, she has gone now to be with the Lord. Let's uphold this family in prayer.
Love,