Halloween 2012

Schulte bugs - ladybug, spider, and butterfly.

This picture just makes me really happy so I had to share:)

I miss this blog and do intend to come back ... someday ...

Happy Halloween Friends!!

triplets

Yesterday I had the privilege of photographing my newest nieces and nephew - Estelle, Betsy and Dane. They are tiny and perfect. They are loved by so many.

Thankful they are in a place with skilled doctors and nurses to help them grow healthy and strong. In awe to watch development that usually takes place in a mother's womb happen right before our eyes. There are big hurdles that these 2lb miracles must overcome as they learn to breathe, eat, and survive without help.



We lean on God for comfort and strength. We trust in Him. He is able to do ALL things.

So very proud of my sister and her husband. Their strength in Christ and their love for each other and their babies is so very evident and speaks volumes for the amazing parents they are going to be. The triplets are so very blessed to have them as parents!

Please pray for strength for all of them during this time. I am confident that babies take a small piece of their mother's heart with them when they are born and to see that piece in such a fragile state is ... well heartbreaking.

God is good. He created these babies, He chose their birthday, and He is ultimately in control.

God has great plans for these five!

Please visit my sister's blog for more pictures and for future updates. Thank you for your support and prayers!

Easter Clothing Drive 2012 - wrap up

For me, the shelter is no longer just a place I've heard and read about.

Its the friends and friends of friends who left boxes and bags of clothes on their porches.

Its the caring workers who received my van FULL of clothing. Twice.

Its the faces of the crying toddlers in their cribs when I took a tour of the facility (hard stuff).

Its the feeling I got when Corinne spotted a pair of red sparkley shoes in a donation box and said,

"Mommy, I need those shoes. ... Those shoes are for other kids."

She gets it :)

I didn't keep exact numbers, but I can tell you that over 100 Easter outfits were donated to the shelter on behalf of the clothing drive. Along with 7 trash bags full of non-dress clothes which they will use as well! When the kids and I went to drop off our last van full, the shelter workers took me back to the room where they were sorting all the clothing items and setting up racks for the kids to shop for their Easter clothes. It was neat to see because it was all stuff we collected!

So humbled and thankful to have partnered with the Laura Dester Children's Shelter and TAPC this Easter.

Thankful that God was able to use our efforts and prayers to bless some kids who really needed it.

A huge thank you to everyone who donated!

As I drove away from the shelter the Thursday before Easter, I cried. I was overwhelmed and thankful for what God provided, but at the same time I just wanted to do more. More for those kids. More for those faces I'd seen. The need is so very great. And there is so much more to do.

This is just the beginning ... excited about the work God has in store :)

THANK YOU.

Easter Clothing Drive

I am just a mom.
A mom who looks at our blessed life and wants to give back.
A mom who wants to raise kids whose holidays are about more than gifts for themselves.
Holidays with a bigger meaning.
Holidays that have real impact.
Holidays that change lives.

Every holiday that comes and goes I tell Dominic I want to do something different, but I've never known what I wanted that to look like. It seems that I always get swept up into the whirlwind of our regular traditions without really giving them much thought. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the holidays, but ever since having kids, I've just been left yearning for more ...

Last November I read Ashley Ann's post about how they'd brought two boys from the local children's shelter home to spend Thanksgiving with their family. They also do this at Christmastime. I was inspired. I knew that I wanted to incorporate something like that into our family's holiday traditions. However, 38 weeks pregnant at the time I knew it would need to wait.

But the ideas haven't left my mind since. 

So I sat a few weeks ago - a few months and a few holidays after reading Ashley Ann's post - wondering what I could do to make this Easter season different.

On a whim, I contacted our local DHS children's shelter to see if they had any specific needs we could help meet. I chose the shelter hoping that the girls would be able to grasp the project, i.e. the idea of giving to other kids like them.

The woman that responded said their needs are many, but the biggest priority for Easter is to provide a nice outfit and shoes for all the children. They have done this in the past, and the children all enjoyed receiving a "special" outfit to take home with them.

There will be around 60 children ages birth to 17 staying at Tulsa's DHS children's shelter this Easter - arriving with just the clothes on their back and spending the holiday without family.

My heart breaks for these kids.

I cannot tell you how deeply I desire to help ensure that ALL the children are able to find a nice outfit and shoes in their size. That's 60 kids. I can't provide that many outfits my own.  But I can spread the word to everyone I know and trust God to provide.

If you are interested, please help by doing some spring cleaning and giving your clothes and shoes to the shelter! Tell your family and friends too! 

What to donate?

• New or gently used dress clothes 
• For GIRLS - dresses, skirts, shirts, nice shoes
• For BOYS - button down shirts, ties, khakis, dress pants, nice shoes
• Gift cards to places these types of items can be purchased
• Examples: Target, Shoe Carnival, Ross, JCPenny, Walmart, Payless

Keep in mind that the shelter houses all sizes - from babies and toddlers to young men and women. So, not just kids' clothes - think men's dress shirts and pants and age appropriate women's clothing too :)
 

Contact me at dawn.schulte@gmail.com for more specific donation information. Don’t worry about getting your donation to the shelter. I will pick them up!

The DEADLINE for this clothing drive is April 3rd, but the shelter would appreciate your donation anytime! A list of other needed items can be found on the Tulsa Advocates for the Protection of Children (TAPC) website at www.tapchelps.org.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.' Matthew 25:40

ten weeks today

I have so much to say about the acupuncturist but seems Luke is getting sick. Lots of nasal congestion, not eating well, and really sleepy. He had his best night ever (slept 9:30-4:30) but I almost wish he hadn't cause the poor thing just isn't himself. He sneezed out a HUGE green booger (like 4 inches long) this morning.

Eeeeeewwww.

Guess it's good timing cause we have his 2 month well check today. Although I am not super excited about him getting shots on top of this ... going into super mom mode and forgetting about my headache for now ...

Here he is yesterday morning in his newest sleeper. It's a Carter's size 9 month sleeper. He's 10 weeks today. Baby boy Schulte is TALL :)

my head hurts

I've been having headaches. It's snowballed from a headache every few days back in mid-December to a constant headache for the last two weeks. 800 mg of Advil doesn't take care of the pain and is giving me some nasty side effects. Doctor says the headaches are just a bad combination of stress and no sleep ... welcome to life with a 9 week old and 3 small children under 4!!

I can't take anything else for the pain while I am nursing. I had this same problem after Corinne was born (but not as severe). Was supposed to have a CT scan later this week just to make sure it's nothing more serious, but our insurance denied the doctor's request saying that there's not enough clinical evidence at this point. Cause they totally have the right to take away the peace of mind that I don't have something crazy growing in my brain. How sweet of them. Ugh.

Going to see an acupuncturist to see if I can get some relief as I'd like to be able to keep breastfeeding. I am just not sure how much longer I can keep functioning like I am currently ... teetering between dull bearable but annoying headache and on the brink of loosing my mind headache. I think I am close to my breaking point.

Trying to take it one day at a time.

Hate that everyone in the family is suffering because of this.

I'd just stop breastfeeding by I don't really like the plan of taking pain meds round the clock for the next several months.

I don't know what to do and I hate that.

Praying for healing. Praying for strength. Praying for wisdom.

I know there are much worse health issues I could be suffering from. I know this will all work out. And these three goofballs are totally worth this headache. Gosh I love them :)

do not let him fool you ...

... he was totally happy about his post bath spiked hairdo ;)

Just a taste of fun I'm having with Instagram ;)

Follow me (dmschulte) for more pics!!!