I think I can... I think I can.... I think I can!

I started this blog a year ago, but obviously failed at getting it started. I'm gonna give it another whirl and try my best to keep it up :) This post is kind of a cheat because I wrote it for my sister's blog a few months ago. However, I think it will suffice as a good start. Here goes!

Why Did God Only Give Me Two Hands? (posted 1.26.2011)

I’m so excited that I was asked to be a guest blogger this week. While I attempted to start my own blog about a year ago, I quickly realized that I was not going to be able to keep up. In fact, I never even got past my first post. So… there it sits, “A Life Full of Surprises” calling my name ever so frequently, in hopes that one day I’ll decide to tackle it once again.

You see, the name “A Life Full of Surprises” came from my love of surprises and was going to have its initial post announcing our newest surprise… Baby #3! My husband Archer and I thought we had finished our family. We had been blessed with two beautiful little girls, CeCe and Patterson (endearingly nicknamed Pat Pat). Being one of three children myself, I had mentally played tug of war for months wondering if I wanted a third child. Archer on the other hand… DONE! I had prayed about it daily and asked God for an answer. I finally thought that He had given me the answer I so desperately needed and decided to move forward with birth control. I made a doctor’s appointment and was set on GO… no more Butler babies! That is until the day before my appointment, I realized that I was a few days late and may need to take a pregnancy test. I knew for sure that it would be negative… why wouldn’t it be? SURPRISE… two lines! God has a sense of humor!

Almost a year later, we now have a precious baby boy… Tee! He made his grand entrance into this world six weeks early (Surprise!) and spent the first nineteen days of his life in the NICU. Once he arrived home, I quickly realized that life with three was simply insane. I had been told that going from two to three kids was going to be tough, but I didn’t heed the warning. I would be fine… just fine! And we ARE fine, but every day is a challenge with three kids. Time to yourself is few and far between… time alone as a couple is a distant memory. There is never enough time in the day to get everything accomplished and I’m convinced that I will never “catch up” again. I have found myself thinking recurrently, this is why God only gave me two hands… to care for two children. Not true! I’ve learned that I can juggle! (a true talent if I do say so myself!) I can change a diaper, make a sippy cup of juice, read a book and wash clothes all at the same time (not really, but kind of). I can also manage to fit all three kids on my lap while giving Tee a bottle and watching Toy Story 3. God only gave me two hands, but he gave me a heart (and a lap) big enough for three!

I love my children more than life itself and couldn’t imagine it without Tee. I still manage to fall more in love with Archer every day… not necessarily for the romantic trips, flowers and gifts like it used to be, but for the excellent father he is to our babies. I’m blessed each day with this crazy, hectic life and wouldn’t change it for the world! I would, however, take that extra hand if given the opportunity!