Snow Fun!

The day after Christmas there was still plenty of snow on the ground! Judd and Evie made a snowman together. I was feeling under the whether with a fever, so I snapped a couple of quick pictures and then went inside to get back under the blanket! The snow melted by the end of the day. What a pretty Christmas it was!

A White Christmas

On Christmas Eve Evie set out cookies for Santa and eagerly waited for the morning to arrive! I think this is the last year she will go to bed easily on Christmas Eve! Now she knows about all the excitement that awaits on Christmas morning!!!

Christmas Eve night we had CRAZY weather come through. A cold front with lots of thunder and lighting and a little bit of hail slammed through the night, waking us all. I slept with Evie part of the night. She asked me, "Mommy, why is my be making all that noise?" (referring to the thunder)

We woke up bright and early at 6:30am to get the homemade cinnamon rolls rolled out and baking. Also, Grandma Deb had an 11:00 flight to catch. We hoped it would beat all snow that was on the way (and it did). Grandma Deb has the perfect video of Evie discovering Santa ate all the cookies on Christmas morning. Evie insisted he ate the cookies, but he forgot the presents. Then she turned around and looked at the tree, and there were ALL the presents!!!

She really wanted an excavator...

and a puppet show

After Judd returned from the airport, we headed over to Grammy Papa's house to open presents. We got better pictures there. It wasn't early in the morning by then...

my 5 month belly

Christmas hugs!

When were at Grammy and Papa's we kept checking the radar to see where  the snow was. Judd said it was close, so we as soon as we climbed into the car, it started sleeting! By the time we got home, it was snowing! It was the SECOND white Christmas we have had since living in Texas. Apparently it is very rare. We wouldn't know better.

I can still zip my jacket closed!

And just for fun, Evie at her "first" Christmas EVER!

Christmas Festivities

This is the third year we have made a gingerbread house! Evie really enjoyed the part where she got to eat the candy!!

Evie's Christmas Party at school. It was a "Grinch-mas" party.

Grandma Deb came to spend Christmas with us! What a great present!!! While she was here, she took Evie Christmas shopping. Evie got to pick out her own presents! How fun! She saw Santa Claus, and we visited Main Street Grapevine.

19 weeks!

For Christmas Eve we went to the children's service at church. Evie loved wearing her beautiful Christmas dress! Daddy played guitar in the service (as always), and Evie was very happy to give him a big hug at the end!

Party of Four

On December 18th we learned that we will have a little girl! We had a little celebration that night. During dessert while eating our pink cupcakes, we told Evie she would have a little sister. Evie was thrilled! She said she will share her toys with her and help her when she cries. She asked to hug her beautiful baby and then gave her a kiss (my stomach). I hope Evie and her sister will become great friends!

A Day to Remember

Today is the day that we expected to have a newborn infant cradled in our arms. Yet, there were other plans in store for our family. It was a happy day on Easter of 2012. We found out we were pregnant with our second child! I had had "that" feeling that I was, so I tested early. We proceeded to enjoy life and look forward to our future. At six weeks we saw a healthy heartbeat and felt confident.  That first glimpse of new life is always exciting and reassuring that everything is going as it should! A couple weeks after that excitement, our vision of what we "thought" would be, changed in an instant. We learned our sweet baby no longer had a heartbeat. The life was so precious, so sweet, so loved, so short! There was no explanation for why this happened, so we grieved our loss, and had to move on with the hope that a different future with another child was in store for us. Let me tell you, this was a grief I have never felt. I had no idea how attached I already was to this child, the idea of it all.

Getting back to normal was HARD and PAINFUL. It took all that I had to wake up and go to work, to smile, to do everyday normal things. It was the help of our dear friends (the church body) that helped us. well me, get out of the darkness. We are so thankful for their support. As I returned to work, a dear coworker of mine said that my pain and struggles would one day lead into a ministry to help someone who would suffer the same kind of loss.

He comforts us when we are suffering, 

so that we can share that same comfort with others who are suffering.

2 Corinthians 1:4

Not more than two weeks later, I learned a close friend of mine had lost her pregnancy. My first response was complete anger, but then immediate compassion. When she was ready, we hung out and talked, and we helped each other heal. We tried to find hope. As time passed, I prayed to be happy for others welcoming newborns into their lives. I prayed to have a happy heart for them. It was difficult.

I knew a big part in my healing would be to become pregnant again. We were so blessed to have that happen pretty quickly! I am now 18 weeks along! The beginning of this journey was terrifying!! I was so scared I would have a repeat. Unfortunately, a medical person read some test results wrong, and I had a very short lived 12 hour scare that it WOULD repeat. I tell you, my heart sank even deeper this time around. I had NO idea how to move forward. Luckily, the results were so wrong! For the first trimester I fought living in fear. I prayed and searched scripture for encouraging words of HOPE. I did not want fear controlling me, yet it was so hard to let go and rejoice that another life was created! With some searching, I came to the conclusion that the only thing I should do is just HOPE and be THANKFUL and WAIT.

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks always in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

Today I am so blessed to have a beautiful life, to have my husband, to have my Evie, to my baby growing strong inside of me, to feel baby kicks! Time does heal, but we will always remember that precious life we had for a glimpse of an eye! We will celebrate this new life that is waiting to debut in May 2013. For this we are glad. We are thankful. 

To bring life full circle, our dear friends are receiving two babies TODAY as their first foster care placement. What a great day to remember. 

One Thousand Gifts

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. For his lovingkindness is everlasting. Psalm 107:1

Far before November rolled around I started reading a book called, "One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are" by Ann Voskamp. I started reading it to gain inspiration and joy in the little things in life. At the time my heart was pretty heavy with grief, fear, uncertainty, waiting... I'm not a very consistent reader, so I am still in the "middle" of the book. The author writes about her journey in faith in taking gratitude in all things in life- to give thanks to God in ALL things- trials, joys, sadness, distress, celebrations- ALL things. By the end of the book the author has created a list of 1,000 things she is thankful for. In her journey of noticing these things in her life more fully, she sees that God's grace can't be fully attained without a heart of gratitude.

So here are some things I'm particullarly grateful for, in no particular order. I'm not to 1,000.

• Everything about Evie- her smile, curiosity, all the songs she makes up, her joyful dancing, her kisses & laughs, her day to day ramblings of who her best friends are.
• Judd loving me and taking care of me when I'm pregnant sick. His music talent. His curiosity. Ability to reason.
• Seeing my babies' heart beat on an ultrasound.
• My parents moving to Texas. It's so nice to have them close. I don't ever want to be far away from them again.
• Music- The happiness and freedom it brings to my spirit. The fun it brings to my family.
• My church family, for discipling me. Our small group friends who have been with us through stuff over the past 5 years.
• Spending time with family that lives so far away. Our time together during visits is so remembered.
• Having a job where I can inspire young minds.
• The last dream I had with my brother in it (after he had passed)- My brother and I spent the day at a water park. It was my last chance to "play" with him. Almost closure. A good bye for now.
• Friends
• Living in a big city with so many opportunities.
• Being a parent.
• Taking a run on a crisp cool day in the sunshine.
• Seeing nature's  beauty in the Rocky Mountains.

Wonderful are Your Works. My Soul Knows it Very Well.

For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth.

(Psalm 139:13-15 NASB)


Our hearts are filled with abundant joy to announce we are expecting a baby to join our family in May. Although I have felt pretty miserable for three months, every moment of carrying this life has been cherished more than I could have ever imagined. Our hearts will forever be thankful for this beautiful blessing. Thank you!

Halloween Parade

Evie's school held their annual Halloween parade for the parents. All the children, toddlers to after school kids, marched through the parking lot showing off their costumes and collecting some candy along the way.

Evie's class!

here comes the princess! mommy forgot her trick-or-treat bag

sweet friend, Kinley

hi mama!

crazy hair from a CRAZY fun day at school!