Happy Birthday to Me!

::via::

Just kidding. I really do love birthdays, and while I do not feel it is particularly necessary to celebrate my own, I cherish how it brings together those I love.

32 years ago my mother braved the labor and delivery of her first born. A redheaded baby girl was born and her name was given. No one could guess what the last 32 years would hold for me, but the Lord knew. He knew the excitement, joy, heartbreak and tragedy I would face. He knew what people He would need to bring in and out of my life to get me through different parts of my journey.

There are times I think it would be nice to go back and change some things…maybe handle them differently, worry a lot less and laugh a lot more. There are moments I wish I could go back and tell my former self that it is all going to be alright…really. However, I also know that going back would probably alter the person I am today and the person I am today is who I need to be. I’m always aspiring to do better, but I appreciate the pains in my life. They helped to shape me.

I look forward to what the Lord has in store for me. I have big dreams and I hope to see them fulfilled. I look forward to many more years of laughing and loving on my children. I look forward to settling into the forever home that my husband and I are building. I lived expecting God to do great things in my life and in the lives of those I love and pray for.

I am thankful for the people God has brought into my life. I’ve learned that I do not always have to be the “strong one”. It is okay to be transparent and vulnerable, although it is far from easy for me. I’ve learned that you cannot change people, but I can change my attitude. I can love. I can love big. I can love others with the love of Christ.

I sincerely hope that this next year is the best year yet. I pray good things…health, prosperity, and friendship to name a few. I pray for grace, protection and peace. These past 32 years have flown by. I remember as a teenager how 30 seemed so old, and now, it’s sometimes hard to remember that I’m not 25 anymore. Life is funny that way.

::via::

My mind struggles to accept what my body knows…but that won’t keep me from moving forward. I will earn every laugh line and gray hair. I will cherish every late night cuddle and early morning sing-a-long. Our lives were not meant to be lived in a sedentary state.

So, here is to many more birthdays. Here is to a year better than the last. Here is a huge “thank you” to the Giver of Life for thinking I meant enough to be a part of the bigger picture.

Our Baby Boy is One!

I am typing this in a public coffee shop in hope that I will not bawl like a baby.

Our sweet boy is now officially ONE!

I've embraced every milestone up to this point, but this one has been very difficult. In speaking with other moms, they agree that they have mourned the milestones more so with their second than with their first. For some it is because the second child may be their last and for some it is because they are fully aware of how quickly the time is actually passing.

So...as I sit here typing these words, finalizing my party plans list, double check my shopping list, and plan the most productive route, I find it hard to concentrate because I keep coming back to thoughts of my sweet boy.

We struggled to conceive this little miracle and my heart is so full as I think about how he came into our lives. He was so wanted. He was faithfully prayed for.

He is a dream come true.

Newborn perfection

One year old awesomeness

Weight: 23lbs

Height: 31 inches

Clothes: 9-12 months

Eat: You are eating so many new foods these days. One of your favorites has become spaghetti. You are warming up to peas but you would still prefer not to eat them. You are eating much more of what we are eating and slowly, but surely, you are moving away from baby food. You are now drinking whole milk. You have approximately 18-22 ounces a day. We'll soon be weaning you off of your morning bottle since you have transitioned off of your night bottle nicely. You are doing much better with your cup and we can count on you to now drink water throughout the day.

Sleep: You are still a great sleeper. You are going down for your naps in your crib now, instead of your swing, and you are sleeping better. You nap for about 30-40 minutes in the morning and then for about 1-1.5 hours in the afternoon.

Play: You are moving everywhere! You are constantly pulling up on things and trying to walk along the edge. You have mastered this pretty well in your crib and along the bottom stair. You love things that roll, whether it be cars or balls. You also love books. You cannot get enough of playing in the water. Bath time is truly your favorite.

You are a major fan of peek-a-boo. We get serious giggles when we play this game.

Music still makes you dance and you love to interact with your sister. She has a way about her that captivates you and we continue to pray that you two remain close.

You are making a lot of strides. You babble all of the time. While your vocabulary is still quite small, you are very serious when you "talk" to us. You say "mama", "dada", "di-di" (bye-bye), and "uh-oh". You clap when you are excited and when you get really pumped up, you shake your fists and make a really funny face. You are learning to share with your sister. You both have a bit of a temper, which comes with the red hair, and you are learning that things will not always go your way.

You are learning about the word "no". I get the biggest kick out of your response. When told "no", you poke out that bottom lip and bring on the crocodile tears. Sometimes you'll even lay yourself on the floor and cry. You are far more dramatic than your sister ever was.

This past month has consisted of some big things. You had an eye appointment at the beginning of the month. About a month ago you were displaying some abnormal eye movements and the pediatrician was concerned. We attempted to identify the cause but your eyes are perfect. The movements have since drastically decreased. We just keep a close watch on you these days.

You had your first experience at VBS. You were only there one night because the program runs so late. You did pretty well, but definitely made it known that we had passed your bedtime.

We celebrated Father's Day with your daddy. He is truly the best and I am so grateful that he is here to show you how to grow into a Godly man. You're a blessed little boy.

We had a play date with some other families up at the church. It was a blast and you did really well.

Your birthday party will be this coming weekend. Your sister insists that you need an orange dinosaur cake...so that is what you will have. You'll have a dinosaur birthday (which I'll post about soon). We love you so much!

A prayer for our son:

Dear Jesus,

We thank you for gracing us with his conception and full term pregnancy. He may have been born 11 days early by the calendar, but born on the day You ordained in Heaven for him. We thank You for this past year. It has come with many trials as we've learned to adapt to his personality, needs and wants. We thank You for the calm, sweet spirit that You have instilled in him. We thank You for the fire that he shows from time to time. I thank You for Your provision and guidance as we raise this child that You have gifted to us.

We pray for the closeness among our family. We pray the relationships that continue to form are binding, strong, and stable. We pray that as he grows, You will help us lead him in a way that will result in a Godly young man of God. We pray that he will one day come to know You as his Savior. We pray for patience and guidance as we continue to raise him to love and serve You. We pray that you begin preparing his heart for the day that He will accept You and learn about what it is You want for his life. We know he was brought into this world for an amazing purpose and we pray that we will help instill the character traits, confidence, and motivation that he will need to pursue what it is You have for him.

We pray a fortress of protection around his life. We pray that you guard his heart, mind, body, and soul as he grows. We know he will face opposition and we want to help ensure that he is confident in all that You have made him so that he can stay strong. We are so in love with this little boy and we can't thank You enough for Your gift. We know that He is yours and we are humbled by the task before us, and committed to parenting this amazing child. Thank you, sweet Jesus, for this precious life. We look forward to another year of amazing firsts.

Amen.

His first year of life...

Linking up for a Mommy Moments

A Minnie Mouse Birthday Party

Even now I get a little misty eyed when I think about the fact that my first born is now 3. Time is flying and I can't seem to hold tightly enough. Our beautiful little girl turned 3 a couple weeks ago and I'm proud to say her party seemed to go over pretty well.

When I asked her what kind of birthday party she replied,

"A Minnie Happy Day [Birthday]. The pink Minnie. Not the red one."

I did my best to make her wish come true. I LOVE celebrating birthdays but I refuse to break the bank to do so. With a little preplanning, do-it-yourself projects, and a fairly frugal mindset, we were able to turn out a sweet little get together to celebrate our baby girl turning 3.

The Attire

My mom is an amazing seamstress. A few months ago I had run across a dress that I just knew would be perfect for G on her special day. I sent a picture to my mom and she nailed it yet again!

The Food

G had requested strawberry cake. Easy enough. I added some fresh strawberries to my standard vanilla pound cake and yum! I made a strawberry buttercream to go on top. I also made some confetti style vanilla pound cake cupcakes for those who may not like strawberry the way we do.

I did a simple hotdog bar. We had various toppings, including cheese and chili. They were a big hit.

My mother-in-law graciously made a delicious fruit salad and my mom brought a veggie tray. We also had Mickey Mouse shaped veggie chips that were like by children and adults alike.

The Décor

I went simple yet again. I simple found some plain black pails and filled them with pink and white raffia. We went to a local party store and found some great black and pink balloons that had white polka dots. These tied in with the theme perfectly.

As everyone finished eating, we eventually had the kids make their way outside where we played on the playground and blew bubbles. We opted out of opening presents at the party this year. The last few parties (for little ones) that we've attended have done this in regards to gifts. I must say, it is quite nice. Watching toddlers open gifts can become quite dull for adults and children alike and this allowed for everyone to simply enjoy themselves. We did have her grandparents over later that day to watch her open her gifts. Personally, we found this to be a win-win for everyone.

Overall, it was a wonderful day filled with fun, food, family and friends.

Check out her other birthday parties!

Red Riding Hood

Hello One-derland

2 Funerals and a Birthday

April 9th. My birthday. I love birthdays. Despite most of society’s view on aging, 

I am okay with it. I want to do it as gracefully as I can. Granted I don’t handle my kids getting older so well. 

G turned 3 this week and I’m struggling...a teary emotional mess. 

As I’ve mentioned, I love birthdays. There is something spectacular about celebrating life, no matter how 

long or short. It is a gift. I hold strong to this belief, despite the sorrow that now accompanies my birth date. 

Don’t get me wrong, there have been brief moments when I thought it might be best that I change the date of my 

birth, as if that could be done. 

Why these brief moments of unusual thought? Here’s why...

On April 9, 2012, I got up, ready to greet the day. My husband has always made my birthday so special and I was

 looking forward to spending the day with him. Around 9am my cellphone rang. It was my grandmother’s number. 

I was not expecting anything other than a “Happy birthday!” since she has always been amazing at remembering 

birthdays. I answered. On the other end was my uncle. He was calling to inform me that my dad had unexpectedly 

passed away that morning. He had fallen asleep and hadn’t woken up. There was no prior sickness. There were no 

signs of concern. He just fell asleep. It was later determined that it may have been a seizure which led to a heart 

malfunction, but honestly, we’ll never know. All we do know is that he met Jesus the next time his eyes opened. 

The wind was knocked out of me. How could this happen? The following year was spent working through the grief

 directly. I had to fight off the enemy’s advances on my joy as he hammered me with all of the “what ifs” and “could 

haves”. It’s still so hard to believe that it has been 4 years. Each year my heart grieves as we prepare to celebrate my 

birthday. 

This year was to be no different...and then it was. 

The week before my birthday my grandfather (on my mom’s side), was in a horrible accident. His body was so broken 

and a positive outcome did not initially look promising. Over the course of the next few days, there were little 

glimmers of hope as he made small amounts of progress. We were praying for a miracle but also for the Lord to heal 

him as He saw fit. God made his decision. We were to learn that God had indeed numbered his days and his last 

breath would be taken on April 9, 2016. I had been rocking N for a nap when mom called with the news. Another 

sad loss on what was supposed to be such a happy day. 

I didn’t get it. My honest, selfish response was “why me?” 

God is always timely in His comfort and grace. I ‘happened’ to read a devotion that focused on asking “what can I

 learn?” instead of “why me?” Okay...what on earth could God possibly want me to learn from this? I ask, He 

answered.

I was led to sift through the sorrow and focus on what God would have for me...for us...in this type of earthly ache. 

For me, it was this:

Every day may not be good, but there is good in every day. The small miracles that I often miss became vividly 

recognizable. He reminded me that our time here, no matter how many days we are granted, there is purpose. 

Embrace the moments that are so fleeting. I look back at what has been going on in my life personally at the time 

of both passings and I’ve gained some perspective. When my dad passed, we were in the midst of our first battle 

with infertility. My heart was so burdened, I was anxious and so caught up in what may never happen that I had lost 

sight of what good things were still in my life. His death brought the blessings in my life back into view. His death 

brought me out of my tunnel vision so that I could see the bigger picture once again. 

This past year we’ve been dealing with a lot of things, from health issues to house issues and I’ve been so caught 

up in trying to fix it all that I’ve let my personal best go and I have been completely exhausted (which of course 

what not helping my health). Through my grandfather’s passing I have been reminded that there is no point in 

worrying or struggling with things that are beyond my control. God is in control. His timing is perfect and His ways 

are above my ways. He will heal us. He will continue to bless us and He will bring about good from all things we 

deem as painful.

I have since made it my heart’s desire to seek the “what can I learn?” as opposed to the “why me?” because after a

ll, it’s not about me. It’s about glorifying my God in ALL things. For in all things, God is good.

Linking up for Mommy Moments

G turns 3!

3.

These days have gone too quickly. Just yesterday I was snuggling a tiny baby and today I hold the hand of a little girl, 

well on her way into childhood.

I am in awe of just how amazing you are. 

At 3, your favorites are...

*my input

Color: pink

Food: chicken nuggets

Song: Let It Go

Game: matching (Memory)

Movie: Lion King

Thing to do with Mommy: making cards (*we had made a card for her friend that day) and coloring

Thing to do with Daddy: watch T.V.

Thing to do with N: get him toys

Animal: Bella (her moose)

Book: the blue zoo book (*Peek Inside the Zoo by Simona Dimitri)

Best Friend: Stella

At 3 you are such a dreamer and a self-declared princess. You sing and dance without a care. The world is a stage and you love to be on it. You are all about right and wrong and “help” others follow the rules. You are helpful, giving, 

and so much fun.

 

My prayer for you:

Dear Jesus. I pray that as her parents we will guide her to know you and to walk in Your ways. We want her to love 

You first and foremost in her life. We pray for a mighty fortress over her emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. We pray she gain sweet friends. We pray that as things in her life change that she will handle them with grace. 

We cannot thank you enough for blessing us with this beautiful, fiery free spirit. We are humbled that You have 

chosen us and we look forward to the day that she chooses You.

Amen.

Why We Celebrate Birthdays

Birthdays. 

I feel like you fall into one of two categories.  You either love them or don't. You may say you are indifferent but that means you don't "love" them, so...I am one who loves birthdays. I do not forsee a day when I will want to stop celebrating them.

Here's why we celebrate birthdays:

Gratitude 

This is the day the Lord has made. Rejoice and be glad in it.

Ps. 118:24

Life is such an amazing gift. We've struggled with infertility in our attempts to grow our family. Our children our truly our greatest joy and we feel that our words and acts of thankfulness will never be enough.

Our daughter

2013

Our son

2015

We celebrate our birthdays as an act of thankfulness. We rejoice in the gift of life and want our children to know that our lives deserve to be celebrated. God did an amazing and humbling thing by placing us in this world and we honor Him during the celebration.

Family, Food, and Fun

Next to God, our family is the most important thing. Birthday celebrations give just one more excuse to get friends and family together. I love hosting and this gives me a rare opportunity to bake and share the things that make me happy with others.

Aging Gracefully 

I turned 30 last year. While I know it's one of those milestone birthdays that many dread, I welcomed the coming of age. It made me feel like a "real" adult. Something about leaving my 20s was both exciting and sad...bittersweet. I've always said that I want to age gracefully. I don't want to worry about gray hairs or wrinkles. I want to earn every single one of them. I look at each birthday as a time to reflect on the past year(s) of my life and how I want to live the next. I'm also reminded how short our lives actually are in the grand scheme of things and I want to make my moments count.

"Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
    Remind me that my days are numbered—
    how fleeting my life is.
You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
    My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
    at best, each of us is but a breath.”
We are merely moving shadows,
    and all our busy rushing ends in nothing.
We heap up wealth,
    not knowing who will spend it.
Ps. 39:4-6

It's Just Silly Not To

If for no other reason, it's an excuse to eat cake!

Linking up for Mommy Moments

Playing Catch-Up

Last week was filled with some wonderful family time. This week will be just as busy as I prepare for my mom to come in on Thursday, a bridal shower, a consignment sale and our daughter's 2nd birthday tomorrow. I thought I'd play a little catch up and fill you in on some of the great things from last week.

[Easter and an Egg Hunt]

We had a lovely Easter. We enjoyed an egg hunt with our church family and then celebrated our Risen Savior on Sunday.

 

 

[Spring Break]

Last week was Spring Break...enough said.


[Vacation and Relaxation]

We decided to take a little vacation to the beautiful Smokey Mountains. We enjoyed some wonderful relaxation and some quality family time.

View from our cabin

 

[The Zoo]

Our sweet girl loves animals and we enjoy taking her the zoos and aquariums if they are in the area. We visited the Knoxville Zoo and had a blast.

 

 

[The Aquarium]

Not only did we enjoy the zoo, but we had a great time at the Tennessee Aquarium.

 

[Birthday Goodies]

I had a blast celebrating my 30th birthday with my sweet hubby and beautiful babe. It was a day filled with love and blessings.

Birthday Cupcakes



Linking up for Five on Friday and Oh Hey Friday!