This life is not our own....

back at it...

2012-02-14T20:18:00.001-05:00

That's right boys & girls. Err...probably mostly girls, I'm fairly certain no one of the male species reads this except for my Husband & Dad...Hi guys :)

I took a ~~brief~~ long hiatus to bring another sweet boy into this world.

Carson Elijah

Born: 11/23/11

9 lbs 10 oz

21.5 inches

SWEET AS CAN BE!!

photo credit: Four Sides Photography

Big Brother has adjusted well. We've had a few moments of jealousy & he gets a little emotional at times, but overall he's a ROCKSTAR big brother!

We are so blessed & thankful for those boys & I'm really grateful for my awesome Husband who has been stepping up and helping out a lot! Having a toddler & a baby is HARD. Kudos to all the mamas out there!

Now that we are getting into the swing of our new normal, I really wanted to start blogging again. From my very first post I said God was asking some big things from us. We still aren't quite ready to share it with the world yet, but I wanted to start journaling our journey here. Hopefully it will encourage others to follow Gods will (& encourage us through the tough moments). I ~~HATE~~ think its kind of fun leaving you with a cliffhanger....makes my simple life a little more exciting :)

Anyways, we hope you will follow along with us.

xoxo

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Thankful Thursday....

2011-10-20T16:10:00.000-04:00

I am thankful that we finally have some grass growing...our entire front yard was basically just weeds so we (meaning my Husband) killed it all & planted more....we have some spots to fill in, but its looking good & NO MORE MUD! :)

I'm thankful for this boy....and for all his cuteness & his spunk.

and for this little boy too....34 weeks.

Thankful for my Husband...I like 'em.

He had his wisdom teeth pulled last Friday & is healing like a champ!

Thankful for a fabulous Fall weekend coming up with lots of fun for our family!!

Apple Picking

2011-09-17T15:12:00.000-04:00

Y'all.....it feels like FALL!! It's been around 60 degrees here the past couple days! We'll be back to the 70's & 80's next week, but its nice to have a little break from the heat. I'm happy to keep the warm weather :)

Last weekend Jerry & I took Jackson apple picking at a local farm.

He had a lot of fun. It was the first time I had even been apple picking.

We have some more fun Fall things coming up. Fall is by far my favorite season.

I'll probably start pulling out all the Fall decorations next week. The first official day of Fall is Friday so I need to get a head start! :)

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Lately....

2011-09-13T21:33:00.000-04:00

We've been busy...

Doing this...

We had so much fun at Disney World!

We've also been busy doing this....

Jackson started Preschool last week & is LOVING it. He goes 3 days a week for 3 hours at our church. He's having so much fun!

We also had our first MOPS meeting of the year last week. We had such a great turn out & I'm so excited for this year. The other leaders & I worked really hard this summer planning!! I got an email from a MOPS employee who was sending us a little encouragement & it was so sweet....here's a little portion of it.

"The muffin you bake is not just a muffin but sustenance for a mom's weary soul. All the planning you do lays the foundation for a mom to hear of God's love for her for the first time. All the details from the coffee, the speaker, the MOPPETS caregivers, and even the glitter for a craft are all tools that God uses to speak to the heart of the moms in your group. He speaks through you; through the way you serve & love."

Reading that is so encouraging. It's easy to forget why you're doing what you're doing & get caught up in the busyness of life....which is why I also just started attending a new bible study at church called "The Frazzled Female".

Baby Carson is doing great! I passed my 2nd 3 hour glucose test so I'm hopefully done with them for this pregnancy! Whooohhoooo!!! Thank ya Jesus!

We've been happily moving through our days trying to serve Him the best we can!!! Hope you're having a great week!!

Big Brother

2011-08-16T15:46:00.000-04:00

Last weekend Jerry & I took Jackson to the hospital where we will deliver Carson for a Sibling tour & class. It was cute, but, eh....it didn't go quite how I had envisioned it.

Jackson was W-I-L-D.

I'm not sure if I've ever talked about Jackson's little wild streak he tends to have on here, but let me tell you....its not for the faint of heart. He could wear out a marathon runner.

The boy will do something amazing with all his energy one day!

He did calm down for a few minutes to get a few things accomplished.

Getting his doctors hat & name tag!

Getting his "baby" (Curious George) weighed.

Getting a diaper for his "baby"

Getting his "Prepared Big Brother" certificate. She was asking him if he was going to be a good Big Brother & help Mommy & Daddy. I'm fairly certain he didn't respond at all. He just wanted that certificate.

I was so ready to go by this point! It was only an hour long, but I was exhausted when we left. I'm fairly certain everyone was thinking, "Are they seriously having another child?!!?!".

I'm so thankful to have such a fun, spirited child but it can be TOUGH too.

How do you deal with your wild child when they become out of control?

Gifts...

2011-08-15T15:08:00.000-04:00

I've been reading this book.

One Thousand Gifts by. Ann Voskamp

It is so good. She is an amazing writer. It's all about accepting God's gifts. All of His gifts.

The BIG and the small.

The good & the bad.

It talks a lot about what gives you peace in this world. A world that seems to be searching everywhere for it and hardly finding it.

She explains it so well. It's all about being THANKFUL....for everything. Knowing that everything that happens in the life is intended for good and not for evil. Even when terrible, tragic things happen....God intends EVERYTHING for good.

"And we know that in all things God works for good for those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Romans 8:28

That's so hard to comprehend, but that's where the faith comes in. You just have to believe.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."

Proverbs 3:5

Lean not on your own understanding. This world is just flat out CRAZY. I don't understand anything. I have to constantly remember that God wrote this story...and He loves us. All I know is that I've read the very end...and...WE WIN.

Yay!

Throughout the book she makes a gratitude journal & tries to write down all her blessings...up to 1000. I've been doing one too. It makes you step back & look at everything. To really be in the moment. To look at everything as exactly what it is...a GIFT.

It's refreshing....and I challenge you to do it too.

Look at your life & all the gifts you've been given.

It will change your outlook.

Be thankful in all things, friends :)

And for something cute to look at.....

Jackson playing with his all time favorite bubble gun!

Playing in the rain :)

Happy Monday!

I can't wait...

2011-08-13T10:05:00.000-04:00

until this book comes out.

I will be at the bookstore on October 4th...buying this book.

Katie blogs about her journey here. I am continuously amazed by her.

Happy reading, friends :)

2 1/2

2011-08-09T14:19:00.001-04:00

This...

SWEET,

BEAUTIFUL,

SPIRITED

boy is 2 1/2 today.

Sweet boy, I love your spunk & your zest for life.

I pray you never lose your spirit.

I love you so, so much.

Anniversary

2011-08-09T09:55:00.001-04:00

Happy Anniversary to my AMAZING Husband :)

I'm a day late posting this, of course

We weren't able to celebrate yesterday, but we'll hopefully be able to this weekend.

I love you sweet Husband.

Thank you for being YOU.

Thankful today....

2011-08-05T15:10:00.001-04:00

....for all the rain today.

....that my Husband is coming home tomorrow.

....that Jackson is doing really well potty training.

....for air conditioning.

....that I'm blessed to stay home with my baby (soon to be babies).

....for TWO children.

....for books.

....for church.

....for family.

....for naptime.

....for a home.

....for our trip to Disney in a few weeks.

....for friends.

....for cereal...seriously.

....for Jesus, who loves me even though I can majorly suck at life sometimes.

....that I've been able to snuggle with Jackson during all the rain today.

...that I have the BEST Husband & bab(ies).

Curveballs...

2011-08-02T21:27:00.000-04:00

We have had our fair share of curve balls thrown at us lately. But, we're still here & thanking God for our health! As y'all know Jackson had hand, foot, & mouth at the end of May and was hospitalized because he refused to eat/drink. It was rough, but we made it through. Well around the end of June, beginning of July he got it AGAIN.....seriously? Thankfully it was nothing compared to the first time! He had moments of not feeling well for about a week, but for the most part he acted fine. Finally, after a week or so all was well again....and then several weeks ago I woke up with some kind of bites all over my belly, legs, & a few on my arms. They were itchy & burned a little, but we just thought that they were flea bites from our dog (who we found a flea or two on after a beach trip). I got them on a Tuesday...by Friday I was in the hospital with a BAD infection from the bites. Since I'm pregnant I had no problem doing whatever I needed to to get well & protect Carson. Luckily my OB's said it would only effect me. I stayed in the hospital for 5 days....I was so sick. The bites (or whatever they were...no one ever really knew what it was....some OB's thought it was a pregnancy related rash that became infected) became extremely painful & made me feel SO SICK....ALL DAY LONG. After I got out of the hospital I went & stayed at my parents house to get some help..Jerry had to go back to work & he was leaving in the next few days to head to New Mexico for some military stuff....I couldn't walk very well on the one infected leg & was still struggling with feeling so sick. I am SOOOOOO thankful for all their help with getting me better & taking care of Jackson. After several weeks of not feeling great, lots of meds, & exhaustion I'm finally starting to feel normal! Thank you Jesus. I'm praying that we won't have anymore hospital trips until Carson Elijah makes his appearance at the appropriate time!!

On a happier note, Carson Elijah is doing great! He is beautiful & a precious gift!

I'm a little afraid we may have another wild child, but we can handle it. God never gives us more than we can handle!

Sweet baby at 18 weeks.

I prayed for this child, and the Lord granted me what I asked of him.

1 Samuel 1:27

Here's the belly at 23 weeks!

We are so excited to add another little one to our family and so very thankful.

Jackson & I had a great day today. We are at the age where his mood depicts the way the day goes. He was such a sweet happy boy today!! Here's a cell picture of his cute little self today playing at the mall.

I'm really going to try to keep updating since things are back to a more normal.

Have a great week!

June

2011-06-27T16:44:00.000-04:00

How is June already almost over? Whew, this month flew by!

We had some sweet friends come visit us from South Dakota. Jackson had lots of fun with Rhyann. He loves her!

We took them to Discovery Place to run out some energy & explore.

After a couple of days here we headed to my family's beach house. Living in South Dakota, Annie & Rhyann don't get to venture to the beach often so I thought it would be perfect!

We rode the boat in the Waterway a couple of days & anchored up on a beach for the kiddos to play & for us to relax. I LOVE SUMMER.

Jackson & his PaPaw

Annie & Rhyann

Jackson chillin' with his cousin Brooke.

We also took the kids to the aquarium. We have to take a ferry to get over to it. Fun!

On their last night with us, we went for an evening beach walk. I LOVE the beach.

We had so much fun & can't wait for Annie & Rhyann to come back! HURRY!

The rest of June has been a whirlwind of playgrounds & pools. I've been trying to keep the little one busy! He likes to get out of the house at least once a day!

We're heading to the beach soon for a loonnnggg beach trip. Thank. You. Jesus.

Baby update! I'm 18 weeks today! We have the very important ultrasound on Friday. We'll be finding out if we're team pink or team blue!!!!! SOOO EXCITED!!!!!

Have a great week!

What I've learned about Motherhood so far.....

2011-06-07T21:57:00.001-04:00

I've only been a Mother for two years so really...I know nothing compared to most Moms, but here are a few things I've learned.

1. It's hard. It's hard in a different way than anyone ever explained. No one ever told me how mentally exhausting it is. All I ever heard about were the long nights, poopy diapers, potty training, etc. No one ever told me how hard it is giving all of yourself to someone else every. single. day. I knew Motherhood would be a lot of work, but I didn't have a clue. I guess it's just something you have to experience for yourself to really understand.

2. You can't do this without God. No way. I'm not sure how Mother's who have no faith make it. Really...I do A LOT of praying! I say small prayers throughout the day for patience, for energy, for peace. I pray for my son, for his future, for his inability to share, for his strong will, for my understanding of who he is as a person, for good decision making from Jerry & I, for help in nurturing his "spirited" personality, for the health of our new little one, for Jackson's future wife, help for guiding Jackson on God's path for his life, for guidance in our parenting journey.

3. Having a sick baby sucks. That's about all I can say about that.

4. You have to let all your ideas you had of your perfect life go. God has a better plan...way better than our simple little minds can comprehend. Don't be disappointed. Things happen...babies get sick....you get tired....things get spilled....Poop explosions happen...your child will ruin that perfect outfit you really wanted them to wear for something special....your baby will have tantrums & act a fool regardless of what how you previously thought your child would act.

5. Your house will never be perfectly clean. EVER. If it is you are a freak of nature & I need to know how that happens. At our house as soon as I put something away Jackson takes it back out.

6. Having a baby turns your entire world upside down. Everything about you changes. Just go with it. It's not a bad thing.

7. You will love your babies (they will always be called my babies) more than you could ever imagine. Sometimes you will look at them or think of them & just want to cry because they are so special.

8. Whatever expectations you have of Motherhood.....throw them straight out the window.

9. You must have a little time for yourself every once in a while or you will lose your mind. If someone offers to help you...take it. Don't let your pride get in the way.

10. Everyone will have opinions of how they think you are raising your child and how they think you should be doing it. Take the good advice....forget the bad, hurtful ones. You are doing the best you can.

11. You need support. Find a MOPS group or some other group of Mothers who know what you are going through. It helps.

12. You know your child better than anyone else. Your motherly instincts are usually right.

13. Give yourself some slack, MOTHERHOOD ISN'T FOR SISSIES.

to be continued....as Jackson teaches me more :)

The past week...the lazy way.

2011-05-31T21:23:00.000-04:00

I'm tired these days...must be this "baby in my belly button" as Jackson calls it...or maybe its the combination of the baby & the 2 year old. I'll go with that one. So here's my past week, the lazy way:

-Jackson didn't get so lucky. He got the VERY bad...VERY long version of Hand, Foot, Mouth disease. On Monday after refusing food, drink, or medicine I decided it was time to head to the hospital. I was so worried he was getting dehydrated & was worried his fever was going to get to high since he was refusing meds. We got to the hospital around 7:15 & had to wait about an hour...they ended up giving him fluid & we decided it was best he spend the night. W,e ended up staying 4 nights. He was so miserable so they gave him morphine about every 4 hours & magic mouthwash with lidocaine. Finally on the 4th night he started bouncing off the walls & would drink a little. His mouth was looking tremendously better, fever was gone & I knew it was time to go before he tore the hospital apart. We left the next morning.

-We rested at home all day Friday because I wanted to make sure he was really feeling better & drinking/eating as he should at that point.

-Saturday we went here, Zootastic Park. They were having a thing called Bluegrass & BBQ at the Park (or something like that). It was fun & HOT. Jackson did really well. It was a nice first outing!

Meeting the birds!

Petting the kangaroo

Feeding goats

See this guy?

This is him stealing our animal food & scarfing it down. We got Jackson another bowl to feed the rest of the animals & he was VERY protective of it after that!

Jackson & our cousin Brooke feeding the cows.

-Sunday we went to my parents neighborhood & went swimming with my parents, Brooke, & some family friends. I took no pictures because I was swimming the entire time! We are finally at the point where we don't have to stand beside Jackson or hold him the entire time at the pool. It's much more relaxing. As long as there are other people around he is content. Plus their neighborhood has a baby pool so he likes to get in it & splash all around. I got BURNT. I put sunscreen on everywhere (a couple times) except for my legs. For some reason I had it in my head that I didn't need any on them...well, I DID! I still got burnt everywhere else too, but not like my legs! I forget that you are more apt to get sun burn when you're pregnant.

-Monday, we went to Jerry's parents house & went swimming with his family. Jackson was only interested in the pool for a few minutes for some reason, but they have a big blow up, water slide that he had fun playing on plus his favorite person ever was there, his cousin Harper. I made sure to put sunscreen on my legs & didn't get so red :)

-We had such a nice weekend! I LOVE long weekends! Memorial Day is like my first official day of summer. Its not actually until June, but when you live in the south & already have 90 degree days...its SUMMER!!

We have a fun week planned, hope you do too :)

That's My King!

2011-05-23T15:15:00.000-04:00

I really love this video. I stole it from Suzanne's blog. I love her blog..she's a pretty amazing lady! You will probably have to go to the bottom of my blog & turn off the music playlist so you can hear it. Enjoy. Happy Monday Friends :)

Something good out of something bad!

2011-05-22T16:26:00.000-04:00

We've had a rough few days here. Jackson has a virus & it is making him MISERABLE. It's sort of like hand, foot, mouth disease, but not that exact virus. Either way...its terrible & there isn't much they can do about it.

The sores in his mouth are incredibly painful & he hasn't eaten hardly anything since Wednesday. I have no idea where he could have gotten it from, but it's highly contagious...so who knows. It could have been anything or anyone. I hate seeing my baby sick, especially with a virus! Don't you just HATE viruses....medication does nothing! I read that it usually last anywhere from 5-10 days....its almost been 4 for us...and its been ROUGH so far! It feels like its been weeks. Dear Lord, can we please get the short version?!? Since it's so contagious for other kids (its mostly a virus children under the age of ten get) we can't really take him anywhere. The only places he's been able to go have involved Jerry dropping me off at the door & he & Jackson waiting in the car. Jackson only wants to stay outside for a couple of minutes & he's ready to go inside....if you know this boy, you understand how NOT like him that is! He would stay outside all day, everyday if I let him. Needless to say, we've watched a lot of movies. We haven't slept very much here either. It's pitiful...he is so tired, but is in so much pain he can't sleep. When he does sleep its very restless. Will you please pray that he gets better soon & that the ulcers in his mouth be healed soon?

As horrible as this virus has been we do have some good news to report! Remember this list of things I wanted to help Jackson accomplish before the baby gets here? We've already knocked the big boy bed out of the park & thanks to this TERRIBLE virus we've knocked out the "night nights" (pacifiers) too. His mouth hurts so bad that he can't use them...so we figured it was the perfect time to completely get rid of them. At nap time he asked for one & I just told him that we don't use them anymore because he was a big boy & they make his mouth hurt & it wasn't a big deal.

I always stress over every big transition & he always just goes with the flow & never acts like its a big deal...I don't know why I stress so much! Even so, the thought of potty training still stresses me. Hah, I can't help it!

Pray for sweet Jackson, please.

Yes Please!

2011-05-19T08:00:00.002-04:00

A couple of weeks ago we were at the beach & were shopping for some new flip flops. I LIVE in flip flops & my rainbows were showing it. My cousin Brooke had told us of where some super cheap ones were (I'm talking $35 for Rainbow flip flops people!!) so we went to take a look. While we were there I was looking at the other flip flops & fell in love. As soon as this flip flop was on my foot I was in HEAVEN. By far the most comfortable one I have EVER put on...& I'm quite the flip flop connoisseur.

Sanuk Yoga Mat Flip Flops...yes they are made out of yoga mats...could anything be better?

NO.

I've seriously been trying to find things to match them just so I can wear them...obsessed? yes. I was looking at their website & they have other cuter ones that are made from yoga mat too. These are pretty plain jane, but I don't care!! I'm in heaven. I bought a brown men's pair for my Husband. He loves them too.

BUY THESE. You will thank me later.

Wordless Wednesday (almost)

2011-05-18T08:00:00.003-04:00

The sign said "Please don't feed the ducks". I'm going to say they get fed a lot, this duck had no fear of walking right up & snatching bread out of Jackson's hands. Jackson LOVED it.

Sorry for the poor quality picture....its a cell phone picture.

It's cold & rainy...

2011-05-17T15:13:00.001-04:00

so I need a little pick me up...come back Spring. I'm so ready for Summer...I can taste it. Some of my Summer favs.

Hydrangeas...hands down favorite flower

The beach...

Flip flops & Sandles!

Swimming Pools!

Grilling out.

Swinging

I love after dinner walks with the boys before it gets dark & our southern heat has settled down a bit.

I love watching Jackson play in the water. He's a water baby for sure.

I love the smell of sunscreen.

I love reading summer books...especially by her.

I love fireworks.

I love popsicles.

I love letting Jackson stay up late because we have nothing to do the next day.

I love being tan.

I love that I can wear dresses every single day if I want to.

I love that our house looks so much prettier in the summer with all the flowers around.

I love the smell of honeysuckle & I love that it's covering all the trees across the street. The wind usually blows that sweet fragrance right to our front porch. Sweetness. Pure sweetness.

I love walking outside in the evenings & smelling all the grills with yummy food from the neighbors...I also hate this because it usually makes me want what their having.

I love all the fun, outdoor things to go do in our city.

So, go away cold, rainy weather...I've been done with you. I need you Summer!!!!

with love, ash

Everybody's doing it....

2011-05-17T10:19:00.000-04:00

...even my Husband. He has started a new blog...all about his real passion in life! Check it out!

http://myfamilysgarden.blogspot.com/

Unrealistic Expectations

2011-05-13T21:07:00.000-04:00

Before becoming a Wife & Mother I had all these ideas of what I thought a good Wife & Mother were. I had ideas of what my life would be like...and then I actually became a Wife & Mother.

I would be in restruants with children who were crying & screaming and think, "Seriously...can you not control your child? My children will NEVER act like that!".

Now people look at me the same way in restruarants whenever Jackson decides he can't be bothered to sit down or eat or act like a human being.

I would hear children whining & think...."If you wouldn't give them everything they want, they wouldn't be so whiney."

Now my child whines regardless of what I do & I know people think I just give him what he wants & I don't discipline him.

I would hear women talk to their husbands & think "Why is he even with her?".

Now I say rude & hurtful things to my Husband & think "Why does he even put up with me?".

I would see women looking a hot mess & think "Well, obviously she is lazy & doesn't have it together."

Then I became a Mother & now I look a hot mess atleast 3 days out of a week.

I had all these ideas of days spent playing with my ALWAYS sweet, helpful, polite, kind, OBEDIENT child. I never thought about days when he would throw tantrums, tell me "NO!!" to EVERYTHING, cry, stay up all night, & be mean to other kids. I guess when you are pregnant for the first time you just think about your sweet baby & how you can't wait for them to be here. You are blind to all the hard things.

Isn't life funny? I believe my God has a sense of humor & all those times I was judging Mothers He was smiling knowing that soon enough I would have Jackson. Becoming a Wife & Mother has taught me humility. I NEEDED it. It's amazing how much you know about parenting before you actually are a parent. I am incredibly hard on myself and now that I (kind of) actually know what being a Wife & Mother is like I try to give myself a little slack & know that I can't be everything & do it all (regardless of how bad I would LOVE to).

These past 2 years of being a Mother have changed me immensly. It has softened my heart, brought me closer to God (I wouldn't have made it otherwise..haha), and taught me a lot about myself.

I'm so thankful for Jerry & Jackson. They have both made me grow up A LOT & learn to put others before myself. I also needed to learn service & I sure have! I needed to learn patience & I sure have! I needed to learn to shut my BIG mouth sometimes & I sure have! I needed to learn to rely on God & I sure have!

I also think it's funny how bad Jerry & I want a large family. If you would have told me that a few years ago & I would have slapped you. God's plan is so much better than our own.

Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book

before one of them came to be.

Psalm 139:16

Now a days, I'm actually really thankful for those hard days...it makes the good ones so much sweeter....and how could you not love this sweet, beautiful face?

Baby, Toddler, & MOPS :)

2011-05-09T21:46:00.001-04:00

First of all, friends, thank you so much for all your sweet messages & notes for our little family. We are beyond excited & feel so blessed to have another sweet baby on the way. I can not wait! I'm only 11 weeks now & I'm already trying to get things together. I can't help it...I'm a planner!! God wired my brain that way!

I have three big things I want to accomplish with Jackson before the baby gets here.

1-Switch to a Big Boy Bed (COMPLETE & I was completely blown away by how easy the transition was. I was so stressed out by it & thought it was going to be a rough process, but it just wasn't a big deal for him & I'm so happy & proud of him!

2-Potty train (blahhhhh)

3-No more paci's! (As of right now he only uses them for sleeping, but he is quite attached...he may be going to college with his "night nights"). :)

I have another doctors appointment in June & then on July 1st we find out the sex the baby! Very exciting!

On another note, we went strawberry picking today with our MOPS group. It was a lot of fun. I feel so thankful for MOPS...I had been praying for a while for something that would connect me with other people who are in the same season as life as me and BAM...I got it. I'm helping out on the Leadership team. I'm glad I'm involved in that way...it keeps me accountable. I can be so lazy sometimes & knowing that I'm responsible for a part of the meeting keeps me involved. If you have never been to a MOPS meeting & have a child 0-5 you should check it out!!!

Patterson Farms Strawberry Picking

Checking out the chickens!

Hope you have a great week friends!

We have a secret....

2011-05-02T15:28:00.001-04:00

...want to know what it is? I bet you do....

This little guy wanted to show you some pictures of himself first from the past few weeks since I've been a slacker (don't you love the suspense?).

My little artist :)

Checking out his Easter basket

"Driving" the golf cart with PaPaw

Playing on the beach..

Jackson meeting the Easter Bunny

Okay, okay...I guess we'll let you in on our secret!

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ultrasound at 7 weeks :)

WE'RE HAVING ANOTHER BABY!!!!

DUE NOVEMBER 28, 2011

WE ARE SOOOO EXCITED. WE'VE PRAYED FOR THIS SWEET BABY FOR A WHILE NOW! THANK YOU LORD FOR SUCH A SWEET BLESSING!

100 Things

2011-03-31T11:00:00.002-04:00

I wanted to let y'all know a little more about me. I don't want anyone to get the wrong impression about who I am. Coming up with 100 things about yourself is tough.

1. I'm a Jesus follower.

2. I love my middle name. Faith.

3. I dream of a simpler life. A simpler time.

4. I like pretty things.

5. I love to wear dresses.

6. I love going to see a movie, but I rarely get to do it.

7. I love paisley.

8. Sweet tea is my favorite drink.

9. I want to adopt. Really Bad. God is really pressing this on my heart!

10. I help coordinate a MOPS group.

11. I used to be a Surgical Technologist. I HATED it.

12. I can be extremely critical. I'm constantly working on it.

13. I read. A LOT.

14. I never carved a pumpkin until I was 24.

15. I want to have a house full of children. My mom & dad (who only had one amazing, cute baby...heh) think I'm crazy.

16. I am a little crazy.

17. I love movies when they have a happy ending. :)

18. I love to travel, but I love being home.

19. I love curly hair.

20. The only diamonds I own are my engagement ring & wedding bands. Everything else is beaded jewelry & I'm completely happy with that.

21. My Husband says I'm "eclectic". I take that as a compliment.

22. I am terrified of heights. I have no desire to be in high buildings or jump off of high things. If God intended me to fly he would have given me wings. :)

23. I love lazy days at home.

24. I was a wild child.

25. I've been known to have "hippie tendencies". Does that even make since?

26. I'm very passionate about recycling.

27. I love vintage things.

28. Marshalls & TJ Maxx are two of my favorite stores. I rarely go to the mall.

29. As a family we've been trying to de-program ourselves from the "American Dream". There is so much more to this life.

30. I do not enjoy working out. I know some people love it, but I just don't see the fun in it. :)

31. I am naturally lazy. I have to constantly push myself. Becoming a Mother has helped this tremendously.

32. I don't like animals in the house. Pet hair drives me crazy.

33. I'm very thankful to be a stay at home momma. I know how lucky I am to be able to do it.

34. I'm always striving to be a better Christian and to show others Christ's love. It is not always easy. In fact it's really hard, but I know my Jesus demands more of me!

35. I'm a terrible cook. I lack all culinary skills.

36. I like white furniture.

37. I love organization. It helps me feel better.

38. I yell at my Husband sometimes & I get frustrated with my Son sometimes. I hate it & try not to.

39. My parents used to make me go to a thousand auctions with them when I was young. I thought it was so LAME. Now I enjoy them too.

40. I want this necklace.

41. I want to live out in the country.

42. I want to serve my Lord with reckless abandon.

43. I love the beach. A lot.

44. I love North Carolina. It's a beautiful place.

45. God is opening my mind to how much bigger this world is than me.

46. I have the sweetest little boy.

47. Watching TV makes me fall asleep.

48. Turquoise is my favorite color.

49. I have very light sensitive eyes. If I don't wear sunglasses I have a hard time seeing or focusing.

50. I love babies.
51. I love me some Chick-fil-a.
52. I love riding down the road with the windows down.
53. I'm so thankful for the "blogging world". I love getting glimpses into other people's life.
54. I like watching Handy Manny as much as Jackson does.
55. I want this bracelet & I want it full of my babies names.
56. I love when Jackson grabs my face to give me a kiss. It's the sweetest.
57. I love that Jerry cooks around here. Both for all our safety & yummy food.
58. I hate bad drivers. I hate slow drivers.
59. I love the way Jackson laughs.
60. I love that Jerry knows so much about EVERYTHING. Seriously, he should be on Jeopardy!
61. I feel bad that Jackson inherited my short legs. Poor child.
62. I hate bathing suits. Really? Who thought that was a good idea?
63. I live in flip flops & flats.
64. I hope I never have to have false teeth when I get older. Blek.
65. I wish I was more athletic.
66. I've never been camping.
67. I'm really into the color yellow right now, but I hate yellow walls.
68. I'm the best singer ever. Ask anyone. (sarcasm)
69. There is nothing cuter than a pregnant girl!
70. I don't like when someones hair is too long and covers their eyes or face.
71. I love getting mail. Just not bills.
72. I think thank you cards are really important.
73. I think whoever thought of these is a genius. My baby loves them. I love that they're healthy & super easy.
74. I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook.
75. I'm a big Disney fan.
76. I hope to do some missionary work in Africa...soon.
77. I love going to see plays, but I hardly ever get to.
78. I love the water.
79. I've donated my hair to Locks of Love. I'm in the process of growing it out to do it again.
80. I love helping other people, but I have a hard time receiving help.
81. Forrest Gump will always be one of my favorite movies.
82. I'm pretty funny (ask my Husband...he's the one that really hears it all).
83. I ~~like~~ LOVE Mary Poppins. A lot.
84. I love reading books before bed to my sweet baby.
85. I don't get enough dates with my Husband.
86. I will NOT go to Haunted Houses during Halloween. Why do I want someone to scare me? No thanks!
87. I worry about crazy things.
88. My elbows are double-jointed. I know that makes no sense, but if you saw them, you would understand.
89. I hardly ever sweat. It's a blessing and a curse. I don't get all gross & sweaty, but I get overheated easily & it makes me sick.
90. I don't watch a lot of TV anymore. I used to, but I've realized most of it is junk.
91. I'm the daughter of a King. :)
92. I only have a couple of close friends and I prefer it that way.
93. Fairness is very important to me.
94. I often wonder what Heaven will be like.
95. I only wear this kind of chapstick & this kind of lip gloss. Lips are important! I HATE CARMEX! I think my friend Chrissy should stop wearing it because it stinks! (love you, Chrissy!)
96. We're trying to start buying some things local. It's harder than you think (and sometimes quite more expensive).
97. My Husband and I have some pretty cool conversations about life.
98. Sleep. I love it. It's important.
99. I really love blogging.
100. I love because He first loved me :)

How's that, folks? Let me know about you!

It is NOT me

2011-03-30T13:14:00.000-04:00

Can I just say I have some amazingly sweet people in my life? I do. I've been getting several messages from people telling me very sweet (nice to hear) things. Let me be the first to say, IT IS NOT ME! I PROMISE! I screw up ALL THE TIME. I am only doing what I've been called to do. I don't do it perfectly...I'm not even close. It's JESUS. ALL JESUS.

He asks me to give to the poor. I'll give.

He asks me to love my neighbor. I'll love.

He asks me to put Him first. I will.

These things are not always easy, but I want to follow His direction for my life. My selfish heart wants what I want when I want it, but I have to remember that His ways are always better. He knows the plan for my life...He sees the completion of it. I only see the here and now.

He knew long ago that this sweet baby would change my life.

He knew that becoming a Mother would teach me about how much He loves me. It absolutely boggles my mind that He even loves Jackson more than I do. What? I love that baby something fierce and yet He loves him more. Isn't that just crazy? I want that crazy love in my life! I want to be all in for Jesus. The I will do whatever you ask (even when I don't get it & I think I look like a crazy person) kind of Christ follower.

But, basically I just want y'all to know...IT'S NOT ME :)

A brand new house!

2011-03-29T15:01:00.001-04:00

ADOPTION MINISTRY OF YWAM-ETHIOPIA

We're supporting this ministry, would you consider helping out to? I first read about this ministry on Jennifer's blog and truly felt that nudge to contribute. For only $400 you can build A NEW HOUSE for a family in Southern Ethiopia. It feels so amazing to know that we are giving an entire family a brand new home. These people have been living in stick & mud huts & they can finally live in a home that keeps them safe from the elements. Please pray & consider helping out too. God has blessed us so much. We live in such abundance. What we consider normal or average most other countries consider LUXURY.

Go here to check out the homes they are living in & some that have already been built.

There are so many scriptures that talk about giving. I've learned that as long as I'm giving freely and the way God has instructed me to, I never have to worry about money. He ALWAYS provides.

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Luke 6:38

Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses. Proverbs 28:27

Store up your treasures in heaven, friends :)

A day in the life....

2011-03-28T21:01:00.000-04:00

I love "a day in the life" posts. Its fun to see into someone else's life. We're really all the same. We want the same things...we feel the same things. We just go about our days a little differently. I'm a stay at home momma so most my days are spent with a 2 year old...that's probably completely boring to some people, but I love it.

We got home from the beach late last night so Jackson & I slept in until 8:30 {gasp}. I really needed to be up a lot earlier since I needed to be at church 9:30 for our MOPS Leadership meeting, but this momma needed sleep.

My chicken scratch notes from the meeting :)

Our meeting lasted until about 11:30 & then Jackson & I headed toward home, but had to make a quick stop at the store to get a few things. Isn't going to the store with a 2 year old always an adventure? I love it :)

Some of our goodies :)

By the time we got home it was time for lunch. Here's Jackson eating his ~~SUPER HEALTHY~~ spaghettios! Hey, at least he is eating! I'm tired, remember!

Then Jackson told me he needed to go potty so we ran to bathroom...plopped him down & he PEE PEE'D!!! Woohoo! POTTY DANCE!

I opted not to put an actual picture of him sitting on the potty, one day when he's older he'll thank me :)