Almost ready for Christmas!

I cannot believe that it is the week of Christmas. I have been a bad blogger this week. Life seemed to be busy with finishing shopping and then my ella girl got sick again! She ran fever from Thursday morning until last night. It is gone today and she never got any other symptoms. We took her in on Friday because her cousins have all had strep so we thought it was probably that, but it wasn't...just another viral fever thing! I have had several moms tell me that it is just her age in attempts to make me feel better. I think she has just gotten run down and is having trouble fighting all the germs out there right now. So much from avoiding playgroups, Chucky Cheeses, the play center at chick-fli-a(the poor girl wants to do the slide so bad), and using hand sanitizers! It's not working for us! I am just thankful she is better...now if we can stay well until Thursday, I will have all I want for Christmas! I guess when there are 7 cousins under the age of 8, in one house...someone is bound to be sick!

Kevin and I saw the movie, The Blindside on my birthday. We both loved it and thought it was one of the best movies we'd ever seen. I highly recommend it! It was funny because as we were getting in the van to go...Kevin said, "wow, I've never driven a mini van on a date." And then I looked down and realized I was carrying my diaper bag rather than a purse (in my defense it doesn't look too much like a diaper bag)! We laughed at how life changes. In fact, we loved all 2 hours and 6 minutes of the movie just sitting there in silence. It was so nice to just sit and relax and know that we didn't have any responsibilities.

I have one more present to buy, which is a gift card for my dad because he is the hardest person I buy for. I did get him one little gift, but it is basically the same thing I get him every year. I also have a hard time shopping for Kevin. He never really wants anything. This morning he pulled out a new shirt with the tag still on it that I gave him for Christmas last year. I should have re-gifted it...he'd never known. He tried it on and decided he liked it....must be his new muscles! He has been working out like crazy for several months now. I am really proud of him. He seems to really enjoy it. He is wanting me to start P90X with him in Jan. but I am just not a good work-out girl. I enjoy walking and I would love to be a runner one day. I want to try it because I think it is one activity we could do together and that would be good for us!

We had to cancel seeing the lights this past week with our "older"friends from church due to ella's fever. I am hoping we can work it in this week. I also still need to make our Christmas cookies and a few reeses cookies that I make every year. I hope to have some good family time this week and enjoy Kevin being on vacation. So...it looks like we are...almost ready for Christmas!

30 Candles are on my Cake!

Today is my 30th birthday! It's hard to believe that my 20's are already over...which is a sad thought. The 20's were really a great decade of life for me. I graduated college, got my first "real" job, got engaged, got married, built our first home, bought our second home, traveled to lots of fun places together, had three beautiful babies, and lots of other normal but blessed days in between. How can the 30's top all of that? I think the 20's are so great because it is a season of first!

I told Kevin today that the 30's make me think of growing kids, growing bellies, and growing older. Doesn't sound as exciting to me. I am sure there is still lots to look forward to!

We have had a busy but great day. Kev worked a short day and we picked him up and we all went to have Christmas pictures made. Stress! I never understood that until I had kids! Ella ans Eliza actually did well, but we had a long wait...which throws things off. Eliza was ready to nap by the time we got started!

We were waiting and I heard one of the photographers talking about how bad she felt and she even said she was running a fever!!!! I was being nosey and listening to their conversation and of course my ears perked up when I heard that!!! I thought....oh great...watch...she'll get us! And sure enough about two minutes later she said, "Julie." I wasn't sure what to do! Do I tell her that I overheard her say she was sick? Do I ask her for a diff. photographer? Do I leave?? After having two sick kids that are finally well...I might go to drastic measures to keep them well! I've even thought about screening the kids in the church nursery for runny noses, fever and coughs...before I let ella play! Just kidding, but the thought did cross my mind! So back to today....I am not one to create a scene...so I went with it and prayed over and over that those germs wouldn't land on us! We sanitized a few times too!

We left there and ate an early lunch at my favorite restaurant. Tonight we are going on a date all by ourselves! We are going to see the the movie The Blindside. I cannot wait. This will be our first alone date since April...I think! We are so excited! We are going all out with popcorn, candy and a big diet coke! We are so adventurous, you know! We said we might sit down and just sleep! I can't wait to not have any responsibilities for a few hours!

So here's to the beginning of a new decade of my life!

Sharing Joy at Christmas!

When I think about the kind of women I want my little girls to grow up to be...
I think of :
wholesome
kind
sharing
giving
hospitable
generous
classy
sincere
caring
pure
loving
and I guess the list could continue. I really do desire for them to grow up to be Godly girls and eventually (a very long time from now) women. They will learn these characteristics from me! That's where it gets tough and the dreams I dream for my girls become a daily reality... in which I daily fall short! (Kev and I had this discussion last night as he was reminding me of my previous post on 1 Corinthians 13). They will learn to be hospitable because their mommy and daddy always welcomed others into their home. They will grow to be generous...because "we" always did that growing up. They will prayerfully remain pure because mommy and daddy have stressed purity and modesty throughout their lives. They will love others who are different, unlovely, and strange, because we will teach them how to. And while I know they will fail and make mistakes they will have a foundation of "how" to live!

I was thinking about all this the other day and something I read in last months Homelife magazine gave me a great idea. It is something that we are planning as a way our family can be generous and share some joy this Christmas season. The idea was to invite an elderly couple to go look at Christmas lights with your family. I thought this was such a great idea. We have many sweet "older" couples at church so we picked one and have invited them to go to the Light Festival at one of our local parks. I doubt this is something they would do on their own (esp. at night), and I think they will enjoy watching and hearing ella's reaction to the lights. So hopefully we can time it right (between eliza's feedings and bedtime) and have a great time sharing our Christmas Joy!! I'll take some pictures for you!

1 Corinthians 13-A Christmas Version (Author Unknown)

I posted this poem on my blog last year and thought it was good enough to post again this year. What a good reminder for me. As much as I want to have a beautifully decorated home all warm and cozy, and want to have my kids adorned in the cutest Christmas fashions, and want to do cookie baking, gingerbread house making, and fun Christmas Crafts....I can do all that and miss the true meaning of Christmas with my family!

1 Corinthians 13-A Christmas Version

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows,

strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love, I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love, I am just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myrid of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.

Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can't.

Love bears all things, believes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust, but giving the gift of love will endure!

Merry CHRISTmas!

Hoping!!!

This being sick thing is for the birds!!

Hoping that tom. will be our last doctor's appointment for a while. I think I mentioned in my last post that both girls were getting colds...right on the heels of ella's hand/foot and mouth. Well, it was actually RSV! Ella has done fine and feels much better except for an occasional croupy cough, but little miss Eliza's gave us quite a scare. Long story short she has been very congested, coughing, sneezing, and wheezing and has been on breathing treatments every four hours since fri. morning. Thankfully, I followed my instincts and took her back to the doctor when the peds plus (after hours) doctor sent us home after both her and the nurse heard her wheezing. I knew she wasn't breathing normally...or I thought so. Isn't it so hard to know as a parent when to go and when to wait it out??? I always struggle to know...but she is just too young for me to be comfortable waiting it out and thankfully I took her back! Tomorrow will be our EIGHTH doctor's visit in two weeks. One was a well check and two have been follow-ups. Whew!! Everytime I go I just wonder what we will pick-up for the next week.

I am thankful for our doctors, modern medicine, friends and family that pray, and that hopefully we are on the mend! It's been a LONG two weeks!

So this holiday season hasn't started out quite like I wanted. I am really looking forward to the weeks left this month when we can hopefully enjoy this holiday season. Check back this week for ella's tour of our home for the holidays and a few things our family is doing to focus on the true meaning of Christmas!

I think it's going be a great week! I sure am hoping so!!

Mommy time!

Ella thought the tee-pee was a party hat!


Sweet little eliza!

trying to get a decent pic...this is the best we could do

daddy and his girls

I have been so sleepy today. I feel like I need toothpicks to hold my eyes open. That's not a good thing when you're the mom! I finally have both girls resting...for the moment and what do I do...sit down to check the computer! I guess all my caffeine has finally kicked in or I'd be on the couch!

Ella is finally getting better. She ran a low grade fever last night, which was day 8 of this terrible virus and is fever free today so far! We are now just waiting for the blisters in her mouth to go completely away and she'll be good to go. It was terrible and I am so glad she is better. She is beginning to eat again and I don't feel like we have to push the liquids like we were. Both girls have colds now which is a bummer. Ella was 6 months old when she got her very first cold...and eliza is 10 weeks. I guess that is normal when you have a toddler in the house. Poor eliza, she cannot stand her nose being stuffy! We are so thankful that she didn't take hand, foot and mouth! So far at least...and I think if she was she'd have it already!

After a week of illness I feel like we are back at square one with discipline, sleep and etc. for ella. Don't you just hate that. Things get all out of order when kids are so sick and you are literally in survival mode! This week we are back to the basics...which means meals at the table, sleeping in our own beds, and obedience! SO much fun!

I can't believe it is already December. The years just fly! I will be celebrating a big birthday next week and I can't believe it! I must be growing up!

I better go! Ella is yelling from her crib that she is all done with her nap. I don't think she even got one but I was hoping for a little afternoon break! I just heard.."mama, come mare!" She has such a country twang when she says it!

Still Sick!!!

Whew...it has been some more week! I hate to complain but it has been a very hard one. Ella has run a 102-103.7 fever since Tuesday around lunch! We of course took her to the doc. to make sure my diagnosis of her condition was correct. I knew once I saw the little blisters in her mouth on Wednesday that we were in for it! She has hand, foot and mouth disease. The name sounds terrible....but the virus is much worse. It is among the many childhood viruses and causes fever, blisters in the mouth and can cause blisters on the hands, feet, and buttocks! So far, ella has only had fever and and a mouth full of blisters. I was one of the fortunate adults who must not have gotten this virus as a child, because I got it my second year teaching. I missed a week of work, couldn't eat for a week and was miserable. It is even more miserable when your child has it!!!

Poor little ella's gums look like they are falling off her teeth and her mouth, lips and etc. are covered in blisters. She has only eaten a few bites since Monday evening!!! We are making her drink, but today she is not wanting to do that even. I even tried using a medicine syringe to get some liquids in her. We have tried, diluted apple juice, milk, milkshake, slush, ensure, water, yogurt drink, pedialyte applesauce, pudding, etc. We know that if she doesn't drink more tonight we are worried that she may get dehydrated and we know what that will mean! She also isn't sleeping longer than about 45 minutes and is waking up crying in pain! It has been some long nights at our house!

Please pray that this will be over soon! Thankfully, Kevin has been home with me. Not sure I'd be making it if he hadn't been! It is hard because what ella has is highly contagious for eliza. Her nose is running and she keeps putting her hands in her mouth because it hurts...GERMS! My hands are raw from washing them after caring for her because I am trying to not spread them to eliza! Ella cries and wants to be held and then eliza cries and needs to be fed or held and then mommy and daddy cry! Not really... but I think we have been close at a few moments. So far eliza hasn't taken it. I think if we can make it to Monday that we'll be pretty sure she won't! If she doesn't I will be even more convinced that breastfeeding is a wonderful immune fighting gift (that'll be her third bad illness to not take when she was highly exposed!)

SO if you hear anyone say that their child has a virus, fever, blisters in their mouth....run..don't walk as far away as you can it! It is bad! And...if anyone thinks that being a mother is not the hardest (yet greatest) job in the entire world I beg to differ!

Happy Thanksgiving

I have so much to be thankful for this year. We are back at home for a brief rest before we get to enjoy Thanksgiving #2. I have to admit that throughout our marriage, I have complained most every year that our holidays were just too busy. I know I've said that we spend the day in a mad rush...normally running late from family to family..wanting to spend time with everyone! The Lord has taught me a lesson the past few days. With ella being sick this week I hadn't left the house since Monday afternoon. I was so ready to get out! The prospect of not getting to see our families and be a part of our normal thanksgiving was heartbreaking! Although we are doing things a little different to avoid our little cousins who may not have gotten what ella has! I have learned my lesson and I will never complain about the busyness of our traditions...instead I am thankful to have two delicious meals to eat, two families who love us! So many in our world would die to live my life!

So much to be thankful for! My greatest gift this year is our newest little turkey eliza. Happy Thanksgiving!

Feeling Bummed with so much to be Thankful for

This afternoon I felt ella's head and immediately knew she was running a fever. My hand has gotten pretty well trained in the past two years. She didn't eat well at lunch (which really isn't that out of the ordinary) and she kept wanting me to hold her. Sure enough it was 102. I was so bummed I could cry. The Tuesday night before Thanksgiving is always our annual Thanksgiving dinner at church. I don't think I'd missed one until tonight for the past 20 years. It is as much a part of our Thanksgiving as getting up early and shopping the Black Friday sales.

I was bummed to miss it and bummed that my girl was sick! She was really not feeling well tonight. She had a hard time going to sleep and was moaning and crying even though the Motrin had brought her temp. down. I am worried that we might not get our normal Thanksgiving this year. I might just add that Thanksgiving is really probably my favorite holiday because it begins the Christmas season!

So while I am bummed I will continue to try to put life in perspective... that I am so so so blessed and better off than most of the world. I have salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. I have a wonderful family, Godly husband who is so so good to me. I have two beautiful little girls who are more than I dreamed! I have all my needs met and most of my wants! I have health, doctors (when needed), friends and faith! I am so richly blessed!

So if you think of it pray that little ella will be feeling better, so we can celebrate Thanksgiving with our family as we normally do! Pray that I will have wisdom to know if I need to take her to the doc. tom. or wait it out over the Holiday! It is so hard to know what to do!

Look who is 2 Months Old!

(I really think I see a lot of my sister joy and newphew Landon in this pic.)

Anyone else see it?

I am trying to do a better job at tracking each month than I did with ella. I never posted her one month pic! She sure did grow last month!

Little Miss Eliza is already two months old. I cannot believe how fast time is flying with her! She is growing and changing so much and is the sweetest little thing! All 3 of us love her to pieces!

Her two month stats:

Weight: almost 10 lbs about 9lbs 13 oz. according to our home scale...she is growing fast considering she was such a peanut!!
Height:?? We go to the doc on Monday. I am thinking 22 inches!

Likes: To sleep and eat! She wants to be held in the evenings which works out well since ella goes to bed early! She likes riding in the car and sitting in her bouncy chair and car seat! She likes being swaddled at night! She has a love hate relationship with her paci and would really rather find her thumb (but no luck yet)!She loves to be talked to and smiled at!

Dislikes: When her sissy says," I got your nose!" She pinches a little too hard! She dislikes it if mommy is a little late on feeding her...I cannot blame her! She will let me know for sure when she is hungry!

Looks: We are still trying to figure out her look! At times she reminds me a lot of ella and at times she looks so different. Something about her reminds me more of my side of the family esp. her mouth and eyes. She is going to have her daddy's hair color and his hairline for sure! Her hair on top fell out completely and is sprouting back. She has the same long piece of hair in the back that ella did and the same cowlick swirl in the back (it took us forever for ella's cowlick to lie down). It is so funny how they both had this!

Personality: Right now eliza is just so sweet and easy! She has been a great baby! She is sleeping 6-9 hours each night for the past two weeks and we are so proud of her...and thankful for our sleep! I accredit that to using a swaddle blanket nice and tight, feeding on a schedule, a good sleeping baby and prayer! Watch..tonight she'll be up all night!

We are so thankful for her and the added joy she is bringing to our lives! We can't wait to find out more of who she is and what God has planned for her life.

These are a few of my favorite things!!!

I saw this on several blogs today where people are listing several of their favorite items. I thought it would be fun as I always enjoy finding new products that others recommend.



I love Neutrogena's skin smoothing under eye corrector. It goes on smoothly and gives a cool sensation under your eyes (makes me feel more awake and look awake!) The only drawback is that it doesn't last me long enough!

I have used Maybelline's Full and Soft Mascara for years. I have ventured away a few times and tried other mascara's but I always regret it! It def. adds volume and fullness to my lashes!

I am loving Dove's Winter care Soap! We always buy our soaps at Costco in bulk and last time I bought the Kirkland brand....Big mistake! It was the absolute worst soap ever. I am pretty sure my sensitive skin was allergic to it too! The bad part was that we had like 15 bars to use up! We did and I am so thankful to have a moisturizing soap now! It makes your skin so soft and smells good!

I have used this mouse for years...when I wear my hair curly! I have tried lots of different kinds of mouse in my curly years and this one is a keeper...I get it from Sally's Beauty Supply!

My new fav. scent from bath and body! I plugged in a new plug-in in this scent and Kev noticed and really liked it too. He thought it was me that smelled good! Maybe they have it in a lotion! It smells warm and cozy!

My favorite jeans are always gap jeans. I like the Long and Lean ones that work fine even though I am not Long or Lean. They just fit right and have just the right stretch to be comfy! If I wear flats I have to do one cuff! They are fine with taller shoes!

My fav. kid shoes are Puddle Jumpers. Ella has wide feet like her daddy and these shoes fit her really well! I search e-bay for weeks until I find me a good deal on them! Her aunt pam bought her two pairs for her birthday! She has more shoes than I do (well...not really!) I have a thing for polka-dots!

I got a 50.00 gift card from my insurance company for going through a healthy expectations program in my pregnancy. I had to answer these long surveys after every doc. appt. in which they wanted to know all the personal details of my pregnancy! It was very annoying but I finally got my gift card which was great! I bought yet another diaper bag. I have a weakness for a good diaper bag. I guess because I use it everyday as my purse too! I love this one. It has lots of compartments and is a great size!

These are just a few of the things that I love! What items do you use everyday and love??

Post for Auntie Jess

Dear Aunt She-Sha(Jess),
Please come home for Christmas. I can't wait to meet you! Bring uncle Ry-Ry and Titus too( I've heard so much about him!) Please hurry because I am getting big and mommy says I am losing my newborn look. I am really cute and I will smile if you talk to me. See you soon! Mommy says that Christmas is great! I can't wait to find out!

Love your littlest niece,
Eliza

Parenting the Second Time Around

Eliza is now 7 weeks old and I feel like we are getting into a routine and coming out of that newborn fog. Do I dare to say that she has slept through the night
the past three nights...from 9pm until about 4:45am. She eats and goes back to sleep until about 7:30! I am so happy! It is funny because ella first slept through the night at 6 weeks and 6 days(I checked her baby calendar that I kept) and low and behold eliza first slept through the night at 6 weeks 6 days too! I am thankful for good sleepers!

It is definitely different parenting with two! I love having two! Twice the work and twice the love! I have told kevin over and over how I don't feel like I am spending enough time with eliza. I am sure anyone who has more than one child knows this feeling. With ella I was able to sit and hold her, rock her, read to her and I spent hours upon hours doing that with her as a tiny baby! My time to do that with eliza is more limited. I feel like I often nurse her and have to put her in her bouncy seat, because ella has waiting patiently or not so patiently for mommy to finish! Yesterday, I think I had to stop nursing her two or three times to discipline ella.

I also used to bathe ella every day or every other day when she was a baby. It was just part of our daily routine. Now it is much harder to bathe eliza with my little helper (who wants to bathe sissy herself) so she is def. getting fewer baths than ella did. (Don't worry she's not stinky!)

I am holding eliza more while she sleeps. With ella I put her down for most of her naps as a baby. I didn't want her to get used to having to be held to go to sleep. Now when ella is napping I am finding myself sitting holding eliza and cherishing every minute of our quite time together! In fact, she is sleeping on my lap right now.

Eliza has probably had to cry a little more than ella did as a baby. I am sure this is normal also for having two little ones. Sometimes mommy just isn't fast enough at meeting everyone's needs.

I think it has been different for Kev too. We were so so ready to have a baby when ella was born. I think I wrote before that we literally used to fight over who would carry her into church! No joke. I remember us begging the other to get to be the one to hold her after her shots (we both wanted to be the one comfort her tears!) Now, he is normally on ella duty and I take care of eliza. He said the other day how good it was to get to hold and spend some special time with just eliza.

So all this to say that it is a little different the 2nd time around. I wonder how all this plays into their personalities due to birth order. I am sure it molds them into who they are meant to be!

What's Better???

...Than one little girl in striped and polka-dotted footed pajamas???



Answer: Two little girls in striped and polka-dotted footed pajamas!






"Sissy, you okay?"



We had such a great time at the Walk for Life this past Saturday. It was a great event that was well coordinated. There were tons of families there and people of all ages. It was a bumpy 2 mile walk on a neat trail through the woods. As the walk started they had an awesome band playing some praise music. I couldn't help but fight back the tears as I thanked God for what he has done for us. I guess my face looked not so happy and my sunglasses were hiding my eyes because one of the male event coordinators said, "Come On, Look happy!" I was happy, just having a little moment! Obviously, he had no clue who we were or what the day or walk meant to our family personally! Thanks so much to all our family and friends who felt led to donate to this ministry. Our little family raised $250 in just a few short days. We are hoping to raise more next year as well as bring along friends and family to participate with us!

Ella with her purple balloon! (I am happy to report that we now know our colors...but she still calls red Mickey's car red!)

Eliza at the Walk! She got carried in my sling for most of the walk because it was quite bumpy! She didn't mind!



I have a huge praise! I have said over and over how I have been stressed about my girls getting sick, swine flu, and etc. Well , low and behold who gets sick! Kev and I! I started with a cold last Monday and have coughed and sneezed my head off! I can't tell you the last time I had a cold like this. (Thankfully not the flu!) I prayed with every cough and sneeze that my girls would stay well! I mean they were covered quite literally in my germs! The Lord is teaching me once again that He does hear my prayers! So far they have both stayed perfectly well ! It is nothing quite short of a miracle. I know that they will get sick, but just knowing that they didn't when they were so exposed to sickness has helped me to be less worried.


Also, the doctor appointments that have caused me to worry were fine! Thank you Lord!


And ella now knows her sissy's name! Praise the Lord!

November 7th, Walk for Life!

Saturday, November 7th, 2009 will mark exactly four years since my life changed! November 7th,2005 we walked into my Ob office for our 20 week ultrasound and walked out with our lives forever changed. It was that day that now seems like a long time ago! It was the day that our first child, Samuel, was diagnosed with a fatal kidney problem at 20 weeks into our pregnancy. It was that day that my pro-life stance took on a whole new and personal meaning.

While many onlookers and doctors questioned and advised us to end our pregnancy(no baby with this condition had ever survived), we knew that our baby had the right to life...no matter how brief it might be. I will tell you that in those 13 weeks of carrying Samuel when I and everyone else knew that my baby was dying, I often felt like Hester Prynne (I did have to look up her name) from the book the Scarlett Letter....wearing a huge sign on my shirt saying...."My baby is going to die!" It was a rough time and although the Lord gave us grace and hope to get through it...there were days when I really just wanted it all to be OVER! I was tired of people feeling sorry for us and tired of being stuck on a merry-go-round that I couldn't stop! I know that may sound harsh but I was scared and hurting. Thankfully, we were surrounded my friends and family who loved us and gave us sound counsel when we were tired and discouraged! They encouraged us that God had a plan for us and a plan for our unborn child. They encouraged us that this rough season of life would pass and that "spring" would come. They encouraged us with cards, prayers, meals, and friendship!

I cannot tell you how thankful I am that I am Pro-life! That is one of the best decisions I have ever made! By choosing life for our little Samuel, I now face everyday without a hint of regret or guilt. I know that I did all that I could do to give Samuel the best environment to grow. I know that the day he was born and the day that he died was his appointted day. Although I will never understand all the whys, I do know that God has used his little life to shape our lives more than any other thing we have faced. He was my precious little boy and I will never regret meeting him and giving him life.

I do not write any of that to impose guilt onto anyone who may have chosen differently than I . I write it because I know that there are thousands of women who are faced with unwanted, terminal or difficult pregnancy and they lack the support that Kevin and I had.

This November 7th our now family of FOUR will be walking bright and early on Saturday in the Lowcountry Walk For Life. It is a fundraiser for the Crisis Pregnancy Center in our Town. This is an awesome nonprofit ministry that offers life-affirming alternatives to abortion. They offer free pregnancy testing, counseling, ultrasounds, literacy classes, parenting classes, and on-site prenatal care. They also help with adoption referrals and post-abortion support. They are changing lives in our town. They are providing the care, love and support that many women need in order to get through a difficult pregnancy. We are walking to raise money for this great ministry but also to say that life matters no matter how small!

I am so thankful for how the Lord has blessed us since November 7th, 2005. He took our sadness and pain and has turned it to joy. He has filled our home with babies and baby "stuff!" He has given us a hope and a future! All praise be to God for He does ALL things well!

ella's 2nd birthday party

Have you ever tried taking a pic of a 2 year old?

Her dress up clothes were a big hit!

She was so proud of herself for blowing out her candles!

We FINALLY celebrated ella's 2nd birthday this past weekend. We had planned to have it early in September before eliza arrived, but I went on bed rest the week before. I was sad to have to postpone it(I had just mailed out the invitations), but we really didn't have a choice. Thankfully, I had almost everything already made (I can assure you that it wouldn't have gotten done otherwise!) Ella has been to several parties in the past few months and was really anxious for her party. In fact, she asked me most days when she could wear her party dress!

I really enjoy planning her birthday parties and making the decorations. At times I as ask myself if it is really worth my work...but it totally was when I heard her reaction. She said over and over, "Mommy, So pretty!" She had tons of fun with her cousins and enjoyed the Cheetos and cake (of course she would)! She was too cute after blowing out her candles. I don't think she really expected to blow them out (she had a little help from her cousins)! I am glad that she had fun and I enjoyed celebrating her 2nd year of life!

Fall Fun at our house!

Look who is growing!

She's not sure about not wearing pink today, especially since her

sis calls her Titus!

Wishing she could find that thumb again!

So Cute!

Ladybug #1

Ladybug #2

Our Church's Trunk or Treating!

Happy Fall Yall!

Favorite ella sayings at 24 months

"Titus, soooooooooo tute!"

"Shoooo.....daddy!" (even if daddy is at work)

"Praise you....we praise you....clap, clap, clap!" (This is in her singing voice and she sings it all the time!

"So Pretty!"

"I love sissy!"

"Where paci go? Dentist say all gone! Oh no!"

"Okay" (which is her favorite word)

We are having a good day today. We got out of the house a little and both girls are napping. I should be too. Eliza is growing like a weed! In five weeks we've gone from preemie diapers being big to size ones! Last night she slept in her first 0-3 month sleeper although it was a little large. I am thankful she is growing but sad to see those newborn days passing so fast. She is the sweetest little thing and we are all crazy over her.

I promise to one day blog about something other than ella and eliza! Happy Tuesday!

Hello World....

or whoever is out there reading my blog other than my sister and my mom....I am tired today. I am super tired and feeling very sleep deprived! I think the nights of 2 or so hours of sleep at a time are beginning to catch up with me and my brain isn't working so well.

For example, I keep waking out of a sound sleep in a panic because I think I've forgotten to put eliza back in her bassinet. Of course she is fed, swaddled and sleeping soundly, but it sure is not a fun way to wake up. I also keep having to stop think if my dreams were real or not. I keep having a reoccurring dream of ella getting out of her crib and being off playing throughout the house, and I am trying to find her. (I am sure I keep dreaming this because I know eventually she is going to figure out that if she throws her leg a little higher she could escape!)

Are you beginning to see a theme??? Fear??? I have been struggling with some fear issues lately. Maybe it is all this swine flu talk and I am trying like crazy to protect my girls from it! Maybe it is the fact that I know that eliza would need a full medical work-up if she got sick (for about three more weeks!) Maybe it is the fact that I have a toddler that likes to love her, kiss her and get right in her face. Maybe it is because I have a doctor's appointment next week that I have been dreading for a while. Maybe it is a lack of faith and trust in God. Maybe it is because I do know that bad things happen to good people and people who love the Lord. Maybe it is because eliza's angel care monitor went off yesterday afternoon while she was napping and scared us to death. (If you don't know what this is or if you have a young baby I highly recommend it!) It is a monitor that detects her breathing and movements. If she doesn't breathe or move for a few seconds an alarm will go off. We got this to help calm my fears about SIDS. I really struggled with this when ella was a baby. I have been doing really good getting eliza back to sleep and being able to go to sleep myself....I never thought the alarm would go off. Maybe it just malfunctioned or maybe she did stop breathing for a second or two but I am just thankful she was fine. So that is where I am today.

I know the Lord knows my fears! I continually pray that He will place a hedge of protection around us! I pray that He will help me to balance my need to be an informed and cautious mommy with complete faith and trust in Him. Sometimes it is hard to fully surrender those things we love most. The precious little 8 or so pounds of sweetness I am holding right now and the worn out little red head who is sleeping safely in her crib. I have to daily surrender them so that they can grow to be and do what God has for them. Help me Lord...being a mommy is hard!