Father's Day

Alan's first Father's Day began like this:

Get up Daddy!  It is Father's Day!!!!  I am ready to snuggle and give you gifts!  

Here are your gifts! A baby, breakfast, card, camera, and a cheesy Father's Day mug!

Landry loves her Daddy!

After going to church, Alan stayed in town and played some ultimate frisbee.  Landry and I went to the great-grandparents house and spent the day with my dad.

My dad and sisters!

Landry loves Grandpa's beard!

I love my Dad!

Baby girl kissing her Mommy!

Nanny, Papa, Mae, and the grands!

Poor Kitty

I am a little sad!  Three days ago, we brought home two kittens and two days after one was MIA! Alan keeps asking, "Who are you?"  I put on a front like I don't care much for animals.  The truth is, I do care.  I don't want them close to me (licking my face, jumping on me, big dogs knocking me over, etc.), but I also do not want any animal to be harmed.  By any, I mean the cute ones.  I have no idea where this BABY kitten went!  I fed the babies that morning and checked on them every hour I was awake.  He was here when I got up to feed them and gone when I was ready to leave for the day.  I beat on my car, honked the horn, and looked under the car to make sure he wasn't under it.  There is a tiny bird feather under the carport, so I am thinking a stupid bird (animals that are pretty, but I don't really care for one way or the other) got my BABY kitten!

The white one is missing. He was a very skittish kitten and had just decided he liked me.  The black on LOVES people.  I believe he thinks he is a puppy.  He follows us around and we have tripped over him several times, because if we are outside, he is under our feet.

Bye, bye white kitten. I enjoyed taking pictures of you for the two short days we had you.  I keep hoping you will show back up.

I have been a terrible mom to these poor kittens.  I hope I prove to be a better mom to my baby!  Okay, I know I am a better mom to my precious little baby girl!  

Where's Landry?

Baby dedication

On April 21, 2013, a baby dedication was held at our church.  The service was a beautiful testimony of God's love.  I love how the whole congregation made a vow to raise our children in the ways of the Lord.  The saying, "It takes a village," holds some truth.  I am thankful Landry has so many people who love her like she is their own.  It warms my heart to see these people pouring out love.  I believed the Lord was leading me to share a blog post for the baby dedication, written on April 18 (How quickly we forget). Reading in front of a crowd was not easy for me.  We do not have a huge church, but with the visitors, every seat was full!  

My nephew was also dedicated on the same day.  It was a very special day!  He is two years old and for the first year of his life he rarely left the house.  He was not supposed to live.  Those first three days of his life were like a roller coaster.  One minute the doctors believed he would live, the next minute they weren't so sure.  I remember someone praying and in the prayer they asked God to pour the blood of Jesus (the blood that was shed for us) over him.  That baby continues to fight every day.  He has a rare form of anemia.  His spleen kills his white blood cells and transfusions are a necessity for him.  He is having surgery on Monday to remove his spleen.  I pray this surgery helps.  His story can be viewed here.

I am grateful for this little girl, who brings joy to our lives.  I pray that she will serve God and love Him with all her heart! 

Daddy, Mommy, and Landry

Pops came to celebrate!

Landry loves her Gigi and Aunt Han!

Bryce and Grandpa!

Nanna! 

Missy!

After the service we ate at Johnny Corino's with friends and family!  We had a huge crowd and took up an entire room!  I had to throw in this beautiful picture of Callie wearing her Nanny's glasses.  This little girl melts my heart!  Every time she sees Landry she says, "I just love her!"  

Praying over Landry and Bryce

The scripture I am attempting to memorize is fitting for this post:

Mommy's little helper!

It is no secret that I am not on a schedule.  I clean as needed, I cook sporadically, and do random things throughout the day.  I did not have to be on a schedule prior to Landry.  I guess I shouldn't say I have never been on a schedule, because I used to work, out of the home four days a week and clean on Fridays.  All day Friday I cleaned!  That does not cut it anymore!  I now have someone else with me twenty-four seven!  Being a stay at home mommy is by FAR my favorite job.  It is also the most challenging job I have faced.  There are days that I would love a 30 minute coffee break, but I wouldn't trade this chaotic life for anything!  

 We don't live with a lot of clutter, because it stresses me out!  I have just been so overwhelmed with house work since having a new little one to care for and I get WAYY behind.  About two weeks ago, I stumbled upon a website called, fly lady!  I really like it and I am going to try to use some of the methods they suggest for staying on task.  We will have company over soon, so I have been cleaning like crazy.  Now that the house is as clean as I can get it, it is time to start "flying!"   

Landry decided she wanted to help me clean!  She started, by wiping the floors with her spit up!  YUCK!!!!!  I'm sorry if this post is disgusting (it is disgusting), but this is real life, with a real baby! 

Mom!!! I didn't do anything!

Let's pile up in the laundry basket with the clothes and have some FUN!  I carried her around the house like this and she thought it was wonderful!

This was my do to list.  It says, "SHARED," but, unless you consider what Landry did sharing, it was not a shared list! 

This is how we both felt after accomplishing a LONG list of "to-dos!"  I wish I could nap like a baby!  

 Father,
I thank you for a house to clean, a child to care for, and a family to cook for!

Randomness!

This post has no rhyme or reason.  I have just decided to share a few pictures of our life lately. 

This is one of my favorite pictures of Emory and Landry!  Megan, our babies are precious!

Uncle Brent is a big man with a big heart!  Landry is his little mini-me! 

I just love this smiling face!

This past weekend was Landry's first time to touch the pool.  She was unsure about it at first, but she quickly grew to love it!

Pops and Landry

By the end of the day she was saying, "Enough pictures!"

And some videos to end the randomness:

When we are right where Satan wants us....

Why is it so easy to get caught up in lies?  I hate when I do not see the truth, but when someone I love is entangled in the lies of satan in breaks my heart into a million little pieces!  Why do we believe everyone is out to get us?  Why do we believe we are owed anything?  We are owed NOTHING!  I heard Matt Chandler say that once, "We are owed nothing!"  We feel like we are owed something, but in reality we should all receive death.  Thank God we do not have to be in bondage to death, but because of the grace of God and what Jesus did at the cross we are set free! I have noticed, many times when I become angry with someone, it is because I "feel" like they should do this or that for me.  This simply is not true.  A lot of anger has been minimized by realizing this truth.  Recently, I have watched someone I love struggle with this truth.  They are also hearing lies, such as, "No one cares," "Everyone lies to you," "You should trust no one and look out for only yourself."  When I hear these lies it bothers me.  These lies bring me down, but for this person to hear them...Why?!  I want to stop them before they enter this child who is no longer a child's mind. I can't stop them!  They can only be stopped by calling on God and rebuking them through the blood of Christ!  When we are right where satan wants us, we have to call on our Heavenly Father and rebuke satan.  We must "submit ourselves to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from us."  We have been given that right and it came at a price!

 

Just a lazy Sunday!

What is it about Sunday's that make me want to do nothing?  We come home from church and rest!  It really does seem like the day of rest!  

Landry took a little snooze, so mommy made some yummy treats! 

I took the plunge and tried the grilled chocolate chip sandwiches that Emily at Amazing Grapes (recipe can be found on her blog), raved about.  I was more than skeptical, but the results were....

FABULOUS!  

What a great way to spend a Sunday!  Sleeping baby, lots of snuggles, coffee, rain, and grilled chocolate chip sandwiches! 

Thank you God for sweet Sunday's with family! 

Why I blog...

Why do I blog?  I have asked myself this question numerous times.  I went through a period that I thought it was pointless.  I don't have a huge blog and I don't think I will ever promote it, so why do it? Today, I read my first blog entry and I was reminded why I started.  I also read things that I needed to see and I was made aware of how God is working in my life.  I am thankful for changes He has made.  If I ever doubt, all I have to do is read the stories of how God has shown Himself to little old me time and time again.  He has lifted me out of the pit of depression more times than I can count.  He is teaching me the meaning of "fear not for I am with you." I post on this blog for His glory.  I really do hope and pray that every word glorifies the Lord.  I hope words that are not of God will be read over, with no thought given to them.  At times, the posts will be about life lately and very light hearted (I have a baby that is full of joy). Even Especially in those moments I hope to remember we are able to have fun, lighthearted moments only because of the grace and mercy of God.

My first post can be read here! So much has changed since then, but so much has remained the same.  I still struggle and fall short all the time! I still hear lies, but I really am learning to "take each thought captive." I was given a child by a miraculous event!  My heart still breaks for those who long for children or who have lost a child.  I still don't understand the "why" behind childless mothers and I never will.  I do believe God will be glorified, even through events that satan wishes to use to destroy us.  Some of the moms who were on my heart during that first post, have conceived or been given a child through adoption since that post.  Two of those women will adopt a child within the next year or two.  

I have to note, I am so excited about Titus.  This is a child who will be adopted by one of my very best friends.  We have been praying for this baby for over two years.  I believe with all my heart we will be holding him within the next year.  I believe I will be posting pictures of this sweet little boy soon! It has been a long road, but baby you are coming home soon! 

In this moment

I sit and stare at a beautiful sleeping baby.  It is difficult to stop.  In this moment, I want time to pause.  Can't it just slow down a little?  Where is the pause button for life?  I stroke her face and all I can do is pray for her.  Pray that she will have a heart that loves God like King David loved God.  Pray that she offers everything, even the things/people she holds closest to her heart, like Hannah did when she gave her first child back to God.  Pray that she is faithful like Ruth.  Pray that she will proclaim the gospel like so many in the Bible.  I don't want her to succumb to the ways of this world.  I want her to stand strong in her faith in God.  I want her to love God with all her heart and never desire to rebel against Him.  I want her to have peace in this cruel world.  I want her to love others and cherish each moment.  

I have been reading a book called, "Praying the Scriptures for Your Children."  Each chapter has been wonderful!  In chapter four the author stated, "In addition to praying Scriptures for my children, I like to reflect on the heroes of the Bible and pray that my kids will have similar strengths and attributes."  I really like this idea.  There are so many wonderful people in the Bible who laid down all they had to follow God.  Honestly, I want to be more like these people.  I want to have a servants heart and be willing to do what God says the moment He speaks.  I want to be able to give an account at any moment.  I want to know God more than I do now.  I pick up the Bible and reading the words are difficult.  I can't memorize to save my life.  I can't concentrate. The words might as well be written in Greek.  I am reading and not getting it, but in this moment, I can still pray.  I am in a season that sees very little rain.  It is almost a drought, but sprinkles do come every now and then.  All I know to do in this season is pray and it is all that I can do.