Look What Abigail Found!

Abigail

She has started sucking her left thumb A LOT just like her sister (and she found it at the exact same age)...

Ellie Kate

And here is Samuel sucking his thumb when we were in Ukraine

Guess who else sucked their thumb (for way too long, I might add)? That's right...yours truly. I loved me some thumb! It was very hard for me to break the habit. Thankfully Samuel has pretty much stopped sucking his without any kind of "treatment" or fight. I think it's going to be a bit harder with Ellie Kate. She is seriously addicted to her thumb. I am sure Abigail will follow suit. They are definitely my daughters!

Child of the Covenant

Believing that God makes covenantal promises to believers and their children, and because the Bible has commanded us to do so, we brought Abigail Marie to be baptized Sunday in front of our visible church body (Trinity Presbyterian), family, and friends. In her baptism, we hope to honor God by marking out and acting on the promises that reflect his grace. We know that her baptism does not save her, nor does it even promise she will come into a saving relationship with him. We do, however, believe it is more than a sweet ceremony or dedication. It is a holy sacrement...a seal...a reminder that our God will fulfill his covenant promises to those who place their faith in Him. Throughout Biblical history, God promised to bless through a covenant relationship with his people. He said to Abraham, "I will be a God to you and to your children after you." We do pray that our sweet Abigail will never know a day she didn't trust in Jesus. We pray that she will live up to what her name means..."My Father's Joy." We pray that she will grow up to love and serve the Lord wholeheartedly and find forgiveness and cleansing in the saving work of Christ. We pray and beseech the Lord for grace and strength to be faithful stewards of shepherding her soul towards him. We also pray for patience, devotion, courage, and wisdom as we raise our precious blessing.


It was such a special day for us as Steve Johnson, our associate pastor, was able to baptize Abigail. Steve was the director of Crusade when we were at Alabama. He had a part in our wedding ceremony, so it was really neat for him to also be able to baptize one of our children. God is so good! We were so blessed to have our families there as it was a big weekend! Jeff actually got to preach on Sunday too. Our pastor was out of town and we are so thankful it worked out for us to celebrate a birthday, a baptism, and hear Jeff preach all in one weekend! We are also just so blessed to already be part of such a great church. God has provided some much needed fellowship and ways for us to serve there as well. We praise him for the wonderful church Trinity is and we are proud to be part of that community.

We took a lot of pictures Sunday. Aunt Jenny was so sweet to bring her camera and get so many good pics (although some of these are from my camera too).

Happy Birthday Ellie Kate!

At 6:59 pm (after nearly 2 hours of pushing) on February 23, 2007 time stood still. My firstborn, second child made her grand entrance into this world and it was a moment that words really can’t describe.

Giving birth is the most incredible, miraculous, invigorating thing I have ever done. I cried when she was placed in my arms. She had a head full of dark hair and chubby cheeks…I was instantly in love. Elizabeth Kate has filled our world with such joy. Her love for life and her silly little 2 year old personality brings smiles to our faces every single day. She was well worth the wait.

In honor of her turning 2…24 random facts about Ellie Kate for her 24 months in this world

1. She knows all her letters and has for awhile now.
2. Because of that, one of her favorite things to do is sing the ABC’s
3. She sucks her thumb and it is all dry, red, and shriveled like she has been in the bath too long from it. The nail also doesn’t grow on that thumb.
4. While sucking her thumb, she usually twirls her hair with her other hand
5. Ellie Kate sleeps with Kitty Cat, Bear, and Bear 2
6. Her favorite thing to eat in the world is a “b-bar” (a cereal bar)
7. She adores her big brother and her little sister
8. She is a daddy’s girl and would be happy to be held in his arms at all times
9. Ellie Kate loves her friends and is such a people person
10. Her bedtime routine consists of reading books, brushing her teeth, and singing songs (Jesus loves me, Jesus loves the little children and Holy,Holy,Holy)
11. She loves suckers!
12. Her favorite tv shows are Mickey Mouse, Super Why!, and Imagination Movers
13. She wears a size 7 shoe and mostly 2T clothes but does need some 3T tops already
14. When she doesn’t get her way, EK cries very dramatically and has begun falling to the floor in classic two year old fashion
15. Ellie Kate is becoming quite the little “momma” and loves to play with and feed her babies
16. She loves to snuggle in the morning and after her nap
17. Her eyes are her daddy’s but her dimples are mine!
18. She has fat feet (don’t know where those came from)
19. We think she’s got some pretty good genes to be athletic one day!
20. She is a chatterbox and talks all the time. She speaks at least 5-6 word sentences now!
21. The other day Samuel walked outside and I was calling after him so she followed suit and said “BUBBA! Come here! I need to talk to you!” That was her longest and clearest sentence yet.
22. She is very sensitive and doesn’t like to see people upset or crying
23. She waves and says hi to people when we are in public…she thinks everyone should acknowledge her
24. She is the most adorable 2 year old we know (of course we are a teeny bit biased!)

Memory Lane

3 Months

6 Months

9 Months

First Birthday Party!
12 Months

15 Months

18 Months

21 Months

24 Months

She has changed so much!!! We always talk about how she doesn't even look like her baby pictures at all! So fun to see the changes. I know her 3rd year of life will bring many more! I hope it's as fun as the last 2 have been! I love my sweet girl and I'm sure I am going to shower her with extra hugs and kisses today.

Wild Thing Party!

We had Ellie Kate's 2nd birthday party today! She officially turns 2 on Monday. We had a lot of fun with family and friends celebrating our little "wild thing!" She enjoyed opening her presents and literally tore through them. My parents and us went in together and got her the anywhere chair from Pottery Barn which she loved. Jeff's parents got her the cozy coupe car which she was so excited about! She also got lots of other little things. Her friend Neely gave her a cute little monogrammed cup that was a definite fav! She carried that thing around the rest of the night. So cute!

My Silly Girl!

Ellie Kate cracks me up daily. She is so hilarious right now...just talking UP A STORM and being a little entertainer to anyone who will indulge her. I just can't believe she will be 2 next week. Time has flown by so quickly.

Last night at dinner this was our conversation (she is in a non-eating phase right now)...

Me: Ellie Kate, you need to eat.
EK: don't want it...I nulk! (she was asking for milk)
Me: you can have your milk after you eat your spaghetti
EK: No, Ma'am, Mama!!!

She hears me say "no ma'am" a lot apparently! We laughed so hard when she said that for some reason. The look on her face was pretty funny too.

Update on Ray

Ray made it through the surgery and is in recovery now (I'm assuming the ICU).

This is part of the email we just got with more info on what was found...
The mass was not a clot. It was a tumor which they think is the Leukemia returning in another form. They were unable to remove the entire mass from the atrium area. However, they discovered another tumor wrapped around his pulmonary artery and they were able to get all of it. This type of leukemia is treatable with doses of a particular type of chemo which is very hard on the body. They will await pathology confirmation before making any decisions on treatment.

Please continue to pray for Ray and his family. Having seen Samuel those first hours after his open heart surgery, we know what Ray is going through right now. I can't imagine having to recover from that and he is already so weak. Please pray for wisdom on the course of treatment and for incredible peace. Ray was really hoping and praying the mass was a blood clot and not the cancer returning. It is just really hard but our hope is in a purposeful God who sovereignly and lovingly orchestrates all events in our lives...even the ones we don't understand or like.

If you are confused over this post...just read the one below.

Prayers Needed for a dear friend!

This is Ray and Jeff. They were roomies in college for 2 years. After college Ray moved out to Dallas. He had been working out there and had actually been playing on the Dallas Mavericks summer league team (he played against and with their star players). He got hurt...had a small surgery...started bleeding profusely...called Jeff as he was getting in the ambulance...went into a coma...stayed in a coma for 3 months...miraculously woke up and found out he has a rare form of leukemia...beat it...came back...beat it again...came back again...had a bone marrow transplant...beat it again. NOW it might be back...wrapped around his heart.

He goes in for OPEN HEART exploratory surgery TOMORROW. He is weak...and he is scared.

However, Ray is fighter and has been fighting this awful disease for over 3 years. God has performed miracle after miracle as Ray didn't have much of a chance after he fell into a coma. God has drawn Ray into a closer relationship to himself and has used him to share about it to many people. We praise God for this. We beseech Him now to get Ray through a very difficult surgery. Whatever the outcome, we pray for peace and courage as he deals with another setback. Will you join us in praying for our dear friend?

Here is a word from Ray that we received the other day...
I turned 30 on Feb 10 and it was not as bad as I thought. Still no gray hairs and much thanks to my friend Donnie for allowing my Mom and friends to sit in his awesome Mavs seats.

I find myself in a familiar situation...the benefactor of so many emails, texts, calls, and prayer. I really feel pretty good and very anxious to let the Dr go in and cut this "funky stuff" out.

Thumbs up over here and my little speedbump is exactly that. Please know that my family & I are so appreciative for the prayers you have lifted up. Heard a neat quote from Helen Keller..."The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart."

Happy Valentines Day!

Yesterday I got to help with Samuel's class Vday party. We did ice cream sundays and played some games. I always love going to see him at school! It is fun to see him interact with his friends and I love to see the kids he always talks about. Unfortunately I forgot my camera in my haste to get the girls down for naps before the babysitter arrived and then rushing out the door to pick up baloons for the party) so I have no cute pictures of it. Oh well.

This morning the kids had a ton of treats (compliments of the grandparents). They loved everything and have been asking for candy all morning!


We aren't really doing anything special today which is fine with me. We actually got to go out sans all 3 kids last night to a supper club with friends from church! It was so fun to have adult conversation without having to referee the crazy older 2 and/or hold the baby!!! The best part is that 2 girls babysat for free (so sweet)! I don't normally get too into Vday but it doesn't mean I don't acknowledge it. I got Jeff a cute card and some random small gifts. He came home from playing basketball this morning with some flowers, a card, and TCBY! I would have been fine with just the TCBY, but of course I LOVE the pretty spring flowers.

I am so thankful for the valentines in my life. Somedays my heart really does feel like it is going to burst with the love I have for Jeff and my 3 kids. I am so blessed! And to think that my Father in heaven loves me even more than that! I can't fathom the love He has....and yet I am so grateful that He is the author of love and because of His great love for me, I am forgiven and completely accepted as a forgiven daughter of the king!

"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." 1 John 4:9-12

Outside

We thoroughly enjoyed the past week of warm weather!! Samuel was outside EVERYDAY after school digging, moving pine straw, picking up pine cones, and riding his bike or scooter. Ellie Kate played in the sandbox and on her new slide. I got this slide at a consignment sale for next to nothing and it has provided hours of entertainment. She loves to go down it on her tummy!

8 Years Ago...

I said "Yes" to the most wonderful guy! I can't believe it's been 8 years since Jeff asked me to marry him by the fire at the river house. I can still remember pretty much every detail of that night. I had been anxiously waiting for it a long time! I was not exactly what you would call "patient" as Jeff and I had been dating over 2 years at that time and I was ready for a diamond!

God has brought us through so much since that amazing night. I would not want to travel this journey of life with anyone else. I'm so thankful the Lord gave me such a Godly man!

Here is one of my favorite pictures of us...just for kicks. I sure do wish I still looked like this (all tan and skinny)!

Pictures

I'm at my parents visiting for a few days with the girls while Jeff's mom is back in Tusacloosa with Samuel. I hate he couldn't come with us but I'm thankful that De-De could come be with him! I decided to take the girls to get their pictures made this morning for Abigail's 3 month and Ellie Kate's 2 years. Let me just say, it was quite the task, but we made it through the morning and got some great shots!

This is Samuel's school picture that I just love and have been meaning to post a copy of

Ellie Kate
this beautiful dress was a gift from a sweet friend (Deborah) in Athens...so we would always remember her family when our girls wear it.

She had just about had enough at this point so we had to bribe her with a sucker

Abigail
This is our sweet girl in the baptism dress that Ellie Kate wore...it is a handmade heirloom from my granmother Rosie
I have pictures of Ellie Kate in this dress at 3 months as well

this one got cut off a bit when I scanned it in

we could barely get Abs to smile cause she just wanted her hands in her mouth the whole time!

Pretty Girls

It is so much fun to have 2 little girls to play dress up with!!! Ellie Kate is so sweet to Abigail and loves her so much. They are such precious angels!!! I could eat them up, so I pretty much do all the time!

Sibling Love

This is a pretty normal scene around our house. Samuel and Ellie Kate love to talk to Abigail and make her smile. She seems to really be responding to them a lot now. She loves to hear their voices and gives them big grins when she sees them. It's so cute!

I Jinxed Myself!

I'm never writing about sleep patterns again and how they are going well! Abigail is now back to 45 minute naps and waking up at night wanting to eat. I'm going to pull my hair out. I am hoping it's a growth spurt and she will go back to normal soon. Of course there hasn't really been a normal yet so who knows. I know y'all think I'm being crazy about this. You should have seen how I was with Ellie Kate in the beginning! Ha! I try so hard to get my babies on schedules, I'm not afraid of letting them cry it out, etc. Ellie Kate responded great to these things after her reflux got under control and slept 12 hours at night by 3 months old. So, Abigail is just giving me a run for my money. I can't figure her out. She is so laid back normally and has been such an easy baby but for some reason the last 3-4 weeks have been much harder on me. I think it's just because I think by now things should be getting better and easier and instead they seem to almost have gotten worse and they are definitely not really getting better. I have read babywise, baby whisperer, healthy sleep habits happy child, and Dr. Denmark's stuff too so I know the right things to do it's just getting her to do them!

All that to say, I love her so much and am so thankful for her in our family! I could not be more blessed to be the mama of my three crazy, but fun kids!!! I just want some sleep!

This Post is Random...

Ponytails

ellie kate loves to have her hair in a ponytail and goes around saying "tail" the whole time she leaves it in. she loves to look at and play with my ponytail too so we took a picture of us with ponytails. not a great pic of me...but how cute does she look? I feel like she looks so old in this picture

MINE!
one of ellie kate's favorite new words these days. she is definitely a two year old (well, almost).
today i was changing her diaper and she told me clear as day..."diaper change...don't do that to me!" she is also an independent little girl! here she is yelling "mine" about something that is probably not hers

BABYLEGS
i pulled the ole baby legs out the other day. i had almost forgotten them from ellie kate. they are so fun! and yes abigail is being called abby much more often these days!

SUPER BOWL
we had some people over to watch the game and it was pretty eventful. one kid threw up all over our couch and rug. needless to say not much game watching went on. this is quinn and samuel. quinn is the biggest 2 year old auburn fan i know. he can name a lot of their players and can sing their fight song (i think). so, it was too funny that he ran around all night in samuel's alabama uniform and even funnier that his daddy (former AU student body president) let him!

this is abigail and caroline (quinn's sister)...they are 3 weeks apart in age with abs being the younger one. such pretty girls!

Thought I would let you know too that Abigail is now sleeping much better! She goes to bed sometime around 7 pm and eats again at 10:30 then sleeps until 7:30 am! Sometimes she wakes up to fuss for a minute but goes right back to sleep. I am feeling much better now that I am getting some consistent sleep!