happy birthday baby boy

Happy 1st Birthday, Crosby Samuel! It is hard to believe that your very first year has come and gone so quickly. You are my entire world, blue eyed boy, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for you.

merry christmas

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,...And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Isaiah 9:6

north pole breakfast

Now that Spencer is almost 4 years old, I have been putting more thought into family holiday traditions. This year, we introduced the Elf on the Shelf to the kids by having a North Pole breakfast (I wish this was an original idea, but I first saw it here). Buddy, our elf, brought us "snowballs" and hot chocolate with marshmallows. We read the story, talked about what it means to be naughty and what it means to be nice, and listened to Christmas music. We also made a list of all of the fun activities that we are wanting to do in the coming month. Later in the day we decorated the Christmas tree. What a great way to start the holiday season!

Crosby was able to get in on the fun for a little bit before nap time.

The "snowballs" were a huge hit.

In addition to breakfast, Buddy also wrote a note to each of the children and brought socks to keep their feet warm. He also brought them an elf puppet to play with.

thanksgiving

"We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if not with thanksgiving? Thanksgiving is the evidence of our acceptance of whatever He gives. Thanksgiving is the manifestation of our Yes! to His grace."

- Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are

I have been reflecting on the past year, and I am overwhelmed by God's ever present grace in my life and in the lives of my family and loved ones. Thank you, Lord.

I give thanks for...

1. my daughter's health and well-being.

2. the birth of my amazing son, Crosby Samuel.

3. my husband's successful career.

4. being able to stay home during this sweet time when my children are young.

5. celebrating 8 years of marriage.

6. my dear friend, LS, who has been a breath of fresh air and a constant source of inspiration.

7. sticky fingers and peanut butter and jelly kisses.

8. my comfortable home where precious memories are being made.

9. my thoughtful neighbor, BB, who is always there for me and for my family.

10. my father, who can still make everything that is wrong, right again with a hug.

11. toothless grins and a drool covered chin.

12. a wonderful group of women that I have come to depend on for fellowship and support.

13. my brother who is willing to move heaven and earth for the people he loves.

14. those who prayed for my daughter during her health scare earlier this year.

15. sunshine streaming in through my windows after several days of gray skies and rain.

16. hearing my baby boy say "mama" for the first time (today).

17. fresh bread baking in the oven and hands that are able.

18. my mother who has become my best friend.

19. rocking back and forth, back and forth...the weight of a sleeping baby on my chest.

20. my sister who never fails to make me laugh.

21. my crock-pot.

22. early mornings spent with a cup of coffee in a silent, sleeping house.

23. tea parties, dance parties, slumber parties, and the opportunity to see the world through innocent eyes.

24. every moment of my life that has led me here...I am truly blessed.

May God's blessings be yours this holiday season.

Happy Thanksgiving!

a bump in the road

Earlier this summer, my daughter had an episode of hematuria (blood in the urine). After a thorough work up including urinalysis, blood work and an ultrasound of her kidneys, everything came back normal and healthy. Praise Him!!!! The pediatrician warned that if it happened again, we should have her see a specialist to determine the exact cause of the bloody urine.

At the end of August, she had another episode, so we were referred to Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis. We were able to see the pediatric nephrologist about a week later. It has been determined that my daughter will need to have a kidney biopsy which will require general anesthesia, an overnight stay in the hospital and about a week of rest to completely recover. It is minimally invasive and is a low risk procedure, but not without potential complications (as with any surgery).

This has been a particularly tough pill for me to swallow, especially since we have only dealt with minor illnesses and stomach bugs up to this point. So, if you are a person who prays, please lift my daughter up. Her procedure is scheduled for Friday, September 23rd, and we won't know the results until about a week later.

Lord, your grace is sufficient. I cannot see what you see, and I do not know what you know, but I do know that you are good. You love my sweet girl more than I could ever imagine and even now you are wrapping your loving arms of comfort and protection around her. Please be with the doctors and nurses that will be taking care of my little one and help her have a successful procedure with no complications and a quick recovery. I pray that there will be no disease or disorder in my child's body, and that she would continue to be happy and healthy. Lord, whatever the outcome, I give you all of the praise and all of the glory. Amen.

UPDATE: 9/27/11

The biopsy results are in, and it is GOOD news!!! Spencer has Thin Basement Membrane Disease (TBMD) which is a benign diagnosis and the best outcome we could have hoped for. She will have episodes of blood in her urine from time to time, but her kidneys are functioning perfectly and should continue to do so for the rest of her life. We will be following up with the nephrologist once a year to monitor her condition, and she will not require any special treatment or medication. Praise HIM!!!!!!!

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers during this time. The power of prayer is alive and well!

pinteresting

Source: be-the-change.tumblr.com via Jordan on Pinterest

We had a great summer! Trips to the zoo, baseball games, swimming lessons and pinterest!

If you are like me (and also recently discovered pinterest) than you completely understand. My husband would say that it has become an obsession, but I contest that it is more of a healthy dependence. Where else can you spend 5 minutes and completely decorate your dream home, find great activities to do with the kids and have 3 new recipes to try?

As much as I love pinterest, I often need to remind myself that what I have/am/do is sufficient and that I do not need to ACTUALLY have the dream home, spend 10 hours everyday doing elaborate activities with the kids or cook a gourmet meal. I just need to be a faithful servant and trust that He is all I really need.

photographs in the park

Earlier today, we had the privilege of have the kids photographed by Kathryn Proto Photography. The photos turned out better than I could have ever hoped for, and I feel so thankful to have such a talent in our lives to help capture our little ones childhoods.