I'll never forget these words!

Ok, this is the normal picture at my house. A boy and his Dad playing, wrestling, and just enjoying each other. Up until the age of about 18 months my little guy would not leave my side! Well, that changed quickly when he began to see his Daddy in a new light. Now he is all about being "like Daddy." He wants "work shirts with pockets" like Daddy, wants boots like Daddy's, generally wants to do everything like his Daddy, and be with his Daddy. I actually really love this. It is fun to watch, and really makes me smile.

Well, I say all of that to help you understand how I felt when my little boy looked up at me from his bed and said "Momma, you are my best girl!" Oh my goodness if you could feel the overwhelming emotion that rose up in me. My boy just told me I was his best girl. I know that God will take him so many places, and I am excited to watch. I know there will be so many memories made with my boy, but this is one I will never forget. I thank God every day for the precious gifts of my children. I pray I can always be the Momma they need to help them walk through this world.

I give thanks!

I woke up this Thanksgiving morning, not knowing what the day would hold. My life is so full of blessing, and I know that "every good and perfect gift comes from the Lord." Our day was full of food, fun and family, but God gave me an amazing picture Thanksgiving morning that I wanted to share. As my husband and my "brother" worked together building fence, I watched it translate to their sons. What a picture to see true bonds that cannot, and will not, be broken.

"FATHERS, SONS, BROTHERS"

The Week of the Butterflies.....and "her real armor Momma!"

This past week was one I will never forget. I have named it "The Week of the Butterflies." Why? You'll see!! I must do some explaining first, so here goes! This may take a bit, so hold on!

It all began when I found out I was having a little girl, although a little nervous since all I knew was boy, I was excited! As I prayed for this little one in my belly, I knew she was special. I knew that the Lord had called me to pray COMPLETION over her, and I did. Diligently I asked the Lord for His protection, and completion in my little girl's body, and life. So when we came up with her name, I thought is was perfect when I found out it meant "complete!" It is so like God to just make things work! Anyway, as we went along everything was wonderful. I remember choosing the first picture to hang in her room. It was a beautiful butterfly and around it were music notes. I knew it was perfect, and must be hers.


I went to my Dr.'s appt. three weeks before my due date, when I heard these words "Well, she is breech, and with your history of quick labor, I think you should have her tomorrow!" What????!!! Will was out of town but on his way home,and my parents ,and in-laws, were vacationing together! How was this going to play out? Again, I knew that God was in control. That night Will and I laid in bed and decided on her middle name. Will chose it, and it meant "given to God." So all together, our little girl's name would mean "completely given to God." How appropriate! She came in to this world weighing just 6 lbs and 1 oz. Such a tiny little thing to hold in our hands. She was beautiful and such a blessing.

When she was about 3-4 months old she was going to a PT for tortacollis which is when they hold their neck to one side or the other. I noticed that it just wasn't correcting as well as it should. I asked her pediatrician to look into this further, and he took x-rays which showed her spine had a slight curve to it. He said, "I'm sending you to "Scottish Rite." I had never heard of it but I trusted his knowledge.

We went for her first appt. and her x-rays showed a mild curve and was diagnosed with Idiopathic Infantile Scoliosis. We were a bit shocked but the doctor decided to just wait and watch. In the next four months the Lord spoke to me about the opportunities we are given to be who we are called, and created to be. He spoke to me about the "body" coming into alignment both physically, and spiritually. He also spoke so much in those four months about "true healing" as we waited for our little one's next appt. We went to her second appt. 4 months later and the curve had progressed. They wanted to put her in a cast! This came so unexpectedly, but Will and I had such a Peace in the midst of so many unanswered questions and not understanding why. We came home and told our little man that his little sister was going to have a cast on her chest to which he replied "MOMMA! SHE IS GONNA HAVE REAL ARMOR ON!" (every morning we put on our spiritual armor to get ready for the day) I was so blessed by that. He was absolutely right. So many times he teaches me why God tells us to become as a child.


So the next six weeks were spent preparing and waiting, praying and playing. We did not know what exactly was ahead of us and our little girl, but we knew He had this family in the palm of His mighty hand, and all we could do was trust.


Her "casting opportunity", as we call it, was set to happen on November 14th. So in the days leading up to it there was a bit of anticipation of the unknown. We prayed God would prepare her little body for His healing, and God is SOOOO good. That week came and it began with the most amazing gifts, BUTTERFLIES!!!!! Hundreds of butterflies of all kinds flying in an out of our garden every day. I watched all week as my children danced, played and tried to catch all of those beautiful creatures. In my heart I knew this was a gift from my sweet Lord saying "I know, don't worry, I am here."

It seemed as if those few days went by so quickly, but then it was time to go to Scottish Rite. Me, Will, my girl ,my Momma arrived the night before after dropping our boy off at his "Hoot and Moddie's" house (that was a tough goodbye, he was worried about his sister but excited about the armor). That night was rough. She slept beside me, and all I could do was hug that tiny body laying beside me, and pray that God would hold her, and protect her.

We arrived at the hospital and knew God had walked every step ahead of us. Especially when we walked through the elevator doors to see these. Three beautiful walls of butterflies!!

Her MRI, CT scan, was set for 7:00 AM, so we had some time to think, watch, play, and try to get comfortable. My Momma spent some time reading Dr. Seuss' "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish" and walked her around the halls. Then we met Phipher, a wonderful nurse who blessed our little girl with her sweet love of the Lord, and words of encouragement. In the next moments I watched as my little girl, 16 months old, and only 19 pounds, ran around that hospital full of life, and with such freedom. In my heart I wondered what this next step of life would mean for her. Then we met Lane, a little girl who was there for the same reason we were. She already had her cast on, and was bouncing all around with no inhibitions and completely unhindered. What a blessing to meet that family and for the Lord to show us a glimpse of what was in store for us before we began. It brought even more Peace to my spirit. Over and over God walked ahead of us and made us aware He alone would guide us down this path of unknowns.

So, it was time. It was so very hard to allow the nurses to take my little girl out of my arms, but again, I trusted. They told us she would be out for 3-4 hours, and that her cast would be shaped like a tank-top. So after tears and lots of prayer, I let her go. Only 2 hours later we got called back to say she was out!! That was quick! Dr. Sucato also told us that he was able to get enough correction without going over her shoulders, so she would have much more FREEDOM! Praise the Lord! Everything that had to be done went exactly right, and better that we could have expected! She had her "armor" on ready for the next step.

She took it well, and her first walk was great. I think she wondered what was going on, but she was already stepping out in grace and holding on tight.

We picked TR up and drove home that night. The next morning, she AMAZED me! I saw our little girl, so tiny but with an added 4-5 lbs on top, learning how to walk, run stand, climb, and everything else she had ever done. It took her a bit, but as I followed her around, I saw her strength and perseverance pay off. She was so full of life and spunk, like nothing had changed. Will and I praised the Lord for the blessing of this family, and for the purposes He has in our lives.

The week began with butterflies, and just like those butterflies that were on their journey home, we are on the same journey. This family desires that which God has for us, and although we don't know the exact road we will be taking on this journey Home, we are trusting the promise that....

...he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:6

JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU MOMMA, IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THE SAME WITHOUT YOU THERE. YOU ARE A BLESSING!

RECONNECTION

Wow! I cannot believe it has been ten years, but I have to admit that it really has been! Yes, I graduated from highschool TEN years ago, and this past weekend was our reunion. To tell the truth, I really did not know what to excpect. Who was going to be there, and what has changed, and who have they (we) all become? Lots of questions, and I was anticipating the answers. The answers I got suprised me. Yes, we all have been taken down different paths, and yes we have all changed in many ways, but we were able to reconnect like no time had passed at all. What a great testimony to friends, and a small town. Although, there was one BIG difference I saw. The division that can be so evident among hischoolers trying to find themselves diminishes when people are confident in who they are and where life has taken them. I saw that. In some ways, we became more connected this weekend than we were in highschool. I was truly blessed by everyone that was apart of this weekend. I loved seeing thier families, and hearing their stories. I understand why God takes us down so many different paths, and really cares about relationships. He truly wants us to touch people's lives. I saw, and felt, that this weekend, and I am so thankful.

If you weren't there, just know you were missed!

I thought I would post a few of my favorite pictures from this weekend! I wish there had been more with more people, but I just didn't get them all!!

LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

"Is that a dog bone your daughter is chewing on?"

Ok, so it happened in Jason's Deli. It is one of my son's favorite places to go! He says "Momma, Let's go to Jason's!" Anyway, back to the story. I was having lunch with my little girl (15 months old) and her grandparents. Well if you have children or seen children in restaurants, they are not always the quietest, or most content individuals in the place (at least mine aren't). EE was getting a little frustrated with the fact she was being contained, and not allowed to do exactly what she had in mind, so my mother took out a nylon dog bone that she bought for her Yorkies and handed it to EE. I really didn't think much about it because it kept her entertained, and I knew my mother would never give her something that was dirty! Like I said, I didn't really think much about until a lady at the next table said,

"Excuse me, I don't mean to be nosey or anything, but is that a dog bone your daughter is chewing on?!" Oh my goodness, what she must have thought!!!

"Actually, YES IT IS," I replied! "Sometimes you'll do anything to eat lunch in peace."

To which she replied "I was really just wondering if that was the NEW thing to teethe on! My daughter is fixing to have a baby, and I was going to get her one if it was."

Wow, was I relieved to find out she wasn't going to turn me in or anything for letting my daughter chew on a nylon dog bone!!! She actually thought it was kinda cool (hmmm). I told my Mom and she just laughed with me. I guess we should probably pay more attention, since you never know who is paying attention to us!

My little girl!

Every little girl needs a tutu, RIGHT?

Time With Them

I know this blog is a little late, but I am going to do it anyway!

This past June was my daughter's first birthday, and this past Friday my son turned four! I absolutely cannot believe it. I remember so clearly the day each of them was born. My heart was so full of Joy I didn't know what to do. Before I got pregnant with TR, I could never have imagined how I could love something so much that I had never even met. Then, I saw his face and I understood the meaning of true love, and joy. The second time around I wondered how I could love another as completely as I love the first! Oh but I did! The moment EE was born I understood that God made my heart able to love completely two precious lives given to me as gifts from my Lord. I have to remind myself often of the fact that these two are not mine, but His. That He was, and is, so gracious to allow Will and I the opportunity to raise them. I am honored and blessed. I just watch the time go by so quickly! I am amazed how different they are,a nd how wonderfully God has made each one of them. There are times I just want to hold my children, protect them, and say "don't go, don't grow up, stay here always." Then I come back to reality, and understand that my children are here for a purpose beyond me, beyond them, and beyond what they can comprehend at this moment. I see glimpses and TR asks me questions that blow my mind that a four-year-old would ask about the Holy Spirit and His God. Or when my EE stretches her hands to the sky as she looks up and sings. My God is good, and I trust Him. I know I cannot stop time, and hold them in one place. I realize I don't really want to, I just want to cherish every moment, to learn about who God is making them. I pray that I can encourage them to hear His voice as they chase after His heart to find out why God created them exactly the way they are. I am so glad He gave these two to me. I release them to the One who gave them to me. I will never know how much time I have with them, so I choose to make every moment of time I have with them real.