playing with daddy

Smith is always worn out after playing with daddy!

james 1

"Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors......Anyone who meets a testing challenge head on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life. "

Sometimes these tests and challenges knock us off our feet. They come out of nowhere, we are tested when we least expect it... and it is almost impossible to see the "gift" in the challenge.

I started my day Monday knowing that it would be a great day. A happy day. Reed and I went for our 16 week check-up and for an ultra-sound to determine the sex of the baby! We couldn't wait to find out and share the news with our friends and family...and were so excited to tell Smith if he was having a brother or a sister! The day obviously didn't go the way WE had planned. I know that the Lord has a different plan for us and our family.

We couldn't find the baby's heartbeat. I was just so shocked. I have had a healthy pregnancy. I felt fine. I guess I just always thought I would know if something was wrong.

I had a DNC on Tuesday and now I am home resting. The surgery went very well and my WONDERFULLY AMAZING husband is taking great care of me.

I am so very thankful for the wonderful husband and beautiful son that the Lord has given me. He has also blessed me with family and friends who have covered us in prayer. I am still not sure what I feel...how I feel. I haven't felt much the past few days. I truly have faith the the Lord will give me understanding and peace. I know that He has great plans for us and that He is going to teach us so much from this heartbreaking time.

I pray for courage, peace, and understanding. I pray mostly for the healing of our broken hearts.

a fun fall day...

Smith spent the night with CC and Pop Friday night and like always....he had a blast! The weather was beautiful and I think they stayed outside the WHOLE time he was there!

(For those of you who do not believe me when I say Reed "plays" like he is EIGHT....I now have proof that it runs in the family! Below is a pic of POP playing in the leaves! This makes me laugh OUT LOUD!)

Smith is very lucky to have a daddy and a pop who PLAY so hard with him!
They are so much fun!

brother or sister?

Smith will be finding out soon if he is going to have a
baby BROTHER or a baby SISTER!
What do YOU think?

Happy Halloween from the land of OZ...

We have been celebrating Halloween for a while...and good thing we were able to enjoy a few parties and carnivals before the 31st because our little MUNCHKIN had an upper respiratory infection all weekend and was running a high fever... He's feeling much better and I finally posting pictures of our Halloween adventures!

We started out by attending the carnival at Laura and AP's school. It was so much fun and the kids loved running around and playing all the games. I must say that the crew from OZ was a hit! They were too cute in their costumes!

Tizzie and Grandpa with Glinda the Good Witch, Dorothy,
and a representative from the Lollipop Guild!

Smith was a pretty cute little munchkin!

..and sweet Nora was the perfect Glinda!

Dorothy and the Munchkin...

Reed was SO excited about carving a pumpkin this year. (If you know Reed and his childlike love for holidays, this should not be surprising!) I think he was a little disappointed that Smith didn't want to dig his hands down in the pumpkin and scoop out all the goo! I tried to reassure him that next year we would probably have pumpkin goo EVERYWHERE!

I couldn't find my camera that night so I took a few pictures on my phone but I am having trouble uploading them. Hopefully I can post them soon!

Here is the final product of the pumpkin carving! Daddy did a really great job!

Finally, Smith had his class Halloween party on Friday. It almost didn't happen due to the bad weather, but they finally got to have the party at the very end of the day! Smith was excited that Daddy got to come to the party before he had to leave for Kentucky!
Smith's class...

...and his beautiful pumpkin he made!

I love that they put huge tshirts on the kids before snack time and lunch! They look so cute!

If I could say that Smith is slow in any department, it is the "sippy cup" area of development. He is getting better at the sippy cup but he like the ones that have the bottle-like shaped top....
as for straws...HA. HA. HA. He is trying to hard to figure it out but he chews instead of sucks!

..not so successful with the juice box. But I have to say, ALL the kids were "squirting" juice everywhere!

Happy Halloween and Welcome November! You're my favorite! I LOVE Thanksgiving and it's only a few weeks away!

15 months...and 15 weeks...

Smith had his 15 month check up yesterday....He had FOUR shots and mark my words....that is the LAST time I will take him to the doctor alone! He is a GROWING boy and here are his stats:
27 pounds - 90th percentile
33 inches - 95th percentile
I love this little guy SO much!...despite the fact that he broke the face and lens OFF my camera! I am hoping Santa might drop by my house with an early Christmas gift soon so I don't miss TOO much action! I did get a few pictures this week and will update them when the Halloween festivities conclude tomorrow!

In other news, I am 15 weeks pregnant now and feeling MUCH better. I am getting a lot bigger and hopefully moving into the "Awe, She's pregnant!" mode and out of "Is she pregnant or is she STILL carrying that baby weight? Bless her heart!" mode. One thing is for sure....the BAGEL BITES craving is back! It's not that I want to eat them all the time, it's just when I eat them I could eat 50 of them! I'm sure that will go over well with the SCALE!


Have a great weekend!

I'M. IN. LOVE.

with STELLA and DOT!

I have never been a big fan of home jewelry shows so I was a little hesitant when my sister-in-law told me she was becoming a consultant for a jewelry line and wanted me to have a show...but then.....with one look at this new, celebrity-desired line...I. WAS. IN.LOVE!

Don't take my word for it..check it out here. It is called Stella and Dot and has been seen on Oprah and in several magazines like InStyle! If you're anything like me, you will want EVERYTHING in the catalog!

So, I am hosting a show on Tuesday, November 10th. If you live close and want to come, just let me know and I will get you the info, but for those of you out of town, or if you can't make it that night, please check out the website!
If you want to order something, just email me and I will tell you how to order on-line so that Jessie and I get credit for our show!

Remember that Christmas is coming up...
.....OR...do what I plan to do and TREAT yourself! THESE are numero uno on MY wish list! Have fun shopping!