December 31, 2012

4 Years and 2 Days

I waited 4 years and 2 days to hear "Congratulations. You are pregnant". Those were the LONGEST 4 years and 2 days of my life. In that time, Christmas came and went; friends met, married and had children; an empty room became a craft room because an empty room is just too sad; tears were shed and smiles were faked; a marriage was tested and then strengthened. It all happened in 4 years and 2 days. The LONGEST 4 years and 2 days of my life.

Today, my daughter is 4 years and 2 days old. How can time fly this fast after crawling for so long? How can I blink and she is talking, walking, singing and wearing size 6 jeans? 

On a flight to Hawaii this fall, I had the song "Beautiful Things" by Gungor on my iPod and just fell apart. God always speaks to me in flight. I can turn off the world and just look into the clouds with my iPod.

I have met so many people going through infertility- some are waiting in prayer, some are carrying babies, and some are raising kids. God is near them all. He loves them all equally. He does not abandon us in despair or in joy. He wants us to live life and live it abundantly. He also has a plan for our lives and a calendar that we can not view. And when waiting on a baby, all you want it a plan and a due date.

God made something beautiful out of my infertility. He made something beautiful out of my life. He turned something so difficult into something so joy-filled. I pray He will do that for all couples waiting.

Happy Birthday my beautiful Abigayle Lucille.


December 30, 2012

Abby's FOUR-tastic Birthday of Fun!

Since we had Abby's birthday party 3 weeks ago, we wanted to make sure and fill her actual birthday with fun! We had planned to go to Sea World on her birthday, but it was to be super cold that day, so we went the day before instead. Her birthday was pretty low key, but lots of FUN!

Nana made pancakes for breakfast and we put a candle in Abby's. She thought it was funny!



We had a small present for her to open- her own little Doc McStuffins doll. She loved it. She had been asking for a Doc doll for weeks and I finally found one at Target. We read online that Doc stuff was in much more demand than expected this year.


She also opened her first necklace, a gift from Grandpa and Jacque.


After breakfast, Abby went to storytime and then to the Y and Chick-fil-A with Daddy. She had a party at every stop! They sang to her at story time and the 2013 crown she made turned into a birthday crown. At lunch, they gave her a cow and cookies for her birthday!

After lunch, we took Abby bowling for the first time. She had so much fun and did really well. We went to Main Event and it knew when Abby was up to activate the bumpers. We also had a ramp she could roll the ball down.


 Nana got the only strike of the day, but...


Momma got the most points! Lots of spares!


Here is our full game final score. Embarrassing for Marcus and Nana! They were focused on technique and the floors were too slick!


We played one more little bit of a game before our hour was up.


We came home, rested, and had chili for dinner. Oh, and birthday cake for dessert.



You think she likes birthday cake? 



 Happy Birthday Toodles! 

December 29, 2012

Happy 4th Birthday Abigayle

My sweet girl is 4 years old today and she is super excited! We have sang Happy Birthday, had pancakes with candles, opened a little present, and will do lots of her favorite things today. And, she is doing it all with pink fingernails because I told her 4 year olds can have their nails painted.

We asked her a few questions on the eve of her birthday.... here are her answers along with a few pictures from her recent photo shoot. Last year's answers are here


What is your favorite color? RED

What is your favorite toy? my BUCKY ship

What is your favorite fruit? PURPLE GRAPES

What is your favorite TV show? POUND PUPPIES

What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? CHOCOLATE MILK


What is your favorite outfit? I DON'T KNOW

What is your favorite game? HUNGRY HIPPO

What is your favorite snack? CHRISTMAS TREE CAKES

What is your favorite animal? MONKEY

What is your favorite song? RUDOLPH


What is your favorite book? TINKERBELL AND THE PRINCESSES

Who is your best friend? MICHAEL

What is your favorite cereal? BOO BERRY WITH DADDY
What is your favorite thing to do outside? THROWING THE BASKETBALL


What is your favorite drink? CHOCOLATE MILK

What is your favorite holiday? CHRISTMAS

What do you like to take to bed with you at night? MY WHITE HELLO KITTY


What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? GINGERBREAD

What do you want for dinner on your birthday? CHRISTMAS TREE CAKE

What do you want to be when you grow up? A MOMMA
 


Happy Birthday Baby- we love you!

December 26, 2012

Christmas Holidays

We have had a busy and wonderfully slow holiday. Marcus works one day this week and only 3 days next week, so we have enjoyed quiet time at home. I didn't leave the house from Friday afternoon until Monday late morning and that was only for an hour. I have become a home body!

Our only real busy time was Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We had Marcus' Mom over for lunch on Christmas Eve. We ordered tamales from a local restaurant and had appetizers, dips and chips, and cake to go with it. Abby loved singing to the baby Jesus and insisted he has a candle.


After lunch, we opened presents! We had worked with Abby all week on saying thank you for gifts and she did a good job giving hugs and saying thanks! She loved her silly socks from Mimi.


Carol has always given gifts to our pets and this year she included Captain in the mix. Once Abby had the smell of bacon on her hands, Captain wanted to lick on her!


While Carol was here, we opened our 5 things from Abby. Each year we individually take Abby to Dollar Tree and let her pick out 5 things for Marcus and I. We try to give little direction and see how she views us. I know she'll get better as she gets older, but the randomness of her mind is really cute. Marcus got a toy car, puzzle, basketball towel, Green Lantern books, and the best, "Relax and Sleep" pills. She had no idea!


Mine were super sweet- headbands which I use at home to get those pesky bangs OFF.MY.FACE, candy, mouthwash (which she thought was red, my favorite color, body wash, flowers which she picks me everywhere we go, and the sweetest little bible games because "Momma loves Jesus". In those little moments, you think, maybe I am doing something right!


How could our sweet little Christmas Eve turn into these faces?


This game! We bought this for Abby and opened it early to entertain us all with Carol and we played and played and played. Marcus and Abby put on their game face!


We had a lovely Christmas Eve with Mimi!


 Carol left mid afternoon and we rested and then got ready for church. Abby did her best to rally after learning the kids area was closed for the evening. 


We have been visiting a new church, The Church at Canyon Creek, for about 6 weeks now and are impressed by many things they do. We feel led to leave our church of 9 years, but we also still feel like we are "cheating". Changing churches is a hard thing to do. We plan to look at one more church just to make sure Canyon Creek is the one. It feels right, but what do we know?

Abby loved story time on stage and went right up to the front to hear the story of the sparkle box. It was precious and all the kids were given an angel ornament at the end.


The candlelight service was beautiful; however, when the prayer ended and all were quietly taking a seat, Abby loudly proclaimed, " boy, that was a long prayer". Nice!

We came home about 7:30 and changed into our Christmas PJs. We ate leftovers for dinner and opened presents! We do all wrapped gifts on Christmas Eve and save Santa and stockings for Christmas morning.


Abby opened only 3 gifts (clothes, shoes, and a baby doll carrier) and did so well about not asking for more! I was really proud of her. She also was more excited to pass out and give gifts than to receive hers.

Christmas morning she came and got us about 6:45 and wanted to see what Santa brought. She got a basketball goal, Peter Pan, a tea set with rolling cart, Hello Kitty hat, Lalaloopsy doll, and Jake and the Neverland pirates (her favorite Disney show, the pirate she was for Halloween) goods.


Her Bucky ship was her favorite and the thing she asked for from Santa for weeks!


We bought the basketball hoop second hand from a friend to see how much interest Abby takes in playing with it. We need a taller one, but they are so expensive that we wanted to gauge her interest first. She had fun playing in her jammies on Christmas morning.


Marcus and I exchanged pretty practical gifts. His big gift was padded leather kitchen mats- he always complains his back hurts when standing on the tile too long. My big gift was photography lessons. I start next Thursday and go for 6 weeks to Austin School of Photography. I am super excited!

This is probably Marcus' favorite gift. He wanted silly socks and these are perfect for tough days of brutal meetings!


 This is my favorite! I was very specific about the type of case I wanted and the picture to use and Marcus did it! Isn't she cute?


We left our house Christmas day around 11 to meet up with my sister and family at my Dad's house for lunch, presents and general family fun. Abby got a big princess castle from my sister and Daddy had the job of getting inside to assemble. Abby LOVES her new castle. Going to bed on Christmas night, she picked a few babies to sleep inside it.


She also got more Jake gear- I swear she loves all things pirate right now!



She gives a good ARGH face!


Kyleigh came to Christmas was an iPhone and makeup. Marcus was floored- I think she looks just beautiful!


My sister, Tiffany, and Shaun both got perfume/cologne sets from Sephora from us. They had fun smelling all the little bottles before deciding on which big bottle to get. And then, they had smelled too many and the fun ended :)


We came home on Christmas night at 5:30 and Nana arrived shortly thereafter. I ate too many sweets and other bad things and ended up with a migraine. So, we did dinner, opened gifts and I went to bed! We have a couple of quiet days ahead of us with Nana here and then Friday Marcus and I are spending the day wine tasting with friends, and Saturday is Abby's official 4th birthday. I love the mix of quiet and busy we have built into our holidays this year!

Merry Christmas!

December 22, 2012

Merry Christmas!


I bought Christmas cards this year, so they aren't exactly blogable! But, this picture was included in our cards and I wanted to share holiday greetings on the blog, so...

Merry Christmas!

Abby's Christmas Program

Abby's Christmas program was last Wednesday night and this is what happened two minutes out of the house. Uh yea, this isn't going to go well!

So, we drove to Jimmy Johns and ate sandwiches in the car to try and extend her 2 minutes nap into about 20. Praying all the while is was a Daddy-style power nap and not a Momma-style marathon nap. We woke her in the parking lot and luckily after a few minutes, she was herself.


Her sweet little class recited their memory verse and then sang two songs. Abby did great with singing and hand motions. It is clear that she loves Ms. Patti her teacher.


The two older classes came in and joined her group for a few more songs and then they led us in We Wish You A Merry Christmas. Super sweet little program.


We are so impressed with her little preschool and love seeing her learn, grow, and perform with her friends.


We are off school for 2 weeks and have fun things planned including someone's 4th birthday!

December 19, 2012

Abby's School Party

This morning Abby's class had a Happy Birthday Jesus party in their jammies! It was fun to see them all interacting and celebrating!

They made reindeer hats, jingle bell necklaces, nativity scenes, exchanged books with each other, and sang Happy Birthday.


Abby was speedy on the crafts and I have a feeling it happens often! Once she was done, she put her trash away, got a book and laid on the rainbow carpet.


Once all the kids were done, they put their heads down to pray before breakfast.


Here was their sweet little plates- doughnut holes, fruit, and I brough bacon and egg muffins. Ms. Lisa is big on protein and made them all try them since they were the protein item on the plate! She also didn't allow extra doughnuts, only fruit!


I am so grateful I could see her this morning and celebrate freely our Savior's birth. I love her sweet little school, her friends, and her teachers. 



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