November

November consisted of....

(OK, this first one was actually the last weekend in October.) Jeremy participated in a Spartan race with a few of his best friends. These relationships go all the way back to middle school. These three had a full weekend together. I'm so thankful these friendships are still going strong.

 They stuck together through the entire race.

 Holden's dream of getting glasses sort of came true.

 We converted Abe's toddler bed into a full bed. He affectionately refers to this bed as his "firetruck bed".

We celebrated 14 years of marriage with a fun little date night at Painting With a Twist. It was such a fun and special evening.

 I'm so thankful for this guy. Good seasons and hard seasons, busy seasons and restful seasons... I'm glad he is by my side.

 And without our monthly date night, I think I would go cuh-razy! :)

Also, during the month the boys had their very first piano recital.  They did so great!

 

 

 

And then our sweet teacher retired to stay at home with a new baby. I can't blame her, but goodness I thought we had found such a great fit.

And also in November we went to ICE at the Gaylord. We have taken Holden and Pax one other time. They were so young then they could barely walk without falling in the blue parkas. So it definitely felt like a new experience for them this time.

 It was 9 degrees.

 These two skinny boys can not handle 9 degrees very well. Holden was miserable. Daddy was attempting to warm him up.

 But the ice sculptures are pretty incredible. And Pax and Abe loved the ice slides. Holden would have also loved the slides if there was sunshine and it was closer to 40 degrees.

And finally, also in November, a good friend of mine took some family pictures for us. She captured some great photos of the boys and our family. We found lots of keepers.

I can't believe how big and grown up these two are. Didn't they used to be babies?

And this baby of the family smiled so good. I bribed him with Skittles! His favorite!

December update is right around the corner...

13.

(an anniversary early morning selfie before he was off to work)

Thirteen years ago today I was a nervous and naive bride preparing to walk down the aisle and commit my whole heart and future to my boyfriend of 3 years. My love. I'm sure I imagined each day to be a fairy tale. At age 22 we had so many dreams and hopes in front of us. Those early days I never dreamed of the heartache and trials that God would use in our lives to draw us closer to Him and bond us more tightly together. Infertility. Selfishness. Loneliness. Just to name a few. Letting go of a fairy tale that we had written and clinging to a faithful God to walk us through the story He had written for us. It's been a great story thus far! There has been uncertainty at times. But it's been full of joy and surprises that we never could have imagined on our own so many years ago. So today I'm extra thankful. I'm thankful for God's design of marriage. I'm thankful for God's constant and faithful work in our own marriage.  I'm thankful for a man that loves me. 

A man that makes me laugh alot. 

A man that takes fatherhood seriously.

And a man that I'm confident will still be here, right next to me, in another 13 years.

And I'm so thankful for God's good plans and the story he continues to write for us.

Anniversary Weekend!

Last month Jeremy and I celebrated 12 years of marriage. 12 years! It feels like it has just completely flown by. Two weeks after our anniversary we were able to spend a weekend in San Antonio by ourselves. It had been two years since we had an overnight date. Normally we have at least a weekend each year, but last year it didn't happen. So it felt like we were long overdue. Originally we planned San Antonio and this particular weekend so we could run the Rock-n-Roll Half Marathon together. And ugh. I'll insert my sob story here. I have consistently been running since January. I was really ready for a half in April. But at the time, the boys were doing Saturday morning sports and it was too much trouble trying to fit in a race day. So Jeremy and I made a goal to do this race around our anniversary so we could just make a fun trip out of it. So I decreased my mileage through the summer and then started increasing again around September. I lost my normal weekday running partner once school started back up so I was not as dedicated as I should have been. But I was getting enough running in to increase my mileage each weekend. And overall I felt fine. I felt amazing back in the spring. I was running more at the time. This time I just felt fine. Then the weekend after Thanksgiving, 1 week before the half, I had a problem. I ran 9 miles on Saturday morning, I was on my feet the rest of that day and then again on Sunday...that was Abe's birthday party weekend and there was lots keeping me busy. By Sunday afternoon my foot was hurting badly along the outside. That had happened once before and it was gone within 4 days, so I thought I would be fine in a few days with some rest. Now, three weeks later, I'm no longer limping and it is finally feeling better. It's still not completely normal, but I believe it's healing. I'm thinking it was/is a stress fracture. But I'm really not sure and probably won't delve into it if it's not necessary. So we didn't do the half. I couldn't even walk normal, much less run 13 miles. Jeremy hadn't really trained much so he was probably relieved that he was off the hook. We took all of our running gear that weekend in case a miracle happened and I finally felt ok to run on it. But the logical side of me decided I wouldn't further injure my body for a half marathon that I could do at a later date when I was 100%. But I was pretty bummed. A half was one of my 2014 resolutions! (Yes, I make those!). I'm pretty sure I never posted it because I don't know how much I believed I could ever do it. And then this happened. Boo. But I hope to do one in the future....

So back to our weekend. It was wonderful. We made the very best of our weekend alone. We stayed right on the Riverwalk. We ate lots of Tex-Mex and had delicious margaritas. We rode the water taxis around the area, mainly because of my foot. The weather was incredible. We did some shopping. We watched a movie in our hotel room. We slept a glorious number of hours each night. And we just had a great time being responsible for no one other than ourselves. It was a much needed weekend in a city that we love to visit. We did miss the race that I had been anticipating for many months. But I have no complaints about our trip. It was just what we needed.

 dinner outside, right on the river

 it is so beautiful all lit up at night!

 Holden is obsessed with Nutcrackers, so I had to snap this picture for him. It was right outside our hotel.

 More time on the Riverwalk. In the picture above you can barely see a guy vomiting in the river. (Not that any of you really wanted me to bring that to your attention.) Oh young boys....having too much fun.

 

 

 15 years later, I still have a crush on this guy.

 

 Mi Tierra is known for it's massive baked goods to choose from. But I think it is the largest restaurant I have ever been in. It is massive. And they never close. Not ever. Not at night. Not on Christmas Day. Never. And the decor in the picture above is not specifically for Christmas. It is like this all year long! It's loud. And I'm not talking about the noise level...just look at it. Loud!

This was the best picture I could get of the baked goods. And that was only about 1/3 of it.

Key lime pie to go please. This creepy picture was taken for my friend that shares my love for all things key lime.

Like I said, it was a great great weekend with my guy. Just a few days to rest and recharge. Now I want to go back. :)

Flashback Friday

In honor of a very special date this weekend, I took a phone picture of a day in history I'll never forget. The day that we committed to forever.

Sunday we will celebrate 12 years! Some people say Jeremy looks EXACTLY the same today. Even down to the same hair. It's true. He hasn't changed much in the looks department. But we have both changed and grown up a lot in the past 12 years. Tomorrow we will celebrate with a little date night. And in two weeks we will celebrate with an entire weekend alone, including our very first half marathon. I am so excited!!

November is upon us!

I love the month of November. And now we are a week in. Fall is, hands down, my favorite season of the year. I'm one of those that loves each season and I'm always anticipating the next one.

I am looking forward to the Thanksgiving holiday with family that we don't see as often. My sister from Colorado will be coming this way with her family. We will also be headed east to see my grandparents and those are rare visits these days.

We are starting our Thankful Tree a little late. I just returned home with our paper to make our leaves. I told the big boys on the way to MDO today that we would start adding leaves to our tree tonight. Pax told me he was thankful for baby Abe. :) Hopefully my pathetic attempt at a tree won't look so sad once it's covered in the colorful leaves. I'm not much of a planner these days. Sometimes I throw it together and hope for the best. As evidence of the sad tree.

Probably the biggest reason I love this month is that it includes a special celebration. Jeremy and I will be celebrating 11 years of marriage this month. 11 years. Ahhh marriage...just as dreamy as we envisioned when we were 21 and it was finally confirmed that we had found the person that we truly wanted to commit forever to. ;) Ha. Not always easy and never perfect. But solidly committed and forever blessed because of that. And for the first time in a while our anniversary is falling on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, just like the year of our wedding. It won't be crammed in with holiday this year.

It's National Adoption Month! For my first time ever, I sat through a church service that recognized Orphan Sunday last week! It wasn't the big advocacy that I am so passionate about. But it's baby steps and I'm thankful for those steps.

To add even more excitement to our month, tomorrow we will have our last post placement visit to finalize Abe's adoption. Hopefully finalization will happen before the end of the year.

 

November is always a special time for us and this year is no exception.

encouragement.

We are in this stage of waiting. Just the beginnings of it. And honestly, we could be in this stage for a very long time. But I haven't truly believed that would be the case. I can not know for certain what God is going to do this time. But He and I talk a lot. A whole lot. And I sure do ask for Him to reveal pieces of His plan. Sometimes I look for writing in the sky. I'm not joking. He did reveal part of his plan to us with Holden. And I'm honored by Holden's story. That God chose to speak to my often deaf and distracted ears and He grew my faith like never before. So I've been asking for that again. I'm in a very joyful and peaceful place right now. I'm thoroughly enjoying this time as a family of four. And I'm giving great effort to make my little ones feel extra special before a big transition takes place in our home. But I'm also eagerly awaiting, praying for and loving a baby I haven't yet met.
During this little phase, I've received some special encouragement that feels worth mentioning. Jeremy's granny sent us a card in the mail this week, where she inserted this poem she had come across:

Legacy of an Adopted Child

(Author Unknown)

Once there were two women

Who never knew each other.

One you do not remember,

The other you call mother.

Two different lives

Shaped to make yours one.

One became your guiding star,

The other became your sun.

The first gave you life

And the second taught you to live it.

The first gave you a need for love

And the second was there to give it.

One gave you a nationality,

The other gave you a name.

One gave you a seed of talent,

The other gave you an aim.

One gave you emotions,

The other calmed your fears.

One saw your first sweet smile,

The other dried your tears.

One gave you up-

It was all that she could do.

The other prayed for a child

And God led her straight to you.

And now you ask me

Through your tears,

The age-old question

Through the years:

Heredity or environment

Which are you a product of?

Neither, my darling, neither.

Just two different kids of love.



I know this poem does not fit all adoption circumstances. But their were some special lines that really touched me. And it was just an encouragment that granny saw this, thought of us and then did something about it and sent it off in the mail to encourage and love us.

 

Also, in conversation with a sweet friend this week, she reminded me of the prize I have in my husband. Goodness, I tell him crazy things sometimes. Most recently, pertaining to our next child. I pour out my heart and I'm grateful he takes it all in without batting an eye. After 10 years of marriage and the different roads we have traveled together, he listens well when it matters the most, he trusts me often more than I trust myself and he supports and loves in a very natural way. Sometimes so naturally, that I could miss it as an act of love. And I almost did this weekend. We decided that it wouldn't be a bad idea to get down our infant carseat from the attic and have it cleaned up, just in case. So he got it down for me yesterday and then he went to run some errands. I had mentioned to Jeremy that I was going to go through our newborn boxes and pull out some things that could be used no matter the gender of #3. While he was out, I texted him and asked him to pick up some Dreft (baby laundry detergent) if he just happened to go into WalMart. After returning from errands, he laid the bottle of Dreft on the kitchen counter for me. And the thought crossed my mind: He got it. That's sweet. Today I asked what he thought when he received that text. His simple response was, "I just thought you wanted to wash some baby stuff." It seems crazy, people! Why would I be washing baby stuff when there is no end in sight to this wait!? We may not have this baby for a year, or more! And I'm already doing laundry for it! But goodness, he doesn't roll his eyes. He doesn't even question this area when I start prepping for something that I can't really determine or see right now. He just trusts in what I'm feeling and he supports me without questions. And that is a prize of a husband. It's also a huge source of encouragment to me right now.

 

And finally, a certain song has been a HUGE encouragement to me for the past month or more.

I Lift My Hands
Be still, there is a healer
His love is deeper than the sea
His mercy, it is unfailing
His arms are a fortress for the weak
Let faith arise
Let faith arise
I lift my hands to believe again
You are my refuge, You are my strength
As I pour out my heart, these things I remember
You are faithful, God, forever
Be still, there is a river
That flows from Calvary's tree
A fountain for the thirsty
Pure grace that washes over me
So let faith arise
Let faith arise
Open my eyes
Open my eyes
I lift my hands to believe again
You are my refuge, You are my strength
As I pour out my heart, these things I remember
You are faithful, God
You are faithful, God, forever

Both Holden and Pax have a special song that I sang to them. God gave me their songs before they ever came home to us. During those middle of the night feedings, when we rocked in the dark, I often sang quietly in their ear. Baby #3 has a song and this one is it! It has already been such an encouragement and has almost felt like a promise from God as we begin our wait.

 

I know that was a doozy of a post. Those are just a few things floating around in my heart right now. I don't ever want to overlook the unique ways that God chooses to love and encourage me. Whether that is through a loving family member or a song on the radio. His words may not ever come clearly written in the sky, but I don't want to take for granted these more subtle gifts. 

pictures from our day: 2/14/13

My little loves. By now it's pretty much a full blown tradition that they each get a helium balloon on V-Day.

The valentines we put together for their school party

Jeremy delivered some goods: Taco Cabana dinner at home and beautiful flowers. And now you can see where Holden gets the freaky smile. (Just compare pictures 1 and 3. Weird.)

And I delivered some goods: a favorite bubbly and chocolate covered strawberries after the boys were in bed.

It was a typical, low-key Valentine's Day around here. But filled with lots of love.