WILW!

I'm Loving... that Christmas is in the air!  Our house is looking a lot like Christmas.  We put up our tree a couple of days ago and I finished decorating it yesterday.  It's always so fun to me to get out the ornaments - especially the ones that hold sentimental value.  I go all year without thinking about the ornaments...so unwrapping them from their tissue paper storage almost seems like Christmas morning to me!  I love finding the perfect place on the tree for each one.  No pictures yet...stay tuned. ;)

I'm Loving...that Shon was off for Thanksgiving Day and we had a great time with family.  It was Holden's First Thanksgiving! :)

I'm Loving...these granola bars I found at Target.  Yummy.  Quick & easy breakfast.  Love white chocolate macadamia anything.  Also just love groceries at Target (our Target just got groceries!).  They have so many neat things that you can't find elsewhere.  Totally a one-stop-shop now!

I'm Loving...these k-cups!  For some reason, I did not think they would be good...they are delicious!

I'm Loving... my little man in cloth diapers.  We just started using our cloth diapers over the weekend.  So far, I like them a lot.  So cute, comfy, and no leaks!  Washing has been super easy so far, too.  I'll have to do a cloth diaper post soon! ;)







(notice his poor little 2 month shot band-aids)

I'm Loving... my husband as always.  Love him a little more every time I see him like this:

I'm Loving... our first-born son, Douglas. ;)  Can't forget Doug the Pug.  Even though it has been rainy here the past few days and he refuses to go outside in the wet, nasty rain and drives me absolutely crazy!  Still love him....he's a pretty good big brother. :)





Link up with Jamie to share what you're loving this Wednesday!





A Thanksgiving Birthday

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year.  Quite a change from last year when I had the lovely stomach bug on Thanksgiving (how cruel!).  This year, my birthday fell on Thanksgiving Day.  I always say I like it when that happens because you are guarunteed good food on your birthday. ;)

Shon actually got to be off Thanksgiving Day.  (Yay!)  We stayed at my parents' house and had Thanksgiving there around lunch time.  It was just my parents, my sister, Shon, Holden, and myself.  The meal did not disappoint or leave anything to be desired.  My mom always goes ALL OUT for Thanksgiving.  We had enough food to feed an army.  WAY more than was necessary...but I think my mom enjoys making this huge meal every year.  I contributed Paula Deen's Gooey Butter Cake and Cheesy Corn Casserole...both recipes I found via Pinterest.  They were both very yummy!  We also had spinach dip, Granz's dip (cream cheese/ham dip that one of my grandmothers is "famous" for making), salad, turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes & gravy, hashbrown casserole, green bean casserole, broccoli & cheese casserole, sweet potato casserole (a lot of casseroles, haha!), rolls, orange salad, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and red velvet cupcakes (for my birthday).  Yes, all of that food for just the 5 of us to eat.  Gotta love my mom!  And gotta love leftovers!

Shon's plate!

My parents & Sophia got me a very cute new Vera Bradley purse for my birthday!  It isn't too big or too small which I like.  It will be nice to be able to stick a couple of diapers and wipes in sometimes and not have to use the big diaper bag.

My sweet husband surprised me with these:

I was very surprised!  He picked these out totally and completely on his own!  Usually, I give him pretty specific ideas about what to get me....so this was really special.  I LOVE them!!! 

Pretty good birthday if you ask me! ;)

That evening, we went to Shon's family Thanksgiving.  It is actually his dad's side of the family.  It is held in a local gym because there are that many people!  We got to show off our sweet Holden.  We didn't eat much there since we were still stuffed.  After this, I went back to my parents' house and Shon went back to our house (an hour away) because he had to work the next morning. 

Friday, my mom, Sophia (sister), Holden, and I went Black Friday shopping!  We were not after anything in particular and were not crazy shoppers.  I think we left the house around 10.  (Hard to be a crazy Black Friday shopper with a baby.)  We got some good deals but mostly just had fun being out together...which was the reason for going.  Holden was great- slept in his carseat/stroller the whole time.  I did feed him once in the van (in the mall parking lot).  It can be tricky to shop with a breastfeeding baby.  Dressing rooms and parking lots become feeding stations.  My how times change... ;)

It was a great holiday spent with family - extra special because it was the first Thanksgiving we spent with our child!  I think Holden had a good First Thanksgiving.  He got lots of loving from family.  He is very much loved and adored.

I wasn't very good about taking pictures over Thanksgiving. :(  Forgot my camera...so a few phone pics is all we have.  Better than nothing...

Cousins

 Thanksgiving Day nap ;)

Daddy snuggles



Aunt Sophia lovin's

Mommy cuddles

Family

Cousin time

We had so, so, SO much to be thankful for this year.  This year has been filled with blessings for us.  I can't remember a Thanksgiving with more to be thankful for. 

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.  - 2 corinthians 9:15

just some cuteness...

deliverance

I was recently looking through my blog posts and came across a draft that I had never posted.  It was written on 6.21.10 at a time in my life when I had much sadness, doubt, grief, and despair...

"i wonder..."

how many tears have been cried.

how many sighs have been let out.

how many frustrated feelings have overwhelmed me.

how many times my husband has helplessly embraced me.

how many times i've said, "it's just not fair."

how many times i've felt lonely.

how many times i've felt misunderstood.

why us?

why not us?

how much i would be showing.

what 18 weeks along would be like.

if we would know if our baby was a boy or a girl now.

if a name would have been decided on at this point.

when will we be pregnant again?

will i be able to be enjoy it when i am?

how many more losses might we suffer?

would i survive another?

will i get to hold my next child in my arms?

It breaks my heart to think back to myself at that point in time.  There was so much sadness and so much "unknown."  I wondered if our loss would be just one of many.  I wondered what long, dark and curvy road we may be headed down. 

After our miscarriage, it took 9 months to become pregnant again.  9 long, agonizing, uncertain months.  Months of ovulation tracking, planning, stress, and effort. And then, during one month that we had decided to stop trying, we conceived the precious baby boy that we now hold in our arms. 

I am in a much better place today...but I haven't forgotten the woman that wrote the words above...and I never will.  She makes me sad.  But she also makes me overwhelmed with gratefulness.  She makes me realize the mercy and grace that has been bestowed upon us.

Grateful today to be where I am instead of where I was. 

Thank you, Lord!

"For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but your life shall be for a prize unto you: because you have put your trust in me, says the LORD." - Jeremiah 39:18

*Our Prize*  :)