I am featured on...

MOM AND LOVING IT!! 


You can find the blog with Owen's story here!

This book is so incredible I have done 2 bible studies regarding this book!  I have never found a book that is inspiring and so true to reality!!  Every time I read this book I get more out of it than the last.  I highly recommend it!  They also have a CD and another book too.

So thank you gals for featuring my story!

Oh so true...

This is hilarious!  Have you seen this? HAHA
Oh and by the way I have my parents, in laws, and yes even MY GRANDPARENTS on facebook!!
Love you all :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn44fjWss68

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day is today!

This week is a significant time for MANY families all around the world!

Here is a moving song called Glory Baby by Watermark. Grab a tissue this is very powerful.

Today, October 15Th, is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. It's a day for people to acknowledge, remember, cherish & think of the little souls that were born sleeping, miscarried or taken too soon in their young lives!

Miscarriage/stillborn has always been a touchy subject and sadly it's the moms that are left to pick up, move on, let go of what has happened to them. It is a gut wrenching feeling to know you won't be holding that baby you so badly wanted. I remember feeling bad for those that had lost babies early in their pregnancies and not really acknowledging their pain. My heart would be sad for them but I wouldn't know what to say so I didn't say anything. I look back on my behavior and my heart aches for them deeply. I wish I would have reached out and listened to them while they grieved.

I have experienced both a stillborn (38 weeks) and a miscarriage (20 weeks) and for me personally the miscarriage shook me to the core. I felt blessed to hold Graycee, love her, see her, have answers etc. However with my miscarriage it was different their was no answers, no holding my sweet baby, no closure. That closure is a powerful tool in recovery and to not have that was paralyzing.

I have found hope in books, friends, and just talking to others who have experienced the same pain of losing a child. Thank you!

So if you will be participating in the WAVE OF LIGHT, by lighting a candle tonight please link up and bring awareness and share your stories to help others. I will be praying for all those babies and their hurting families!

B-O-O I'm back...

WOW! I have been busy, tired, busy, tired, okay so maybe a little lazy with my blog lately, sooorrry. I will try to do better now that we have school routines down, schedules revised, and meals in the freezer :)

My boys LOVE doing crafts so when I saw these on Family Fun I knew we had to start saving milk jugs and we did just that. The boys had soo much fun creating the faces and I think they turned out spooktacular! Look close we have a ghost, scary faces, an alien, and one with loooong feet. When it gets closer to Halloween I will set these outside with lights and take a pic.

I LOVE SEEING MY CHILDREN'S IMAGINATIONS AT WORK!!

CRAYOLA CONFUSION!!!

Okay so most of you have already purchased your school supplies as I did for my family, right!! Okay so how many of you actually purchased the Crayola markers?

Well are you in for an awful surprise. Crayola eco-evolution is here!! Huh!? For those of you that didn't catch this here is the scoop...

Black is now green! Yes the barrels are BLACK!! Now I am all for going green and being environmentally friendly. Remember this post! But boy did Crayola miss the boat on this one.

Okay so you have to try to match the tips of the marker with the correct lid sounds easy right!? WRONG! The blues, purples, reds/pinks are almost IDENTICAL. Hey look on the bright side the yellow is very obvious 1 down 9 to go! Good Luck!

So teachers/parents grab a piece of scrap paper and get ready to doodle to find the correct lid!! Oh I feel soooo bad for all the FRUSTRATED teachers!


I sent them an email regarding this so we will follow-up soon!

Owen's 1st Day of KINDERGARTEN

We have been preparing all summer for Owen to start kindergarten and today was the DAY! Last night before bed we read The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn and gave him a watch that matches his backpack. We kept telling the boys to shut off the light and get to sleep but I think they were too excited for school to start!

Owen is wearing a red/blue polo, skull/crossbones jeans, and his light up puma's. He looks soo handsome.






I loved this pic of Owen running to me! That has to be one of the best feelings in the world!







So we get into the van and I asked Owen the following questions...

1. How was your day? Owen says, It was GREAT!
2. What did you think of your teacher? Owen says, Oh she is pretty! (Oh jeez)
3. Did you have fun playing in the flour? Owen says, YES we all got really dirty and got in the shower and put our clothes in the dryer!

4. What did you say? (As I turn the volume to the radio to OFF!) We took showers as our dirty clothes were drying!

5. What about the other kids/girls in your class? Owen says, Mom we took turns nobody saw me naked!

So I get home and call a friend who has a son in the same class and her son says, We dusted off outside

I call the school and ask for the teacher and proceed to tell her what Owen says as she is BUSTING A GUT!!! She said that has to be one the FUNNIEST stories but NO it is NOT TRUE!!

I confront Owen and he says, Mom I made up a funny story so you would laugh and you were laughing on the phone!!!

WHAT IN THE WORLD IS NEXT!!?? Can you believe this is how the 1st day of kindergarten went!!!!!???? What is next?

Our sweet Graycee

Today we celebrate our daughter Graycee's 7th birthday. Our precious angel was born August 13, 2003 at 2:59pm. She weighed 5 lbs. 8 oz. and was 19 inches long. As I look back I am in awe at how we overcame all the obstacles at such a young age and newlyweds none the less. I am thankful that our spiritual connection with god was sooo strong and he guided us through this life changing experience.

I was looking at my calendar to see what/when were some firsts for our new family:

January 28th-1st sonogram
March 15th-Our Wedding
June 5th-Lamaze classes
June 14th and 20th-Baby showers
June 25th-1st time feeling hiccups
July 25th-Last day of work (Pawnee Mental Health)
July 30th-First day in Ferguson Missouri
August 5th-Met Dr. Durer our new OB Dr. (Baby not breech, No C-section)
August 12th-Called Dr. Durer
August 13th-Delivered Graycee
August 14th-Dismissed from hospital
August 16th-Memorial service at 10am
August 18th-Brian started first day of Optometry school

One special book that I look at every year is from our families. As we were giving birth to Graycee our families were writing special notes to us. I cherish those words from each one of them and hold them close. We are so thankful for our family and friends that have supported and loved us. THANK YOU ALL!

As I look at the picture of us smiling with tears in our eyes I can honestly tell you that I feel blessed to have been able to hold her, love her, and spend time with her.

I will end with this scripture:

We can rejoice too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us-they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly god loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

-Romans 5:3-5