My favorite part of the day

For the past few months, about every night, after Rachel has fallen asleep i go in a look at her sleeping. I really love doing this!! Its a moment that i treasure each time i do it. Not because "the only time i enjoy her is when she is sleeping" as many cynical parents say. I try to enjoy her throughout the day because I know these times are fleeing and she will be grown before i know it. I love this time because it reminds me that her life is precious and i have been given the privilege by God to raise her into who He created her to become. When i go see her at night, its sacred to me. I breathe her in and relish the time I'm in there with her.

Dear Daddy God,

Thank You so much for my beloved little girl! She is one of the greatest treasures You have given me. Remind me to see her as that gift each day of her life please. When its hard to raise her, remind me, Lord. When I am short on patience and have an extra amount of selfishness, Lord, remind me of who You want Rachel to become and my role in helping her become that. Lord, help me to be the mother to Rachel that she needs me to be. Let me always remember to love You first and give myself wholly to You, Jeremy and Rachel. I love serving You, Jesus!

I'm walking!!

On December 4th ~ Rachel took her first steps!!!! She has been walking a little since!! Its very exciting!!!

I'm cute, huh??

I'm the BIRTHDAY GIRL!!

That's right ~ today is my little love's FIRST BIRTHDAY!!! I am amazed!!! I LOVE BIRTHDAYS!!! My mom says that I always have ~ can't believe its MY baby's first birthday!!!

To be refreshed on the actual day of her birth ~ read here ~ bet Aunt Bethy remembers it pretty well!! I cried as I told Rachie about it this morning!! So very wonderful!!!

Birthday pictures with cake and stuff coming soon!!! Soooo very happy today!!!!

Happy day folks!!!!

Happy birthday my beautiful little love!!!! Mommy loves you to the moon and back over and over!!!!

too early to potty train??

But the toilet paper and toilet look toooo fun to resist!!!!!!!

Trying it again

Last week i got this email:

I live on 5 acres and have the means and passion to take in a few dogs at a time,fully vet and find them new homes.They are socialized with 3 children,other dogs,elders, even horses!They are wonderful dogs!I found great homes for both Roxy and her sister and I would love to do the same for my last foster,Sadie. She is a gorgeous 2 yr old dalmatian.She is UTD,spayed and on heartworm preventative. She gets along fine with mellow dogs as she is more of a companion type dog,not a playmate.She is an indoor/outdoor dog and is the type to sit at your feet when you cook,watch T.V. or are at the computer.She is so mellow that she could easily live in an apartment if you were home all day.When,I say mellow,I mean mellow.She doesn't do much.She's Ms low maintenance! email if interested or for pics and let's get this girl a great home!

so we decided to try Sadie out ~ she sounded like the dog I had been praying for!!! And she is!!! We have had her for a week and totally love her!!!! Rachel thinks she is the coolest!!! Sadie is a picture of God's abundance to me ~ the lady, Cory, gave us everything we need for Sadie ~ food, food dishes, placemat, treats, dog bed, leash and the most amazing dog ever!!! AND IT WAS ALL FREE!!!!!!! FREE I TELL YOU!!!! THANK YOU JESUS!!!

Mommy has new hair!!!!

Mommy's new hair!!! Thank you Karen Brett for the four hours of love it took you to do this!!!

new play place

THE BIG TREE AT THE WOODLANDS MALL!!! ITS SOOOO MUCH FUN!!! Makes for a very happy baby!!

Gifts from Daddy!!

God met our need for rent and allowed us to have extra time to pay because Granny didn't mind it being late!!! Thank you Jesus!!!! And I got to order a new cell phone FINALLY!!! I've need a new one for months but my old one was working pretty well so why spend the invisible money??? Then we paid the cell bill and I found a pretty cool REFURBISHED phone online ~ its the Samsung Magnet in orange (just for you, Bethy!) if you want to look it up. And the best part, you ask?? IT WAS COMPLETELY FREE, FREE I TELL YOU!!!!! We didn't even have to pay for shipping!!! It should be here tomorrow and I can't wait!!!!!

So here we are, relatively caught up on the immediate bills and Jere and I wanted some family time away from home last night. But we didn't want to go too far because we are setting up a routine with Lizzie and didn't leave the house til 6pm. So we went and got snocones from the world's BEST stand. Then we went to Panera Bread for some chat time and walked over to Target. Jere said he wanted to get Lizzie some toys because he was tired of not being able to do that. So we got her 3 different toys and some baby food and let her play with the ball in the store!!!! It was great!!!!!

I realized that the way Jere was toward Lizzie last night is how Daddy God is toward us ~ Jere absoluetly enjoys his little girl ~ he's totally in love with her and she enjoys him!!! Jere is forever taking pictures of her and laughing at her silly little faces and playing with her. Last night, he wanted to show his enjoyment of her by giving her new toys to enjoy with him. That is the Father's heart for sure!!!!!

And I enjoy my Daddy's gifts just as Lizzie will enjoy her Daddy's gifts!!!! Such treasures!!!!

Mommy's cakes

Mommy is learning cake decorating!!! Its great fun!!! Here are my offerings so far!!!

My first cake ~ Jere's ~ homemade peanut butter cake

The top of Jere's cake













Offering number 2 ~ Lauren's cake ~ homemade peanut butter again ~ it was a hit!!! Very yummy!!!

Lauren's extra cake ~ homemade white cake with chocolate frosting

Great is His faithfulness forever

This is meant to encourage you and me. Sometimes we get so forgetful and we need to be reminded of what our God has done for us. So I need to give praise and honor to my Daddy God for His AMAZING provision.

When we found out that our little Roo was on her way, I was working as a teacher in a position that was totally soul and heart killing. I truly hated my job and it hurt to go to work in the morning. Jeremy had always dreamed of his wife staying home with his children but didn't know how it would all work out. I desperately wanted out of my job. So a week after I told my principal that I was pregnant, I handed in my resignation. I finished out the school year barely and with the help of my Jere Pete.

We decided that we didn't want to have our baby at the hospital. All my prenatal care was done at Nativiti Birth Center where our trusted and loved midwives took great care of me and our little love. We continued to search for ways to have our needs met after the summer (my teaching salary continued until August 15). Jere Pete tried to find ways that he could provide for us and we went in a few various different directions that ultimately lead no where and little money. But I could not seek a teaching position for the next school year as an 8 month pregnant person. We didn't want me to anyway. My heart was sewn to the baby that was growing inside me and I desperately wanted to be with her.

Last September was a very broke month for us ~ to say the least ~ Jere was transitioning into a job that didn't offer hours much at all. Hurricane Ike blew everyone out of work and power for a week. We waited in line at Kroger for 3 or 4 hours to get gas and I was about to pop. Then power was restored and my water broke. If you've read Rachel's birth story you know that we ended up having a C-section at St Luke's Hospital. And we were BROKE. BUT DADDY GOD!!!! He came through for us!!!! The night we came home from the hospital a sister in the Body bought us groceries for about a month and dinner. Jere got a short term job that paid pretty well and I recovered from the giant baby-sized cut in my belly.

That was our jumping off spot of faith. I'm so glad we did it!!! Our God has been amazing as we watch what He will do!!! We know we are where He wants us so we stand and wait.

Since Rachel was born, I honestly cannot tell you how our bills have been paid ~ I don't know. But they have been, sometimes late. In December, we didn't have anything and our little love was discovered to be teething. Then we got a gift card to Wal-mart so we could get teething gel.

We have always had diapers and wipes and clothes for her. Our God is so wonderful!!! He loves us so much and wants us to trust Him so badly!!!

Just last week, I found out that ALL of our hospital bills were taken care of ~ that is about $10,000 to $12,000 of expenses totally paid!!!!

Also, my Jere Pete has decided that his is ready to go after the degree in counseling that he feels God has called him to. So we registered him for 12 hours in the fall and applied for financial aid. Well, last week I found out that he was awarded $1650.00 a semester in GRANTS for this year. Grants are FREE MONEY that do not need to be paid back. Jere's tuition and fees for this semester are $610.00 and he can get book vouchers after school starts. Then we will get a check with the remainder of his funds from this semester!!!

I just stand in awe of Daddy God!! We are renting my Granny's house and she doesn't hound us for rent (praise God). So, our rent was due on the 10th and we have $100 to go for it. That means we need $550. As I look back on what God has already done since my baby was born, how can I doubt that He will meet our needs now???

So, if you are a mommy who wants to stay home with your children but do not see a way to make it work financially. Please consider my story. We do not eat out any more but that's okay. We cannot buy expensive food, clothes or entertainment. But I GET TO BE WITH MY BABY ALL DAY!!!!! I know her and she knows me!!! We have not had to get used to saying goodbye because we are together!!! She can nurse whenever she wants and I have watched EVERY first time as she discovers new abilities.

This is the life we have chosen ~ a life of trusting God to meet our needs so we can parent our children (when more come). We believe that God is leading His people to this place ~ totally looking to Him to take care of them. Will you trust Him like this?? I know He will meet you there!!!!

Pictures for your viewing pleasure

I really like my kitchen toys!!!!

See???

I wonder what's in here!!!

I know I can get in here!!!!

Look at how cute I am!!!!

9 Months and CRAWLING

That's right folks!!! Rachel is 9 months old and started crawling about a week after she turned 9 months!! Let me see if I can recap it for you (That means I need to remember ~ UGH ~ I'm getting old) ~

6 months ~ she was rolling over from her back to tummy and got two teeth (still just has those two but working on more I'm sure)

7 months ~ She ate her first baby food and some cereal but we stopped after a few weeks because she had tummy trouble

8 months ~ she was transformed into a rollie-pollie and was successfully rolling all over the house and we started baby food again ~ did better this time

Now that she's 9 months she is crawling very well but has times that she doesn't pull out one leg and just scoots ~ Also she is pulling up on just about anything she can reach!!!!!!!!

It's very exciting to see her grow!!! Pictures to come!!!

Five years later . . .

May 22, 2004 ~ The beginning of our wonderful life together

May 22, 2009 ~ FIVE YEARS LATER ~ AMAZING!!!!

I LOVE OUR LIFE AND FAMILY ~ THANK YOU JESUS!!!!

Hey world!! I'm 6 months old!!!

My newest 6 month old trick ~ rolling over from back to tummy!! I did it the first time three days before turning 6 months old!!! I'm getting better all the time

Can you see my tummy rolls?? Hey! I'm a baby and I can be fat if I want to!!!

For your viewing pleasure!!

Since I'm 6 months old ~ I get to sit in my high chair at the table with Mommy and Daddy!!!

But I get to play at dinner while they eat!!!

This is my Lizzi girl with her Grandpa Henry!! That's Mommy's daddy!! We are going to stay with him all next week. He has a condition related to dimensia that has begun to affect his motor skills. It was only supposed to only affect his speech but he is going down hill fast. I plan to spend the whole week with him and helping my stepmom and making cookies!! It has been hard to realize that my children will never know my dad but Daddy God has helped me release him to Him by using the scripture Isa 30:15 "In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength." Quietness and confidence also means utter trust ~ I can trust my Daddy God with my earthly dad and I do!!




Lizzi has discovered the joy in sucking on her Daddy's fingers!!! I love this picture!!

I'm sick of people asking if my little girl who is in ALL pink if she is a boy so we have started putting headbands on her!!!

I made the BEST cookies I've ever made yesterday!! Much excitement!!!

5 months old!!!

Rachie turned 5 months on Tuesday!!! What a big girl!!!!! New pict comming soon!!!

We went to the doctor yesterday ~ Rachie is 16 pounds and in the 80th percentile for weight. She is 25 inches long and in the 50th percentile for legnth. It was a great visit ~ Jere FINALLY got to meet Dr Stowe and he liked her. Then we went to Dr Amber and got adjusted ~ WOW that feels better for both baby and mommy!!! Soon we hope that Daddy can start going back to Dr Amber!!! Then we went to Car Doctor and WAITED for 3ish hours for them to get some work done on the truck. It was good ~ they have a very comfy couch!!!! And Pete let me drive his truck (I drove it for years when I worked with Meg) to get Sonic drinks!!! That made it better!!!

In other news, we have to get rid of Lady ~ she needs more space than we can give to run and she destroys the house when we leave. The straw that broke my back was when I was gone for less than 2 hours and came home to Rachie's FAVORITE toy destroyed!!!!!!!! I was DONE!!! I don't want a dog anymore!!!

And we have picked names for our next girl (not that I'm preggo) ~ Rebekah Grace!!! What do you think?? Since we have a trend of naming our girls after Mothers of Promise we thought of Sara Ruth or Sara Naomi for the next girl. Our boy is already Kaleb Isaiah (when he comes) or Jeremiah James!!! I love to dream of them!!!! God is soooooo good to make me a mommy!!!!

I guess that's about all for now ~ Happy day!!! Love you all!!!

My new toy

We put together Rooski's cool walker/exersaucer a few weeks ago. My dad and Arlene got it for her. She plays in it a lot and likes it!!! Can you tell??


Her fingers are pretty tasty too!!!

Playtime with Daddy!!

Last night after a small nap late in the evening, Rachie wasn't ready to go back to sleep. So, she and Daddy got to play together!!! I love watching the two of them!!!