If you ask me what I like about Texas....

I'd say I don't like anything but I LOVE everything! Being home and getting to stay for an extended visit is such a blessing! We have been going all over the place to visit friends and family, and I have been loving being home! We got here on the 3rd and have been having a non stop fun filled adventure ever since. Madison has been doing great with all the time spent in the car and motor home, and she even went to the lake for the first time! I cannot even express how amazing this visit has been. I wish Justin could be here with us, but am so thankful that his hard work is allowing for us to be here. My parents rolled out the red carpet for their girls, and supplied Madison with everything a 2 month old could ever need or want. She loves their dogs and they are obsessed with her. The horses are so curious about this tiny human that has arrived, and she seems just as interested in the giant puppy dogs that live in the barn. We started our visit with my sweet sorority sister's wedding in Austin, and that was such a blast! It was so much fun to see all of my college girlfriends and for them to get to meet Madison. Then we had Karen out for a sleepover complete with playing tourist in downtown Fredericksburg (yes...my parents live in Fredericksburg Texas and we live in Fredericksburg VA) We went up to Weatherford for one of my best friend's baby showers on Saturday, and then we left for Canyon lake on Sunday and got back from the lake yesterday. The first day I worked horses I pulled a muscle in my back, and it is still messed up....really a bummer since I wanted to spend the bulk of my days in Texas horse back...hopefully it will get better in the next couple days and I can ride a lot next week. Madison will go to her first cutting this weekend, and I can't wait for our extended horse show family to meet her. I know all of her 'grandmas and great grandmas' will love fussing over her. Bethany is about 12 days into her visit with her Maternal grandma and mom, and seems to be doing okay. My Mom and I took her to lunch yesterday and she wanted to come out to the ranch to swim and ride horses. She is a little homesick for her Dad and I so we have been calling everyday to make sure she knows we miss her too. I know I am leaving a ton out from the visit and I will post photos soon.

Have a great day!!

Family of 4??

I am sitting here procrastinating packing. Things are very different now than they were just a few short years ago. I used to go away almost every weekend and wouldn't think twice about packing until a few hours before I was leaving. Throw my stuff in the bag and out the door I would go. Now I have an entire day where my whole plan is to pack! I just dropped Bethany off for her next to last day of kindergarten and I have so much organizing and packing to do. It would be one thing if we were just going for a few days but Bethany will be gone for over a month, and Madison and I will be in Texas for about 2.5 weeks! And since we are flying I have to get everything into 2.5 suitcases. The entire living room is clothes and stuff right now. I have to pack clothes, diapers, wipes, toiletries, shoes, swimsuits, gear for the baby, clothes for me, toys, dvd player for the plane, things to entertain Bethany on the plane, clothes and shoes and supplies for Bethany for a month, Justin's stuff (why I am packing for him is a long story), things for overnight in another bag that will stay in the car so we don't mess up our suitcases before the trip even begins. You get the idea, it's a mess. But I am so excited for our first trip as a family of 4! I can't believe it is finally here, and I am so excited to get to Texas to see the family and all of my amazing friends! Thankfully my parents are amazing and are lightening my load by getting baby stuff to keep in Texas, so I dont have to haul the pack n play, and all of the other zillion baby items that Madison loves to play in. I hate that Bethany is going to be away from us for a whole month, but that is just the way it is. And I know she will have a blast with her other grandparents, and I hope everything goes well and drama free.

This weekend I get to watch one of my amazing sorority sisters marry the man of her dreams and next weekend I get to celebrate another new life coming into our extended horse show family at Mica's baby shower! I am so happy that I get to be there for my friends for these sweet moments in their lives! T-minus 36 hours until the trip begins!

Matching Dresses!

The sun was in their eyes but they still look adorable!

Toothless grins on both girls ;) Bethany just lost her 5th tooth!!

I have wanted to dress my girls in matching outfits from the second we found out that we were having a girl! But with a 6 year age gap finding matching outfits was not an easy task. I met my friend Bronwyn at Becky's baby shower this winter, and she has an adorable line of kids clothes. She let me select the fabric and style of dress, and all I had to do was measure the kids...she did a fantastic job, and I cannot wait to order more!! Thanks Bronwyn and Animal Craze Kids!

To shop Bronwyn's super cute stuff go to www.animalcrazekids.com or find her on facebook at www.facebook.com/#!/bronest

2 Months old!

Can you believe she is already 2 months old??!!! And the most beautiful baby I have ever seen!!

Sanctuary

Since I was in high school my favorite worship song has been Sanctuary. It is a simple and short yet beautiful song that is a true representation of what we should seek to be in our daily lives.

Dictionary.com defines sanctuary as : a sacred or holy place.

It goes:

Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary
Pure and Holy tried and true
With thanksgiving
Ill be a living sanctuary for you.

With all of the craziness that is going on in our lives right now with the baby, house hunting, and Bethany's sports and school I feel like I am pulled in 17 directions at once. I had all these great intentions of having quiet time with the Lord in the mornings before the girls wake up, but the baby isn't sleeping all night yet, so I sleep until Bethany wakes up. And that quiet time turns into a few minutes of worship music on 90.5 (if you're in VA and you haven't listened to this station yet, check it out it's great) on the way to drop Bethany off at school. I have a few devotionals that I have started and not kept up with. I want to be that Mom that finds time for everything. I want to be that proverbs 31 woman, and to be a sanctuary for the Lord. I know that he is dwelling in me, and I should want to glorify that place, decorate it with beautiful things.

When I have my moments of frustration with the kids or my husband or finding the perfect home I forget that I am not mine, and in those moments his dwelling place is not beautiful.

So this morning I am having that special time with the Lord, and I am making a promise to myself and to Him that I will work harder on our relationship, because when I am working on and nurturing my walk with Him, my frustrations will not be my own, but His and He will take care of my worries and needs.

So Lord please prepare me to be a sanctuary. Pure and Holy. Tried and True. and With thanksgiving, Ill be a living sanctuary. For you.
Amen.

Home Sweet Home

I am so happy to be home with a healthy baby. We were discharged from the hospital Monday morning around 10am. Madison stayed fever free for 48 hours and all of the samples they took came back negative for all of the tests, which is great news. The doctors couldn't find a reason for her fever, but since it only lasted a few hours and never spiked again they said it was just 'one of those things'. I took her to see the pediatrician on Tuesday and she said Madison looks great, and is a healthy baby. She has gained 2 lbs since her first appointment with the pediatrician after we got home from the hospital when she was born. She is almost 10lbs!

After the hospital stay I was exhausted. I didn't sleep much, and was worried sick (literally, I started running a fever too) the entire weekend. So Monday I took a nap in the afternoon and tried to rest Tuesday. Yesterday I ran around like a mad woman catching up on all of my errands I had on my list to do all week. So I haven't worked out at all this week. I can tell because I feel lethargic and I am wanting to eat crappy foods....so I am going to run today! They close our gym at the complex from 9-10 to clean it, so as soon as it opens I'm headed over.

I am getting so excited for our Texas visit, I miss my family and friends terribly, and cannot wait for them to meet Madison. I know Bethany is excited to see her other family, even though I will miss her like crazy while she is staying with them.

Here's a picture of our little patient...she was such a good patient too, let the doctor's do whatever they needed to. The other patient is when we got home, she was very happy!!!

She was very happy to be home!

And by the next day she was her happy baby self with her big beautiful eyes, and poofy hair!!

Madison's hospital stay: Day 2

Madison and I are enjoying a slow Sunday at Spotsy regional. She is doing so good!! And we cannot wait to go home tomorrow. She didn't want to sleep in the bassinet last night (and can you blame her? Those are for brand new babies, not big girls like her haha) So she got to cuddle with me all night. She slept great, you know like a baby....I on the other hand didn't get as much rest. Every move, twitch, and sound she would make woke me up. The doctors and nurses are so great here. They make sure we have everything we need, and are constantly checking on her. We have a good view of the woods from our 4th floor window.

Last night we had a visit from some sweet friends who brought me some Motrin because I started running a fever....all is well just a little sore throat. The doctor said I should be fine and that it was a good thing for me to keep breastfeeding because she is getting the antibodies she needs. Justin and Bethany came up and stayed for a few hours today, and Bethany is handling this really well. She understands that the baby isn't feeling well but that we will come home tomorrow, and it gets her some great one on one time with her daddy.

And in other news Madi has gained a pound and a half since birth, the doctor was pleased with that especially since she is a very dainty little girl!

Madison is deciding to take a nap now, so I will follow suit. Thank you everyone for your prayers and support, we appreciate it more than you know!