Thankful for 2009

2009 has truly been THE best year of my life. it has brought so many blessings, a few of them unexpected! these are the things i'm thankful for this year:

it was my first full year of motherhood. i can not believe how much i love being a mom. i've always known, since i was a little girl, that being a mom was my calling. but i never truly knew how much i would love it. it is truly the biggest responsibility i've ever had & also the greatest joy i've ever known. Jack is a blessing. i love all things about him, even his stubborn grunts! He is a gift. i'm so aware of that. i can not tell you how many times i've been humbled by the Lord about how truly blessed i am to be able to have a child. so many are hurting & pleading with Him to give them a baby. and so many go without ever knowing the joy of being a parent. my heart breaks for those couples. i want Jack to look back on his childhood & know that i LOVED and treasured being his mom & raising him. i never want him to think, for even one moment, that my role of raising him is an obligation, that i would have rather been doing something else, or that he caused me to miss out on life. My prayer is that he always knows how much i love him and that being his mom is an honor. Thank you Lord for my sweet Jack & thank you for his health. Help me to use the year 2010 to be a patient, sacrificial godly mom that raises Jack in a way that honors you.

i received the greatest surprise of my life. on june 12 i found out that i'm pregnant. it was not planned, i was on birth control. i could not believe it. after all, i had just had a baby, 6 months earlier. i went through a whirlwind of emotions. but after talking with ben & spending time in prayer, i had such peace about this new precious baby. the issue was never that i didn't want my child, just that i was overwhelmed by the thought of another c-section, possible BP issues, feeling Jack was no longer my baby & financial struggles. but God is bigger than all of those things. He always provides & is always faithful.

we learned on September 25 that this sweet little baby is a precious little girl. we would have one of each gender! how exciting and what a blessing. we truly would have been thrilled with another little boy, but how fun to get to experience a boy & a girl, so close in age. we immediately named her Jovie Claire. Ben came up with her first name & i came up with her middle name. we have been so excited knowing that our world is about to be invaded by pink & all things girly. We have spent time preparing ourselves & our home for her arrival. we are now just 5 weeks & 3 days away from meeting her. we could not be more thrilled. Jovie will be the perfect addition to our family; and Jack will be the perfect big brother for her.

Ben & I have grown so much as a couple. we are constantly learning what it means to be a good spouse & a loving parent. we've made mistakes & grown from them. we've laughed, a whole lot, and loved Jack more than we ever thought possible. each night, in bed, we talk about how blessed we are, how much we love our son, how excited we are to have a little girl & how we love our family. we strive to make our relationship a priority. it is harder once a child enters your life, but we have worked at it. we have regular date nights & we try so hard to make sure the other's needs are met. Marriage has been even more wonderful this year, than any year before. it is only by the grace of God that we are doing so well & not falling apart. i love my husband & i'm so excited to see what the Lord & 2010 will bring to us.

i have had the joy of watching my 2 little sisters marry the men of their dreams. Lindsay & Ryan were married on May 23. they had been dating for over 4 years & finally got to fulfill their dreams on that day. they are so sweet together. it is so obvious that the Lord created them for each other. Ben had the honor of marrying them & it was such a blessing for us. we are so confident in their relationship & we know that the Lord has great plans for their marriage. Katie & Josh were married June 20. they are adorable. i couldn't hand pick a person more perfect for Katie than Josh. its crazy how well they fit together. they are so in love & we are so thrilled to see them married. i have praised the Lord over & over for giving my sisters such wonderful husbands. and i am so blessed to have such sweet brother-in-laws! ben & i are so excited for the years to come with them.

there have been so many other wonderful blessings this year. we have a great church family, a loving extended family & wonderful friends. the Lord has taken care of us & met all of our needs. we are so blessed.

Thank your Lord, for a wonderful 2009. we know we can trust you with 2010. help us to love you more, serve each other more, be godly parents to Jack & Jovie & honor you with our ministry.

Happy New Year everyone!!!

3 Blessed Years!

today is one of my favorite days of the year. its more special than my birthday and just as fun as Christmas. today is my wedding anniversary. the hubby & i are celebrating 3 years of loving life as husband & wife! (i know that rhymed. so sorry!) we have been together for 8.5 years and married for 3 of those years. i literally can not remember life before my sweet husband. these past 3 years have brought us so much joy. we've had 2 ministry jobs, raised a pug puppy, had a son together & now we are expecting our little girl in less than 6 weeks. the Lord has been good to us. Life has not been perfect b/c we are not perfect people, but we have learned & grown together so much. i can not think of a better person to spend my life with. Ben truly is my very best friend, i tell him everything & i can not hide a single thing from him. he can pretty much read my mind & he knows just what i need (most of the time!!). he always makes me laugh & can easily cheer me up. he is a godly prayer warrior and he seeks to be a husband with a servant's heart. my favorite thing about him is the way he loves Jack. i love watching him teach & love our son. it is such a blessing. Jack & Jovie have no idea how blessed they are to have him as their father. i praise the Lord for my husband everyday and i pray that i am the wife that he needs on a daily basis.

Ben, i love you more today than on our wedding day. you are such a wonderful helpmate & incredible leader in our home. i pray that i never take you for granted. thank you for being such a sweet and generous husband. i love you so much. happy anniversary.

here are a few pics of our last 3 years together:

january 08

jack's baby shower

10.25.08

thanksgiving 08

ben's 25th birthday

christmas 08

march 09

june 09

july 09

jack's 1st birthday

christmas 09

what a joy these past 3 years have been!! i'm looking forward to the next 50+ years with my love!!

14 Months!!

Jack, you are 14 months old!!!!! i can't believe how time just seems to fly by faster and faster with each passing month. you are so much fun. you have truly become a little toddler & you are learning & growing so much. daddy & i have both said that we are loving this stage that you are in, it has been our favorite so far. (but we do seem to say that every month!) you have quite the silly and determined personality. we are starting to see things in you that remind us of ourselves & each other. you are a very loving & cuddly little boy. you are becoming more & more vocal every day. we are starting to figure out what your little noises & "words" mean. you are strong willed, but easily broken. you are very sensitive to daddy's voice when he tells you no, but mommy seems to have to tell you several times. you have gotten popped on your hands for the first time this month. i absolutely hate doing this. but i know it is necessary for you to learn to be obedient. you are teaching me so much and i'm loving every minute of it.

this month we've had a lot going on & we've been super busy. we've gone from celebrating thanksgiving to gearing up for christmas. christmas is my favorite time of year & we have loved experiencing it through your little eyes this year. you get so excited every morning when we turn on the tree lights. you say "ahhhhh" in a soft little whisper. and you also say this every time we see christmas lights or christmas trees. its is precious. we've gone to christmas parties, zoo lights, visited with family, done some christmas shopping, watched christmas movies, wrapped presents together, eaten christmas baked goodies, visited Santa for the first time, you rode a carousel for the first time & you got your first big boy hair cut at a kids salon. wow!!! i have tried so hard to soak in every moment with you. i want to remember everything about every season of your life. we've made precious first memories as a family & i wouldn't trade that for anything in the world. you are the joy of my life!!

here are a few things you have started doing this past month:

* you are clapping all the time. you love it!

* you still raise both arms in the air when we say "praise the Lord". its adorable

* you love to push your walk n ride toy all over our house

* you love to find a room with an open door, go in that room & shut the door. its so funny.

* you love to get into my tupperware cabinet & pull every single thing out & push it around the kitchen floor

* you have learned how to stand up without holding on to anything.

**** you have taken several steps on your own!!!! you will only take about 4 or 5 steps at a time, but you are learning & becoming more & more brave with each new day. we absolutely LOVE to watch you walk. its so sweet. we know it won't be long before you are off & running all over our house & we're so excited for you.

* you are still a picky little eater & i'm pulling my hair out, sometimes, trying to find new things for you to eat. you do like breaded fish fillets, chicken nuggets, apples, cereal bars, cereal, peanut butter, any type of cracker, anything sweet like cookies, pizza crust, breaded ravioli & occasionally spaghetti. you are very particular about textured things so i'm having a hard time getting you to try things. but i'm learning to be patient. you do love milk & carrot apple juice. you also drink V8 fusion when i water it down.

* one thing we have noticed about you is that you LOVE to have something to drink, ALL the time. its insane. you constantly want a cup of milk or juice. you would much rather have that than something to eat. its so funny. pretty much any time we go somewhere we have to bring 2 or 3 sippie cups filled with something to drink for you!!! needless to say, you wet a lot of diapers!!!

* you love to take showers. you have so much fun crawling around & feeling the water beat down on you. you usually hop in with dad every morning, which really helps mommy out!

* you go to bed around 8 or 8:30 pm and you sleep until about 7:45 or 8 am every morning.

* you take one 2 hour nap every day

* you are in a size 3 diaper during the day & a size 4 nighttime diaper for bedtime

* you wear 12 month clothing but you can still fit into some 9 month stuff.

* you weigh around 21 pounds

what a blessed month we've had with you. it has just been the most fun i've ever had. we are just 5 weeks away from meeting your little sister!!! Jovie is going to change our family life so much, but in a really wonderful way. you are going to be a fantastic big brother to her. we can't wait to have 2 precious babies to love on. i want you to know that even though Jovie is about to be here, you are still my baby & i will make time for you. i'm so excited about splitting my time between my 2 sweet children.

you are a wonderful blessing. each day is an adventure with you. being your mom is my greatest joy & i love everything i'm learning from you. happy 14 months sweet boy. i love you more than you know!!

love, mommy

Christmas Day @ the Weavers

i love the fact that we basically get to celebrate Christmas 3 times. once with just us, once with ben's family & once with my family. how great is that?! we've had so much fun this year!

after we rested up & packed up at home, we hit the road & headed to my parents house. when we got there we just visited with everyone as we waited for my sisters and their husbands to arrive. there were plenty of yummy snacks to keep us munching. we watched Christmas Vacation and then around 6:30 pm we dove into our yummy dinner. my dad grilled some ribs, we had 7 layer salad, sweet potatoes, mac n cheese & rolls. it was delish. my dad is a pro when it comes to grilling, frying or smoking meat. there is no one better. even Jack enjoyed a little bit of our yummy Christmas dinner. we also had plenty of yummy desserts to choose from. but then again, we always do. i don't think i've ever been to my mom's when there isn't something yummy to snack on. that's what happens when 5 boys and my grandmother live at home!!!

after supper we gathered in the living room to open gifts. my parents, my sisters & my brothers had all already exchanged gifts that morning. so ben & i just passed out our gifts to everyone & they passed out their gifts to us. there was plenty to go around!

Jack was, of course, spoiled by everyone. he got a choo-choo train, stuffed animal, clothes, socks, toys & bath toys. Jovie got a blanket, some socks, some clothes, a bottle brush, portable formula carrier & the sweetest monogrammed gown for the hospital. i'm in love with it. i can't wait to do a post about everything i've gathered for Jovie to have at the hospital! so fun! Ben & I got a bunch of stuff too. i got some scarves, a purse, a photo album & some jewelry. Ben got a sweater, some gift cards & some dress socks. We also got some gift cards for a date night. gotta love that!

after the presents we sat & visited & just enjoyed some family time. there is always so many of us when we get together. i love it. i'm so blessed to have such a large & fun family that loves us so much. time with them is never boring! i'm so glad that Jack & Jovie will grow up around such a large group of people that love them so much.

Christmas this year was my favorite ever. i love that Jack was excited about the lights & sounds. i love that he got excited about toys & wrapping paper. i love that he was into everything. but what i loved the most was that Ben & I got to spend our holiday season with our little boy. next year is going to be even better b/c we will have 2 precious kids to celebrate with!

Thank you Lord for giving us the birth of Jesus to bring us hope, eternal life & a wonderful time of year to celebrate with the ones we love. Merry Christmas everyone!

my mom's beautiful tree & some of the gifts!

Jack can't go to Lolli & Poppa's without tearing into the cabinets!

Jack loved that chocolate covered peanut butter ball!!!

Jack is usually scared of his Uncle Kuby, but lately he's been warming up to him!

our delish supper! i wish everyone could taste the yummy goodness we had that night!

can someone help me unwrap this?

of all the gifts he got that night, he wanted the bubble wrap. typical!

Jack got into Lolli's spice cabinet & Uncle Kenny was happy to help him!

my 2 fabulous sisters. i'm so thankful that we are so close.

me & my sweet boy.

Jack loves his dada so much. they are so cute together.

our happy little family of 3. Jovie will be the perfect fit to our bunch!

me and my love. i'm so thankful for another Christmas together. it only gets sweeter.

Christmas Day @ the Williams

Christmas morning was so much fun. we slept until 8 am & then we went downstairs for a yummy breakfast. we had homemade grits, sausage, eggs, biscuits & fruit. we sat around drinking coffee & then we played our annual Christmas game for a cash prize of $100! Tripp was the lucky winner this year.

after our game we gathered in the living room to begin opening presents. we watched Jack go first. he got a step 2 car from Mamie & Granddad. they also gave him a Winnie the Pooh walk-n-ride toy to keep at their house & some clothes. Santa brought Jack a huge blue exercise ball, a leapfrog toy & a singing rolling turtle. Ben & I gave Jack some clothes, a bouncy ball, a stuffed animal, a sports center basketball game & a busy ball popper. needless to say, he got way more than he needed! he had just as much fun playing with the boxes & wrapping paper as he did his new toys.

We all received so many great gifts. Ben's parents gave us 3 presents each & some money. i must say, it never gets old opening a present!! even though material things are not important, its still fun to unwrap a gift, tear open the box & see what's inside! i also enjoy watching other people open their gifts. i love seeing the smiles on their faces. after presents we tore into our stockings & then we played with Jack & all his new toys.

we left the Williams' house around 11 am to head home, rest & gather up everything for my parent's house. we had such a wonderful time with ben's family. we are truly blessed each time we are with them. the most fun part of our day was watching Jack get excited about the Christmas tree & his blue car!! what a great morning!

Mamie & Jenna fixing up some yummy breakfast!

the Christmas tree with just a few of the presents on Christmas morning!

Jack's step 2 car. how cute is that?!

he had so much fun riding (being pushed) around the house! we've brought it home & all he wants to do is push it everywhere!

Jack's new exercise ball from Santa. i don't think he'll be using it for any work outs but he sure does love a large ball to play with!

his new leapfrog toy from Santa

and his new singing rolling turtle. he loves to push the buttons & watch him light up!

Aunt Jenna helping Jack open a few presents.

he also had to push his new Pooh toy around the house. so cute.

and of course, what is Christmas morning if you can't play the piano with dada?! i think he still preferred this over his toys!! too bad we can't afford a real piano. oh well, ben & i aren't that upset about that!!

Merry Christmas!!!