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Showing posts from 2011

9 weeks

I seriously can't thank you all enough for the calls, emails, and texts sending well wishes and congrats to our family! We feel so loved and your prayers and support mean the world to us. Monday marked nine weeks and today we were able to see the babies for sonogram #4. Everyone measured right on track with strong heart beats and all four were moving around in their quite cozy quarters. Seeing their little movements was the highlight of our week! At only nine weeks these tiny babies are continuing to defy the odds. In the first trimester there is a 20-25% chance that one of the babies will stop growing and be absorbed (just like what happens to a vanishing twin). Every week my doctor has prepared us that we may only see three heartbeats at our next visit, and every week there have been four VERY strong babies. Isn't God amazing?! After the scans we sat down for our last meeting with our fertility specialist. He sat in a chair across the table from us, shaking his head and grinn

From TWO to SIX

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think , according to the power at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 After a 15-month struggle with infertility, we found out we were pregnant the week of Thanksgiving. Two weeks later we received the surprise/shock of our lives during my first sonogram. We are having four babies. Four little miracles. Reid and I feel so humbled that the Lord chose to grow our family in this way. It is clear that this was orchestrated by HIS sovereign hand and we have felt an overwhelming sense of peace from the moment we heard the words, "There are four." I'm excited to share more in the weeks to come. I want to be as honest as I can about our journey, the emotions we've processed/are processing through, etc. God is writing an incredible story and we feel so very honored to be part of

Samson is Two!

I can't believe our boy is TWO! He has proved to be one of the best decisions we've ever made. I can't even begin to tell you the amount of simple joy he's brought to our lives. We sent him away for two weeks in August to an obedience/training camp and he came back so well behaved. It is so nice to be able to take him to a park off-leash or have company over and know we have complete control over him. We spent his birthday, November 23, in Little Rock spoiling him with long walks, a new frisbee and doggy cookies. We are so proud to be his parents! note: this was supposed to by my Day 23 post but obviously I dropped the ball. (Photos by Andi Stubblefield Photography )

Days 21 & 22

Day 21: I am thankful that I am able to visit my family so often. I'm also thankful that they live within driving distance. Day 22: Today I am thankful that my family and Reid's family celebrate Thanksgiving together along with several other families. And, to take it a step further, I'm very thankful that our families get along. ;)

Catch-Up: Day 12-20

Since I dropped the ball on posting days 12-20, I thought I'd share a chapter in Psalm that I've been reading. His Steadfast Love Endures Forever 136 w Give thanks to the Lord , for he is good, x for his steadfast love endures forever. 2 Give thanks to y the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. 3 Give thanks to y the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; 4 to him who alone z does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever; 5 to him who a by understanding b made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever; 6 to him who c spread out the earth d above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever; 7 to him who e made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever; 8 the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever; 9 the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever; 10 to him who f struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever; 11 an

Day 11

I've mentioned before that "waiting" seems to be a big theme in our life right now. The thing about waiting that's been the hardest for me is finding balance in my faith. On one hand I'm supposed to wait expectantly, believing that He who is able is bigger than every odd we are up against. And on the other hand I'm supposed to wait knowing that even if the answer this time is "no" He is still able and good. Whew. I don't wait well. So, today I am thankful for God's word and the comfort I've found in these verses over the last few days. "Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you." Psalm 33:20-22

Day 10: Eleven

Eleven years ago today Reid asked me to be his girlfriend after a high school formal. So, today I'm thankful that God had big plans for our dating relationship - A relationship that lead to marriage nearly six years later. I'm thankful that the Lord chose Reid for me. I can't imagine living my life with anyone else.

Days 5-9

Day 5: I am thankful for our Dallas friends. We have been blessed with some greats ones through Reid's job and church! Day 6: I am thankful for weekends. They always feel so exciting because Reid is home. We always say one of the upsides of this traveling gig is that we don't take our time together for granted! Day 7: I am thankful for doggy daycare on rainy days. Day 8: I am thankful for my amazing counselor. I love that I can be totally honest with what I'm feeling and her response is always one of love and godly wisdom. Day 9: I'm thankful for OTC medicine. Specifically Advil. And, especially on days I have a nagging migraine.

Days 2-4

Day 2: I am thankful for my proactive, personable, best-of-the-best doctor and amazing medical insurance. I definitely don't take either one for granted! Day 3: I am thankful gorgeous fall weather and the opportunity to be outside to enjoy it! Day 4: I am thankful for lazy at home date nights with Reid. Today he was home by 4:30, we ate by 6, and are off to bed by 11 after catching up on all our favorite shows. All while snuggling on the couch. Need I say more?

24 Days of Thankfulness

Its November! Thanksgiving is far and away my favorite holiday and I thought this year it would be neat to take time each day to blog about something or someone I'm thankful for. I often focus on what I don't have instead of being thankful for what I do have. This has been a HUGE point of conviction in my life over the past few months. So, here it goes - 24 days of thankfulness. Day 1: Today, I'm starting simple. I'm thankful for the opportunity Reid and I had to spend a long weekend in San Francisco re-connecting with each other and catching up with old friends. I'm also thankful for a husband who plans these kinds of weekend trips!

Bathroom Re-do Before & After

When Reid and I bought our house almost two years ago there was only one thing I REALLY wanted to change. The 1970's fabric covered walls in the half bath. My only fear was the the people who we bought the house from had redone every other room and not touched that one. I couldn't help but wonder if that fabric was hiding something I'd prefer to keep hidden. And, Reid wasn't too enthused about finding out what was under there. Although, I think secretly he adored the novelty of that little room. Fast forward to the beginning of September. On a Tuesday night I called Reid and asked if I could take down the fabric and paint the bathroom. I told him I'd have it done by the time he was home Thursday and was prepared to tackle whatever I was going to find. He said YES and the rest is history that will hopefully never repeat itself. ;) I kept thinking how hard can it really be? Remove fabric, prime, texture the walls to match the rest of the house, and paint. By the secon

Never Once

Last night at elder led prayer at church we sang a song by Matt Redman. It is one of those songs where you hear the first line and think it was written about you. Well, I felt exactly that way. I looked up the song this morning and found that it had been inspired by Psalm 23:4-- "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." When reading that verse I've always thought it pertained to death. But, a footnote I found says or the valley of deep darkness. "Even though I walk through the valley of deep darkness..." We've all been there - whether the valley of the shadow of death or the valley of deep darkness . What I loved about the song is that it talks about the mountaintop that's waiting - the redemption and deliverance brought by the hand of a faithful God is waiting for me . I can't wait to stand there and tell you just how gracious He's been. &

Long Weekend in NYC

A few months ago Reid and I were trying to plan out our Summer traveling and he mentioned he had a conference in New York at the end of May. I quickly took advantage of it falling the week before Memorial Day and booked a flight to meet him there. We went together several times in college. Philadelphia is just about two hours away from New York. Our trips were always short, but we loved exploring that City together. We have been wanting to go back to visit as "real adults" and were thrilled it worked out! We met at LGA Wednesday night. Reid had meetings all day on Thursday so I set out to explore on my own. It was wonderful! A day with nothing to do... but whatever I wanted to... in an amazing city. Ahhh! Thursday night we ate dinner in Grand Central Terminal at Metrazur. It was really good and the atmosphere was great! On Friday I was so excited to meet up with an old friend, Lindsay . My time with her was so refreshing! We ate lunch at a cute place on the Upper West Side an

Happy Father's Day

To one of the greatest men I know! Thank you for showing your kids what unconditional love looks like! Love you, DAD!

Happy 60th Mom!

I got home a few days ago after spending a week in Little Rock. It was a great trip seeing friends and spending time with my family. While I was there we celebrated my mom's birthday. I wasn't able to be in town on the actual day, June 11, but wanted to do a little something while I was there. Turning 60 is an extra big deal, you know! She seemed to really enjoy our little celebration and we got some great pictures. I could eat Community Bakery cake every day of my life! It is a family favorite. Getting some lovin' from Dad. Mom and her girls. El and Mom. I love this picture! George and Mom. George also had a big birthday this month - 25! He was in Dallas for a Rangers game the week I was home and didn't get to be there for our celebration. This is a pic of them from her last birthday!

Hidden Treasures

"And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness— secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name." - Isaiah 45:3

Beauty

It's never been a secret that I struggle with anxiety. There are definitely times in life when that feeling is heightened. The past few months have been one of those times. I have faced huge disappointment and I've wrestled with God to know the "why" of it all. I told my counselor this week that I feel like all of these things (of which I have no real control over) have been swept up by a breeze and I'm trying to catch them while grasping at only the wind. What I'm glad to know is that someone who sees a much bigger picture is able to grasp all that I cannot. He knows when I'm going to be angry and hurt. He knows when I'll feel deep grief and despair. And, He knows that there will, one day, be beauty instead of ashes. "And provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of right

Samson

I feel that it is (ridiculously) necessary to document what our first born looked like at 18 months and 90 pounds. ;) I really don't know what we would do without him. Samson is seriously the best little companion for us. He has no idea he's a dog, and sometimes I think we forget too!

Happy 69th...

Birthday to my incredibly funny, loving, and selfless dad! You seriously make life way more fun! -- Post From My iPhone

Kauai Vacation 2011

We are back from our wonderful vacation! It was so great to get away and have some time to relax, act silly, reflect on the past, and dream about our future. Here are some pics from our trip...

Highlights from April & May

In April our across the street neighbor asked if we could keep their 10-month old lab, Kobe. We decided it would be a good idea to see what life with two dogs would really be like. We've been contemplating getting a little brother or sister for Samson since the day we brought him home, and this was going to be the big test! In the first three hours of Kobe's arrival my decision was made. It was later confirmed after I woke up 5 times in the night to let him out. We will NOT be getting another dog. But, they are pretty cute together... We celebrated Easter weekend in Little Rock. It was lots of fun, and keeping true to form, I have only three pictures to prove it. Saturday we climbed Pinnacle "Mountain" with Samson. As soon as we sat down at the top he plopped his rear on Reid's lap. I'm only slightly embarrassed by how spoiled he is. We went to church with my dad on Sunday morning, ate lunch with Mom, and had a great dinner at the Grandles with my dad and the

Reflecting on Easter

picture Last Sunday at church our pastor challenged us to spend time this week preparing our hearts for the Celebration that was coming on Easter Sunday. I've been thinking a lot about part of a post I wrote a few years ago when my mom was in the hospital. "Though this week has been hard, it has brought some perspective for me. I was reminded by John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." God loved the sinner so much that He sent His own Son to die for our sins. I never understood the painful sacrifice that God and Jesus made when they decided that was the only payment able to be made for the sin of the world. I watch my mom, try to comfort her, imagine her thoughts, her fears. God did the very same thing during His Son's last few days as part of this world. And then He watched as His Son took our sin on His shoulders." It was during that time that I

Classic Dad

My sister sent me this picture the other day. She walked into the den and my dad had fallen asleep holding a bottle of Kefir (type of yogurt). Everything about this picture totally sums him up - workout clothes, napping on the couch, and the Kefir spill - Classic. -- Post From My iPhone

Strength

I never realized how "churchy" my scripture memory is. Philippians 4:13 was one of the first bible verses I memorized as a kid. And, I can recite it still today (big whoop, I know). But, what got me tonight as I was reading is the context in which that verse was written. Paul says to the Philippians: 10I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:10-13 ESV) It doesn't say I can do all things because it's going to be easy if I do it His way. It doesn't say I should be content because things will work out the way I planned. And, no

Time in Little Rock

Last month I went to Little Rock for my grandmother's funeral. The service was wonderful and it brought with it a very sweet closure to her amazing life. Not a day has passed that I haven't thought of her and the mark she left on our family. I was so blessed to get to experience the depth of a mother's love from not only my own mom, but in watching how my Mimi so fervently loved her own daughter. She blessed me with something not many people get to experience, and I can't wait to someday pass on the legacy of her love to my own children. I stayed a few extra days to spend time with my family. The weather was gorgeous so one day my mom and I went on a walk and sat outside for a while. Losing my grandmother has brought forth so many emotions that I haven't dealt with about my Mom's Disease. Her death was one of the first big life events that we'd faced without my mom being with us. It was just another reminder that though she is still here, we've alread

Heaven on Earth

One of the perks of having a husband who travels for work is that we get to go to some really great places. We try to go somewhere new every time we take trip. We had a really hard time deciding where we wanted to go this time. After canceling the first trip we planned we decided it would be perfectly fine to go back to a place we'd already visited. Kauai is one of our hands down favorite places we have ever been. It is literally the most amazing and gorgeous place on Earth (to us) and we are so blessed to have the chance to visit again. Here's to hoping the next two months fly by!

Just Wait

Reid and I have been doing some major "waiting." Its the kind of waiting that has really challenged what and Who I put my Hope in. The one thing I can say is that I am so thankful for our church and the teaching that we get each week. Our sermon this weekend was from Romans 8 and it was just what Reid and I needed to hear. Funny when God works that way, isn't it? We left church with a totally different perspective than when we'd arrived. I'll post the link to the sermon later this week. Then today, a friend posted something on her blog that I thought was worth remembering. Thank you, Christy, for sharing this! Just Wait Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried; quietly patiently, lovingly God replied. I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate, and the Master so gently said, "Child you must wait." "Wait? you say 'wait'," my indignant reply, "Lord, I need answers. I need to know why! Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard? B