10 Year Anniversary

Today is our 10 Year Anniversary. Those who attended our wedding remember the incredibly hot day!!

I think back through the last 10 years and a lot has happened.
1999 - We both graduated from college and started our first "real" jobs. We also bought our first home which we feel totally blessed to have.
2000 - Tara passed away. Michael was so incredible to hold me - literally - through those tough months and years.
2004 - Chad was born. Michael was my rock through that tough month and a half.
2006 - Kaylee was born. Although Michael was concerned about how he would be able to spend quality time with two children, he continued to be an incredible Dad.
2007 - I finished my Masters. Michael encouraged me to follow my dream and made it possible through love and support.
2008 - Baby #3 will be here very soon.

Due to some very hard circumstances, it has not been the easiest 10 years. But I am so thankful that Michael has stood beside me through it all. So many times I think about how truly blessed I am to have an incredible husband who loves me unconditionally and has a deep desire to grow spiritually. Thank you God for Michael.

What the future holds, we don't know. But, we pray for God's blessing and guidance on our lives as He continues to mold us together.

Baby

I had my doctor's appointment today. My OB set an induction date for Monday, June 9th. That is just a little over a week away!!! I think we are all in shock over how fast it has gone. My doctor said I could go any time but I reminded me that he has told me that now three times and twice I have been induced. We will see if this little one changes that. Until then, we have a lot of playing, preparing, and cleaning to do!!

Prayer Request

This is a totally different prayer request as it is for someone that I don't even know. It is for the Steven Curtis Chapman family. I had not heard about this accident that occurred on Wed until I was surfing the web for a poem. Their 5 year old daughter, Maria Sue Chapman, was struck by a car driven by one of her teenage brothers. The visitation is today and funeral tomorrow.


If this name rings a bell, Steven Curtis Chapman has a list a mile long of awards he has won in the Christian music world. Truly some of my favorite songs are his. In particular he sang/wrote a song “With Hope” from his Speechless album that my cousins sang at Tara's funeral. It was written in honor of the victims of the Heath High School shooting. The school where the shooting occurred in Paducah, Kentucky was Chapman's alma mater. This song is all about the fact that “we can cry with hope.” It was a tremendous blessing to our family during our loss. Now this family is living this song.


We can cry with hope
We can say goodbye with hope
'Cause we know our goodbye is not the end, oh no
And we can grieve with hope
'Cause we believe with hope
(There's a place by God's grace)
There's a place where we'll see your face again
We'll see your face again

http://www.stevencurtischapman.com/

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080521/TUNEIN/80521174/1005/ENTERTAINMENT

It is hard enough to grieve as a family let alone have the whole world watch you grieve. Please pray for this family.

May 19th, 20th

Kaylee is starting to get the whole potty thing down. The problem is that she tells me after she goes. But we still go sit on the potty. Yesterday Chad wanted to read to her while she sat on the potty. It was too cute. Kaylee had her book too.

Today, I finally thought Kaylee's hair was long enough for pigtails. Too cute!!

Showers of Blessings

My dear friend Melanie and sister in law Rhonda threw us a baby shower last evening. How special it was. We were so blessed with diapers and meals from friends. But more than that, it was such a blessing to having the ladies there pray over this baby and our family. God has blessed us so much with a wonderful support group of Christian friends who support, love, and pray for our family.

Special thanks to Cindy for driving clear over here to come to the shower. It was SO special to have family there :)

Big Girl Now

Kaylee is offically a big girl now. Even though Mommy wasn't quite ready, it was time for Kaylee to be moved to the big bed. Mommy's plan was to start doing naps in the bed and in a week or so to move to night times in the bed as well. So, yesterday Kaylee took her nap in the bed. She did amazing. I had to tell her only once to lie back down. Then, Michael put the kids to bed last night and didn't realize Mommy's plan. He put Kaylee to bed in the big bed. I didn't know what she would do when she woke up. But there was not an issue. Time #3 in the big bed is occuring right now. I think our little girl has grown up :)

I Sorry Mommy

Chad has just started apologizing to us without being prompted when something goes wrong. Yesterday, he made Kaylee cry and I heard "Kaylee, sorry. You okay? You okay." (as he patted and hugged her) Today a book fell and he said "Mommy, I so sorry, Mommy." I have a feeling that this is going to start being our way out of a punishment!! For now, it is pretty precious.

Picture Day

We went to Michael's parent today and of course had a photo shoot. Above are some pictures.

Words from our Kids

I found out that our 3 1/2 year old has been teaching my piano students about procreation! I believe the conversation went something like this:
Chad: We are going to have a new baby.
Cal: I know.
Chad: Do you have a baby?
Cal: No.
Chad: You can have a new baby too.
Cal: How?
Chad: We just prayed for our new baby.

Kaylee's teacher at church wrote down the following comment on her paper yesterday.
"Our 1st week of doing Bible time on the wall, Kaylee signed "all done!!" But today when we said Bible time she squealed and said "Bible!!" and ran to sit at the wall. Precious. She knows all of the "Pat the Bible" song too!"

Video of Kaylee

Kaylee on the phone...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6220403112801362449&hl=en