All Things Simple

Foster Care Update

2012-02-07T15:51:00.000-08:00

We are done with our classes for our foster care license which means we are one step closer to becoming certified. We have learned so much in the past 3 weeks. So much pain we have seen and so much encouragement to press forward to help these children. And so we continue doing paperwork, home studies, and praying.

In place of the Superbowl

2012-02-07T14:01:00.000-08:00

Marissa and I decided to take the kids out while Dale and Drew watched the Superbowl. We took them to the Little Prince Kids Cafe for a special treat. They had a BLAST. Abby was climbing all over everything. She climbed up and down things that I totally thought were too big for her. She went up and down the slides, in and out of the play areas, and back and forth for over 2 hours. It was so fun! If money wasn't and option :) we would go back here in a heartbeat!

Pretend City

2012-02-07T13:36:00.000-08:00

Kasey and I used up the last of the free tickets to Pretend City a couple weeks ago. These 2 little ones had SO much fun playing in all the rooms. Mom had fun too :)

A letter to my children about Marriage

2012-02-04T05:53:00.001-08:00

from: raisinghomemakers.com

Dear Children,

Should the Lord give you the good gift of a husband or wife, and I hope He does, there are a few things I want you to know. Things that you may not hear from anyone else, and certainly not on TV or other media. Sadly, your church may not even tell you.

Marriage, sweet little people, is not for the purpose of your happiness. Happy as I want you to be and hope you will be, you must yet understand that marriage is God’s design and His purposes must be pursued in order for you to be truly happy. His end is holiness and He will use all things in a life devoted to Him to fulfill that end.

To my girls:

Marry a man whose first pursuit is Christ. After that, he is not hard to please. Admire him, cheer him on and show gratitude, and he will fall over himself trying to please you. Smile often, speak well of him always, and do whatever necessary to try and maintain a pleasant mood about you so that it transfers to your home, making it a place where he and your children love to be.

You’ll have bad days of course, crying days even, and that’s when you go to your bedroom, kneel on the floor and beg the Lord to carry you. Then get up, get a fresh perspective (crayons will come off the wall), and try again. Above all else, make a home.

To my boys:

Marry a woman whose first pursuit is Christ. After that, she may be hard to please only if you don’t know “the secret”. What is that? I’m glad you asked. The secret to pleasing your wife is to make her feel safe and treasured. You may have to move out of your comfort zone to do this at times. She won’t always readily translate the oil change to love, though it means that. But let me give you a “secret question”–a question you need to ask her often. It’s not just in the asking, though. Be sure to focus your eyes on hers, maybe even touch her shoulder or face, and then ask: “What’s on your mind these days? “ And then be ready to listen. She wants you to draw her out. She will perceive this as your protection over the matters of her heart. Tenderness, listening, protection. That’s what she wants.

To you all:

If your wife or husband does something really stupid, forgive. If they do it again, forgive again. Forgiveness must be the propelling force in your lives each day. Dwell on the strengths, push out thoughts of their weaknesses. Take every thought captive–choose to love.

Here’s that part you are not going to hear often:

If you find yourself “not happy”, having lost attraction, disinterested, etc., you are not permitted to even think about a divorce. If you find yourselves arguing more and more, don’t think for a minute that “the children will be better off out of this”, because they won’t.

The vows you took on your wedding day were not suggestions. They were covenant vows, before a Holy God, family and friends, to stay with this person the rest of your life, even if you don’t feel like it. You swore a solemn oath and if you can’t live up to it, don’t get married. Decide up front that your marriage is irrevocable. There is far more motivation for getting along if your “marriage house” has no door.

Do not share intimate thoughts or feelings with anyone of the opposite sex. Do not find yourself alone for any length of time with such either.

Divorce is not a “private option”. It will affect multiple families for many generations. When you “separate what God has joined” you permanently injure far more than just yourself.

Guard your marriage as fiercely as you would guard your own life. Treat your spouse as an extension of your flesh, just as God sees you. Treat your spouse like other family members. You know, “you gotta love ‘em, they’re the only family you’ve got”.

I want you to be happy, I surely do. But I will pray for you to be holy.

18 months

2012-01-31T16:51:00.000-08:00

How does one child contain so much cuteness?!??!?!? I am not sure. Perhaps God's Glory shinning through her wonderful life. She sure is special. She loves to play with her friends. She thinks she wants to get up and play at 2am, which we so kindly tell her is not a good idea. She has 3 molars now and not sleeping well at all. It seems like she has been sick with something since before Christmas. I am ready to have her back to "normal". Abby loves to play ball, ride in her car, grab her purse and keys and head to the door. She also is beginning to like playing dress-up. She is doing much better in nursery at church these days. We hardly ever get called in anymore. She is using her words so much better. She says "shoe" all the time and "I stuck". We are filled with God's goodness and love this little girl to the moon and back. Praise the Lord for her health, safety, and happy outlook on life.

Serenity

2012-01-25T14:43:00.000-08:00

This is what we have been up to lately. If you are interested, take a look at the organization and pray for them. God is doing amazing things through them and we can only pray that more people take this journey. Last year they had to turn down over 1,000 kids because no one would take them. No kid she ever have to be turned away.

Serenity Infant Care Homes

Life

2012-01-25T14:38:00.000-08:00

So, I have sat down numerous times in the last few weeks to update the blog but I just can't focus enough to decide what is important to start with. Oh my! I guess that is a good problem to have.

Abby is talking in sentences now. It is crazy the things she says. She follows directions very well. She has 2 new molars. She is sleeping better but still wakes up between 3:30 and 5:00 for a bottle then right back to sleep. We just give it to her since we have to be up at 5:30am. It gives us a few extra minutes of sleep. She is such a character making us laugh all the time.

Drew has a new job title at work. He is now the Development/ Volunteer Coordinator. He loves working for Giving Children Hope. They appreciate him, listen to him, make him a priority, understand when he needs to tend to family "emergencies". We are happy.

I am still watching Emma everyday so I keep very busy but I love it.

We also are in the process of becoming certified Foster Care Parents. We are very excited and nervous about this next phase. We know and understand all the hard work/heartache/ and rewards that will come from this venture but we are diving in and taking a leap of faith. God has called us to care for the fatherless and regardless of how "hard" it will be on us we are trying to follow that call. This is a HUGE leap of faith for us for many reasons but we are trusting God to provide for our every need. He has so far in life, why would he stop now????!?!?!?! We are working on paper work and taking classes and hope to start this in early July.

Food Posioning (if you don't want to know then don't read this post)

2012-01-10T15:13:00.000-08:00

If you have seen the movie Bridesmaids then you clearly remember the scene where all of the girls get sick with food poisoning. You probably remember it as a moment where you were laughing so hard you almost peed your pants. WELL all is fun until it happens to you. YEP, Drew and I have experienced this scene 1st hand and it lasted for HOURS. We have never been so sick before. I am SO incredibly thankful that we are living in a place with 2 bathrooms because if we weren't this could have been a lot worse than it was, if that is even possible. We have recovered now but our stomachs are still rumbling. We had to finally call my mom at 4am because after 2 plus hours of not being able to leave the bathroom we knew we were going to need someone to help with Abby. I am so thankful that God saw us through this and kept Abby quiet and asleep until my mom arrived at 5:30am. I can laugh about it now but in the moment all you want to do is cry. Oh, hoping we never see this again. I don't think I will ever be able to watch the scene from this movie again.

17 months

2012-01-03T15:26:00.000-08:00

Our beautiful, spunky little girl is now 17 months old. I know I will always say this but I can't believe how quick it's going. She is talking so well these days. She says "more" "please" "thank you" "hi" "bye" "yes" "no" and sometimes says random phrases where we think "did she really just say that?" She is still a picky eater and doesn't like to try many new things. She is VERY independent and needs to do many things ALL on her own. She loves to wave at people and cars. She weighs about 23 lbs. She loves playing with her friends and usually doesn't like to be alone. She loves watching movies, veggie tales and mickey mouse club. She tries to run by leaning her head forward to make her body move faster. When she is ready to go outside she brings her shoes to us and grabs her purse and keys. We are so blessed to have this sweet little girl. Love you Abigail!

Christmas over many days!

2012-01-03T15:21:00.000-08:00

Since Abby was so sick this year we kind of celebrated Christmas over a few days, when we could get her feeling well enough to enjoy anything. Here are some pictures from our various family fun!

We finally figured it out!

2012-01-03T15:17:00.000-08:00

After 7 days of a sick child she finally broke out with this not so fun rash and BINGO we knew she had Roseola. Glad to finally know what she had and that it would get better soon. By day 11 she was actually eating again. So happy to have this little girl back. Now to work on getting her back to sleeping well!

Unexpected Christmas Day

2011-12-27T08:51:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas this year turned out to be a little unexpected. At midnight on Christmas Eve we pulled into the Emergency Room Parking lot. Abby had a fever a few days prior but we had kept it under control but around 11pm on Christmas Eve it spike to almost 104. We knew we needed to take her in. We were there until about 3:30 am and everyone treated her great. She was given medication to bring the fever down and was monitored to make sure she was stable enough to go home. They gave her an antibiotic for any possible infection she may have had, since they didn't know what exactly was wrong with her. Due to the high fever she developed blisters on her throat. She was given a strict medication schedule and sent home. We were home and asleep by about 4:15am. Well, mommy didn't sleep out of worry but Abby was asleep. She continued over the next 48 hours to be miserable and unable to sleep more than an hour at a time. We decided to still try and make the rounds for Christmas Day, at least to say hi. Probably not the best decision because we were so exhausted and Abby was so miserable that we did not enjoy much of Christmas. Today she seems to be doing better. We have an appointment with a Dr. today to see if she is making progress. Her fever has been down since last night so we are praying she is past the worst. Thankful that she was ill with something that can heal and that the news we got early Christmas morning was not life changing, just week changing. Thank you Lord for protecting our baby girl.

Christmas Cheer

2011-12-24T15:07:00.000-08:00

It is tradition for us to go out to dinner with the Marshall's and then head out to see the Christmas lights. This year the Marshall's are expecting a little one. yea! Next year our tradition will have one more little one!

It was super cold and windy but we still had a blast!

3rd Annual Bryson Gingerbread House Making!

2011-12-20T08:32:00.000-08:00

This has been the 3rd year now that we decorated gingerbread houses with friends. This year was slightly different from the 2 previous years but still just as fun. Drew and I stocked up on Houses after Christmas last year and they surprisingly survived through a year of storage and a move.

Before everyone arrived Abby, Cole, Jon, and Tori were taking the babies for walks around the complex.

The annual destroying of the Gingerbread House! Abby did the honors!

We are so grateful for such amazing friends and family in our life. We always feel so blessed after spending such a wonderful evening with these people. Good food, good fellowship, good family fun! What a wonderful night!

Pretend City

2011-12-20T08:26:00.000-08:00

Drew and I received some free tickets to Pretend City in Irvine from his work so we made a few trips down there in the past few weeks. Boy was it fun! Abby took a ride in EVERY car that was in this place. She would move from car to car. It was hilarious.

They have tables and booster seats already set up so you don't have to bring anything except for your lunch! That made for an easy morning.

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-29T14:50:00.000-08:00

I love all holidays. Family time. No work. Food. Laughter. Every year I think about what we were doing on that holiday the year prior. What a change one year can be. I love it. I love our family and I love being with them. We always hit up both the Jones/Bryson sides for all holidays. Some people think that may be a bit much but not for us, we love it. We spent morning/lunch with the Bryson's and enjoyed watching the kids play out back. After that we headed out to my parents house. Abby did not get a good nap in so she was a little grumpy. The next day we headed to the San Diego Zoo with my parents. So much fun. We love going places with them. So thankful for all the blessings God has so graciously given us.

Quote from Church

2011-11-21T06:25:00.001-08:00

Yesterday at church we were reminded of something very important:

"I stopped praying for my daughter to love God and started praying that she would realize how much God loves her"

Family Night

2011-11-21T06:17:00.000-08:00

We debated about doing this since it was cold, we were tired, Drew works tons of hours and we just all got over being sick BUT I am so thankful that we loaded in the car this night. We headed down to Fashion Island to watch the Christmas Tree lighting. We had a terrific night out. We had some Subway for dinner and walked around enjoying the people and the atmosphere. Abby would just stand in the middle of the sidewalk and dance to the music. Hilarious.

Abby absolutely HATES hats but we snagged a photo before she tore this one off.

Before we left we stopped at Casey's Cupcakes which is apparently a winner of Cupcake Wars. It was fun just to go there. We also stopped to listen to a lady on the side singing and it was cute because she stopped what she was doing, looked down at Abigail and said, "Just when you think you can't get any cuter". YES we love our little cutie pie! On the way out for the night Abby and daddy spent some time watching the water fountain. I love my family!

Breakfast with Santa and Museum

2011-11-19T08:11:00.000-08:00

Last week we went to a Breakfast with Santa Event at Lazy Dog Cafe. The Cerritos Mall was donating 100% of the proceeds to Giving Children Hope. So awesome. It was so much fun.

We arrived a little early and it was cold and rainy outside so we went inside and Abby sat in this play car for about 15 minutes.

I don't think Abby was a fan of the light up reindeer noses :(

Abby loves to color now, although much ends up on the table!

After Breakfast with Santa we took my parents to the La Habra Children's Museum.

Oh how we love Grandma and Grandpa. They were watching the train go around the track!

Much of my time...

2011-11-17T13:16:00.000-08:00

Many hours of my days are spent with these 2 wonderful little girls. As challenging and very tiring as it is to have a 15 month and 7 month old it is well worth it. What a wonderfully great opportunity I have. These girls are such a joy!

Such a Character

2011-11-17T13:13:00.001-08:00

Abigail has so much personality that we are just constantly laughing! She wanted to put this jacket on all by herself. Later she got her keys and wanted to unlock to door all on her own. Oh my.

We long to bring hope to the Fatherless

2011-11-07T08:47:00.000-08:00

We have decided that we are going to pursue Adoption/Foster Care. This choice has not been made because of the inability to have another "birthed" child it is because we believe God has called his people to take care of the orphans. How can we ignore that calling? We are just beginning this journey. We have many classes to take and it will be a long road but we are starting. Pray with us as we venture out to bring justice to those children who do not deserve to be pushed aside and ignored. They deserve to be loved and to know God's unending love. Pray for the child who will one day be in our home.
We don't know how this road will end but we are taking a leap of faith and starting down the road to see where God leads us. Here we go....

4 generations

2011-11-03T06:06:00.001-07:00

Treats in the Streets---Orange Circle

2011-10-28T18:22:00.000-07:00

This year we have hit up every fun, free, event we could make it to and have had a blast along the way. My parents and I took Abby to the Orange Circle for Treats in the Streets. The store owners pass out candy, alongside other goodies. We walked and walked. Abby caught on to the idea that if she held up her bucket someone who put something in it. Then she would say "Thank You". We were so proud of her.

Auntie Marissa snagged this quick picture of her as we were passing one another and she actually has the ears on. I think this was the only picture we could get without her grabbing and pulling them off.

This was too funny....... Nora came over and saw Abby's pink bucket, picked it up, then ran away with it!

After we met up with Daddy for dinner and while we were waiting Abby pretended to drive in the car with Grandpa.

The Abigail Twins

2011-10-27T06:29:00.001-07:00

15 Months

2011-10-27T06:24:00.000-07:00

This bundle of cuteness is almost 15 months old. She just keeps getting more and more fun! She says "thank you" when we give her something. She knows how to say "yes" and "no" although I am not entirely sure she knows when to use which one. Sometimes she just guesses. She knows where her belly button is when we ask her to point to it. She can climb up on the couch all by herself now. She is learning to eat new things and is still sleeping almost 8 hours in a row, or more at night. She is taking 2 hour naps during the afternoon. She absolutely LOVES Emma and gives her kisses and hugs everyday. She loves playing with her friends and going places. She is very independent and does not want anyone holding her hand while we are walking.

Abby is such a talker, although we are not exactly sure what she is saying. One day, we will know.

Abby and Cole Day of Fun

2011-10-27T06:19:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday both Drew and Kurt were working so we decided to take the kids out for the day. We went to John's Incredible Pizza for lunch and they had a blast. We played, ate, and played some more. Then we hit up the dollar bookstore, awesome, and the kids sat at the table reading. They sure are cute!

Adoption Attempt Number 2

2011-10-20T13:18:00.000-07:00

Almost exactly 2 years ago Drew and I attended an adoption seminar only to find out that since we only had a 1 bedroom home we were unable to adopt any children. Well, this past May the lord blessed us with a wonderful home and 2 bedrooms. With this blessing we feel like we can pursue this route again. We don't know if anything will come of it but tonight we are going to the orientation meeting to see if we are a good fit. We have a huge passion for caring for the orphans and it may or may not be through adoption but we won't know until we try. Pray with us as we follow our passion and see if God wants us to care for a little child out there with no family.

Daddy Daughter

2011-10-16T19:01:00.001-07:00

Abigail already knows how to play the Wii. Daddy, daughter, game time!

Giving Children Hope Gala

2011-10-16T18:59:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was Drew's annual Gala for Giving Children Hope. What a blessing the Gala was. It was so great to see God provide through the people who attended. My husband was the MC for the event. Look at him in that tux! So fun! This is the only time of year we get all cleaned up!

Biola Girls

2011-10-08T14:16:00.000-07:00

It was that time again for another Biola Brunch. This time we were joined by the latest member, Samuel Portillo. I love the time I get with these ladies. They are such a joy. I am sure we will not all be in the OC area forever so it is nice to see them a few times a year for our gatherings!

Our cute girl!

2011-10-08T14:13:00.000-07:00

Drew and I seem to have more and more fun everyday with this bundle of joy. She is quickly turning into a little girl, no longer a baby. She loves to laugh. When we are in a group and we all laugh she laughs as well. She now says "Thank You". It is super cute! She says "Hi" really well and we are working on "bye". She loves to hold my keys and cell phone. If we take either away from her she throws a tantrum. We are working on those :( She will eat anything when it is not her mom giving it to her. She loves being around people and playing with friends. She knows how to turn the fan in her room on and off. When music comes on she bounces and dances to the beat. Oh, how we love you Abigail!

Pumpkin Fun!

2011-09-24T20:54:00.000-07:00

Yes, we visited the pumpkin patch in September this year. Drew had to only work for a little bit today so we got in the car and headed to Irvine Park. We got there a little after 11 and it was perfect weather, overcast and gloomy. The sun came out right as we left which was great cause then we did not have to stay out in the heat. Abby had fun walking around and looking at all the kids and pumpkins.

At this point a bird pooped all over Drew and Abby. We did not even know it happened until I noticed the poop on Abby's clothes and face. Yuck! Oh well, that is just how things happen. We still had a wonderful fun filled family day.

Cousin Love

2011-09-24T20:50:00.000-07:00

We always love dinner with the family! Abby totally slept 10 hours after playing with them. It was great.

Visit to Vegas

2011-09-24T20:48:00.000-07:00

Yes, we took a toddler to Vegas. My mom had to work out there for 3 weeks so we took my dad down and kept her company for the weekend and it was free so what better deal is that??? We had a blast. Abby decided that was the perfect place to sleep through the night. She had only slept through the night one time up till this point. We couldn't believe she was sleeping so well but I guess walking around all day looking at people makes her tired :)

Our first stop was the M&M factory. So fun, who doesn't like candy?

We had to take a picture with Abby and Grandpa in front of the race car :)

We headed to the Las Vegas Children's Museum and Abby got to do her very first finger painting. She was making sunflowers and really enjoyed the messy paint.

Abby and Grandma loved playing in the tunnel together.

Grandpa made sure to teach her how to change a tire and check the oil on the car.

Abby's 1st art project

Amazing Abigail

2011-09-19T06:17:00.000-07:00

Abigail you are such a joy! People can't help but stop, look and talk to you no matter where we go. It is truly amazing the spirit the Lord has blessed you with. You love to talk on the phone these days, taking the phone, putting it up to your ear and saying "hi". You love to walk around the room with your small broom like you are sweeping. You have successfully slept 6 hours in a row for the past 3 nights. I am a little nervous that won't stick but so praying it does. You are eating much better now then you were a few weeks ago. You love your milk but it may be bothering your tummy because we noticed that you finally started sleeping better when you were on formula only so we are testing to see what we should use. You love to give people "high five's". You love to run around the room screaming and laughing. When any of us laugh, at anything, you laugh too as if you know exactly why we are laughing. You are very strong willed and get upset if something does not go exactly as planned. When walking you don't really want to hold anyone's hand and definitely don't want to hold 2 people's hands. That just makes you very upset. When Emma is sad and crying you try to comfort her by bringing her a little toy. Last time we weighed you you were almost 22 lbs. We measured you are the childrens museum this weekend and you were 2 feet 4 inches. Watching you play and laugh pretty much makes us think life can't get much better than this!

I give Thanks for.....

2011-09-14T16:50:00.001-07:00

I give Thanks to the Lord for...
a car to drive today that is safe for myself and both of the girls
the ability to get in the car and go when needed
a husband who gets to come home for lunch and let me take a shower during that time
a washer and dryer IN MY HOUSE and added bonus UPSTAIRS!!!!!
Healthy immediate family and healing happening in extended family.

Successful Coupon Trip

2011-09-14T16:49:00.001-07:00

I absolutely LOVE it when my shopping trips to Target are successful. To me that means a 40% or more savings. I am so thankful for the option to save on things we need to eat!

Wanting my child to sleep

2011-09-12T16:06:00.000-07:00

Thankfully I have hands down the best husband in the world. If not I don't know how I would be surviving the years of no sleep. I did not sleep well while pregnant and Abby has not slept well, ever. So we are going on 22 months of not very good sleep. We are so grateful for Abigail. She is a miracle. I cry thinking about how much I love her. I also cry thinking about how I wish she would just sleep 5 or 6 hours in a row without waking up or how she would take more than an hour nap or perhaps more than 1 nap a day. The other night for the first time I felt like I was just out of steam. I have no energy left. Of course God will give me the energy and Drew and I press on, well because you have to. People often tell us "I don't know how you do it". God's Grace. Although I am thankful to the Lord for giving us the strength to handle the sleep deprivation I am constantly praying that "tonight" will be the night that I don't wake up until my alarm at 5:45am. God is big enough to answer that prayer. I so want to see that prayer answered.

Labor Day Weekend 2011

2011-09-12T15:25:00.000-07:00

We spent Labor Day weekend this year out at my parents house. Abby was given 24/7 attention by at least one person, if not 4, all weekend long. We did many funny outings while there including a visit to the Temecula Children's Museum.

We also went up to the look out point at Diamond Lake. What a beautiful man-made lake!

On one of the days it rained but was a hot rain so we went to the park in the rain. So fun! Abby got to swing for a while and them screamed at us when it was time to get off the swing. This girls sure does wear her heart on her sleeve. She is VERY vocal. Sometimes we wonder if maybe she has the terrible "2's" a little early. Who know. We sure due love her and all her emotions.

2 kids

2011-09-08T12:02:00.000-07:00

Well last week I started watching a friends little girl, Emma. She gets dropped off at 6am and picked up a little before 1pm. She is almost 5 months old. So I have a 13 month and 5 month. I keep very busy during those hours. Both girls are just wonderful but it is difficult when they both need my attention at the same time and I can't divide myself up. Some days are less stressful than others. I am so thankful that I live in the same complex with some wonderful friends so we can go walking together and have morning playtime. That totally helps. I also took them both out for the first time yesterday to meet up with Chantal and that went well too. I am very blessed to get to spend my day with these lovely little girls. God is good. All the time.

Goodbye night time milk

2011-08-29T11:22:00.000-07:00

We finally were able to kick the night time feedings with Abby. It took us 13 months but success has happened! After 7 nights I think maybe we are on the upside of this hill. Now she still awakens twice a night but all she needs is a little hug and short rock from mom or dad and then night night we go. She makes it now from 9pm till 6am with no milk. No her appetite on the other hand is another battle. This kid is very particular about what she eats and will NOT eat anything she does not even like the smell of. She would not even try In-N-Out last night. Sad times.
She is such a wonderful little girl. I start tomorrow with have 2 girls under 2 (actually under 14 months) for 7 hours a day. I think it will work out well. Abby loves Emma and laughs when she sees her. It is a blessing to be able to spend time with another precious little girl. Here we go!

Camping at Casper's Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano

2011-08-23T15:55:00.000-07:00

We were so blessed to be able to spend the weekend with such a wonderful family. We headed out on Friday night after the guys got off work and stayed until Sunday morning. The girls stayed up until after 10pm on Friday night. Oh my. Abby slept pretty good but mommy did not sleep good. I was constantly checking on her.

The girls loved walking around the campsite, going for wagon rides and playing with whatever they could find.

Abby and mommy got a chance to relax on the tire swing. I could have fallen asleep in that thing!

Kent Family Fun!

Such cute girls! I love them both!

We told Abby to go give Mikaela a hug and below is the result. So cute!

On the way back home we stopped at The Great Park in Irvine. So fun and I had the most amazing Blue Crab Burrito! Yum!

1 Year Doctor Appointment

2011-08-11T18:41:00.000-07:00

Weight: 20 1/2 lbs (below 50 percentile)
Height: 2' 5" (below 50 percentile)
Head Circumference: I don't remember the number but your head is in the 75th percentile....
You learned how to stand up all on your own today and are now almost running around. We are so proud of you. You are a little grumpy after your shots yesterday but are such a trooper.

To My Daughter, On Her 1st Birthday

2011-07-31T09:34:00.000-07:00

Hi Abby!

Mommy and I love you so much! This first year of your life has been a wonderful blur for us. You have brought us so much joy! We thank God for you everyday!

You are just barely learning to walk! You can pull yourself up on the couch or a chair or a parent and walk, you just can't stand on your own. Mommy and I both think that as soon as you learn how to do that, you will be off and running and there won't be any stopping you! We are very proud of you.

You have been a very emotional little girl, wearing your heart on your sleeve and letting us know exactly how you feel. Often you are joyful and full of smiles! But, when you are upset, the opposite is just as true, though it usually doesn't take much to cheer you up again. I love that you are this way and I know that the Lord has designed you in this manner and that your emotions will bring Him some of the Glory he deserves! I can't wait to see how this translates into the rest of your childhood and into adulthood. I know that it will be a beautiful thing to watch!

My prayer for you this past year has been that you will grow up to love and serve the Lord faithfully. He has given you life and breath and is worthy of your affection and devotion. I know that He will pursue you and I hope that you will pursue His heart.

This next year, as you grow into a toddler, I know that Mommy and I will need to teach you how to behave and to let your emotions bring Glory to God. I know that we will need to discipline you in order to teach you these things. I promise that I will do my best to be fair and just with you. As the Lord has disciplined me and taught me these things, I have learned that it is always best to run into his arms for comfort, even as he is the discipliner. I hope and pray that the same will be true for you; that you will run to your Mommy and Daddy for comfort, even as we need to discipline you. We do this because we love you and you can always feel safe with us.

We love you so much Abigail! The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine on you.

Love,
Your Daddy

Happy Birthday Abigail!

2011-07-31T09:29:00.000-07:00

1 Year old. I can't believe we sit here and write your one year blog. Your "birth day" seems so long ago but yet also not that long ago. Those first few months you were so sick and had such a difficult time that we thought each day was long. Now you are a vibrant, happy, fun-loving, little girl. You now have 8 teeth and LOVE to talk. I am pretty sure you have specific sayings that you repeat over and over again. It is almost as if your brain knows what to say but yet you are unable to communicate it to us. You love people watching and talking to you but you do have a need for personal space. Too much overwhelms you. You are still not a very good sleeper but some nights you only wake up once or twice. You love to play with your friends and get cabin fever if we stay home too long. You started walking a few weeks ago and are in the beginning stages. Soon you will be running! We love you sweet girl. You make life so exciting and just your smile makes us forget about all the worries in the world. At one point we were told that we would most likely never get pregnant and now today we celebrate your first year of life. God has truly blessed us beyond words. He has allowed us to be your parents. We pray that God will lead us to raise you to love and serve the Lord. Only by His Grace. Love you Abby!

The ball pit was a HUGE success with all the little kids. Keeping the balls in the tent was the hard part.

Jennifer Smoliga blessed us with a wonderful cake. Thanks!

I am one!!!! I am happy!!!!

After we sang happy birthday and clapped Abby would clap too!!! It was super cute!

C.S. Lewis

2011-07-27T21:26:00.001-07:00

"If you think of this world as a place intended simply for our happiness you find it quite intolerable: think of it as a place of training and correction and it's not so bad."

Family Picnic

2011-07-27T21:14:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we had a Faulkenham/Jones family reunion. The last time we all were in the same room was our wedding day. Since then many members have been added to the family. We went to Yorba Linda Regional Park and had SO much fun. We spent the day playing games, bocce ball, ladder ball AND Mafia. YES Drew and I taught the group how to play mafia and I think they had a blast. Definitely more Mafia at Christmas time. I love this group of people.

Zoo and Mission

2011-07-27T21:09:00.000-07:00

This past Friday we were able to get away with our dear friends the Kent's. We went down the the Zoomar's Petting Zoo in San Juan Capistrano and the San Juan Capistrano Mission. We enjoyed a wonderful time with great people and a nice lunch at Ruby's. We are so blessed to have this family in our life!

Life is Fun!

2011-07-18T13:38:00.000-07:00

Riding my car through the house!

I want to get over this gate so I simply pushed the box over and started climbing. oh my!

Twins! They are so cute together. Abby loved the time she spends with Mikaela!

Mom's helping each other out!

Great-Grandma!

2011-07-18T13:33:00.001-07:00

Oh look at these 2. So wonderful!

Faulkenham/ Jones Ladies Night out!

2011-07-18T13:32:00.000-07:00

Ladies Night Out at the Melting Pot! So much fun! We had the room all to ourselves, which may have been on purpose since they saw that we had 3 kids 3 and under. Abby just loved playing with Jaylin.

So much fun! More family fun with an upcoming picnic this weekend! Yea for great friends!

Balboa Boat Cruise

2011-07-18T13:29:00.000-07:00

We went on a family boat cruise through Balboa Bay last week. It was fun and not to crowded. Abby liked it and loved watching all the people. I love how she looks like a greasy child who we never wash thanks to the sunscreen lathered on her bald head.

Enjoying the sea lions with daddy! They were fun to watch as they fought for their spot to sleep!

SHE WON!!!

2011-07-09T08:13:00.001-07:00

Abby won the model search contest and will be the new face of Z-Kids in Fullerton!!!! WOW!!! My cute little girl! ha! We have a photo shoot on Saturday! Wahooooo!!!!!

4th of July

2011-07-09T07:29:00.000-07:00

You can't get much cuter!!!!!

2011-07-01T14:31:00.000-07:00

We entered Abby in the ZKids Consignment shop model search. There are only about 50 kids in the contest so if all of our facebook friends vote then she actually will have a chance. Good luck Abby! Let's be honest..... she is the cutest one in the bunch :)

11 Months

2011-06-30T21:31:00.000-07:00

Well it looks like this is the last "monthly" photo we will take. Our little girl is soon to be a toddler. Abby, we love you so much. You just make our lives so much better. Your laugh is contagious. You love your friends and you love going places. You now have 4 teeth completely in. And 4 more making their way down. Last night you slept all the way until 2am. That made us super happy! You are taking about 3 steps on your own but still a little unsure of the walking thing. You do not like it when we spoon feed you. You want to eat it all on your own which makes certain foods a little difficult. You started drinking whole milk this past week and if we warm it up a little bit you like it! I think it makes you feel fuller because you started sleeping a tad bit better lately. You can hold your bottle and sippy cup on your own for a little bit and then you let it go and want us to finish. You love to eat strawberries. I am pretty sure that is all you would eat if I would let you. We pray that you will grow up to love and serve the Lord. We thank the Lord for such a sweet little blessing that you are to us. Happy 11 months Abigail. Now the countdown till your 1st birthday!

Adventure Week-VBS

2011-06-30T21:23:00.000-07:00

We joined in with the festivities at church this week even though Abby was too young to participate. What a blessing that was. It was wonderful to see so many people volunteering. There were TOO MANY volunteers which is wonderful to see. The people of Grace know how to love others and they do it very well!

Abby.... posing for the camera like she usually does :)

Sam was enjoy his class so much he did not even see me take this picture.

Rough Day!

2011-06-27T18:15:00.000-07:00

We totally laughed about this day after it ended but my oh my some crazy things happened. First we got kicked out of the pool at my parents house. Yes, the community that only has 16 houses has a mean old lady living there that told us Abby could not swim because she was under 2 and not potty trained. Thanks mean old lady for telling us in 90 degree weather that an 11 month old is not allowed to swim. After that my mom went outside with no shoes on. Not smart. She stepped on a bee and the bee got it's stinger stuck in her and wiggled and wiggled. We were both screaming and I was trying to get the stupid bee out. I finally got the bee and the stinger out (so glad I had tweezers in the car) and we got her in the house. I googled what to do because I had not clue how to treat a bee sting. It suggested Baking Soda and water. GENIUS!!! It worked like magic and my mom could breathe again. As if that was not crazy enough for one day we where playing with Abby and my mom fell on one of Abby's toys and I swear she cracked a rib. She is in so much pain. yikes. Praying she heals soon. Yes, now that all those things are over we laugh. That's just how we roll....

Abby's 1st Trip to the Beach!

2011-06-27T18:11:00.000-07:00

We, along with Chantal and Mikaela, went to the beach today. We headed down to Bolsa Chica. It was not too hot but I totally covered Abby up because with her fair skin I just did not want her to get burned. We sent up a tent, which is not allowed on beaches anymore, crazy, but the lifeguard let us keep it up for the girls. They enjoyed the sand and the water. What a mess but such fun with great friends!

Wordless Wednesday (Friday Edition)

2011-06-24T07:12:00.000-07:00

Early Birthday Present!

2011-06-24T07:10:00.000-07:00

Abigail got the best gift EVER this morning ( I know a little dramatic) Her Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Doug got her this amazing play kitchen. Thank you ToysRus for moving and needing to sell it 40% off. YEA!!!

Thank you for my new kitchen!!! I love it and now I can cook with mommy and all my friends!!!!

Miss my Teaching Days

2011-06-21T16:50:00.000-07:00

Today would be probably one of the 1st days in the past 12 months that I have missed having a full-time teaching job. It's hard to explain. I don't want to be away from Abby but for a little while I just missed have students, lesson planning, teaching, co-workers, classrooms, bulletin boards and what not. I love my life and I love being mom but today I would have liked to go to work, just for a day. I am sure by tomorrow I will be well over this. Maybe someday I will venture back into the teaching world. That is if there will ever be any job openings again.

What a weekend!

2011-06-20T09:24:00.000-07:00

Wow this weekend could not have been more packed but we have so much fun. On Thursday I took Abby out to my parents house for a visit and to stay a few nights. I stayed Thursday night and hung out with my dad, mom and grandma. THEN I left Abby on Friday afternoon and came back home to meet Drew and head out. We went to dinner with the Dedmon's at The Chili Pepper in Orange before heading to U2 at the Angel Stadium. YEA!!!
I did not take one picture this weekend which is so unlike me. boo. We spend Friday night at the concert watching Lenny Kravitz and U2 360 tour. I don't think I have ever been to anything like that before. We had so much fun and did not get home until 1am. That is the latest we have been out since before we were pregnant. ha!
Saturday morning we woke up and helped the Johnson's move. Drew then went to go pick up Abby and I went to Sophia's baby shower. After that we headed down to celebrate Silas' 1st birthday and then back home again to cook, clean and bathe Abby.
Sunday began with Starbucks and downtown Disney prior to church. After church we went to Clark Park with the Bryson Clan for hang out and lunch. WOW..... what a fun filled weekend with no pictures.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-15T14:35:00.000-07:00

What a great group!

2011-06-15T14:34:00.000-07:00

I have an amazing group of friends who really do care about Drew, Abby and I. I love them all! Today some of them came over for a play date and lunch. 6 kids all 2 and younger..... boy it was a blast and we were on our toes teaching these little ones how to share with one another. It was great. Moments like this I want to just enjoy forever.

Happy First Birthday Cole and Nora!

2011-06-12T20:50:00.000-07:00

Although Cole is not in any of these pictures it actually was his birthday I just did not get close enough to get a good picture :(

All gone...

2011-06-09T16:24:00.000-07:00

Well, we had a few good nights of sleep and now we are back to stage one. Getting new teeth is really taking this little girl for a ride. She is miserable at night and won't stay asleep. Poor thing.... hoping this passes soon.

The Best Night in 10 Months...

2011-06-04T11:46:00.000-07:00

Abby only got up one time last night at 1:46am and then slept until 6am AND went right back to sleep until 7:30am. I only count the 1am waking because technically 6am in morning and not night in my book. That was the best she has ever done. HOPING this continues.... ohhh that would be wonderful!

Rainbow Cake

2011-06-02T20:13:00.000-07:00


So I was going to practice a cake for Abby's Birthday but it turns out my friend is going to make one for her so this was just for fun!	Mix 2 boxes of white cake mix as directed. Divide into 6 bowls with 1 1/4 cup of cake batter each. Add food color gel to each bowl and bake for about 14 mins. each.

Huntington Library

2011-06-02T20:07:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Grace Women's Fellowship we spent the day at the Huntington Library for Free! It was a wonderful day, great weather, awesome ladies and joyful children.

Abby was not a fan of the "Nora Love". Nora just wanted to kiss and hug her and Abby felt like her personal space was being invaded. It ended in some crying on Abby's part and Nora just wanting to love her more! They sure are cute!

10 Months

2011-05-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

Abigail is 10 months old. Pretty soon we will be celebrating her first birthday. WOW. We are loving it more and more everyday. The past 4 nights Abby has slept from 8pm until 11 or 12, waking up to feed and then sleeps again until 3 or 4, feeds, and then is up at 6am. That is EXCELLENT for her. Progress is being made and hopefully we continue to sleep better because then mom and dad get to sleep too :)

This month........

Abby is eating table foods such as carrots, LOVES bananas, apples, grapes, strawberries, chicken, cheerios, Jello snacks and much more. She only eats a few baby food items these days as we are transitioning slowly into table foods. Abigail loves to feed herself so I try to give her as many finger food items as possible so she can be in charge :)

Abby is walking along furniture very well and standing on her own for about 3 seconds at a time. She says mama, dada, and no no no very well. We are working on yes yes yes :)

She is still very clingy to mama and does not like it when she is out of her sight but is doing a lot better with other people too. She went to the nursery a few times this month for an hour or more. yay!!!

Family Fun Day

2011-05-30T20:13:00.000-07:00

We went to Clark Park with some lovely friends for a great Monday lunch picnic.

the kids LOVE playing together!

After suggesting to the guys to go down the slide with the girls we found out that it probably was not the best idea. This was not a safe slide for dads with daughters on their laps.

Ohhh Life!

2011-05-23T15:52:00.000-07:00

When life gives you lemons you make lemonade. That is EXACTLY what we have done these past 2 weeks. Life threw us some major yucky looking lemons and we did our best to make some nice strawberry lemonade. Let's recap.... On Mother's Day our neighbor was back at her crazy shenanigans with pounding on our wall at 2am.....2:30am.....4am etc.... We knew that was the end of the straw. After the last 6 month fight with her she calmed down for a couple months but now that she was back at it again and we started packing. We knew we had to walk away from our home but that our home was not what mattered, it was our family. Abby was scared and not sleeping. I was scared at night and worried and Drew was worried about his girls. The Lord knew what we were getting ready to face because it happened that the perfect place was available and we were able to move 10 days later. Miracle. Those were the longest 10 days ever for us. We cried, we packed, we talked with the bank, we talk with family and friends, we gathered help and we moved. Were we sad to say goodbye to the home we worked so hard for? A little bit but because of the severity of the situation it was really easy to say goodbye. We are protecting our family and taking care of us and that is what has to come first in life. I was most sad to say goodbye to my lovely neighbors and Abby's friends BUT we will still see each other just not as convenient.
Let's take a look at how many Pro's we have with this move. Despite the awful situation God is totally blessing us.
1/2 mile from Giving Children Hope
2 Bedrooms and a washer and dryer and back patio!
Some of my favorite people will also be moving in here in about a month and we have many people from Calvary who live here as well!
Drew does not have to work as many extra hours giving him more time with his family (this should be the #1 blessing)
God took us from an awful situation and reminded us that He loves us and is taking care of us. Thank you Lord for the many things you are doing and thank you for a break and a peaceful place to recovery from the past 18 months. May we rest in the Lord and gain strength for the next step in life.
To God be All the Glory!

Night Swim with Daddy

2011-05-04T19:01:00.000-07:00

9 Months!

2011-05-03T15:14:00.000-07:00

Ohh how time flies. We are now 9 months old! Abigail still does not sleep through the night but she, for the last couple of nights, has only woke up for feeding at midnight and 5am with an 11 o'clock back patting needed. That is a wonderful night for us. She loves to eat, except when she has a new tooth coming in. She eats many table foods including cheese, meats, strawberries, banana and much much more. She loves playing with her friends but only if mama is in sight. She loves watching Mickey's Clubhouse DVD. She is crawling and full speed, pulling herself up, almost standing on her own and getting into lots of mischief. We love her to pieces.
Weighing in at: 18lbs 10oz.

Cruisin' the Wide Open Seas

2011-05-03T15:11:00.000-07:00

We went on a cruise this weekend thanks to my mom and grandma. It was my 7th Cruise, Drew's 3rd and Abigail's 1st. Can you tell we love Cruise Ships?!?!

We set sail Friday evening on the Carnival Paradise and returned back into port on Monday morning. We have a blast.

We got off the ship in Mexico for about 20 mins. just because and then got back on! Abby has now been to another country!

Yes, we were matching. Family tradition!

4 generations of girls :)

Abigail was the hit on the boat. I think most of the ship knew who she was and knew her by name. She would smile and talk to them all. By the last day people would walk by and say, "Hi Abigail" like they knew her personally. It was so funny. The workers on the boat absolutely loved her.

Crawling around with daddy. Abby seems to be cutting a new tooth which is no fun while on vacation but she was a trooper.

Helping daddy play cards!

Signs of a tantrum..... yes we have those. oh boy..... we will have to work on that.

More of God's Blessings

2011-04-28T07:02:00.000-07:00

Drew was offered a position as an Academic Counselor last night. YEA! So proud of him! (this is in addition to his already full time GCH job) We are not sure on details yet and it is going to be a lot of work for him but it looks like it will be something he will enjoy. The Lord always hears us when we get down to the last min. and have completely run out of patience. So now we press on for a few more months and continue to rely on Him to provide. Like we will until we die. Drew also can home last night with 2 HUGE boxes of baby wipes from his warehouse at work. They told him to just take them home. God is good. All the time. Thank you Lord for the glimmers of Hope and reminders this week that you care about us and our needs. We really needed those reminders and are so thankful for them. Thank you to those of you who are reading this and praying for our life. We appreciate each of you! :)

Mobile Baby

2011-04-25T19:33:00.000-07:00

Abby started crawling on all fours this week. Prior to that, she could just pull herself along on her belly like a beached sea turtle, but now she is up on her knees and moving around the house like one of the cats. I'm just waiting for her to figure out that she can flee from Mommy and Daddy by crawling under the table.

(Just so you know, I was interrupted at this point in my post to give Abby a bath, whereupon she peed on me...)

Her mobility is causing me to have visions of her suddenly grown up. She no longer needs us to get around the house and soon she won't need us for a lot more. Before long she'll be able to walk on her own, eat on her own, go to the bathroom on her own (and not on us), read on her own, drive on her own and pay taxes on her own.

Our little girl is growing up.

God's Blessings

2011-04-25T07:12:00.000-07:00

Believing God will provide....
This week we were blessed with almost 2 months of formula, which will get Abby until she is ready for milk. No more formula for us :) AND we were blessed with a very generous gift card. Thank you Lord for the small reminder that you have not forgot our situation. Thank you Lord for the interview for Drew on Wed. Praying for that job.

I Love our Friends!

2011-04-21T07:17:00.000-07:00

Catching a quick Cartoon while walking through the mall!!!!

Biggest blog Entry Year!

2011-04-20T15:45:00.000-07:00

Being the nerd that I am I noticed that this year, 2011, is the biggest year for blog entries EVER! Probably because I don't have a job but nonetheless we will have a well documented year, hopefully!

Living within your Means

2011-04-20T15:07:00.000-07:00

I just read an article about living within your means, especially in today's economy. I felt rather pleased with how we have handled things after reading that article. Common sayings are " I just can't afford that" or "We have to make (insert rather large amount) a year to make ends meet". I have made it a personal goal to try my best to not use the phrase "We can't afford it". I, of course, with good friends sometimes am a little more open to that wordage but try to stay away. Reason being that I feel like we can afford somethings but should we be spending our money on that? Nope. When Drew and I got married we only had one income. 6 months later we had 2 full-time jobs, both were in school, and we tutored. Where we making money? Sure. Enough to pay our bills, put ourselves through school and go on a vacation for our 1st anniversary. We were doing ok. We were very aware of our funds and budgeted hard every month to make ends meet. I have always used coupons (much more now), we have never had cable TV or internet on our phones. We don't shop at name brand clothing stores and don't fuss over the types of food we buy at the grocery store. We don't have credit card debt and don't buy anything else if we can't afford it. Those are just basic ways of cutting back. Now that we are down to one income again, with an almost 9 month old, we have found even more ways to slim down the budget. Many people would probably say we aren't doing it right but I believe with all my heart that we are being good stewards of what the Lord has given us. Over the next few months God will either take some of those things away or provide a way to keep them. Either way we will still say "Blessed be Your Name".
I am very proud of my husband. He provides for his family and does it wonderfully. I never thought we would last this long on the budget we currently have but as of today the bills are paid. God is good. I always thought that it would be impossible to cut an income down this low and still be able to make it. To be honest I am not sure how many months we will but until then we continue to live within our means. This may all be gibberish to some but to me it is important.
I have a friend who I totally admire. They do not have much but are serving the Lord faithfully. I want to be content with what we have, grateful for what we are given, thankful and happy. I am. God will take care of us. Taking care of us doesn't mean that we won't have to move in the next year or sell 1 of our 2 cars or work nights but God WILL take care of us. I am looking forward to looking back on this post and seeing where God grew us and how He brought us through these times.

My Prayer: Ok Lord, you know where we are at right now. What are you going to do in our lives? Where do you want us to go? How do you want us to serve? Please show us an answer soon. Please. Until then give us the strength to remain patient, understanding, strong and wise. You know we have a decision to make in the next 3 weeks and we are not sure how to make it. Give us a very clear answer so we know we are doing the right things. That is my prayer......

Writing

2011-04-18T13:23:00.000-07:00

I like to read peoples blogs. I like to know what people are experiencing in life and how they handle it all. I enjoy life. I am not a fan of reading in general. I am not even sure if I know what the last book was that I read form cover to cover. Does that make me weird? No, I don't think so. I just don't enjoy it. I can't turn my mind off and sit still long enough to read a book. I do on the other hand like reading blogs. Why? I am not exactly sure other than maybe the feeling on "realness" I get from other blogs. I found on this week where the writer was so real. Words just flowed and she knew how to express everything she was feeling, wanting, thinking and so on through words. Actually it was words I understand. Sometimes when Drew writes I have to have him explain it to me. My brain just doesn't function that way. Give me some math problems and now you have your girl but get me to talk about a poem or book and you lost me. I would love to be able to put into words my life and what goes on in my head, but I doubt that will ever be me. Someday Drew will write a novel, I guess I will leave the writing up to him.

Cousin Visit

2011-04-17T19:58:00.000-07:00

La Habra Citrus Fair

2011-04-17T19:55:00.000-07:00

Arriving at the Fair. Abigail was looking at a roller coaster off to the side and as you can see from the picture below she was totally frightened of it and the loud noise it made!

At the Fair with our neighbors and good friends, The Kents!

Mikaela and Abby taking a break on the grass and watching a show on the stage.

Bubble fun on the grass, relaxing, enjoying our friends and the beautiful day.

Healing

2011-04-11T13:31:00.000-07:00

I got this off of a Devotions Website that I was searching through so it's not my wording but felt like I could relate.

Healing

“My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body.” Proverbs 4:20-23

With a New Year arriving I have been thinking about my “word” for the year. This word usually ends up being my theme for the year. Last year’s word was given to me unwillingly, it was: brokenness.
This time last year so many changes were occurring, against my will. The theme of brokenness had carried itself forward from the year before and nothing was safe from breaking down. It all seemed like a huge set back and the worst possible timing.
But through the brokenness so much had changed and I believe has led up to this year’s theme: healing.
When I think of healing I think of having A LOT of patience. Healing isn’t something that typically happens in an instant. When I broke my ankle in a car accident it didn’t heal in an instant. It took intervention from the doctor to heal properly, and it took 2 months of putting no weight on my ankle in order for it to heal. It took time. Even after all of that my ankle still wasn’t completely healed.
When something breaks it doesn’t return back to normal. Typically it changes and is never the same again. My ankle will never be the same again, but through that brokenness I experienced my heart was forever changed also, and for that I am grateful!
Through this past year, everything that had been broken was restored but it took time, and in most instances the broken item was replaced with something newer and better.
Newer and better…healing isn’t about getting back to the old, it’s about going to that next level and experiencing what God has in store for you.
I am grateful for the healing, however I’m not that patient with the process. It is definitely going to take some intervention from God to heal the brokenness and this is going to come from praying more and reading more of God’s word.
Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Thank you for your intervention. Thank you for your word. Thank you for always being there and showing me that brokenness isn’t typically a bad thing. I will always remember 2010 as the year of your provision, and I will always remember it with a grateful heart to You. It was a year of you revealing Yourself to our family, and how You showed up and blessed our family beyond what we would have imagined for ourselves. For all of this I am grateful. Thank you for another day, month, year. I pray that I never take you for granted and that throughout this year I continue to acknowledge You and realize Your presence in my life. I pray this in Jesus’ name. – Amen!

Pulling Up!

2011-04-11T11:08:00.000-07:00

We have almost mastered the "pull yourself up" technique. She is getting super close. I took a video but somehow I always turn the camera sideways which doesn't work with video like it does with pictures. One day I will learn :(

Disaster in So Cal

2011-04-08T16:34:00.000-07:00

Last night Drew and I were talking about disasters and what not. I did not know this information BUT in the event of a natural disaster here is So Cal Giving Children Hope will have security immediately sent to their facility to prevent looting. Good to know. I think it is OK to say you may want to be friends with us if that happens cause we can let you in :) My plan, if the infrastructure, is shut down is to walk over, with Abby to GCH. At least we know we have an option because I don't think it will be long until Los Angeles gets hit with something.

Doctor

2011-04-07T14:31:00.000-07:00

Abby and I made a trip to the Doctor today to make sure she did not have an ear infection. Seeing as how mommy had so much trouble when she was a baby we want to keep a close eye on it. Abigail was just fine. She may be getting another tooth and that could be why she is fussy and not eating. She was also tugging on her ears the past few days, but we are good. She weighed in at 18lbs 5 oz. Good job Abby!

My Little Monkey!

2011-04-07T14:28:00.000-07:00

Abigail has found a way to get into places that she should not be. She knows when we are telling her NO and looks up at us with a big smile. She climbed through this today only to find out that she was stuck and couldn't get out. Mama gave her a little push and she was on her merry way.

TU-TU's

2011-04-05T10:59:00.000-07:00

We are at it again with the crafts. Giving Children Hope is have a Spring Boutique so we are thinking of things that will help raise some funds. Hoping these are popular. I sure do think they are cute!!!

Carlsbad Flower Fields

2011-04-05T10:54:00.001-07:00

This past weekend we got to go to the Carlsbad Flower Fields with Grandma and Grandpa. We had a blast. We walked through the Sweet Pea Maze and then took the tractor ride around the flower field. We enjoyed all the beautiful colors and loved spending time with family.

God is good!

2011-03-31T20:44:00.000-07:00

God spared my mom, Abigail and myself today from what should have been a deadly accident. We were on the 91 fwy at Imperial (crazy freeway to begin with) and someone in the carpool lane slammed on their brakes, due to someone on the shoulder, which sent her car into a sharp right turn directly in front of me and all lanes of traffic eventually landing on the opposite shoulder WITH NO CARS HARMED! I could not believe it. The second I saw her brake lights come on I said " Oh Lord Please" He heard me and spared every single person on that freeway. We were within inches of hitting her and every person on that freeway handled it calmly, did not slam on their brakes, and remained calm until she was off to the side. About 10 years ago my mom, dad, and myself were in this EXACT spot when the exact same thing happened. That time I am sure someone was hurt but we were spared again. Thank you Lord for protecting our car, our sweet baby, and the many others on that freeway today.

8 Months

2011-03-31T07:32:00.001-07:00

Abigail you have reached many milestones this month. You are now crawling, standing along items such as the couch, walking better holding our hands AND no more pacifier. You had a really bad cold this month. The congestion lasted almost 3 weeks and you were miserable for about 4 days. During that time you could not suck on the pacifier so we just got rid of it. You are doing very well without it. Still no luck with sleeping at night. We are still up every 2-3 hours at night. You are a good girl though. You don't fuss too much and when you do I take you to Target and walk around :) Mama does her coupon shopping and you talk to all the people in the store. It is quite cute. It is very hard for us to get through a store without someone wanting to stop and talk to you!

You are eating pretty good. You like oatmeal, yogurt, all fruits, spinach, little bit of lasagna, puffs and snacks. You love drinking water.

You do not like cottage cheese, green beans, and most meats.

Mommy tried to make baby food for you this month and you were not a fan of it once it was frozen and re-heated. Oh well!

You are a strong little girl. I am very proud of you and we love you very much!

Chipotle Love with Friends!

2011-03-30T16:43:00.000-07:00

Dinner at Chipotle with our neighbors! We love these people!

Yummy!

2011-03-29T13:13:00.001-07:00

Roasted Asparagus Risotto

by TWOPEAS on MARCH 23, 2011

We were at the grocery store and I spotted fresh bunches of asparagus, one of my favorite spring vegetables. We bought a bunch to make make Roasted Asparagus Risotto. Risotto is always comforting and the roasted asparagus adds a nice touch of spring.

I was feeling decent, so I made the risotto. I thought the stirring would take all of my energy, but it actually felt good to be back in the kitchen. Josh joined me for lunch and we enjoyed our spring risotto with a salad on the side. The meal hit the spot.

Roasted asparagus risotto is a great dish for spring. Buy a beautiful bunch of asparagus and get cooking!

Print Recipe

Roasted Asparagus Risotto

10 asparagus spears, ends cut off
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups vegetable broth
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Place asparagus spears on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes, tossing once, until very tender. Set aside.

3. To make the risotto, heat the vegetable broth in a medium sauce pan. Simmer on low while you make risotto.

4. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onion and garlic on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir until all of the grains are coated with butter. Add the white wine and cook for about 2 minutes. Add one cup of broth to the rice and stir with a wooden spoon until the broth is absorbed. Continue to add the broth, one cup at a time. Keep stirring the risotto. When the mixture starts to dry out, add more broth. Continue until the rice is cooked, this will take about 30 minutes.

5. Remove pan from the heat. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Cut the asparagus into bite size pieces and stir into the risotto. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm.

Serves 6

Babies R Us

2011-03-26T19:51:00.001-07:00

The black one is my personal favorite. Abigail is set on Christmas Attire for the next couple years :) We were able to get both of these dresses for $13 after tax! What a bargain. I love me some good deals!

We have a Crawler...stander....soon to be walker!

2011-03-26T15:18:00.000-07:00

One week shy of 8 months old. She has been sick all week, just barely feeling better today and decided to busy out her best moves. We had to cage her in because she was crawling all over the house. So, what does she do. Oh just pulls her self up and stands along the end of the gate. Oh how we love this little bundle of joy!

Sick

2011-03-26T08:25:00.000-07:00

Abigail made it almost 8 months without catching a bad cold. That is pretty good. She has been sick here and there but nothing major...until this week. She got it pretty bad. Poor thing. As a result of the cold she has a new found talent. Take a look.