Let the Games Begin

A little known fact about me that some of you may not know is that I LOVE football season!!  I come from a family of football lovers so I guess it is just sort of in my blood.  Cory tells me this time every year that he feels pretty lucky to be married to someone that can't wait to wake up on Saturday mornings and watch College Game Day on ESPN.  Where as many spouses see this time of year as a hinderance to their marriage, we find it an asset to ours.  Until now...

Cory and I are both in a Fantasy Football League organized by my brother.  Tonight was our draft.  Earlier this afternoon I asked Cory what his strategy was going to be.  He simply refused to tell me.  Guess I'm on my own in the fantasy football department these days.  I will be the first to admit that I wasn't as prepared for the draft as I would have liked to have been.  Since we now have two small children my days are filled with trying to care for them and see that their every need is met.  I do not have time to research players and teams.  Ever since becoming a mother of two, my brain functions much differently than it used to and I had a much harder time keeping up with the auction during our draft.  So needless to say, when Cory ended up with the QB I had originally wanted, I wasn't too thrilled.  

My team is basically mediocre and I'm really OK with that.  It is all just for fun anyway.  But there is something to be said for the competitive edge one might feel with their spouse.  So during this football season, both fantasy and real, every time my sweet husband comes up with some glib comment and wants to "trash talk" to me about my team, I hope he thinks about what I do each and every day for our kids.  That my mind is no longer a place for scores, yards, and numbers; but for feeding schedules, playtimes, disciplines, and bedtimes.  Perhaps the next time Lucy is crying and he looks at me for a suggestion about what he should do, I'll just simply refuse to tell him.      

 

Celebrating Mom

This past Friday the kids and I made a quick trip to Abilene to celebrate my mom's retirement.  She has worked in the world of education for 25 years and has always been very dedicated to her students and her job.  She set such a good example for my brother and me with a very strong work ethic.  I'm so proud of her for all of her hard work, but am SO excited for her to begin this next chapter in her life.  I can't think of anyone more deserving of living a life of leisure, so to speak, and getting to focus on doing things for herself for a change.  Not to mention, how excited I am about the time she will be able to have to be a grandmother now!!  

Thanks again mom, for all of your hard work over the years!  I love you!

Welcome to the world Ty Jeffery

Our good friends, Meghan, Jeff, and big brother Drew welcomed a new baby boy to their family on Thursday, August 21st!  We are so excited for them and Ty is absolutely precious, almost a spitting image of his big brother!!  Meghan is already up and about and was baking cupcakes when we went over to see them tonight, did someone say "Super Mom"?   

Congratulations Dube family!

"Blessed be Your Name"

And blessed be Your name on the road marked with suffering.

Though there's pain in the offering, blessed be Your name.

These are some of the words we sang to Jesus yesterday at Noah's funeral.  I can't even describe the sadness I have felt over the past week.  Situations like these are so extremely difficult to understand.  While I do not think I will ever have a true understanding of "why" these things happen, I have been able to look at Noah's story a little bit differently after getting to visit with his parents and attend his services.

In Noah's 364 days here on earth, he touched more people's hearts than most people who get to live to be old and grey.  That tiny little baby had more people spending time with God and crying out to Him in prayer than what I'm sure even some ministers are able to do.  Blessed be Your name.

While it is heartbreaking not to have Noah here with us, we know now that he is completely healed.  Blessed be Your name.

I continue to stand in awe of Deb and Josh and their faith that has gotten them through this journey so far.  They are such amazing people.  I went to Alabama with the hope of being able to provide them with even some shred of support and comfort and it was only after hearing them talk of Noah and their journey with him that I felt some comfort and peace.

Here is a poem that I read while I was in Alabama.  Like so many other things in this story, it spoke to me so I thought I would share it.

A Place Where Children Are

What kind of place would heaven be

with all its streets of gold,

If all the souls that dwell up there

like yours and mine, were old?

How strange would heaven's music sound

when harps begin to ring

If children were not gathered 'round

to help the angels sing.

The children that God sends to us

are only just a loan,

He knows we need their sunshine 

to make a house a home.

We need the inspiration 

of a baby's blessed smile.

He doesn't say they've come to stay,

just lends them for a while.

Sometimes it takes them years to do

the work for which they come.

Sometimes in just a month or two

Our Father calls them home.

I like to think some souls up there

bear not one sinful scar.

I love to think of heaven as 

a place where children are.

Thank you Lord, for Noah Jackson Lauer.  Bless him, and keep him, he is one special little boy.

Heartbroken

Sweet little Noah joined our God in heaven yesterday afternoon.  

Today would have been his first birthday.  

There are no words.

Please continue to pray for Josh and Deb Lauer as they try to build a life without Noah.

"Lord, You have assigned me my portion and my cup; You have made my lot secure."

-Psalm 16:5

Please Pray

Many of you know of our friends the Lauers and the story of their son Noah (his picture is over on the right hand side of this blog).  Please join me in lifting them up in prayer.  Noah has spent the last three weeks in the hospital and Josh and Deb covet prayers for strength, wisdom, and peace as they are continually having to make decisions about Noah's care.  

Their journey has given me feelings of sadness like I have never known.  Due to recent developments in little Noah's condition, I have not been able to stop thinking about them and praying for them.  My heart breaks over and over again.  

Cory and I met Deb and Josh our first year in St. Louis and developed our friendship through a small group Bible study over the entire time we lived there.  That group was our "family" during a time when we lived far away from ours.  They walked with us through our first pregnancy and Deb was one of the first to come visit Christopher in the hospital after he was born.  I don't know if they ever had a clue how important their friendship was to us during that time and how I know God had his hand in leading us to them.

I just keep wishing there was something I could do to help them.  All the while I know that there are no words, no gestures, no nothing that can provide them with any solace during this time.  It is a situation where you find yourself questioning God, continually asking "why?" and never being provided with an answer.  All I know to do is pray, pray, and pray some more.  I serve a God who does not always promise healing and happiness but He does promise strength through Him, and at times like these, it is the best place to turn.

Again, please join me in lifting Josh, Deb, and Noah in prayer...

Our Little Fish

All last week Christopher took his first set of swimming lessons.  He did GREAT!  His teacher was recommended to us by several people in our neighborhood and I was so pleased with her.  She was so positive and encouraging to the kids.  There was one other three year old boy in his class so I felt like he had lots of her attention and was also able to learn a little bit from Jason. Most of the week he had a little bit of trouble kicking when his head was under water, thus causing him to basically sink lots of the time. However, the light bulb seemed to turn on on Friday and we have had great results ever since. Here is a video clip from the last day!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Brace Yourselves...

Today I did something crafty!!!  My friend Crystal is so talented.  She is one of those people that when ever she sees something cute in a store, she says, "I can make that" and she actually can!!  Her kids' rooms are out of this world adorable and her playroom looks like something out of a magazine.  I digress.  Anyway, her recent endeavor is tie-dying and today she was so sweet to show me how.  We tie-dyes onesies and they turned out pretty cute.  Hers are much cuter than mine of course, but I'm posting pictures of them anyway. Needless to say the one with the heart is my favorite!!

 

Lucy Baylor

Happy 4 month birthday baby girl!  

Some of the things we love about you...

• Your beautiful smile!  You brighten my day with this every single morning.  Your daddy even commented today about what a morning person you are, always so happy.
• Your coos and squeals of delight.  You love to play on your activity mat and squeal and grin at the animals on there.  
• You always have something to say!  We think you are going to be quite the chatterbox when you get older.  You love to babble and coo at just about anything and anyone.
• Your hair.  I know that may seem silly but your hair makes me laugh all the time.  I just can't control it, but I love it all the same.  
• Your little feet.  Sometime your daddy and I wonder if you will be able to stand up on those feet someday.  They are so narrow and dainty.  Just precious.
• Your patience.  You got to enter this world with a very proud older brother just waiting to love on you and he hasn't stopped a day since then.  Thank you for letting him smother you with his hugs and kisses.  I promise when he is 12 or 13 and wants to sleep in, I'll let you go into his room and poke on his face so that he wakes up!

I could go on and on.  I feel so blessed to get to be your mommy and I'm loving every minute of it.

Christopher and Beth Go to the Circus!

My cousin Beth adores Christopher.  I'm sure I have mentioned before how sweet she is to him and I LOVE the relationship that they are building.  He has told me on more than one occasion that Beth is his best friend.  It makes me so happy!  This year for his birthday, she wanted to take him to the circus.  Check her blog to read about their adventure...so cute!!