Long time no blog

We brought Parker home on Christmas day 2006. So much has changed!

It has been a very long time since I last sat to add a post here. We were at the time still in Vicksburg and just finding out about the job opportunity that Alex is proud to now fill. I was in shock, depression and denial. So let me give you the short update.

In June, Alex took a job in our hometown, Petal. So we moved. I very reluctantly followed. Almost immediately after moving Alex began studying for his PE exam...let us all pray that he passed. On Sept. 4th we were shocked, amazed and so thrilled to find out that we are pregnant! Then the almost paralyzing morning sickness began. Once it lightened and I thought I was good to go, we rushed to the ER. I have placenta previa and an incompotent cervix. GREAT!!!! Now at almost 23 weeks I'm on bedrest until the birth. Oh and it is a GIRL!!!

I wish I had a scanner to scan the cute ultrasound pic of baby Piper sucking her fingers. It is amazing to see that she prefers her index finger just as Parker did. Funny how that works. I hope she is as good of a baby as Parker was.

Parker will be 3 next week and I'm so amazed at how much he has learned this year. He told me today that his cup leaked and got his shirt wet and said "Mom sometimes that just happens". WHAT!

It is so wonderful to be in Petal, now that we are here, with our families. I don't think we could survive all of what we have been going through without help and LOTS of it. Family can be a wonderful thing.

I do miss my beautiful Vicksburg house and how I had it decorated last year. I was so proud. This year we have a tree and a wreath........that is all we can handle. Alex and Parker decorated the tree and it is beautiful. I sat on the couch and gave instructions. I am sure that Alex wishes I came with a mute button.

Peace

We sang this several weeks ago at church and I could not finish singing because of the tears that streamed from my eyes. I have looked for a youtube video, but could not find one. I just wanted to share the lyrics with you. God is working in my families lives and our future. He has some upcoming changes and plans for us that I will share shortly. But for now, I will be still and know my God.

Rebecca St. James - Peace Lyrics
Album: Pray


By Rebecca St. James, Tedd T.

Alone in the valley
I cry for you
To fill me with your peace
So when the lightening strikes
The thunder roars around me
Still I live in peace
You ask that I

Be still and know you are God
Be still and know you are God

When the fires rage
When the storms surround me
Still I live in peace
Though the mountains fall
Crashing to the ocean
Still I live in peace
You ask that I

Be still and know you are God
Be still and know you are God
Be still and know you are God
Be still and know you are God

Lead me through the valley
Lead me by the streams
Restore me and draw me to you, God
To you I lift my soul
To you who makes me whole
Gently you hold me close to you
Close to you

Be still and know you are God
Be still and know you are God
Be still and know you are God
Be still and know you are God

You're near me
You love me

You hold me
You reach me
You still me
You move me
You draw me to you, God
(repeat)

You are God!

Easter morning

I was able to snap only a few quick pics before service Easter morning. It was raining when we got home from church, so no outside pics.......sorry.

A Great Weekend

Our Weekend has been wonderful.

Friday, we got Fox's Pizza...my absolute favorite comfort food and one of my favorite family dinners. Parker loves "pipis"...pizza. We then headed to Alex's least fave spot of all, Walmart. We had some must need items and then we were home to dye eggs. Sorry I did not get any pictures. It took Alex and me both helping at all times. I did not want orange, gator green, or any other colored counter tops. Oh I hate white counters.

Saturday, we had our church egg hunt. It was a blast for the kids and an enjoyable time for the parents. Sara picked the best park. One of our neighbor friends, Beth, joined us. She is pictured with Parker. I think Parker loved the large slide more than he did hunting the eggs. However, he did stop sliding long enough to fill his basket. Every egg he found, he had to crack it, dump the goodies, and throw the egg in his basket. After the egg hunt we headed home for naps and yard work. Alex has been constructing a path from the back patio to his shop. It looks great. Of course it helps when you have a two-year old giving you a hand. We decided to give Parker his Easter basket on Saturday that way Sunday could be just about God, and rightfully so. This is definitely a tradition we will continue. (Sorry about the pics of Parker in his underwear...but hey they are REAL underwear. We still have accidents, but we are moving in the right direction!!!!)

Church today was awesome. I spent most of my time in the nursery helping take care of the precious babes, but I was able to hear some of the sermon. I was also able to hear a sermon this morning titled "It's Friday, but Sunday is coming." It was one of the most touching sermons I think I have ever heard. I know that we have all had our own Friday's, and some are
probably feeling that their whole week, month, year or even life has been filled with nothing but Friday's. I know that I have felt that way at times. God never said this life would be easy. However, he does promise Sunday. He does promise VICTORY. He does promise that He will always be right where you are. Yes, even when you cannot feel Him, and even when it STILL hurts. Our Fridays are so difficult. But have you thought about His Friday lately? Have you thought about His suffering? Not even by His cause, but because of you and ME! The song "Jesus Paid It All" cannot even paint the picture of the pain my Savior faced on His Friday. But oh that glorious Sunday came. My SAVIOR lives!!!! And because of His sacrifice, I can have eternal life. All it takes is believing. It is so simple actually. We just believe that God loved the world so much that He sent His only Son, Jesus to die for our sins. Yep, all of the sins. We believe that Jesus died for us, but that is not all. He did not stay dead. He raised from the grave. Jesus conquered death. God is Soooo good! He made it so easy for us. You know why? Love

Today as with everyday, we have tried to help our beautiful little boy see God's love. I don't know how many of you saw Billy Graham's daughter, Anne Graham Lotz, on Fox news this morning, but I know she made her earthly father and Heavenly Father proud. She turned every response into the testimony of Jesus Christ... the path to salvation. I pray that Parker will have the faith, determination, love, confidence and ease of words to spread God's love.

There is no day like Easter..............

A big weekend

Since Parker is our one and only. We have decided along with everyone else to make him completely rotten, but polite. Just kidding. He has been doing great with using the potty. We even have dry diapers, or big boy's after naps and throughout the night. We are very excited. Our only problem is he has decided that he just won't poop at all if he has to poop in the potty. So we have been having to push fiber, so he doesn't have a choice. We fixed a workbench for Parker this weekend. He loves playing with his tools. The picture of him standing in the fridge is also from this weekend. We treat him with M&M's. He was trying to sneak some more. Oh and let us not forget his rockin' glasses. He is such the rockstar.

Our Busy World

We have been extremely busy lately ...trying to keep up with Parker. Here are some pics.

Nose Glue

When I was a little girl, my Uncle John would pretend to "pull my nose off". He would show me his thumb between his other fingers and say "Whitney, I got your nose." I would scream and cry, I was/am very dramatic, and beg for my nose to be returned. He would laugh and laugh which would send me to my daddy begging for help. Finally Uncle John would return my nose and to help ease the tears he would give me some orange TicTacs....my favorite.

Today as I was putting Parker's naptime diaper on, I pretended to get his nose. He looked at me like I had a mental problem as I held my thumb between my fingers saying "Parker, I got your nose." No screaming or yelling or begging here. Parker stuck his little finger straight up his nose, pulled out a wet finger and said

"Glue"
"Nose"
"Stuck"

Then he quickly pointed to my thumb and said

"Phlinger"

What do you do with that?

"You're never completely ready...It just becomes your turn."

This is a quote from Ty Murray on "Dancing with the Stars." Now let me first say, that I'm not a usual suspect for such shows, but I wanted to see what all the hype was about and nothing else was on. I was really much more interested in all the different people than I was the dancing. If you know me, you understand this. Since I would never be able to dance anything other than dances like my favorite "The Chicken Dance". Anyway, as they showed the interview for Ty Murray I was struck by this statement.

As I was growing up, the days before school started each year, I would go into the living room with just my mom and cry. It was not that I did not like school. I was not ready for all I would have to face. I do NOT like change. I am a total don't move my cheese girl. I knew there would be ups and downs, positives and negatives, glories and failures....and honestly they all scared me. I just did not know if I could live up to the standard or "make it". I was never completely ready, but when my turn came......somehow it wasn't that bad.........and I did enjoy most of it.

As an adult, I have faced heartbreak, tragedy and fears........just like every one else. I have also experienced overwhelming joy, victories, and comical happy's. All of these have shaped me and make me.....me. Most of these happenings have caught me off guard, and again....I was not really ready....it was just my turn.

I see life around me changing in front of my eyes. My little boy no longer sleeps in his baby bed, and potty training has been okay........this week. Everyday is something new... a new word, a new game, something. We have so much fun during the day making crafts, reading and playing. He is a joy that I want to help him be ready for anything and everything he must face in this life.

So tonight I sit with my precious little boy, so very thankful that even though I constantly find myself not ready in life......it continues to be my turn.

*** BTW*** Parker did pick out all the beads and glued them on the train himself. I know they are in almost a perfectly straight line.....He is definitely Alex's and My child. Also, he picked out the colors for the clothing of the Howard Family. Yes, he wanted Daddy to wear pink..... I thought that was too funny. Oh and he helped in cutting the clothes out. He did not like it, probably because I had my hands on the scissors too. He loved gluing the eyes on the people, but he did not want us to have mouths and noses. So, we don't.

The Life I Planned

Has someone seen the life I planned?

It seems it's been misplaced

I've looked in every corner

It's lost without a trace

I've found one I don't recognize

Things missing that were dear

Promises I'd hope to keep

And dreams I'd dreamed aren't here

Faces I had planned to see

Hands I planned to hold

Now absent in the pictures

Not the way I told

Has someone seen the life I planned?
Did it get thrown away?

God took my hand from searching

Then I heard him say,

"Child, your ears have never heard

Your eyes have never seen

Eternal plans I have for you

Are more than you could dream.

"You long to walk by sight

But I'm teaching eyes to see.

I know what I am doing

'Til then, you must believe."

He's done so much, I felt ashamed

To know He heard my moans

To think I'd trade in all He's done

For plans made on my own.

I wept over His faithfulness

And how He'd proved Himself

How He'd gone beyond my dreams

And said to Him myself,

"No, my ears have never heard

My eyes have never seen

Eternal plans you have for me

Are more than I could dream.

"Yes, I long to walk by sight

But You're teaching eyes to see

You know what You are doing

'Til then, I must believe."

I felt His great compassion

Mercy unrestrained

He let me mourn my losses

And showed me to my gains.

I offered Him my future

And released to Him my past

I traded in my dreams

For a plan He said would last.

I get no glimpse ahead

No certainties at all

Except the presence of the One

Who will not let me fall.

Are you also searching

For a life you planned yourself?

Have you looked in every corner?
Have you checked on every shelf?

Child, your ears have never heard

Your eyes have never seen

Eternal plans He has for you

Are more than you could dream.

Perhaps you long to walk by faith

But He's teaching eyes to see

He knows what He is doing

Child, step out and believe.

~ Beth Moore

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind

has conceived what God has prepared

for those that love Him." 1 Corinthians 2:9

Inaugural Balls

***Warning mother this might not be suitable for you........but it sure is funny. ********



So all day Monday and Tuesday the news kept talking about the President's Inaugural Balls. Alex, my sweet husband, could not control his laughter. It was like he was in sixth grade again......"haha, the teacher said balls." At one point Monday, in a very serious tone he asked if he should email the news station and ask them to reword their speech. So last night when he arrived home, he brought in a package. I was expecting a gold nepalese focal bead. Well when I opened the box........we found as Alex said an inaugural ball. And a big ball it is. The description said 20mm.........ummmmm....no. They might want to take Handy Manny's advice.......measure twice. So here it is, the only inaugural ball we saw last night. I mean after hearing Aretha Franklin at the inauguration..........I did not think I could take any more.




Oh, isn't this the cutest pic. As I was uploading the bead pictures, I noticed this in the opened folder. I could not help it. This was taken in Jan. 2007. Wow, he has changed. Aren't those the cutest lips you have ever seen??????????

Tag you're it!

Parker had been riding his tractor. Crazy hair..."Nan, I need a hair cut."

I'm really not sure what mode I had my camera in.

"Don't worry mom, I'll figure your new camera out in no time!"

So I was tagged by my friend Rebeka to go to the sixth folder and the sixth picture. This was Parker at about six months. A former student made the outfit and used her mom's machine to put Parker's initials.........It was one of my favorite outfits. He has changed so much and it makes me a little sad that my baby is growing so fast. (Oh mom, one thing has not changed, his eyes are still blue...even at two.) However, everyday is so precious and special.......and I love my baby's hair! I love watching Parker grow, learn and love. He is truly a gift from God!

Alex the Builder

For Christmas, Alex built me this beautiful jewelry box. He did such a good job. It is the first thing he has ever built and was very worried at times. I was totally surprised. I knew he was building something for me, but I had no idea what it was. Since it was so beautiful, I have put in several other requests. He has completed one other. A trunk that fits nicely under my bench. It holds my blankets and pillows so Alex can sit on the bench. He did an excellent job on it also.

So we are having the Green Eggs and Ham of potty training. I will not go here or there....I will not go anywhere. For a little one that was doing sooooo well last week, I don't know what happened. He would not always ask to potty, but everytime I took him he went. This weekend, he had no interest. Monday morning he woke and asked to go potty. So we went. Then we went through 3 pull-ups before noon. Discouraged ******************************

A January Snake

Sunday as Alex was opening the back door to his shop, a snake fell from the ledge above his head. It is the second copperhead that he has killed in the same place since we have lived in this house. Thankfully this one did not land on him, as the other did. He decided that maybe he owed Al Gore an apology for his thoughts on global warming. Alex cleaned the yard for fear of more snakes hiding where Parker would be riding his tractor. This snake is missing its head.

christmas 2008