Getting Ready

Very soon we will be adding a little girl to our household. Very soon all of our lives will change. I will get even less rest than I am currently, which is only a few hours a night. I will also be the mom to a new little one, and a girl at that. I will have to learn how to do everything all over again, and how to balance being a wife and mom of two. I will also have to learn how to show Parker that he is my #1 boy and that no matter how much attention Piper requires that he is such an essential and loved part of this family. Alex will have to figure out girl gear....and I mean all of it. He will have to balance staying up for feedings and getting enough sleep. (NO, I do NOT plan on doing it alone!!!) He will have to balance work, building a new house and having two little ones that need their daddy. Parker will have to learn to share mom & dad. That is probably going to be the hardest thing for him.

I remember before Parker was born, wondering why people could not complete tasks on my time schedule. I could not figure out what was so hard about meeting a simple request. Then I became a mom. I learned really quickly that I no longer was in charge. My time schedule was no longer set by me. It was a very hard realization. I'm afraid Parker, my I don't like change son, will experience the same pains and withdrawals that I did.

To make this time special for Parker, we are trying to do several things to make being a big brother fun. Unfortunately, he has already figured out that both of their names start with a "P" and he is unhappy about sharing. He is also unhappy about sharing his room, but in our rental house it is a must. He will have his own space soon since we are building, though. In one of the above pictures you see my cute boy's face with the title "The Adventures of the Worm". This is the cover of a book that Alex wrote the story and I put together on blurb.com with cartoon pictures to match the storyline. Why a worm.......I really don't know. Parker started asking us to tell him stories some months back, and he wanted them all to be about a worm. So this story is about a worm named Parker that must stay at Nan & Papa's house while his mom & dad go to the hospital to get a baby. Yes, get a baby. Parker worm must cross over the "mean old troll's" bridge , battle a dragon, and all from his "fly-boat" (all Parker's favorites). We also plan to buy him a new suitcase and pj's for this night..........any other suggestions?

I have made a few, very few, escapes into civilization via a very glamorous wheelchair...compliments of my Dr.'s orders. So I have enjoyed picking up a few pink things here and there. The pink dress is one of 4 Petite Ami dresses I bought recently and love. I'm still looking for the perfect coming home outfit, but if I cannot find it...this may be the winner.

These next few weeks I'll be adding more pics of the baby/Parker room. They have matching bedding, so I think it will all work. I will also be praying. I know that is understood, but this pregnancy has been very rocky and scary for me. It seems that so many things have complicated what should be the most enjoyable time. I just pray that God protects baby Piper and me. I will be having a c-section, and the doctor explained that he may schedule it rather early. I need to make it to week 32, but pray that I make it to week 36. I just want Piper healthy enough to come home after her birth.......and me too.

1 Thess. 5:17 Never stop praying - I wish I knew somebody that could Paint a canvas for me with Piper's name and her verse. Anybody????

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.