The month that changed everything...

Four weeks ago today a little miracle arrived in our lives... one that we prayed for, hoped for, and eagerly anticipated for nine months...

and I had such big plans to sit down each day and write about all of the beautiful moments that we shared those first few weeks...

but then this thing called sleep deprivation set in, along with this other thing called "busy-ness" and collecting my thoughts and formulating sentences out of them became just another item on my to-do list... 

and then before I knew it, a month had past and details started to get fuzzy in my brain and I realized that if I don't hurry up and get things out, they may be lost forever...

so here it goes...

I love being a mom...

I love the look on my son's face just before he drifts off to sleep when his eyes are fluttering open and closed and his lips are toying with the idea of a smile...

I love when God wispers in his ear and he breaks out a grin...
and you wonder what the two of them are talking about and what was so funny...

I love sitting with a good book and reading the day away while he sleeps contentedly on my chest...

I love watching Sadie as she sets toys down next to her baby brother and waits for him to play with her... and how on one occasion he smiled at her attempts...

I love singing to him in the early morning hours when the whole house is silent and the words to songs I haven't sang in years flood back in and spill out of my mouth...

I love how they remind me of other times and other places and other people in my life...and how now they will remind me of him...

I love the way he folds his arms under his chin, arches his back, and rests against my chest...looking up at me wide-eyed as if he is memorizing every curve of my face...

I love that my son looks like my husband, and how every time I see him am reminded of my love for his father...

I love how dependant I have become on prayer...and how the still small voice of the Lord speaks wisdom into my heart when I need it most...

lifting me out of the massive pile of well-intentioned parenting advice I have received from friends, family, and well-wishers in recent months...
and giving me clarity...

I love this life and the many blessings that fill my days... making the aches and pains, lack of sleep, and fuzzy mom brain so incredibly worth it...

linking to Tuesday's Unwrapped at chattingatthesky.com

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I can't believe Thanksgiving is here, time is flying by!!

I had wanted to post one of the projects I have been working on earlier this week, but I ended up not getting a chance to finish it until yesterday...just in time for Thanksgiving!

I had read somewhere about starting the tradition of having everyone in the family write something that they are thankful for on the tablecloth after Thanksgiving dinner, as well as their name and date, and then each year you pull out the same tablecloth and add to it...

Isn't that a beautiful way to remember the blessings in our lives year after year ? and how cool will it be to see your children's handwriting change as they get older=)

I decided to make a Thanksgiving table runner instead:

I started by cutting a long narrow piece of canvas from a dropcloth, and adhered lace to the ends using fusible webbing... then I found a great little stencil set from Martha Stewart at the craft store so that I could stencil the following verse down the middle of my runner, "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good"...

I am so happy with how it turned out! I have it on my coffee table for now...since Thanksgiving dinner is at my mom's house...but I can't wait to take it along and start filling it up with all the things we are thankful for!!

In other news...

I was also responsible for making the pumpkin pies for today... and I was going to leave them plain, but Hunter suggested that I dress them up a little bit=)

I just used my little woodland animal cookie cutters on some extra dough and popped them in the oven on a cookie sheet...and violà!

What do you think?

Anyone else have a fun Thanksgiving tradition that they look forward to year after year? or maybe something new that your trying for the first time?

Hope everyone has a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Morning Exercises...

Much to Hunter's dismay, yesterday we started a little something new...


It was called "you lay on your belly and stretch your muscles while momma snaps a bunch of pictures"...


He liked it for about 2 minutes before he got really mad...hehe


but check out these shots...our little man is strong!!

I figure at this rate he will be crawling by christmas=) 


(joking of course;)

My boy & girl...

Just thought i would share a few scenes from my morning yesterday...

Sadie has taken to her role as big sister quite well...but I know she wishes she could do more...


like smother him with kisses every morning when he wakes up.


and climb into his bouncer with him when he cries.


and tuck his hands under his blanket when they feel cold.


she looks at me every day as if to say..."how come everyone gets to snuggle him and love on him, but me?"


little does she know...her fun has just begun...


soon her days will be filled with constant companionship and lots of hugs, kisses, and games of fetch with her baby brother...


I love my new normal=)

One Week!

Hey everyone...just wanted to post a few pictures from baby Hunter's first week...can't believe how fast it went!! 


Thank you all again for all the prayers and well wishes that we have recieved through emails, phone calls, and visits...Hunter loves you all so much already


...he told me this morning;)


Here we are about to leave the birth center and take our little bundle home with us...

First few days at home...

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow...

James 1:17

It's a Boy!!

Hunter Jacob

Born November 1st, 2011 at 2:38pm

6 lb. 3 oz.

18 3/4 in.

We are soooo thrilled to welcome our little man into this world!!! 

Thank you all so much for your prayers and support in the last 9 months...the long wait is over!