Daddy

It was a very busy week with VBS and Access Adventure and a weekend of me and the kids with my family in Michigan and then Sunday at Joe's parents, so we grabbed these first pics together after a quick evening walk before bed. Then Monday we got to spend the day together and celebrate our sweet Daddy at the beach in Chesterton. It was a perfect day to be at the beach and the water was even warm enough to swim in. Topped off with gyros, burgers, fries and then chocolate cones for the ride home!
Thankful for our main man and how hard he works and how much he loves us - we love you Daddy!! <3

Troops Reunion 2013

Had an amazing weekend with my TU girls in Holland, Mich. Stayed at an awesome guest house - it was seriously incredible. Had such special times of catching up, laying by the pool, sharing meals, riding bikes, getting ice cream. Noah got lots of love as the only baby in tow (not counting the 2 babies in bellies... :))

Thankful we could all make it - it's never long enough but it's always wonderful and always leaves me excited for next year and the memories to come. LOVE you girls <3 <3

When do we ditch the Crib??

Talked to a friend whose 2 year old has been in a bed awhile and they will soon move their one year old to a bed as well so got me thinking about when do we transition our gal to a bed? And do we do a toddler bed or go straight to a big bed?
Any tips on when and what kind of bed?
Lucy is doing great in her crib still so I just haven't thought about it much. Let me know if you have anything to share, I'd appreciate it!

My girl in her crib when we made her new room (April 2012)
(And thanks for the crib Ashley! :))

Academy Awards 2013

This is always such a fun night for the youth group. They make movies and then we get all dressed up and have our own Academy Awards night where they are played in a real movie theatre. It was a blast! Got to re-wear a bridesmaid dress and eat popcorn & cherry coke - what could be better ;) Here's some pics!

Looking forward to next year!!

Father's Day help

Ahhh - the Real Simple Gift gift isn't going to cut it.....
Anyone have some good ideas for gifts for my hubby????
I get my dad coffee because he never seems to want anything else - but if you have good ideas for dads/grandpa's mention it too
THANKS!!



source

My boy.

I hear we are twins :)
What do you think???
Either way, I just love him......

Miscarriage.

It's such a taboo topic for some reason and yet it's touched so many of us. I read this blog recently and it was a blessing to my heart to pause and think on our experience in losing our first little baby almost 3.5 years ago. If you have the time or desire, read this blog. Very helpful in processing if you have experienced miscarriage yourself and also very helpful if you haven't and want to know what to say or not say or how to love a friend who is/has gone through this.

Joe and I did talk about our three babies at mother's day time. I never want to be so caught up this season with two little babes that I forget our first baby that we lost and how much I longed for him/her and how hard the ups and downs were of not being sure if things would be ok or not. And then how very sad I was after miscarrying and how much those affections for being a mother had been stirred in my heart. And then how those aching desires have been fulfilled in having Lucy and Noah. Yet, there will always be those desires to know and love our first little one.

The Lord worked significantly in me during those hardest of days and I know that season of loss, hurt and pain were certainly not in vain for Joe or myself. I read those "Trust" and "Contentment" devotionals by Lydia Brownback over and over and over because I was struggling so much with both of those topics. And I feel like I truly got to a point of trusting my future to the Lord and being content with where he had me in my marriage, job, church, life....
And then we were blessed with children - Lucy Joy came on the exact weekend I had miscarried 2 years later and little Noah Joseph a year a half later.
I have no idea what the future will hold and what joys and hardships are yet to come. But I pray that at the end of each day I can say
"The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
    may the name of the Lord be praised."