Happy Birthday / Anniversary To Me!

One year ago today I started this blog. I don't know if that makes it my first birthday or my first anniversary, but I thought I should acknowledge it either way.

I'm so glad I started blogging. My only regret is not starting sooner. I really wish I had started when I got pregnant with Elliana. I would love to go back and read how I was feeling with each phase of the pregnancy. It would also have been great to begin writing about her the moment she was born to capture all of those newborn moments. Oh well, at least I'll be able to blog about every important moment from here on out.

I've really enjoyed being a part of this "blogging world" and following all of my family and friends blogs too. Mostly, it's been great to go back and read about how God has been faithful to us time and time again. I loved going back and reading/ watching all of Elliana's milestones, how God provided a way for me to be home full-time, Caleb's team taking 2nd in State, etc. Really that was why I started blogging. Not just to keep a record about our lives and to watch pictures and videos, but as a reminder to me about how God has always worked everything for his good. I know he will continue to do so. I'm so excited to see what God has in store for us in this upcoming year! :)

Since my very first post had a fun video of Elliana, I thought I should close this post with a video that Caleb took of miss Ellie this morning. We love this video, even if Ellie is into the word "no" a lot lately.

Family Matters

This past week has been a very busy, but very exciting one for us and for our extended family.

First of all, I'll begin with last Tuesday (one week ago). I'm sure most of you that follow my sisters have already read about this, but I wanted to get it on my blog too.

My sister Jenn is expecting baby #4 in November. They already have 2 girls and 1 boy and wanted to find out the gender before the baby was born so they could figure out how to arrange bedrooms.

I don't know where Jenn found this idea, but I LOVED it! She and Jon had an ultrasound last Monday. They had the ultrasound technician write the gender of the baby on a card and seal it in an envelope. They then took the envelope to a bakery and asked the baker to put blue icing for a boy or pink icing for a girl inside the cake.

Didn't the bakery do a fantastic job decorating the cake?!?


Then Tuesday night, they invited both sides of their family over for a barbeque. After dinner, they cut into the cake and the gender was revealed. It was SO MUCH FUN!





In case you can't see the icing, they are having another GIRL!! They are naming her Ashlynn Rose and I can't wait to meet and hold her.

We enjoyed this so much that I've been thinking about other creative ways to reveal the gender of a baby for when I'm pregnant again (hopefully soon!).

Then, last Friday evening, Caleb's brother Nate proposed to his girlfriend Amanda. She said YES!! We are SO thrilled to have her as a sister-in-law, and she is so great for Nate.



Aren't they cute?!?


I'm also excited to watch (and maybe help if they need me) them plan their wedding. They are living in Kansas City and the wedding will be there. We are really looking forward to it.

And last but not least, this past weekend we were in Washington to celebrate Grammy's (Caleb's grandma) 90th birthday. We had a wonderful time. The weather was perfect, and it was so great to see Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Cousins families, etc.

The only hard part was flying with Elliana. She is SO active and she was quite a handfull on the flight out to Washington. She screamed a few times and ran up and down the aisle of the plane several times. Ugh. Thankfully, the flight home was much smoother since there were some sweet little girls sitting behind us. Ellie loved "playing" and "chatting" with them!

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures from the Washington trip at the moment, but as soon as I can "steal" some of my mother-in-laws photos (she took LOTS of great photos), I'll add them on here.

Ahh, what a great week!

Pictures and Videos of Miss Elliana

I figured it was time to lighten up the mood on this blog. :) Here are some random pictures we've taken of Elliana recently:

Lately she's been really into wearing Daddy's shirts and shoes. She cracks me up!

Ha! I don't know what made her hair so crazy here.

...and here she is with her cousin Abby. Abby is Josh and Shamree's oldest child. Ellie just adores all of her cousins.

And last, but not least, here is a video we took of Elliana today. I just love this girl. Enjoy!

The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow

They say when it rains, it pours. It was definitely pouring for me last week.

First there was the miscarriage, around the same time a rash appeared on my body from head to toe with no explanation as to where it came from, then I was in the ER because my throat was swelling and I was having trouble breathing, the rash appeared to be here to stay for a while despite the fact that I'd been to several Dr.'s, my body did not like the meds I was put on for the rash, and yesterday Elliana was diagnosed with an ear infection and strep throat. Ugh.

I seriously felt like I was in a fog all last week. I would even say that I felt depressed. I had no energy, I didn't want to do anything, and I was losing my mind from dealing with the incredibly itchy mystery rash. I was beginning to feel like Job.

Then, over the weekend, God got my attention.



Friday I was driving to a movie with my sisters and girlfriends and I saw a rainbow up in the sky. I started crying. The tears just kept rolling and I almost had to pull over. I called Caleb and sobbed with him over the phone. I had not dealt emotionally with this miscarriage, and seeing the rainbow forced me to.

Let me give you a little history about the relationship between me and rainbows. I'm aware that this sounds cheesy, but it's very real to me.

3 years ago, right before I had my first miscarriage, I saw a rainbow in the sky while driving to work, and it brought me to tears. I hadn't even lost that baby yet, but I had a sick feeling. I knew God was speaking to me through that rainbow. He was preparing me then for what was about to happen, but at the same time reminding me of his promises and that he was with me.

All throughout my pregnancy with Elliana I would see a rainbow and smile. I knew God was telling me that she was okay and that again, he was with us.

Over the course of this past weekend, I saw 4 rainbows. I think God was clearly sending me a message. He reminded me that he wasn't going to let it rain forever, and he wasn't going to leave me hopeless and depressed. He was there all last week when I was in my fog, and he was going to bring me through to the other side. And he has.

I feel as though I've really turned a corner over the last day or two. Both emotionally and physically. The mystery rash is gone (Praise the Lord), my energy is returning, and I just feel like my old self again. I'm ready to be the wife and the Mom that I need to be, and to move forward from here. And thank God, Elliana seems to be responding well to her antibiotics.



"Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth." Genesis 9:16

I'm so thankful for a God that loves us and speaks to us in so many ways. I'm also thankful for rainbows. :)