February Recap

February used to by my favorite month, before kiddos...because it is my birthday month! woo hoo! I finally got the old camera out to download some pics, and realized I had only taken like 10 pictures since Christmas. Ridiculous!!! 

Getting some outside play time before Daddy gets home. We do this every afternoon between 4-5 waiting on my "helper" to arrive home. :):):)

This was the best picture I could get with the kiddos on my birthday! This was right before Brian took me out to dinner and to see "Les Miserables." If you didn't see it, then I am so sad for you. Seriously one of the best books I've ever read in my life, one of the best plays I've ever seen and now one of the best movies I've ever watched!  I was so cool in high school that I even had the "Les Miserables" sound track. I knew almost every word to every song! The sound track reminds me of my grandmother, Honey. It was always playing in her car when she took us somewhere. Such an incredible love story!! I really hope you saw it!

This is a typical day at my house. Miller climbing all over Maggie and irritating her.

I FINALLY let Miller play at the germ infested Chick Fil A playground.  I think you can tell from the smile on his face, he was in heaven!

We made Valentine cookies for all of Maggie's friends at school. Pink cookies for the girls and red cookies for the boys, of course!! Maggie LOVES to make homemade cookies and take them to school, so this is always a fun (and tedious) project to do with her!

 Her best friend in the whole wide world, Anna Caston!

Their adorable little class at school for the Valentine party!

Daddy showed up for the party and surprised Maggie! She was SOOOOO excited to say the least. She wouldn't let him put her down! Such a sweet relationship right here.:)

And poor old Mommy. I guess she was glad I was there too. :)

 
I don't have any pictures but Brian and I also went to Advocare's Success School in Dallas. It was one of the most amazing weekends I've ever had in my life. George W. Bush spoke Saturday morning. He is so real, and so hilarious, and so true to himself and his family. I just love him! Drew Brees and several other football players were there as well. Really cool! And to end the weekend, Michael W. Smith led the worship service on Sunday. It was one of the best worship services I have ever attended. I have worked for 4 difference companies in corporate America, and not one single company I worked for paid tribute to my Lord and Savior like Advocare does. It is truly rewarding to get to work for a company who puts faith above all else.

January Recap

OK- I don't know how else to catch myself up than to do it month by month. Seems the busier Miller has gotten the busier life is!

January started out with a nice after hours visit to the doctor with Maggie. She was running at my parents house and fell and cut her head on something plugged into the wall. She had to get 4 staples in her head. Thank goodness it was under her hair and they didn't have to shave the area. We had to keep the staples in for a week. She was SO brave!

This was lunch at our favorite after church spot, Movie Star! She finally was brave enough to ride the horsies. They go really fast!

Miller did not enjoy them quite as much! On a side note...Look how skinny and young my Dad looks. He has lost over 35 lbs since starting Advocare:) He might kill me for putting that on here but my mom and him both look fabulous!

We went to the zoo for a bday party. I thought Miller would love the train but he was very unsure of the whole place and didn't like the loud noises of the train at all!

Maggie and Mommy had a Saturday morning date to get our toes painted.

This little guy is trouble. He is such a dare devil. Loves his new 4 wheeler.

Enjoyed running around outside at Yaya and Pop's house.

Brian was asked to be a dignitary in the Zeus Coronation this year. I still don't quite understand everything but it's basically the big Mardi Gras Ball in Hattiesburg. The actual coronation was themed "Oz" and Brian was the scarecrow. He did a great job! We had fun and danced the night away!

Our best attempt at a family photo...

And last but not least...Brian killed his first deer!! This was actually the second time he has ever been hunting in his life and he went on a boys hunting trip for the weekend. He killed 2 deer! Or "reindeer" as Maggie says. She told everyone at school her daddy killed a reindeer and she won't eat it. :)
We have been enjoying tons of deer sausage, which has been wonderful!

TODAY

Yes- I realize I haven't posted since CHRISTMAS. Tragedy...right?

Today Brian and I went to the Bradberry's Blood Drive in Hattiesburg to donate blood. If you remember, about 8 months ago I posted about a little boy in Hattiesburg who also had the same condition Miller had. He passed away after his second surgery. The mom is pregnant again...with twins...and one of the twins has the same heart defect. While these babies are in the hospital having surgeries, they get numerous blood transfusions. I know Miller had at least 2, but it was probably more. I felt compelled to go donate blood today and meet this sweet family. After 5 minutes, we knew everything about them. Their son was perfectly healthy, just like Miller was. He went in for his second surgery. He did great through the surgery, and then a few days afterwards, coded one night. They got a call from the doctors in the ICU saying their son had been brought back to life, but all of his organs were now failing. He lived on life support for one month until the doctors decided even if they found a heart for him, he wouldn't be strong enough for any type of surgery. So they took him off life support.

This mom and dad were full of smiles today. I felt joy in their presence. They talked about the 6 months they had with their son, and the full life that he lived. They talked about a beach trip, a trip to the coast, and his bubbly perfect personality. I cannot even imagine what they are going through. They have a very strong faith, which I'm sure is the only thing keeping them together. That, and their 5 year old daughter. I cannot even imagine what it would be like to go through all that, and then be pregnant again  with a son who has the exact same thing. And knowing about the surgeries, the risks, the statistics.

This is weighing very heavy on my heart tonight. I write all of this for 2 reasons.
#1- PLEASE pray for their unborn baby and this family.
#2- LIVE each day to the fullest. Please!! This family's world was turned upside down while they were peacefully sleeping one night.  It could have been me. It could have been Miller. I still don't understand some days why Miller is so healthy and perfect. But I choose to live with so much thanks in my heart that it is overwhelming on most days.

Sorry for such a heavy post. I guess I feel for this family more than most people would.

Pics of the kiddos coming up next!

Very Merry Christmas!!

This Christmas was absolutely, positively, the best Christmas we have had yet. Not because my kids got the most gifts this year, or because we had the best food, or because my house was the best decorated. It was because for the first time in many, many years our hearts were not full of wishes for worldly things. We did not get consumed with the hustle and bustle that Christmas usually brings.  The shopping, the sales, the need to have the biggest and best of everything, the most presents under the tree, etc. No, this year was totally different. When you spend Christmas in the hospital with a sick child, the meaning and appreciation of what it truly means will never be taken for granted again. This year we chose to focus on what truly matters, and man oh man, did it make all the difference in the world!!!

I love my kids with every fiber in my body. To think that Jesus loves them more than that, loves me more than that, loves you more than that, is just unfathomable. Stop for a minute and actually think about what God did to save us from our sins? He sent his one and only son, to be born and walk this earth, and then to be crucified for us. Now THAT is true love. Would you send one of your own kids to do that? I know I wouldn't! I hope and pray as my children grow older we spend more and more time in HIS word, and less and less time in the malls each Christmas. 

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  

Isaiah 9:6

Prince of Peace-that gives me chills every time I read it. If only the world would understand it.

On a lighter note, our kids had so much fun this year. Especially Maggie! Her one and only request was  a Dora Dollhouse. We let our kids open presents on Christmas Eve morning this year. 

Maggie was determined Santa would have glitter snowflake cookies with chocolate milk this year.

These are the 2 best presents that I received this year! A little treasure from each of them and I absolutely love them!!

From Mags

 From Miller

Icing the cookies and eating some applesauce!

There we go! Glitter snowflake cookies for Santa! And he LOVED them, I can assure you!;)

We spent Christmas Eve at my parents house, per tradition. We always eat and open presents over there each year.

Cousin Choo Choo

 This is the cutest little present I've ever seen!!

Maggie got a Sooter(Scooter)

And Jack had to test it out

Yaya put me down!! I don't want a picture!

Miller's Turn!

Santa came Christmas Morning! Miller was not sure what to think about everything!

I love this picture of Maggie. She is posing by her new Dora Dollhouse. That Santa knew exactly what she wanted!

Miller loves it so much!!

 What? Boys can play with dollhouses too?!!

 Then we headed back over to my parents for Christmas Day lunch!

Hey Good Lookin;)

Our best attempt...

Honey and Miller...LOVE THIS

Miller scarfed down every bit of his food. The boy can eat!!!!

We ended the day with by far the most important thing, a birthday party for Jesus! Maggie was SO excited about this!

Jack got in on the action too!

This is her new smile...hehe. My one eyed monster...I mean...princess.

Hoping you and your family experienced the peace and JOY of the Lord this year!! Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!!