My prophetic son to the rescue!!!

Where do I begin? .....well, it all started when Justin suggested that we ride out and get something easy like take out or the drive-thru since I was in the middle of doing a lot of cooking for the Thanksgiving lunch for the guys at the shop. I planned on making stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, and a gallon of tea. This afternoon, he asked if I would mind baking an apple pie. I told him to bring home the ingredients and I would make it tonight. When he got home we started chopping apples together, and I made my Mom's famous homemade pie crust. So I put the pie in the oven and we all got in the car and headed for a drive through somewhere. Just as we were going over the lake, the car began to shudder... we had a flat. (I just had one fixed a few weeks ago, different tire) It was pitch black. I mean PITCH BLACK. No street lights. Nothing. But my four year old son just so happened to bring along a flashlight! Of all the toys he could have chosen! So I stood and held the flashlight for Justin while he changed the tire. We continued towards town and Justin pulled into the gas station. I thought he was going to check the pressure in the spare, but he wanted to pump up the flat one that he took off. He wanted to see how long it would stay full. Then I realized that we didn't have time to go through a drive-thru, because the pie was going to be finished! So we headed back home... and then... the shudder again. The spare was flat!!! Seriously!!! Thankfully Justin stopped to fill up the original tire, so we put that one back on! We finally made it home... and the pie wasn't burnt!!! That was a miracle because it was in there LONG after the timer went off. It was quite an adventure. Not the kind of adventure you sign up for, but I am thankful for the greatest husband in the world. He knew what to do, and we laughed quite a bit. Love makes the "bumps" in the road a lot easier to take.

If we could see our baby today...

This baby was born premature at 25 weeks (on an airplane!!! don't worry Mom, you know I'm ALWAYS late), which is what I am now. Naturally, I am growing very impatient and wish I could hold him in my arms, but at the same time want him to "cook" until he is strong and healthy and ready for the zoo that will be our home! I just love to see what he looks like at each stage. It's just amazing!!! Did I mention I'm excited?

How cute are they?!

Justin was on his was home from work and was going to take the kids to Barnes & Noble while I did the grocery shopping. Gabe has become quite the Daddy's boy and couldn't wait for him to get home. So he sat outside on that very cold afternoon and waited...

It snowed!!!

The boys got quite a surprise the other day when they woke up to everything covered in snow! I had no idea it was coming! So naturally, at 7:00 that morning, they were out exploring. Here are a few pictures.

Daddy's arms...

After an evening of running wild around the house, the boys settled down on the couch to watch a show. At one point Gabe got off the couch and climbed up on Justin's lap. He was asleep within 60 seconds... and it was only 6:45!

Aunt Hairy!!!

I had been telling the boys last week that Aunt Hilary would be coming to spend the weekend at our house. This would send them into chants of "Hil-a-ry, Hil-a-ry, Hil-a-ry!" But all that Gabe could say was "Hairy!" it was so cute. We all had a lot of fun just hanging arould. As you can see, the boys didn't let her do too much relaxing!

belly update!

Well, here's the belly at 22 1/2 weeks. I still have a long way to go! Mama's gonna get big!

about the election...

My Mom forwarded this prayer to me a few days ago and it was so timely. I have had a very hard time this election season, finding a "side" I can believe in. To be honest, I flipped back and forth. It has been very confusing for me. No one "side" encompasses the way I feel in my heart... but this prayer does. After a lot of hard searching, I have come to the conclusion to not vote this year. I know some people have very stong feelings about that, and I completely understand. But at the same time, it just didn't feel right to throw my vote out there when I just don't feel sure. My Dad, a very passionate Republican, had strong views and knew what he believed. I am trying to find that, amidst the mess that our society is in. Raising young children today is a bit scary. What is accepted as "norm" just does not fly with me. The following prayer speaks to my heart. No President can "change" our nation... I truly believe it is up to us...

Billy Graham's Prayer For Our Nation
>
> 'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to
> ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and
> guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call
> evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have
> lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We
> have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have
> rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our
> unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and
> called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our
> children and called it building self esteem. We have abused
> power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor's
> possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the
> air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of
> expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of
> our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh
> God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin
> and Set us free. Amen!'

Halloween

Well, better late than never! Here are the boys enjoying the Halloween festivities in their new costumes that Grandma surprised them with! Ironman and the Red Ranger.

i... can't...wait...

... that first moment I lay eyes on him when they place him in my arms... my heart flutters just thinking about it!

IT'S A BOY!!!
We are excited to announce that in March we will be a family of 5 when Luke Arthur gets here!!! Or like the boys like to call him, Luke Skywalker! May the force be with me...

STAY TUNED!!!

The ultrasound got rescheduled for tomorrow morning at 9am!!! Check out the new poll in the sidebar...

GRANDMA!!!

My Mom came for a visit and it was great!!! I hated to take her to the airport. We made a Halloween/Birthday cake, played Cooties and Spiderman Memory, tried to go to the park ;) and surprised the boys with Ironman and Power Ranger costumes! It was short but we had a blast!

Showing off their Cooties! Grandma came from way behind and won!

Decorating the cake (Gabe ate more than he decorated!)
A surprise from Grandma! Their two favorite superheros!!! Grandma was well-protected!
Even Ironman gets tired!

Let's help find a cure!!!

Here are the boys decorating t-shirts for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund walk in support of my totally awesome nephew Zach who is 5 and was diagnosed with type 1 about a year ago. He is doing so well health-wise and spirit-wise in that he has adjusted to the pokes and the food guidelines like it's no big deal. He's quite the trooper and we're all very proud to support him. We love you Brick!!!

A moment of reflection

I don't intend to ever get too serious on this blog, but as I was sitting outside on a picture perfect day watching the boys and their cousin Conner playing, I had a moment of reflection. They were playing under the oak tree in the sandbox. We planted that oak tree the first spring that we moved into the house, Isaiah was about 6 months old. At the time, it was just barely taller than Justin. Now, as you can see, a lot of growing has been going on... including those special boys underneath it. I realized that almost 5 years have gone by. As I try to cherish every moment, time has a way of getting away from you. I am so in love with my little fellas and can't believe I get to meet another one before too long! I'm glad I had a moment to appreciate with awe and wonder the miracle that's in my lap.

I've got to share this!

So Jon and Shannon invited us over for pizza tonight. Justin wanted to get in a bike ride today, so he decided he would ride to their house and the boys and I would drive and meet him there. Justin got a head start while I got the boys and myself ready to go. When I got the boys into the car I told them to look out their windows becausewe would be catching up with Daddy. Well after a few minutes, Isaiah got impatient since we hadn't caught up with Justin yet. In all seriousness he said "Mommy, where's Daddy? ...he's beatin' the crap out of us!" :o I had never heard that phrase come out of him before. I burst out laughing so hard I almost had to pull over! I guess that's not the most effective way of letting know that is unacceptable talk. We'll see if he tries to use it again.

some impressive bedhead... can anyone say ace ventura?

precious moments between a boy and his dog

Gabe saying "stormtrooper"

Emerald Isle