Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for our new church, Batesville Baptist! We have only been here a few months, but we have already been so blessed by the people in our church family. It is evident that this is the place God has for us, and I am looking forward to many years of service here!

Thankful Tuesday

Today I want to say that I am so thankful for my HUSBAND! It's funny because Trey is probably nothing like what I pictured my husband to be like...in fact in many ways he and I are total opposities! But, I guess that's why God is such a good "matchmaker." He knew exactly what and WHO I needed:) I can't imagine life without this guy...Love you!

Thankful Thursday

Today is a very special day to me...November 11. It's Veterans Day, and growing up my dad and I would have "Hannah-Daddy day" every year on Veteran's Day. We would go Christmas shopping and just have some special time together, and it was a tradition that I looked forward to. But there is another November 11th event that will forever stand out in my mind as well...November 11, 2005. It was the day that my first baby went to heaven.

I can remember each feeling and emotion as if I were experiencing them for the first time. The utter devastation I felt when I found out that the baby I had been carrying for 3 months, no longer had a heartbeat. My arms still ache to hold that baby...that I will one day get to hold in heaven.

Five years have passed and although I will say it DID get easier, it's never forgotten. It has completely influenced me and changed me forever. Five years ago I wondered if I would ever have a child to hold, and to raise... I am so unbelievably thankful for the two daughters that God has blessed me with! I don't take one second for granted.

It's funny though, even after all this time I will have moments when I look at my girls both riding in the backseat of the car, or playing together and can't help but think "one is missing."

I will never forget my first child...and I will never forget what a blessing God has given me in these two girls. I am so thankful He has entrusted me with them:)

Thankful Tuesday

I know that Veterans Day is in a couple days...but I am thankful for our soldiers. Both past and present. Especially, my favorite veteran is my dad. He fought in the Vietnam War in the army, and he is definetly my HERO:)




A picture of me and my dad

Thankful Thursday

Today I am most thankful for all the modern conveniences I enjoy each day. Very thankful to have a dishwasher, microwave, washing machine and dryer. This may seem kind of silly, but it's not when I think of what my grandma, or my mom had to do back in the day without all these short-cuts!

Very blessed to live in a time that provides all of these advances, and I choose to use the extra time I'm not spending washing dishes or clothes by hand with my wonderful family:)

Thankful Tuesday

So I know a lot of people use the month of November to tell what they are thankful for everyday. While I know I absolutely have that many things to be thankful for, I also know that I probably wouldn't get around to posting EVERY DAY. Therefore, I've decided I'm going to do "Thankful Tuesday and Thankful Thursday" every week during the month of November.

This first Tuesday I want to reflect on being thankful for staying home with my children. I didn't grow up thinking I would be a "stay at home mom (SAHM)." In fact, the idea was kinda of foreign to me...my mom worked while I was growing up, and pretty much all of my friends' moms worked too. I had always assumed that I would have some sort of career. And, I thought I might have two kids when I was older...

It wasn't until I went to college that I was introduced to the idea of a homemaker. This word truly means more than I even initially thought. As I learned about biblical examples of women who raised their children lovingly and sacrifically, I felt more and more the calling on my life. When I first met my husband and we talked about family he expressed that he wanted his wife to stay at home also. And he has been fully supportive of that the entire time we've been married.

My life has changed a lot since Trey and I got married. My role as a wife and mother has changed and evolved with each season in life and child added to our family. There are some days, or weeks that I never get out of the house. My hair is in a ponytail so that no little hands can pull on it...I often don't wear any make-up. Sometimes the only adult conversation I have is talking a few minutes with Trey or my mom on the phone. But the time I have with my children is priceless.

I remind myself that these years will go by way too fast, and soon most of the time my children will be in school. What a blessing it is to be able to spend this time with my girls! And I am so thankful for a husband that works hard for me to be able to stay at home.

Trick-or-Treat

This year was Callie's third to go trick-or-treating. She was excited all day long and couldn't wait for the time to dress up and go out! Trey and I took turns taking her to houses in our neighborhood so that one of us could stay home and hand out candy with Ashtyn.

Callie was so big this year, she even went up to the houses by herself! And I do have to say that Ashtyn was the cutest little pumpkin for her first Halloween. She wore the same costume that Callie wore for her first Halloween!

Halloween Festivities

On Wednesday night we had a "Fall Festival" at our church. We had free food, games and candy for kids. It was a great night and we were able to reach out to lots of new families and children in the community.

I only got a few pictures of Callie because I was carrying Ashtyn around everywhere. Let's just say Ash was not such a fan of it this year:)

Fall Fun

I've been so busy with our girls I've not had time to blog about all that's been going on in our lives the past month or so...Ashtyn has got crawling DOWN. She is now pulling up everywhere and walking along things, even starting to let go! She has not been sleeping well the past couple months since we moved, but we're hoping she'll be back to herself SOON...other than that, she is a pretty happy baby. Ash loves to follow her big sister around. She is eating all the baby foods (except green veggies!) and Puffs, and she has started babbling more. On Friday, October 29 Ashtyn said her FIRST word..."Mama!" I'm just a little proud:)

Callie is getting bigger, and getting more and more opinionated! Don't know where she gets that from...haha! It is a struggle at times, since she is testing her limits and questioning us all the time. Hopefully we will all survive this stage!! She is a pretty good big sister and is a big help to mommy during the day.

I guess you could say I'm pretty blessed...even though these girls keep me on my toes!

Here are some pics of us and our beautiful girls:)

Pumpkin Works

At the beginning of October we went to Robinson to visit my parents and go to the Heath Harvest Festival. This was Ashtyn's first parade, which she slept through...But we also got to take the girls to Pumpkin Works in Paris. Callie had a lot of fun looking around and playing in the straw maze.