Better Late Than Never

We had the girls a combined birthday party back in July!  I was still struggling a good bit with early pregnancy sickness.  Thanks to my sweet husband and my wonderful parents, we had a fun party!  They were so great to clean, plan, and pretty much host the entire party.  What a blessing! 

I didn't get around to posting pictures due to the previously mentioned sickness, but I feel much better now.  Here are a few shots from our "Backyard Beach Birthday Bash":

The birthday girls!  Kerri Grace turned three on July 20th, and Maggie turned five on Sept. 7th!

Sweet friends having a splashin' good time!

Nana Sue and Mimi enjoying the shade.

Serving up the lemonade in the play house.

Campbell, Ivey, and Kerri Grace

Adults enjoying some time with the kids occupied. =)

Maggie and Millie

Cute, wet little gals.

Cute, cute!

ERBC Moms

Abby....love this girl!

Jackson

Daddy's Sculpture

Pal, Papa, and Edward

Lunch Time!

Lighting the Candles!

"Happy Birthday to You!"

Who wants a cupcake?!

yummy!

The girls' friends brought donations for a local shelter instead of gifts.  They really enjoyed delivering them.  So sweet!

 
Happy Birthday to my Favorite Five and Three-Year-Old!!!  We Love You Girls so Much!

Keeping Record

One thing that I don't want to forget is how God has been so faithful to us this past year or so of our lives.  It has been tough, but there have been many answered prayers.  I am so thankful that the Lord hears us when we pray, aren't you?  And, although, He doesn't always answer the prayers in the way we want Him to, He listens.  Such a sweet thought. 

"I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy.  Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!" -Psalm 116:1-2

Here is my record of His faithfulness and mercy to us....

-June 27, 2011 - My dad arranges for his friend, a high risk doctor, to come in to his office for a fun ultrasound to find out the gender of our third baby.  No heartbeat.  We were devastated.

Because this was a favor, I was with my mom and my mother-in-law.  I was scheduled to have a routine check-up the next day at my doctor's office.  I would have gone in for that check-up alone, but because God was so gracious, I was in the company of people who love me.  Thank you, Lord.

-June 29, 2011 - D&E 

This was such a sad day, but God was with us in a very tangible way.  Thank you, Lord.

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." -Psalm 34:18

-June, July, and August 2011 -  Matt and I spent praying and healing.  We were so sad, but knew that the Lord's ways are higher than ours. 

We did not really talk to the girls much about losing the baby.  Maggie knew that our baby was in heaven, and that was about the extent of it.  At some point during these few months (unprompted), Maggie prayed, "God, can you please pick us out another baby to keep here with us?"  My tender hearted girl reminded me of how capable the Lord is.  Thank you, Lord, for the faith of a child.

-October 2011 - We find out we are expecting again!!  Praise the Lord

-End of October 2011 - Miscarry second glory baby.  We were devastated, confused, and really just plain annoyed.

The Lord was with us in a very real way, despite the fact that both Matt and I were both pretty prideful in the fact that we thought we deserved a healthy baby after losing one.  Thank you, Lord, for loving me despite my ugly sin and pride.

-November and December 2011, January 2012 - We keep praying for direction, clarity, and comfort.  The Lord listens!  Thank you, Lord.

-February 2012 - Positive Pregnancy Test!  Praise the Lord!

-February 2012 - Go in for blood test.  Results show that I am not pregnant.  Either a false positive test or an early miscarriage.  We were disappointed but ok.

-March, April, and May 2012 - Praying about God's will for our family.  Are we supposed to keep trying to get pregnant, are we supposed to adopt, or are we supposed to be content and enjoy our sweet little girls? 

These were probably the hardest months for me.  I prayed continuously for peace and for the Lord to give me love for family and friends who were pregnant or had small babies.  I felt the awkwardness of running into people, and they didn't know what to say.  I didn't know what to say either, but I knew that I had to be the one to be gracious.  Thank you, Lord, for helping me through those awkward moments and times. 

End of June 2012 - We find out we are expecting.  Exactly one year after we lost the first baby.

My sweet sister-in-law's mother sent me a book after we lost the first baby.  It is titled, "The One Year Book of Hope" by Nancy Guthrie.  I remember thinking to myself, "Surely, I won't need to read a devotional every day for a year.  I won't be still hurting a year from now."  Little did I know that I would read (and need) every single devotion in that book.  Thank you, Lord, that you know the timeline, and that you sent someone to minister to me for the exact time that I needed it.  I am in awe of how you pay attention to the details, and I am so grateful!

Mid July 2012 - Ultrasound. Strong Heartbeat!!!  Praise the Lord!

August 2012 - 12 Week Ultrasound. No sign of Chromosomal issue that first baby had!!  Praise the Lord!

August 2012 - 14 Week Ultrasound.  Baby's Heart is still going strong. 
Icing on the cake - we find out we are having a boy!!

That was so sweet of you, Lord, to give us a boy.  We would have been thrilled with a healthy girl, but the desire of our hearts was to experience both a boy and girl at some point.  So sweet!!!

September 2012 - I really struggle with worry and anxiety over the health of the baby.
 
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." -Phil. 4:6

September 20, 2012 - 18 Week Ultrasound.  Baby boy is doing well, and all of his organs checked out perfectly!  High risk doctor says that not only are there not any sign of problems, there are no soft markers.  Praise the Lord for This Precious Blessing!

"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.  Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!  Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.  You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born.  Every day of my life was recorded in your book.  Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." -Psalm 139:13-16

My prayers now are for a healthy baby boy to be delivered in February.  But, in addition to that, for me to trust in the last part of these verses.  He has recorded every day of our lives, and He knows best!  He is in control, and I don't need to be anxious about it!

It's a Tough Life, But Somebody's Gotta Do It!

This past weekend, Matt and I headed to a wedding for one of our friends from Samford.  It was really fun to see everyone, and it was neat to see another love story unfold. 
Congrats to Lauren and Sam! 
 

Excuse the walking clothes and no make-up. 
Didn't realize that ADPi was having an alumni tea...oups!

Fuller cheeks and fuller hair (maybe a few less wrinkles)....working it, too! =)



Lauren and her beautiful new family.

Sparklers!!!

 

On Sunday, we headed straight to Hilton Head from Birmingham to spend a few days with Matt's family.  Matt's parents brought the girls with them after keeping them overnight.

Despite a little stomach bug on Tuesday, we managed to catch some rays, spend some quality time with family, and have a great time at the beach!  Thank you, Nana Sue and Pal, for another great vacation!

Mommy and Her Sweet Gals

Maggie loves jumping off of Daddy's shoulders!

Pal and Kerri Grace playing in othe waves.

Big baby blues and a button nose, too!

Another pair of big blue eyes!

Big Smile!

Silly Daddy!

Another cute smile

 

It's so fun to go high!

Making Mommy nervous...

Kerri Grace and Gavin on the teeter tot.

All the way up in a tree.

Sweet

One little fish

Two little fish

Fun in the Sun

Jack enjoyed time in the shade.

 

Glory Days

Last week, a few of my friends from high school and their families, met up at our high school to have dinner, hang out, and support our alma mater during their Spirit Week!  We had a great time!

The Gaymon and Fuduric kiddos on the stage at EHS!

These are the thoughts that followed....

Sometimes Matt teases me, and says that I would LOVE to go back to my time in high school.  While the statement is not true, I do have many fond memories from high school.  Even more sweet are the friendships that I made (and kept) from my time in high school. 

His teasing got me thinking, though.  I am typically not the person who lives in the past or the future.  I am thankful that God wired me that way, and I am even more thankful that He blessed me with a wonderful childhood, a special time in high school, a fun college experience, a sweet newlywed time, and now, He has blessed me with the most amazing roles of wife and mother.  So, it really isn't hard for me to not want to go back or move forward too quickly.

I pray this for my girls (and baby boy), too.  I pray that they have good experiences at every stage of life (not perfect, but good).  And, I pray that when they find themselves in the tough spots, and I know that they will, that they don't wish away all the good that comes with the bad. 

I pray that we all live each day looking for what God wants for us to accomplish that very day, and I even pray that we find JOY in it all!  Let's not waste our time living in the past or the future!  Happy Living in the Present, Friends!!!!

   

Bouncing Birthday Fun!

Maggie chose to go to Chic-fil-a and the Pavilion with Campbell for her birthday outing, and she had a great time!  In fact, we all did!  Here are some pictures of the four little ladies getting their bounce on! Ha!

The Birthday Girl takes a plunge.

Heads First Duo

This three-year-old is really getting brave.

"This is so fun, Mommy!"

Reese-e-cup wasn't scared at all!

Maggie was worn out and so very happy at the end of her Birthday!  Happy Fifth Birthday, Sweet Girl!

First Day of School

Maggie is a big girl now!!  Yesterday, she started Kindergarten at her little preschool, and she could not be more excited!  Who knows where the last five years have gone?! 

Kerri Grace started K3, and she has made a huge jump in maturity.  She was just as excited as Maggie to go to her new little classroom.

Mommy:

I have not shed one tear of sadness over Maggie starting K5, and I'm pretty sure that makes me the most horrible mother ever.   I did get a little emotional after Open House, but that was over the sweetness of her little room, kind teacher, 12 little friends that will be learning with her, prayer time before we started, and the fact that Maggie was all smiles and giddy.  She is so ready which makes Mommy ready!  

I enjoyed my "school day" by going with Mimi to find fabric for an heirloom dress for Maggie's five year portrait.  ( She is going to be beautiful!)  The day flew by for Mommy!

Maggie:

I had a great time at school!  My teachers, Mrs. Mahaffey and Mrs. Burns are so sweet!  We read a book, colored a book about the story, sang songs, and lots of other things.  We start music next Tuesday.  My favorite part of the day was playing tag with the boys!  When you are tagged, you become a bad guy, but when you are tagged again, you are back to a good guy.  I had a fun first day of K5!

Kerri Grace:

I had a fun day at school!  I love my teacher, Mrs. Padgett!  I played with my friends, and we had calendar time.  My favorite part of the day was singing "The Days of the Week Song" that Mommy sings with me at home!  I like school now that I'm a big girl in K3!

Here's to a great school year for the Gaymon (big) girls!!