Beautiful Weekend

It was beautiful here the past weekend. Some friends of ours and us took the kids to a farmer's market in South Bend. The kids had a great time. We went on a hayride, went through a corn maze, stop and took some pictures in the pumpkin patch and then ended the time at the petting zoo. We always have so much fun getting together with these friends. And the kids get along great. Actually, we sat and figured it out -- their ages are 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Can't get any better than that. Anwyay, I just had to show a few of the pictures that we took. It ended up getting up to 80 degrees that day. We weren't complaining. It was nice to be outside without having to be all bundled up.

Waiting

Well, after 15 months of trying, Marc and I decided to put the baby-making on hold for a little while. We've tried and tried, but still nothing. So, for my sanity, we're going to wait. Believe me, it wasn't an easy decision to come to. But I was starting to get upset when the tests kept coming back negative. I am trying to be patient and wait for God's timing. And a few months ago, I was there. But the hurt is back. You know, the doctors keep telling me, "You need to relax. It'll happen when you're relaxed." So, I try to relax. But then they tell me, "We need you to chart everything -- changes in body signs -- ovulation -- etc." Can someone please tell me how I'm supposed to relax and chart everything at the same time without becoming obsessed and stressed out about maybe getting pregnant that month? I'm sorry if this sounds like I'm complaining that God just hasn't answered my prayer yet - I'm not. I still want what God wants for me. And I still feel that it's going to happen. The break was just needed. I feel I can relax more without all the other pressures. And if it happens, great! And if not, well, we'll start trying again in a few months.

Also, can someone please help me to answer this question --

A few days ago, someone asked me if Marc and I wanted anymore children. Of course, I told them yes. I explained the situation - the vasectomy reversal, the medical issues, etc. But felt that we weren't done having children yet. Then she proceeds to say, "You have 3 beautiful children (yes, I know I do). Why can't you be content with what you have? There are a lot of people out there still trying for their first. They would give anything to have 3 healthy kids." How do I explain without knocking her out that I don't feel done - that I feel that God has more children planned for us - that there really is an emptiness, a hole, a deep longing for another child. I would gladly take any suggestions.

This is still a growing process for me. I totally realize that. Am I enjoying it? You better believe it! Even though my desire to have more children isn't gone - God has blessed me with so many wonderful things. He is drawing me closer to Himself. Causing me to rely completely and totally on Him. He is drawing me closer to my husband. Marc and I have always loved each other - that will never change. But our love for each other has become so much deeper. Thank you, God, for this process. I know that in the end, we will have exactly what You want us to have.

Walkin' In Memphis

This past weekend, Marc and I went to Memphis for one of Marc's business meetings. We had a really great time together. We did go tourist for awhile, but we found that we weren't staying in the safest neighborhood, so left the camera in our room. But here are a few pictures that we did get.

We saw this just before we entered Tennessee. We thought it was pretty cool!

One of the bridges we crossed over. The profile view was really beautiful. But this is all we could get.

The mighty Mississippi River.

Hello, Memphis! We were so glad to be there after over 10 hours on the road.

The hotel we stayed at on Main St.

We thought this was a really cool sculpture. You can't see it, but there was water running down the sides of it.

The Gibson guitar plant. We were going to take a tour, but just didn't have the time.

This was one of the two pianos inside the Gibson guitar plant. The other one was bright blue. I thought they were very unique. Wouldn't really want one this color in my house, though.

This row of balls was just outside the Gibson plant. We thought they were pretty cool!

Of course, I had to get a picture of the hottest guy in Memphis.

Yes, we did go to Graceland. Actually, it was so expensive, that we didn't go inside the house. But we got pictures where we could.

Yes, there is actually a Heartbreak Hotel.

The bigger of Elvis' two planes.

The entrance into Graceland.

O.K. Just had to do it. We had to get our pictures taken with Elvis.

Even though we had a great time just the two of us, we miss these little ones so much! We're very excited to see them!

Happy Birthday, Emma!

This past weekend we celebrated Emma's 6th Birthday. I know I'm a little late in posting pictures, but we had company last weekend and more company this week. Anyway, Emma had a great birthday. A few months ago, she drew us a picture to let us know what she wanted. That picture consisted of flowers, balloons, cake and presents. Well, we copied her picture and everything turned out so nicely. It was definitely a girly-girl party. The cake was done in pinks and purples and we bought brightly colored plates, napkins and cups. The plates were lime green, the napkins were yellow and the cups were orange (I had to throw my favorite color in there somewhere). She had a great time and got a ton of gifts. We invited a few of her friends over and she also had a sleep-over with one of them. I was amazed at how much these little girls could eat. And I know this is only the beginning.

The centerpiece of the table.

The birthday cake.

All the balloons - there were 24 of them.

The decorated table.

The table.

Emma wanted flowers at each place setting, so we did red roses in little bud vases.

Emma blowing out the candles.

All the girls for the party. Emma's not really that short. The other girls had princess shoes on with 3 inch heels.

Happy Birthday, Emma. We love you very much!!!

Kisses for Mom

I don't know what it is, but I love this picture. There is a special bond between a mother and her children. Maggie and I have grown very close. I hope it stays that way for forever. I know there will be a time when she'll probably "hate" mom (those teenage years), but I know everything comes full circle. So here's to what I hope it will be. I love you, Mags!

8 Years and Counting

Yesterday Marc and I celebrated our 8th anniversary! It seems like just yesterday I was walking down the aisle and we were getting ready to say our "I do's". These years have gone by so fast. So much has happened...moving into our first home; buying our first dog (who, by the way, is still around); celebrating our first anniversary at the state fair (I had never been to a state fair before -- it was quite fun); finding out I was pregnant with our first daughter on Christmas Day -- 4 months after our 1st anniv.; the birth of Emma; finding out I was pregnant with Lily when Emma was only 9 months old (I remember crying when I saw the positive on the pregnancy test -- I didn't think I was quite ready yet); Emma's hand surgery; the birth of Lily; two surgeries for me two months after Lily was born; finding out I was pregnant with Maggie when Lily was 6 months old; the birth of Maggie; and then moving into our new home. And this was all done within the first 5 years of our marriage. Things have since slowed down. We haven't had any more children, but have added to our pets. We now have 3 dogs - Herby, Daisy and Gracie and also have 3 cats - Smokey, Flower and Winston. We have a full house and Marc and I are still very much in love. Marc is such a good man - a wonderful husband (who is smokin' hot, by-the-way), a great dad and a great provider. I couldn't imagine my life without him. He completes me and we mesh together well. He puts up with my anxieties and stress and helps me when I need it. And when I just need him, he's there for me. The girls adore him and he loves them so much! They love to see their daddy. He plays with them and cares for them, teaches them and corrects them. As I stated before, he's a good man. I love you, Marc. And I'm looking forward to spending the next 50 years with you.

Happy Birthday, Maggie

I know it's a few weeks late, but Maggie just celebrated her 3rd birthday. This first picture is Maggie at age 2 and the second one was taken shortly after she turned 3. It's hard to believe how much they grow in a year, but it does happen. I know I used this picture in a previous post, but I couldn't find one that I liked better.

It's hard to believe that our baby is now 3. It seems like just yesterday we held her in our arms for the first time. She is such a joy. She seems so grown up for 3. She was the first one of our girls to be potty-trained before she turned 3. She loves palling around with her older sisters. And most of the time, they love playing with her, too. She has a great laugh. She has a stubborn streak, but she's also very lovable and loves to cuddle. I love to hear, "I love you mom". And she's so sincere. Not just said in haste, but really means it. I also love to hear, "I was so worried about you", when she hasn't seen me for about 10 minutes. She loves to sing and twirl and dance.

I hope you enjoy this short little video. Maggie loved it when we sang "Happy Birthday" to her. So she started to sing it to herself.

Happy Birthday, Maggie. We love you so much!!!