Family Nights

 

Family Nights

In Light of the nature of our "hustle-bustle" lifestyle Russell and I quickly saw the need to carve out time for family nights shortly after the birth of Annaleigh. Tuesday and Thursday nights we always try to make a good home-cooked dinner and then take the baby for a stroll around our neighborhood park. I think we are all starting to really cherish this time together. It is great to have that predictible time to know that all we have to do in the world is relax and be together as a family. I think this time also means a lot to me because growing up I lived in a very chaotic and unpredictable household. I would love to hear some of the family traditions that all of you are starting...

Word Art

Here is a fun little thing my friend Tiersa did on her blog and I thought I would give it a try...

Just a few pictures to share taken last night and today. I hate to always bore you all with pictures of my PRECIOUS child. Some of you request them, some don't but here they are anyway. As you can tell, we are sitting up pretty well on our own as well as gnawing on ANYTHING we can find ( I say "we" as in Annaleigh) Mommy and Daddy have been sitting up on our own for quite some time now! (heehee)

Weather Report

Not much new to report around here. I started back to school last week with a cold plus going back to work for a few days made for a long week with no time to blog. I am excited about my classes, but reality is starting to set in that I have to buckle down and get working again after my long summer break...
We were so relieved this week to not only see temperatures fall below 100 degrees for the first time in about 90 days, but also to see that wet stuff fall from the sky TWICE (I think I remember it's called rain) Russell walked in this morning from outside and said he thought he could hear the ground "gulping." I am so relieved to see the grass actually turn from putrid brown to "greenish" (see above picture.) I knew things were getting bad around here when someone suggested to us that we needed to be watering the foundation of our house on our ONE day a week that we are legally allowed to water. I had never heard of such at thing, but apparently its old hat around here because everyone is familiar with the way the dirt settles under extreme draught conditions, etc.

Little Ranger fan!

A big thanks to Aunt Hollee for my new Ranger bib.

New Trick

"Look Mom, I can get my foot in my mouth"

Every day is an adventure around here with an ALMOST 5 month old baby! Teething is making us all very cranky and we have begun to wake up again in the middle of the night again even though we have been sleeping through the night since 7 weeks! Oh, the fun! I sure could use some encouragement right now from some of you super moms out there who have gone through the same...
I guess I am really just stressed because I go back to work tomorrow and school starts again for me on Monday. Albeit part time, it still breaks my heart to leave my little girl.

I have no catch phrase...

As I was perusing all my friends blogs last night I realized everyone has a catchy name for their blog. Some of these are: From My Heart, My journey, Check out Becky's World, Stacy's World, Reese Ramblings, Denhams in Brazil, Back Where I Come From, Goff Gossip, All about Linz, Lambert Life, Lovin' Life, etc (sorry if I missed you)...I have none! Since I am not a very witty person, i figured I would open up the floor to nominations for names for my blog from you guys....Any good ideas??

I also wanted to let everyone know that my procedure went well on Monday. The good news was that they didn't find anything major. There were some minor problems that I will most likely have to deal with for the rest of my life but are totally treatable through medicine and shouldn't give me too much trouble from day to day. We anticipate to get the final pathology back next week but the doctor felt pretty confident there was nothing to worry about. Thank you for your prayers.

Little Doodlebug

I can't believe how much I love this little girl!

 

pictures of the Harvison kids

Reed, Kennedy and Annaleigh being silly!

Thanks to my friend Tiersa, I am back in business as far as posting pictures are concerned.

Pictures??

Would anyone (esp. Hollee) like to give me some insight on why my pictures won't upload? I am trying to do it the way I always have with the upload picture button and it says they are there...they just don't show up on the blog. Is there an alternate way to upload pictures?

Harvison's visit, etc.

We were blessed this past week to have the Harvison family (our best friends from Louisiana) visit! Natalie and I went shopping at Canton (TWICE) and the boys were able to fit in a game of golf. I want to upload pictures of our kids playing but blogger is having a hard time tonight so I will try again tomorrow...In other news: The inlaws are coming in this weekend. What does that mean?? You know it: FREE TRUSTWORTHY BABYSITTING!Woo-hoo! New Moms need to check out www.jillinacabaniss.blogspot.com for some amazing insight into motherhood and thoughts from a f-u-n-n-y girl after my own heart. I do love my mother and father in law and we are so thankful for them being close (since my family is 14 hours away) and for the amazing relationship we have developed over the last 4 years.
I covet your prayers this coming Monday as I have my "procedure" aka colonoscopy and full G.I. scope to see just what-the-heck is going on inside of me. Please pray that we can figure this all out so I can get all this sickness stuff out of the way. I know I haven't disclosed a lot (its a little intimidating over the world wide web) but basically my new specialist is starting over with my case.
Have a FABULOUS Weekend!

Happy Birthday Hollee

I know Birthday's aren't as big of a deal as you get older, but I thought it was worth mentioning that it is Hollee (Huston) Ford's Birthday today. Hollee is one of the most thoughtful, dedicated, creative, dependable, loving, and Christ-like women I have ever had the priveledge of calling a friend. Hollee, I am so thankful that God brought you into this world 27 years ago. You are such an inspiration to me and to so many others.
I stole this picture from Hollee's blog.

Pictures

We are back!

Annaleigh and I made it back to Texas Thursday following Russell's return from Honduras Wednesday. I would love to post pictures of our trip, but my forgetful mind forgot to bring the digi-cam! We had a fun time visiting friends and family in Georgia and Virginia....and as a side note: if you can make it to GA or South Carolina in the next month, you MUST sample the peaches. They are AMAZING this year!
I was so thankful to be able to spend some time with three of my oldest and dearest friends. We had a very special time of prayer for our families that refreshed my spirt and renewed my sense of the importance of the power of prayer. I challenge you all to find prayer partners. It is a great way to be accountable to each other and to God and it is AWESOME to watch him work in your life and the lives of others as a result.
Annaleigh did ok on her second plane trip. She screamed a lot on the way there (much to the shegrin of the other passengers.) Thankfully, my prayers were answered on the way home and she was as good as gold! Thanks to everyone who kept our Honduras mission team in your prayers last week. Amazing things were done for God's glory!
Here are a few pictures we took today at the pool and at home....just kidding. Blogger isn't loading pictures right now. I will try again tomorrow.

I am a mamma's girl!

If you know me, you know I am a mamma's girl! I usually talk to my mom on the phone every day. I wasn't able to last week because she was at the beach and she is one of the only people left on this planet who has no cell phone! I went through some major withdraws. Thankfully I will get to spend the next 9 days with her. Mom has taught me so many lessons in life which include but are not limited to how to love EVERYONE unconditionally...Especially broken people, how to have a kind and generous spirit, and how to make even ordinary days fun. I truly hope that I will be able to pass these gifts down to my child as she has to me. Anyone else out there love their mama the same way I do??

Update

Here are some recent pictures of my little munchkin. It's hard to believe she will be 4 months old on July 27th! We are having a fun summer traveling to see the grandparents in Georgia and San Angelo while Russell goes on youth trips. We will be going to Georgia again this Tuesday while Russell leads a group of 20 teens to Honduras. I am really looking forward to visiting with my oldest and dearest friend Beth who recently moved to the ATL. I also was suprised to learn today that another one of my best friends Amanda and her little boy will be at her parents while she is studying to take the BAR exam in just a couple of weeks. Hopefully she can carve out a few minutes to visit with me and Suzanna!

Birth Announcement

Growing like a Weed!

I am watching my little one grow and change right before my eyes! I love how that every day is an adventure! It's so exciting so see firsts...all those smiles, is that a laugh?, turning on her tummy...my heart just melts!

Maternity Leave

I guess you could call this break from blogging my "maternity leave." Sorry to those who have been checking in for updates! Annaleigh was born via "unscheduled c-section" March 27th at 5:20 PM. I toughed out natural childbirth for 8 hours before starting to beg for the epidural...then 2 hours later they told me that there was no way she was going to come without a c-section because of her positioning...so 5 minutes later we rolled into the O.R. and then about 10 minutes after that we had our little girl!
So...9 Days later at home I started having a really bad pain in my right side...My first thought was "I have to have appendicitis" but it scared me to admit it. Finally, the pain was too bad to bear any longer so I went to the doctor where they sent me directly to the ER. Long story short, I had surgery to remove my appendix as well as 3 inches of my colon just 10 days after my baby was born.
So that's where I have been folks! I am happy to report that things are finally back to normal around here...if you can call life with an infant normal!