Celebrate Hope Day

We designated 7.26.10 as Celebrate Hope Day. Nate took off work and we spent the day as a family, just the three of us. The purpose of the day was to do something fun that we wouldn't have been able to do this summer if we had become a new family of four.

So we headed up to Hawaiian Falls, the waterpark right by our house. Luke and I have season passes this summer and we had a coupon for a buddy pass so Nate got in for free (score!)

Luke's favorite thing to do is play in the wave pool and float in the lazy river. There are slides that he goes down in the kid area that he likes, but he doesn't beg to go over there. He gets overwhelmed in situations where there are lots of kids, so I always have to go up with him to be his bodyguard.

We all went down the red slide, Luke's favorite. He likes it once he gets up there, it just takes convincing to get him there.






Most of our time was spent in the wave pool.


He would stand on Nate's leg and pretend he was wakeboarding.




The only family picture of the day:


Luke and Mommy:


And now for the BIG news of the day...




Luke swam all by himself!!

He got brave enough to try swimming without his float belt. And he did GREAT!! He kicked his legs and used his arms, although his arms never got out of the water. But for his first time swimming without any form of floatation device or someone holding onto him, he was amazing. I am so proud of him. And just think...if I had been pregnant this summer, he and I wouldn't have gone swimming as much as we have. So he wouldn't have the confidence he has to try swimming by himself.

Here's a short video:


**Picture disclaimer - I took our P&S camera with us b/c I didn't want to risk my Nikon and I didn't realize the lens was dirty with Luke finger prints until after we got home...that's why all the pictures have a cloudy tint to them!***

7.26.10

Eight months ago, this date represented hope.

Eight months ago, we were on a roller coaster ride. We had lost two babies and were undergoing testing to see if there was a reason.  Eight months ago, I heard God speak to me for the first time and he told me to have hope.

On the same day we found out there was a reason behind our miscarriages, we found out I was pregnant again.  This time was different, I knew.  This time I turned the pregnancy over to God, knowing that He would keep our baby safe, knowing that if something were to happen, it was His plan.

I thought I knew God's plan for us...I thought He was going to test us and then bless us abudnantly with the little baby due in July.  July 2010.  7-10.  I didn't give much thought to losing the baby because I knew God was going to give us Hope.

Turns out I was wrong; God wasn't finished testing us.  But He has blessed us abundantly, just in a different way that we imagined.

I was no longer pregnant by 2010, and I am very thankful that I could start this year with a clean slate.  A few weeks later we found out that the baby died because two of its chromosomes were flip-flopped; that's called a balanced translocation and it's exactly what we were told most likely caused the other miscarriages. 

We were advised not to try to have more children on our own, because with a balanced translocation the rate of miscarriage for each pregnancy is 70%. 

It has been a rough eight months...really 16 months if you go back to when this journey began.  It has been full of trials, which is actually something to be thankful for since James 1:2-3 tells us to "count it all joy when you fall into various trials because the testing of your faith produces patience".  And when I look back to who I was 16 months ago, I barely recognize that girl.  This journey has been God's way of working on me...working on my faith, working on my attitude, working on my outlook of life.  Working on my relationships and my self confidence.  I know I have grown so much in the last 16 months, andbecause of that I am thankful for what He has put us through.

But I still go back sometimes.  I still become that person I was 16 months ago, and my biggest question in all of this is why?  I know that there is a reason, I know He has a plan, but sometimes I think I would handle it better it if I knew why this is His plan for us.  Then I come back to who I am now.  And I know that "all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).  My husband tells me often that if we knew all the answers, we wouldn't need to have faith in God.  He's right.

I'm praying that getting past this day, 7.26.10, will set me free.  That getting past this due date of my last baby will release the string from around my finger and that I will finally be able to move past this journey.  Because in the last eight months I have realized that I am happy to have a family of three.  That I am so blessed with my husband and my son.  I have stopped wanting more and I have started appreciating what I have.  Because I have more than some people could ever dream of having.  And I'm hoping that this day releases any hold on me that keeps me going back to where I was before.

Funny Luke Story of the Week

Background: Nate is off tomorrow (Monday) and we're going to Hawaiian Falls as a family. 

Yesterday we drove past the waterpark and I asked him if he was ready to go there and he replied "not really".  I told him we didn't have to go to Hawaiian Falls, but I wanted to do something fun as a family.  I started crying as I told him I wanted to do something fun as a family that we couldn't have done if we hadn't lost the last baby.

Luke pipes up from the backseat, "Daddy, Mommy is freaking out."

HA!!

I cracked up and immediately all tears were gone.  It was exactly what I needed in that moment.  He is so funny!

Swim Party

We got together with some friends Sunday night to grill out and swim. We had a blast!



I am just in awe of my Luke and how far he has come in the water this summer. In May, even with his red float belt on, he clung to me for dear life in the pool. Now in July, he swims on his own (with his float belt) and gets mad if we try to grab on to him at all. In May, he wouldn't jump in the pool without holding on to our hands. Now in July, he jumps off the diving board. All by himself.





I guess I should say he belly flops all by himself. Still working on the feet first part!




The big kids...not so easy to get six kids to look at the camera and smile at once!


Don't forget the babies:




Luke tried swimming without his float belt. He did great, but I had a hold of him or vice versa each time.

Lake Trip

On Saturday we went to the lake with Nate's younger sisters, their significant others, and Nate's younger brothers. We had a lot of fun wakeboarding, water skiing, kneeboarding, and tubing.

Here's a slideshow of the pictures from our trip:

Vacation Bible School

This week was Vacation Bible School at Frost Baptist Church, where Nate's parents attend worship.  This was the first year I was able to take Luke down for it.  He had a blast with all of his cousins.  Aunt Hannah was one of his teachers so that was a major plus, and he got to see Nana and Daddy Matt all week.

The theme this year was the Saddle Ridge Ranch.  Luke's favorite part of the week was the theme song to Saddle Ridge Ranch.  By the end of the week he knew all the motions to the song and would go all out whenever they would sing it.  He calls it "round round ranswers" because the main part of the song says, "Saddle Ridge Ranch, roundin' up questions, drivin' home answers".  I need to get to LifeWay and get the CD for him, he begs me everyday for it.

I only took my camera down one day, even though I should have been taking pictures everyday.  On the last night Luke won a prize - a Bible - and he'll tell anyone who will listen that "Daddy Matt called out, 'Where's Luke?' and I went up to the front and Nana gave me a Bible!" 

Even though he had so much fun, it was traumatic each time he left the room I was in.  We all started out in the fellowship hall and then the young kids (kindergarten, pre-k, and younger) would leave for their classroom and his face would just crumble.  But once he was gone, he had fun.  I helped in the craft area all week and he was in the last group to come for crafts.  He was always so excited to see me, but at the end he would have to leave for the fellowship hall for closing and he would cry.  The first time he cried, I asked him why he was crying and he choked out, "I (sob) don't (sob) want (sob) to leave (sob) you (sob)".  It broke my heart.  But ten minutes later, I went in the fellowship hall and he was laughing and singing his heart out with his cousins. 

It was a fun week, the only drawback was driving 45 minutes each way each night.  But I'm so glad we did it and can't wait for next year.

Sitting with his cousins at the front:


Putting money in the hat for offering:


Doing his craft of the night - gluing rocks on a wooden cross:


Coloring his bookmark:


All of the crosses at the end of the night:


Dancing to "Saddle Ridge Ranch":

Pitching a Tent

And we've reached the tent making phase of Luke's life! He's been begging me for awhile to build him a tent but we couldn't ever find a good spot. He convinced Mammie to build one for him at their house on Saturday and since then it's all I have heard about!

I had a lightbulb moment this morning and realized we have the PERFECT spot for a tent...

Napping with His Dogs

3 Year Stats

Yes, I know he turned three a month and a half ago. Our pediatrician was out of town the majority of June and when I called back in April to make the appointment, this was the soonest to his birthday I could get.

Stats
Weight: 36.8 lb (90th percentile)
Height: 37 1/2 in** (50th percentile)

**So I think this is the first accurate height measurement of his life! This was the first time he has stood against the wall and been measured against a ruler. Every other time they laid him on the table and marked near his head and his feet and then measured that. I just don't see how that could be accurate because if it is, he only grew an inch last year. That doesn't make sense because I know he's grown more than that.

This was the first appointment he had his blood pressure taken, wore a gown, and sat up on the exam table. He was such a good boy for everything, too; very still and quiet. The pedi said that he looks great and is doing great.

He did have one shot; apparently they've updated the Prevnar vaccine and it's recommended for older kids who had all the doses of the previous vaccine to have one dose of the new one. So he had one shot in the leg. Poor thing cried so hard, but was all better when he saw that he got a Band-Aid. We finished the appointment with a Toy Story 3 sticker and he was all smiles when we left.

Look at this big boy in the paper gown (excuse the terrible cell phone camera quality!) He loves to sit on the little step stool.

Favorite Luke Quote of the Week

Mommy: "Luke, it's almost time for bed."

Luke: "Okay, I'm almost tired."

Sunday Afternoon at Rangers Ballpark

This face says it all:


We traded in our tickets for seats under the overhang. Being in the shade makes an afternoon game in the middle of July a lot more bearable.


See, it was hot:




We saw the All-Stars get their jerseys:


A security guard brought Luke an ice cream bar, which he loved:


And then the Rangers SIx Shooters gave him a snake balloon animal:


He spent the first six innings waiting - not so patiently - for the Dot Race.


Finally it was the middle of the 6th inning...he loves the Dot Race so much that I had to take pictures of it for him. I think he needs to be the Red Dot for Halloween.


Red wins! Luke was ecstatic.


And then sad when he realized it was over and there wasn't going to be another one.

4th of July

We celebrated the 4th of July with our neighbors, just like last year. This year we got smart and stayed in the air conditioning. :) We did venture out to watch the fireworks at Big Leauge Dreams. We parked at the elementary school down the street and could see everything. It was a great fireworks show and the kids had a blast!

Luke in his 4th of July attire:


While we waited for it to get dark, the kids played outside in the pool.

Showing off their muscles:




Racing to the pool:




The BFFs:


We had homemade vanilla ice cream for dessert. Reese and Luke were the only two who sat still long enough to eat it. Match made in heaven.


Josh's mom brought the kids brownie bites with festive icing. The boys wanted blue icing, of course. Showing off their blue tongues:


Don't forget Reese! I <3 her expression.

Pretty girl.


This is one of my favorite pictures of these two:


One of our newest neighbors, little baby Jacob:


Time for fireworks!

Our set up:


Waiting patiently:




Luke watching through his binoculars:


Reese had the smart idea - sit in a chair!


Poor Joshie was worn out by the time the fireworks started:


Enthusiastically clapping for the finale: