finally some TWO birthday pics

Here are some pictures finally from my big girl's actual birthday.

We celebrated at home and had a party over the weekend.

I'll post those pics sometime soon!

So thankful for my sweet girl and all the joy/fun she brings to our lives!

Here is my birthday girl in all her TWO year old glory! I cannot believe she is two and acts/talks like she is FIVE. : )

blowing out her candles...she got one down and one to go!

My big girl eating cake

This is her birthday cake..."semi-homemade" strawberry cake.

tradition is we eat birthday cake for breakfast. The kids love this!

This two year old has made

Hope in the wake of loss

Lately, I've felt overwhelmed with my prayer list. There seems to be soo many people hurting and dealing with scary things. Thankfully, God is BIGGER than the length of my list and the amount of pain being felt by everyone on it.

Life can seem daunting and lonely for a lot of people. I know families burdened and waiting for their adopted children to be home, single mamas trying their best to make it on their own, college kids afraid of the big decisions they are making, adults/children fighting illnesses and as of recently a family whose precious almost two year old went home with the Lord. I understand how people can get lost in their circumstances and feel like their is no way out. But let me give you some hope in face of such tragedies. We have a GOD who IS all powerful, mighty to save and WILL NOT leave His people in a time of need. Find hope in what is yet to come because of what already has been done.....

When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”

“O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:54-58

This verse is such a source of comfort and hope. Please know that "Thanks be to God" we have to fear nothing because our victory over this world, it's trials and death has been accomplished through Jesus. This to me is where living out our faith truly comes to pass. It's during these difficult moments and big life questions where we can choose to trust all that Christ did through his life, death and resurrection or be swallowed up in despair. Believe me when I say, I cannot imagine the pain this precious family is feeling and will not cheapen it. I do believe however, that they are feeling "death where is your sting?" because of their belief that their child is now with Jesus worshiping Him forever with no more cancer staining her sweet body. The loss must be unbearable, and that is where the family of Jesus Christ will serve them and love them. But no matter our fears, sorrow and struggles we cannot loose sight of what has already taken place to set us FREE! My friends, please wait no longer. If you have not trusted your entire life to our savior and king, Jesus Christ....do it NOW! We are not promised tomorrow and this life is much sweeter living in the blessed peace of our Lord.

I want to leave you with this song that I cannot listen to without being so thankful for my salvation and hope in Jesus!

Come ye sinners, poor and needy
Weak and wounded, sick and sore
Jesus ready stands to save you
Full of pity, love, and power

Come ye thirsty, come and welcome
God's free bounty glorify
True belief and true repentance
Every grace that brings you nigh

I will arise and go to Jesus
He will embrace me in His arms
In the arms of my dear Savior
Oh, there are ten thousand charms

Come ye weary, heavy-laden
Lost and ruined by the fall
If you tarry until you're better
You will never come at all

Just a little honesty...

I wanna post.

Believe me.

This is such a creative outlet for me and it helps record our family's life.

But this pregnancy is kicking my booty. (as of last two days this sinus stuff has put my "all day sickness" on overdrive!!!)

I'm soo thankful for this child that is sucking the life out of me and for the other two that have been trying their best to take the rest.

I know I'm not the only woman to feel drained and sick during pregnancy. Nor am I the only woman to do this while raising two other little ones.

Nor would I ever change a thing.

There just has to be a little re-arranging.

I'm learning to be ok with a dirty house (let's be honest, I was mostly ok with this before). Not having time/energy to blog/edit/or do anything creative with my children. End a much anticipated date night early with my husband because I get sick at the restaurant. Learning to be fine with saying no to play dates, moving appts. and other things when I just can't get me and them out the door. Cooking looking more like something frozen, take out or more importantly whatever doesn't make me sick looking at it. Some days none of this is a problem. Most days it is.

So I'm learning how to be a mamma in this season.

Please understand if I return phone calls late, don't email back promptly, don't post a blog all week, have no cute pics of my adorable kids as of late (of course I have a billion to post from several weeks ago that I'm too tired to edit) and may not be my chipper self.

It's hard to be honest about feeling this way with not feeling like I'm complaining or being ungrateful. Please hear me when I say I love my life and when I feel a little more like myself again, I plan on enjoying it full steam!!! Until then, thank you to my friends, family, 2 sweet children and my HERO of a husband for putting up with me!

While, I have no energy to actually be inspirational myself. I have found some inspiration on pinterest for the thing I'm looking most forward to lately.

FALL!!!

(source for all four pics: on my pinterest)

It could be that by the time fall is here my hormones should all nicely be straightened out and I hopefully will have a cute little (that's the hopeful part) baby bump! plus it's just my favorite.

Can't wait for cool afternoons, dressing the kids up in costumes, JEANS, football games, and all the delish food that awaits the season!

Lately.....

i have been soo tired

i have felt like crap

i have worried what was wrong with me

i have fallen asleep with children playing around me

i have stopped cooking, blogging, cleaning and doing other normal things

i have taken a test

i have been COMPLETELY shocked, overjoyed and thankful

thank you $1 Dollar Store test for giving us some really great news

Thompson Babe #3 due to hit the Bluff Home March 2012