During our one day without rain....

Well I think the rain let up for one day the other week and we took advantage to get some more fall pics! Its raining again as I speak and we're hoping it clears tomorrow for a fun day of trick-o-treating!

Technical Difficulties!

So I didn't continue my fall picture posts because my internet was not working during naptime today (gasp!). And naptime is my blog time. : ) So just a quick post tonight and I shall try to pick up tomorrow with my fall pics!

I came across this pic tonight and I just love it. Bella has the biggest, bluest, most beautiful eyes. When I saw this I was just dying to know what she was thinking behind those beautiful blues that day.

Wise beyond her years. : )

*Breaking News*

I interrupt today's regular scheduled post (which is below) for some breaking news. Ok not breaking, but fun! I have been given two rewards. How fun is that!? My dear friend Somer rewarded me with this one:

Thanks Somer for thinking of me!

Rules for the reward:

1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link to their blog.

2. Share 10 honest things about yourself.

3. Present this award to 7 other whose blogs you find brilliant in design or content.

4. Tell those 7 people they have been awarded.

10 Honest Things About Myself:

1. I worry constantly about everything and my only saving grace is my savior Jesus Christ

2. We are currently trying to get preggers with a third blessing after suffering a miscarriage.

3. I was born in Vienna, Austria where my parents were missionaries. They would plan boarder crossings while I napped in hopes the guards wouldn't disturb a sleeping baby, and it worked! They have many crazy stories of bible smuggling during the iron curtain era.

4. I had really hard, complicated relationships through my school years and I am very thankful for the great friends I have today.

5. I love TV. I watch way too much. And I have no idea how I survived without Tivo.

6. I am the pickiest eater ever. I don't like most things, including most sweets (good for me though!). And I am trying my hardest to make sure my kiddos don't pick up this bad habit.

7. I hate cleaning. Don't get me wrong I love tidiness and organization, but when it comes down to cleaning out the fridge, the toilets, around the base boards, mopping, yuk! My hubby is a better cleaner than me!

8. I hated to read. That was until I discovered Francine Rivers (Redeeming Love to be specific), now I love to, well when I get the time.

9. I entered the blogging world (not writing my own yet but starting to read others) around this time last year and I am so thankful for the other women/mommies out there that share their lives with others so we can learn and grow from their happiness, sarrow, mistakes, strengths, and just being a fly on the wall of their lives.

10. I am tickled pink each and every time I get a comment on one of my posts! : )

Check out these 7 blogs:

1. Studiophotographie (gotta give the hubs a shout out!)

2. The Joys of Being a Mother (gotta give a shout back!)

3. Kevin and Amanda (great blog decorating links and ideas!)

4. Natalie's Sentiments (love her!)

5. Matt and Maddy (daddy and daughter on their own)

6. Joyful Adorations (my newest dear bloggy friend :) )

7. Abi Q (love her love for romance and her GREAT pictures)

Then there is my fun award from Heather:

The rules for this award are:

Admit 5 things you are currently obsessed with and reward the award to 5 other bloggers.

5 things I am obsessed with:

1. TV and Tivo- already admitted that one!

2. Taking pics of my beautiful girls. Hard not to with how cute they are. : )

3. Being with my friends. The hubs and I are people people.

4. Olive Garden, every birthday, anniversary, any special occasion. Makes me happy. : D

5. Blogging! Love it!

And I award this to 5 blogs I'm obsessed with!

1. Mckmama

2. Bring the Rain

3. Four Little Men and Girly Twins

4. Kelly's Korner

5. The Macs

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday Blog Hop- Family Fun....

Today's Tuesday Blog hop theme is family fun. What is something fun you can do as a family? Well this time of year something that I love trying to do is get the typical fall pics- pumpkin patch, jumping in piles of leaves, family fall picture, in their costumes, etc. Since the hubs and I love picture taking and all of these things are free it can be a fun, inexpensive, family fun experience! I've been trying very hard to do these things but the cold and rainy weather has not made it very easy! Yet just this last week we had a few warmer, dryer days so we jumped at the opportunity.

Actually the first set of pictures I'm going to share was from a couple of weeks ago (I'll show a few more, each day, for the rest of the week, so be sure to come back and see!). Bella and her best friends continued our annual tradition of going to Royal Oaks Apple Orchard. We decided to go rain or shine since our weather has been just plain unpredictable this year. Well we got rain, and COLD! But we didn't let it stop us. : ) We bundled all the kiddos up and walked around enjoying the orchard, stopping for a brief merry-go-round ride under a nice shelter. Finally we stopped for lunch and warmed up a bit. Afterwards we hit the pumpkin patch, got our apple doughnuts and then took our wet, muddy selves home! Here are the pics:

Introducing.......

It is my honor to introduce you to...

Katherine Grace

Katie Grace was born October 24th at 8:37 am and she was 7 pounds 11 ounces and 21 inches long.

She is perfectly perfect and the new mommy and daddy couldn't be more smitten.

Jake and Shari were able to be there for most of the birth of their baby girl (Shari was there the entire time). And they even allowed Jake to cut the umbilical cord. The new little family returned to their temporary home, for the next 30 days until the adoption is finalized, yesterday. Most of the Usual Suspects (the hubs stayed home with the kiddos) headed up yesterday afternoon to get our hands on her!

Congrats Jake and Shari, we couldn't be happier for you guys!

Go here for more about the Lyman's story.

And He spoke to me.....

I HATE waiting. I am so impatient. Something that has always been really hard for me is waiting those 2 or so weeks after attempting to conceive to see if in fact we were successful. It KILLS me. Perhaps that is why with all of my pregnancies so far I have had at least one negative result before receiving my positive one. So after our miscarriage last month and being anxious to move on from that and grow our family I thought I would surely die before before I could take the next test. The D Day came and went, my "friend" did not make an appearance. So I thought I'd give it another day and maybe one more. Perhaps proving to myself that I can be patient when I want to be. But really instead, as each day passed I was just that much more convinced that I was pregnant. Until today. My friend arrived. Right before walking into my small group at church. It took about everything in me to not go grab Brynn and go back home. And really the only reason I didn't was because I had already dropped my things off in our meeting room. I wondered why I wasn't pregnant, why do I need to keep waiting, is this another miscarriage, are we going to be able to get pregnant and keep the baby,why, why why? Currently we are doing Beth Moore's study on the book of Esther. If you are a woman, it is AMAZING. Well in today's lesson, He really spoke to me. Honestly, I have felt God's answer to prayer and such but I'm not sure I have ever really had Him speak to me so profoundly or right when I needed it the most. Today Beth talked about time. Her points were: Reflect on the importance of....
1. When its time.
2. When its time to wait.
3. When its time to wait for someone else's time.
4. When the meantime is God's time.

Being the impatient person that I am Number 4 was the most profound for me. One point that she really stressed was that when you are waiting, waiting, waiting, that's God's time. God is never inactive. He's always up to something. And the biggest lesson that touched me was that our strength is depleted the longer we wait on that ONE THING or that ONE PERSON. We must Wait on the LORD.

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 kjv

Its so crazy (well actually a total God thing) that she chose that verse. It has always been my favorite but today it took on new meaning for me.

So I just want to say, as you wait upon, whatever (to get pregnant, your child to get better, to find a spouse, to find that perfect job) this is just a reminder to wait, wait on the Lord, not that thing.

And so I'll wait. Not to get that positive pregnancy test (although it will take all my strength and constant reminding not to) but on the Lord. He has perfect timing. And he's never inactive. So I know he has a plan and I will wait on Him to reveal it to me. Will you pray for me as I try to do that, without it I don't have a chance? : )

Hope that can bring you some encouragement today, it sure helped me. : )

Wordless Wednesday-Happy Fall!

Tuesday Blog Hop- Fantabulous Foto Free For All....

This week's Tuesday Blog Hop theme is a photo free for all! My favorite!! I always have fun pics to share. Let see what to share, what to share?!

My friend and I got our girls these adorable panda outfits from Gymboree, with our wonderful gymbucks, and they were just so precious I had to snap some photos of them in it:

My first beautiful born! Normally really hard to get to smile nicely and look at the camera, today she was being quite cooperative!

And then there is my stunning, second beauty, who will always flash me a world class smile but may not hold very still, for long. : )

And to get a cute picture of them together, both looking, both with nice smiles, impossible. But I came as close as I could during this fun photo op!

Thanks for enjoying our pics! Be sure to check others' pics in the links below! : )

NOT Not Me Monday, Lyman Update...

So I don't have time to really post today because Poppi Glass is coming in to town and I have to clean, clean, clean!!! I just wanted to quick pop in and ask for your prayers. This next week or so is going to be THE BIG week. Remember the Lymans, whose updates are here and here? Well tomorrow is the birth mom's due date. So its just a waiting game now!! So just be in prayer for them and the birth parents as you think of it this next week or so. I will be sure to keep you posted! Also she has started up her own blog, so if she's gives me permission I'll send you on over there so you can send your love and keep track of the progress! Last night we had them for a quick dinner on their way up to WI to wait for baby Katie Grace to be born. It was great to catch up and pray for them before the big day!

We're thinking of you Lymans and we'll be praying for you every day!