True Gifts

Last night I had the honor of sharing an evening, queso (yum!), and lots of laughs with four very special women, four of one of the best kinds of friends...

Blog World Friends!

Top Row: Jen the Newlywed & Me
Bottom Row: Jaclyn from It's All About the Parker, Ashley from Life Beyond the Pink, and Jennifer from The Woolleys

The blog world is so amazing! It has been a joy and true blessing to share life with amazing women like the ones above. We have journeyed together through all sorts of highs and lows - supported one another, laughed with one another, cried together, and rejoiced in God's goodness together.

Ladies - It was a true pleasure. I will cherish the laughs and the memories always. I can't wait to do it again real soon!

Some may call us "random" friends. But in our hearts we know our friendship is no coincidence.

The friend given you by circumstances over which you have no control is God's own gift.
-Fredrick Robertson

Catching Up

It's not much, but I'm trying. Better late than never!

3 Months!

Another Year Stronger, Fuller, Deeper

Nate Has Something He'd Like to Say

My Mr. Wonderful, His Hero

My Mr. Wonderful, His Hero

Happy 1st Father's Day, Mr. Wonderful!
I always knew watching you be a daddy would melt my heart.
But this sweetness is beyond my wildest dreams.
We love you with our whole hearts!

Nate Has Something He'd Like to Say

Translation:

Thank you for praying for my mommy and daddy and me. We are so happy to be a family. God heard all of our prayers and He answered them in bigger and better ways than we could have ever imagined. Thank you for loving our family.

-Nate

Another Year Stronger, Fuller, Deeper

"Like a river meets the sea,
Stronger than its ever been.
We've come so far since that day,

And I thought I loved you then." -Brad Paisley

Happy 6 Year Anniversary, Mr. Wonderful!
It is an honor to share life with my very best friend.
Through the highs and lows one thing has always been constant - you.
Thank you for never giving up on me.
I am so blessed to call you mine.

I love you,
E

365 Days

One year.

It's hard to believe that a whole year has passed since last June 5th. The day I found out that our three precious babies had no heartbeats. The day my heart broke as well.

I'm not sure how many readers I still have on this blog considering how terrible I am at maintaining this thing. To be 100% honest my blog really intimidates me these days. My life right now is naturally busy with Nate. So therefore most of my blog posts would be all about Nate's antic, our adventures, etc.

I know there are some of you out there who's struggle to parenthood continues. Your hurt is ever-present. And my fear with this becoming a baby blog is that you all would feel as though I have forgotten. And I haven't. My emotions are still very raw. For example, I was at an Astros game last night with Mr. Wonderful for a work event and the talk amongst me and a couple other women turned to pregnancy. And my heart ached. Mr. Wonderful and I have moved onto the "young families" class at our church, and to be honest, even though I have fully embraced being a mom, I am struggling to feel like I fit into the group.

I cried all the way to work today. The losses of our past are still very real to me. And they sting. Our Faithful Father was so gracious to me this morning. As tears streamed down my face, this song came on the radio.



I know that I've shared this one with you recently. But today it moved me from tears to sobs.

"Friend I don't know where you are

And I don't know where you've been

Maybe you're fighting for your life

Or just about to throw the towel in

But if you're crying out for mercy

If there's no hope left at all

If you've given everything you've got

And you're still about to fall

Hold on,

Hold on,

Hold on."

Oh, how I can relate to those lyrics. They bring me right back to June 5, 2008. I had given everything. I had little hope left. I wanted to throw in the towel. And I'm not really sure I had the strength to hold on. But God held onto me. And somehow I survived.

Now one year later - June 5, 2009 - my bruised heart has hope again. I have found joy and am humbled by God's faithfulness. I am completely in love with a 14 lbs little boy. And God has turned my mourning into dancing.

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."

Proverbs 13:12

I am praying for all of you whose hearts are sick. And I continue to believe that He will fulfill your longing.

He is faithful.

Everyday of the year.

All 365 of them.

Even today.

3 Months!

My precious Naterade (that's what your daddy calls you now!),

Three months. THREE MONTHS!

I can hardly believe how fast the months have flown by yet at the same time I can't really remember our life before you. You continue to bring so much joy, so much love into our home. Your smile alone lights up the room and is so contagious!

You are growing so fast. I'm guessing you weigh at least 14 lbs. now, but we'll find out for sure at your check-up next month. You love to lay on your back, kick your legs, and squeal with joy! It makes your daddy and me laugh until we cry every time. It never gets old! You are very vocal and love to share what's on your mind! (Wonder who you're learning that from? Hmm... ;) You are holding your head up like a champ now and are getting so close to rolling over. I'm thinking it will happen in the next week or two, so I guess I better enjoy my freedom while I can! Soon I will have to watch even closer as you become more mobile.

I fall more and more in love with you each day. I am continually humbled by the magnitude of the blessing of you. The Lord has been so good to us! There was a hole in my life for so many months, a longing in my heart that ran so deep it hurt, a missing piece in our family. And we can see now that God was working during that time to fulfill His perfect plan for us...YOU!

I pray that as you come to understand your adoption story that you will see that God never fails His people, that His way is ALWAYS the very best. Because, son, you are the absolute very best for us!

Love, love, love you,
Mommy