I'm here! I'm here!! I promise...

It's been a minute since I've posted- not that anyone is/should be surprised. I'd like to think that it's bc I have to post from my iPhone (annoying), but most likely it's due to general laziness and non-creativity. Meh.

Here's a little of our life lately...

a) We just sold our home- Ahhh! So scared. So excited. So... homeless? No. My parents are graciously providing a roof for our heads until we settle into our new home- which we've found- and kinda love.

b) We just spent a wonderful weekend with my brother and sister-in-law where Morgan fulfilled her 2013 summer bucket list wish to swim in brown seaweed laden salt water off the cost of Galveston :). We had a great time at the beach bc SHE had a great time at the beach- I can still hear her squeals of delight ;)! Honestly, it was just a great time of fellowship with a brother I couldn't live without & a SIL I completely adore!

c)Nothing. It' summer- we're pretty much bumming around.

Hope yall are having a wonderful summer!!

SJ

When we found out we were expecting our second child I remember quietly hoping for a son. We had our precious girl (who's been a dream & a joy) and I thought it'd be fun to add a little rough & tumble to our family. When our dr confirmed that SJ was in fact a boy- I remember thinking "Nah. Too good to be true- he's mistaken". Seriously, I don't know why, but even in the hours leading up to my delivery I worried that they were wrong- that there happened to be a glitch on the monitor during every ultrasound. That it wasn't a... Ahem- weenie. (I'm still struggling with what to call it...)

As it turns out, it was a weenie (not a glitch) and we were blessed to bring home a little boy who has completed our family in so many ways. He turns two next month and lately that reality consumes me. In a good way.

He's at that age/place where he communicates with us like crazy- he WANTS to be heard! The grunting & pointing has given way to the forming of words & certainty about whether we've understood him or not. He's very good at letting us know when he feels misunderstood 😉.

He LOVES baseball. If you can hit it with a bat, he'll turn it into a baseball game. He has a good arm- or so I'm told. He has the deepest voice I've ever heard come out of a toddler- and it's loud. He's a snuggler & a kisser. He goes for the lips- like my great Aunt Vieda (eww). He loves his big sister & often runs to her for comfort if he's in trouble with us. She just eats it up 😉.

I'll leave you with some of my favorite SJ moments, as of late. I'm enjoying this journey as a boy mama for sure 😊.

And what of the "little" prayers?

I can still remember the day a team of neurologists at TCH sat Shaun & me down to share with us that an old bleed had been discovered on Morgan's brain. Brain bleeds are common in premature birth &, given that Morgan was born 3 mths premature, we were surprised when our previous team in Savannah discovered no bleeds.

But now our new team in Houston had found one. It was small- but packed a big punch. Cerebral Palsy. Worse yet, there was no way to know what level of impact it would have. I distinctly remember our neurologist saying, "...it could be as simple as a mild learning disability or limp- or as significant as a vegetative state. Only time will tell." At that time Morgan was battling for her life, sometimes opening her eyes to a familiar voice, but little else.

Fast forward a few years and it was plain to see that, while fine & gross motor skills were a challenge for her, Morgan met each challenge with determination & spunk. ☺
Each milestone a mountain she would climb and claim victory to. From birth my favorite book (hers too) to read with her was "Ruby In Her Own Time"- the story of a late bloomer who ended up defying the odds.

One "mountain" we faced was the simple joy of swinging. As a child I loved to swing- for hours. It was clear early on that Morgan found joy in the tummy butterflies & wind in her hair as well.😊 I loved to watch her close her little eyes & smile as I pushed her swing. Such a pure joy.

Swinging independently proved difficult, though. I watched her little friends hop effortlessly onto swings alongside her & almost without thought, swing themselves high into the sky as she watched from below. Of course I would have pushed her any day- but she wanted to be like those friends- swinging on her own.

Morgan was nearly five when I began to pray that God would give her the ability to swing. Sounds a little silly, I guess- but it was important to her & to me. We practiced often- me coaching her to lean back then forward... her focusing all her energy into something most don't give a second thought to. And you know what? God honored those prayers AND that hard work. One day it just clicked. One minute she was struggling & the next she was soaring.😊

The God who delivered His people from captivity. The God who made the lame walk & the blind see. He's the same God who listened to a Mama's prayer for her little girl to master the swing. And don't you know, it's her favorite activity! She runs to that swing EVERYtime her feet hit the grass. She swings so high it loosens the bolts in her swing set & Shaun has to tighten them often. 😉

My point? Nothing is of insignificance before His throne. He loves us & He loves when we trust him with our details. What have you been aching to give over to Him lately?

Easter

I swear, I'll be 85 yrs old one day & still not feel like a "grown-up". Anyone else struggle with that? Sometimes it can be a good thing- like when I jump on the trampoline with Morgan or share a zerbert (think Cosby show) with SJ. Then there are times when it leaves me feeling completely inadequate.

Would you believe that in 1988 I committed my heart & life to Christ- & this is the first Easter of my life that the magnitude of His sacrifice clicked for me? Sitting on a couch reading from a children's Bible, no less.

Reading the story of the crucifixion to Morgan, I suddenly felt a lump form in my throat... Followed by hot tears & the inability to continue. Bless her, she just stared at me. For a brief moment I wanted to step away & collect myself. Instead, I looked her in the eyes & said, "Morgy- this part of the story makes me so sad. It hurts my heart. And it hurt God's heart, too."

Friday morning something about this holiday changed for me. I still like bunnies & Easter eggs. I still enjoy getting together with family for a wonderful meal. But I will choose to maintain a focus on the only reason Easter is truly worth celebrating. I want to feel the deep hurt of Friday, the anticipation of Saturday, and the joy & victory of Sunday!

Drinking Green?

Two years ago I was expecting our second child and at a weight that I'd never imagined seeing on our bathroom scale. Despite my doctor's assurance that my weight gain was normal, I felt panicked. I just knew my figure was beyond repair.

After having SJ I used Advocare's Herbal Cleanse & took up walking the neighborhood with friends in an attempt to undo months worth of Porky's fried biscuits and sweet tea. It was a good start but soon I found that Advocare, though a wonderful product, was not in our long-term budget. And, as often happens, my friends schedules changed with the seasons and we were no longer able to walk together. Well, now what?

A few weeks ago I opened our pantry to find 3 different containers of doughnuts staring me in the face- surrounded by boxed pastas and 2 bags of confectioners sugar. Yep, TWO bags. I knew then it was time to make a change.
I don't know about you but, for me, change that is dramatic always has a shelf life. It never sticks. So I've decided to make small- but signifigant changes-
1)Wake up earlier. Get a few crunches and leg lifts in, have a cup of hot herbal tea or a smoothie, and get my daily quiet time in. Currently, I'm enjoying the devotional Jesus Calling.
2) Drink water. Whenever the desire for an ice cold Dr. Pepper rises, squash it. I'll be glad I did.
3) Journal about the process. Allow myself the opportunity to randomly look back and see how far I've come. This morning I made my first "green" smoothie- and it was lovely. I mean it.

(Iknow it looks just awful- but trust me, it was delicious!) To make this green smoothie, I used: 1/2 frozen banana, one handful of frozen strawberries, 1/4 cup of almonds, orange juice, and a handful of spinach leaves.

What is your favorite green smoothie recipe? I'd love to hear!

Happy Saturday & Welcome!

Happy Saturday friends! I'm so glad you've checked in today & I hope you'll do so often throughout this journey!

Why blog? Simple. I enjoy the community that blogging provides. I have good friends, warm family, & a host of activities that I love- but blogging is a unique way to reach out, encourage, & be encouraged...and I look forward to that.

My hope for this little space on the inter-web is that it will be a place where I share the joys (& the trials) of life. My prayer for this space is that it will be a blessing to those who read it.

Here are a few recent photos of our family- Spring has officially arrived in TX &, aside from the overload of pollen, we're loving it!