Happy Birthday Stella Beth!

You are one year old today!  This has been a year filled with an overwhelmingly large amount of joy.  You are a gift from God, and we are very blessed to call you our daughter.  We love you so much!

The Pumpkin Patch

We are winding up our first year of holidays and different seasons.

The first birthday is just around the corner and we've been hard at work to make it a very special day.  For now though--what better way to end an awesome year then to get into some fall festivities!

 It's safe to say that Stella Beth loved the pumpkin patch!

It was fun to see her walk through the pumpkins (hanging on of course) touching each one!

Happy Fall Ya'll!

Bye Bye Summer!!

Family Vacation

We enjoyed wrapping up our summer with a little vacation to one of our most favorite and memorable places.  Gatlinburg is where we began our family together over 5 years ago.

 This was right after we got engaged....

And then the years there after....

Wow!!  A lot changes in 5 short years!  We had an absolute blast the entire time.  We enjoyed our time so much with the Mahollands! We are so thankful that they asked us to do this.  We had a gorgeous cabin that was at the top of a very curvy and very tall mountain!  

The days seemed to go by so slow and felt very relaxed and filled with a ton of things that we did! 

 We made sure that Stella got to enjoy every inch of Gatlinburg.  And she sure did!  She was so good the entire trip!

We look forward to making more memories here in years to come!

Red, White, & Blue

 We've had a lot going on these days and we are really enjoying our summer.  We had to say goodbye for a while to my bro-in-law as he is going into the Air Guard.  We sure do miss him a lot already.  We had a going away party for him and got this great picture of all of us!  It's hard for us knowing that we won't get to see him for 5 months.  That sure is a long time!

We enjoyed our first Fourth of July together.

 Yes, out of 5 years married, this was the first one that John hasn't been working!

We spent the day together and then enjoyed the evening at my parents house with grilling out, watermelon, fireworks, and lots of sparklers.

 We hope everyone had a very happy fourth!!!

Five Years

Spending the past 5 years with my best friend has been quite the adventure.

We thank God today for keeping us strong for five years and look forward to many more years ahead!

 ONE

 TWO

 THREE

FOUR

FIVE

Father's

There isn't anything like a Father's love.  I've always been a Daddy's girl and always will be.  I was raised by an incredible man of the Lord.  He taught me many things.  Like how important it is to love others, to serve, how to tie my shoes and blow a bubble.  He taught me that sometimes it's ok to say yes, but sometimes no means no.  When the answer was usually "yes", those "no moments" were a real bear.  He taught me how to come through heartache and to shine no matter what.  He never gave up on me and always told me "as long as I did my very best, that's all that matters".  He loved me big every single day.  He showed me.

He would write us all letters, he would hold my hand--even in front of my friends, he would offer a handkerchief out of his back pocket whenever needed, he would dance me to sleep, and showed me my great desire for music.  He would tell me he loved me before he left and before he went to bed every single day and he'd hug me until I decided it was time to let go. He still does some of these things now.  He is a good Daddy.  The best I could ever ask for.  He taught me to follow my dreams and because of him I'm where I am at today.
I married a man who is now the father to our daughter.  I never knew that a man could love someone so new.  From the moment she arrived, his love for her was abundant.  There are so many days that I stand back in awe of his love and care that he shows her.

 He's a Daddy who loves unconditionally, he will play guitar and sing to her, he reads her stories and even uses the silly voices.  When she's sad, he's patient and calm.  He plays in the floor with her and shows her how to love her toys.  He feeds her, holds her tight, and prays for her now and for her future.  He's the best Daddy that we could have ever asked for.

I can't wait to sit back and watch him teach her how a girl is supposed to be loved, and how to tell others about Christ.
I was told many times while pregnant that you never really understand God's love for us until you have a baby.  That's one of those "advices" that actually is true.  There really isn't anything greater than a Father's love.  I am so grateful to have had a father who loved me unconditionally growing up.  I am thankful to have a husband who is an incredible father and leader in our household.  But, I am even more thankful for our Father's love.  Sacrificing His Son for our sins is the ultimate price and the ultimate act of love.  Many people celebrate Father's Day without fathers and that breaks my heart into 1,000 pieces.  But I find comfort in our Heavenly Father who loves us unconditionally, who brings us Life, who comforts us, and who is always there for us to run to His arms.  And He will never let go!

The Sound of Grace

What makes us who we are?  What defines us?  When we meet someone we usually introduce ourselves by name, family, and then what we "do".  Our profession.  Sometimes I wonder why what we do is so important.  In today's society so many people get caught up in status, job title, vacation spot, travel, cars, house, clothes, the list goes on.  We get so caught up in all of these status' that it consumes our every being and makes us "who we are."  Then we forget about what we are actually supposed to be here on this earth for.  These things begin to leech onto us and change our mind set.  They slowly consume us into monsters of greed, hatred, jealously, and coventry.  Before we know it our lives change.  We lose things, our relationships fall into shambles, we lose people who were special to us, we make horrific decisions, and we ultimately spin out of control until everything flies off of us and we have nothing left.
We've all been here.
It's a nasty and dark place to be.
It seems like when we've hit rock bottom, we always search around in the dark rummaging for any hope that's left to save us from the misery.  We search for some thing to relieve us from the pain.  Sometimes we search and find the wrong things.
When we put our hope into anything or anyone that is not Jesus, they fail us.  Every time.  It's so easy for us to put our full trust and faith into things and people, but so hard for us to forgive whenever these things fail us.  And then we run from these things and get new things.  That's when the spinning begins.
Why is this so hard to figure out when the answer is always right in front of our faces?  There.  All the time, chiming in our ear and pounding through our hearts.  It's just easy to not see it when we've been subdued to "things" for so long.  It's what we've been used to.  But the truth is, when you are thrown flat on your face, you can find your strength to just roll over and grasp on to a little hope to look at what is up above you.  Hope.
We serve a God who loves us.  Everyday.  Even when we don't talk to Him, or spend time building the relationship we must have with Him.  He's still there whenever we sin and turn away from Him and break His heart.  He's still there with arms wide open.  He took all of our nasty sin that we've already and will commit and was beaten, struck, humiliated, and tortured, then hung on a cross to slowly die.  For us.  Our sinful selves--He died for us when He certainly did not have to.
So why do we find it so hard to forgive and to love? Why is it so easy to ridicule and to judge?
We must have grace.  We must be more like Christ.  Search for him in the darkness when you've lost it all and when your lying on your back rummaging for any little thing to help.
Find comfort in the fact that He's been waiting for you all along.  He's waiting to rescue you from it all and to help you along every step of the way. Things aren't always going to be easy.  Why would they?  God wants us to learn to submit to Him and He wants to teach us to be more like Him.  And that takes time and experiences.  Share the grace that He's given to us with others so that when they see you, they really see a reflection of Him.
Blast the sound of grace so loudly that people are engulfed by the melody and want to hear the rest of His song.

It's Summer Break!

And we are VERY excited!

Happy Half Birthday

Happy 6 months to our happy little girl!!

Easter

We took Stella to meet some baby chicks at TSC back before Easter. It was our original plan to buy a few for some fun photo props. After reading care instructions and such I was NOT game for those sweet little cheeping, feathered friends. We decided to make a sweet event out of it anyways. Stella really enjoyed looking at the different types of chickens. We got to get one out and let her see one up close and personal! She of course wanted to lick all over it. Clearly we didn't let that happen but we did let her touch her finger to it. It was really fun and a special time with her.

Easter is my favorite holiday.  The time of year, the bright colors, the candy, and the clear reason why we celebrate it all--the death and resurrection of our Rescuer.

Stella's first egg hunt was fun!  When everyone on my mom's side of the family started having babies 5 years ago, we started this fun new tradition of a huge egg hunt.  Stella enjoyed finding the eggs.

The easter bunny came to see Stella!  He ate some of his carrots we left our for him and even mixed up a few for her to enjoy!  How nice!  Stella loved her FurReal bunny too!

Easter morning, we celebrated with our church family.

We enjoyed lunch and another egg hunt with John's side of the family later that day.

It has been so special this year celebrating so much with our baby girl!

Baby Bullet

Possibly the greatest baby shower gift ever.  The baby bullet has been a life saver and a huge money saver in our house recently.  It is important to us that our child has everything as natural as possible so when preparing for her arrival, we knew that we wanted to make her own baby food.  Let's face it, when you have to buy wipes, diapers, and everything else for your precious one, who wants and needs to spend an additional $5.00 for just 6 jars of baby food that will last you less than a week.  Not sold yet?  That's fine.  Here's the kit we had registered for.  It includes 6 storage jars that are freezer, fridge, and dishwasher safe and have a dial for the date, the large bullet, the small bullet that has a lid for additional storage, 6 additional freezer storage container, a cook book with simple instructions on what to do, nutrition guide, and a spatula.  It's $60.00.  That's about 11 weeks worth of store bought jarred baby food. Here's the fun part.

Carrots: 1 carrot makes 4 jars of baby food.

Bananas: 1 banana makes 4 jars of baby food.

Peas: 1 can of peas makes 8 jars of baby food.

Apples: 1 apple makes 4 jars of baby food.

You can do the math on all of those.  It's all simple to make too.  Dice and boil the food, drain, put it in the bullet and add 1/4 cup of water, mix, and you are done.  It takes 5 minutes.  See!  Simple!

It's Time

Time for a new adjustment to our lives.  Time to carry on with a new reality.
We have been beyond fortunate that God has allowed me to stay at home with our sweet daughter for four and a half months.

 I have been able to witness many precious milestones.

The first smile, the first giggle, the first time she rolled over, the first time she pushed up on her own, the first moment of a bottle, cereal, and the joy of the smiles I receive when she wakes from a nap.
Each of these things I will hold in my heart.  This time has been priceless.

Now it is time to go back to work.  Back to a place where my "first babies" have been waiting so patiently for their "Mom-Maholland" to return.

A place where I can show God's love to every one of them.
It's hard.  It's bitter sweet.  I do sit in tears thinking about leaving my baby girl.  Tears of thankfulness and joy for the time we have shared together.
For time is such a sweet, sweet thing.  Just yesterday she was this teeny.

For we can't keep them little forever.  Why would we want to?  If they were forever in time little, we wouldn't be able to witness the giggles, the baby food, play baby dolls with them and pretend they're a princess at a tea party.  We wouldn't be able to watch them learn how to ride a bike, or help them when they come home from a hard day.  We wouldn't be able to watch them come to be a warrior for Christ and share her joy of God with others.  We wouldn't be able to get her ready for prom, hold her in her first break up, or get her ready for a new beginning with a special mate.

Yes.  Time is so precious.  For the special moments--each and every one of them--I am thankful.

Women

 There are some women that are in your life

that pull on your heartstrings a little more than others.

Women that light up a room with their smile

and make you feel so at peace with it.

These women aren't in our life by choice but they have purpose.  They are family.

They are sisters and nieces.

They are cousins.

 And they are daughters.

For these women, I am extremely thankful.