Coming soon...

Our friend Neely took some pictures of Springer and me this week, documenting this sweet season in our life as we wait for Baby Cain's arrival.  She gave us a sneak peak on Facebook, and we can't wait to see the rest of them!  If you want to see more of her work, check out http://www.kerfox.com/
Thanks, Neely!

Thoughts on Family and Motherhood

Warning... this is more of a rant than a pretty little post about being a mommy...

I have developed 2 particular pet peeves over the past 5, almost 6, years.  If you're interested in learning about them, read along...

(1)  "When are you planning to start a family?" 

Generally older women start asking young marrieds this question as soon as they return from honeymooning, then continue and continue and continue until you, Lord-willing, have a baby.  I just want to scream:  "We started a family on December 10, 2005!  Springer + me = family!"

Don't get me wrong... I am very thankful that God enlarged our family in November 2008 with the addition of our pup Jasper.  And I am out-of-my-mind in awe of the fact that he has chosen to give us a little boy in just a few weeks (7 more weeks!!)  But I think we were no less of a family when it was just the 2 of us in our little apartment in Augusta. 

(2)  "It's your last Mother's Day not being a mother!"

Am I not a mother until this little boy makes his entrance into the world?  If you define motherhood as caring for a little person and providing for their every need, um... I think I have done that for the past 33 weeks. 

But I think motherhood goes way beyond caring for a child of your own.  I would argue that any and every Young Life or youth leader has done their fair share of mothering or fathering.  I wish I could find my copy of "Captivating" by Stasi Eldredge.  She says this so much better than I can, but alas, I think I lent it out.  But the bottom line is that the second Sunday of each May, all women who "mother" should be celebrated. 

Luckily these comments were few and far between on Mother's Day, so I did my best to ignore them.  Instead I treasured those sweet hearts who did wish me a Happy Mother's Day.

A friend reminded me early in my pregnancy that there are no guarantees with our children.  The Lord gives them to us, but He may take them away at any time.  So I am thankful for every day I am getting to mother this little boy... and today I celebrate the family God has graciously given me.

i love my sister

Hello blog-friends.  You may know that my sister got married a few weeks ago.  You may also know of my complete obsession with my sister and my brothers.  So I thought you guys might enjoy hearing the thoughts I shared at Caroline's and Brian's rehearsal dinner.  Let me know if you cry reading it!

I love my sister. Thinking about what I would share tonight, I mostly just wanted to remind you, Caroline, of how much I absolutely adore you and how proud I am to be your sister.

Some of you may know that Mom and Dad brought Caroline home from the hospital on my 4th birthday.  The best birthday gift ever! Actually I first learned that our God listens and answers our prayers through the gift of sweet Caroline. I wanted a little sister, so Mom told me to pray for one. When we learned of the baby growing inside of Mom, she told me that it might actually be a brother. I was convinced; however, that since I had prayed for a girl, this little one would be my baby sister. I’m glad he answered my prayers with Caroline, along with later prayers for our awesome brothers, Will and David. What a tangible way to learn about God’s constant provision for me.

I don’t know if all families do this, but at our kitchen table, we always sat in the same seats. Not that it was ever spoken or assigned, but at the ends of the table are always Mom and Dad – Dad’s near the door, and in clockwise fashion, David, Caroline, Mom, me, and Will. When I go home now as an adult, I often think – what if I could go back in time 10 or 15 or 20 years to that same table – and eat daily meals again together. I would savor every moment of it. And we do savor those times we spend together now. I guess what I’m trying to say is that it was truly a gift to sit across the table from Caroline for so many years, and I don’t think I realized what a gift it was at the time.

And now I’ve watched her grow into unbelievably beautiful young lady, inside and out. And I’ve watched her meet and fall in love with an amazing man. We are so thankful for you, Brian, as you have been God’s answer to our prayers for the one He would bring to Caroline. We thought you were the one when we saw the way you care for Caroline and the way she loves you deeply. And we knew you were the one when, in just a few months, you did what we could not do in 25 years… cure her of pouting!

Blessings on your marriage, home, and family. Springer and I can attest that the years to come are filled with amazement, delight, hard work, reward, difficulty, joy, heartbreak, and miracles. We will be here to walk with you, along with a faithful God named Emmanuel.

Love you both so much, and I hope tomorrow begins the happiest days of your life.

news, cupcakes, and more news

The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.  

Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. 

Psalm 126:3,5

Our first news is... we are having a baby! 

God has answered our prayers, and we are so thankful for our little miracle!

 (This is the day we found out about Baby Cain.  Yes, we found out right after Christmas... my apologies for my severe lack of blogging lately!)

So this weekend I made some cupcakes for a party for Springer's and my family.

 You might wonder - how could anybody mess up cupcakes from a box?  I'll show you how... 

 Luckily Batch #2 was both delicious and beautiful.

Then I used our jalapeno corer to hollow out a little hole in each cupcake... 

 I used some BLUE food coloring to create blue icing...

And filled the cupcakes with the hidden icing...

 

 
 
 
 
 

                      

Then we covered our little secret with yellow and green icing...

 As you can see, our nephew W thoroughly enjoyed his cupcake!

 And our family was delighted to learn that Baby Cain is a BOY!

Now before you think I am super creative, I have to give credit where credit is due.  I found this fun "gender reveal" idea here. 

We can't wait to meet our little man in September!

2010 Recap

Recap of 2010... looking forward to all that 2011 may bring.

January - David turns 18 - unbelieveable! (and I am officially old)

 February - Snow in Columbus!

 February - celebrate my birthday with Becca (we share a birthday!)

 March - visit Amantha's sweet newborn babies - Micah and Yarah!

 April - quick trip to Callaway

May - Springer competed in Fort Benning's "Ranger Sponsor Challenge" for CB&T
I think Jasper was a little jealous that Springer was about to have so much fun!

 May - FPD baseball team wins State Championship!

 June - wonderful trip to Grayton Beach - can we go back already?

 July - Independence Day BBQ

July - we. loved. Seattle

 

 August - Surprise for Springer's Birthday!

 September - welcome our niece Winnie into the world!

 October - root the Dawgs on to a win over Tennessee

 October - celebrate Jasper's 2nd birthday

 October - visit to Dallas for a family wedding 

October - new species - the White Pelican!

 November - my first Steeplechase at Callaway

 November - arguably the best tailgate the world has ever known - that was about all that was good about this Saturday in Auburn

 November - Springer smoked a ham for Thanksgiving - life is good.

 November - Thanksgiving with the Cains

 December - new species - Hooded Oriole!

 December - the most relaxing vacation of our lives - thank you, El Dorado Royale

 December - Christmas with the Darnells - and don't worry December also brought a haircut for Dave!



Hope you are enjoying the year so far... praying that we would glorify God and enjoy Him in 2011!

DAWG of the Week

We love our dog... I think that's pretty obvious.  But did you know he's reached "celebrity status"?



celebrate

Hello blog-world.  I really liked this quote that a friend included on her blog earlier this month.  I'm not sure what heartache, if any, you may have this Christmas... but let's rejoice that HE IS EMMANUEL!

Not Celebrate? Your burden is too great to bear?

Your loneliness is intensified during this Christmas season?

Your tears seem to have no end?

Not Celebrate? You should lead the celebration.

You should run through the streets to ring the bell and sing the loudest!

You should fling the tinsel on the tree,

And open your house to your neighbors and call them to dance!

For it is you above all others who know the joy of Advent.

It is unto you that a Savior is born this day.

One Who comes to lift your burden from your shoulders,

One Who comes to wipe the tears from your eyes.

You are not alone, for He is born this day to you.

Ann Weems, Kneeling in Bethlehem