SUPRISE!

I hate surprises...I am the person that likes to open gifts at christmas and then wrap them back. I however love to be the one who surprises people! And hold tight friends... I have a BIG surprise for you!

Let's Party Like's He's Almost FOUR!

Yesterday we celebrated John Hunter's 4th birthday. We have a few of his friends over to bounce around. It was so much fun. The highlight of the party was we had the MetLife blimp hover over our house for the party. They were so generous for doing us and it THRILLED one little four year old boy.

I cannot believe my baby is almost four and can't even express how grateful for him and what he has brought into our lives (MORE ON THAT LATER)...

Today we got to have a private tour of the blimp. We had some friends and neighbors join us and it was really cool. We got to go inside and JH even got to pull and tug on it with his friend Gabrielle... which by they way I think they make the cutest pair :)

Also, my parents came up and as always words cannot express how much it meant to have them here. We were so blessed for all the help and effort and playing they put into this weekend. However we did send dad and JH to get balloons yesterday and he came home with THREE cans of silly string... my backyard does not look the same right now:) Thanks Grandad you have made one little boy happy.

Happy birthday sweet JH... we love you!

I knew this day would come...

So long before I had a child I knew this day would come. And yesterday it happened. And i am so proud of myself for the way I handled it I deemed it "blog-worthy"

This summer I had some pants made for JH. They are more than adorable and I personally love them. I picked out the fabric, monogramed shirts to go with them, and it even had shoes to match. They were beyond adorable in my head and laid out on the bed. A certain pair of pants I had not let him wear because I was saving for "RED DAY". You know the day of the month in preschool where you wear an assigned color because it is the color of the month.

Yesterday was red day. Wednesday night I was almost giddy, the weather was perfect for these pants, a red monogrammed polo, and the cutest pair of red chuck taylors you have ever seen. When I drug JH out of bed at 7 and told him to get ready he started to whine. We brushed teeth, combed hair, started to put on our clothes. HE THREW AN ABSOLUTE FIT! He went wailing, screaming, and crying, immediately saying he was not wearing that and wanted to find something else red to wear. I took a deep breath and thought in the moment of his little life was it worth getting so upset that my dream outfit for red day was being dashed. And then i realized, of all the things in world that could be going on this was NOT that big of a deal. So I returned his clothes to the closet and let him pick out his outfit.

One day soon he will be in the cutest RED DAY outfit and I will take a picture so you can see how cute he would have been. I don't even want to tell you what I have planned for "orange day" in October :)

With heartfelt thanks

Yall, words cannot express how much your words of encouragement, acts of kindness, and prayers covering our family has meant. We are blown away by the family of God. It has not only blessed me it has challenged me to bless others in a totally new way.

We still have waves of sadness, but we are GRATEFUL for a God who bottles our tears and brings us joy. Please hear me when I say, we are blessed by you. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, you have truly been the hands, feet, mouth, and heart of Jesus!

On a lighter note... this week was "c" week at school. So naturally his class had all things "c" in it. Look what JH found.

Today we grieve

Today as a family we grieve the loss of a little one. A few weeks ago we found out we were pregnant and although we were thrilled there quickly arose some things that we were not "normal" after several blood test, an ultrasound, and doctors appointment, our little blessing has gone home to be with Jesus.

This morning we went in for a D & C and although we have been through a gamete of emotions from the beginning we are confident that God has a plan for our family. After meeting with the doctor yesterday we immediately schedule the surgery. My parents came up which was far more of a blessing that we could have ever thought (and will be forever grateful), and we prepared. How does one prepare, well I don't really know, but I felt like if I said we preparing we were accomplishing something (you know that is list maker in me).

We were a ball of nerves as we left the house at 5:45 the morning and from iv's to discussing the burial remains, my emotions were all over the place. Then the doctor walked in. Yall I met this lady yesterday. Sure we had spoken on the phone, but she did not "know" us. She again explained what was happening and then we got on our knees and we thanked God for his plan and his timing. For holding our baby in heaven until we get there, and healing us as we move on from this tragedy. And for peace and strength for each new day we are given.

There were so many things we wanted for this child, to run through the grass with his/her older brother, to visit grandparents, experience Disney, to have a relationship with the Savior, to sing silly songs at the to of his/her lungs, and to know beyond of shadow of a doubt that this family LOVES them. Then tonight as John Hunter and I were reading Bible stories about Jesus I couldn't help but think, he/she was with Jesus. It was more than a cartoon figure telling about the fish and loves, our child is touching the hands that multiplied that meal. As we read further and we read about Jesus preparing a place for us and I got giddy thinking that our mansion will have a nursery for that sweet child, not decorated in the latest pottery barn bedding, but in the strength, grace, and honor of the Almighty.

Today we grieve, but tomorrow, we hope.

Romans 15:13-- May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Family Photos

So today I started to panic that both John Hunter and I needed a family photo. The last "real" staged family photo we took was in the summer of 2009. That was just way too long. So with the help of my neighbor friend. We were able to get a couple of shots that are worth the carry to the classroom tomorrow :) Thought I would share:)

JUNE: 2009

SEPTEMBER: 2010

Tuttles Orchard

Yesterday we went to the apple orchard with our neighbors and their little girls! We had so much fun! It was a perfect day for it. And since we were all going together, I decided to make everyone shirts. They turned out so cute!

I after the orchard I came home and made a homemade apple pie to take to some friends house for dinner. I felt so much like Martha Stewart. I thought i would share the recipe because it was so YUMMY and so easy!

Nana's (not mine, but my Friend Kelly's) Apple Pie:

4 large tart apples (peeled, cored, and sliced thin)

1 cup sugar (1/2 will be used for apples and 1/2 for toppings)

1 tbsp. cinnamon

3/4 cup flour

1/3 cup butter

1- 9" unbaked pie shell, or you can make your own. I however perfer the crust you roll out

Mix 1/2 cup sugar, cinnamon, and pour over peeled and sliced apples

Place in prepared apples into pie crust

For the topping: sift 1/2 cup of sugar with the 3/4 cup of flour, and cut in the 1/3 cup butter until crumbly. Put the crumbs on top of the pie and bake 15 min at 435 degrees, turn down the over to 350 and bake 30 min or longer.

Oh and it is a MUST to serve with ice cream :)