Piper Noel

This is the sweetest little baby around. She's 3 months old and all smiles! I started babysitting Piper for a friend's coworker on Wednesday. It's the best job ever. We're having a blast with her and Taylor LOVES having a little girl in the house! I take tons of pictures and put them up in an album online for her mom and dad to see what we're up to throughout the day. I empathize so much with her mom, Ginger, hating being away from your baby. I worked for a little while when Chandler was little. So, I want to do everything I can to make them feel as close to her as possible during the day. Plus I just like taking pictures of her fatty cutness! :)

 

Move over IHOP

This is my version of IHOP's stuffed french toast. The picture doesn't do it justice!! The black plate was a really bad idea for a picture. And the color is all screwy because I had to turn off the flash and that makes it look all yellowish.... oh well! It sure tasted good! I even won Tom over - he loved it - and he doesn't normally doesn't like it at all.

I didn't have fresh straberries, so I used strawberry jam instead. The cream cheese filling was the fruit dip I make with cream cheese, cool whip powdered sugar, cinnamon and a little salt. I used Peppridge Farm cinnamon swirl bread, just to give it that extra fancy touch. Yummy yum yum!! 

True story

Conversation in Home Depot this evening -

Taylor: Chandler look, that man works here, his name is Dave.
Chandler: Hi Mr. Dave!
Taylor: Hey Mr. Dave!
Dave: Hey there.
Chandler: Mr. Dave, I need to tell you something.
Dave: What's that?
Chandler: "You can do it, we can help!"

:)

It's a lizard!!

I found this picture today - I had forgotten about it. Steff and the kids were over and Chandler found a lizard. (that he terrorized Brayden with) Hours later, he'd been carrying it around in his pocket and when I reached to grab what I thought was a little piece of trash from him, I felt something slimey and looked down to see a dead lizard in my hand. Poor lizard. :) 

Double Dave's

Yesterday after piano and a quick library run, we went to Double Daves with the Growdens. The kids had a blast, as ususal. :)

Brayden's started this huge cheesy grin thing anytime you point a camera at him. lol

I hate the glare from sunlight! :)

Storytime at the library

This morning after Taylor's piano lesson we met Jessica and her girls at the library for storytime. This weeks theme was the circus. After the stories they made a clown craft. Chandler had a blast with his two best friends! :)

Taylor picked out new books (Hello, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, Sarah, Plain and Tall and a biography about Squanto) and worked on her school work that she brought with her.

Chandler went home with the girls and Taylor, Brayden and I went to Target. While we were there, Taylor and I picked out the stuff for her new room. We'll be painting soon, so we chose the theme and are going to buy one piece at a time. Today we bought the string of chandelier lights that goes with the set. We're both very excited about decorating. :)

Tom's Birthday Bash

We got together with friends and family at Papacita's this evening to celebrate Tom's 31st birthday! It was such a blast. Yummy food and even yummier chocolate cheesecake! :)

 

Cheap entertainment

Dave was our entertainment for the evening... he engaged the whole table with his vibrant personality (and cool money tricks) lol He's a great addition to any party. 

BooksaMillion

After dinner, Ted offered to keep our kids with his so Steff, Tom and I could go out with the Growden's. THANK YOU TED!

We went too BooksaMillion for coffee and to browse, but we were all so stuffed we skipped the coffee. lol It's so cool to just hang out with such wonderful friends. 

Flickr

...has a limit. So I guess I have to post my pictures here. :) 

Healing smiles

All the children have been so understanding and loving since losing the baby, but Brayden especially has been extra cheerful. His smiles and laughter have been such a healing balm for Tom and me. 

An outpouring of love

I've been blessed so much... my thoughtful hubby and sweet friends. I love you! Thanks so much. They're beautiful. My table has turned into a mini nursery. :) 

Taylor's first soccer game

Taylor's first game was really good. She got to play quite a bit for being new. Her team lost 3-1, they played really well against this team who was very good. Last week her team the Firecrackers won their first game 8-3 - so they're pretty good, it just happened that this time was a little bit better. :)

 

Heavy heart

This is an email I sent out this morning to our family and friends following the miscarriage of our fourth child on Wednesday. I know that many of you didn't even know we were expecting and it seems strange to seemingly be announcing a death. But I cannot and will not pretend that this didn't happen. I want people to know how much this baby was loved and will be mourned. And how ultimately this loss is impacting our family for the good.

__________________________________________________


It was only a few days ago that Tom and I excitedly shared our wonderful news with most of you about expecting a new baby in April. Some of you might not even know yet and that fact makes this doubly hard to share.

On Tuesday around noon, I began having symptoms of a miscarriage. I talked to my doctor’s nurse and later the doctor on call after office hours, but there was nothing I could do but wait and rest. That evening and overnight the bleeding and cramping worsened. It was hard to wake up to the realization that God had better things in store than Earth for our little one – early Wednesday morning I miscarried our precious baby. It was confirmed when I went in later that day for an emergency ultrasound. I was 9 weeks along.

Throughout this heartbreaking loss, God has poured out His mercy on our family. We have been surrounded by our family and church body in prayer and loving support. Because of our loss, Tom and I have bonded in a way that we never would have known, had this not happened. We are saddened and are grieving our loss, but we know that God is sovereign and He has a plan and purpose for our baby’s short life. We are confident He will work this out for His ultimate glory. We cling to this promise and can rest only in Him during this time.

We love you all and pray that God will also comfort your hearts as you hear this.

Blessings on you and your families.

Tom and Adriana

Yes, I am alive.....

My blog is dead, but I am indeed alive.

Thanks be to God - He provided a new camera for us!! It was quite miraculous and breathtaking. We're very excited. It'd a great camera and takes really good pictures.

Alas, this was nearly three weeks ago and I still have yet to get even a few of the pictures (out of hundreds!) I've taken posted here. I've gotten so lazy about posting since my camera bit the dust, the thought of ever so slowly uploading 5 pictures at a time is pure agony to me.

Of course, there's been a lot going on in our lives, being frantically busy and a week long trip to Oklahoma among other things.

I decided to go the easy route for now and obtained a flickr account. Batch uploading!! Yah! Here's the link to dozens of pictures I've taken in the past few weeks. Hope you enjoy!!

It's good to be back, but don't expect me to be posting much... with school, church, piano lessons, soccer practice (2x's a week!) soccer games, our homeschool co-op classes, life group and Bible study on Fridays (!!!) I'm going to be doing good to get pictures alone posted onto flickr!! I will, however, try to be oh so faithful about doing that!!

Hooray for small miracles! We have a camera! :)))))