2 Years Ago

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

2 years ago, just like this year I was off on that day. So Todd and I took the weekend and went up to visit with Casey and Charlie. It was a work weekend. We painted, decorated, and put together a crib for a precious baby that we knew was on the way. We thought that baby would be arriving in 2 months and we wanted to help Casey and Charlie get things together before the big day. Casey had planned one of those really cool 4-D Sonograms on Martin Luther King Jr. day and we were all going to see if this really was a girl or if maybe it would be a boy joining our family. Even Todd was going to the sonogram even though those things make him squeemish! LOL

I have told this story before so I wont go into every detail but on Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2 years ago we went to that sonogram. Immediately though things went from excitement, giddiness, and smiles, to shock, anxiety, and urgency. The sonogram showed right away that the little GIRL was in danger. There was very little amniotic fluid, backwards flow through the umbilical cord, and a much too small baby that needed to be born right away.

That day Avery Grace blessed us with her presence. We are so thankful that we were off on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and that we had that sonogram scheduled to warn us of the danger Avery was in. We are so thankful that God is in control and worked everything out for her good and for ours.

We are so blessed to have little Avery Grace Reeves as a member of our family.

I think it is fitting that Avery was born on a day set aside to celebrate the birth, life, and dream of Martin Luther King Jr. This day can always be a celebration too, to remember the story of her birth, the celebration of the fact that God gave her life, and the dream that we have that she can grow in Christ to become all the He has planned for her to be.

We praise God for His many blessings and especially for that special Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2 years ago.

His Grace

Music speaks to me. Have I ever mentioned that before? I don't really know why I react so to music. I know that everyone doesn't. I do. I have mentioned before that I enjoy my newest Selah CD -You Deliver Me. There is a song on it called "Unredeemed".

Now if I was as smart as most of you, here is where I would insert the video of that song. But since I am not I will give you some good advice. Go get the CD. That is unless I got it for you already which I did for several of you. or at least a few of you. :) -Or you can go to Youtube and listen to it there. So anyway as I was saying~~

"Unredeemed"

It talks of how sometimes things happen. Things that aren't all happy and cozy and great. Oh but the good news! These are the places where Grace is soon to be. Gods grace is on the way, it's there actually. -Every time-

We will have times, we'll have situations, things that seem unfulfilled and things that need to be restored - again the BUT- Oh this is the GOOD part. I LOVE this line in the song.

But when anything thats shattered is laid before the Lord
Just watch and see. It will not be..UNREDEEMED

It will NOT be unredeemed because Jesus is our redeemer. You can give Him the broken pieces, the hurt, the sadness, the fear, the imperfections, and He picks up the pieces. He redeems them. He purchases them as His own. He takes the heartaches, the hard places, the things this life throws at you and gives you His grace.

I am so thankful for that grace. I have experienced it. It is amazing.

I am blessed beyond measure to have the greatest husband alive. 3 wonderful children that I love with all my heart and that love me back. A miracle grand daughter that makes me smile with each glance at her (whose middle name by the way is GRACE). The sweetest mom who cares about me so much and prays for me so much. I could go on and on. I know I am blessed. However, I have had some moments in my years that hurt. There have been some painful times. -Like when my daddy died. -Like when Casey and Charlies baby boy died. Hard times. But those were certainly places where Gods' Amazing Grace came in. You see, when you lay those things before the Lord, He comes in to cover you with His grace.

Maybe you have something you need to lay before the Lord.
Maybe you can just rejoice in the fact that God has covered you with His grace before, and rest in the fact that you know He will cover you again.

Just watch and see.

What? He's 18?!!!!!!!!!!

Some 18 1/2 years ago I was having a few problems that led me to go for a doctor visit. Turns out--SURPRISE! I found out that I had a baby on the way. I was not really prepared for that. I guess maybe in the back of my mind I knew of the possibility but seriously I did not go to the doctor for that reason and was shocked when the nurse told me that my urine sample showed that I was pregnant. (Sorry if that is too much information.) I went straight home from that appointment planning on giving Todd the news. All the way home I was thinking how I would tell him. Romantic Dinner like on TV? Buy a baby gift and let him open it? When I pulled in the driveway I found that we had company. Pattie was there. I remember waiting for her to leave so I could tell him. I didnt want anyone else to know just yet. So in a bit she did leave and I remember Todd asking me how the doctor appointment went. So I said "Well, I am pregnant." (I know, all those dramatic ideas I had, and I just spit it out.) Of course his reaction was all "Smiles". What else? LOL So anyway About 6 months or so later, on January 8, 1992 I had a checkup. I was so sick of every time I went in for a checkup he always said "See ya next week". That is not what I wanted to hear that morning. But, again that IS what he said. So home I went from that appointment and hung out, "not smiling" for the morning. Then all of the sudden I began to notice that my water seemed to be leaking. (Again, sorry if that is too much information.) I wasnt in any pain or anything but we went to the hospital to check things out. I was right and about 3 hours after arriving at the hospital Joshua Tyler made his appearance into our family. I will never forget right when he was born, they held him up for me to see and those huge eyes looked straight over at me and I said "Well Hi Joshua". No noise, no tears, no screams, just him looking. He is always and always has been a very quiet person right from the start. Not much talking going on but quietly watching what is going on around him.

Josh has always kept me on my toes. Starting when he began to be able to walk and get into things. He also has changed some of my purchasing habits. Back in the day, you only bought ketchup in glass bottles. As soon as Josh learned to open the fridge, he grabbed more than one bottle of ketchup and dropped it before I could get to him leaving splattered ketchup all over the floor. I soon found plastic bottles of ketchup which I have bought each time since. He also found it fun to climb and reach on top of the washer and dryer and grab the "Powdered" laundry detergent which then spilled on top of his head and all down him like a snowman - An eyes stinging, suds spitting, snow man. From that moment until now---"liquid" detergent with a screw on lid. Oh yea and there were those TWO years in a row that he pulled the Christmas Tree over! What a little guy!

So on he grew into a little sports fanatic. He knew every statistic when he was in 2nd grade. You can't imagine. He knew the rules and had his opinions even as a little fellow.

All of the sudden somewhere out of the blue he became this really smart, 6 foot tall man with lots more opinions.

Today is the day to say
"HAPPY 18TH BIRTHDAY"
to that surprise little baby boy with big blue eyes.
And to all you moms of little kids out there - I swear - I know you dont believe me now but 18 years goes by like a whirlwind so fast you cannot believe it even when you do see it. You'll see.

A Year in Pictures

Thinking about our past year and the New Year

What has happened?

What will happen?

In January our little miracle turned one! What an awesome celebration. We were and are incredibly blessed to celebrate her first year after such a shaky and scary start. But God blessed us with this miracle and celebrate we did!

In the spring the guys in this family were really into golf!
This year we participated in our very first March of Dimes Walk! We think this is a great organization to support and hope that Premature Births will occur less and less often. Avery was pretty proud of us for our efforts too.

In June we had a nice vacation with Josh.
There was a first this year when I drove to Memphis without my better half. Man was I nervous. Casey and Avery went along for the ride with me. We survived and had a wonderful visit with Grandma.

In July we celebrated the birth of our Nation watching fireworks.
This year we got to see some family that we haven't seen in a long long time. (Way too long) And we got to meet some we havent met yet too. This is Baby Ryan our nephew Zach's little boy.

This is our niece Stephanie and her sweetheart Grayson. It was so nice to get to visit with them.
Todd got to go to a race in Florida this year that really fired the idea for his birthday gift where we will go to Dallas and see the big guys race! Go Jeff Gordon!!!!
We love getting away. I always say I have never been hardly anywhere so I LOVED getting away to somewhere new -in this case-Hot Springs!
This fall Mark got to do some much loved hunting. Now none of the rest of this family hunts but Mark sure enjoys it.
This year we actually got a real SNOW! You know - for Louisiana! Woo Hoo Short lived but nice.

So at the finish line of 2009 - We call it a WINNER!

I am really excited about 2010 and I have a feeling it is going to be a year of celebration! Not sure what we will be celbrating, but I feel like that's the word for the upcoming year. Can't wait to see it play out.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Many Christmas Blessings

I am sitting here wearing my new glasses that Josh got me for Christmas. :) Isn't Christmas grand? I have really enjoyed putting together and putting away the new loot I was so blessed to receive this year.

We had a fantastic time together. Our living room was full to the brim with love, excitement, paper and ribbon!

Mark got some LSU stuff he asked for.
Josh got some Saints stuff he asked for.
Casey got some new Shades that were to die for. Of course I could be objective since I did pick them out. hehehe
We were all completely blessed beyond measure.

It was a joy to see Avery coming in wondering what was up.Once again this year, Avery wasn't too into the opening of the gifts. When I was a kid we always had everything wrapped up. That was the way to do it as far as I was concerned. I absolutely LOVE shaking, guessing, and unwrapping! Todd, on the other hand, had gifts unwrapped and under the tree. He loved that, but in this battle I won. So our kids always had everything wrapped. UM, EVEN THE STOCKING GIFTS ARE WRAPPED! I know, weird, but that's the way I like it! Anyway, I am saying all this to say that I think Avery may be a candidate for having some gifts unwrapped and under the tree. She enjoyed the things once they were opened like her Cabbage Patch Kid-Lori.
And her Nursery Rhyme book.
As you can see here she REALLY enjoyed her ball that her Great Uncle Johnny sent!
But the opening of them left room to be desired where she was concerned. So maybe next year Casey and Charlie may try leaving some of her things unwrapped. (As horrid as that sounds to me) hehehe

Here it seems as though she is thinking, 'You silly people, you know how long it takes me to clean these floors and now you have gone and thrown everything down for me to pick up! Silly, silly people."

And yes, Nonna and Poppa did get her a Barbie Car. I know I know. But hey, I remember how excited her mommy was when we got her a Beetle Bug -(a much larger blue one) so why not bless this little miracle with one of her own? Anyway, it was ON SALE! And they didn't have what I really wanted OR what I chose for Plan B- So this is what we ended up with.
She didn't quite get the hang of actually driving it yet, but LOVED, getting in and out and in and out of it.

After the morning festivities, which included a LARGE and delicious breakfast made by "Yours truly" the game was on.

Then Avery landed in her favorite napping spot. Believe me, there were no complaints from Poppa who just happens to be wearing his new hoody that Mark got him.
I just want to say that I am so totally blessed to have this wonderful family. My life is so full of blessings-too many to measure. I am thankful to God and I dont take any of it for granted, not for a second. Thank you God, THANK YOU GOD, for my many, many blessings.

Last Weekend

Fun with Avery

We had a good time playing "Steal the Paci"

I just loved this picture of her leaving.

Tell It

I read an article today that left me sort of sad. It mentioned Pastors who stated that they "hated" Christmas. Now while I understand that they are speaking from the commercialism point of view, I still "hated" to hear that they "hated" it. Christmas truly is the most wonderful time of the year. Yes the pocketbook aspect of it does come into play. We know that Christmas really is to celebrate the birth of Jesus our Savior. True enough, there are those who don't believe yet still "celebrate". But what better is there to celebrate than Jesus? We celebrate sports championships, graduations, contest winners, and job promotions.
Again, what better to celebrate than JESUS?!

Do you know that Christmas time is - for some people - the ONLY time they hear the miraculous story of the birth of our Savior? What better time to take every opportunity to tell His story? While some may see it as a children's story, and others may see it as a fairy tale, others may come to know Christ as Lord of their life upon hearing it.

So amid the wrapping paper, bows, long lines, and dollar signs, let's tell the story. What a gift that is.

With every present wrapped, carol sung, and poinsettia placed, let's tell the true story with joy.

With every Christmas party attended, Christmas card sent, and Merry Christmas voiced, let's tell the story with joy.

With every candy cane tasted, tree decorated, and string of lights strung, let's tell the amazing wonderful story with joy.

There is Good news of Great Joy for ALL PEOPLE!