Releaf Essentials

Hey readers! Check out my new website for Young Living Essential Oils, Releaf Essentials! I've really fallen in love with this product and would love to share my journey with you! Follow me on Instagram @releafessentials or subscribe to the oily blog for info, recipes, tips, and current craves. And if you want to know why I'm such a fan of Young Living, click here.

I promise I will get back to posting here soon! 2016 has been absolutely crazy with me being sick and pregnant... packing up and moving across the country... unpacking and organizing a new house... having a baby and adjusting to the newborn routine... and starting to homeschool! But posts are coming, including (hopefully) the long-awaited final posts in Our Love Story!

Gender Reveal

Today is my 28th birthday, so to celebrate, we're announcing the gender of our greatly-anticipated Baby #4!  (If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you've already been let in on the secret!)

The anticipation was killing me!  Unlike the 20-week ultrasounds with our other three kids, this time we had to wait for the anatomy scan before finding out the gender.  Eek!

Finally, the technician announced that our sweet #4 would be a little girl.  I almost started crying with happiness.  I've been praying for a sister for my little spice-pot for years!

And recently, she's been joining in those prayers with me.

"Mama, I just want lots of baby sisters!"

Needless to say, she is over-the-moon excited.  The boys are less than thrilled, but I think they'll come around when they finally meet their new sister. ;)

We decided to do a fun little gender reveal for the kids, since we hadn't done one for any of our others.  SO much fun!!  Hallie "predicted" pink while the boys both "predicted" blue.  (Asher was sick, so didn't make the video.)

We have chosen the name Elisha Laine for our little princess, though we mostly plan to call her Laine and Lainey.

Elisha means "my God is salvation," and while the biblical Elisha was a man, the name is actually gender neutral.  Laine, depending on where you look, can mean "path," "wave," or "light."  All of these are beautiful, but we really love the way "path" goes with the meaning of Elisha.  Our prayer for our little girl is that she would be a guide for many on the path to salvation.

 

"The Lord is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation." Exodus 15:2

"You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Psalm 16:11

Not Done Yet!

Well, that was a good long absence from my dear little site.

I do have good reasons why I fell off the face of the earth, though.  First off-- homeschooling.  Even doing it only part-time has proved to be pretty time consuming.  Probably because of the two little preschoolers that are constantly interrupting.  I actually have this pretty funny little video of Gabriel reading with Hallie and Asher literally running in circles around the table yelling about something.  Good times, people.

But probably more why I haven't blogged these last couple months...

I started feeling pretty sick around the first week of November.

Yep.  Preggers.

Louis Baby #4 is on his/her way!

We are so, so, SO excited.  The kids have been asking for another baby since around January 2014!  We've been "trying" for #4 since Asher was around a year old, though I put trying in quotation marks because we weren't really actively mapping my cycle or anything.  

We suffered a miscarriage in mid-February 2014, which was heartbreaking for both me and Drew.  It was my third miscarriage and by far the latest one I had.  The first two, I barely knew I was pregnant.  This time, I was 8 weeks along and it was just horrible.

HOWEVER--

"Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes with the morning!" Psalm 30:5

I will be 16 weeks tomorrow (yay!), and hopefully past the worst of the morning all-day sickness and extreme fatigue.  You guys.  I was going to sleep at 9pm for a week or two.  ME.  9PM!  What?!  

In some ways, the time has flown by.  In other ways, I'm just like "ARGH, why do I have to wait until the end of February to find out this kid's gender?!"  Hahaha.

Anyway, I'll leave you with some sonogram pictures.  Here's our beloved #4 at 10 weeks.

Already with the cutest little profile!

Waving to Mama and Dada!

(Also coming soon -- fingers crossed -- is Hallie's birthday letter and the next part of Our Love Story!)

The Littles Go to School

This morning, I woke Hallie up (which almost never happens) by telling her it was time for school.  I've never seen that girl get up and dressed so fast.  I told her to get her shoes on while I got dressed and she traipsed into my room a few minutes later with shoes and her backpack.

"Daddy, guess what?!" She exclaimed excitedly.  "Today is my first day of school!"

Asher was almost as excited as his sister.  His class has a Lightning McQueen toy that he scoped out on Tuesday.  (It should also be noted that he has a Lightning McQueen backpack, lunch box, and nap mat.  He is more obsessed with Cars than he was at his birthday.)

We needed this excitement to carry us through the early-morning rush of getting three kids out the door a half-hour earlier than usual.  (Gabriel had his first spirit day today.)

We also needed this excitement after we dropped Big Brother off, when both kids got their faces and knees scraped up on the sidewalk.  Jumping off of steps and curbs and walkways can be dangerous, kids, but who ever listens to their mother?

As I strapped both kids in their carseats to a chorus of wails, runny noses, blood, and tears, I asked them if they still wanted to go to school.  The answer was a yes that sounded more like "why would we not want to go to school?!"

So we went to school.

Hallie's routine was the same as last year.  We dropped her off first and she was happy to see one of the boys from last year in her class again.

Then I headed to Asher's class.  He had thoughts only for that Lightning McQueen, and I prayed that no other child had it first.

Thankfully, he found it while I was unloading his backpack.  Hallelujah.

I watched him play for a few minutes, but then I had to quickly duck out before I started crying.

Anyway, here are some pictures of my cuties!  (Yay for having green grass again!)

First Day of Kindergarten!

Well, I have a Kindergartener.

It's been a crazy-busy summer and time has just flown by, leaving me vainly grasping for more lazy days and pool time and after-dinner freeze pops.

I was a mess this morning.  Anxiety was threatening to make me sick, emotions were running high, Hallie wouldn't get dressed, I hadn't gotten groceries so it was slim pickings for breakfast... it was rough.  And we had to be out the door by 7:30am.  My kids usually wake up between 7:30 and 8.

I was near tears.

Drew had to remind me of reality.  "It's not five days like last year; it's only three.  You can do it."  

The school Gabriel is enrolled in is university model, meaning he's home two days and in the classroom two days.  I needed the reminder that I'm only letting go a little bit today.  I let go a lot more last year and it was fine.

Still, last year was preschool.  He was still a little kid.  This is Kindergarten.  Big kid territory.

I'm not ready to have a real-school-aged kid!

But I'll count my blessings that I get to homeschool him on Mondays and Fridays and that he only has half days on Wednesdays.

And that someone else can teach him to read.  Hallelujah.

First day of school excitement!

I'm such a sucker for kids in uniforms! 

He's acting out MY disbelief. ;)

Ignore our dead grass.  After major flooding in May, Houston's been a desert. :/ We can't catch a break.

Heading to class after assembly. 

Pecan, Pear, & Feta Salad

This is seriously the best salad.  Ever.  It's always a hit.

With ripe pear and tangy feta, it's the perfect side for summer, but those toasted pecans make it a great addition to any meal in the fall, too.

When I'm on top of menu planning and making meals (ha), we have this salad about once a week!  Sometimes, I even get fancy and go beyond just toasting those yummy pecans by candying them in a little butter and sugar.  Oh myyyy.

The secret ingredient that makes this salad so yummy is the dressing.  I used to not like vinaigrettes, but then my MIL introduced me to this one.  Oh my goodness.  I can't get enough of it!  (You should be able to find it at your local grocery, but if not, you can purchase on Amazon.  It's well-worth the price!)

This salad has a lot of variations.  If you're not a fan of feta, try it with bleu cheese (which is how my MIL often makes it).  If you don't like pecans, substitute walnuts.  I've even made it with crisp apples when I forgot to pick up pears!

Dice that pear, throw those pecans in the oven for about 5 minutes, then dump it all in the salad bowl with the lettuce and feta cheese.  Toss everything together with Brianna's Real French Vinaigrette, and you're good to go.

You know you want some of this healthy yumminess in your life! ;)

The Big Five

(photo by MS² Photography)

Gabriel,

You're five and I'm in denial.

It feels like yesterday that I labored to bring you into the world, yesterday that I held you for the first time, weeping from the emotion of it all, kissing all over your sweet little face.  And now you're five.  Break my heart.

You changed my life.  You made me a mama.  You made me who I am.

And every day, you shape me into more of who I'm supposed to be.

I am learning how to love better, deeper, more fully.  I am learning patience (very slowly, I will admit).  I am learning how to think of myself less and others more.

I'm also learning other things -- like the names of dinosaurs, facts about wildlife and aquatic animals, and so many (so. many.) Star Wars backstories -- things I never thought very important or interesting, but I learn them so that I will have an answer when you ask.

Because ask you will.  You love to learn more than anyone I know, which I guess you get from me.  In fact, you get a lot from me.  Some good stuff, some not-so-good stuff.  Your dad and I, we like to say that you got his mind, my personality, and both of our good looks. ;)

And anything you got from me, anything not great?  We can work on that stuff together, with God's help.

You, my precious boy, are an overcomer.  You are strong and brave and confident and humble and kind.  You are a deadly arrow.  You are a mighty man of God.  It doesn't matter if you don't see yourself as any of those things now.  It doesn't even matter if I don't.  What matters is that's who He has called you to be, and by His grace, that's who your dad and I will raise you to be.

I often tell your dad that there's nothing he can't do.  Out of all the people in the world, I truly believe that about him.  You are cut from that same cloth.  You can accomplish anything you want, be anything you want.  The sky really is your limit.

And you will always, always, always have a praying mama behind you.

Yesterday, you sweetly asked to read your brand-spanking-new real Bible (thanks Nana and Papaw!) then you asked to sleep with it -- melt my heart!  Of course we said yes.  I used to get scared at night, just like you, and I liked to sleep with my Bible under my pillow, too.

I pray you soon recognize the power in that book and that you always treasure its words above everything else.  May His Word continually guide and guard your feet and your heart and may you never stray from its commands.  May it become a foundation for you to build your life upon.  May you find life and love and hope in its pages as the Spirit reveals himself to you through them.

I love you, son.

Love,
Your Mama

Some of my favorite pictures of your fifth year.

You and your best buddy, Uncle Anderson.
(photo by EBYPhotography)

Hanging at your favorite place (the zoo), September 2014.

Same spot six months later... big difference! 

Preschool graduation and I could not be more proud.

So happy to be FIVE!  You've been talking about it for almost a year!
(Also note your favorite shirt, haha.)

That profile... that smile... that hair... that NOSE!  All the heart eyes!

Memorial Day Weekend

This past Sunday, we took a little day trip to Austin, TX, so that the kids (and Mama) could see the Capitol.  A lot of fun was had by all, especially on the front steps and lawn.

Asher trying to keep up... story of his life.

This hill though!

"It's so'mazing!"

A lot of beauty; a lot of sass.

This picture makes my eyes turn into little hearts.

Best Dad Ever Award!

All five of us hilariously crowded into one selfie.

Also... Hallie thinks the name of the Capitol is "selfie"!

On Monday afternoon, we saw on the news that downtown Austin had been flooded... and then that same storm system came and flooded Houston on Monday night.  Seriously, the streets only a couple blocks from us are completely underwater.  We just got our power back after being without for about 12 hours.  What!

So, all in all, we had a pretty eventful weekend.  How was yours, friends? :)

Last Day of School 2015

Some fun pictures from our last day of school!  Bring on summer!

Asher-Boy

Asher-Boy,

You, son, are a delight.  An absolute blessing to my life.  Every day, you bring light and laughter to my heart.  Today, on your birthday, I want to take a written "snapshot" of all my favorite things about you (there are a lot!) so that I can look back in the years to come and remember you exactly as you were.  So, here we go...

I love your way with words.  The conversations we share are like no other.  You are so chatty!  I love how you say "yes, ma'am" and "yes, sir."  I love how you communicate, how you repeat everything that anyone says, particularly your siblings.  I love how you already know exactly how to bug them, just by saying one little word... "butt." (We're working on that one.) I love how you're starting to repeat songs, especially when you're singing along with The Imperial March.  

I love your energy, how you run after your brother and sister, never tiring of trying to keep up with their various activities.  I love your courage and your daring spirit, how you climb ladders at the playground and slide down the tallest slides, how you can hold your own (physically and verbally) in a fight with your siblings.  I love your fearless love of swimming (although it seriously freaks me out that you love going under).  I love how you tell people you're "four-and-a-half," because I know you believe you're just as big and as capable as your brother.

I love your obsession with Pixar's Cars, how you carry those character Wheelies around every day, no matter where we go.  I love how you know all their names, how you line every single one up in a straight line when you play.  The other day, you held up Lightning McQueen and told me, "Mah-ween says 'a-CHOW!'" and it's since become one of your favorite things to say.  I love how you love Star Wars and Ninja Turtles, and how you know the names of all those characters, too.  (I also love that you're learning the names of the princesses... you will be very well-rounded, son.)

I love how you love to listen to books, especially "Night Moon," which you almost know by heart.  I love how you let me rock and snuggle you before bed, how you ask for the Sh'ma and "Jesus Me" every night.  I love how you need blankie, pacifier, Brinley the Bear, and Geoffrey the Giraffe to sleep (and sometimes a car or two).  I love that you love your crib and rarely cry to get out, even if you've been awake for an hour.

But most of all, I love the happiness that shines from your eyes.  I love that contagious smile and those perfect little teeth.  Strangers can't help but smile back.  I love your magnetic personality and that you are so quick to apologize, even when you weren't in the wrong.  I love that you're a hugger.  I love that you notice people, that you remember names.

My prayer for you is that you will always be a blessing to everyone around you, that you will make people feel valued and important with authenticity.  I see so much of who you will be already present in your big personality and I pray that you will partner with God to achieve all that He has for you.

I love you, Bugga Boo.  Happiest of birthdays to my happiest of boys.

Love,
Your Mama

Some of my favorite pictures of your second year.

You've always been a water baby! 

Beach babe.

This truck is one of your favorite things.

Future Baylor Bear!

I've never seen you as happy as when you were atop this pony.