Sam's First Day of 2nd Grade

I can't believe I haven't gotten Sam's first day of school pictures up until now but better late than never I guess! We never thought we would be starting 2nd grade here, we thought for sure we would be moved to a new town! But oh well, God's timing not ours. Sam has been so excited to start back to school & has really enjoyed it so far. Here are a few pictures from his first day...

Drew was upset he didn't get to start that day too!

He is getting so big!
Sam's at his desk
Sam & Mrs Boyer!It's going to be a great year!

~Cass

Happy Birthday Sam!

Today is a big day around our house! My oldest boy is 7 today! It's so hard to believe he is getting so big! It seems like just yesterday he was born & now it's been 7 years! I can well remember the day I found out I was pregnant! It was such a amazing thing for me since we didn't know if we would ever be able to have kids! After I had been dx with Endometriosis & went in for a 2nd surgery. We knew that the Endometriosis was bad but we didn't know that I could have to lose one of my ovaries. So when I woke up from surgery I was told by the nurse that they had to take my right ovary. I just remember being so devastated thinking there was no way I would be able to have kids. The GD & I were engaged by this time but I just remember thinking there is no way I can let this man marry me when I probably won't be able to give him any children. Of course he told me that was not the most important thing & if we weren't meant to have our own biological children then we would adopt. But it still ate away at me. The second night I was in the hospital my Mom had gone home & I was alone. Now of course who can sleep in those places! So in the bedside table I found a Gideon Bible. And I immediately went to the story of Hannah & Samuel. I cried & cried reading through Hannah's story knowing it could be similar to mine. I prayed & begged the Lord to allow me to have just 1 child with my husband. I felt a peace wash over me & I knew God was telling me that He would give us a child & were were to name our firstborn Samuel or Hannah. I swear it was as if the Lord himself stood at the end of my hospital bed & told me. It was the middle of the night & I could hardly wait to call my soon-to-be hubby to tell him. I am sure he thought I was crazy at the time but I just knew! When we got married several doctors told us it would take us years to get pregnant IF we could at all! And sure enough in God's timing (and sense of humor I might add) 3 months later we were pregnant!

After what seemed like just a few months (& yet 5 weeks early) Sam decided it was time to make his debut. It was our 1st anniversary & I was HUGE! I felt miserable & didn't want to do anything! It was a Sunday morning & the GD had to go to church to run the slides for graduation Sunday. I remember getting up off the couch & feeling like I was leaking. And I thought am I peeing on myself? But I remembered reading in What to Expect when your Expecting that a lot of the time when your water breaks it's a small trickle. So I thought maybe I was in labor. I called my doctor's office & they told me I should go to the hospital & be check out. I start calling David & couldn't get him on the phone. I finally had to call the church & get someone to find him to call me back. I remember the sound of Davids voice so frantic trying to get home to me! It's so funny how we thought I needed to be at the hospital so fast! Little did we know it would be 30 hrs before we would get to meet our firstborn!

I stayed at 2 cm for 24 hrs & on Pitocin, before I finally got my epidural. And then they finished breaking my water at about 9 AM Monday morning. By noon I was at 8 cm & then by about 1:45 I was 10 cm. I pushed for 15 minutes before the nurses told me to stop that he was coming too quick. I remember that was the only time I snapped at David because the nurses kept telling me to stop pushing. But as most of you Mommy's would agree, it's almost involuntary that your body pushes. I couldn't stop! David looked at me & said "Baby they need you to stop pushing." I snapped my head around to him & said "SHUT UP!" (I apologized later!) At 2:12 pm May 19th Samuel Philip made his debut & made me a Mommy for the first time! He weighed 5lbs 15oz & was 19.5 inches long! He had to be taken to the NICU after I got to hold him about 30 seconds because he was struggling to breathe. He stayed for the next week before he finally got to come home! And since then he has been the light of my life!

Sam-Man I can't believe you are 7 today! You have gotten to be so big & you are the best blessing I could have ever asked for! You are headed into 2nd grade & I am so thankful you love school so much. I hope that last! I so love hearing you read & figure out what words mean! I can't think of anything better than when you walk up to me & say "I love you Mommy!" Or when you give me a hug or kiss. I know those days are numbered before you want nothing to do with me so I am enjoying them while I can! You are so much like your Daddy! Everything from temperament to your artistic side & I know he loves that. You mean the world to your Daddy & Mommy & we are blessed to call you our son! While I don't wish away these years, I can't wait to see the man you become for God. I pray daily for your future, for your wife, for your life. But most of all I pray for you to know Christ as your Savior, knowing there is no true life without Him! You are the first sweet miracle that made me a Mommy & no one can ever take that away!
Happy Birthday sweet boy! I love you to the moon & back!

"For this child I prayed & the Lord has heard my cry!"
1 Samuel 1:27

Cass

Show Us Your Life-Baby Names!

Another Show Us Your Life at Kelly's Korner! Kelly does one of these just about every week & I don't always get to do them. But this one I knew I had to do! It's Show Us Your Life Baby Names (Present &/or Future)! I mean come on how great is that! So starting with my firstborn...

Samuel Philip

...is my sweet oldest boy who will be 7 in just 2 short weeks! I love the story of how I knew what Sam's name should be! It was actually after I had been dx with Endometriosis & after my 2nd surgery. When I went in for this 2nd surgery we knew that the Endometriosis was bad but we didn't know that I could have to lose one of my ovaries. So when I woke up from surgery I was told by the nurse that they had to take my right ovary. I just remember being so devastated thinking there was no way I would be able to have kids. The GD & I were engaged by this time but I just remember thinking there is no way I can let this man marry me when I probably won't be able to give him any children. Of course he told me that was not the most important thing & if we weren't meant to have our own biological children then we would adopt. But it still ate away at me. The second night I was in the hospital my Mom had gone home & I was alone. Now of course who can sleep in those places! So in the bedside table I found a Gideon Bible. And I immediately went to the story of Hannah & Samuel. I cried & cried reading through Hannah's story knowing it could be similar to mine. I prayed & begged the Lord to allow me to have just 1 child with my husband. I felt a peace wash over me & I knew God was telling me that He would give us a child & were were to name our firstborn Samuel or Hannah. I swear it was as if the Lord himself stood at the end of my hospital bed & told me. It was the middle of the night & I could hardly wait to call my soon-to-be hubby to tell him. I am sure he thought I was crazy at the time but I just knew! When we got married several doctors told us it would take us years to get pregnant IF we could at all! And sure enough in God's timing (and sense of humor I might add) 3 months later we were pregnant! So I knew what his first name should be & I love the idea of family names for middle names so we went with Philip after the GD's Dad! And on May 19th Samuel Philip made his debut!

Andrew James

Unfortunately for Drew he doesn't have quite the story behind his name. However I must say we had a MUCH harder time getting pregnant with our second son. It took 18 months & 3 cycles with Clomid before we finally got the wonderful news that we were expecting again. I must say those 18 months were some of the most trying of my life. There was about 3 or 4 months straight that I kid you not every 2 weeks another lady in our church was announcing her pregnancy. I was beyond heartbroken by the time we finally found out we were pregnant! As far as his name is concerned we had a hard time agreeing on a name. We talked about Caleb, Jeremiah, David, Micah...and on & on & on! Finally one day I saw the name Andrew & I called David at work & asked him & that was it! We knew the middle name would be James after my Dad so we just needed a name that sounded good with that! On March 25th Andrew James was born into our family!

As far as future names, obviously after my total hysterectomy we can no longer have children of our own. But we fully intend on adopting SOON! And yes since we have 2 boys we are hoping to be able to adopt a little girl! We have talked about many names over the years for if we have a girl, of course Hannah. But then there was Rebekah & Ava. However as of right now if we are blessed enough to add a little girl to our family her name would be Addison Faye. Faye is also a family name, my middle name, my Mom's middle name, & my Paw-Paw's middle name (although his is spelled Fay).

So anyway there is my LONG post about names for our sweet babies! I love them so much & am beyond thankful that the Lord blessed us with 2 children. Of course my heart still aches for the baby we lost & I have often wondered if the baby would have been a girl or a boy. But I know that he or she is in heaven causing a ruckus with my bff's 2 babies she lost. Or at least that's what we tell each other! Anyway that's our story!

Cass

My Loves...

What happens when school is canceled for snow...

2-4 inches of snow is expected! I know to peeps from the North that's nothing. But to those of us from the South, that is A LOT! Enough to shut down schools, goverments, & just about everything...except Wal-Mart of course! And yes it is snowing, however it is not sticking yet! So in the mean time this is what happens when kids are stuck in the house bored because there is no school & no snow!

Hopefully later I can post pictures of us playing in the snow & making a snow cousin for Billy Bob! Can't wait!!! Come on Rich Thomas be right this time!

Lost tooth!

S-Man lost a tooth! How cute is he!

His tooth has been loose for awhile but he didn't want us to pull it so we just let it be & figured it would fall out eventually. Well today it did. His teacher told me they were doing some of their reading work & all of the sudden, he was saying "Mrs Hicks, Mrs Hicks I lost a tooth." Apparently he just kept messing with it until it finally fell out on its own! We are quite excited about this today since it's his first tooth he "lost". When he was about 3 I think he feel at the park & hit his front two teeth loose. After a trip to the dentist they said to watch it & if it turned grey to come back in. It never did but when he went back 6 months later for his next cleaning they said it had started to go bad. So we had to have that one pulled. Technically this is the first tooth he has lost, so it's very exciting!

We don't do the tooth fairy (sorry to burst any one's bubble!) but what we did before is the GD does a magic trick with him & his tooth turns into money! S-Man loves it, I will have to try to get it on video for you! Last time the GD gave him $5 for his tooth...$5. I wish I would have gotten a magic trick with $5 instead of $1 or $2 from the tooth fairy! Anyway that's the happenings around the Time-Out house today!

Our Wedding weekend!

Whew! What a weekend we have had! A great friend of mine, Sarah, got married this weekend & it just so happens I know the ring bearer! Actually I was a bridesmaid as well, so I know the scoop! The wedding was beautiful & everything went great! Well almost great! D-D was so tired & has an ear infection, so that being said, he did great! I joke but he really did do good, he had a few meltdowns before the ceremony. But amazingly he smiled great & was in a great mood for the pictures! Plus he walked down the aisle & looked adorable! Our problem came about 3/4 in...he had hit his wall. He was just done! During the unity candle he started whining & crying, so I was trying to prevent a full on meltdown & decided to pick him up. About 30 seconds later he was sound asleep on Mommy's shoulder! I tried to wake him up to walk back down the aisle but he just wasn't having it, so Mommy got to carry him back down! And let me tell you that wasn't easy! Carrying 35 lbs of dead weight, on small heels, down stairs! Yep that was fun! But at least it looked cute...

Thankfully all of the pics were taken before the wedding, & of course we don't have those quite yet! However my fil* happens to be a photographer so he snapped a few of D-D this afternoon! How cute is he? I mean I know I am biased but come on!!
*Father In Law*
The last one is of my precious boys that my fil happened
to snap will taking the others of D-D!

So that was our weekend, that I am still trying to recover from! And there is a ton more going on this week, but that's another post! Hope you all had a great weekend!

Whew! What an update!

Time for another update around our house. If you didn't see this post about S-Man starting back to school be sure to check it out. He is so cute & is loving school! I can't believe he is in 1st grade, it just doesn't seem possible. He loves his teacher & is so happy to go! You know it's a good thing & makes a Momma proud when the teacher tells you how smart your son is! Reading above a 1st grade level! Must be in genes! LOL!

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D-D is slowly adjusting to his "big bubba" being in school, he still walks around the house asking where he is & when we can go get him from school! It's so sweet & breaks my heart all at the same time. It feels good to be back in the swing of things & I know he will be fine once he is used to it. I am enjoying my last year at home with him, knowing we will try to put him in a preschool program next year! The time flies...

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Now on to me & the GD & the CRAZY next few months we have...okay really it's just me but it involves him! This weekend I have a bridal shower for a friend of mine's daughter on Saturday. Plus my Mom & Dad will be here for a couple days after they traveled to West Virginia for my Dad's 50th reunion!

Then September 12th it is finally time for our cruise!!!!! I can't wait, we booked this back in Feb so it was hard to get real excited back then. Now it's just around the corner & we can't wait! The GD & I have only spent 2 nights away together since we were married, including our honeymoon! We got married on a Sat & moved here on that Monday so we had a really quick honeymoon. So needless to say we are over the moon excited to have 4 night & 5 days of just us...oh yeah & my bff Sheila & her husband! Come on it's fun to have a girlfriend to do stuff with too!

We come home from our cruise Thursday the 17th & the following Friday the 25th I will be having a total hysterectomy! (If your new here & if you care...you can check this post out about some of the issues I have!) As much as I hated to wait that long I didn't want to ruin our cruise or not be able to go! Right now I am hoping I will be feeling good that week! My cyst definitely seem to be cycling, right now I don't have a problem as much with them. But I figure by the end of next week I will probably be hurting again if it follows the same pattern it usually does! We are hoping & praying that the surgery will go smoothly. That recovery will be as painless as possible & that this will finally take care of all of my issues! Please Lord Jesus!

October brings more showers for the wedding I am a bridesmaid in come November. Along with the baby shower for my bff Sheila's baby girl, Ansleigh Grace! And then before we know it, it's Christmas & Ansleigh will be here! I am so excited for her to get here!

With all of this going on & more importantly with my surgery we have decided to push back starting the process of adoption until after the new year! The adoption classes were set to start on September 17th (the same day we get back from the cruise) & continue on for 10 wks. As much as we are wanting to get the process started we just don't know what my recovery time will be like! We can't wait to bring our baby girl home that God has chosen for us but we are trusting in God's timing knowing HIS will is perfect! He has our daughter picked our for us & I know she will come in HIS time!

Until then we still covet your prayers for the adoption & for surgery! Of course I will be updating more but this gives you a glimpse into what is happening right now & what is to come! I hope you all are having great weeks & while I may not know all of you, know you are prayed over everyday!

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you & not to harm you. Plans to give you hope & a future!" Jer 29:11

S-Man's First Day of 1st Grade

Today was S-Man's first day of school! I can't believe I have a 1st grader! We are so excited about the upcoming year & we LOVE his teacher! He had a great day & can't wait to go back tomorrow! Here's a few pics from his day!

The busy just keep getting busier!

UPDATE:
Doctor recommending hysterectomy, hoping to get it scheduled tomorrow!

Hello out there! I know I am always apologizing for not posting as often as I used too. So why should this week be any different! I just seems to keep getting busier & busier! We have a lot coming up in the next couple weeks...oh wait make that months! S-Man starts back to school in just one more week! I can't believe he is fixing to be in first grade!!! We go Thursday night to meet his teacher & see where his classroom is! I am excited, he is nervous! My child hates change!!!! He likes to be familiar with things & this is all new! Hopefully he will be better by the time school actually starts!

The other big thing going on for me right now is I have more cyst again on my ovary! The last few weeks I have been hurting more & more. Then last Saturday it got really bad, so Monday afternoon I went for an ultrasound. And sure enough 2 cyst, one that had started to rupture & another that was just there! You remember from this post that this is not the first time I have had to deal with all this! And then there was this post all about how the surgery I had in March was supposed to help. Oh well at least we can say we gave it a try! I am going Monday morning to see my doctor & figure out what to do next. I am definitely ready to just do they hysterectomy & be done with it all. I am so tired of this & can't keep living this way in constant pain! I am seeing a naturalist doctor in 2 weeks to see about the possibilities of doing alternative medicine for hormone replacement. That has been my biggest fear as far as doing the hysterectomy, just not know what the long term effects of these drugs could be. I hoping she can shed some light on this for me! So that's what's going on in our world these days, hope things are better for you all. I will post more after seeing the doctor tomorrow & then will definitely have pics up next week of S-Man's first day of first grade!!!!! Have a blessed week!!!!

Changes

What is it about summer that makes us so busy I don't have time to breathe let alone blog! Oh how I have missed you ladies! Our laptop is on the fritz so we set up the desktop because I was going through some serious withdrawal's not being able to check blogger & facebook! It's an addiction I tell you! So finally at almost midnight I am finding a few minutes to update you on our lives!
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The boys are doing great, S-Man's eye is finally healed up. And of course D-D never had a thing wrong with him, he just took out his big brother! I think I am in for many more ER visits with those 2!
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We are in the countdown for when S-man goes back to school! T-minus 3 weeks! He is so excited! We went & got all his school supplies the other night & he just can't wait! I can't wait to find out who his teacher is, a lot of his friends from last year have already heard, so I am hoping soon to hear! Don't want to be one of those mom's who calls & bugs the school but if I don't hear soon, that just may happen!
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My BFF Sheila found out she is having a little girl! I am so excited for her & can't wait to meet my new niece! Or should I say daughter in law, cause if we had it our way she would be getting hitched to one of my boys years from now! LOL!! I can dream right!
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Now on for some exciting news & changes for our family!!! After a lot of prayer & talking we have decided to start the process to adopt!!!!!! I can't tell you how excited this makes me! If you have been reading my blog for long then you know from these post, or this one that I have really struggled with our family size. Desperately desiring another baby but being unable to carry anymore myself. My dream has always been to adopt specifically from China, however the laws now are crazy ridiculous on who can adopt & all the MANY, MANY hoops you have to jump through. So one afternoon while doing my quiet time it hit me that there are a bunch of children right here in our "own backyard" that need homes too. The GD & I prayed long & hard about it & decided that this is the route we felt lead to go. Thankfully I have a friend of a friend that works for DHR in our area & I was able to talk to her for awhile & feel much more confident! I sent in our paper work this week & am just waiting to here if we are accepted or not. Then comes the 10 weeks of classes, plus a CPR training class, not to mention tons of more paperwork, & a home study. Then the waiting continues! We are hoping for a little girl younger than D-D as to not mess with the birth order we have now. I am so excited I can hardly stand it! One thing I am worried about is the waiting, I am not the most patient person, so I know this will be a learning experience for me!

Can I ask for you all to be praying for us? Pray for everything to go smooth if this is truly what God wants for us. Pray for the child that is meant to be ours. Pray for our family to adjust. Pray for peace! I am so excited to see God's plan in all of this!!!! For now that's where we are, but I will be updating more as time goes on! Thank you friends!!!!!!!

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you & not to harm you. Plans to give you hope & a future!!!!" Jer 29:11

Our Family Saturday!

We had such a great family Saturday! We got up & headed out to breakfast at MiMi's Cafe! YUMMO!!!!!! We had coupons too so even better! Then we headed over to a new area in downtown Montgomery that has a great water area for the kids, plus FREE! The kids had so much fun playing & then we took a ride on the trolley!

Our ride on the trolley through historic downtown Montgomery!

We had so much fun & loved spending the day as a family! We finally got home around 2:30, we told the boys we were gonna rest for awhile & then go swimming. The natives started getting restless about 3:30 & before we knew it. Crying started. Apparently D-D went running out of our bedroom, not knowing S-Man was crouched down waiting to scare him. They smacked right into each other, S-Man lost!!!!! I grabbed D-D & the GD grabbed S-Man, both trying to comfort them. All of the sudden the GD yelled "Oh my gosh WHAT IS HAPPENING!!" (What every mother loves to hear right!) We literally watched blood filling up over S-Man's left eye/eyebrow. I swear I thought it was going to burst open through the skin!! We ran out of the house, taking D-D to the GD's parents house (thank God they live next door!) & head out to doc-in-a-box. I drove like a maniac, trying to get there & then they sent us straight to the ER. On the way I finally calmed down enough to get my wits about me & called our Pediatrician. They told us to go on the the ER for a CAT scan & they would get the results. They got to us pretty quickly (although this Momma Bear thought it should have been sooner!) & he did so great! He freaked out seeing the big machine but he did fine once Mommy promised ice cream! Fast forward waiting almost an hr for the results(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) & thankfully my baby is fine! He does have a slight concussion, but nothing is broken & everything looks great! Rest, Tylenol, & ice packs are on the agenda for the next few days! He definitely earned his chocolate ice cream cone!

This is in the ER waiting room, it's even more swollen today & a lot more bruised!

Oh in case you were wondering, D-D is fine!! There is a small red bump on his forehead but he is great! I think S-Man may be in for it when D-D gets even bigger!!!!!!!!

Child like faith

Conversation tonight on the way home told to me by the GD who was driving...

S-Man: "Daddy do we need to tell God Happy Fathers Day too?"

GD: "Well yes S-Man we do, why don't you tell him."

S-Man: paused & then heard very quietly "Happy Fathers Day God!"


WOW! Can I just say it again WOW! There is something about that child like faith of realizing that we need to stop & say Happy Fathers Day to our heavenly Father. I spent the day talking & thinking of my Daddy, my Paw-Paw, & my wonderful Hubby, but never stopped to think about my heavenly Daddy. Never pausing to tell him how wonderful He is, or thanking Him for how he has changed me life. But truth be told every day should be Fathers Day to Him. Everyday I should be stopping to thank Him for all that He has done & telling Him how much I love Him. In the hustle & bustle of everyday life I am sad to say that doesn't happen often enough. My heavenly Daddy deserves the best of me, not what is left over at the end of the day, yet that is what He gets most of the time. The leftovers. And in small child like faith I am reminded that my Daddy wants to spend time with me too. Wants to be cherished & honored too. Wants to be loved & thanked too. Wants the best of me too!

He is...

Thank you S-Man for reminding Mommy of this!

Happy Fathers Day Daddy!

Where did we disappear too?

Were we out wrestling a great white?

Did we find a geyser & spend the day playing in it?

Did we disappear for a great catch?

Did we get shipwrecked somewhere?

Did we end up taken captive by pirates?

Were we out searching for the perfect wave?

Did we spend time with old friends?

Great Friends...

Wonderful friends!!!!!

Yes we did & it was glorious!!!!!!!!!!!!