Landscape Makeover

After going back and forth as to whether or not we should, we finally pulled up the bushes (see first picture).  They were out of control, starting to die, and didn't match, and Seth kept picking the berries off the holly bushes.  One of our college students helped us.  We tied chains to the plants and his truck and he pulled them out...all 10 bushes!  It made our house look completely different...and Seth loved being able to look out his window finally!  We bought boxwood bushes and vinca flowers, both work well in morning sun and are good for Texas summers!  Seth loved helping...especially with the shovel!  It took all day, but the boys finally got it done and we love it!

the only 'before' picture I could fine...lots of bushes

all 10 bushes after they were pulled up

Spencer mowing up all the dead leaves- you can see the front of our house!

our pretty vinca flowers!

a work in process

Seth helping me dig up weeds around the trees

he loves helping daddy

Spencer and Matt finishing up the flowers

the finished result!!

Summer is Coming!

It already feels like summer here in Texas! So I didn't waste any time getting Seth a pool for the backyard!  The provides hours of fun for him while this pregnant mom can sit in the shade under our porch with a huge bottle of water!  He loves to just sit and relax but also to splash all the water out.  Its really hard to get him out of the pool since he loves it so much...we will probably start swim lessons next summer! 

Spencer has Fridays off, so this week we decided to drive to Trinity Park and ride the train.  Seth was so excited, that he ran and got his train hat and train whistle and said, 'come on!' We ended up getting a free ride since the ticket taker was late!  He loved getting his picture made with the train and also riding and making the 'woo woo' sound!  After the ride we found a place to eat lunch, the weather was perfect and not too hot yet....he took a long nap when we got home!! The next day we pulled up all the big overgrown/dead shrubs in our front yard and replaced them with small shrubs and flowers (this will be in th next blog)  Enjoy the pictures below!

seth lounging in his new pool

soaking up the sun

trying to put his face in the water

waiting to ride the train

exploring with daddy while waiting to get on the train

looking at the extra train

he's ready to go

'woo-woo!'

waiting paitienly

let's go!

picnic lunch after the train ride



What's in a name?

We were set when it came to girl names, but when we found out our second was a boy, we had to work a little harder to find the right name for him.  Several names were in the running like: Caleb, Micah, Lincoln, and Eli.  There were others that one of us liked but the other would not, so it was back to the drawing board.  Noah always ended up on the list choices and we really like it, but never really gave it a second thought.  We went back and forth throwing out crazy names that we knew we wouldn't use.  We prayed that God would give us a peace about the name for our baby. 

One day I let Spencer listen to a song by Watermark called 'Noah's Song' (I will post the lyrics at the end).  He really liked it but didn't say much after that.  During the day I would ask Seth if he could say certain names that we were thinking about naming the baby.  When I asked if he could say 'Noah', Seth said, "Noey! Baby come! Come baby!"  I was pretty shocked!  I looked up what the meaning of Noah- rest and peace.  I then looked up what Scripture said about Noah.  Genesis 6:9 "Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation.  Noah walked with God." It really doesn't get any better than that! But Spencer loves the name Noah because he is in the lineage of Christ, just as Seth (Adam's son) was!  Noah's middle name will be Bryant, which was my granddad's (my dad's dad) middle name.  He was the most godly man, prayer warrior and great example for me as I grew up!  We are excited to meet this little guy in September!

The lyrics to Noah's song are below after the pictures. 

Below are the letters for his room

Noah at 22 weeks 

NOAH'S SONG BY WATERMARK

Sweet Noah

Your eyes are a window

To all of our childhood dreams

It's almost like we're starting over again

One more trip through this life

With different eyes to see



You're the gift that came to take us back

Cause baby dear, you have the joy we lack

With your tiny hands

You touch a different world

Your full of wonder, full of hope

And full of one more chance

For us to see the world again

Like God sees the world



Little lover of God

You'd smile at a stranger

You don't think to be careful

How sweet is your love

You'd reach for the most unlovely of creatures

Your love is so unconditional



You're the gift that came to take us back

Cause baby dear, you have the love we lack

With your tiny heart

You'll love a different world

Your full of wonder, full of hope

And full of one more chance

For us to love the world again

Like God loves the world



And a child shall lead them

For such is the kingdom of heaven

Simple faith, simple love

Just because



Little faithful one

You're just like a mirror

Reflecting anything and everything we do

Mirror, mirror oh how you remind us

That we should reflect our Father just the same



You're the gift that came to take us back

Cause baby dear, you have the faith we lack

With your tiny life

You've shown the precious love of God

He's full of mercy, full of grace,

And full of one more chance

For us to daily learn to love

Like He first loved us



And a child shall lead them

For such is the kingdom of heaven

Simple faith, simple love

Just because

My 2 Sons...

Just about every woman dreams of becoming a mom to at least one little girl.  A little girl with whom she can dress up, play tea party, and share what it is to be a Proverbs 31 woman.  I am not excluded from this group of women.  While there were some selfish reasons for wanting a girl, the big bows, the pink frilly dresses, the cute shoes and the fun princess toys. However, there is more to raising a girl that just the fun pink frills. But from a Biblical standpoint, I wanted to raise a "Ruth" or an "Esther."   This was not God's plan for me or for Spencer.  I will admit to some initial disappointment and tears when we were told about little boy #2.  A large mixture of emotions were running through me, you name it, I felt it!  Yet here are people, even friends all around me begging God for just one child, or having children with missing limbs, or some sort of disablitliy...and here I was with a HEALTHY SECOND child, crying because I didn't get what I wanted.  "MANY PLANS ARE IN A MAN'S HEART, BUT THE COUNSEL OF THE LORD WILL STAND." -Proverbs 19:21  After a few hours of grieving, I was thanking God outloud in the car on the way home for another HEALTHY little boy!  This is what God had in mind for our family...to raise godly men!  All throughout history and Scripture, having a boy...even more than one boy was considered a huge blessing from God.  How could I not be thankful for another chance to raise a little boy to be a godly leader, husband, dad, friend...?  He brought to mind families and people in my life that only have boys...what respect I have for these ladies!
To name a few:
-My grandmother raised 2 boys- my dad and my uncle, 2 godly, caring and successful men
-My mother-in-law raised 2 boys- my husband and brother in law- 2 godly men that adore their mother and would do anyting for her!
-The Bradley family- mother of 4 boys!- they range from elementary to high school age- I have never seen any more well-behaved boys who love and respect their mother as well as other adults
-The Smith family- mother of 3 boys, ages 5 and under!-she is raising 3 very active boys while her husband is a fire fighter- these boys love their mom and compete over doing things for her and want to be just like their dad!
-Dr. Marr our pastor- 3 sons that love just spending time together as a family and telling stories!
-Kyleen Wright- single mom/President of Texans for Life- raised 4 very respectful and godly boys who love their mom and treat others with great respect!

The thought of Seth having a little brother/best friend could not be more exciting the more I think about it and the more I CHOOSE to be grateful for this blessing! While having 2 sons, He has given me at least one niece that I can love on, what grace! I know it won't be perfect and we will have our share of trips to the ER, messes and fun stories...you name it!  But the privilege of raising 2 healthy sons for the Kingdom of God is such an honor and is what God had planned for us...to die to ourselves!

"Have thine own way Lord,
Have thine own way,
Thou art the Potter,
I am the clay.
Mold me and make me,
after Thy will, while I am
waiting, yielded and still."

Seth's First Camping Trip

This past weekend, we took Seth on his very first camping trip to Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose, TX with about 10 or more families from our church.  The kids ranged in ages from 3 mos. to 9 years old.  He knows most of them and was so happy to play with them all weekend!  All 3 of us slept in a big tent on air mattresses.  The weather was perfect (mostly on the warm side) but still pretty cool at night.  On these trips the men do all the cooking! Food that included: hot dogs, hamburgers, pancakes, bacon, sausage and eggs!  Spencer did a great job at the grill!  Seth rode his tricycle, played on the playground and just ran around outside trying to keep up with the others.  Seth also went to his friend, Hudson's birthday party at Dinosaur World just inside the park where they have life size replicas of dinosaurs.  He loved hanging out with the older boys.  Seth's favorite part though, was by far wadding in the river (fully clothed) with daddy and throwing in rocks!  He did NOT want to leave (I took a picture of his sad face).  On Sat. we had a big dinner with the rest of the families and kids and we also celebrated Spencer's birthday by eating the cake I brought.  On Sunday morning Spencer led a short devotional for the families and had the kids act out a small scene from the story of Gideon...they loved it!  It was a fun, tiring, but very memorable weekend!! Enjoy the pictures below!! And here are 2 links to 2 videos from the trip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZLMn4fTwsc&feature=youtube_gdata_player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1ZzvMnSBMY&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Seth and daddy playing with frisbees

Seth loved our friend's tent with the big door

Seth riding his tricycle (our tent is in the background)

He loved hanging out in the back of our friend's truck

Spencer making breakfast

Seth and daddy in front of Dinosaur world for Hudson's birthday party

digging for dinosaur fossils with friends

he loved digging in the sand

more digging...he got to take home 3 fossils!

about to go look at dinosaurs

he loved them!

more dinosaurs

keeping up with the big boys (they were so nice to him)

standing next to matt one of his favorite big boys

he like this one the best (it was actually a trash can in disguise)

he couldn't believe all the fish (they were called koi)

too busy to look at the camera

these were huge!

the T-Rex (seth isn't in this one, he was too tired)

having fun at the playground

do you think he had fun?

Seth helping put up our tent on the first day

what big teeth you have!

wadding through the river

this kid loves water!

throwing rocks in the water...his favorite part

this is a soaking wet little boy who doesn't want to leave the river

our community dinner- Spencer about to pray

spencer's birthday cake that seth accidently stepped on

good morning! -looking to see if any other kids are up

climbing up the big slide

playing with his favorite friend "hutton" (Hudson)