You Will Be Safe In His Arms

Friday was a hard day for me this last week. 7 years ago on December 9th I was driving back to school and I got a phone call I will never forget. My sweet friend called to tell me that one of my close friends had tried to commit suicide and was in ICU. My heart stopped. That very morning he came over to me and told me he loved me and thanks for being such a great friend. Little did I know it would be the last time I ever heard those words from him. On December 10th Bryan went home to be with our Father.

Freshman year of Highschool I was the new kid. I had been homeschooled up until 9th grade and didn't know anyone that first day of school. Brian was one of the first people I met at North. He had a smile that could light up the room and the personality to match. We quickly became friends. He always made me smile. Every time he was around I knew how much he cared. He never let a moment go by that you didn't know how much he cared about you.

Brian changed my life. After losing him I stopped living just for the heck of it. I started cherishing every moment with those I loved. Nothing seemed more important than a relationship with God and other people. Little things stopped getting to me so much and if it wasn't a life or death situation I learned to let it go cause it just isn't worth being upset over. Seven years later and Bryan still crosses my mind all the time. He reminds me to love without looking back and cherish every moment with those I love.

This Christmas hug your loved ones a little tighter. Never hesitate to tell someone you love them and love as deeply as you know how. Live each moment like it's your last and be so thankful for your blessings that it hurts. We never know how long we have or when this life will be just a memory.

Brian,
I still miss you and your sweet smile every day. Can't wait to see you again! Rest in His arms friend!
With all my heart,

Little Things

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.
-Robert Brault

The last couple days have been hard on me as a Mommy. I have had quite a slap in the face how fast time is flying by and how quickly my little man is growing up. On Friday I went and picked up Hudson's big boy car seat. No more infant carrier. No more gently carrying him into the house in his car seat when he is asleep. Those days are gone. He now sits up like a little man and loves it I might add :) Then yesterday I got some of his newborn clothes down to let a friend borrow them and sat there a little teary eyed looking at how tiny he was. Looking at him now just 8 months later its hard to believe he ever weighed 5lbs 11oz. Itty bitty! Later in the day we started moving a lot of his baby stuff up to the attic. The bouncers, the bumbo, more clothes, and I couldn't help but miss the days when we first brought him home. I spent countless hours sitting and starring at that precious little face. At the time they were little things. Now they seem huge. On top of all of that I laid him down for his nap in his crib and he was still awake. I walked from his bedroom to my living room and told Bryan he was still awake and picked up the monitor. As I looked at it I about stopped breathing. He was standing in his crib. I darted back in there and swooped him up. So needless to say yesterday afternoon I had to lower his crib. I really wasn't ready for all that in one weekend. I mean he is only 8 months old and I just wasn't prepared to take these next steps! :) He will always be my baby, my firstborn, and the first little person to completely steal my heart, but he isn't my tiny little baby anymore. He is a goofy, smiley, opinionated, babbling, squealing 8 month old. I couldn't be happier with the stage he is at right now. Definitely moments I will never forget. Needless to say this weekend was just one more reminder at how we HAVE to live each moment as if its our last. Make every second count and more than anything cherish the little things, because one day you WILL realize they are the big things.

8 Months Old

Wow another month has gone by already! I can't believe I'm only one more month away from having you here with me for as long as I was pregnant. Those 9 months seemed to drag by and the last 8 have gone by faster than any other part of my life. You have given me a new reason to smile each day and life is so much better with you in it! We love you more than you could ever imagine!!

Here's just alittle bit of what you have been up to...

*You are still eating the same foods as last month. With all of the craziness of Thanksgiving we haven't started any new foods. We are going to start several different new foods this month.
*You have started on the Gerber Puffs and Yogurt Melts and LOVE them!!!
*All of your 6-9 month clothes are almost too short. Your PJ's are way too short and we are waiting on some to come in the mail that I ordered for you.
*Size 3 Cruisers
*We went to the doctor for a check up on your ears and you weigh exactly 20 lbs
*You love to squeal, and you are REALLY REALLY loud!!! Mimi brings out most of your squeals!
*You are taking all of your naps in your crib, but still sleeping in your pack n play in our room at night. Since the people tried to break in our house Mommy has had a really hard time letting you be out of my sight. Each day gets easier and I know God is your protector and I'm just His helper. Hopefully within a month you will be sleeping in your crib at night too!
*You aren't crawling yet, but are getting closer every day. The problem is you would much rather walk so you have very little interest in crawling right now. Instead you scoot and barrel role across the floor and get to wherever you want to go without crawling.
*You took your first steps last month while holding onto Mommy's fingers and now you will walk all the way across the room and back. You are going to be walking very soon I think.
*When you hold onto the furniture you can take a few steps each way.
*You sleep in your pack n play all night now and wake Mommy up every morning talking with a precious smile on your face.
*You absolutely LOVE to play and be silly. You laugh at everything and end up making everyone around you laugh as well.
*You are very opinionated and let us know when you aren't happy about something.
*I think you will be getting your bottom two teeth very soon because your gums are swollen.
*The Christmas tree has become a major source of entertainment for you the last few days.
*Your new carseat should be in any day and its definitely time. Mommy will be kinna sad when we have to put away your infant carrier. :(
*We had to put up your bouncer and bumbo a couple of weeks ago. You somehow learned to escape out of both of them.
*The doggies are your best friend and if we ask you where they are you look straight to the back door. Every time they get close you get a HUGE smile on your face and bounce up and down.
*You are now taking about 3 naps every day and they range from 30 min to 2 hrs

Can't wait for the next month my little man! Love you!!

30 Days of Thanksgiving

So for those of you who know me, you know I sometimes go overboard when I do something. This November I decided to take on the task of doing the 30 Days of Thanksgiving. While I did get behind, catching up was a breeze because I have so much to be thankful for!



30 Days of Thanksgiving

Day 1
I’m thankful for my parents. Without them I would not be who I am today. They have sacrificed multiple times for our family and I will be forever grateful. Each of them are wonderful Godly examples and I am so thankful my children have grandparents like them.“Thank you Father for my earthly parents who have loved me the way you do!”
Day 2
I am thankful for my husband. Bryan works hard to provide for Hudson and I. Everyday he helps me stay calm ☺ and brings a smile to my face. He is truly my other half and I can’t imagine living life without him. “Thank you Father for a man who respects me and loves me unconditionally. Place your hedge of protection all around him every day.”
Day 3
I am thankful for my precious baby boy. Hudson has opened my eyes in more ways than one. I now long to live another day so I can spend time with him and watch him learn new things. He is the most perfect blessing I could have ever received. “Thank you Father for entrusting me to be Hudson’s mommy. Thank you for being his protector and mine.”
Day 4
I am thankful for my brother. When we were little he drove me up the wall and I continually called him a ‘baby’. I was so jealous that I was no longer the center of attention that I could hardly get past it. As we grew up we began to actually become friends! ;) Aaron and I have a good relationship now and I love him very much!! “Thank you Father for a brother who has had my back my entire life and for the true man of God he has become!”
Day 5
I am thankful for God’s protection on me and my family. We live in a mean and cruel world and I am reminded of it almost daily. I am so thankful for a God who is my protector and whom I can depend on. Without him I would be a total basket case and worry more than I already do. Horrible things happen to people who do not deserve them every few seconds. I am thankful that for the last 24 years God has protected me. “Thank you Father for protecting me and my family. I pray for your continued protection every day.”
Day 6
I am thankful for my true friends. The friends that have been there through thick and thin have helped make life wonderful. They are true blessings from heaven and I can’t imagine not having them in my life. I am also thankful for the friends that come and go. They seem to pop into life when you need them, stay for a season and then move on. “Thank you Father for allowing us to have friends to help us do life with.”
Day 7
I am thankful for our home. So many people will be cold this winter. I am so thankful to always have a warm house to come home to. I am thankful it is no longer just our house but truly a home. We have so many wonderful memories here already and I can’t wait for many more to come. “Thank you Father for a warm home to come home to everyday. Thank you for being my provider.”
Day 8
I am thankful that my God provides. Whenever I think things just aren’t going to work out they always do. He has never failed to provide everything we truly need. While we can’t always buy everything we want, God has ALWAYS provided EVERYTHING we could ever need. “Thank you Father for being my provider. Thank you for always being there and being a firm foundation.”
Day 9
I am thankful for my for my dad and husbands job. Johnstone has been a wonderful place for both of them to work. I am thankful that Papa worked so hard for so many years to make the company so strong. I am thankful for my Daddy who has worked so hard for many years as well to make the company even better. “Thank you Father for providing the men in my life a wonderful occupation that they truly enjoy and has always provided a steady income for my family.”
Day 10
I am thankful for our troops. I am so grateful that they selflessly give their lives everyday for people they don’t even know. They have given us our freedom for many years and I will forever be thankful. I can’t even imagine having to leave my husband and child to fight for someone I don’t know. What a true act of service. “Thank you Father for the men and women who give there lives everyday to protect mine. Bless their lives and the lives of their families. Surround them with your protection and love.”
Day 11
I am thankful for my freedom. The freedom we have in the United States is like no other country and I pray it always remains that way. I am thankful for the freedom of speech and to have my own opinion and be able to voice it. I am thankful for the freedom to worship my God when and wherever I choose. Our country was founded on our Father and I pray our leaders NEVER forget. I am thankful for the freedom to live without a constant fear of an attack breaking out. “Thank you Father for freedom. For the men and women who have fought with their lives to give us freedom. Bless those in the service and protect them each and every day.”
Day 12
I am thankful for my Mom. She is my best friend and knows me inside and out. Anytime things are rough she is one of the first people I call. She is the Godly woman that I look up to the most and I can’t imagine life without her. “Thank you Father for my precious Momma. Thank you for giving me someone to look up to and a friend.”
Day 13
I am thankful for the beautiful Fall we have had this year. Most of the time Oklahoma goes from summer to winter within a matter of hours. This year the trees have been beautiful and the weather absolutely perfect! I have felt like I’m in Colorado and that NEVER happens here!! “Thank you Father for different seasons and for giving us such a beautiful Fall this year!”
Day 14
I am thankful for my sweet Emma Mae. She has giving “Mans best friend” a whole new meaning. I never thought you could love a dog as much as I love her. She is my little shadow. She is wonderful with Hudson and he absolutely adores her. “Thank you Father for such a sweet doggie. Thank you for giving her the ability to brighten any day. I absolutely love her to pieces.”
Day 15
I am thankful for my crazy best friend Brooke. She has been a part of my life since Freshman year of highschool and I can’ even imagine how calm highschool would have seemed without her! ;) She is truly someone who I know would do absolutely anything for me at the drop of a hat. We have been through so much together and I can’t wait for the crazy things in the future. “Thank you Father for someone to always make me laugh and keep me on my toes. Thank you for her friendship and for all the laughter and tears we have shared together.”
Day 16
I am thankful for my car. It is such a relief knowing that I have a reliable car to put my baby in when we have to go somewhere. “Thank you Father for reliable transportation.”
Day 17
I am thankful for peoples help. Whether it be someone to watch Hudson, pick up the house, run an errand for me or just help in general. It makes life a little less stressful and more enjoyable. “Thank you Father for people who will help with simple things that mean so much.”
Day 18
I am thankful for my Nanny and Papa. They are such Godly people and I cherish each of them dearly. So many of my childhood memories include my time spent with them. “Thank you Father for giving me grandparents who love me and have spent so much time pouring into my life.”
Day 19
I am thankful for my Daddy. I have no clue what I would do and who I would bug each day without him! ;) When people tell me I am just like him it makes me proud. He has always provided for my family and has taken such good care of us. Not only that he poured his extra time into spending time with us. I love him with all of my heart. “Thank you Father for my earthly Daddy. I couldn’t be more blessed to have him in my life.”
Day 20
I am thankful for all the toys that keep my little man entertained when I have to get things done. “Thank you Father for providing him with something to entertain himself with.”
Day 21
I am thankful for good health for my family and me. Overall our family has been so blessed with good health. I can’t even imagine if any of us were seriously ill. It would be so hard. “Thank you Father for the gift of health. I pray for those families who are struggling with sickness. Bless them and heal them in your precious name.”
Day 23
I am thankful for the education we have in the US. While we think sometimes it is terrible it doesn’t even compare to other parts of the world. We are truly blessed to get to learn so many things freely. “Thank you Father for our teachers who work for WAY less than they deserve. Bless their lives abundantly!”
Day 24
I am thankful for an excuse to bake yummy deserts and not feel guilty about it ☺ “Thank you Father for giving me an excuse to spend my evening in the kitchen and for the desire and ability to cook. I have so much fun!”
Day 25
I am thankful that for as long as I can remember I have gotten to spend every single holiday with my crazy family. I pray that never changes. We have so much fun together and have made so many memories that will never be forgotten. “Thank you Father for an extra excuse to spend time with those we love.”
Day 26
I am thankful for my two precious nieces. They are such precious little girls and provide so much joy to our family. I wish we got to spend more time with them. “Thank you Father for those two beautiful little girls. I pray you bless their lives each and every day and show them just how much you love them.”
Day 27
I am thankful for my in-laws and getting to spend time with them. Thankfully we only live an hour and a half from each other so we still see them every so often. We had a wonderful time in Tulsa celebrating Thanksgiving with them this weekend! “Thank you Father for my second family. I am blessed.”
Day 28
I am thankful for my son showing me a glimpse of how Christ loves us. I never really knew before. Having a child has showed me just how much he loves us to give up His only son to save us. I wouldn’t give up Hudson’s life for anyone. I would take his place. What a priceless gift we have been given. “Thank you Father for showing me a glimpse of how much you love us. You are my everything.”
Day 29
I am most thankful for my salvation. I am thankful for a Father who sent his only son to die for me. I can’t even imagine. I have done nothing to deserve what I have been given. I pray that everyday I am a child of mercy and grace and that I bless His name unapologetically. “Thank you Father for the gift of your son to save me. I don’t deserve that kind of mercy. Please help me to live each day for you! I love you with all of my heart!”
Day 30
I am thankful for everything in my life the Lord has blessed me with. 30 days wasn’t enough time to mention everything. If I didn’t mention you by name it only means I ran out of time. “Thank you Father for giving me family, friends, and everything else you have blessed my life with. I love you and owe it all to you! In your precious name I pray. Amen.”

I encourage each of you to take a moment and thank our heavenly Father for everything he has blessed you with.

Now BRING ON CHRISTMAS!!!!! This is BY FAR my favorite time of the year!!!

Extremely Challenging, Overwhelmingly Rewarding

I had a nice long chat with a good friend of mine this morning. Through our conversation we got on the topic of being a stay at home mommy (sahm). We came to the conclusion that people who are not sahm or dads don't think it is a hard job. We also came to the conclusion that it is by far the hardest, most challenging job you could ever have. Let me explain.

There will be days (like today) when you just don't feel like dealing with all the random crying, dirty diapers, snotty noses, ear aches, spit up, bath time, etc. However as a sahm you don't have a choice. It's just part of the job. You don't get sick days, or government holidays, you are on duty 24/7. Not to mention when your baby gets sick you basically work overtime. You will get tired. You will become delirious and everything will seem half way funny. Now all of that being said there is no other job that will pull on your heartstrings as much as being a mommy. It is a job that challenges you physically, and emotionally on a daily basis. Your heart is now living outside of your body and you consider how each choice you make will effect the life of not only yourself but now your child as well. It is a job that truly changes someone else' life every day.

I will say this, it is the most overwhelmingly rewarding job in the entire world. There is nothing that a gummy grin, belly laugh, precious hug or slobbery kiss can't fix. The eyes of a child can light up a room like no one else. Their infectious grin is loved by all and as a sahm you get to experience all of those things ALL day long. When I stop and think about it, nothing in the world could be better. I can't imagine spending my days any other way. Hudson makes all other jobs seem easy, and soooooooo boring. There is NEVER a dull moment at our house anymore unless we are all asleep. ;) Each and every day he learns something new and I can't imagine missing any of those firsts. He is the light of my life and I am so thankful I get to spend each waking moment with him. So if your contemplating being a sahm remember this, there will be hard days. There will be days you want to pull all of your hair out. However there will be days that you will never forget and moments that will last a lifetime. And those little moments make it all worth it. Those are the moments I live for.

7 Months

Hudson Joshua

The last 7 months have absolutely flown by! Every time I look at your baby pictures I wish you would never grow up. Then I turn around and you are laughing and trying to crawl and I'm reminded how precious each and every moment with you is! I can't wait to see how you continue to grow and change! We love you baby boy!

Here's what you have been up to...

*On top of everything you were eating last month you are now eating green beans, peaches, avocados and will be starting zucchini later this week. You are still quite the eater and are continuing to grow everyday!
*You are now wearing all 6-9 Month clothes
*Still size 3 Cruisers
*Your bedtime now ranges from 7:30-9pm. Mommy likes this schedule much better!
*You are sleeping all night and then right before your morning bottle Mommy puts you in bed with us for our morning snuggles! It's my favorite part of the day!
*You laugh in your sleep ALL the time! I'm pretty sure there isn't anything sweeter!
* The ONLY way you will stop crying almost instantly is if I sing to you. However you only like 5 songs right now :) The words I would say, God gave me you, Never grow up, I love you more, and Until you! If I try to sing something else you usually start crying again!
*You still LOVE to play 'Where's Hudson'
*Yesterday you started pulling your knees up under you and standing up with you feet so your little bottom is up in the air. Just one more step towards crawling.
*You also grabbed on to Momma's shirt yesterday and stood up on your own.
* Two nights ago you realized you can barrel roll and now wont stay in once place for more than two seconds.
*You are now learning sign language for 'more' on top of the other words you know.
*It is now challenging to change your diaper cause you want to roll away.
*I got you a piano and a workbench and they are your new favorite toys.
*You were sick this week with a terrible cold and this is the first week you have actually slept in your swing. Thats right you never even would go to sleep in it as a newborn! Thankfully you did cause it helped you breath so much better.
*You don't want to lay down to drink your bottle anymore you think you need to sit up. If mommy or daddy has a drink while you are drinking your bottle you stop and reach for our drink.
*We have changed your bath time from every other night to every morning because we have soooooo much fun!
*You have almost gotten to big to be in your bouncer which is very sad because you LOVE sitting in it.
*We will be getting you a new car seat this month because your legs hang out of your old one.
*Your bad dreams have seemed to go away and I pray over you every night before I leave you in your bed.

Hudson you are our pride and joy! Life wouldn't be the same without you!

My Legacy

The last couple of days I have been thinking alot about leaving a legacy. Tuesday is my sweet Papa's 84th Birthday. One day (hopefully not too soon) my Papa will leave a legacy and what a legacy it will be. What an incredible man. He loves his family with all of his heart and he loves his heavenly Father even more. Papa has worked hard his entire life. He has provided more for his family than most people will ever be able to have in their entire lives because of all his hard work. Even though having material things is nice, that is not what I will remember most. He has loved us unconditionally our entire lives. Every time our family is together for meals Papa always prays the most incredible prayers. They will never be forgotten. His love for our Father is indescribable. Not only does he NEVER miss his quiet time, but it is the FIRST thing he does every day. Jesus' light shines through him every single day in everything he does. Papa is truly a man of God. I have always looked up to him in everything he does. Such a wonderful man. Happy 84th Birthday Papa, thank you for being you!!!



I want to leave a legacy people will remember. I pray that God shines through me in the way I treat my husband, children, parents, brother and friends. Not only those I'm close to but I pray the people I come in contact with on a daily basis at the store, while driving, at restaurants and whoever else I run into. I want to love without looking back or being afraid of being hurt. I want to treat people the way people treat a baby. Having Hudson has really opened my eyes in more ways than one. People look at him and smile instantly. Is it innocence of a baby that makes people of all ages willing to open up and talk to them? Why don't we treat everyone the way we treat babies? Why is it so hard for us to smile at people and be friendly to everyone? How many more people might see the love of Christ if we actually acted the way He did and treat people the way we treat little children? I hope God gives me the grace and willingness to treat people how he treats them. To love them the way I love all babies. To smile and be friendly even when I'm not having a good day or am in a hurry. I pray to raise my children in a way to help in leading them to become fully devoted followers of Christ. I want to love my husband with an undying love and show him everyday how much he means to me. I pray that each day I wake up and thank God for the day he has given me and live each and every day like it could be my last. But most importantly I want to be a child of mercy and grace who blessed His name unapologetically. I pray one day people will remember my legacy. What will your legacy be?

2 Years Down, Many More To Come

Two years ago around this time we were dancing the night away at our wedding reception with some of our best friends! Time sure flies by! In two years we have been on quite a ride, but I wouldn't have wanted to go through it with anyone else. God truly made us for each other and we balance each other perfectly! I would be a basket case without Bryan and he would be way to laid back without me ;) In these two years we bought our first house and had a baby. Now if someone had ask me in highschool where I would be at 24 I would have hoped to have everything I have but never dreamed it would really happen. We have truly enjoyed making our house our home and welcoming our sweet little man into our family.

Thank you Bryan for being my very best friend and putting up with all of my craziness! :) I love how you love me and Hudson. You are a wonderful husband and terrific father. Hudson is one lucky little man to have somebody like you to look up to! I pray we have more years together than we can count! I love you!

6 Months

Hudson Joshua

You have gone from my precious little newborn to a grubby
little 6 Month Old! You will always be my little man!

Here's what you are up to these days...
*You are eating oatmeal, sweet potatoes, carrots, acorn squash, plums, bananas, and pears, plus your formula.
*You prefer your veggies over fruit!
*You just recently decided to change your bedtime from 8-9pm to around 7-7:30pm
*You wake up every day around 5 and then want to get in bed with Mommy and Daddy and will go right back to sleep until 6-7am
*You wear Size 3 Pampers Cruisers
*Except for a few shirts from Gap you wear all 6-9 Month clothes and your 6-9 Month PJ's will not fit in the length for much longer
*At your 6 Month doctors appointment you weighed 18lbs 11oz and were in the 70th percentile for weight, you were 28 inches tall and in the 97th percentile for height! I think your gonna out grow me someday soon
*Your favorite game to play is "Where's Hudson" anything you can reach you put over your face and as soon as I say Where's Hudson you jerk it down with a big smile on your face.
*Just this week you decided you want to drink whatever Momma and Daddy are drinking and you are actually pretty good at drinking the water and not spitting it all out.
*You have learned the sign language signs for milk, eat, and all done. Even though you can't sign them to us yet, you definitely know exactly what we are talking about!
*Your favorite toy is by far your jumperoo and if I would let you, you could spend hours just jumping away.
*You decided on Sunday that you no longer want to lay on your back and roll to your tummy almost immediately and start trying to pull yourself. You will be crawling soon!
*You love to sit in your Bumbo and play with your spinning toy that suctions to the tray.
*You are completely amused by the dogs and reach out for Emma anytime you see her walk by
*When ask "Where's Momma or Dadda" you always smile and hide your face or look right at us. It is so rewarding for us!
*Bathtime is probably your favorite thing in the world and splash the entire bathroom as you play.
*You are a chatter box all day long
*We recently started calling you Puppy because when you are upset you sound just like a puppy crying.
*You went on your first vacation to Chicago and did WONDERFUL
*You LOVE to ride around in your stroller and watch people
*One of the only ways for Mommy to calm you down is to sing "Until You" to you
*You have been having bad dreams and sound like you are crying in your sleep and then will start screaming bloody murder. It breaks my heart everytime and half the time I cry with you. Last night I prayed for you before you went to sleep and no bad dreams! Never forget how much your Savior loves you!

Hudson we love you more than life itself and thank God for you every single day!

Love,
Mommy

I Love You More

A couple of weeks ago we went to Grand Lake for my mom's birthday. We left on a Thursday and came home Sunday. It was absolutely perfect. Being back at the lake made me miss our lake house even more but also made me appreciate all the memories I have. This was Hudson's first trip to the lake and he LOVED the boat once we took his life jacket off! lol
So unfortunately we only took him out that one time since he refused to be content with the life jacket on. The rest of the weekend was spent relaxing and spending wonderful time with my precious family. On Saturday afternoon Hudson had a hardcore meltdown. Now we all thought it must just be from being in a new place, less sleep and the fact that he was teething. This was a different cry though. It was the blood curling eardrum bursting kind of cry. In fact while I was holding him and singing to him to try to calm him down I even started crying because we had no idea what was wrong. After taking him for a walk outside he finally relaxed and did pretty good the rest of the night. On Sunday we headed home and he slept the entire way home without waking up which is totally unlike him. He is not one of the babies that goes to sleep as soon as he gets in the car. Then Monday he did pretty good with only a couple times of crying which I attributed to teething. Tuesday rolled around and he had another major meltdown that afternoon and he was extremely congested all of a sudden. With it being late in the afternoon I decided to wait it out and see how he did.
That night we were literally up all night long cause he kept waking up just crying. I called the doctor first thing Wednesday morning and sure enough he had an ear infection in BOTH his little ears. Now getting anything done at all with a sick baby is nearly impossible. So we pretty much laid around the rest of last week and cuddled. :) What precious moments! While the crying almost sent me to my grave early the sweet little moments were unforgettable. Being able to stop and simply spend the week with my baby without many distractions was much needed.


I was standing in the kitchen tonight making some food for tomorrow and my mind kept going to my sweet little man. He consumes my thoughts most of the time now :) Not only was he coming to my mind but also the song by Matthew West called More. The chorus is "I love you more than the sun and the stars that I taught how to shine you are mine and you shine for me too. I love you yesterday and today and tomorrow I'll say it again and again I love you more." What a wonderful song showing how our Father loves us. Having a child gives you a whole new meaning of love. I never would have thought it was possible to love someone with all that you are before you ever even meet them. From the moment you know you are going to be a parent your life will never be the same. The love you begin to feel can only be described as sent from above. I do love Hudson more than most things. Other than the love I have for my heavenly Father, the love I have for Hudson and Bryan surpasses everything else.

Hudson is in such a wonderful stage and I simply wish time would stand still for just alittle while. He is to the point where he no longer wants to lay on his pallet on the floor and play with his toys. He things he must be sitting up or standing the entire time he is awake. Now this is much more challenging for me because now he wants my attention alot more. Thank heavens for his Jumperoo to help me entertain him while I get a few things done.

Some of my favorite things he is doing right now that I LOVE are...
*The way he smiles when he wakes up and sees me
*How he stands up and holds on to the couch and anything else without any help
*How he talks and squeals all day
*The way he looks at me like nothing else in the world matters more to him
*The way he reaches for us to pick him up
*His hugs and sweet slobbery kisses
*How he starts laughing every time I ask him if he went poopy
The list could go on and on and on :) instead I'll leave you with a precious picture I took yesterday. Such a sweet smile.

Mommy's New Toy

At Hudson's 4 month appointment his pediatrician told me we could start on solids. Although at the time I didn't feel like he was quite ready yet. Well in 2 weeks he was eating 32-35oz of formula a day and I knew it was time to start with some real food. We started with rice cereal. He refused. I tried to mix it with breastmilk and formula and he wouldn't have it. Thankfully my pediatrician said he could have the rice mixed with half apple juice/half water. He seemed to like it alot better. However he started spitting up ALL the time and he never spit up before. Going on my mommy instinct I decided to stop the rice and start veggies. I started him on sweet potatoes and he HATED them with a passion.

After a few tries with the sweet potatoes I knew we might have a problem cause he would not eat them at all. So I made the decision that from then on I would make all of his food homemade. Bryan and I went to William Sonoma and bought the Beaba Babycook! I'M OFFICIALLY IN LOVE WITH IT!!!! You definitely know your a mom when you get REALLY excited about your new baby food maker! :) The first foods a baby should eat are grains (rice, oatmeal, barley), sweet potatoes, acorn or butternut squash, avocado, apples, or bananas. Our first attempt would be sweet potatoes.

HE LOVES THEM!!!!!

So yesterday I spent the afternoon making baby food!!! We started on our second food this morning...Acorn Squash! He loves those too! And they are pretty delicious I must say!

Within a couple of days we are going to try some oatmeal and see if that sits better with his stomach than the rice did.

Needless to say I'm one excited mommy about my new toy! :)

This is the precious face I got to look down at while I wrote this! Oh how I love my little man!!!!

Birthdays, Belly Laughs & Blessings

This last weekend was my 24th birthday and man I feel old. :) I remember when I was a kid thinking people in their 20's were sooooo old! Little did I know I would get there in such a short time and feel old! As I reflected on the last year soooooo much has changed in my life. Last year I was only 2 months pregnant on my birthday and still trying to grasp the fact that my next birthday I would be a mom. I still think about being a mom and can't really believe it. My life has a whole new meaning now and reaching another birthday isn't about me anymore. I was praying on my birthday that I would make it another year so I could see all the wonderful things Hudson learns each day. As a child your birthday is all about you and your gifts. Now I am so incredibly thankful for each year to spend with my precious husband and little man. (The gifts are just an added bonus!) :) Friday night we went out to dinner with some of my favorite people Jake, Lauren, Mindy, Jeff, & Maicee. We had a blast as usual and I am sooooo thankful for my sweet friends. Saturday morning I got to sleep in. (If you call sleeping in until 8:30 really sleeping in, thank you natural alarm clock!) I haven't gotten to sleep in for many months, not that I have complained, but it was sure nice. Then my precious husband made me eggs, bacon and biscuits. Bryan could hardly contain himself so I opened part of my presents that morning. He got me a wonderful Hobo wallet! I absolutely love it! The three of us had a nice relaxing morning together and then went to lunch and headed out shopping. The other half of my presents were new clothes and Bryan knows how picky I am so we went shopping together. :) College football started on my birthday so heaven forbid we missed the OU game :). We ended up going over to my parents where my precious Daddy made me steaks, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, and strawberry salad. My all time favorite meal!!! For desert we had a delicious Ribbon Cake from Raspberries n' Creme. To die for!
My wonderful parents got me a Tiffany's Charm bracelet for my birthday with a charm that says mom and a blue lollipop. It has already become on of my favorite pieces of jewelry. Aaron got me a new pair of shoes that ended up going perfectly with most of the clothes I had purchased earlier in the day. My 24th birthday was a wonderful one. I am so thankful for Bryan who is truly my other half and very best friend, my amazing baby boy who is my world, my precious parents and brother and last but not least my amazing friends. Each and every one of you made my day unforgettable.

I have decided there is absolutely nothing in the world sweeter than the belly laugh of a baby. (Mine in particular, not that I'm biased or anything! :). Just the sound of Hudson's laugh can make the world a better place I am convinced. Yesterday all I had to do was look at him and he would start cracking up. Then two nights ago I got the hiccups and he thought it was absolutely hilarious! Little booger was laughing at my misfortune! I am so thankful for such a sweet baby who is literally happy and smiling all the time!

The last few days I have been frustrated about money. Since Hudson came along we no longer have the freedom to do whatever we want whenever we want. While all this was expected, it is still frustrating some times. So needless to say I had been alittle down in the dumps that I can't just go out and buy stuff for the house any more or other random things. I actually have to plan for it! :) Anyway I got a call from Lakeside Womens Hospital yesterday afternoon telling me that they were putting a refund check for $744.20 in the mail today. WHAT??? I literally almost started crying! Such a blessing from my sweet Father just showing me to not worry about little things and He will take care of it! But seriously who had ever heard of a hospital calling and telling you they are sending you a refund check??? Anyway so I kept running my errands and came home and got the mail. We canceled our Cox Cable and got AT&T a couple weeks ago and Cox had sent me a new statement saying they reduced our payment from $50 something dollars to $7.26. Once again I about started crying. :) I love how even when I am frustrated about something not that important my Father knows and cares. What a blessing!!!

I'll leave you with some of my recent favorite pictures of my little man.

Burglars & Protectors

I didn't really think my first blog would be titled burglars, however, after yesterdays experience there wasn't a better title. Yesterday Hudson decided he was going to go on a sleep strike. So from about 12:45pm-3:45pm I tried to get him to take a nap. He refused. Although I couldn't leave him alone he was perfectly content just laying in bed with me as long as I didn't try to put him down. Finally around 3:45 he fell asleep in my lap. Sometime between 4 and 4:15 the doorbell rang. When I am home by myself I usually never answer the door but look out of our peep hole and then go on doing whatever I was doing. Well by the third ring I went to look cause the dogs were barking and I was afraid they were going to wake Hudson up. I looked out the peep hole and I could tell it was a really tall black guy and his back was to my front door and there was a van in front of my mail box. At this point Hudson had woken up and I was starting to get alittle nervous. Then he started pounding on my front door and rang the doorbell a total of 9 times. Thanks to the thunder my precious doggies were in the house with me and Emma was the only one out of her bed because she is scared of thunder. She went running to the door barking and growling and he left. I was on the phone with Bryan at this point and he was like well try to go peek out the window and see if you can see them. They were both sitting in their van in front of the driveway. Then they started to back up in front of my neighbors house and the passenger got out again and started walking up to their house. So Bryan was asking me what all they were wearing and once I started describing them to him he told me to get off the phone, call the police and he would be there as soon as he could. Thankfully he only works about 5 minutes from our house. Anyway I went to our guest bedroom and dialed 911. When I was first telling the operator what was happening I saw the passenger wave to the driver to come up there. So the driver backed the van up to their house and at that exact same moment I heard him kick their door down. Because they backed into the driveway I was able to get their license plate and give it to the lady and she said she had officers in route but to stay on the phone with her. About 30 seconds later they ran out with what I thought was a small flat screen and jumped in the car and left. When I got off the phone with 911 I went and tried to call Bryan and it wouldn't go through so I called my mom. As soon as she answered I fell apart. While I was on the phone with her I saw my neighbor across the street who I'm good friends with outside of her house wiping her face so I went to talk to her. They had done the exact same thing at her house and her dog scarred them away. Then she watched them at my house and said after banging awhile he had waved for the driver to back in. I'm sure all of this happened right as Emma ran to the door barking and growling and she said he ran down the sidewalk and jumped in the car. She then saw everything that happened at the neighbors and was on the phone with the police as well. Bryan arrived shortly after and the police a couple minutes after he got home.

I just can't stop thinking about the what if's? What would I have done if he had busted down my door and I was standing there with Hudson? What would he have tried to do? Would he have run away, beat the crap out of me, raped me? Who knows???

More than anything I have been thankful beyond belief. My God who is MY Protector was watching out for me and Hudson yesterday. I was looking up verses on protection and Psalm 91:1-2 & Psalm 32:7 really stood out to me.

Psalm 91:1-2
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

Psalm 32:7
You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

God sent the thunder storm yesterday so my sweet Emma would be in the house and bark at just the right time. The entire time she was growling and I kept telling her to be quiet. She wouldn't listen. Now I know why! :) My precious little puppy that I rescued from the animal shelter was my guardian angel yesterday. The bond I have with her was already crazy and anyone that knows me and has met Emma can see it. However after yesterday I know without a shadow of doubt that God let me find her on the internet and get yelled at by my parents for bringing home a smelly little puppy all for a divine purpose. God gave her to me for a reason and I will forever be grateful.

On a happier note I just spoke to the police and they were about to bust the guys. They found their van and had me describe the guys to them one more time. I will sleep alittle easier tonight knowing they are in jail where they are supposed to be.

Never take things for granted or think that it could never happen to you. I thought that way up until yesterday. I always gave people the benefit of the doubt and apparently in today's society in that sort of situation you can't. I am so thankful for my God who is my protector and for my sweet Emma!!!!

Our Story

1,467 days ago I met the love of my life...Bryan Anthony Brown



662 days ago Bryan and I were married in Colorado Springs at The Broadmoor



376 days ago we found out I was pregnant



280 days ago we found out we were having a little boy



131 days ago Bryan and I welcomed our precious son Hudson Joshua Brown into the world



And now our family story begins...