16 Weeks

I went in Tuesday for a checkup and heard two healthy heart beats. Everything is looking good and right on track. I did get bumped up a week so I am now officially 16 weeks!!

(Photography by Stacey III)

I also wanted to share a sweet story of God's gracious provision for us. I have drafted several posts about the way God has provided for us over the past few years, but always seem to find myself at a loss for words to adequately describe our gratitude or God's faithfulness. In August we have a significant payment due to our doctor. We have been praying about and seeking advice on what the best way to go about paying it, seeing as how we don't just have it ;). We considered using a credit card or working out some sort of payment plan with my doctor so as to have a little debt as possible. But, even in the midst of those very practical steps I consistently felt called to pray for manna. The Lord fed the Israelites for 40 years with manna. Provision, food, needs met - manna - that just showed up EVERY SINGLE MORNING.

Anyway, yesterday as I was leaving my appointment, as planned, I began to ask about our upcoming bill, was there a way for us to work out a payment plan or pay a portion etc. The receptionist looked up and said, "Actually someone has taken care of your bill. They wish to remain anonymous but it has been paid in full." PAID IN FULL - I just started crying (and spent the better part of the afternoon doing the same). I mean talk about manna just showing up. I immediately felt overwhelmed, overwhelmed by God's goodness, overwhelmed with gratitude, and overwhelmed at how unworthy I am - not only of God's provision but of friends/family (we seriously have no idea who did this) that know and love the Lord in a way that allows them to generously give what would seem foreign to most. It is such a perfect picture of the church, not "our" church but of the body of Christ, and it overwhelms me.

Although, when I think about what I know about my savior it really is just par for the course. A few months ago I was reading in Matthew 15 & 16. Just after the feeding of the 4,000 Jesus is on a boat with the disciples and they all get worked up because they have forgotten to bring bread. Jesus looks at them and says, "Do you still not understand?" Like, hello, did you miss the last few hours when I fed 4,000 people with seven loaves and a few small fish? Do you seriously think I can't provide some lunch (or a doctors bill)? Do you not understand who is on this boat with you?

Needs being met may not always look like a bill being paid in full by an anonymous donor, but when you understand and trust in who you've got in your boat you can rest assured that they will be met.

Sixty Years Young

My Dad recently turned 60 and after all the parties he has helped throw for us growing up, let us host at his house, helped set up and clean up for, run errands and made deliveries for we couldn't let the momentous occasion go by without a party in his honor.
We rented out the back room at La Fiesta, a Mexican restaurant in Waco, and red and black seemed the only appropriate choice for decorations for the Red Raider die hard.
We put 60 synonyms for GP all around the tables and it wasn't hard at all to come up with 60+ admirable words to describe him.

Surprise!!!!!Mom & Dad
Stacey III got the honor of helping GP blow out the candles, which he noted was just like his #5 candle.

Me, Kacey & Angie

AllyLila

Ryan and Stacey

I had to include this picture. The family all decided to wear red and black but I hadn't gotten that memo when we packed things up earlier in the week. Luckily, Stacey was coming from Dallas to Waco the day of the party so I had him bring the boys shirts with him straight to the party. However, we had a little miscommunication about which La Fiesta we would be at so he was a little late arriving leaving both my boys looking a bit like circus clowns until he got there with their shirts ;).

That's a little better.

My brothers in law Josh, Mark and hubby Stacey. I'm not sure if a "normal" picture of these three together exists...
but who are we to point fingers.

Happy Birthday Daddy!! We love you so much and are so glad you are ours.

Little Swimmers

This Summer Deborah Pettit, one of my former small group girl's Mom's, graciously offered to teach the boys swim lessons and to come to our house to do it no less. She was amazing and I have been completely shocked to see how much they picked up in just a few days. Stacey was swimming before the lessons but he is much more proficient now and can swim the entire length of the pool. Wyatt wasn't swimming at all and he is now floaty free!!

We've been swimming up a storm, so if you need to beat the heat, come on over, you'll more than likely find us outside getting our swim on.

Cousins Camp

Last week while I was enjoying some R&R at the lake with my girlfriends, my parents were hosting their four oldest grandkids to Cousins Camp. Stacey and Ryan got to experience this amazing week last summer so they were beyond excited about it. Wyatt and Ally were the newbies but they could tell by the enthusiasm of their siblings that Cousin's Camp was going to be AWESOME!!! And of course it was. My mom is totally in her element with themed days and a million activities to keep these kids entertained and learning and of course loving every minute of it.

Day one was "Discovery Day" compete with science experiments galore, homemade plato, art projects, the cousins camp memory verse, "Remember the wonders God has done." Psalm 105:5, a trip to the children's museum...and so much more!!

Day two was "Toy Story 3 Day" the kids got to play all sorts of Toy Story games, like Yahtzee and a brand new Toy Story Wii game, go to the movies with Honey and play outside in the water and on a Toy Story Slip-n-Slide!
Day three the last day was "Pirate Day" and these little mates got to paint their own pirate ships, pick out a custom pirate bandanna and of course got new swords for a sword-fight.





They wrapped up camp with an awards ceremony complete with medals for memorizing the week's verse and a trip to Chuck-E-Cheese where they got trade in all the coins they had collected throughout camp for good behavior and acts of kindness for real tokens!!!
Thank you Mom and Dad for loving on our kids so well and making memories that will no doubt last a lifetime, I have a feeling Cousins Camp will be a highlight of their summers for years to come!!

Girls Weekend @ Lake LBJ

Last week I got to spend a few days at my favorite place in the world, Lake LBJ, with some of my favorite people in the world, Shannon M., Katy, Shannon B., Lauren, Ann & Wendi.

Going to the lake house with all my girlfriends was a summer tradition all though high school so it was SO fun to be back there with these sweet friends and brought back countless memories. It was also fun to introduce Wendi, who came into my life after high school, to "our" lake.

The first night we had dinner at Lost Creek Vineyard just a few miles from Kingsland. Such a treat to have a nice meal out with no sweet babies vying for our attention.

YUM!

(great minds think alike)

Thanks to Shannon M. this was waiting for us and I might have been as excited about the cookie cake as I was about seeing everyone ;).

My sweet Dad came down the second day just to take us out on the boat and let everyone ski - such a servant. It was just like we were 16 again...except not because we're 32 and all wives/mothers...oh and I'm pregnant with twins, but other than that just like 16.

Ski Team

The rest of the trip was spent in our usual fashion, swimming, lounging, laughing, chatting and staying up way to late, discussing our birth order and how it effects our personalities, aging, Doha vs. Dallas, toddler antics, "Bringing Up Girls", the strengths and weaknesses of Glee, The Bachelorette, Fireproof, blogs and other life-changing topics.


I might be a little biased based on the location, but I think it was one of our best girls weeks/weekends yet.

"It's got gray icing, I can't even begin to think how you'd make gray icing." M'Lynn Steel Magnolias

Full disclosure, I thought you should know that party planning doesn't always go as planned. This is me about 10:00 the night before Stacey's shark party as I decided that Hello Cupcake's shark cupcakes were WAY out of my league as evidenced by the purplish/gray twinkie blobs on the counter that were supposed to be on their way to becoming shark cupcake toppers. Instead they found themselves on the way to my trash can. I think M'Lynn knew what she was talking about.

Shark Sightings - Swim At Your Own Risk!

I kind-of can't believe my precious first born is FIVE YEARS OLD!!!! He woke up on Tuesday to #5 s everywhere (per his request! As in, "Hey Mom don't forget to put 5s everywhere for my birthday" HA!). We opened a few presents, including a giant inflatable shark of course, and then sang happy birthday over a gourmet breakfast of hostess chocolate chip mini muffins. ;)

Then we were off prepping all the last minute details for his shark party. Thanks to Nannie the birthday boy was dressed head-to-toe in shark gear and ready to party!!
All week as we were getting things ready Stacey kept saying, "Is that for my party? That is awesome! This is going to be the best party ever!" Pretty precious when the birthday boy is SO enthusiastic and easy to please.

The details:
The number five on the sign in table is from the numbers 1-10 that hang in the boys bedroom. The number 3 just happened to be orange and perfect for Wyatt construction party in April and wouldn't you know it the 5 was blue - score!









Those little orange crackers are actually sharks not goldfish. My father-in-law noticed them at Aldi, a new discount grocery store and of course they were a must!
The names and place-mats were all written in chalk an idea I noticed here.



We'd been collecting Snapple jars for the party for awhile, I wasn't sure what I was going to do with them when we started gathering them, I just thought the S on the bottle would be cute for Stacey and Sharks. "Stacey's Shark Sippers" was the finished product
The back of each bottle had a fun shark fact.

The kids all got a little bucket with $1 bills in it so that they could "buy" their Shark Souvenirs. I copied this from a party I saw here where the guests bought their snacks.
The Shark Souvenir Shop:
Shark Squirters
Shark Repellent (silly string)
Shark Tank Bubbles
and super cool shades, among other things, were available for purchasing. :)
During the party we swam,
and swam,
and swam,
and swam.
Then we had a little lunch,
and sang Happy Birthday!
After the pinata was thoroughly doused with shark repellent, we busted him open,
and then wrapped things up opening presents.
Stacey thanked us repeatedly for his super cool shark party, so far I'm loving five years old!
His only complaint was that it was too short. But, all good things must come to an end.
This was the first time I've done a birthday party during the week, on the actual birthday and with a fairly small invite list. Stacey specifically requested big kids, more specifically big boys at the party so we invited his three best buddies, their siblings and our families.

As usual our families were a huge help! After the party Mom and Dad took the boys home to Waco for Cousins Camp and Angie and Kacey stuck around and rocked the clean up - seriously those girls are gifted!!

Thankfully no limbs were lost due to shark attacks and everyone returned home in one piece.