tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5781224905137508282024-03-05T07:24:49.457-06:00dancing in the minefieldsonly a life lived for others is a life worth while. --Albert EinsteinAngiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.comBlogger319125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578122490513750828.post-59249296044976462112019-11-23T03:00:00.000-06:002019-11-23T06:05:39.098-06:00Dear Landry,<div style="text-align: center;">
THREE!</div>
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I can hardly believe it. </div>
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We are finally coming out of the baby stage, and your daddy and I are <i>loving</i> it. Doing things as a family has become so much easier and so much more fun. We're really looking forward to this phase of life and getting to hang out with you kiddos all together.</div>
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Let me tell you something little boy--you are straight crazy! You keep us laughing with all of your spontaneous antics and your silliness. You are nonstop all. day. long. You love to make silly faces and talk in silly voices and spin around on the floor on your belly like a top and make messes... we don't really know "where you came from", but you keep things around here interesting for sure.</div>
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One of our favorite things about you is that you are a dancing fool! You literally can't help but wiggle when you hear a good beat. You will bang your head so hard in the car that your whole car seat shakes! And if a song you like comes on and you're sitting down--oh, no sir...you pop up like a pop tart and boogie right out in the middle of everybody. It is the best. I really hope you never let any insecurities or fear or self-consciousness dampen your willingness to dance, anytime, anywhere. Your absolute favorite song to dance to is "Dance Like Yo Daddy" by Meghan Trainor--you can also sing almost every word :)</div>
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Now I just grin when I think about being worried about your development--because you have made up for lost time for sure... You can count to 25; know all your colors; know how to spell your name; can aim and throw a ball better than some adults (myself included); identify animals and their sounds; can and will carry on full conversations with just about anyone you meet; and you are learning to control your emotions ;) You're basically just stubborn and temperamental and want to do things on your own terms. Oh, and possibly the best skill you picked up this year--you are completely potty trained! #nomorediapers You can also buckle yourself in your carseat completely alone now. Ohhhh, the independence! </div>
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My favorite little vocabulary thing you're doing right now is saying "my" in place of "I"... "my love you, mama"..."my am!"..."my don't want to"..."my want a corndog" </div>
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I love it.</div>
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You've earned a couple of nicknames in your three little years. If asked, you are 100% of the time daddy's boy--and he loves that. He calls you T-boy, and you love that :). Mama gave you the monicker "tootey" from the very beginning and it has just stuck for me. You're Papa's buddy through and through. Kaplan has always called you "Lanj"--like the first syllable of Landry when you say it (he changed the "druh" sound to a "j")--he started that on his own and you definitely answer to it. So precious. And possibly the most accurate--your PawPaw's "Ricochet". He and Nanny kept you all one weekend when you were little, and as you bounced around their couch like a pinball, he coined your name Ricochet. It is so incredibly appropriate for you! You love everybody and are super friendly, but as you can tell by who all is giving you these nicknames, you really like guys. Bella and Kaplan weren't a huge fan of men as little kids, but you have been a man's man since day one ;)</div>
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One thing about you going 90 to nothing all day, when you do finally stop, you crash hard. You're an incredible sleeper and so easy to get to bed. You're a sweet little snuggle bug (especially with your daddy) and love to give random hugs and kisses throughout the day. You also picked up on Kaplan's phrase of "you're my favorite mom/dad/etc" and I absolutely love it. A few months ago, you became obsessed with kissing people on their noses (again, no clue where that came from), and will not go to bed without giving me a kiss on the nose and getting one in return. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjcI_6KNPc4CyqLdmmkPQrcUWVJ1Tbs5xbeFdT6N8ljyO5me0he0Bgx3rxRWUzYgsJyby1AZI_oA6_O93Z5jl9urOCVa8GCTSIa2X06vDXnD-969pkqa541Ytjn1o5vxd3-5lsqInFJA/s1600/53902772_10102244614531778_7168040575797559296_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjcI_6KNPc4CyqLdmmkPQrcUWVJ1Tbs5xbeFdT6N8ljyO5me0he0Bgx3rxRWUzYgsJyby1AZI_oA6_O93Z5jl9urOCVa8GCTSIa2X06vDXnD-969pkqa541Ytjn1o5vxd3-5lsqInFJA/s320/53902772_10102244614531778_7168040575797559296_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You were never much of a stuffed animal kid until you caught this puppy at the Mardi Gras parade (a lady threw it specifically to you <3). You were obsessed with it immediately and still are.</td></tr>
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Being outside has always been your favorite. Always. You will stay out there as long as I will possibly let you. Plus, that's usually where you get to hang out with your daddy and do cool things. Fishing, working in the woods, riding on the side by side, reloading ammo, working on the cars, building all the things, playing with Rudy, cleaning ducks...you love every minute. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrB7Vjpq_foeDIBUFyQ0vCvLvycN6WRn2MTW90VVmRLr3tM8_TAJgC91ufIZQ5aZ37RGk8sR9vE_8Yajar3-Wm1R0196jAiK29sjzXkEJanxC8DA1T1LjFVpNYbZtpndWhhgUu5Z4G42g/s1600/67608795_10102419751550788_6382702008972869632_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrB7Vjpq_foeDIBUFyQ0vCvLvycN6WRn2MTW90VVmRLr3tM8_TAJgC91ufIZQ5aZ37RGk8sR9vE_8Yajar3-Wm1R0196jAiK29sjzXkEJanxC8DA1T1LjFVpNYbZtpndWhhgUu5Z4G42g/s320/67608795_10102419751550788_6382702008972869632_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging out in the deer stand after y'all helped daddy set it all up.</td></tr>
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You also love all sports with balls (baseball, basketball, football, golf...) and cannot wait until you're old enough to play!</div>
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**side note: you love cheering with us for the Saints, the Astros, and Tech. You'll shout/growl "How bout them Dawgs!", "Go Stros!", and "Who Dat say they gonna beat them Saints, not the Cowboys" hahahaha! I would say the who dat chant each week we won and add "not the ______" (whoever we were playing)...I promise, with no encouragement from us, the Cowboys are the only team you repeated and now you won't say the chant without that part, hahaha. Oops ;)</div>
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Arabella and Kaplan are your absolute best friends. You think you're as big as they are and that you can do everything they can (combine this with your lack of fear and things get real interesting). You all fight like cats and dogs--you have NO problem defending yourself; you're in attack mode, always--but you all also fiercely protect and love each other. Y'all come up with all kinds of weird little games and imaginative play that's so neat to watch unfold. I hope with all of my heart that the three of you are always, always best friends. </div>
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Just like your brother and sister, you love music (this makes my heart so very happy!). We've already talked about your dancing, but you also love to sing. Hearing your squeaky little voice sing along with songs all the way from Jesus songs to classic country to pop to classic rock to Christmas carols to Frank Sinatra and everything in between. Your absolute favorite is "The Elements" by TobyMac. You also love all Descendants songs (and pretty much all Disney), Deep Cries Out, Spill the Wine, and all of the songs on your daddy's boat playlist.</div>
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Landry Cohen, you have added so much joy and love to our little family...and a little bit of craziness too! You have taught me more about patience than I wanted to learn, and you have pushed me to the very brink of sanity (often) before smiling just right to suck me back in. You know how cute you are and you know how to work it! It is so much fun to see little pieces of who we are come out in you. You are such a cool kid. I hope you never lost your curiosity and determination, tenderness and kindness...and your JOY!</div>
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Your daddy and I will fight for you, protect you, teach you, and love you every single day of our lives. You will always be our precious, perfect son; our third baby; our beautiful, blessed gift.</div>
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Happy birthday, my tootey! I love you more than you will ever know.</div>
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xoxo, mama</div>
Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578122490513750828.post-27073464780785664312019-10-25T06:00:00.000-05:002019-10-25T06:00:15.464-05:00Dear Arabella,<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
EIGHT!</div>
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You gorgeous, precious love are growing right up. </div>
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Your daddy and I realized not long ago that with this birthday you're halfway to your driver's license...holy moly! We're trying to hang on tight to your childhood and make the most of it, but time just keeps going quickly.</div>
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Sister--your sass game is <i>strong</i>. I constantly have anxiety about your teen years (if they're really as rough as everyone claims) because you and I already butt heads pretty consistently. Pooyie. I will say that a lot of this sass is confidence and the rest is leadership--you know what you want to do, when you want to do it, how you want it done, and have no problem correcting someone outside of your parameters. These qualities are ones I will love for you to have as you get older; but right now, they're exponentially multiplying my grey hairs!</div>
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This year for school has been amazing. You were reading on a fourth grade reading level toward the end of first grade; you received all A's for the year; you were awarded the Citizen of the Year award for your class last year (SO proud of you!); you were chosen as a Bobcat PRIDE recipient last year and got to "paint with the principals"; you got to be in your first school program in last year (as a gourmet goat!); and you were selected for the challenge class and G/T program again this year. Big things happening! So far, you are enjoying 2nd grade and doing so well. You really love your Science class this year and that you get to take Art!</div>
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Last school year, we let you play softball and take dance. We had told you you'd have to choose between softball and dance for this school year because it was just too much. Well all softball season, you were dead set on sticking with softball (you played for the Aggies--Coach Pitch--and daddy helped coach...y'all only lost one game and got first place in the league)! We were both kind of over the dance routine and all of the extra everything that comes with it...but then once you had your dance recital and you saw all the different styles of dance and the costumes and the lights and the fancy fun, you were hooked ;) So now you're taking Jazz, Ballet, and Hip Hop for dance (just ballet last year). I know you'll probably be a little sad when Kaplan plays ball this spring though and you don't get to (I'll miss watching you too)...however, you'll be his best little cheerleader!</div>
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You also started piano lessons in the second semester last year! I've been wanting you to take lessons since I found out I was pregnant with you. Music and musical education are SO important to me. I was so happy to find a great private teacher. You had your recital in May and it was amazing to see how well you did in just a few short months! We fight every single time you practice (because you don't want to and I make you--and you get really whiney and want to give up and it all drives me crazy...but I probably did the same thing for Mimi...); but you love your lessons and you really do want to be able to play well. I love seeing your skill set grow!</div>
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One of the joys of my heart is your love for reading. You'll bring books in the car and to the camp; you read on days I make you rest; if we have enough time in the evenings, you ask to read before bed. You are my little mini me of a bookworm and <i>I love it</i>! One of our favorite summer activities was the library program again. Books, books, all the books!</div>
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I think you're up to 7 teeth that you've lost. The latest one was during lunch at school (we came to meet you), and we're pretty sure you swallowed it! Every picture of you looks different because you always have a hole in your mouth in different spots, haha. Those new big permanents are making you look like a real big kid though...</div>
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You've finally outgrown the costume phase for the most part (mostly I think because you don't have much time in the afternoons)...but you still love to role play and imagine. Especially with your brother. You three fight like cats and dogs and drive me absolutely crazy--but you are also all three absolute best friends. The boys get so excited when you come home in the afternoons. You're like their mini mama (which kind of drives them crazy when you're being bossy; but you also help take such good care of them). Three musketeers :)</div>
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Even though you love your brothers and love spending time with your friends, you thrive the most in one on one time. When daddy and/or I are able to take you on a "date" and just get to spend time with just you--that's when you beam brightest! You are tender hearted and kind, but you also crave attention and quality time. We try our best to be intentional about that with you <3</div>
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Music has always been so important to me (I hardly ever have silence, always music), and I have passed that love on to you too! Descendants is your favorite movie(s) right now and a lot of the reason for that is the soundtrack. We listen to Kidz Bop Pandora in the car all the time and they play a ton of Descendants songs (Queen of Mean is your favorite--you're dressing up as Audrey for Halloween mainly because she sings that song). You also still love TobyMac and have been to three of his concerts! I've noticed this year how much your pitch is improving too, and you're actually hitting a lot of the notes and keeping the melody when you sing along.</div>
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You're getting more and more prissy as you get older--but you'll still get out and get dirty too. You love going to the camp and going fishing. Daddy couldn't get you to hunt with him last year, but he's already working on you for this season ;). You <i>love</i> to catch frogs and lizards, and I constantly have a little pile of snail shells on my porch that you've dug out of the dirt. Best of both worlds :)</div>
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I am so excited and anxious to see how much more you grow and learn and change this year. Parts of me miss your tiny self, but I truly love seeing the person you're growing to become! Your daddy and I are whole-heartedly obsessed with you and we will always be your biggest supporters. Keep enjoying life and finding giggles every single day.</div>
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Arabella, you are our treasured gift; our first baby and only daughter; and I promise that we will always love you more than you will ever know.</div>
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Happy birthday sweet girl! xoxo, mama</div>
Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578122490513750828.post-86152552074509147182019-10-20T06:00:00.000-05:002019-10-20T06:00:04.578-05:00Dear Kaplan,<div style="text-align: center;">
You handsome little sucker are FIVE!</div>
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One. Whole. Hand.</div>
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You've grown up so much this year. You're basically like a full on big kid now (I just don't always like admitting it...)</div>
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You are full on country boy through and through. You love to be outside--in the ditch, in the woods, in the dirt, on the boat, on the side by side, in the deer stand or duck blind, all of it. You also love to catch lizards and frogs and worms (but you are absolutely terrified of anything that could possibly sting or bite you). </div>
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This year, you upped your sleeping game. You are such a bear to wake up in the mornings (that should make starting school next year so much fun...) Snuggling is still your favorite and I love that. </div>
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Kaplan...you can weave a story like nobody's business. You pay attention to all the details and the process and can recite them back just fine. The only problem is that is takes you a <i>loooong</i> time to tell your stories. Long-winded, you are ;)</div>
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You finally got brave in water this year and absolutely love to go swimming (still with a puddle jumper). Going to the beach is your favorite camp activity--plus that means a boat ride, another favorite of yours. </div>
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You are a mama's boy all the way. You always have been, but it really amped up since you've had your teeth worked on (that trauma stuck you to me like glue). It's kind of weird to think this will be your last year at home with me, but I'm so excited to see how much you learn in school. That being said, you are also daddy's buddy (he calls you "wee man"). You love to be his helper and go on all the adventures you can with him. He loves it too :)</div>
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At the end of May, you got to go on your first big "no parent" trip with Mimi and Papa! They brought you, Aby, Evan, and KK to Colorado and you had an absolute blast. You got to see a lot of animals (your favorite was the wolf), ride the gondola over the Royal Gorge, fish in the same pond I did growing up, and play in the snow! You thought you were hot stuff traipsing across the country without mama and daddy OR your brother and sister.</div>
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You've become a little bit violent this year... :/ I blame Papa! You and Landry love to wrestle--which usually leads to one of you getting hurt and it turns in to a real fight which is completely exhausting for me. However, you two are thick as thieves and have each other's backs to the end--this gives me a preview of you two as teens and adults and it makes me so, so happy. You and Bella are also quite the little team, coming up with all kinds of imaginative games to play (and she does her fair share of wrestling with you too...). You'll tell each other secrets and give hugs and make plans. I hope all three of you are always best friends.</div>
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This was your first year to get to play t-ball! You've been so (im)patiently waiting to be old enough to be on a team. You played for the Twins through Bridge City Little League and loved every minute. You got several good hits and (while most of the other kids weren't paying attention) watched the ball the whole time, ready to "make a play". It was basically herding cats, but it was a start, and you loved it. Plus you were unbelievably cute in your uniform.</div>
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Surprise, surprise--you still love music (which I hope never changes). Daddy has a playlist for the boat and you know every single song on there; and you get so pumped when you hear them out and about! You also love all of the songs from the Descendants movies (Kidz Bop is our current favorite Pandora station), TobyMac, and the songs you've learned at VBS and Kids Rock Jr. </div>
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You love books and reading (I also hope this never changes). Library story time is one of our favorite summer activities! You also learned how to write your name several weeks ago which turned in to learning a bunch of other names and letters. You will sit for <i>hours</i> and write and write and write.</div>
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You're still a very friendly child and make new friends easily. You're not super shy (especially if I'm not around) and love to play with other kids--at church, at the gym, anywhere you can find them. I hope you'll always be the kind kid. </div>
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Kaplan Paul, you are little ball of energy who adds a dose of extra fun and extra sweet to our family. And you're too cute for any of us to handle. You'll always be our favorite Kap :)</div>
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Your daddy and I will fight for you, protect you, teach you, and love you every single day of our lives. You will always be our precious, perfect son; our second baby; our beautiful, blessed gift. </div>
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Happy birthday, sweet boy! I love you more than you will ever know.</div>
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xoxo, mama</div>
Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578122490513750828.post-23938851783370527752018-11-23T06:00:00.000-06:002018-11-23T06:00:10.740-06:00Dear Landry,<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
TWO!</div>
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My sweet little Thanksgiving nugget, you are two years old already!</div>
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We figured each other out a little better this year--that first year was pretty rough... You are still extremely needy; and you're always on the extreme--either super happy or super whiney. You have one heck of a temper, but it balances out with the best belly laugh and squeal. You're our little firecracker!</div>
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You are still such a wiggly little thing! Unless you are absolutely passed out asleep, you are never completely still. You are constantly climbing and dancing and swaying and bouncing and <i><b>moving</b></i>. Constantly. Nanny and PawPaw kept you this summer, and because of this wiggling, they dubbed you "Ricochet"--you always bounce off and you never know where you'll end up! It's such an appropriate nickname and it has stuck!</div>
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I was a little worried about your lack of vocabulary at the beginning of the year--you weren't even attempting to repeat us or make any consistent sounds (aside from "dada" happily, and "mama" whining...). I wasn't too concerned yet, but I was aware (you were very obviously understanding what was being said, just not speaking). And then some time after 18-20 months, you just let loose! Now you can pretty much carry on a conversation in bits and pieces; you communicate your wants and dislikes and emotions with words; you use your manners so, so well; you know lots of animal sounds; and you call everybody by name!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You also, obviously, have no problem making yourself comfortable, haha</td></tr>
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One of my favorite things that you started saying pretty quickly was "love you" (luh chew). You give daddy and I huge hugs and kisses every night and bed time and tell us you love us. Absolute perfection. As far as your manners--that's a close second favorite! You have recently learned how many things a "please" will get you...and you'll be darned if anybody does something for you and they don't hear you say thank you! I love that we rarely have to encourage these polite interactions anymore--they came very naturally to you and it is so, so sweet.</div>
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Little Landry, you love to be the center of attention. If Arabella or Kaplan come sit with me or snuggle or are held, you literally climb into my lap and push them out of the way--you don't like to share your mama, haha! You will dance and giggle every single time you hear a good song (which is all of them)--you've even started "singing" along with some of our family favorites we listen to a lot (and get some of the tune right too!). You say hi and wave to people in the parking lot and grocery stores. And you'll give any person you meet a high five. You're just friendly and outgoing and fun.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcbtCCE2EKlYHxXaq0ox1YHfNEyjrCo_PEAh0MC0Zb5P5iCdv4Sm3riXFRQMC9FNXS2-ajg1IJHCZoHegzZkZgZa1ic81HizEQv9-fDRC2WVOpaArAjQivEBneIRFmcgIFEYATbS5g4E/s1600/36990027_10102002783707688_3393884763616968704_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcbtCCE2EKlYHxXaq0ox1YHfNEyjrCo_PEAh0MC0Zb5P5iCdv4Sm3riXFRQMC9FNXS2-ajg1IJHCZoHegzZkZgZa1ic81HizEQv9-fDRC2WVOpaArAjQivEBneIRFmcgIFEYATbS5g4E/s320/36990027_10102002783707688_3393884763616968704_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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It's no secret that you have some short little legs. However, this has given you a really low center of gravity and makes it possible for you to be really agile--you climb <b><i>everything</i></b>. And you started jumping (both feet off the ground simultaneously) a little before 18 months! You always seem to have a little pep in your step :) You also LOVE to swim and have amazed us with how well you do it! You have no fear about pretty much everything (which terrifies me sometimes).</div>
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Something about you third Browning grand babes...heads of <b><i><u>curly</u></i></b> hair! I waited way longer than your daddy wanted me to to get your first hair cut. And then we waited a long time to cut it off again...(even though you looked like a shaggy dog!) I love your curls--so different from your brother's and sister's board straight hair. </div>
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Obsessed is about the only appropriate word for your relationship with any kind of ball. As soon as daddy walks in the door every evening, you immediately go grab a ball and start throwing. You will do this as long as someone will throw with you...literally. You have an incredible arm for such a tiny person--and you have gotten really good at catching as well! It's impressive; and also the easiest way to keep you entertained/cure a cranky mood.</div>
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You're still my little outdoorsman. You get plain ticked if someone is outside and you have to stay inside. Daddy lets you and Kaplan play in the ditch when Mama's gone and you're both in hog heaven. You also love to dig in any kind of dirt (which has led to you playing in an ant pile about three times...hopefully we finally learned that lesson...). The only bad thing about this is that mosquitoes love to bite you (particularly on your face!) and you are extremely sensitive to them. The bugs may be a deterrent for me, but you couldn't care less if it means you get to be outside. </div>
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You also finally love being on the boat--but only if you're sitting up with daddy where you can see. And you don't miss many side-by-side rides (and none by choice)!</div>
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Arabella and Kaplan are your absolute best friends. They have used you as their life sized baby doll--you don't always go along with it willingly, but sometimes you think it's the most fun ever. </div>
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They tackle you and spin you and smother you with hugs when you don't want them...but you still follow them everywhere and mimic everything they do. Watching all three of you playing together and giggling and getting along (somewhat rare) is the absolute joy of my heart. This world is crazy, and I am beyond grateful that you'll always have each other. </div>
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Landry Cohen, you have added so much joy and love to our little family...and a little bit of craziness too! You have taught me more about patience than I wanted to learn, and you have pushed me to the very brink of sanity (often) before smiling just right to suck me back in. You know how cute you are and you know how to work it! It is so much fun to see little pieces of who we are come out in you. You are such a cool kid. I hope you never lose your curiosity and determination, tenderness and kindness...and your JOY!</div>
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Your daddy and I will fight for you, protect you, teach you, and love you every single day of our lives. You will always be our precious, perfect son; our third baby; our beautiful, blessed gift.</div>
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Happy birthday, sweet boy! I love you more than you will ever know.</div>
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xoxo, mama</div>
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Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578122490513750828.post-72661931381495986802018-10-25T06:00:00.000-05:002018-10-25T06:00:06.202-05:00Dear Arabella, <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
SEVEN!</div>
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For the past three years, I cannot believe your age...you're an actual, real, big kid...no more baby...not much little...seven just sounds so grown!</div>
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This past year has been so much fun because you have grown so much! You are so beautiful. Your daddy and I can hardly handle it. </div>
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Let me tell you something, little girl. You are a sassy little seven year old! Most of this, however, is confidence, and that's a trait I'm so proud you have. You know what you want to do and how you want to do it. </div>
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School brought some big changes for our little family and it was amazing to see how much you learned in so little time. You are reading like an absolute champ! At the end of the school year, you were doing well and reading easy books, but you were still sounding out words and needing some help. We did the summer program at the library and we read every night before bed--and at some point during the summer, you just took off! It was incredible. Now you're reading billboards and street signs and notes and anything you see. You've even read several chapter books on your own! You've moved up very quickly through the AR (accelerated reader) levels at your school. But most importantly--you simply love to read! I hope with all of my heart that you never lose that love. </div>
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You also lost your first two teeth this year (bottom front)! The first one was eating dinner with Aunt Mel at Popeye's on the way to the Polar Express' second was wrestling on the ground with Papa a few weeks later. You were pumped! And now you have <b><i>four </i></b>more loose ones...</div>
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Speaking of school, you were placed in the advanced class for first grade (challenge class) and also selected as part of the G/T program (top 5% of your grade)! Your memory is amazing and you love to ask questions to figure things out. We've fought our way through a few homework problems...but for the most part you do it all on your own. Daddy and I are incredibly proud of you and love seeing you work so hard and challenge yourself!</div>
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Daddy surprised you this year for Christmas and gave you your own pair of waders to go duck hunting! He has been looking forward to bringing you hunting since the day you were born. We all decided you were ready this year--you <b><i>loved </i></b>it! Waking up early, sitting in the cold--didn't bother you a bit. You came home one time with blood on your pants and I crinkled my nose. You said, "what mom? It's just blood. Ducks bleed when you shoot them. It's not a big deal." Oh my... Daddy also let you bring the BB gun one time and helped you shoot. Well that convinced you that you shot down two of those ducks (especially when daddy showed you the bb's in the duck)! You were unbelievably proud of that. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The necessary post-hunt nap :)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As much as you liked hunting, I think you like fishing even more. You will still go out all day on the boat with daddy and are continually becoming quite the little fisherman. He brought you out just past the jetties this summer (just past the jetties) and y'all caught a bunch of Spanish Mackerel--daddy caught 2, but you caught 7! And he said you caught them all by yourself (needing a little help reeling in two bigger ones)! On the way back in during that trip, y'all were even able to catch a shark!! You had really hoped to catch a shark that day because it was Shark Week, haha...well you did--about a 5 foot long one! </div>
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You played softball again this year (coach pitch this time). Daddy helped coach again--seeing you two work together out on that field brought such joy to my mama heart. Your brothers and I cheered you on at every game! You mostly played third base and did really well--you also got some really good hits in and scored several times! This fall, you started ballet. You've wanted to take dance for a while now, so we finally got that started. So far, you're really enjoying it and have learned several positions and dance moves. Of course, you're absolutely precious is your ensemble for class!</div>
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Costumes...I am <i>still </i>waiting for the day that you outgrow your love for costumes. The obsession started at three, and while you don't wear them as often as you did, it's still a 3-4 times/week occurrence. You play all kinds of imagination games with your brothers (family, Full House, animals, superheroes, etc.) and those of course require a girl dressed to play the part! You can wear those costumes as long as you want to, sweet girl--keep imagining!</div>
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One of the highlights of this year was going on a Disney Cruise with Mimi and Papa (and all of our family on that side)! We had SO much fun! You absolutely loved the beach and practicing your swimming with Aunt Chelle. We also got to swim with a dolphin in the Bahamas! It was amazing! The water was freeeeezing, so that made it a little difficult for you to participate (and your lips were turning purple by the time we got out...), but you loved getting to interact with the dolphin. I think your favorite part of the cruise though (besides the banana ice cream...yuuummmm) was going to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique! Aunt Mel and I brought you and KK after dinner one night to get all pampered before the show. You were absolutely stunning. Stunning. The whole staff onboard treated you like princesses for the rest of the night, which you two ate up every bit of. Such a magical experience!</div>
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You have always loved playing games since you were old enough to learn But you have become a competitive little card shark this year! It started with UNO and Spoons (you're straight vicious!), but has morphed into Cadillac, Speed, Battle, and Nertz. You and I play cards every afternoon that we can squeeze in a couple of games--it's one of our favorite things to do together! I'll help you a little bit, but I don't ever "let" you win. You also love playing cards with your cousins, especially at the camp. </div>
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Something else I say every year (and hope it never changes) is how much you love music! You're still a really big fan of TobyMac (specifically 'Til the Day I Die) and are about to go see him in concert for the third time! Some of your other favorite songs right now are God is on the Move, Fix My Eyes, Deep Cries Out, Alive. You also love Louisiana Saturday Night <3 You know most/all of the words to so many songs, and even at school, the songs are your favorite part! </div>
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Your brothers are your very best friends. They drive you absolutely crazy and mess up all your stuff--but you love them so much. Landry <i>loves </i>meeting you in the afternoon to get off the bus (he literally squeals when he sees you!). Kaplan loves being your little sidekick and playing all sorts of imagination/character games. The three of you run all over this house and the yard, chasing each other and giggling nonstop. You all have such fun together and are a perfect little squad. </div>
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I am so excited and anxious to see how much more you grow and learn and change this year. Your daddy and I are whole-heartedly obsessed with who you are and we will always be your biggest supporters. Keep enjoying life and finding giggles every single day. </div>
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Arabella, you are our treasured gift; our first baby and only daughter; and I promise that we will always love you more than you will ever know.</div>
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Happy birthday, my sweets! xoxo, mama</div>
Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578122490513750828.post-17982206382554437052018-10-20T06:00:00.000-05:002018-10-20T06:00:07.410-05:00Dear Kaplan,<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
FOUR!</div>
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I don't know who told you that it was ok for you to turn four. That's just too grown up and I don't think I approve...</div>
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In all honesty though, I am truly loving watching you grow up! You are such a fun little kid with a spunky personality. Your wit and charm are almost too much to handle (especially combined with your "New Orleans mixed with Boston" accent--no clue where that came from, but I love it). </div>
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Probably my favorite thing you do started last year, but you've continued it full force. You come up to me and dad and with either a wink or a hug, say, "you're my favorite mom/dad". We always respond, "you're my favorite Kap". It's random and perfect every single time.</div>
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You are still such a little snuggle bug (and have been from day one)! Sometimes you just need some physical touch, which means we get lots of hugs and kisses and cuddles. So ok with that. </div>
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In January this year, you had to have some pretty major dental work done. We discovered a few months before then that none of your molars had enamel on them (daddy and I had noticed something was up as soon as your teeth came in--but the dentist confirmed it was no enamel). This meant your teeth were literally crumbling and could cause major problems since you would still have them for a long time (even though they're baby teeth). We had to bring you to a Pediatric Dentist (Dr. McQuade--we <i>loved </i>her) and get <u><b><i>nine crowns</i></b></u> put on. I dreaded that day for a long time... You did so well through the whole process, but it was pretty awful. It took three days before you would do anything without me holding you and you couldn't eat much for a while either. Now though, you're great and love showing people your "new teeth"!</div>
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You pay attention to so many details. When you retell a story or an event, it always amazes me all the little things you remember and point out, step by step. And you talk...a lot. </div>
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Daddy is still your main man and favorite adventure partner (even though you will always be a mama's boy!). You don't miss many opportunities to go out on the boat/side by side or to the camp/lease or to work on something in the shop/yard. If dad's going, so are you. When he was framing up and leveling dirt to build his shop, you stayed out there all day long using a full shovel to help spread the dirt. You go and go until the job is done (or until you've got absolutely nothing left). </div>
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Daddy also brought you hunting for the first time this year! You were so excited--even though it poured down rain on y'all. They only killed one duck, but you're convinced you're the one who shot it (even though you didn't even shoot a gun, haha!). You've also gotten to go froggin' and catch a huge mess of fish out there. Little outdoorsman in the making, for sure. </div>
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We also went on a Disney cruise this year (with Mimi and Papa and family) and you LOVED it! You soaked in every bit of fun and food and family you could and have been begging to go back since the minute we got off the ship! You loved playing in the waves at the edge of the beach. We also got to swim with a dolphin! You were very uncomfortable with this at first and latched onto me like a leech (it didn't help that the water was freeeeeezing); but by the end you were petting and feeding him and absolutely enjoying yourself! So much fun.</div>
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Since Bella is in school now, it's just you and Landry during the day. You two have become best buddies. You wrestle and play ball and race cars and chase each other around the house. The giggles are endless! Don't get me wrong, y'all fight like cats and dogs (it's a major power struggle...); but you also love each other so well. </div>
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That being said, both of your favorite part of the day is when Bella comes home! She always adds another dimension to the fun (and the noise). The three of you have SO much fun together. </div>
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One night as you and Bella were racing from the back door to daddy's chair, y'all got tangled up and you fell into the side of the chair. You screamed a very different scream and cried for a while. But since it was bed time and i could move your arm, I figured it was just bruised and put you to bed. You woke up a ridiculous amount of times that night and always told me through tears, "I can't find my sleeping spot..." The next morning you were still babying it, and when you swung into daddy on accident and screamed bloody murder, I finally decided to take you to Urgent Care. Sure enough--buckle fracture in your wrist. They put a splint on for the weekend and you got a cast the next week. You had to wear it for three weeks (in the middle of summer!), but thankfully they were able to give you a water proof one. You loved letting all of your people sign it :)</div>
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I know I say it every year, but you absolutely love music. This is another area where your memory just amazes me. You can hear a song one or two times and know most of the words. You sing along with the radio in the car and can recognize daddy's "boat songs" anytime you hear one while we're out and about. You have so many favorites right now, but to name a few: Spill the Wine, Deep Cries Out, Fix My Eyes, Louisiana Saturday Night, God is on the Move, and Get Back up Again (really, anything by TobyMac). You still also love to dance and will boogie woogie anytime you hear a good beat!</div>
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Every night at bed time, you each get to pick a song for us to sing. You alternate between Take Me Out to the Ball game and Louisiana Tech's Alma Mater... We were so excited to bring you to Tech this year now that you're old enough to really participate and understand. Plus, we were so looking forward to you singing the Alma Mater with us at the game. You held your finger high and sang every word. It was one of our favorite moments yet! #everloyalbe</div>
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You're still learning of course--and you are getting very impatient to go to school with Bella... The biggest thing you learned this year I think it how to spell your name! KAP--LAN We're still working on learning how to write it, but you have learned how to write several letters (E, L, I, H, O, and a few more). You love to color and draw; you'll sit at the bar for hours with your box of crayons and a stack of paper drawing everything you can think of. Playing ball is still probably your favorite thing ever. You have a good little arm and pretty amazing aim for a tiny human. You're so looking forward to playing t-ball in the spring! </div>
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You are super friendly and make friends easily. You've started getting scared of a lot of things (daddy and I are fighting through that pretty fiercely), but you're not shy (sometimes moody, but not shy...) One of my favorite stories: Aunt Pat asked you for a hug and you told her, "not yet". So she asked for one a few minutes later and you said, "just give me some time." Haha! That's our new catch phrase for you...and it's so true. Sometimes, you just need a little time, and that's perfectly ok. </div>
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You're such a fun little ball of energy and have added such spunk to our family! I never want to forget your grin and your giggle, your unbelievably sweet snuggles, your tender concern for other people. You'll always be our favorite Kap ;) </div>
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Your daddy and I will fight for you, protect you, teach you, and love you every single day of our lives. You will always be our precious, perfect son; our second baby; our beautiful, blessed gift. </div>
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Happy birthday, sweet boy! I love you more than you will ever know.</div>
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xoxo, mama</div>
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<br />Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578122490513750828.post-70991465874728876292018-09-19T15:46:00.002-05:002018-09-19T15:46:41.902-05:00snuggle up with a good bookSo a few posts ago, I mentioned that I had made it a goal of mine this year (about 3 months in) to read a book a month. I wasn't too worried about it being linear, so basically just 12 books in the year. I also told you I'd write another post with what I've been reading--here it goes!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXqXqmPksARoDy4B5mOsBoInddN-aPgY2aVRnHsz12OhYqwmcQTMmDxG2vPeA_qdn5VU-5JKfVO4Qm6S7868mTlqJBz0geN2D3pGXJm0TuvX70erG_pkLKLVyM4QwVB2WlQcC-bti01G4/s1600/51yBwBd70%252BL._SX311_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXqXqmPksARoDy4B5mOsBoInddN-aPgY2aVRnHsz12OhYqwmcQTMmDxG2vPeA_qdn5VU-5JKfVO4Qm6S7868mTlqJBz0geN2D3pGXJm0TuvX70erG_pkLKLVyM4QwVB2WlQcC-bti01G4/s320/51yBwBd70%252BL._SX311_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Carry-Warrior-Power-Embracing-Beautiful/dp/1451698224/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537381001&sr=8-1&keywords=carry+on+warrior+by+glennon+melton" target="_blank">Carry On, Warrior</a></td></tr>
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I bought this book a couple of years ago when I found Momastery and Glennon, but I hadn't read it yet. She has an amazing way with words that hit you in your gut and really make you think. This is a memoir wrapped in an encouragement to embrace your own self.<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ss2Cev4Fn1_xWW6_Om8X32hSqvEXycqxm5dBYeLk5xPOpVA0xUCRc09hAxohrjzsVh0sHPmG8aRQVx4JLhbI8yKF8AyJUppjEXf9h6ZLRF_skP2sY1OLeT0tZ2cSqwSkj1-fRfJXc8k/s1600/51JbF0fObML._SX331_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ss2Cev4Fn1_xWW6_Om8X32hSqvEXycqxm5dBYeLk5xPOpVA0xUCRc09hAxohrjzsVh0sHPmG8aRQVx4JLhbI8yKF8AyJUppjEXf9h6ZLRF_skP2sY1OLeT0tZ2cSqwSkj1-fRfJXc8k/s320/51JbF0fObML._SX331_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Love-Warrior-Memoir-Glennon-Doyle/dp/1250075734/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1537381199&sr=1-1&keywords=love+warrior+by+glennon+melton" target="_blank">Love Warrior</a></td></tr>
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It only made sense that I read this one next since I had it too :) This is also a memoir, but more specifically about her marriage and their struggles. She's very vulnerable and personal and honest with her story. <div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-H1LdJELnNuM6taUwsdQOXhxwlG0DdoKlz4XJBCHniGas-jsz9Kjt1K9lsK5TJuWypxkZG1LA5Kk9ykRsyD1bt-Pqx8xBdN0r-j_Q9Uz9KuaFlRdhpmIMSj4lwTUPFo2o0RFy91JoFU/s1600/51Q%252BCphZ7rL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="342" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-H1LdJELnNuM6taUwsdQOXhxwlG0DdoKlz4XJBCHniGas-jsz9Kjt1K9lsK5TJuWypxkZG1LA5Kk9ykRsyD1bt-Pqx8xBdN0r-j_Q9Uz9KuaFlRdhpmIMSj4lwTUPFo2o0RFy91JoFU/s320/51Q%252BCphZ7rL.jpg" width="218" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bread-Wine-Letter-Around-Recipes/dp/0310345316/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1537381354&sr=1-1&keywords=bread+and+wine+shauna+niequist" target="_blank">Bread & Wine</a></td></tr>
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I also really like Shauna Niequist but had sadly never read any of her books. Again, I had ordered this one a couple years ago and hadn't read it (because apparently I just like books to sit pretty on my shelves). Anyway. This book really focuses on community and forming true relationships using the Table. This is something that I've been so enamored with for a few years now (and one of the main reasons--aside from my family actually fitting at one table--that I desperately want Hunter to build me a huge table). She tells a lot of stories and personal accounts and it's just lovely. Plus there are recipes!<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2M9nbC_EvW0LaaYmjnm8vDHvF5tgKks0Iprvq5KCU3kv2FwYptWP3lwoZiricpiXAoJynJqQOtCIfL8BxP_VQl2Kskv6qQ1jeYF7rcud1_O5014MqXxsozxQcgzPEQzef10N07hz6X64/s1600/51IXIs75juL._AC_US218_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2M9nbC_EvW0LaaYmjnm8vDHvF5tgKks0Iprvq5KCU3kv2FwYptWP3lwoZiricpiXAoJynJqQOtCIfL8BxP_VQl2Kskv6qQ1jeYF7rcud1_O5014MqXxsozxQcgzPEQzef10N07hz6X64/s1600/51IXIs75juL._AC_US218_.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Everybody-Always-Becoming-Setbacks-Difficult/dp/0718078136/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537382140&sr=8-1&keywords=everybody+always+bob+goff" target="_blank">Everybody Always</a></td></tr>
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I don't know that there has ever been a more adorable, festive, and joyous person to ever walk this earth. He is literally love wrapped in skin (a definite Jesus allusion...) and I just love him. This book is chock full of simple ways he has been able to show great love to ordinary people. If you don't already know (and love) Bob Goff, you will soon. (I also recommend his first book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Love-Does-Discover-Secretly-Incredible-ebook/dp/B0078FA8HU/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1537382783&sr=1-1&keywords=love+does" target="_blank">Love Does</a>.)<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfV9Fzhb5qdq7XEzAeBH9toiLoPH50_4C_zOYhORr7TWnYpK4AcfxYoww2xlsFF8BbZB9r77HioEVYldBITTIyovdMJJO6M7QYOdktK1ot-mxrRsX_bnmm0FFo4QjJDGSY4WWC3C1U6u8/s1600/91FY1VdV%252BHL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1060" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfV9Fzhb5qdq7XEzAeBH9toiLoPH50_4C_zOYhORr7TWnYpK4AcfxYoww2xlsFF8BbZB9r77HioEVYldBITTIyovdMJJO6M7QYOdktK1ot-mxrRsX_bnmm0FFo4QjJDGSY4WWC3C1U6u8/s320/91FY1VdV%252BHL.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Im-Still-Here-Dignity-Whiteness/dp/1524760854/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1537382816&sr=1-1&keywords=i%27m+still+here+austin+channing+brown" target="_blank">I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness</a></td></tr>
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This book is a beautiful account of one woman of color's experiences in this society we live in. I think with the history of our country as well as the uprising caused by specific events the past few years, that books like these (first hand stories and experiences and life from a person of color) are vital. Ask questions, take off your personal lenses and take down your defenses, and <b style="font-style: italic;">listen </b>to someone whose story is not like yours. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjns8og1XIQSEH62u7dVHmryMjkp9I4Va94zjLyJrLV2EB98R_bSkcg3ZIv2HfbPiSVFBYXeJz2aCmugK9wnNSy2-y7u7E7Gc3YHiIdzFGeLdHFbyEO0SAFZfdS0Q5hg9P8Wpt1NXuAizY/s1600/harrypotterebks1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjns8og1XIQSEH62u7dVHmryMjkp9I4Va94zjLyJrLV2EB98R_bSkcg3ZIv2HfbPiSVFBYXeJz2aCmugK9wnNSy2-y7u7E7Gc3YHiIdzFGeLdHFbyEO0SAFZfdS0Q5hg9P8Wpt1NXuAizY/s1600/harrypotterebks1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Paperback-Box-Books/dp/0545162076/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537384180&sr=8-1&keywords=harry+potter+books" target="_blank">Harry Potter Series (7 book set)</a></td></tr>
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As you can see, I mostly read nonfiction now (who am I and when did this happen?). Took a major break from that to enter my favorite and amazing wizarding world...</div>
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So this summer I took my kids to the summer program at the public library. I've watched all of the Harry Potter movies more than once and have always loved the story--but I never made myself sit down and read the books (I know...I am ashamed). I knew I wouldn't be able to do much of anything else if I ever started them, and I always had so much reading to do for school already being an English major...and then I started working and then I had kids and then and then and then... Back to the public library--as we were looking for books one week for my kids to check out, the Harry Potter shelf caught my eye. And something in me just made me grab the first two and commit right then and there! I am SO glad I did! I read all 7 books (almost 4,000 pages) in 3 weeks and a day. If I had any spare minutes (while I ate, before bed, during nap time, in the car, while supper was cooking...even just 5 minutes), I was reading Harry's tales. I forgot how magnetic fiction is! I still kept my kids alive and managed to get a lot done around the house--the biggest change I made to my habits was not watching TV. So wonderful! I absolutely loved the books and learned SO many details that the movies didn't give (which was expected). I'm not normally a re-reader, but this will be a series I read again...and again...and again. I think I know what Santa is bringing mama this year ;)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi89uODrtKwWacDdhdVOYz7r7oDj27k68dcy3gb6HX6ujpqidKCGLk1tfZsknnbLinsF4CIHZyW3CPHrvkl5I76KBaF5qaTGJmhjdzqTZbqpnOsZVVPjxp9SMohlqgVicbgJUYDkEX4lis/s1600/51lB6FhNRvL._AC_US218_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi89uODrtKwWacDdhdVOYz7r7oDj27k68dcy3gb6HX6ujpqidKCGLk1tfZsknnbLinsF4CIHZyW3CPHrvkl5I76KBaF5qaTGJmhjdzqTZbqpnOsZVVPjxp9SMohlqgVicbgJUYDkEX4lis/s1600/51lB6FhNRvL._AC_US218_.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Very-Worst-Missionary-Memoir-Whatever/dp/0451496531/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1537385609&sr=1-1&keywords=the+very+worst+missionary+a+memoir+or+whatever+by+jamie+wright" target="_blank">The Very Worst Missionary: a Memoir or Whatever</a></td></tr>
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This memoir was spicy and funny and honest. Jamie tells the story of her family uprooting to become missionaries in Costa Rica--and what all that experience taught them...about Jesus, about mission work, about the church, about other cultures, about herself. Having done multiple short term foreign mission trips, I appreciated her perspective (and agreed with a lot of it). Not your typical "churchy" book...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwbnIaPGkp6DclqwijqPywcZ5Hf5wi0gzfLA11d2-AXX6GvRo5y8_t5eFV6EhpQTiupr5Jm6pEmANlaCwHBTx65GQOHRaEm361oZ5J_9Mo2z-BrttgNbAW-jpLmP7zusvs5EIRiseCYKE/s1600/51y-84G7o4L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="328" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwbnIaPGkp6DclqwijqPywcZ5Hf5wi0gzfLA11d2-AXX6GvRo5y8_t5eFV6EhpQTiupr5Jm6pEmANlaCwHBTx65GQOHRaEm361oZ5J_9Mo2z-BrttgNbAW-jpLmP7zusvs5EIRiseCYKE/s320/51y-84G7o4L.jpg" width="209" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Wash-Your-Face-Believing-ebook/dp/B072TMB75T/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1537384929&sr=1-1&keywords=girl+wash+your+face+rachel+hollis" target="_blank">Girl, Wash Your Face</a></td></tr>
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Surprise, surprise--this book was on my shelf for a few months (not years, yay!) before I read it. My sister and I were able to sneak away one night right before school started and go see the Made for More documentary. It was so great and extremely motivational. And it made me so anxious to finish my current book (<i>Very Worst Missionary</i>) so I could finally start this one! Rachel is a go getter--extremely determined and confident and honest. In this book she tells the stories of what she's overcome to become those adjectives (specifically which lies she had to stop believing). Not only does she tell her story, but she gives tangible advice in each chapter of what helped her. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUdKUzq0y49WYUOJeTEJmrcCLGrsL5F3GQfI2msnL-VOmch_00Z1XgZYuCKV0J73_SeZU-XebTvjOXg3YVjMFPF3w-NhM6DFr09GQFarhjhKcL6tv2iuCEBE13t-Tm0AgOO92ZxCMY_Cg/s1600/9781338125689_p0_v1_s550x406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="263" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUdKUzq0y49WYUOJeTEJmrcCLGrsL5F3GQfI2msnL-VOmch_00Z1XgZYuCKV0J73_SeZU-XebTvjOXg3YVjMFPF3w-NhM6DFr09GQFarhjhKcL6tv2iuCEBE13t-Tm0AgOO92ZxCMY_Cg/s320/9781338125689_p0_v1_s550x406.jpg" width="207" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Beedle-Bard-Harry-Potter/dp/1338125680/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1537387179&sr=1-3&keywords=tales+of+beedle+the+bard" target="_blank">The Tales of Beedle the Bard</a></td></tr>
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Once again, I was looking for books for my kids (Bella completed the Barnes and Noble summer reading list so we went to get her free book!) and found something that I committed to instantly. This little book was on display and I just had to get it. This is a completely made up book that is referenced in the Harry Potter books--a collection of wizard children's stories (their "fairytales" if you will). I couldn't resist the chance to dip back in to that wonderful wizarding world... I officially love J.K. Rowling :)<div>
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So here we are in month 9 and I've finished 15 books! (Thanks Harry Potter for literally being half of them, haha!) I'm pretty pumped and will definitely continue this goal into the coming years (and hopefully increase the number...24 {2/month} or 52 {1/week} would be amazing!)</div>
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<b><u>CURRENTLY READING:</u></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hdhM8e46J0lL7UZwJ4ekrW9DRg-0NI1kh08C3wzryrUI3GplxtdefV9he9rFAXZQykr9bxt-LgMiiEUOgd6BzpPf4SLHbk5gbou11AdP2Q1Lg-7TwAyr4M_dYGKgcYs7ysY0-JXEcvc/s1600/51gr74mrrWL._SX258_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="260" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hdhM8e46J0lL7UZwJ4ekrW9DRg-0NI1kh08C3wzryrUI3GplxtdefV9he9rFAXZQykr9bxt-LgMiiEUOgd6BzpPf4SLHbk5gbou11AdP2Q1Lg-7TwAyr4M_dYGKgcYs7ysY0-JXEcvc/s320/51gr74mrrWL._SX258_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_-2.jpg" width="254" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Body-Love-Balance-Yourself-Forever/dp/0062569147/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537387601&sr=8-1&keywords=body+love" target="_blank">Body Love</a></td></tr>
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I first heard of Kelly during her interview on Rachel Hollis's podcast, <i>Rise</i>. Her approach to nutrition made sense to me (which is rare) and actually motivated me to be better (which is even more rare) and actually made me believe her approach was something I could do and maintain (never happened before). I ordered her book immediately and looked up FabFour recipes on her website--started making them three days later when I had all my ingredients and we've eaten them every day since (always for breakfast, sometimes for lunch or dinner as well). I've learned a lot (even though a lot of the science is way above my level) and really pay attention to what I'm eating for the purpose of wellness--for the first time in my life. Balancing your blood sugar is her main goal (which I love because it's something I've secretly always worried about...because I love sugar. Like <i>love</i> it. Can actually eat it plain in a spoon. Dessert is my love language. And I've known my whole life that this would catch up with me in a bad way if I didn't get it under control). So finally, Hunter and I are making wise choices regarding our bodies and it feels great (but we can still have treats and eat things we like--just making sure our choices are balanced back out). Plus, we have noticed that it has also helped us be more disciplined in other areas of our lives as well. Win win.</div>
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<u><b>NEXT ON MY LIST:</b></u></div>
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(aka already sitting on my bookshelf but I haven't read them yet...</div>
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I have a book ordering problem. Thanks, Amazon...)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kill-Mockingbird-Harper-Lee/dp/0060935464/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537388248&sr=8-1&keywords=to+kill+a+mockingbird" target="_blank">To Kill a Mockingbird</a></td></tr>
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First of all, that cover right there is my favorite because it was on the one I read in high school. Anyway. As I said already, I read this book in high school for English (Sophomore year I believe). I loved it then. The story was eye opening and heart stirring and mind reeling. As I've grown and listened and read more as an adult, my lenses and opinions and beliefs have changed/grown/morphed. A teacher friend of mine posted this quote from the book that one of her students had used for a class project--<div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">and when I read that, I knew I needed to read this book again with my new lenses/opinions/beliefs.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Uninvited-Living-Loved-When-Lonely/dp/1400205875/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537388769&sr=8-1&keywords=uninvited+lysa+terkeurst" target="_blank">Uninvited</a></td></tr>
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I love Lysa Terkeurst. I have heard her speak and loved her. I have read her books and loved her. I have done her group studies and loved her. I co-led a ladies' day (twice) on her book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Unglued-Making-Choices-Midst-Emotions/dp/0310332796/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1537388876&sr=1-1&keywords=unglued+lysa+terkeurst" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">Unglued</a> and it was life-changing. I pre-ordered this book so I've had it since...but other books were in my queue before this one. I'm anxious to get to it though. Her messages are so tender yet straightforward. I know this one will speak to my heart. <div>
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<u><b>AND THEN</b></u> <i>who knows which literature piece I'll adventure to next ;)</i></div>
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xoxo, angie</div>
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PS--I am well aware that these books aren't going to be in everyone's wheelhouse. I just wanted to share what I've been reading for those of you who might be interested in some of the same topics/authors. I don't need your approval or judgment of my reading list ;) I will, however, take suggestions for new reads! </div>
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Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578122490513750828.post-18678996796663642152018-08-29T09:00:00.000-05:002018-08-29T09:00:11.535-05:00Hurricane Harvey--everything else, mostlyI've lived on the Gulf Coast my entire life (apart from the three years in north Louisiana for college) and I have never seen a hurricane do what Harvey did. Our first year at Louisiana Tech (heck...we had only been up there 2.5 weeks), both of our families evacuated to us as Hurricane Rita gave our home town, Lake Charles, a direct hit. We stayed up watching the weather channel all night, a little bit in disbelief that Jim Cantore was standing in our city, trying to get as much information as we could. My dad had to stay for work so we were talking with him as we could as well. We woke up the next day to see absolute destruction. Because of the dangerous situations that arose after Katrina, mandatory curfews were put in place for people who had stayed, and no one was being allowed back in for several days (mostly until they could clear roads from all of the trees and debris). But we could see what had happened. The people we knew who stayed were able to check on homes for us and friends, give us updates about what damage had been done. <br />
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My last year at Tech, Hurricane Ike once again directly hit our town. We had put a contract in on a house in Bridge City--exactly where the tidal surge rushed in. This time, it flooded the house we planned to make our home...Thankfully we were able to get out of that contract, but it definitely altered our life plans for the time being. The plant where Hunter works also took a good bit of water and the problems that come with it, so he was working around the clock (as was everybody else in town). <br />
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The difference in these two and Harvey? As soon as the weather cleared the next day (have you ever noticed that hurricanes always seem to hit at night??), people were able to asses the damage and start figuring out next steps. With Harvey, many people were having to wait up to two weeks before they could even get to their homes and see what to do. It was awful to talk to people a week later and ask how they were...and the response was, "well, we still can't get home so we don't know." Orangefield, where we live, got right at 52" of rain; just over the bridge in Port Neches Groves got over 60" of rain. It was absolutely unreal.<br />
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Now, it's been a year since Hurricane Harvey hit, but the damage he left in his wake is still very much a reality in this area. Businesses and restaurants were closed for months on end, some unable to reopen at all. Some friends of ours we just able to get walls back up in their house this month. Hunter delivered some doors we were parting with to a family who wanted them--they were just now working on getting a front door up (and this was in August). There are still campers in driveways, serving as temporary homes; there are still dumpsters and roll away bins scattering neighborhoods; there are contractors and construction teams working constantly on homes around town. <br />
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I was receiving money from so many people, some I didn't even know...friends and coworkers of my parents and sisters, friends of my in laws, congregations of people who know my family, high school and college friends, relatives I know well and some I don't, and the list goes on. It was and still is literally unbelievable that my little Facebook pleas had a reach far enough to elicit that much response. And it was an honor to be trusted with the mission of spending and delivering those funds wisely.<br />
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I will also tell you that I have never been so grateful for Facebook in all of its existence (and I've been on it since the beginning when it was just meant as a way for college students to connect). It served as a major form of communicating rescues needed; it served as a very quick way to spread pictures and information about what was going on where; it was a very easy way to get in touch with people; and it was my only method of reaching out to ask for donations. <br />
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I quit keeping exact track of funds at some point. <b>But my best estimate of cash I received to help flood victims was around $10,000</b>. I am still blown away. <br />
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I had three families that continued to give monthly support for up to a full year after the storm. I had a couple of congregations take up special donations and they sent those funds to me. I had another congregation that for Christmas, adopted those five families we helped evacuate. Their living room was full of gifts (toys for the kids, baby gear, dishes, pots/pans, towels, you name it...). I even had a LuLaRoe supplier who collected donations from her group and mailed me a huge box of free LLR to give out to flood victims (I was able to give 3-5 pieces <i>each </i>to 14 women who had flooded!) I was able to make four trips over to Orangefield (and bring a little to my Lumberton peeps) with food and supplies I had purchased with donations. And I have been able to divide and place between 5 and 6 thousand dollars cash straight into the hands of a few families that flooded. Incredibly humbling and incredibly exciting. <br />
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People are still good, y'all. When I think about the money and donations people directed at me, I can hardly believe it. But then I think about the bigger picture and how much money and time and resources were being donated along the <i><b>entire Texas coast</b></i>, and I can hardly wrap my head around it. People are still good.<br />
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I mentioned in a previous post about the Cajun Navy and all of the amazing help those guys offered. I also can't even tell you how many people we met from all over the country who literally hooked up their boats, started driving, and figured out where they could help once they got here. Businesses were gracious in caring for their employees (I really do have to give a shout out to ExxonMobil and the way they handled this entire event. They cared for their people above all else, and they went above and beyond to help them and the community. They also played a huge part in getting water back to the city of Beaumont. Hunter and I were both thoroughly impressed with them, and honored that he got to be a part of those efforts.) Multiple organizations and church groups came in from all over the place to cook and hand out meals, to help gut houses and salvage what little could be, to offer hope and comfort and camaraderie in a time of deep loss. Communities and neighborhoods and states banded together and bonded over tragedy and recovery--and those are bonds that will never be lost. <br />
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There will be more storms that come to our little part of the world and country. That's part of living near the coast. But I can tell you, that seeing firsthand how the people on this planet came together and truly loved each other through this one, we're all gonna be alright...<br />
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I know it was a lot to read (it was a lot to write too, haha...I didn't realize I had so much to say until I started typing), so if you hung with me, kudos to you and thank you. Ours isn't even a story of tragedy (I know many, but those are not my stories to tell). But this storm changed our lives and changed our communities and changed our lenses through which we view everything. Hunter and I have never embraced "being Texans"...and probably never will :P But what happened during this event and how people reacted and worked together made us proud to live in Texas...and how quickly and completely Louisiana jumped in to help made us proud to be from there. Roots run deep...<br />
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A family friend embroidered these kitchen towels for me, my mom, and sister and mailed them to us as a sweet surprise. It will always hang in my kitchen as a solid reminder of not only devastation, but of hope. Of how to not only look for the helpers, but to be one. Of how I saw God without a single doubt in the midst of all of that water...<br />
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xoxo, angie</div>
Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578122490513750828.post-59449049589431619022018-08-29T07:00:00.000-05:002018-08-29T18:14:41.183-05:00Hurricane Harvey--our aftermath storySo Wednesday morning, I couldn't put my phone down. Between talking to Hunter and my sister and checking in on every person I could think of, it was like a lifeline for me. A close friend of mine lives down a road right on the bayou (and her parents are next door), so I had been checking on them pretty regularly. The night before she had sent me a picture of her standing in her house with water up to her ankles. That morning she sent me a picture of their flooded house from the boat they were using to evacuate. It gutted me. The pictures on the news was one thing; but this was a house I had memories in. These were people I cared about deeply and my heart absolutely ached for them. Thankfully her parents had stayed at the fire station (she works there) so they were safe; but their house had also flooded. Right around the corner from them was a friend of ours who posted pictures of her kayaking out of her kitchen with the last of what she could save, and then a view of their roof from the street (which was now a lake). Gut wrenching. Another friend is a nurse and she had gone into work--and then couldn't get back home. Her husband works at the refinery and had also gone in and couldn't get home. So they were both stuck in Beaumont while their two kids were stuck in Silsbee. Some friends of ours in Vidor had flooded (her husband was away for work so it was just her and her adult son)...that's only about a 10 minute drive from our house and they needed help. I told Hunter and asked if he could go get them and let them stay at our house--but he told me there was no way to get to them (even though they seemed so close in my mind). Every single person I checked in with told me their story...and every single one broke me inside. <br />
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Like I said in the previous post, it was overwhelming...and I felt helpless...<br />
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At about 8:00 that morning, a friend of mine from high school wrote me on Facebook to check on us and see how we had fared the storm. We chatted back and forth a bit... and then he did something I would have never ever expected. He offered me their house. They were leaving on vacation, and if I could find anyone who needed a place to stay, he and his wife wanted to open their house to them. I was absolutely floored--and of course immediately started crying (as you can tell, I'm a crier, haha). But then I got to work.<br />
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See the hard part wasn't finding someone who needed help--it was getting them across the state line. Even getting to the next town seemed impossible. So even though I had so many people I could have put up in that house, I was struggling to find someone who could feasibly get to it. And then my curriculum coordinator when I had taught posted that they and all of their kids had flooded. She was close to Orange, so much closer to Louisiana than my Lumberton people. We went back and forth a little bit trying to figure out how to get them there, and for a while we didn't think it was going to be possible. And then out of the blue, she said they had found a ride to Lake Charles and they were starting the process of heading that way. Now don't fool yourselves and think that this was easy to do...we're talking 12 adults (1 pregnant), 2 small children, and I think 11 dogs. They were rescued by boat, had to walk to the shuttle, and wait and wait and wait. They decided to rent a truck since they had no vehicles, and they also reserved hotel rooms for that first night since they had no clue when they'd actually make or nor what shape they'd be in when they got there.<br />
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I finally felt like I could do something and it snapped me out of my wallowing. I immediately reached out asking for anyone to donate money or supplies or food if they were able and willing. My sister and I went shopping to get immediate needs for this family coming over (snacks, diapers, drinks, anything we could think of). We made a huge pan of spaghetti for supper for them and were so excited to get the call that they had made it over. As soon as I heard her voice, I cried again...there was something so special about knowing what they had been through and knowing I was about to get to see her face. <br />
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My sister and I got to the hotel that night and I will never forget the look of their faces coming out of that hotel room or the hugs we all got. Tragedy will bond you with community like nothing else. We took all of their wet clothes home and washed them (they had literally grabbed a change of clothes each and left...I cannot imagine) so they would at least have another clean set for the next day. Their sweet little four year old was starving and kept hugging me and my sister asking if we had brought her food (they said when she got up to the room she ate, I think, three plates!). We got them situated, and then my sister and I took all of their dogs up to a kennel in Ragley. Again, the same friend had some connections and was able to find a lady with a kennel business who was willing to take care of all of these animals. We were going to work it out somehow, but this was just amazing and more than we could have dreamed. They were wet and scared too, and had been kenneled (multiple dogs per travel kennel) for a long time. I don't even like dogs...but it was so sweet to see them relax and get excited and fed. <br />
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This family came and stayed back at my parents house the next night until my friends left for vacation. They were able to relax and decompress and be together. We also added my GT coordinator and her daughter and grandson to our group that day. She had driven through higher water than she should have, but she made it.<br />
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Now that they were settled, it was back to my phone and figuring out how I could get home to help there. They issued a warning that if you stayed once the rescues were over, you needed to be self-sustainable because you'd be on your own. Several people on our road had stayed, so when I talked to Hunter, the biggest thing they needed was food. Supplies weren't in high demand yet because people still couldn't get in their houses. The roads were clearing up some, but the water was still very high. AND as if all of this wasn't bad enough, the powers that be were saying that both the Neches River dam (Dam B) and the Sabine River dam (Toledo Bend) were going to have to be opened....which was going to send unimaginable amounts of water to our already flooded area. There was going to be a little window that weekend that we'd be able to make it over (going around some back ways because the highway to our house was no where near opened) before they released the dams and who knew what would happen. So I got to work gathering donations and food. <br />
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I had so many people reaching out to offer help. It is literally the most humbling experience in my life. I had received at least $1000 within those first two days, so I headed to SAMs to load up. One of the guys from the family we had been able to get across was willing to drive my dad and I to my house on Friday in the truck they rented. It was a lifted diesel so it could handle the water we still had to drive through (and it wasn't a personal vehicle so we wouldn't be as worried). We loaded down with water and gatorade, 15 gallons of milk, dozens of eggs, apples, vienna sausage, granola bars, chips, lunch meat, bread, and any non perishable item SAMs had. Early Friday morning, we loaded up the truck and headed home...<br />
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The police and military (I think National Guard) had set up a checkpoint at the last Louisiana exit on I-10, and if they didn't let you through, you didn't get to Texas. I was a little unnerved about this part, but the guy driving us had gone through it the day before ok. We had to wait in line a bit, but all they did was ask where we were going, took a look at the truck loaded down with ice chests and bottled drinks, and let us right through. Then we had to figure out where to go from there. We took several different paths to see which roads were open. There was still SO much water everywhere, even though it had gone down significantly by that point. We tried to go down our highway first, but didn't get far at all. There's an Expo center not even a mile up the road, and it had been set up as headquarters. There were soldiers and trucks and game wardens with boats and policemen all over the place. That sight hit me like a ton of bricks. My little road home looked like a battlefield...and in a lot of ways, it was. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The highway to my home...both shoulders looked like this for at least half a mile--all the way to the flooding.</td></tr>
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So we turned around and tried road after road, driving through some water here and there (and being very thankful for that lifted truck). There were businesses with glass busted out, no electricity in places, stranded cars on the sides of the roads and some in the most random places (just dropped where the water left them). It was a lot to take in. <br />
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We finally made it to my house--my boy was hard at work making calls (he was put on the team to help assess and assist affected ExxonMobil employees, specifically at his plant.) He was smelly and a little gross (let's remember we had no sewer), but he was the most beautiful sight I'd ever seen. When he finally got off the phone and we were able to hug and talk a little...I'll never forget that feeling. **I walked around our house and saw all the signs of his efforts and some fear. Everything we owned that could be lifted (so our moving boxes and smaller furniture) were up on top of the bar or the kids' bunk beds. The most impressive sight? My large, solid wood, full of blankets/quilts hope chest was on top of our high King Sized bed. He had lifted that thing that high alone--if that's not a sign of pure adrenaline, I don't know what is.** Then he went back to work making calls, while dad and I went to work setting up my house like a makeshift one stop shop. I sent out the message on our neighborhood Facebook page and texted the few neighbors whose numbers I had to spread the word. People we probably would not have met, but live on a different part of our same street, started showing up one by one. They were so grateful to have some food (especially milk, bread, and eggs!). People who had survived a hellish four days, and every single one of them tried to pay me for this. They were almost as shocked as I was that we had received so many donations. <br />
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One of my favorite stories of connection happened this day. A friend of mine from church in Lumberton who at the time lived in Dubai (right?!) posted on Facebook that her niece in Bridge City needed help. I wrote and told her I was on my way and to send her to me. She sent me the contact info, I called her, and she was going to stop by with her daughters before we headed back to Louisiana. When she walked in my house, she looked at Michael, the friend who had driven us over and they both said, "What are you doing here?!" They go way back and are close family friends--and we connected together that day through her aunt completely around the world! I just loved it. <br />
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This little "home store" not only gave us the chance to meet a lot of our neighbors, it also set us in touch with some people in other neighborhoods as well. Too, we met several people who were members of one of the churches we planned to try when we moved (and that congregation's response to Harvey is absolutely the #1 reason we went there first and are still attending a year later). Side note: Hunter and I prayed when we moved here that we would be given an opportunity to get to know our neighbors and figure out some ways we could love on our new community. Well, the Lord delivered in a big way... Be careful praying for big things, haha ;)<br />
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I asked what some specific needs were to each family that passed through and went home on a mission to bring back as much as I could as soon as I could. Luckily, that chance came on Sunday. This time we brought more milk, bread (this was even hard to find in Lake Charles), lunch meat/hot dogs, and eggs. But we also started bringing clean up supplies. As the waters were slowly receding a few people were starting to be able to get in their homes--and I don't know how much all of you know about flooded homes, but the sooner you get in and get them gutted, absolutely the better. So my parents and I drove back over again Sunday with another load...and again, every single person tried to pay. Humbling. Hunter had gone in to work that day for a meeting and to work out some remediation details (and to deliver water--I also forgot to mention that the entire city of Beaumont lost potable water. That means the hospitals, nursing homes, refineries, and every single home had no water. It was awful.) As he was coming home, I started seeing posts that the Neches River bridge was flooded and closed (remember they were releasing the dam? So now, five days later, we're dealing with a whole new round of flooding) and I was seeing posts that they were closing the Rainbow Bridge in Port Neches as well. These were his only two ways to get home. And I started freaking the crap out. Luckily he <i>barely </i>made it before they closed the Rainbow Bridge (he had to do a little coaxing to get the cop to let him through). But he made it home. This time I got to spend the night at my new home (that at this point I had only slept in for nine inconsecutive nights) and my parents went back to their house to keep my kids. I was unbelievably grateful for this. We went to a neighbor's house and ate dinner (he had been doing this every night), so it gave us a chance to have fun and laugh, as well as a chance for me to get to know everybody. He brought me back to my parents house the next day so he could see our kids (that was such a sweet reunion), but then he drove back home after supper. <br />
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*"Fun" Fact from I-10 flooding near the Neches River (due to the dam release). It was absolutely awful because it completely flooded Rose City, a tiny little town just before Beaumont. However, when the water finally receded, the problem came with the interstate cinder blockades... They were acting as a dam and refusing to allow the water on the south side of the interstate to flow back naturally. So they had to use dynamite to explode a hole in some of those, letting the water go.<br />
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The highway to our house stayed closed and had water covering it for 9 days after the storm. This whole time, I also desperately wanted to get to my people in Lumberton and Silsbee but there was no physical way for me to get there until the Thursday the week after the storm. Getting my hands on my people up there who had flooded (and all of my friends who hadn't) was a feeling like no other. We worked with the church up there a bit, getting volunteers in, meals cooked for those volunteers, supplies to my people, and unloading supply trucks from a disaster relief organization. Hunter was helping gut houses once people could get into them; I was helping go through and salvage what had been taken out. It was hard work, it was hot work, it was exhausting and taxing on the body and the emotions.<br />
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The kids and I ended up staying at my parents' house for 12 days. We could have gotten home a couple of days sooner, but I was getting a lot of shopping and collecting done in Lake Charles/Sulphur that I couldn't count on over there yet (and I had help over there). When we finally made it home it was such a relief, but we also had a pretty big wave of "survivor's guilt". Every single place you looked for almost three months had people's entire homes and life stories piled on the side of the road. Massive black waste trucks from all over the country passed by endlessly, gathering what they could as they could. For three months. It was a daily heartbreaking sight.<br />
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Mail and garbage pick up didn't run for weeks. Many schools were cancelled indefinitely as the districts tried to figure out what they could do when entire campuses were completely unusable. Even the districts who started just a little late had to keep in mind that even though the school didn't flood, many of their students' homes did. Many schools were having split days (ex: some grades go 6-11 and some go 12-5). Several schools were meeting in church buildings--teachers would have to bring in what they were using that day and take it back out every single day. In Orangefield, the Elementary flooded almost completely, and the high school sustained a good bit of damage. So Arabella was supposed to start school on August 28, and ended up finally starting on September 25 (and we had no idea of a start date until the 21st).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiny baby Kindergarteners at big ole Junior High tables...</td></tr>
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Since the elementary campus was out of commission, they had PK-6th at the Junior High and 7-12 at the high school (with plywood up as makeshift repairs). We walked Bella in for her first day and saw the gym separated into 4-6 classrooms by hanging blue tarps. The band halls, foyers, gyms, libraries were all converted to classrooms, most of them housing multiple classes at a time. As a former teacher...I.Cannot.Imagine. They also weren't allowed to do anything that required the students to have money--so no field trips (we did get to go to the park at the end of the year), no parents at class parties, no fundraising...a much different Kindergarten year than we had expected. We were finally able to move K and 1st over to the elementary after spring break (mid-March), but the building was still blocked off except those two little halls (and the walls were plywood, some of the floor is pulled up and hasn't been replaced, the "gym" was a blue tarped off area in the cafeteria...). This year, most of the grades are back at the Elementary campus (with the help of some granted temporary buildings), but things are still no where near fixed. But those teachers and administration and students are going with it and making the best of what they have. Resiliency at its finest. <br />
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We are stronger than the storm...<br />
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xoxo, angie<br />
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<br />Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578122490513750828.post-70895297169454772342018-08-29T05:00:00.000-05:002018-08-29T05:00:00.570-05:00Hurricane Harvey, my storyA year has passed since Hurricane Harvey ravaged our little part of the country. For a solid week, this monster of a storm made land fall leaving destruction in his wake...only to dip back in the gulf, regain strength and water, and come back a little further up the coast. He completely wrecked the entire Texas coast. It was (and still is) absolutely unbelievable. I never sat down and wrote out my personal account of the storm, so I thought this might be a good time to remember.<br />
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First of all, let me paint a little picture. We had moved from Lumberton to Orangefield August 18-19 and then closed on our new house on Tuesday, August 22 (they graciously let us move in early so we could move over the weekend--plus we were originally supposed to close earlier). As good southerners do during May to September, we were keeping an eye on the weather and discovered good ole Hurricane Harvey was making his way into the Gulf and gaining strength. At the time, he was predicted to hit between Corpus and Houston, so we weren't too worried about it. But since (as adults) we had been through a direct hit from Rita and Ike, we knew better than to take him off our radar.<br />
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That Thursday after closing, I brought the kids to Bella's school for Running Start. She was starting Kindergarten and we were so excited to see her classroom, unload her supplies, walk around the school, and meet her teacher. We were all set for school to start Monday morning!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCtS_aEPMTBoPOC-FFQJJUXBthE9NCkOBrL7ymdIg4bsi0zYJ9-xyOgycKSoudDb-tS6PIyEzEEoYVSuxDEFTVSUoRFNwvkCfnijtlJIwinVd9VeS1_Asvt-5NpSStYC8ipkpMXLzFkT0/s1600/20992652_10101616339400178_3209053828045540805_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCtS_aEPMTBoPOC-FFQJJUXBthE9NCkOBrL7ymdIg4bsi0zYJ9-xyOgycKSoudDb-tS6PIyEzEEoYVSuxDEFTVSUoRFNwvkCfnijtlJIwinVd9VeS1_Asvt-5NpSStYC8ipkpMXLzFkT0/s200/20992652_10101616339400178_3209053828045540805_n.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW8Vi92Iala4Sn6YyCNvL5QzM6iU2BtW25buOUwJo1mZqXVTpBBtSdvooiBg9Vamv_fUQQhWJTLK9oFfDyzfaTDa8r-_zFejUo9oz0e1Hf1dGq98upJRgIaAC1OqsU3Iuu7Npz_NeHWLE/s1600/20994027_10101616339405168_9217989888384256862_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW8Vi92Iala4Sn6YyCNvL5QzM6iU2BtW25buOUwJo1mZqXVTpBBtSdvooiBg9Vamv_fUQQhWJTLK9oFfDyzfaTDa8r-_zFejUo9oz0e1Hf1dGq98upJRgIaAC1OqsU3Iuu7Npz_NeHWLE/s200/20994027_10101616339405168_9217989888384256862_n.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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...this was the only time she got to go to this classroom...</div>
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However, by that time, Harvey was about to hit Corpus and was predicted to travel up the coast our way a bit before dying down. Hunter and I talked a lot that night and decided that the kids and I would go ahead and evacuate just to be cautious. We weren't worried about too much, but we also didn't want to be stuck with the kids with no electricity or impassable roads (in our heads, due to trees) or any other discomfort even small hurricanes can tend to bring. So Friday morning (mine and Hunter's 10th wedding anniversary...), the kids and I loaded up and headed to our friends' house in Alexandria, LA.<br />
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We only stayed there one night because Harvey had hit Rockport, just up the coast from Corpus, that night (the 25th) and we had barely a breeze or sprinkle at home. I really just wanted to be home with my husband in our new house and figuring this out together. At worst, we expected to get some bad thunder storms the next week, but nothing we couldn't manage. After all, that's what all the other storms we knew had done--make landfall and then progress north up the country losing momentum, bringing some bad weather, but nothing extreme. {<i>Well, Harvey didn't play by the rules...</i>} So the kids and I headed back home Saturday night. <br />
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These couple of days/nights run together. We stayed up either Saturday night or Sunday night watching Harvey reek havoc on Houston (the 26th/27th). Our power was getting spotty so we got the generators going for the fridge and our phone chargers (Hunter had gone the week before and scavenged the city of Beaumont for generators...we bought the last two he could find anywhere). We were texting his brother in Houston quite a bit. He was safe and dry in his house (after having to get a ride down a flooded street from a buddy with some type of big truck). Some other friends of ours over there had flooded, but they were out of town, so at least we knew they were ok. We watched reports and pictures coming through of streets and highways we'd driven many times completely flooded...we just couldn't believe it. However, we <i>still </i>thought he'd fizzle out and we'd be ok. <br />
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By Monday, we were getting a lot of rain. School was cancelled (it was supposed to start that day) and Hunter was told he could work from home. Mind you, at that time, Landry was 9 months old. Hunter went to town for formula (we only had a two day supply and I needed more than that to feel ok with hunkering down to weather the weather). He called me and told me his truck had messed up and he was parked under an overpass. I still needed formula...so the kids and I loaded up and went to meet him (brought him breakfast--nasty gas station donuts :( ), he called our insurance agent and a tow truck. It was going to take a while for the truck to get to us because there were already several cars needed to be pulled off of flooded streets (don't drive through water if you can't see the road!). So the kids and I drove to the closest Walgreens in Vidor to grab the formula. It was pouring there. The exit I needed to take was already closed so I had to pass it up and come back around. The road was holding water on the sides and the rain was still coming. I parked and ran into Walgreens (no way was I getting the kids out) and bought every bottle of formula they had....which was 8. Like a drowned rat, I made it back to the car and we started the trek back to Hunter. This is where I started to get a little scared...the frontage roads were ok for the most part (some water on the edges but not completely covered). However, every single turnaround under the overpasses I passed were completely flooded. I was really getting worried that I was going to get stuck going to Beaumont and not be able to get turned around going the right way home... Luckily, the very last turnaround before the bridge into Beaumont was open enough for my van to make it through, and we hopped back on that interstate as quick as we could.<br />
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Tow truck came, I got real donuts from the stand down the street, and we came home for a family nap. I think this is the day/night that we lost power (but it might have been Sunday night). Anyway, we made it through the night ok and <i style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">still</i> didn't expect to get much more than a thunderstorm...<br />
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We woke up Tuesday morning, August 29th and decided that if we were going to be stuck inside for a couple of days waiting out the weather, we wanted good food...specifically gumbo. So Hunter stayed home with the kids, and I ran up to Market Basket in Bridge City (just up the highway from our house). It was raining, but not insanely; just steady. I noticed on the way that the water was over the shoulders of the road, but the road was absolutely drivable. I spent about 45 minutes in the store (with SO many other people gathering last minute food!) and got stuff to make several good comfort meals. When I left, I stopped at the gas station on the corner to get a new bottle of propane...that's when I noticed that the intersection I had just driven through an hour earlier, was completely covered in water now. Again a drowned rat, I got the propane and got back in my car to drive home. And now, the right lane in both directions was covered in water... Again, an hour after I had just driven the same road. <br />
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I got home and unloaded the groceries; Hunter was on the phone (with his cousin and my dad who were at work in refineries in Sulphur). We finished about the same time and he asked me how the roads were. When I told him how quickly they were coming up, compounded with all of the shut down procedures the Sulphur plants were starting, he knew I had to go. So he just looked at me and said, "Angie, you and the kids have to leave. Like right now." Let me remind you that we had been living in this house for a week and a half. And we had already evacuated and come home once. I didn't want to. But I knew he was right. He called our neighbors in Lumberton--we still owned that house and our renters weren't moved in yet, so we thought I could evacuate there and stay close. She told us that the highway into Lumberton was already completely flooded and closed. THIS set us in gear big time. Absolutely unbelievable. <br />
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So through tears (I'm sitting here crying again just remembering how that day felt), we threw as much as we could into bags. He emptied the fridge and freezers into an ice chest for me to take (if our house did flood, we <i>did not </i>want to have to deal with the smell and nastiness of that); I grabbed clothes for me and the kids by the handfuls, not even paying attention to what I had (except I was sure to grab my LLR, haha! It's nice and it's comfortable and it's what I wanted). He put all of his guns in my van and I grabbed my shutter fly books and the pictures I could find--remember...most of our stuff was still in boxes. <br />
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And that was it. In 15 minutes, I was loaded in the car with my kids heading to my parents house in Moss Bluff, LA (at least for that day. I was honestly expecting to have to leave there too and head further north)... I was leaving my husband and my new home, completely not knowing what was going to happen. I was an absolute mess. Hunter swore to me that he would leave if it got bad...he was loading the truck with his tools as soon as I left, getting ready to go if he had to. And if worse came to worst, he had the boat (except the little aluminum boat he needed wasn't running...and neither was the Bronco...of course, when we need them!) Anyway. We hugged and kissed like we never have before, and I drove away. Sobbing my eyes out. <br />
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We live down a highway that's about 6 miles from the interstate. I called Hunter about 3/4 of the way down and begged with him to leave now. I had already driven over three places where the road was completely covered; and I had just passed people doing boat rescues (and the worst part of the storm hadn't even reached us yet). He assured me again that he'd be fine and that I just needed to go, quickly, but safely. That drive on I-10 between my house and the state line was the eeriest drive I have ever made in my life. I did not see a SINGLE car going the same way I was. I did however pass military vehicles and Entergy trucks--more than I could count--going the opposite way, toward Houston and Corpus and everything in between. But I felt like I was going to the wrong way or was going to get stuck or was driving into absolute danger because I was completely alone. And then my mind started wondering how long it would take someone to find us and help us if something did happen. The road was drivable, but the rain was so thick and I definitely hydroplaned several times. And I was crying uncontrollably. (My kids however were the quietest they've ever been in their whole little lives. I can't imagine what this whole scenario was like through their lenses. And they definitely picked up on mine and Hunter's fear and emotions. Bless their hearts.)<br />
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Once I passed the state line, it was like an invisible barrier had lifted. The rain slacked off, traffic reappeared, and my emotions calmed down a smidge. I made it to my parents' house, poured myself out of my car, and set up camp in front of the weather channel. Thankfully, my sister and her family had decided to stay there that night as well, so my kids were so happy to play with their cousins. And between my mom and sister, I didn't have to do much with my kids. I stayed in contact with Hunter pretty regularly...he stayed home the whole time. The last time I remember texting with him, he responded that the water in the front yard was about 6 inches away from the corner of the house (the kids' room) and it was rushing over our driveway/RV slab like a river. <br />
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I told my niece I'd stay up with her and watch our next Harry Potter movie (we watched them all together) since I'd be staying up all night worrying anyway. Well, the good Lord intervened so graciously. About 30 minutes into the movie, I was sound asleep (according to Aby, haha). She woke me up when it was over, I apologized, and curled in my bed right back to sleep. I have no clue how I was able to sleep aside from divine intervention.<br />
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I woke up the next morning around 7 and immediately reached for my phone. I was mortified that I had slept through the night while my husband was home alone during a hurricane (technically tropical storm by this point). The first text message I read was from my sister in Kansas City, Missouri. "Half of Kansas City was up last night praying for your boy and your home." I completely lost it. I immediately called Hunter to get the details and see how he was doing. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakXPqLl3DQF60uTfYNbH1xidNFNtGEa80xXh_EuyojrOe7Wuf8z3iVDvBs5gbwAYveUgb33Jv0TsKgdnuHrwMiwu-s4oksA4D0b_K-ABJ3eRA16-ffD_kVhC_TiPaNFOHADSGw66zi9U/s1600/21231716_10101628223659028_7474328672308621822_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakXPqLl3DQF60uTfYNbH1xidNFNtGEa80xXh_EuyojrOe7Wuf8z3iVDvBs5gbwAYveUgb33Jv0TsKgdnuHrwMiwu-s4oksA4D0b_K-ABJ3eRA16-ffD_kVhC_TiPaNFOHADSGw66zi9U/s320/21231716_10101628223659028_7474328672308621822_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Highway 105 and 1442 intersection (Bella's school {all three campuses} is down this road)</td></tr>
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Miraculously our house didn't not get any water in it (and we never lost power! But we did lose sewer). We had a tree fall on the fence, but it just barely knocked the roof of the carport, thank Jesus.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKu67o-nfEzPcJN2P_T4RdqzoCgyTKVG9G-sNxDEot4RStwqOVNyQbdJosndp9iUba9HGSJAUZz0LPBkZ7_VbtdNtY1XwClLD6X7aWlLjK0Gf4qNu4kOXjapsvkX2CQYmNDw4JFov1iH8/s1600/IMG_8126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKu67o-nfEzPcJN2P_T4RdqzoCgyTKVG9G-sNxDEot4RStwqOVNyQbdJosndp9iUba9HGSJAUZz0LPBkZ7_VbtdNtY1XwClLD6X7aWlLjK0Gf4qNu4kOXjapsvkX2CQYmNDw4JFov1iH8/s320/IMG_8126.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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The front half our street drains to the bayou, which is what overflowed, so he assumed most of those had water in them. However, the back half of our street drains straight to the marsh (through our ditch beside our house) and the water kept moving all night. He could give you a much better idea of what that night was like. It was terrifying and loud and the rain was relentless. I can't even imagine; and I still struggle with the fact that I wasn't there for him during that. (even though again he assured me it was ok and he was glad I slept so I could take care of the kids). He tried to leave in his truck that day, but our neighborhood road and the highway it meets were all under water and impassable. So he went and talked to several neighbors, scoped out the situation, and jumped in a boat with one to go rescue people (which was also terrifying for me, but I would have expected no less from him. That's who he is).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7XwAeiWHzDhEguUM3stLShgU45GKL2noN5TqLQa49tH1uOUA52J8ZcIJR4nxBxJZn7Szip-UvK-6NnakbtLAa1rMYl70bxs4YHh0o8OhShjuz1liDesheF4neB67_YLslpl8AFg5NjPQ/s1600/IMG_8127.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="1240" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7XwAeiWHzDhEguUM3stLShgU45GKL2noN5TqLQa49tH1uOUA52J8ZcIJR4nxBxJZn7Szip-UvK-6NnakbtLAa1rMYl70bxs4YHh0o8OhShjuz1liDesheF4neB67_YLslpl8AFg5NjPQ/s320/IMG_8127.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTx8T8MIhCG-GqsJCxYDc6r_W267eXT49kOw_25yTv8kOy6jIFLES3D5F0ylnWATR7tn7TQL9ot5oFe6OpctimoD-N_JeeL_kMqU71Lxh6u-2dRef2SQVgvwpxd5w3Mc7PK8WfGCQD6rc/s1600/IMG_8128.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTx8T8MIhCG-GqsJCxYDc6r_W267eXT49kOw_25yTv8kOy6jIFLES3D5F0ylnWATR7tn7TQL9ot5oFe6OpctimoD-N_JeeL_kMqU71Lxh6u-2dRef2SQVgvwpxd5w3Mc7PK8WfGCQD6rc/s320/IMG_8128.PNG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/in-crises-such-as-harvey-you-want-outdoorsmen-on-your-side/2017/08/29/e6588e8c-8cd0-11e7-8df5-c2e5cf46c1e2_story.html?utm_term=.e3349daaa03c" target="_blank">link to the actual article</a> attached in that picture. It's a great one. I'm beyond grateful for my outdoorsmen and every single one of them that stepped up that week. </td></tr>
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We had no idea when I would be able to get home because literally every single road that could get me anywhere close to home was flooded...the interstate was even shut down. So I sat helpless in Moss Bluff, frantically texting all of my people and getting status checks. Several had been boat rescued; several houses had flooded; several were ok but stranded (Silsbee and Lumberton were literal islands; and no one in SETX could even get to the next town over...there was water <i>everywhere). </i>The Cajun Navy again unleashed like a pack of bloodhounds (they had done this as well when Baton Rouge flooded the year before) and I just sobbed every single time I saw (in person or on Facebook) a truck full of guys hauling a boat heading toward my home. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtp3wEnjO5VLE0fbaJrVncUOzu7vg0xuIUG2N0bYM0rr_zLXnL9_Op2XRbKhcQPvd0e3Ea_rc3z0XpwNMEQSuNLWpcdz77PXZVtKViAzBuA5rlGRvzENjuCFj7RNReDNp1g0Bg0GkgHYM/s1600/Trucks-lined-up-heading-into-flooded-out-Texas-Photo-by-Pat-Bonish-1024x683.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtp3wEnjO5VLE0fbaJrVncUOzu7vg0xuIUG2N0bYM0rr_zLXnL9_Op2XRbKhcQPvd0e3Ea_rc3z0XpwNMEQSuNLWpcdz77PXZVtKViAzBuA5rlGRvzENjuCFj7RNReDNp1g0Bg0GkgHYM/s320/Trucks-lined-up-heading-into-flooded-out-Texas-Photo-by-Pat-Bonish-1024x683.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It was overwhelming; and I felt helpless. <br />
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Until I got a Facebook message from some friends of mine from high school...<br />
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xoxo, angie<br />
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<span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 193px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 1; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 3439px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span><span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 193px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 1; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 3439px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span>Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578122490513750828.post-3862953826094255402018-08-22T22:01:00.000-05:002018-08-23T10:29:33.795-05:00A Change is Gonna ComeWell HELLO! I have been terrible at keeping up with this little blog these past couple of years. Look, I've even had another kid and he's not even on the side bar over there yet. #momfail But then again, let's be honest. He's absolutely the main reason that I haven't kept up with this blog very well. So I guess that's an even trade (I want to put the raised arms/"oh well" emoji right here). I digress. Here's what's going on...<br />
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A few years ago, a friend of mine told me that when she turned 30, something changed in her. Like all of a sudden she realized she didn't have to put up with other's people's crap; she stood her ground and stood up for herself; she just felt good. That always stuck with me. And let me tell you--I turned 30 last year...she was right ;)<br />
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It took a little while for me, closer to 31. And although I do feel a little more sure in my own footing and care a little less when people get their feathers flustered, I more so found the umph to quit putting up with my own crap. So here are some changes we've been making in this household lately:<br />
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1. In May, something clicked and I decided that at 31 (aka, a grown ass woman...insert eyeroll emoji), it was time for me to start making my bed. This is not a habit that ever ever stuck with me My mom makes hers religiously, but never required it of us; and I had no interest in extra "work". I'm just going to crawl back in it tonight anyway! Which is still true...but it is so much nicer to crawl into a made bed than have to figure all the covers back out. But mostly, it just looks pretty. My room automatically feels cleaner and bigger and more welcoming to me. It took a couple of weeks of making myself do it (my husband telling me every night how much he loved the bed being made <i>definitely </i>helped). But as they say, 21 days makes a habit--and so it was. By week three, it was a breeze. And now I'm to the point that I can't stand to walk back in my room if it's not made. Literally less than a minute to make my whole day feel better--winning.<br />
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(This also made me decide to make my kids make their beds every morning. Right now, that's just Arabella--Kaplan tries sometimes, but not regularly. She knows she has to have it made/be dressed/teeth brushed before she comes in for breakfast. It's lovely...and she likes the way it looks too!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYlCaa0c-6D6vWajnl80vbyCclnujBY1BpIhk7hAXtnPhXXj_7k1pRTYGswhKGH5fhvzwO4b0OFYGYt75jd1Y9j_TEtnO5CteXFbUjX3cXbmgEIcf9KYJrsPL55SgAWa_mz4t3b3MIU9I/s1600/IMG_8084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYlCaa0c-6D6vWajnl80vbyCclnujBY1BpIhk7hAXtnPhXXj_7k1pRTYGswhKGH5fhvzwO4b0OFYGYt75jd1Y9j_TEtnO5CteXFbUjX3cXbmgEIcf9KYJrsPL55SgAWa_mz4t3b3MIU9I/s320/IMG_8084.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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2. I decided in March-ish that I was going to set a goal this year to read a book a month. I would love for it to be a book a week, but that's just not realistic for me right now in this phase of life. But I felt like a book a month was very achievable. I love to read, but I had slacked off BIG time. And the major culprit aside from my children? The TV... ugh. I'm going to write a whole post about what all I've been reading so far, but I am happy to say that (thanks to the Harry Potter series!) I have smashed my one/month goal so far! I'm on number 14 :) I still watch TV some, but mostly just the shows that Hunter and I watch together. If I have a chunk of time, now I reach for my book instead of the remote. Beautiful.</div>
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3. As we hunkered down for school to start up again, my sister told me she was making a schedule for their family to follow each week as far as chores and exercise and such. Simultaneously--and without knowing my sister and I had talked about this--one of my best friends started asking what my schedule was for laundry and chores (it was "whenever whatever needs to be done"). The more I thought about it, the more I loved the idea of having a schedule and a defined routine. So I took a look at the examples that had been commented on the book of faces, and I set out to make our own chore chart.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-mFI8OLEoXJ-hbfW_tn92XCsL6vf1pD5N4WaufpvI6w0TNfrMFAOP35Rfn6yR0BrqT6aN2RZKzjqxs31LIhfNkhS3uUhGsEzVEJfQksuVCZximDPmC1GbTZjqYYKcB5BK-gPWG_p1LE/s1600/IMG_8088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-mFI8OLEoXJ-hbfW_tn92XCsL6vf1pD5N4WaufpvI6w0TNfrMFAOP35Rfn6yR0BrqT6aN2RZKzjqxs31LIhfNkhS3uUhGsEzVEJfQksuVCZximDPmC1GbTZjqYYKcB5BK-gPWG_p1LE/s320/IMG_8088.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For some reference, Arabella is almost 7, Kaplan is almost 4, and Landry is almost 2. My husband works full time and I stay at home. And Rosie is our robot vacuum ;) Pet care will be added eventually for the kids (we have an outside lab, so right now, daddy does all of her care taking).</td></tr>
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Most of these are things I was already doing, inconsistently and irregularly (besides mopping--I mean hello. That's hell with a handle). This was fine, but it also meant I was doing it all. And it's about dang time these kids started doing some chores! We really started following this schedule this week, and so far they are asking me (excitedly) what their chore is. Today they folded towels (Bella the big towels, Kaplan the rags and hand towels)... This was a big "let go" one for me because a) they sat in a pile on my bed until Bella got home and I really wanted to fold them myself and get them out of the way; and b) I mean they're not great at folding towels...so the fact that I put them up the way they folded them (with a little help--it was their first time solo so I was showing them how as they went), well that's just huge. Deep breaths, mama.<br />
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I tried to pick chores that needed to be done on a regular basis that were also age appropriate (Landry was tough, but he's learning as we go). I also added in some things we weren't doing often enough (ahem mopping...and also ceiling fans, changing sheets, bathrooms, and cleaning out the van...I don't like to clean...). <br />
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Hopefully with a laundry "schedule", the clothes we need will always be clean. And if I don't have SO much to fold at a time, maybe I'll actually just fold it once it dries...hmmm. But seriously--I have found now that I make my bed, if I'll bring my pile of laundry in there to fold, it gives me a chance to listen to a podcast away from as much children noise...and I'll fold it that same day because it's on my bed. The pile on the couch used to sit there for daaaaaays on end because I just didn't want to fold it. And then we were wrinkly and it was an actual mountain of clothes and we were digging through the pile for what we needed and I just hated it. <br />
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4. Hunter and I have talked regularly for the past year+ about needing to be healthier. We are both the heaviest and most out of shape we've ever been (let's face it, I've never been in shape)...but yet all we ever did was talk. Well when I made the chore chart, I also told him I wanted to start getting up early to exercise (who the heck am I??) every morning. WUT. So for the past two weeks we've been exercising, and since school started, we've been getting up at 5:30 to do so. Help me, Jesus...it is so early. <br />
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He enjoys running (I absolutely do not... He convinced me to run with him way back in the day before children, and it quickly got to the point that I didn't want him to come home from work because it meant we had to run. The worst. He however loved it and took the dog every morning to RUN 3 miles...the whole way. I can't breathe just thinking about it. But then he broke the tip of his toe the week before we had Arabella and that was that; hasn't run much since.) So now, once again, he wakes up in the morning and goes for a run. <br />
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I really enjoy my CU24 Advocare video. I did it consistently the first time I did the 24 day challenge several years ago and enjoyed it then (and could tell a difference). So I wake up friggin early and do my video. My schedule: MWF are actual workouts and TR are core stretch exercises. The weekends can be whatever. Each video is only 24 minutes (so manageable) and are broken into 9-12 different exercises that they repeat. There's also a beginner/intermediate/difficult pose for each exercise as well as a beginner/intermediate/difficult time limit. So you do what you're able for as long as you're able and don't feel like a failure when you can't keep up. Plus I turn down the volume on the video and turn up my pumped up playlist--music really does help you get pumped!<br />
**PS--just found out that these videos are on YouTube! So you can check em out if you're interested.<br />
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5. And here's the kicker...FOOD. I mean come on. We're from south Louisiana. Food is everything to us (and hardly any of it is healthy). I'm pretty good about cooking most nights...but I'm not great about making sure things aren't loaded with carbs and cholesterol and sodium and processed everything. <br />
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My sister and I were able to sneak away and go see Rachel Hollis's documentary "Made for More" last week...incredible. I already loved her, but this attracted me to her like a moth to a flame. And I also went home feeling ready to keep some promises to myself. Since I was alone on the way home, I listened to one of her podcasts and she talked about going from a size 14 to a size 2 (I had NO idea she had struggled with that...she's a tiny person at only 5'1" and I've only ever seen her tiny waisted as well). She mentioned that she had done a podcast with the nutritionist whose book changed her diet (not as in a fad, but as in the food she consumes), so I went and listened to that one too. <br />
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And it all just made a lot of sense. Kelly Leveque wrote the book Body Love which goes into a lot more detail (it's next on my to read list!). You can go to the "Rise" podcast and listen to her interview with Rachel for some details and an interested conversation. She talked a lot about blood sugar, and why carbs are needed but can also be really bad...in a way that I understood basically (and I have very little knowledge about all that jazz).<br />
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So now, after our early morning workouts, we start our day with one of her fab four smoothies for breakfast. The ones we've tried so far have actually been pretty good. And I can guarantee you they're better for us than the pop tarts, cereal, oatmeal, or straight nothing we'd been eating...<br />
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For lunch, we've been trying to eat lighter. He usually has leftovers; or if he goes out to eat, he's mindful of what's on the menu and balances his entree and sides. I eat a salad for lunch almost every day (which is HUGE because I'm not a salad person). I also keep boiled eggs on hand at all times. Cucumbers, sweet potatoes (very little sugar, a little cinnamon), apple with peanut butter, a small scoop of chicken salad (with a green salad or cucumber)...some combination or variation of any of that.<br />
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And for dinner--that hasn't changed a ton. I don't do rolls or bread anymore just for the sake of having them. And most of our vegetables are fresh now instead of canned (although we do still have some green beans/peas/corn every once in a while). I've done a lot of broccoli, zucchini, squash, and cauliflower chopped up, seasoned, and baked (in whatever combination you choose). Also asparagus. And salads some nights too. But last week we had lasagna to go with it. And tonight I made some rice a roni. And this weekend we had macaroni as a side. We even had key lime pie Sunday night (and it was SO good)! And I'm ok with every bit of that--because we used portion control. And instead of having heaping helpings of all those things, we got an actual serving...and ate our vegetables first to fill us up more before we even got to the starches.<br />
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I cut the cokes out again (not that hard since I wasn't drinking them often, and he hasn't had one in like 13 years). We cut back on the wine/beer. And I cut back on the sweet tea :( He switched to half and half a couple years ago, and now actually enjoys straight unsweet tea (gag me with a spoon). I however am a proper southern lady and want my tea as thick as my accent and sweet as I am too ;) I don't ever keep it at home--it's that urge to stop at Sonic that's harder to break...but I've done well!<br />
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It's been harder at some times than others, but we already feel better. I went into this food thing refusing to do Paleo or Keto or Atkins or whatever named diet there is...I also refused to count micros or macros and anything (I don't do numbers and that crap confuses me). I really just wanted this whole experience to be about making better choices for our bodies. We're not that far from 40 (eeeesh) and that's kinda when you're body can start working against you more than for you. And I don't want to be in a bad place then and have to do a major overhaul...so we're trying to just be better to our bodies and ourselves in general. Plus, we want these changes to be something that we keep up with, not a phase we go through. Learning to make good choices is something we can keep.<br />
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Phew, that was a lot! I know this seems like a ton of change, but it's happened semi-gradually for us. And none of it is so major that it's hard to manage. I just wanted to share what was working for us in case you might be interested in making some changes too, but just don't know exactly what you want to do yet. Change is never easy, but it can be so so good! You really can do it ;)<br />
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xoxo, angie</div>
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<br />Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578122490513750828.post-22339637122600675892017-11-23T06:00:00.000-06:002017-11-23T06:27:26.846-06:00Dear Landry,<div style="text-align: center;">
I literally cannot believe I am sitting down to write your ONE year old letter! </div>
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You have been such a sweet little addition to our family. 8 lbs. 11 oz. of pure perfection! My sweet tootey... </div>
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You were born the day before Thanksgiving, so this year, your birthday is on Thanksgiving! What a timely little gift we are...because we are oh so thankful for you.</div>
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Our start was a little rough...you were a very grumpy baby which was hard. Plus I also had your brother and sister to take care of. So that mix plus breastfeeding sent me straight on board the crazy train. But we quit breastfeeding around 3.5 months--my sanity started to come back and you chilled outs some. And you turned into such a happy little fella! Even though you are still (and probably always be) my neediest child :)</div>
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You, my sweet Landry, are such a little wiggle worm! Through my whole pregnancy, you wiggled and kicked nonstop...and that didn't stop at all when you were born. Unless you were completely sound asleep, you never relaxed enough to be completely still. We had to swaddle you up tight as a newborn to get you to sleep because you would flail your arms around and keep yourself awake! </div>
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You are also the sweetest little snuggler (but you wiggle even during those snuggles!). You love to lean in close and give loves, you come lay your head down on people's laps, and if theres a blanket or pillow nearby, you grab it and snuggle in. It's incredibly sweet.</div>
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Let me tell you something--I will never believe that dancing is a bad thing because so many sweet little babies dance instinctively when they hear music. YOU definitely got that instinct! You move your hips back and forth, shake your shoulders, and bounce up and down. You love music and you love to dance!</div>
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One of my favorite things you started doing a few months ago--when someone is holding you on their hip and they're not paying attention to you, you lean around to look at their face and get their attention. Cracks me up! You don't like to be ignored...</div>
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You are toddling around and getting better at it each day. But you also don't need to walk to get anywhere quickly...you are the fastest crawler I have ever seen in my life. And you are in to everything... You dig and chew and open cabinets and crawl through tight spaces and explore all over. Nothing is safe when you're around! And everything goes in your mouth...</div>
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You absolutely love bath time! This has been a fun change from your brother who screamed through every single bath...you get excited and head to the bathroom as soon as you hear the water running. Splashing around cures any grumps you may have had and you will play in there as long as I'll let you!</div>
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About two months ago, your hair really started getting curly, especially after baths. And now it's curly all the time! I don't really even know what to do with it, but I love it! Daddy wants to cut it (because it is pretty long and a bit shaggy), but I won't let him :)</div>
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As of right now, you're not really "talking", but you do say mama, dada, hey, and just this week, Bella (ella-la). You will also sing along with us or music playing. And your new favorite is pretending to cough--you get the giggles every time! You shake your head no and clap your hands, give fives and wave bye. And you have 8 teeth with at least four more on their way right now. You discovered balls this month and <i><b>love </b></i>them. You'll throw them and then go get them--playing fetch with yourself, haha! And you drool the absolute most of anyone ever. </div>
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Outside...if I would leave you outside your whole life, I don't think you'd complain one bit. If you see a door open, you dart towards it. And if it closes with you stuck on the inside, oh how the tears come. You always smile so big when we walk outside. You love to swing and crawl around in the grass. Outside is definitely your happy place.</div>
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I absolutely love how friendly you are. You seriously never meet a stranger. If anybody pays you any attention (which, let's be honest, everyone does because you're cuteness is like a magnet), you smile so big and reach for them (a lot of times, you actually leap for them, haha). You also really like guys (which is fun because Arabella and Kaplan never did)...Daddy, Papa, PawPaw, Unc, Evan...you just get so excited! They're your buddies.</div>
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However, your favorite people and friends just may be your brother and sister. The three of you are such a dynamic little squad. They absolutely adore you (sometimes too much, getting all in your spaces, haha). They are so protective of you and so excited about you. And you get pretty excited about them too! It is so fun to watch you love each other! I absolutely cannot wait to see all of the adventures you get to have together. </div>
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Landry Cohen, you have added so much joy and love to our little family...and a little bit of craziness too! It is so much fun to see little pieces of who we are come out in you. You are just such a cool kid. I hope you never lose your curiosity and determination...and your JOY!</div>
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Your daddy and I will fight for you, protect you, teach you, and love you every single day of our lives. You will always be our precious, perfect son; our third baby; our beautiful, blessed gift.</div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">From Here...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">....To a Year</span></div>
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Happy birthday, sweet boy! I love you more than you will ever know.</div>
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xoxo, mama</div>
Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578122490513750828.post-84305587269714300552017-10-26T14:33:00.000-05:002017-10-26T14:33:31.968-05:00and then there were five...<div style="text-align: center;">
*Finally making myself sit down to write this birth story out--2.5 months after you were born :P*</div>
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<i>And now here I am making myself finish it...<b><u>11 months</u></b> after you were born...bah.</i></div>
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This pregnancy was a surprise for us. We hadn't been preventing anything since we had Kaplan since it had taken us a while to get pregnant with both of them. And the beginning of that year had been so busy and stressful, it was far from our mind as a possibility. Until I came home from Easter at the camp and took a test just out of curiosity...</div>
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...PapPaw had just passed away a few weeks before and life was a little hectic that month. Easter at the camp was so special and tender and a little bit hard. Uncle B and Aunt Lindsey had just gotten to tell him they were pregnant again about a week before he passed away and his response was that we wouldn't be far behind (even though we promise, you were a complete surprise to us...). So we feel without question that you are our sweet little gift from our angel PawPaw; a beautiful Easter promise that life will go on. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Your PawPaw, PawPaw, Your Daddy, and Kaplan...4 generations of Newby Men. He would have been SO proud of you! Another little boy dog...</td></tr>
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I went to the dr at the end of that week to confirm pregnancy and draw labs. Again, my progesterone was too low, but thankfully I only had to take one pill this time instead of twice a day (those things mess with me!). We knew you would be another C-section, and again this makes the whole pregnancy a little different. </div>
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We had our big anatomy scan with you later than your brother and sister--I was around 24 weeks before they performed yours. And as always, it is my absolute favorite. The difference this time was that we already knew you were a boy! Since Uncle B and Aunt Lindsey had just found out they were pregnant too and we were due within a few weeks of each other, we decided to do a joint gender reveal party. So I got to have an extra ultrasound with you at 17 weeks :) But she turned the screen off when she got to your man parts and wrote the gender down in a sealed envelope. We gave the envelopes to Leslie, and she filled balloons with blue/pink paint based on the gender. A week later, we all gathered together, and your daddy and Uncle B shot those balloons with BB guns to reveal a whole bunch of BLUE paint! Two boys!</div>
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My pregnancy with you was a good one in that I was healthy and you were too. But it was really hard on me. I was absolutely exhausted having to take care of Arabella and Kaplan as well. And you big ole babies literally just wear my body out. Heartburn started the earliest with you and I slept propped up basically the whole time. I also lost my breath very easily and stayed pretty cranky. </div>
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My actual due date was November 28, but because it was so close to Thanksgiving, it took us a long time to set your date. We really didn't know exactly which day we were going to have you until the week before! We decided on Wednesday morning, spending Thanksgiving in the hospital, and a weekend release.</div>
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The Tuesday night before I had you was the area wide Thanksgiving service (and the Saturday before was our community Thanksgiving meal)--Trey was coming in to speak, which I was so excited not to miss! A lot of people thought I was a little crazy, but there wasn't anything I would have rather done my last night before having you... Your daddy and I, plus Bella and Kaplan went to eat at Carrabba's before church (had to get one last good meal in!) and then Aunt Mel spent the night to take care of your brother and sister while we went to the hospital.</div>
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The weather was so nasty Wednesday morning. Luckily it didn't start raining until after we got there, but all of our family had to fight it. You were scheduled for 8:30 so we had to be there at 6:30. As usual, the IV was tough and absolutely miserable, and I cried and cried, haha...it happens. And also as usual, things were running a little late. Aunt Mel brought Bella and Kaplan up so we could see them before we went back. They were SO excited to get to meet you! Mimi and Papa, Nanny and PawPaw, MawMaw, Grandmaw, and your Juannie were all there too. Plus Mrs. Windy was working that day so she came and checked in with us several times. </div>
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The time finally came...daddy was all suited up, he kissed me good luck, and they wheeled me into the OR. And then we had to do the spinal. Let me tell you Landry...you are so lucky I love you so much. Because this spinal was absolute Hell... The anesthesiologist was not the kindest guy, and his CRNA was having a realllllly hard time getting it in the right spot. I lost count of how many times they had to stick me, but it was around 8-10. I was literally sobbing crying, snot and tears all over the place. It was lovely. My doctor came in thinking we'd be ready to go, and he actually came and held me to help keep me in the right position for the spinal and to help calm me down. It really was just awful. And of course your daddy can't be in there for any of that :( So literally 30 minutes later, I was going numb, they let daddy in, and it was go time.</div>
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After that, it all happens so, so fast. I did really well with nausea this time and never felt sick (I was sick in the OR with Bella and nauseated with Kaplan). You daddy and I got to share some special glances and visits as we really took in what was happening...our <i>third</i> child was being born and it was just so emotional. You were such a vocal little thing--you actually started crying before he even pulled you all the way out! I just had a crying head hanging out of my belly, haha (daddy thought it was the suction...you had a deep cry and we weren't expecting you to cry until you were lifted out). And then once he did finally get you out and lifted you up over that curtain, you really let it out! Sweet boy. </div>
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This was the first time that I got to do skin to skin with one of my babies in the OR. The nurses sucked you out and wiped you down and then immediately laid you on my chest. It was so beautiful. They wrapped you up and let daddy hold you and we took all of our pictures and soaked all of you in. While they were stitching me up, I asked for them to let daddy take you out to see Arabella and Kaplan...I wanted to be able to see their reactions to you so badly, but I also didn't want to make them wait another couple of hours for us to get out of recovery. They were in love immediately. And it was such a special moment for your daddy to get to introduce you to them...our three little minions. </div>
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When I got to recovery, you were there waiting on me. We did skin to skin that whole time and you latched on to nurse like a champ, wiggling over to find it on your own. We were both doing so well until they moved me to get ready to go back to our room...that's when the nausea hit. And just like the other two, it lasted most of the day (until I got a shot of phenergan late that afternoon). But I was so grateful I lasted so long before it hit...I will always treasure those little moments and memories in the OR and Recovery (with Bella I was throwing up the whole time and could barely even hold you; with Kaplan, they pushed meds to help with nausea and it made me forget absolutely everything).</div>
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After that, we made it back to our room (they brought you in about 30 minutes after I got there). A little more skin to skin and then you were making the rounds. So many people who loved you and couldn't wait to get their hands on you! (Aunt Rachel and Karissa came down as well and got there just before we got to our room. Kristen and Jason and Kaylee also came up later that day to meet you). You were so snuggly and so squeaky and so perfect. </div>
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You got your first bath late that night and they did it in our room, so daddy and I got to watch. They don't have a nursery at the hospital anymore so you stayed with us pretty much all the time. Because you were over a certain weight, they had to check your blood sugar before feedings and you had to pass three consecutive times. Bella and Kaplan struggled with this, but you were perfect all three times! Such a relief not to have to deal with anymore pricks.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp5IqsRe9YCHyu0rdBP3Cx1-OTW_7Or32EVcpEeKkSfRG0wlrDy7rVNYzWrVS4EuVWppGu2zpwej7LrkqBMkZgeWUXz4dgX0u0vnUQTF0U5g9jABwzfe9LlIx7CHwkZKAXa-sYle_x31o/s1600/IMG_8339.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp5IqsRe9YCHyu0rdBP3Cx1-OTW_7Or32EVcpEeKkSfRG0wlrDy7rVNYzWrVS4EuVWppGu2zpwej7LrkqBMkZgeWUXz4dgX0u0vnUQTF0U5g9jABwzfe9LlIx7CHwkZKAXa-sYle_x31o/s320/IMG_8339.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All clean! And I know you can't see them well...but those little baby blue elephant pajamas with the grey trim were your first of your clothes to put on after your bath. They were the first clothes Kaplan wore too :)</td></tr>
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We spent Thanksgiving in the hospital--MawMaw made gumbo and potato salad. Mimi and Papa and Aunt Mel and Unc came too. You were the first of our three babies that your cousins got to meet in the hospital when you were oh so new! They were all three smitten immediately. </div>
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Because you and I were both doing so well, we actually got to go home a day early and hopped out of that place on Friday! Just like Kaplan, you wore the same little going home outfit that your daddy wore when he went home from the hospital. So Friday evening, we loaded up into our minivan and headed home. All five of us...</div>
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So there you were...</div>
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November 23, 2016</div>
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9:26 am</div>
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8 lbs. 11 oz.</div>
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19.5 inches</div>
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and then there were five...</div>
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xoxo, mama</div>
Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578122490513750828.post-56600796181462806962017-10-25T06:00:00.000-05:002017-10-25T06:40:17.996-05:00Dear Arabella,<div style="text-align: center;">
SIX?! How on earth are you already such a big kid?</div>
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You, little girl, are simply stunning. Your daddy and I are constantly amazed every time we look at you.</div>
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We are also constantly amazed by how smart you are! You have always had a memory that just blows us away. You've also gotten pretty good at solving problems ("oh, I've got a great idea!") and love to ask questions (please don't ever lose that trait). </div>
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We had some milestones happen this year too--you got another brother, you got your ears pierced, and you got a new house! One of the biggest things that happened for you this year is to start school! You have been ecstatic to go to Kindergarten all year (and really been asking to go to school since you were three). You were a little late to start because of Hurricane Harvey--he delayed school starting by a month... But once you finally got there, it did not disappoint! Getting up in the morning has been (and still is) a hard transition, but you love school and you have already learned so much. My new favorite part of the day is when you jump off the school bus and literally run to me...melts me every time!</div>
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Daddy is still your best and favorite teacher. There is very little that I love more than watching him teach you what he knows--and you eat up every word. You are an amazing little fisherwoman. Seriously, your cast is impressive. You will stay out on that boat with him from sun up to sun down if he takes you. And you absolutely love the camp. A little while back, you told me to guess your favorite place you've visited. I'm thinking of vacations, so I said "Disneyland"..."nope, but I do love it there!"..."Branson?"..."nope, but I love it there too!"..."Great Wolf Lodge?"..."no, but that is one of my favorites"..."ok, baby, I don't know then"..."THE CAMP! The camp is my favorite place to go, mom!" Talk about make your daddy beam!</div>
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You also played Tball for the first time this year! We gave up gymnastics for it--you weren't happy about that at first, but you really loved playing ball. You were on the Rangers and your coaches were Coach Mike and Coach Tiffiny--they were so great and you made a lot of friends! Watching you play was about the most precious thing ever. You were always so focused and so precise, making sure you were in the exact spot coach told you to be... Pitcher was your favorite position and of course you loved to hit! Daddy helped on the field and at your practices which made these memories even more special. We were so proud of you!</div>
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Arts and Crafts...holy moly, that has been taken to a new level this year. You've always loved to draw and color, but this year we added scissors and tape and glue to the mix. You will literally sit and craft for hours on end (just like your mama!). </div>
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You have become pretty feisty and super sassy...Lord help me! Most days it drives me absolutely crazy. But other times I let myself sit and think about how much of an independent young woman you will be one day and how many glass ceilings you may help break...</div>
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You are still so very musical. You still love TobyMac and For King and Country and pretty much any song that comes on Air1, you know all the words. Lions, In The Eye of the Storm, Til the Day I Die, and God is on the Move are some of your favorites right now. You almost always request Amazing Grace at bedtime. Hearing you sing these songs to and about Jesus is incredibly beautiful! You have also really started making up your own songs. You love to grab something and pretend it's a microphone while you belt out your creations over and over.</div>
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You are a great big sister and your brothers both absolutely adore you. No one can make them giggle quite like you can. As a big sister should, you annoy the bejeezus out of them...but you are also so caring and tender and literally can't get enough. You help them and teach them and sincerely love them. The three of you together (or in any combination) is my absolute favorite. Sometimes, I just don't know how much my heart can take...and then somehow, my love grows just enough to handle it. It really is a miracle.</div>
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You still love to catch lizards and frogs and turtles. You love to go fast and ride roller coasters and go down water slides and drive the boat and climb trees and try new things. My brave little wonder woman! Fear very rarely keeps you from trying something new, and I am so proud of that in you. Fear stopped me from doing a lot as a kid (and still does sometimes as an adult...). I am so grateful that you already try not to let that get in your way...</div>
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I am so excited and anxious to see how much more you grow and learn and change this year. Your daddy and I are whole-heartedly obsessed with who you are and always will be. Keep enjoying life and finding giggles every single day. Arabella, you are our treasured gift, and I promise that we will always love you more than you will ever know.</div>
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Happy birthday, my love! xoxo, mama<br />
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Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578122490513750828.post-26491050520978855312017-10-20T06:00:00.000-05:002017-10-20T06:00:00.217-05:00Dear Kaplan,<div style="text-align: center;">
THREE! How are you already three years old?<br />
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This year has been so fun with you. You became a big brother, and a great one at that. You grew and changed and learned so much. Your personality is hilarious and exciting and keeps us on our toes. I cannot handle how stinkin' cute you are. You are just a little sunbeam.<br />
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Since day one, you've been laid back and go with the flow. You've become more intense in some ways (you just really like to have fun!), but you are still pretty laid back. When something gets you flustered or scared or hurt, your recovery time is about 10 seconds. Then you're straight back to silly ;)<br />
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You, little sweets, are so tender hearted. One of my favorite things you have started doing this year is randomly going up to people and telling them you love them. You'll come snuggle in, blink your eyes real sweet, and just say "I love you, mom..." Melts me every time! We've also adored becoming your favorites! One of our best daily conversations: "you're my favorite mom!"/"you're my favorite Kap!" Just the best.<br />
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You will always be a mama's boy, but you are also a major daddy's buddy. I can't even explain how excited you get when he comes home in the evenings. You've become quite the little fisherman (even though daddy doesn't trust you enough with a real hook yet...) and will go on the boat any chance you get. You love going to the camp. You love riding in the Bronco. You love working in the yard. Pretty much anything you get to do with dad, you love.<br />
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Oh Kaplan...you talk alllll the time! The stories you tell and the details you notice... You have a great sense of humor, and we laugh with you all the time. You're animated and silly and mischievous. And we never know what you're going to say!<br />
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Music...you have been a dancing little sucker since you were in the womb! If you hear a good tune, no matter where you are, you start wiggling :) And you sing just about everything... your favorite bedtime song is "Take Me Out to the Ballgame", but you also love Amazing Grace, You are my Sunshine, and the Tech Alma Mater, haha... The theme song from "The Office" is another one of your favorites and we giggle every time you sing it. You recognize TobyMac and know almost every single one of his songs--"Til the Day I Die" is your favorite. And "Hills and Valleys", "Fix My Eyes", "God is on the Move", and "In the Eye of the Storm".</div>
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You know your alphabet, all of your colors, how to count to 20, and have an incredible memory. You throw everything. Everything. You love balls and trucks and the color blue the most. You potty trained this year like a champ. Your favorite foods are bananas and spaghetti--but you really just love to eat. And you have zero fear---you constantly have bruises and scratches and bumps (usually on your head...) Paw Patrol, Ninja Turtles, PJ Masks, and Mickey and the Roadster Racers are your favorite shows right now.<br />
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Playing outside is your favorite, especially in the sand or the dirt. But you are so much like your daddy...you love to play in the dirt, but once you're done (or realize that you're dirty), you freak out and have to wash your hands. You're not a neat eater, and you spaz out once you notice you've spilled or have any type of food on your hands... Mini-Hunter. <br />
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Arabella and Landry are your best friends. It is my absolute favorite to see all three of you together. You pester the mess out of them both, but you also protect them fiercely. You laugh and fight and imagine and play exactly like you should. It's beautiful.<br />
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You're such a fun little ball of energy and have added such spunk to our family! I never want to forget your grin and your giggle, your unbelievably sweet snuggles, your tender concern for other people. You'll always be our favorite Kap ;)<br />
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Your daddy and I will fight for you, protect you, teach you, and love you every single day of our lives. You will always be our precious, perfect son; our second baby; our beautiful, blessed gift.</div>
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Happy birthday, sweet boy! I love you more than you will ever know.</div>
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xoxo, mama</div>
<br />Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578122490513750828.post-36478426685711887932017-08-13T07:00:00.000-05:002017-08-13T14:00:07.789-05:00beyond this land of parting...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This life is hard. Plain and simple fact; difficult and confusing circumstances.</div>
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Losing someone in this life is never an easy thing to experience. But when the circumstances are grim and the life still had so much more to live...that is simply heartbreaking.</div>
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Anyone who has known me for longer than about 2.5 minutes knows that I have a strong love for teenagers. I'm the weird one who seriously loves the snark and the sass, the crazy range of emotions, the strong desire for independence forged with the strong desire to be taken care of; the awkwardness, the silliness, the whole shebang. I love them. </div>
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I always thought I would like the younger kids the most--both of my sisters are exceptional with young kids, and I always just figured I followed suit (nope...I would take 20 teenagers over 5 five year olds any day of the week). But when I student taught, they assigned me to 8th grade (much to my uncertainty)...and I loved it! I taught 8th grade for three years and loved {almost} every minute of it. I went back the next two years and taught remediation at the high school for 9th and 10th grade, and I loved it. But the work that has stirred my passion the most has been my role as "youth minister" to our teens for the past 8-9 years.</div>
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I counted last night, and I think we've had around 25 kids in our youth group during those years. And still to this day and for every day after, they will be my kids. We go through so much together--we've walked through celebrations and losses; laughed together more than I can measure, and cried together any time we've needed; we've prayed and learned and grown immensely; we've become family. </div>
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And this week that family suffered a huge hit. </div>
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Our sweet and precious JJ was lost this week. And it has been so, so hard.</div>
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JJ was always one of our quieter kids who took a little while to open up. But once he got comfortable, he fit right in with our crazy, quirky bunch and we welcomed him with open arms. One of my favorite memories to share with him was our communion during Encounter, a practice of <i>eucharisteo</i>, gratefulness. As we broke bread together, we went around the circle speaking aloud what we were grateful for in that moment. And JJ's response about burst my heart open...he was grateful for our group, for a place he fit in and felt loved... That dear ones is the meat of what the church is and my biggest hope for all of our kids who come our way. </div>
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I also got to stand beside his mama as we watched the beautiful transformation of his baptism. I got to hear the stories about his friends and provide encouragement about his struggles on rides home. I got to see this once shy boy bloom into the star of the camp skit, jumping around singing "JJ's a cow! JJ's a cow!" (an inside joke that will always stay close to my heart and make me smile). I got to laugh until I cried as I watched/made the teens play beanboozled--JJ ate every single one like a champ! (and then blew nasty skunk breath in my face and ran away giggling, haha). I got to see him grow up into an incredibly handsome young man with such a tender spirit and kind heart.</div>
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About two years ago, his family began to attend church somewhere else, so we didn't get to see each other as often as we had before. But just last month as I was visiting our group at Camp Red Oak Springs, I glanced around and a familiar face caught my eye. My JJ was there and I was SO excited to get to see him and hug his neck! He was so happy and talked to me about school and his plans to come back to Encounter next summer. He laughed when his friend asked if I was his mom (I used to be confused for a teenager...somehow very quickly, now I'm confused as the mom of a teenager! Gracious). We hugged and promised to keep in touch.</div>
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And this week, he's gone.</div>
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This world and this life are so very broken. We see evidence of that every single day in a myriad of ways. Some pain is visible and public and seen; and some pain are kept in the deepest parts of people's souls. You absolutely never know the weight every person you meet is carrying. And sadly, so many people carry their burdens alone.</div>
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In the middle of the heartbreak though, I am able to find the tiniest bit of hope...a feeling of trust. Because in the middle of this heartbreak and brokenness and suffering, my Jesus holds true. And in the midst of all of the brokenness, he is making all things new. All of creation is being redeemed. Restored to the glorious perfection of its Creator's intent. And when that work is completed, the heartbreak will be no more. The pain will be gone. The brokenness will be mended. And <b><i><u>all</u></i></b> <i>will be made new</i>.</div>
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So while this week has been terrible and I have cried multiple times, often without warning... While all I want to do is hold to my kids and never let go (my own kids and my youth group kids)... While my spirit wants to be afraid... I will still cling to hope.</div>
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Because our hope doesn't end with death. Jesus walked out of that tomb and he brought with him freedom, hope, grace, and life. He left death behind--the fear of it, the sting of it, the finality of it. And that is such a beautiful truth to dwell on, especially in times like these.</div>
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JJ, you will always hold a dear and special place in my heart and in my memories. I am beyond grateful for the time we were able to share, and I hope with all of my heart that you saw Jesus during your times with us. I will always have so many questions and so many what ifs and so many wishes...but I will also have the solid belief that we will reunite again in a renewed creation. I look forward to that day. You are so, so loved and incredibly missed.<br />
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love, angie</div>
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"Beyond this land of parting, losing, and leaving...</div>
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Far beyond the losses, darkening this...</div>
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And far beyond the taking and the bereaving...</div>
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Lies a summer land of bliss..."</div>
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<br />Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578122490513750828.post-25802627034914355242016-10-25T07:00:00.000-05:002016-10-25T07:00:11.509-05:00Dear Arabella,<div style="text-align: center;">
You, beautiful one, are FIVE years old!</div>
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I cannot even handle that number. FIVE. That means you're a full blown kid now...no more baby or toddler or preschooler. Holy Moly. </div>
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You are such a curious little girl, and your daddy and I love that. This past year, you have really started solving problems and finding other solutions if one doesn't work. Your vocabulary is crazy, and the words and sayings you spout off just blow us away! If we ask you how you know something, you usually respond with, "I don't know, I just know it!" (which is something Mimi and Papa heard a lot from me too...)</div>
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You also still love to be daddy's helper. Y'alls favorite thing to do is go fishing of course. Daddy got a new boat at the beginning of the year, and you two are always itching to take it out for the day! You've gotten to go "to the ocean" (the jetties) and catch some bigger fish--even a shark! You also help him build and work on the cars and fix anything that needs it. Not only do you help him, but he explains all the whats and whys and hows--you ask questions and soak every bit of it in. You love to learn!</div>
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You will sit at our desk and draw/color/write almost all day long. You love to make people cards and write notes. You know all of your letters and how to write them; and you're learning their sounds and how to spell and sound out some simple words! You've also started figuring out some simple addition and subtraction problems. Your little brain just never stops!</div>
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This year has been one for the books for you with cool trips! You got to go to your first concert (TobyMac--Air1 Tour) and were a pretty big fan! It overwhelmed you at first, but by the time he came out and sang, you were up singing along and loving ever minute. Then you also got to go to a For King and Country (your favorite) concert! You sang every single song at the top of your lungs...so much fun. We also got to go see Frozen on Ice! Then, Mimi and Papa took you and your cousins to Great Wolf Lodge on a "no parents allowed" trip--you felt so big and had the time of your life. And we also went to DisneyLand as a little family which was just amazing! Quite a big year for you and your memory bank, little one :)</div>
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You are still just kind-hearted and sweet. You are so tender when the moments warrant it, and will do just about anything you can to help anybody. You are grateful and you share and are amazingly unselfish for a wee one. You love people well, and I hope you never lose that.</div>
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Hearing you sing and pray is still one of my absolute favorites. You know just about every song that comes on Air1 and we sing to the radio every time we're in the car! Your favorites right now are anything by TobyMac (specifically "Til the Day I Die") and For King and Country (specifically "Fix My Eyes"), "The River", "Don't Leave Me Alone", "Eye of the Storm", and "God is on the Move".</div>
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You are also so brave. You've tried so many new things this year, including a zip line and roller coasters, water slides and gymnastics tricks (you take gymnastics twice a week and are in the advanced class!). You also love to catch and hold animals like frogs and lizards and butterflies and fish... It's always really neat to see you work through the process of being afraid and choosing to be brave and try something anyway--and the majority of the time, you end up loving whatever it was!</div>
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Costumes. We are still in the costume phase, hot and heavy! There aren't many days at all that go by without you spending some quality time in one of your costumes. You have almost all of the princesses as well as some Disney characters--and most of them have quite a few holes because of so much play time!</div>
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You and Kaplan are best friends. Now, in true older sibling fashion, you drive him absolutely crazy on purpose, and you boss him around like nobody else. But you adore each other. He follows you everywhere and copies everything you do--he looks up to you so much! I have loved watching your imaginations grow together and get to play.</div>
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I also know that you are going to be such a great big sister to Landry as well. It's been so fun with you through this pregnancy since you actually understand what's going on. </div>
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I am so excited and anxious to see how much more you grow and learn and change this next year. Your daddy and I are whole-heartedly obsessed with who you are and always will be. Keep enjoying life and finding giggles every single day. Arabella, you are our treasured gift, and I promise that we will always love you more than you will ever know.</div>
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Happy birthday, my love!</div>
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xoxo, mama</div>
Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578122490513750828.post-11824059801568508732016-10-20T07:00:00.000-05:002016-10-20T11:55:13.853-05:00Dear Kaplan,<div style="text-align: center;">
You, my handsome little hunk, are TWO years old!</div>
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I cannot believe how quickly time has gone by since you joined our little family. They say time flies when you're having fun--and you sir, have definitely increased our levels of fun!</div>
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You are still a pretty laid back kid, and you really only get super cranky when you're hungry. The struggle is real for you and those hungry grumps, dude.</div>
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My Kaplan, you are still our snuggle bug of a kid, and your daddy and I absolutely love it. You love to be held and snuggled and hugged. You are also quite attached to your blanket and love to cuddle up just about anywhere if you have it.</div>
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You're still a major mama's boy (which makes me a little nervous with your little brother coming next month...). However, you are also daddy's little buddy and Arabella is your best friend. You love to fish and ride in the Bronco and play ball and wrestle around with daddy. And you copy just about anything your big sister does or says (which isn't always a good thing!). Watching you two play together and seeing your imaginations in action is just the coolest. At random times, you'll run up to one of us and hug our legs and say "I luv chew"--just so sweet and melts all of us!</div>
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It has really amazed us how much you are talking! I call you my little mockingbird because you repeat just about everything you hear. For the past two months, you've been speaking in sentences and holding conversations. You're also very well mannered (please, thank you, excuse me, I'm sorry...just precious). You constantly surprise us with new words and phrases and just how well you communicate. You also know more animals and sounds than I can count anymore, are working on your colors (some days you get them all right, some days everything is blue), and know what a triangle is!</div>
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One of your favorite things to do is sing--which seems to be a family trait! You know Jesus Loves Me, You Are My Sunshine, Amazing Grace, and Father God (a few of our bed time songs); you also sing along to the radio, especially on Fix My Eyes, The River, Backseat Driver, Thy Will, and God is on the Move. It makes me SO happy to hear you and Arabella sing--especially all those Jesus songs!</div>
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You've also been going down front with Mr. Craig (for children's church) by yourself on Sunday mornings. You sit up there and pay attention and then come running back to mama and daddy when the bigger kids go to class (you usually run up and tell us, "I did good!" and give me a big hug...love it). This year, you get to start going to Bible Hour with Bella and the other kids. I know you'll love it! You also have a great time with your friends in your Bible classes.</div>
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You really like Barney and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse--you'll sit and watch them (and sing and dance to them) as long as I'll let you. Speaking of Mickey Mouse, you even got to go to DisneyLand this year! It was our first real family vacation and we had SO much fun! You loved the plane and the rides and seeing the characters (until they got too close). I know you won't remember the trip, but you were definitely old enough to have a great time--and I promise mama will remember for you :)</div>
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If you could stay outside all day every day, you would. You are "such a boy" in that you love to play in the dirt, make a mess, and run around like a crazy person. The problem with all of that is that while you love to get dirty, you still hate taking a bath... You're good to play in the tub, but when it's time to actually bathe, you scream the whole time, every single time. Still haven't figured out what that's all about...</div>
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Your giggle is so contagious and a sound I don't ever want to forget! You love to be silly and make funny faces; or for somebody to "get you" or tickle you; or if you sister starts laughing with you, you two can hardly stop and then we're all laughing for a long time! It's just great. </div>
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I'm so excited to see you become a big brother next month. I have no doubt, you and Arabella will teach Landry all of your tricks in no time. And I have no doubt that that little boy will be so loved and protected and cared for (and picked on and pushed around, of course--but only by you...) </div>
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You're just such a cool kid, and we are so grateful to have you as ours. You've added so much love and fun and weirdness and giggles and tenderness to our family. We hope you never lose your laid back way of handling life and loving people. </div>
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Your daddy and I will fight for you, protect you, teach you, and love you every single day of our lives. You will always be our precious, perfect son; our second baby; our beautiful, blessed gift.</div>
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Happy birthday, sweet boy! I love you more than you will ever know.</div>
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xoxo, mama</div>
<br />Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578122490513750828.post-39295998506159464502016-03-25T10:55:00.000-05:002016-03-25T10:55:40.313-05:00O, death, where is your sting?Last Friday, I sat through the funeral service of a great man. My husband's grandfather had fought a long battle with COPD and congestive heart failure, and his body was tired. The previous two weeks, we had all been together for most of it, caring for him and loving on him and each other. Those three weeks combined were and are a bit of a blur, but still very specific details stand out with such clarity. <br />
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Hunter and I started dating just shy of 13 years ago, and I have been through so much with his family. Since we were so young, our families actually helped raise each other as well. His grandparents have loved me so well since the very beginning. They offer wisdom, work ethic, perseverance, stability, and loyalty--all doused in a load of humor. Just really good people. <br />
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If this wasn't known already, it became very clear in the past few weeks. Their five grandsons rose to the hard task of taking care of him in his last days; helping him be comfortable, moving him, talking with him, and being his strength as his dwindled. It was also very clear as these five grandsons stood and bravely honored their PawPaw last week at his funeral service. Each of them spoke of what he had taught them, what memories he had created with them, what he had provided for this family. His reach on each of them was undeniable. They also served as his pall bearers, carrying his body to its final resting place. Nothing made PawPaw more happy or more proud than those boys.<br />
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A few moments from the service really stood out to me, aside from the boys' talks. <br />
--Kaplan loves to give fives, and it was always a way that he would interact with PawPaw (even with his oxygen on or in the hospital bed or if we hadn't seen him in a while...fives were always a sure fire connection). Hunter was carrying him around at the funeral home that morning and he was dishing out the fives. When they walked up to the casket, he still reached down and gave PawPaw a five.<br />
--my sister-in-law and I spent a lot of those weeks going through unbelievable amounts of pictures; I made a Shutterfly book and she made a video memorial for the service. Seeing those pictures and the life in them was just amazing. (Men--quit fussing about taking pictures! Future generations will love them.)<br />
--If PawPaw got dressed up, he wore a blue suit; he was also buried in a blue suit. So all the boys went out and bought blue blazers to wear to the service for him. They looked so nice and I know PawPaw would have loved it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PawPaw's boy dogs</td></tr>
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--We had congregational singing for the service and sang some of his and Grandmaw's favorites. That big booming bass line on the front row (the grandsons) was enough to give me grins and goosebumps. <br />
--Because PawPaw was a Marine, they were present for the graveside service. One played Taps, and two others folded and presented the flag to Grandmaw. Such an honor and tribute.<br />
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--When the pall bearers laid their boutonnieres on the casket, Hunter took Kaplan's off and handed it to him. Seeing his tiny little hand place that small flower on PawPaw's casket was almost more than I could handle. <br />
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It was a hard day. But it was a beautiful day. Dignified and honorable, with just enough humor to feel like PawPaw. <br />
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Have you ever stood beside someone as they die--particularly someone who is losing a long battle? I have, a few times now. While it may sound a bit morbid or creepy to some, there is actually a strange peace that overtakes the moment. There are tears, yes, and great, deep sadness. But underlying all of that is a very present peace. Their pain has stopped, their battle is done, the wait has ended. Peace.<br />
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And do you know the reason I have felt that peace? <i>Because of death. </i><br />
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This Friday that we celebrate as "Good Friday" was actually so very terrible in it's happening. It was cruel and bloody and loud and violent. The only innocent being to walk this earth was nailed to a tree in absolute hate. He gave his life's blood...for you and for me. What an incredible gift. <br />
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You know how a lot of people will pick a word to focus on through the year? Unfortunately, so far this year, death has chosen to be our word (believe me, it is not what I would ever choose). Starting in December, we've had so many deaths...and most of them have been tragic. It has been such a tough year--and it's only March... <br />
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But even amidst all of that pain and heartbreak and loss, an undeniable peace has been present for me. Because of that tragic yet beautiful death so many years ago that we commemorate today, "Good Friday".<br />
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So how does death bring peace and why is today good?<br />
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<i><b>Because three days later, he ROSE! </b></i><br />
Because that death <i>defeated all death</i>. Because that death <i>provides life eternal</i>. Because that death <i>paved the way for creation's restoration</i>. Because that death <i>allows all things to be made new</i>.<br />
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Because sometimes in the darkest places, Christ's beautiful grace shines brightest. <br />
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So today is good. And every day is good. Because we serve a risen Redeemer. O, death, where is your sting?<br />
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I pray you find comfort through your brokenness and hope in the Story.<br />
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xoxo, angieAngiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578122490513750828.post-12141286552039438302015-11-21T23:00:00.001-06:002015-11-21T23:00:38.954-06:00one hand and the other.Writing is my outlet. Sometimes I don't even know what the words of my heart are until I sit and write them down. This blog allows me to have that outlet when I need it...and tonight, I need it.<br />
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This year has been a bit bi-polar for me. <br />
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On one hand, it has been a beautiful adventure through new theology, ideology, and lenses; a new and fresh and bold grasp of Kingdom and Gospel and Church and Jesus; a constant hunger and excitement and need to ask more questions, read more information, and dive deeper. It truly has been amazing.<br />
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On that same hand, I've jumped head first into the world of parenting two children. Some things haven't changed very much at all and others are so very different...some of the difference are because there's two of them; some of them are because of their genders; some of them are because I also was parenting a threenager through this time. So much of the adventure with these two tiny humans has been so incredibly amazing and fun.<br />
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And yet on that same hand still, I've gotten to travel quite a bit. Small trips to familiar places mixed in with new cities and a few flights, all filled with some pretty cool memories.<br />
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However, that other cruel hand threw in some punches. <br />
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I try so very hard to keep my happy up, but this whole year it has been so very hard. It's so hard to complain when I really have nothing major to complain about. People receive devastating news, lose people they love, attempt to mend shattered families or accept the changes...really tough stuff every single minute of every single day. As a speaker once said, "sometimes Satan launches flaming arrows, while others are tiny pebbles..." I currently have no flaming arrows, and for that I am deeply grateful. But the pebbles have piled high.<br />
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These past two months with Hunter in a new job has been...trying at best. Without a doubt the hardest couple of years of marriage for us (you know since we've been married soooo long), but learning how to handle each other and how to function these past two months takes the cake. <br />
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This is also the loneliest I've ever felt in my entire life (which is irony of ironies since I pretty much am <i>never</i> alone--yay for mothering littles). It makes me want to hermit up even more than I have the tendency to do already which in turn leads to cabin fever (remember the littles) that makes me want to scream as loud as I can. I feel used up and useless all at the same time, like I am constantly doing but can never do enough. I feel disliked, excluded, and unimportant often. I feel incredibly numb and yet extremely raw, as if the two could coexist. And I cry. a lot.<br />
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And yet I cannot list to you what has led me to this state. The pebbles have just piled high. And the weight has found me. I just don't have the energy or the umph to fake it or push my way or sometimes even be nice.<br />
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You'll notice that most of those in the list are feelings. I know I am too emotional and a little crazy and all up in the feels. I desperately wish I had the ability like some people do (i.e. my husband) to just roll things off my shoulders or not be hurt or not <i>feel</i> everything. But with this, I have had no luck. <br />
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Sometimes life is just so mean. And exhausting. And so very hard. <br />
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Thankful this day for pajamas, comfort food, and God's never-ending grace.<br />
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"...my track record for getting through bad days so far is 100%..."Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578122490513750828.post-57028834143376380042015-10-25T06:00:00.000-05:002015-10-25T06:00:00.103-05:00Dear Arabella,<div style="text-align: center;">
You, precious little sweet, are FOUR years old!</div>
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This year has been so much fun because you have been learning so much. You have full conversations, your imagination is unbelievable, you reason through problems, you make and understand jokes, you ask questions, and have to know how everything works. It's truly been amazing to watch you develop!</div>
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However, this year also brought on the phase we deemed the "threenager"... Because you also learned to argue, to assert independence and your own opinion, to be stubborn, to have major melt downs and mood swings. In other words, you acted like a teenager in a three year old body! And oh, the level of interest that brought to this family dynamic.</div>
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Arabella, in the middle of all of that, you are still just as cute as they come. Not a single day goes by without your daddy and I telling you at least one how unbelievably beautiful you are. We just sit and stare often.</div>
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You are also so, so sweet. You want to share what you have with everyone you meet. If someone is upset, you want to make them smile. You give hugs and kisses just because you want to. You just love people so well.</div>
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Music is still one of your absolute favorites. You've learned the words and can carry the tunes to so many songs, and will do your best to sing along even if you don't know it. I just love hearing you sing in that sweet, high-pitched voice. </div>
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My favorite though is to hear you sing "Jesus songs" along with the radio. Your precious voice sings "Hosanna" and "There is Power in the Name of Jesus" and "10,000 Reasons"...But your favorite (and you know all the words!) is "Fix My Eyes"! We love to turn it up loud in the car and dance and sing it together! Instant mood lifter. Your prayers have also developed into well thought out dialogue based on what's actually going on in your own life--you always end with "make good choices" :)</div>
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You are such a good big sister to Kaplan! Granted you drag him around and take his toys, but that's what older siblings are for. You also make him laugh and feed him and take care of him. You two love to snuggle and wrestle and play. You both have absolute joy all over your faces when you see each other! You're favorite nickname for him is Kap and your name was his first word :)</div>
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Daddy's little helper is an understatement. He's had to work a lot this year, so your time with him has been extra special. Going fishing and riding in the Bronco are your absolute favorite! But you'll do just about anything as long as it's with him. </div>
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We have gotten to travel quite a bit this year and make so many memories. A few trips to Branson and Aunt Chelle's, two Major League baseball games, a huge pumpkin patch in Houston, several trips to Pineville with the Sassers, multiple zoos, and Lafayette for Disney on Ice just to name a few. You're not scared to try new things, go new places, or spend time away from mom and dad. Just so big.</div>
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You are a tad obsessed with costumes, my princess. Usually when you come out of your room in the mornings, you're already dressed up! Your favorites are Anna and Elsa, but you also love Sofia, Doc McStuffins, and Cinderella.</div>
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Arabella, you are quite possibly the most grateful child I have ever met. When you receive any gift, big or small, you are genuinely grateful. You say thank you over and over, give a super sweet hug, and sincerely appreciate the kindness. It's overwhelming and humbling. I pray you never lose that gift...true gratitude is the key to true joy. </div>
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You're learning how to write all of your letters and spell words and names. You're doing a great job and I still get so impressed each and every time you write something. Watching your little brain grow is just incredible!</div>
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I am so excited to see how much more you grow and learn and change this next year. Our relationship is so special to me, and I can only pray that I treat you with grace each day. Your daddy and I are whole-heartedly obsessed with who you are and always will be. Keep enjoying life and finding giggles every single day.<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Josefin Sans; font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Arabella, you are my treasured gift, and I promise that I will <i>always</i> love you more than you will ever know.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">Happy birthday, my love!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">xoxo, mama</span></span></div>
Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578122490513750828.post-69059149606923513982015-10-20T06:00:00.000-05:002015-10-20T09:25:11.954-05:00Dear Kaplan,<div style="text-align: center;">
My precious little hunky chunk--you are ONE year old! I cannot believe a whole year has passed since you rounded out our little family.</div>
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You were 9 pounds and 13 ounces of pure perfection (my doctor didn't believe me when I told him you were going to be a biggun...mama knows best). We were all three instantly in love with you.</div>
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You are so laid back and easy going. You've always been a good sleeper (hallelujah!) and you really only get upset when you're hungry. It took us a long time to get you to laugh out loud, because like your daddy and your Papa, you have a pretty serious looking "happy face".</div>
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My little Kaplan, you are such a snuggle bug. You love to be loved on and will snuggle in for a hug in the sweetest little way--you usually do this when I get you out of your bed and when I'm about to put you in your carseat (you know it's harder for me to put you down in that seat when you're loving on me!)</div>
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You have been a pretty big mama's boy since day one. Daddy was working so much for the first half of this year that it took you two a while to warm up to each other. But here in these last couple of months, you have become big time buds. Not to mention, you are such a mini-me of your daddy. You look exactly like him and share SO many of his personality traits. There has not been a single day go by that at least one person hasn't told me how much you look like your daddy or refers to you as "mini-Hunter". </div>
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And that sister of yours...you have loved each other every single second.</div>
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Speaking of Arabella, you are such a trooper. She tends to think of you as her favorite toy, dragging you around the house, dressing you up in all kinds of accessories, taking things away from you, laying on top of you...putting you through the ringer! You will fuss when you've had enough, but for the most part you just go with the flow and let her do her thing. Your eyes light up when you see her, especially first thing in the morning. Makes my mama heart melt.</div>
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As of now, you have 9 teeth and humongous gums with some more on the way. You are trying to toddle about (taking about 7-10 steps at a time); but you are such a quick crawler and you know that's still your fastest method of transportation, so it usually wins out. You can say Bella, mama, dad, wa-wa-wa (Juannie), look, hi/hey, and you shake your head no. And you've already had your first real haircut--not just a trim--because that beautiful hair you were born with got too long! You've also already been to six states and flown on a plane, you little traveler, you.</div>
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Our favorite nickname for you is "Flappin' Kaplan" because you flap your arms like a wild man all the time. It makes us laugh every single time! You also kick your right leg over and over, especially when you're excited.</div>
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You love singing (in church, when Juannie hits the high notes, you can't get over to her fast enough!) and will try to join in. You love to read books and are mesmerized by all the pictures. You love Bible class and are starting to participate and soak it all in. You love being outside and crawling around in the grass and swinging. If Bella or daddy goes outside without you, you pull the curtain on the back door aside and just watch and jabber until they come back in. And most of all, you love to eat. Your best friend is whoever has the food :)</div>
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You have mastered the game of peek a boo, from leaning around furniture or someone's shoulder to covering up with a blanket to popping up and down behind a church pew. So fun! And while we're talking about church pews...you are such the little escape artist! You crawl under the pews and through people's legs before we can even realize you're going. We've had to snatch you up halfway down the aisle several times...</div>
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Kaplan, your laugh is very contagious. It took us so long to get a real one...we cherish them so much! Your first belly laugh at something instead of from being tickled was of course at Arabella. I love how much you make each other laugh.</div>
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You are so incredibly curious. You have no fear and explore any new place. You climb and dig, open every cabinet you can reach, put every thing you touch in your mouth...I can't let you out of sight because I guarantee you're getting into something! I am constantly digging things out of your mouth. Keeps us on our toes. But goodness, you're cute.</div>
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Kaplan Paul, you have added a whole 'nother level of love to our family. It is so much fun to see little pieces of who we are come out in you. You are just such a cool kid. I hope you never lose your pleasant, laid back way of handling life. </div>
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Your daddy and I will fight for you, protect you, teach you, and love you every single day of our lives. You will always be our precious, perfect son; our second baby; our beautiful, blessed gift.</div>
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<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From here...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...to a year</span></div>
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Happy birthday, sweet boy! I love you more than you will ever know.</div>
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xoxo, mama</div>
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Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578122490513750828.post-47943365144899835482015-09-14T23:48:00.001-05:002015-09-14T23:48:00.956-05:00miss the messI just had one of those insane realizations of how quickly time passes as I went in to spy on my sleeping babes. They are so long when they're still, and it hit me full force tonight how big they have gotten. And plus, oh my stars, there is nothing more beautifully precious than a sleeping child. All the feels are workin tonight. <div><br></div><div>A dear friend and I were visiting at lunch yesterday, and I was lamenting about keeping my house clean, specifically the floors. And with a kid who puts every single thing into his mouth, the floors is the thing that needs to be cleaned the most! Anywho, this precious friend of mine just moved her youngest into the dorms a few weeks ago and has been living the empty nest for a while. Her very quick response to my grief (ok I was whining. Let's call a spade a spade.) was this...ya know, my house stays clean now, but oh how I miss the mess. And the reason for the mess. </div><div><br></div><div>I appreciated her words that afternoon, but tonight they were actually heard in my heart. </div><div><br></div><div>So my floors will stay filthy. And my car and my living room and my life will stay crowded with toys. And I will have silly dance parties and read the same book repeatedly and watch all the cartoons. I will let her help me cook and I will let him give me slobbery kisses. I won't stress when they spill or take all of the toys out of the bins or splash water out of the tub. </div><div><br></div><div>Because sooner than I can imagine, I'll be moving those sleeping souls into their own dorm rooms...and I'm going to miss the mess. </div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">xoxo, angie </span></div>Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578122490513750828.post-5167848027560976642015-09-06T21:34:00.000-05:002015-09-06T21:34:15.408-05:00Life-ismsMany, many thoughts go through my head every minute, and I plan for so many of them to make their way to this lovely blog-land. But lo and behold, that has not been happening. So here are some snippets of life here as of late...<br />
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1. I wore some grey linen pants yesterday and they just felt funny. Something didn't fit right, but I couldn't tell what was different about them from my other linen pants I wear pretty often. Until I took them off last night and saw "maternity" on the tag. That'll do it.<br />
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2. I'm going to the Air1 Positive Hits concert next Sunday night, and I'm pretty pumped! Our group will be comprised of an 18, 19, 20, 21, and 28 year old. I cannot guarantee that I will not pretend to be 22. Or 17. I mean that kind of pattern just needs to be continued. No need to be an outlier. <br />
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3. I just did a cartwheel for the first time in probably 12 years. I was strangely terrified, but I nailed it. And impressed my 30 year old and 3 year old. Boom.<br />
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4. We're starting the <a href="http://www.faithgateway.com/for-the-love-book-club-registration/" target="_blank">book club</a> next Tuesday on Jen Hatmaker's newest book <i>For the Love</i>. I read it in just a few days as soon as I got it, and I am so looking forward to giggling and learning life together with my girls in the comfort of my pjs. And Jen is my BFF (even though she isn't completely aware of that and we've only met briefly)...so spending four weeks with her (one night a week via live streaming, but who needs specifics) is making my heart flutter.<br />
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<i><b><u>--if you live near me and want to join in on this, please let me know! You are so very welcomed to join us...laid back and simply good--</u></b></i></div>
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5. My wee babe is teething mega bad. He's cranky--mind you, his version of cranky is still more pleasant than a lot of babies' norm, so I'll take it no problem--and his poor gums are so freakin' swollen. Four molars at the same time. Bless his beautiful heart. <br />
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6. Hunter slept in Bella's room Friday night (so they both went to bed at 9:30) and then they went out on the boat all day long Saturday. What did I decide was the best way to spend all of this "free" time? Watch approximately (or exactly) 14 episodes of <i>Grey's Anatomy</i>. And 4 more today. Lovely.<br />
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7. I finally got a meal plan done again and I feel so incredibly accomplished. We are eating good home-cookin' for the next three weeks for sure, and the brain power that goes into deciding what to cook was spent ahead of time. What a glorious tone that sets for my evening!<br />
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8. The amount of times I have to say "no" during the day in some form or fashion is just enough to make my eyes twitch. <br />
"No sir, don't open the entertainment center cabinets."<br />
"Bella, do not drag your brother across the floor."<br />
"Kaplan, do not put _________ in your mouth." (inserts electrical cord, grass, old food, dog food, etc...because he puts <i>everything </i>in his mouth.)<br />
"No you may not have candy for breakfast."<br />
"No sir. Don't bite."<br />
"Bella, quit laying on your brother."<br />
and it goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on............<br />
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9. I have been in a major purging mood since we found out we will be in this house for a few more years. And now that I have time to do it, things are leaving this house left and right. And we're rearranging to make it feel fresh and more workable for us. Absolutely love it.<br />
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10. I've been completely fine without cable for the past three months. But now my shows are all about to start back up and I'm getting the twitters...(Grey's Anatomy, The Blacklist, Fixer Upper, Dancing With the Stars). Not to mention football season. Oy. Deep breaths.<br />
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11. We were able to go to Austin and Kemah and Branson and Kansas City (twice) and St. Louis within a month's time. Such a blast to travel to so many places with all different combinations of people and make memories like nobody's business. But also so good to have some down time at home these next few weeks.<br />
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12. The "threenager" phase is about to be the death of someone in this family. The arguing and whining and melting down and sassing and crying and shouting and fighting and deliberately disobeying (definitely feel like Mufasa every time I bust out that line) is just enough to drive me to the brink of insanity. And then she smiles. Or snuggles in sweet. Or kisses me without being asked. Or tells me she loves me. And I melt. Thank God for those moments. And for wine. <br />
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To quote <a href="http://momastery.com/" target="_blank">Glennon</a>, because I love this term so much..."life is brutiful."</div>
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xoxo, angie</div>
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Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578122490513750828.post-19902491808048770482015-06-23T00:13:00.000-05:002015-06-25T11:48:40.136-05:00LYFTI just got back from a week long trip taking our kids to <a href="http://www.lcucamps.com/encounter" target="_blank">Encounter</a>, a church camp at Lubbock Christian University. And oh how it changed us.<br />
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I got a lot of questions and side eyes and disbelief at the fact that I was leaving my kids that long. I'll be the first to admit--it was a crazy long time. I dropped them off on a Saturday afternoon and didn't get the back until the next Sunday afternoon...8 nights, 9 days. <br />
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But I will also be the first to tell you that it was completely worth it. I love my babies with every ounce of my being and I missed them terribly. But my role as mama is not the only one my life fills, and it is not always the one that can receive all of me. Youth ministry reached into my heart and latched on tight--and doing Kingdom work alongside these people is another role that receives pretty high priority. <br />
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I am so grateful for our parents' willingness and ability to keep our kids while I was away. Knowing I did not have to worry about my flesh and blood kiddos allowed me to be there completely and fully for my blood bought kiddos all week. And I don't have a single trace of doubt that I was where I should have been. <br />
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This camp is an intense one. There is so much material covered between 15 interactive classes and 6 keynote lessons. Plus, we have the privilege of studying with two doctoral theologians and ambassadors for whom I have the utmost admiration and respect (thank you, thank you, thank you). <br />
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There's a lot of chance for youth group time and one on one discussion/counseling/mentoring. This was my third year to be able to take our group, and each year has been so different, but equally beautiful and filled to the brim with growth. <br />
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"Lyft" (picture the Y in that spelling as a person with their hands outstretched) was the theme this year, taken from Psalm 121:1-2, "I lift us my eyes to the hills--where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, maker of Heaven and Earth." The week centered around lifting our eyes and ourselves to our God, even in the middle of pain and brokenness and loneliness and fear...not that those things will not happen to us, nor will they go away, but that our God is bigger than all of that. And lifting to Him brings a peace that allows us to deal with our circumstances; it brings a willingness that allows us to see and love people; it brings a complete understanding and reminder that our life's focus should not be ourselves.<br />
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We brought 7 kids with us this year. Some of them don't have much going on right now. Some of them are yet to have anything major happen. And some of them are in the middle of walking through some really tough stuff. This week opened hearts, healed broken ones, released emotions, and forged relationships...<br />
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I was able to catch the tears of several of my kids, my heart breaking with theirs. <br />
I was able to give guidance in some ways, and simply offer a gentle presence in others. </div>
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I was able to pray directly over each of them. </div>
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I was able to laugh and share jokes and be silly and make memories. </div>
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I was able to still "be mama" and take care of them when they got sick.</div>
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I was able to experience Eucharisteo with each of them, giving thanks in the presence of our risen Jesus through the breaking of bread.</div>
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I was able to learn and study and have questions of my own answered.</div>
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I was able to worship unabashedly and fully present.</div>
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I was able to stand in the gap for my kids and their families.</div>
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I was able to spend the week with my best friend, growing in Spirit.</div>
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I was able to get to know them deeper and strengthen bonds.</div>
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I was able to listen. <br />
I was able to see.</div>
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I was able to feel and experience the movement of the Holy Spirit.</div>
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I was able to lift my eyes, my heart, my hands, my prayers, my attention, my focus, my life...</div>
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I was able to love on these kids (they'll never really know how much I love them).</div>
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Y'all are my people. And I'm so proud of that and grateful for that. </div>
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Thank you for letting this "old" gal be your friend. I love you!</div>
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xoxo, angie</div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Joy" --Rend Collective</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">We're choosing celebration</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Breaking into freedom</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You're the song</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You're the song</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
Of our hearts</div>
</span><br />
<div class="verse" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 16px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="verse" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 16px;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">We cast aside our shadows</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Trust You with our sorrows</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="verse" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 16px;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">You're the song</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You're the song</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Of our hearts</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<div class="verse" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 16px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="verse" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 16px;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">We're dancing to the rhythm of Your heart</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We're rising from the ashes to the stars</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="verse" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 16px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You're the joy joy joy lighting my soul</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The joy joy joy making me whole</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Though I'm broken, I am running</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Into Your arms of love</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="verse" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 16px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="verse" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 16px;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The pain will not define us</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Joy will reignite us</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You're the song</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You're the song</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
Of our hearts</div>
</span><br />
<div class="verse" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 16px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="verse" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 16px;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The dark is just a canvas</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">For Your grace and brightness</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You're the song</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You're the song</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
Of our hearts</div>
</span><br />
<div class="verse" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 16px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="verse" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 16px;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">We're dancing to the rhythm of Your heart</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We're rising from the ashes to the stars</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">
</span>
</span><br />
<div class="verse" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 16px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You're the joy joy joy lighting my soul</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The joy joy joy making me whole</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Though I'm broken, I am running</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Into Your arms of love</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
You're the joy</div>
</span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The song in my heart</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The hope of my soul</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<div class="verse" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">In the shadows</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the sorrows</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the desert</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When the pain hits</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
<div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: center;">
You are constant</div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: center;">
Ever-present</div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: center;">
You're the song of my heart</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></div>
</span><br />
<div class="verse" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 16px;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">You're the joy joy joy lighting my soul</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The joy joy joy making me whole</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Though I'm broken, I am running</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Into Your arms of love</span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
Into Your arms</div>
</span>Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172246049145888963noreply@blogger.com0