Somebody Found Their Thumb!

This is actually last week's news...but it's so darn cute I have to post it!

(she's intently watching the Purdue game here...)

My other "new" favorite thing is how she rubs her eyes when she's tired...probably a lot of new favorite things on the way in the next few weeks...months...years...

Hope that Does Not Disappoint

This is quite possibly the most inspirational and touching story I have followed in a long while.  It's the story of Ryan and Kim Mayeda.  I know Ryan and Kim through my sister and brother-in-law.  I learned how deep the hurts of this world can be through Ryan and Kim.  About a year and a half ago, they gave birth to their miracle baby, Kyla, who came after years of fertility treatments and trying to start a family.  Only six days later, they said goodbye to her on this side of heaven.  I remember getting a phone call from my sister asking me to pray because Kyla wasn't breathing on her own when she was born.  The next six days, I prayed for healing, I experienced one of the most vivid visions I have ever had from the Lord.  I was certain that the Lord was going to heal her precious body and bring hope and life to so many surrounding the circumstance.  So when Kyla entered into the arms of Jesus, I questioned how this could happen.  I still do not have the answers to that question.  As if that were not enough, when Ryan and Kim pursued adoption in the months after Kyla's short life, they experienced more hurt as two adoptions were disrupted.  Again, I questioned.  If I, only tangentially related to their story, questioned - it blows my mind to think of what the Mayedas went through over the past 18 months.

I can't honestly say how I would have responded and reacted.  I would like to say I would come out worshipping on the other side - but now that I'm a mother myself, I don't know.  It's the most difficult realization to come to, that your children are truly the Lord's and you are merely entrusted with their care this side of eternity.

In an effort to create a lasting legacy for their sweet daughter, Kyla, Ryan and Kim have started a foundation - Kids for Kyla.  To kick off the foundation, Ryan ran 200 miles across Colorado in 3 days.  Just thinking about running 200 miles makes me tired...but 200 miles in 3 days makes me want to curl up on the couch and eat Oreos while watching a Gilmore Girls marathon.  Over the past three days as he ran, I have been glued to Facebook/Twitter (see posts from his journey here) - watching his updates as he crossed the state.  Seeing posts of prayer requests for injuries and posts of pure joy in finishing.

This is one of my favorite pictures posted through the weekend.  Because it reminds me of the promise God has given us.  

Even through hurting times, the promise remains.

Ryan and Kim, through this weekend you have begun to answer those questions I have had over the past 18 months.  Watching you lean on your Beloved through this wilderness has inspired me to trust Him more.  As I followed Ryan running across Colorado, I realized that his race is much like life.  It's hard and it doesn't always go as planned.  We get hurt, we experience turmoil through life's hills and joys through life's companions.  Sometimes we just need to be carried.  But through it all, when we persevere, the Lord truly rewards our persistence.  Paul teaches about perseverance in Romans.  He tells us that through suffering we learn to persevere, and that perseverance brings about character, which brings about hope.  Watching your run, Ryan, I learned that hope often comes at the risk and hand of suffering.  Much like Christ, who suffered to bring us hope.  A hope that does not disappoint, and a hope that allows us to leave this life with questions.

Ryan's run (and Kim's administration of it!) showed me hope.  Hope of taking a heart-wrenching story and giving it a purpose on this side of heaven.  Hope of helping children find their forever families.  Hope of couples standing with full arms.  Hope that does not disappoint.

Their story gives me a new way to look at my day and my life.  I've learned that when you partner with God and concentrate on making yourself happy at a deep level, you benefit others too.  When you see a person living inspired, don't you start wondering how to be inspired yourself?  Ryan and Kim's story gives life a whole new perspective.  It teaches you to see the positive in your life right now.  When you actively work on your own happiness and role in this world, alongside your God-given dreams and visions, people will remember you as one who led a good life, and will use you as an example.  By fulfilling your own dreams you have not only taken - you have given back.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.  And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)

Celebrating Miss Amber

Today was Amber's (Evelyn's nanny) birthday, so we took Evelyn over to her house for a party complete with 25 cakes (for her 25 years) and yummy fajitas!  I've been wanting to get a picture of the two of them since Amber started watching Evelyn, so here it is!

Happy Birthday, Amber!  

Our family is incredibly blessed by you - we enjoyed celebrating you and meeting your family and friends!

Boiler Up!

Evelyn is experiencing her first Boilermaker football game (it hasn't been much of a game thus far, however!).  Here's our little Boilermaker in the making!

Getting ready for the game!

This kid seriously loves watching football!  When it's on, she will sit and just stare at the TV.  She is definitely my daughter!  She's also a fan of her Bumbo seat - she has reached the stage where laying is no longer fun, she wants to sit (or stand).  In the day and a half I've had it out, she's loved it!  It sure makes it easier to play with her since she's happy because she's sitting, but I can actually see her face instead of sitting her propped up in front of me.  

Watching the action!

 Watching the game with Daddy!

And...Evelyn got mentioned by the official Purdue Sports twitter - she's practically famous!

Watch out for the twitterazzi!

click photo to enlarge

Sneak Peek

I went back to work two weeks ago (boo!)...which explains my lack of blogging!  I'll get back into the swing of things soon!  We had 3 month pictures of Evelyn taken a couple of weeks ago, and our photographer (who is awesome!) came back tonight to re-shoot family pictures because the ones she got didn't turn out like she hoped.  I'll post more later this weekend...but here's a sneak peek!

Henry + Evelyn

Evelyn's future husband was born today!!  Henry and Evelyn had their first date back in April when Henry's Mommy, Emily, came to visit.  They went to a Tim McGraw concert, spent a day on the beach, cried through a movie together...it was basically love at first sight (through their mother's bellies, of course!).

Here's the handsome little man...

And the card Evelyn sent her boyfriend today...

In all seriousness, though, there's something even more special about your best friends having babies after you have had one of your own.  I have never been so sad to live so far away from her (stupid Texas), and I can't believe I won't get to meet this little guy until November!  Katie...at least it will just be a few weeks before I'll get to meet yours! :-)  How fun that we all have 2011 babies, neatly spaced 3 months apart!

Congratulations Jason & Emily!!  He is precious, and we can't wait to meet him in November!

Are You Ready for Some Football?

...because I am!!!

Play Date with Gwen

This morning Evelyn had a play date with her friend, Gwen.  Gwen is the beautiful daughter of Aaron and Hollie, friends from our church, and is just 16 days younger than Evelyn.  Hollie and I enjoyed being pregnant together, and I know the girls will enjoy growing up together.  Here are some pictures of their fun (crazy times being almost 3 months old!).

I love Gwen's face in this picture!

 Beautiful girls!

 Gwen's big brother, Sam, doesn't know what to do with TWO baby girls in the house!

 For a second, they were holding hands here...so sweet!

B.F.F.

We're Real Texans Now

Dan done caught hisself a 'possum!

Over the last few weeks/months, Dan has noticed some odd droppings in our back yard.  He also noticed one of our fence panels had been gnawed on the bottom.  We have 2 little rat dogs that live in our neighborhood, so he thought maybe one of them was trying to bite through the fence and get in.  When my Dad was here after Evelyn was born, the two of them fixed the fence, but the droppings still remained.  We finally came to the conclusion that we might have an opossum visiting us at night.

After talking with multiple friends we figured out that we had a few options:

1. Shoot the sucker.  Then dispose of it on your own.
2. Buy some concentrated fox urine (really? who sells this?! - hunting stores apparently).  This keeps the opossum away because they smell the "predator".
3. Rent a trap from animal control and let them take care of it.

Since we are Rocky Mountain/Midwest implants into South Texas, we don't own cowboys boots, an F-150, or a shotgun, so we opted for option 3.

Last night, we loaded up the car and found the Corpus Christi Animal Care Center.  I thought Evelyn and I would go along for the ride to get out of the house for a bit.  Being the Mom of the Year that I am, I left her diaper bag at home thinking, "this should be quick"...so of course she thought it was a good time to manage a blowout.  

Evelyn and I waited patiently in the car thinking this would take 5 minutes or so (remember, the poor girl is sitting in poop - and screaming).  After signing his life away, and apparently taking a class on how to trap an opossum, Dan emerged 20 minutes later with his newly rented 'possum trap.

Once we got home (and poop changed), Dan set out to find the perfect place to set up the trap.  Here he's indicating where he usually sees the droppings when mowing.

Here he is setting up the trap like a pro (since he took the class).  He ended up switching the location 2-3 more times as the evening pressed on as he mulled over the best way to catch the little rodent.

And...success.  We caught one on the first night!  He looks so little and sad.  Gross little disease carrying, nasty varmint that he is.

Breaking News (as I write this blog!):  When Dan picked up the trap yesterday, they told him that he could call back and they would come dispose of it.  However after calling and asking them to come pick it up (which they confirmed they would), they called back 10 minutes later and told me they don't pick up opossums anymore (as of August 1, 2011).  Welcome to South Texas...  Looks like I'm going to have to learn how to shoot a 'possum!

Notes:

• There wasn't really a class...it just took WAY longer than it should for him to get the trap from the animal people.
• I have now put emergency diapers in both cars for when I think we don't need a diaper bag!

(to be continued...)

Look What I Did Today!!

Mommy was trying to get some pictures of me while I was playing on my tummy today.

I was sitting like this...

...and I thought I'd surprise her and do this...

I actually surprised myself a little bit, too!  Of course, when Mommy got out that video camera to tape it, I decided I was done and wanted to just be on my back to play.  But I rolled over from my tummy to my back today!  (all by myself!)