This week...a good week

So, don't have much time and I am not posting pictures(although I have some really cute videos of Parker to post...that is never a success though). This week is a week I have been looking forward to for quite sometime. First of all, let me say that Free Chapel had their last preview service yesterday before the launch. We made some changes(switched auditoriums, split up nursery and preschool, etc.) and it was a success!! Although it took longer to set up...everything was much smoother. Well..for the children's ministry, preschool and nursery. That is what I am involved in and what my world is surrounded by on Sunday mornings...so I am pretty clued out on the other stuff(like the main service..ha ha). Yay for a great LAST preview service. TODAY until Saturday 50,000 phone calls are being made to people who live in the area advertising Free Chapel. AND then we have to do follow up calls for the people who said they are interested. So please pray for a great response. THEN 50,000 postcards advertising Free Chapel will be mailed out soon. We are excited, busy, and pumped up about Sept. 14th! Pray, pray, pray for us!
Ok, what this blog was really meant for: my week. :) Wednesday is the "big" doctor's appointment day. We get to find out what we are having. Now, I know that we pretty much already know. But, on Wednesday it will be official(that it is a boy...I won't know what to do if they say it is a girl...don't worry...it is a boy). I actually like already knowing because I don't feel so intense and anxious...just excited and looking forward to Derek and Parker(not that he knows) getting to see Micah swiming around in there. Derek hasn't seen him yet. Plus, I want to celebrate by getting Micah(he needs NO clothes...and pretty much nothing at all) and Parker a special treat. The other thing we are all looking forward to is Derek's family is coming into town on Thursday for the weekend. Mama Lynn, Papa K, Papa, Papa, Mama Rose, Lindsey, and Justin. That is going to be great and so much fun! THEN Sam's birthday party at a water park in Round Rock is on Monday. We have a funfilled week ahead of us and we are all super excited!!!! I am sure I will have PLENTY of pictures next week to post from this week.

What is going on today?

Today is a good day! Reasons why: #1 and the best reason why today is a good day is because my beautiful mom had her LAST surgery today and it went well. Praise the Lord she is done with satan and his schemes and will never have to deal with any of this again! The recovery process is supposed to take 6 weeks but we are believing for a speedy recovery that will not take that long. It is hard, I will say, since I am not there. My sister is there, for which, I am so happy about. But last time my mom had surgery I was there every second of every day of recovery for her. I did everything for her and I hate that I can't be there now. But, I know that she is in good hands and God will take care of her.
#2 I cleaned my WHOLE house! Do you know what kind of accomplishment that is for me? Not normally(when I am not preggo), but since I have been pregnant mixed with living somewhere that is incredibly too small for our family I have struggled with cleaning my house. Like, really cleaning it. I pick up but I don't clean it. We don't live in something that is not sanitary(I would never let it get that bad), but normally my house is spic and span! I do, however, remember when I was pregnant with Parker that my house looked the worst it had ever looked. I can't feel that bad!
#3 my son is hilarious! He makes Derek and I laugh all the time. He is being so fun, funny, and enjoyable right now. I mean, I always enjoy being around him...but right now he is just downright hilarious. He rocks back and forth when hears music and claps his hands and dances. Derek and I dance so funny and he will try to do what we do. He is saying so much, such as; bus, cat, bat, ball, juice, momma, daddy, papa, fish, no no, yes, and Jax(my favorite right now). He tries to say almost everything we ask him to say. I can ask him to go get a ball or his "love"(his lamb lovie)or go put the wipes up and he will do all of them. I love this stage! He laughs really hard at me and Derek and thinks we are so funny. He is so entertained even if it is just his toys, the same ones he plays with all the time.
#4 I have felt Micah move...but lately I am feeling him kick. Which is so wonderful! And as I was typing this blog I felt a clear kick!! Yay...this is a wonderful stage of pregnancy(with the exception that I just look fat). I feel great and normal...and I get to feel the baby move. I am a cheesy preggo woman and I am not afraid to admit it. I love it!
Okkk...no pics for today...just words. Sorry! I have some that I will post later. I haven't downloaded them yet.
Peace...

A really sad evening...

Tonight was a sad night. Derek and were at Baskin Robbins with Parker enjoying some ice cream and quality family time since Derek has been so busy this week. And my sister calls me. Ashley's next door neighbor whom she is close to, lost her 9 year old daughter to a drowning accident today. Haprit(the mom) is Indian and doesn't know how to swim. Her daughter did not know how to swim either. They were at the lake, where they go often, and Haprit did not know about the drop off in the water. She tried to jump in and save her daughter but she couldn't. She started drowning too. No one was there. They airlifted her to the hospital but she was already gone before they even left the lake. Please pray for Haprit(not sure if that is how you spell her name). Please pray for her husband Jay and their son Avtar(sp?). I truely believe that Symaran(sp?) is in heaven. But Haprit and Jay need your prayers. Avtar does not understand what is going on at all. He thinks his sister is still in the hospital. My heart is broken for this family more than you could know. And what is worse is that my sister is in Birmingham visiting my mom and dad. I think she is coming back tomorrow to be at the funeral on Sunday.
My sister-in-law and I went to their house tonight...shortly after we found out. Haprit and Jay's Indian friends were there doing a prayer/chant and all of their heads were covered and shoes off. I am not sure what they were doing but like I said please pray for them. Thanks...

Different Days

Random Title huh? I didn't know what to put...and when I have different pictures up of different things sometimes I really don't know what to title this entry. So, different days is perfect! Because these pictures were taken at different times on different days.
Last Saturday Derek and Wade did not have a job. Can you believe it? Last week, actually was not so busy. BUT this week is definitely making up for it. Derek is out of town right now to Dallas on a move that he has to stay overnight for. And Wade drove 23 hours to New Orleans and back for a 45 minute unload on Monday. Crazy huh? Saturday was so much fun. We decided to go to Zilker park with Wade, Kimberly and the boys. Jax LOVES trains and as I have mentioned before Zilker has the cutest train that you can ride for soooo cheap. And there is a play ground there and a natural springs that people swim in. Derek has never been before so we packed up a cooler and headed that way. It was hot and packed! But we had a great time! The boys almost fell asleep on the train ride because it is so nice and relaxing! After we got home from the park and took naps Derek and I took Parker to the pool. We were only there for 45 minutes but it was great. Then we went to dinner. It is not very often where Derek is home all day. Even on Sundays we have church and then he usually goes into work for something.

Parker swinging at Zilker Park.

Lawson swinging. Sweet!



Parker in his bathing suit. This bathing suit is a little too big, but the other one is too tight on his belly(I think). I love how this bathing suit goes down to his ankles. Ha ha!

Playing with his train that he loves.

I bought Parker new bedding for his bed last week!!! We are going to put Parker in his big boy bed in December. He will be 20 months old. We are doing this because #1 I am NOT buying another crib for such a short period of time. #2 We will be moving(hopefully) in January and I don't want to introduce him to a new bed and new house at the same time and #3 because Micah will be coming at the beginning of Feb. at the latest...so he needs the crib. Anyways, I actually had queen size bedding on the twin bed in his room and it was not for a little boy at all. This bedding was on sale at Target and I loved it! We bought this bed before we left B'ham for a great deal at a garage sale specifically for Parker. Yay!


Taking a bath. I need to cut his hair in the back...it is getting too long. Derek loves it! :) I do too...just not when I can put it in a ponytail practically.

What a Blessing!

We got a new car!! I can't even begin to describe to you how thankful we are for having people in our lives who are so wonderful and giving. Some very wonderful people gave us the money for this car and we are so thankful!! As most of you know, my brother Wade totaled our car in May. It wasn't his fault but we were down to one car. We have been down to one car for almost three months now. Thank goodness Kimberly and Wade practically live next door because Derek has been able to ride with Wade to work every day.
Anyways, God is so great!! I love being able to look back at situations and see God's hand at work even though you didn't see it at the time. Derek found this Passot voltswagan on craiglists two nights ago. He immediatly called the seller because it was an unbelievable deal and he thought it might be a scam. Derek ended up going to look at the car that night around 9pm. He couldn't believe it!! It was in great condition and had all these wondeful upgrades. AND it was perfect for me to drive with having Parker and soon to be Micah. The guy was getting TONS of phone calls that night about the car but told Derek he would hold it for us until 12:30 noon the next day. We just believed that if it wasn't God's will that the guy wouldn't hold it for us(we have had that happen to us before). Anyways, the guy held it for us and now I have a new car!!!!!!! I love everything about it! It has actually been lowered(which totally cracks me up!) which makes it look way nicer with the rims. All I can say is that God is so faithful and sooooo great! He will provide for you even if it looks like there is no way!! I pray, pray, pray that God blesses these people 100 fold for what they have blessed us with! Thank you!

Here is our little guy...Yup, I said "guy"

Here is the story...
I went in for a sonogram(not routine...but even LONGER story...nothing wrong with the baby) last week. I was a little over 12 weeks at the time. When I went in the room I asked the lady if she could ever tell what the baby was at this stage in the game. And she said that sometimes she could. A few minutes later...LOW AND BEHOLD there it was! What we were looking for...a boy part! Ha! She showed it to me and it looked just like what I saw when we found out Parker was a boy. Afterwards the nurse told me that the sonogram lady never predicts unless she is almost sure of what it is. And she has only been wrong once recently. She even typed it on my chart that it is a male. I will find out for sure on August 27th. But, I already know that it is a boy!!! And if I come back in 3 weeks and tell you it is a girl, you won't be nearly as shocked as I will be. I know what I saw! We are so excited! This will make grandSON #8 in the family(all 7 and under when we have him). Somebody has got to have a girl!!! We are pretty sure his name will be Micah. We tossed around Brody, Chase, and Micah. But Micah is Derek's favorite and last night I asked him what this baby's name is and he said Micah. We are so excited for him to come...we just have quite a while! Why am I finding everything out so early??? :)

Here is our sweet little Micah. He was snoozing away when I got the sonogram. We started poking at him on my belly to get him to move. Derek wasn't even there, but he will be there when we make it official in three weeks.

Summer Days

Summer days in Austin are HOT. So far, what I have experienced and heard is that the weather is great from March until May...then is ridiculously hot...then from about September until December it is wonderful. I am waiting for that "wonderful weather" that everyone talks about, because right now, it is not so wonderful. Granted, Ashley and Kimberly tell me that it is not as hot as I think it is and that I think this way because I am preggo. Maybe so. Parker still takes two naps a day, and right now he LOVES to play with his toys. We are home a lot. And I enjoy it. Right now, with it being so hot, at home he mainly wears a t-shirt and diaper.

This picture I took this morning. He laughs and smiles so big when I get the camera out.

Here he is looking for the yard man. He heard the leaf blower guy and was looking everywhere for him. So, he plopped down on our stairs(with camera case around his neck..a "toy" that he loves) and picked up the blinds so he could find him. Soooo cute!

Happy 5th Birthday Blake!

Blake turned 5 on July 29th! I can't believe it! He is going to be in Kindergarten this year. I know I sound like his mom, but I remember when he was born and getting the phone call that he was here. I remember Derek and I making the trip to Florida just to see him and feeling like I already had my own kids when I was holding him and Derek was holding Tyler while posing for a picture. Blake is so sweet, active, adventurous, and whitty. I love this boy!

Gray and Parker...Best buds. They crack me up because they make eachother laugh all the time. It is like, they have their inside jokes that no one else knows about. I love it!

Gray Gray

Blake showing off his golf pose. He had a golf party this year. Ashley did a great job decorating and Jeremy did great with the invites.

Tyler doing his golf pose.

Sam...YES...that is Sam...doing his golf pose. Sam got a hair cut! So long bowl cut and hello big boy hair cut. He looks so cute, but it makes me sad because he is no longer a baby.

Parker hanging out at the party.

The four self boys posing for a picture. Blake, Sam, Tyler, Gray.

This is what happens when Mom goes out with the girls...

Last week one of Kimberly and Ashley's good friend from college came into town. So, we decided to have a girl's night out with her. We went shopping and ate downtown. It was great! On our way home(around 8:30) I called Derek to tell him we were heading that way and I hear PARKER talking in the background. I am pretty strict about Parker's nap times, but for some reason bedtime is not as strict. When I say that, I mean, he goes to bed between 7:00-8:00. Usually no later than that, but we don't put him down right at 7 if he isn't acting tired. (Some would say I was still strict...ha ha). Derek explained to me that he tried laying Parker down twice, but Parker kept throwing everything out of his crib and then would scream. Thank goodness this is the first time we have dealt with him throwing things out of his crib. Anyways, Derek said he was going 90 to nothing and was so happy. I asked Derek to keep him up until I got home.
When I got home I put Parker to bed and pointed to his stuff on the floor and said "no no". He then went to sleep. What I am trying to get at are these pictures below. Derek sat me down and said "do you want to know what Parker and I did after I got him up for the second time?". And he showed me these pictures!! YUP! Why not just give a child powdered donuts and chocolate milk at a late hour(for Parker)?? I laughed! This is why Parker gets so excited when Dad is home.



Oh yeah...Parker was also just in his diaper. No pjs...no t-shirt...just diaper.

Dressed to Impress

Here is Parker right before we headed to church(I think). I thought he looked so cute with his white shoes and boyish one piece.



On Derek and my date night we ran by the mall and picked up Parker some converse. I love these shoes! They are too big right now(converse run big just in case anyone needed to know), but I still put them on him. He loves them too. He dances around in the kitchen when I put them on him and if I take them off, he wants me to put them back on. :)

Loving me some Fruity Pebbles!

On this day...I gave Parker some fruity pebbles to eat for breakfast. He loved them! Obviously, I gave him dry fruity pebbles(no milk). They were a mess! They were sticking to EVERYTHING including his face. So cute!! BTW, these were the days of being in my first trimester...so I didn't make him sit in his highchair for breakfast because I didn't feel like sitting there with him. Ha!



Here is Gray and Parker at a carnival a local church put on. It was HUGE! And tons of people were there. Parker had cotton candy and popcorn. Yum!

"HHHHHotttt"

"HHHHottt!" Ha ha! That word makes me laugh. So, as I posted early last week sometime...or this week...I don't remember. Parker has starting saying words for us when we ask him to. It is so cute. He says "baby" a lot now. Anyways, he now says "hot". But it is almost a whisper with an exaggeration on the "HHHH" part. It is so cute. Well, I never really knew if he knew what "hot" meant. You know...not to touch something because it is hot. Frankly, I did not want him to know because he had experience the true meaning of a hot pan, stove, etc. Today, at Chick-fa-la my sister gave Parker a french fry. When he went to pick it up he immediatly put it back down and said "hhhott!". AND IT WAS HOT! I was so proud! I told my sister, sister-in-law, then Derek. As of if my sister and sister-in-law didn't have any children. Ha! He is so smart and is making laugh all the time. He also loves to drink out of Derek and my drink all the time now. He knows how to drink out of straws so when he sees that we have something he wants it. Although, sometimes, it can get a little annoying because he will go "uh, uh, uh, uh" until you give it to him...it really is so funny to see him drinking like a big boy.
Also, just to fill you in on baby in the belly. I can feel this baby already! I know that most of you reading this will think I am CRAZY! I would think that to if I read on someone's blog that they could feel their baby at 12 weeks. I really would! BUT, I PROMISE you that I feel this baby almost every day. Not all the time during the day. At first, I thought I was crazy too...so I ignored it to be something else. But, now, as often as I have felt it. I decided that I might seem crazy, but I feel it. And I am very happy about that. Or should I be concerned?? Does that mean my baby is BIG?? Or VERY active... UH OH! :)

What a weekend!!!

This weekend has been crazy! If any of you believe in spiritual warfare(I do) then you will know that is what we have been going through. Here is a little peek into what I mean. We, currently, are having 1 preview service a month for Free Chapel. A preview service is when we we set up and tear down everything just like it will be when we launch the church. We invite people to the preview service for two reasons. To get to know Christ and to invite them to be on our launch team. Derek loads and unloads the truck and he is the sound guy. I am the children's pastor. Derek gets there at 6:30am and I get there at 7:30am and we are done around 11:30am. We meet in a movie theater. The preview service in May was horrible! Not because of the service, but because Derek, Wade, and I all came down with the stomach virus that same weekend. Luckily it was on Friday night...so by Sunday we were pretty good. Then the Tuesday following that service Wade totaled our Honda Accord. Everyone was OK but not our car. Since then we have only had one car. Then Ashley and Jeremy had a flat tire on the way to a launch team meeting and the list goes on. Well...this weekend was also a preview service. Once again, I came down with the stomach virus(Haven't had the stomach bug in years!). This time, though, it was Saturday evening. I couldn't go to church on Sunday. I sent Derek and Parker. My sister calls me and says that Parker has thrown up. Parker got the virus. Ugh! THEN, on top of all that, Derek and Wade had to fly out to Colorado for a move about 1 1/2 hours after he got home from church. So, here I am sick, taking care of my sick child. To find out the next day that my brother(Wade) and my nephew have the same virus. Yup! That is spiritual warfare. And I think it has to do with Free Chapel and SquareCow Moovers. God has something HUGE for both things and satan is fighting pretty hard to not make it happen. But, I am so thankful that we have victory in God!!
I know that was long. But, I did want to tell you a little about Parker. He is so sweet and so funny! Right now, he is so easy. He walks everywhere. Is saying words and doing what I ask him(which I love!). I love to be able to say stand up in the bathtub so I can bathe him and he does it! Or go get your lovie and he goes and gets it. Today, I put him in bed with me at 7:30ish and I showed him my belly and said "Baby" and he pointed to it and said "Baby". I was so proud! I have had him do it a million times today. And then his Aunt Kimberly asked him where the baby was and he grabbed his belly. Ha ha! He has also started saying "yes" when I ask him things. It isn't as clear as "yes" it is more like "yea". He is so wonderful and at a really fun stage. It is amazing how much he has changed in two months! He is about to be 15 months old. I can't believe it! He loves, loves, loves, music. I am excited to be able to say that he is going to have a baby brother or baby sister. I should find out the last week of August. Woo Hoo! I am doing great(besides the whole stomach bug thing). I think I am FINALLY over "morning sickness". I will be 12 weeks on Saturday...so I will be done with my first trimester. Kind of weird because that means I only have two more to go!!! The pictures I posted are pictures that Kellen Coldiron took of Parker about a month ago. I love them and cannot wait to frame them. I probably won't frame them until I move into a new house(because we have no room here). Kellen is a great photographer if you are looking for some great pics of your family! I wanted a cute outfit and a cool outfit look. Well, after putting the white shoes on Parker it quickly turned the "cool" look to "cute". I LOVE the pictures of his shoes...just because those shoes are so classic. My brother had some when he was little and I will never stop buying them for my boys. Enjoy!

Sorry Free Chapel

If any of you went to the Free Chapel link I have to the right of my blog...I am SO sorry! I accidentally posted the wrong site and the one I posted was a really negative site bashing a different church called Free Chapel that is in Florida. A friend brought this to my attention so I immediatly fixed my mistake. Sorry Jeremy!!!
Just to let you all know, I am due Feb. 7th. I thought it was the 8th. But, after going to the doctor I was one day off. I am going back to the doctor on Wednesday. My pregnancy e-mail says the baby looks a lot like a baby now instead of ya know...and bean. :) But, unfortunately, I am still feeling morning(afternoon) sickness. Which did not happen with Parker this late in the game. I am officially 10 weeks. Thats all! My camera has been M.I.A. for the last three weeks, but I have it back now. Hopefully I can post some pictures soon. BYE!

Our newest addition

Hello! I haven't blogged in a LONG time! Well...Parker and I have been in B'ham, AL for a week and we just got back on Wednesday. My parents flew back with us...so we have been busy doing family stuff since we returned. Birmingham was great! I ate TONS of food because all of my favorite resturants are there and trust me I realized how much I ate after I went for my first doctors appointment on Thursday. Boo!! Anyways, I was able to hang out with all my good friends in Birmingham and Parker was so spoiled by Mama Don and Papa. It was so much fun!!!
Yup...I went to a new doctor for the first time since I had Parker. SCARY! Really, as ridiculous as that sounds it really was kind of frightening. Tim Stone is who delivered Parker and he was great. Plus, my parents have known him for forever and my brother is good friends with him. Which makes it a little easier knowing that someone you trust is delivering your baby. But, coming here...knowing no one at first makes it a little scary finding a new doctor. I really wanted to use a male doctor and here in Austin there a lot of females and not many males. To make a long story short(ha) I was referred to the #1 OBGYN in Austin(literally). He has 7 male OB's in his practice and his office is at the hospital. He is so busy that my first visit I had to see a nurse practitioner. I wasn't fond of the idea but she was great!!! Plus, she informed me that Dr. Seeker(my doctor) LOVES sonograms so I get one at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks, 24 weeks, and 36 weeks! WOO HOO! PLUS the best part of it all is that I get to find out if this little person inside me is a boy or girl at 16 weeks!!! That is HUGE! I for sure thought it would be later than that. I am really excited and truly feel like God placed me with Dr. Seeker and his staff. I have really smooth pregnancies...but still I want someone great just because it is my baby.
So, I AM pregnant. Ha! And the baby looks wonderful and healthy. His/Her heartbeat is beating really strong. He/She wiggled while I was watching the sonogram. So sweet! I have to go back in two weeks for something that doesn't affect the baby at all...but Dr. Seeker wants to check me. Yay! God is soo good! Here is my scan of my sonogram. It is tiny and I don't know how to make it big. This is the first time I used my scanner. I will figure it out later.