Coop and other life ramblings...

Can't forget...

How Coop always picks me (or any other lady in his life) a beautiful flower (a Zexemenia to be exact!) before he gets in the car. He gets so excited and gives it away with the biggest smile on his face. Makes this mama heart swell.

How he calls his panda a "momay" and his paci a "popeye" I know that time is a thief and before we know it he will be big and spouting out all the words. He also has two favorite TV shows - "Momo"=Little Baby Bum and "Bo Bo Bo"=Bob The Builder. It's Coop's little language and we of course think it's ADORABLE. Ha!

His birthday came and went but we had a tractor theme birthday with the sweetest, most beautiful cookies by his Nana. This boy had lots of people at his party and even though it's a little crazy and it's such a sweet reminder how many people love our boy and pray for him as he grows.

His favorite words this week are "wrong way!" and "NOOO!" *insert mom eye roll*. Raising kiddos is like a never ending circle of grace - grace extended to grace received. Nothing better than living that out day in and day out as I love my boys and grow in my own life and relationship with Him.

Our new church, The Trails, has officially been planted and Jarratt and I served in Kids on the first official Sunday last week. We had 2nd-4th grade = 37 kids. It was crazy and mostly awesome. We are really excited to be a part of this church as they plant and grow and love on Celina and the people here that we love and cherish so so much. It's so comforting to be stepping out of our comfort zones a tad but so confident that God has us exactly where he had planned all along.

The past 10 days or so have been extremely tough at work but praying that God has control over the situation and guides us and keeps us. Praying that we are listening to Him and for his direction. Also praying for sunshine and good weather so we can sell some plants!( BUT REALLY - we are praying!!)

Thankful for our families and friends that help carry our load with life gets crazy and so thankful for Jarratt and Coop that are my reminder when life gets crazy that also life is a gift and they are God's daily gift to me. I am so thankful.

7.25.18

This is my new official spot for remembering :)

Is it weird that Jarratt and I think it's adorable that Cooper calls his paci a "popeye" and his beloved Ikea Panda stuffed animal  a "momay" not mama but momay. What can I say, we are first time parents are 100% believe he hung the moon!

Beginning of April I left my job after 7 years at Glazer's to start working for Shades of Green. Still doing a little PT from home work for Glazer's and enjoying it but man I have been loving working at SOG more than I ever thought. Some might say it's insane to work with your dad and husband and share an "office" but I have to say that most of the time it's FUN. We get to brainstorm, give feedback, go to lunch together, dream about the future of a business we will get to own. The shine may wear off (and trust me, it's had it's moments) but for now, it's FUN so I will enjoy that too it's fullest.

Recently (by recently I mean unofficially since September) we have been trying for baby #2. It's had it's up and downs and moments of why not now and why not on my timeline but what I want to remember about this season is that feeling of truly trusting the Lord. And knowing that He has me and my family of three in His perfect plan. When I think of times that are a "measure" for my life and my walk with the Lord, it is times when I am truly (forced) to trust him and His plan that I so desire for my life. And even though it can be tough, I am so thankful for this season. I'm putting this here because this is something I absolutely want to remember and to be reminded in future seasons of life how true this felt for me to hear and know deep in my heart.

Coop is 2 in a little less than 2 weeks - he's super silly, loves life really BIG, happy go-lucky and we love him so much. He likes to scream at the top of his lungs (makes me crazy) loves his choo-choos, loves riding on tractors and gators, and loves all things paw-paw (tractors, hay bales, cows). His birthday theme will be tractors and can't think of anything more fitting for our boy.

Thankful for my life and hope I always remember that.

I'm back...

I have finally decided I must put my memories and thoughts somewhere because my brain is already not holding up it's end of the deal and I'm only 31. Hence, dusting off this ol blog...

Our Boy Coop is almost 2! Right now he loves all things tractors, trucks, and "outside"...some of his favorite words are "ohhhh, wooooow" (while holding his precious hands up to his cheeks), "uh oh", mama, dada, nana/nene, pawpaw, pop, mimi, etc etc. And he especially likes to say all his peoples names on repeat - IT'S ADORABLE! He is learning his colors (red, bue (blue), wewoohh (yellow)) and he is attempting to learn how to hold up "2"

Things he does (that I don't want to forget) - loves putting his fingers in his hears and giggling (???), loves driving down the rock road to paw paw's house, loves saying "Daisy, no, no, no", likes to swim and jump into the pool.

He's rarely into TV but seems to like Bob the Builder, he loves when music comes on to sway his hands in the air and sometimes clap "relatively on beat". His favorite books are his Thomas the Train book, his farm book with the Tractor and Haybales, Vroom Vroom and Little Blue Truck Leads the Way - notice a theme?? :)

He is truly our greatest joy and he makes us so incredibly happy to be his parents. He teaches us to enjoy life, be silly and to explore!

just another manic monday.

just a few words of encouragement this monday morning brought to you be the world wide web. whoop.








these little words leaving me with a pep in my step on. a. monday. who knew that was possible?!

one day.

I don't even know what the inside looks like but i can guarantee you just from this little peek of a picture, this is my dream house, folks. I mean the mismatched chairs, long outdoor dining table, beeautiful plants, the bohemian vibes. Swooooon.

it's about time.

 

so, i just realized i haven't blogged in plus or minus 87 days. i would say that is pathetic but i'm fine with it. i do this thing where i write and rewrite blogs in my head but then never bring myself to spend the time or energy putting them in this little space. which is ultimately fine BUT takes away from the purpose for why i started this little thing in the first place. i know i have a bad memory so this is my place for remembering...

the past few months have been a bit crazy for my world. summed up in a short(ish) story i had 3 surgeries from july to december. amidst those surgeries, my dad got diagnosed with prostate cancer and also had a pretty severe stroke. to say that we have spent many days at the doctors office and in hospitals might be an understatement.

but when i look back on those days, and surgeries and the unknown i have to say that i am very grateful to be on this side of it all. because at least for today i can say that i am healthy, my dad is healthy, the rest of my family and friends are healthy and that is more than enough to be grateful for.

and i think through the past 6 months or so i really have learned what it is to trust God. you see, i thought i knew, but he brought it onto a whole new level for me. for the first time, i was the one in the waiting room, putting my trust in doctors i didn't know, in surgeries that weren't all that common, being patient with tests and scans. and ultimately it was a good season for me in my life....bc the lord said, this is the road you are up against, and if you don't trust me, it's not going to be easy.

i guess i am getting ahead of myself though...before my first surgery i had serious anxiety about the surgery that was coming, and let me tell you, my wonderful roommates and family really showed me unconditional love through that time because if i am very honest i was scared out of my mind and this "idea" of trusting in His plan was far from my mind and heart. listening to different type of cancers be thrown around in doctors offices and really just the unknown was almost too much for me to handle. but these wonderful people god puts in my life, they just loved me and comforted me and mostly reminded me that all of this was not in my control. and let me tell you, for the time being i needed that told to me a lot. so thank you again, (you know who you are). at this time when fear was just creeping up it was a "put your money where your mouth is moment." what i mean by that is, i have a god who loves me and takes on the burdens of this world for me, so why was i letting the fear and anxiety take over my life?

it's not that i even have an answer to that question but luckily after the first surgery came and went i had a renewed feeling of peace. that whatever direction all of this was going to go i KNEW and TRUSTED that there was a god who loved me and would protect me in all of this. that he would protect my family and friends and just everyone who was with me through this process. and when i look back on all of that it's so simple for me to see that he protected me. he guided me through the next 2 surgeries and amidst all the odds and horrible side effects, he protected me.

if i will take away anything from this period in life it would just be that it is easy to say you will trust god through the good, bad and ugly. and when i was actually put in that situation, it wasn't easy. but he fought for me and took away fears and uncertainties and i just feel like i do have a little bit of a new outlook on some things in life because of this. seeing god use tough situations (as well as all the good ones) in my life as teaching and growing opportunities is wonderful...i mean for me, that is what life is about.

this is a verse that has really stuck with me the past couple months and that i have referenced and read more times than i can count but it really is a wonderful reminder that i love so much...

“We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, character produces hope, and our hope does not disappoint us because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.”

so through the good, the bad, the ups and downs, i will rejoice.

2 in one day, watch out.

some things i put on here more to document for my life. things i want to remember later or come across when i am reading through old blog posts, blah, blah, you know.

and i came across this today when i was catching up on my google reader aka "not wanting to work" and it just speaks so much truth into my life and into my friends. i think seeing it put this simply was just a breath of fresh air for me and a reminder that "hey, that is exactly the reason why my friends are my friends." sharing the same truth can get you through anything in life. breakups, sucky days, sickness, fights, etc, etc, etc.  and obviously all of the good things that life brings as well.

seeing the same truth and sharing it. so simple, i just love that.