Thanksgiving

Kyle, Hardy, and I headed up to Memphis on Wednesday to spend Thanksgiving with his family. I always enjoy visiting the Coles because I find their home so relaxing. I curl up on their big comfy couch and can waste away the hours. Of course, not as many hours as I use to now that I have little Hardy! Kyle's family tradition is to have Thanksgiving lunch at Cracker Barrel. I found this rather amusing when they first told me years ago, but I have come to love this tradition. Nobody has to cook, the food is delicious, and it is tradition!  We also always wear pilgrim hats that Mrs. Cyndi makes for all of us, and every year a waitress will ask why we are wearing them. It is just good old fashion fun! Hope your Thanksgiving was filled with family and fun and that your tummy was filled with lots of turkey!

Hardy making his turkey handprint.

He looks a little nervous in this picture,

but by the fourth one he was loving the paint.

Good thing we took his shirt off!

Hardy's Turkey Handprint

to give to the grandparents

Passed out on the way to Memphis

Thrilled about his new kicks from CC!

He literally took off running right
after I took this picture.

Checking out the escalator

Oh what fun!

CC giving Hardy a snow globe
of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Hardy loved the snow globe!

Playing checkers with Grumps

Grumps, Alexis, and Hardy

Looks like these two were

playing a serious game of checkers!

Hardy and Grumps

CC, Grumps, and Hardy

Kyle's grandfather, Bull

Kyle, Me, and Hardy

Black Friday shopping with CC

Love those curls!

Hardy was just a bit excited

about chocolate milk!

Passed out after watching 

the Rebels beat State

Another Year to...

It truly is mind boggling to me how time can change everything. Just a few years ago, Kyle and I were celebrating Thanksgiving at the beach with my family and I was deeply struggling with the news we had received the day before. At that point in time, we had just learned that our journey with infertility was going to be much more complex than we had thought in the beginning. I was struggling so because a part of me wondered if I would ever be able to conceive and give birth to a child from my womb. This was the first time that the thought had really crossed my mind, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Even still I rejoiced that day amidst the pain I was feeling, because I knew God was writing our story and that he would be my strength along the way. 

Fast forward three years and my Thanksgiving morning looks quite different! I am still watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, but I have this sweet precious boy sitting beside me and I have a healthy baby girl growing in my womb. God certainly has blessed us with more than we could have ever imagined! Although the journey of infertility was incredibly painful, I give much thanks to the Lord for allowing this trial in our lives because it greatly transformed our hearts and our relationship with Him. For those of you who may still be walking down that hard road, please know that I often pray for you. I completely understand the emotions you are experiencing and if you ever want to talk I am always available. 

In light of today, I decided to make a brief list of why I am giving thanks in 2012!

1. My Family: I am so thankful for my family of three and that the Lord  has chosen to expand us to a family of four! I am still shocked that we are expecting a baby girl, and I a beyond grateful for this precious life that He is creating. I am thankful that the Lord has chosen me to shepherd these two children and I pray that one day He calls each of them to faith in Him. 

2. Our Church: Kyle and I have been so blessed by our church this year. We are thankful to have a pastor that faithfully preaches the Word every week and challenges us to really go deeper in our faith. We are also so blessed to have a church where so many families have become like family to us. We cherish these people and our relationships with them. 

3. Our Daily Bread: Day in and day out, the Lord consistently provides to meet all of our needs. We are thankful to have a roof over our heads, running water, food in the fridge, and two cars in the driveway. In an economy that is very unstable, the Lord has remained faithful in meeting our needs. Our salary is 100% funded by the giving of others, and the Lord has faithfully provided for our ministry partners so that we could remain on staff with CRU at Ole Miss. We can say with full confidence that the Lord has been faithful to give us our daily bread and for that we give thanks.

4. My Salvation: I often feel like Paul when he said, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst." I am a sinner through and through, and I am thankful that thirteen years ago the Lord revealed to me my desperate need for a Savior. I am thankful that Christ bore the wrath of God and took on all my sin so that I could be rescued from the domain of darkness and brought into the kingdom of His beloved Son. Oh how He loves us!

5. Our Ministry: I am now in my 9th year on staff with CRU, and I am very thankful that the Lord called Kyle and I to serve Him in this way. My "job" is to share the gospel with the lost at Ole Miss, shepherd those who are of faith in Christ, and send them out into the world. I often find that in doing so, the Lord not only works in the student's life, but He also does a great work in my life too. I say of my staff team and the students I disciple, "as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Turkey Cookies

I love celebrating a holiday by making a special treat to enjoy! Even before I had a child, I borrowed a co-worker's kids to make these fun witch cookies one Halloween. Holiday treats are just something I have always loved. When I stumbled upon these turkey cookies on Pinterest I had to make them. I knew they were more for my enjoyment than Hardy's, but he did enjoy every bite of his cookie. Now these little turkeys were not easy breezy at all. Two cookies in I had already made up my mind that a dozen was going to be it for this baker. They did turn out super cute though and may end up being a Thanksgiving tradition for the Coles!

Gobble Gobble!

Click here for the link to the 

recipe and instructions. 

17 MONTHS

17 Month Stats

Weight: 22 lbs. 

Height: 32 inches

Diaper Size: Size 4

Clothes Size: Size 12-18 Months 
and 18-24 Months. It just depends
 on the brand. He needs 18-24 months
for length, but then we have to roll the 
waist band because he is so skinny.

What Hardy Likes: Hardy got a 
Crazy Coupe from CC and he loves
it! He loves to ride to the park
behind our neighborhood, play,
and then ride back home. 

What Hardy Dislikes: Food!
I know I say this all the time,
but Hardy really is so picky.
He eats like a bird!
Best Moment of the Month:

Visiting his cousins in Georgia
for a few days! He is really 
beginning to enjoy playing 
with them which makes our 
visits so much fun! 

17 Month Highlights:

Some of your new words 

from this month: truck, button,

snack, football, bug, broke,

out, fork, shoes.

You started calling Poppa 

by his name this month.

You pronounce his name

"boppa", and it is so sweet!

You say "Nemmy" when

you are calling Emmy.

I never had to teach you to sign

thank you, because you started 

saying it so early. It has become 

much clearer and sounds like "tank tu."

You can crawl up and down

the stairs all by yourself.

It still makes Mama and Dada

very nervous though!

You are getting pretty good

at feeding yourself with a fork.

You moved up to a booster

seat this month. I think you were

pretty happy to say bye bye 

to the high chair.

When we ask you if you want

get a bath, you run to the tub.

It may be your favorite thing to do!

You now sign please for when 

you want something. If you really

want it, you will use both hands

and rub really fast. It is too funny!

You love The Wheels on the Bus

video on YouTube and you will

watch it over and over.

You also love the Ten Little Indians

video and when watching it

you make an Indian sound.

You can point to your eyes now

and you call them "ise".
When we ask you what the 
sheep says, you say "baa."
You love to be tickled and
you love to swing upside down.
Both of these things make
you laugh so hard.
You want to do everything
by yourself. Your independence
is coming out strong.
You must have Bobo
for a nap and he pretty
much goes everywhere you go.
Your are still obsessed with 
Baby Einstein's First Words book
and you now point to some of the
pictures when we ask you 
where something is on the page.
My new favorite thing from 
this month is when we say 
touchdown, you throw your hands
up in the air just like the officials.
 It is the cutest thing ever!

This sure was a big month for 
you Hardy! You are learning so much 
and so quickly! It is hard for us to believe 
that you are already 17 months! 

You are becoming a big

boy way too fast, but we love

watching your personality develop.

You sure are one fun little boy

and we love you to pieces!

26 WEEKS: Baby Girl

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 26 Weeks

Size of Baby: Baby Girl is the size of an

English Hothouse Cucumber (length)

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 21 lbs.
It is so crazy that I have gained the
exact same weight that I did with Hardy.

Maternity Clothes: I am really loving
all the colored denim this go round.
What a nice addition!

Gender: G-I-R-L

Movement: This little girl seems

to be more active than her brother.

Every time I get still she starts kicking.
Kyle got to feel her kick for the first 
time a few weeks ago and it was so exciting!

Sleep: Not so great, but once you 
have children do you ever really sleep good
again?!? Maybe when they go to college!

What I Miss: Just being smaller. Carrying
around all that extra weight especially 
when it is centrally located starts to 
take its toll after a while. 

Cravings: Oreos and Milk
I have definitely had my fair share 
of double stuff over the past few weeks!

Symptoms: Heartburn and it is terrible!
Already back on the prescription 
meds just like I was with Hardy.

Best Moment of the Week: We had a great doctor's

appointment on Monday! Our baby girl is 
very healthy which is big blessing! 

Hardy Moments in October

Wow! October was one busy month! I kind of got carried away with the pictures in this post, but it was so hard to pick and choose. It seems like Hardy does something new every day, and I just have to share all of it with you! Hardy is such a happy little guy, and it definitely shows in these pictures. He is often smiling or laughing, and occasionally gives us a mischievous grin or smirk. One thing you might notice is Hardy is starting to show some "I'm gonna do it my way" in his personality. My favorite picture from this month is the one of Hardy in the bathtub with his clothes on. Kyle was letting the water warm up and went to grab Hardy's pajamas. When he came back Hardy was already in the tub still fully clothed! Hardy sure does give us some good laughs! 

Happy to be outside

and playing in the yard

One of the most accurate pictures 

of Hardy's daily life. Sitting in his chair,

eating a snack, watching a movie, 

and Emmy waiting for a crum to drop.

CC got Hardy a Crazy Coupe

this month. He is lovin his new ride!

"I don't think I want to do that."

Getting so big!
 Love him when he is sleeping.

He loves running up and 

down the ramp at Phillips Grocery

Watching the Cardinals with Dada

Just couldn't wait to get in the bathtub

Reading his favorite book with Mama

Oops! Got his foot stuck!

Not sure who was having more 

fun here! They were both all

smiles the entire time!

Dane and Hardy

I love this picture!

Afternoon at the park

Practicing his swing...

maybe a future with the Cardinals

He may be a clean freak like his Mama

Hardy and Etta Kate 

Running through the leaves

He is definitely a climber

Snuggling with Bobo

Coach Hardy

Somehow he managed to take his 

shirt off during his nap

Molly Kate and Hardy...

looks like a serious convo to me!

Sweet cousins...Hardy and Madden

Look at that grin!

Miles and Hardy

Early Christmas gift from the Cuthbertsons

So excited about our Advent Calendar!