Last Day of Summer & Apple Streusel Bars

I can't believe the summer has come to an end for us!  It has been unusually cool for Oklahoma, and we  just had to spend our last day of summer outside this morning!

Love my happy and carefree girls.  

Although there can be a LOT of fighting, pulling of hair and gnashing of teeth in our house...these girls truly do love and care for one another!  It's such a beautiful thing to watch them grow up together.  

I also have to share this recipe.  I have been craving apple pie, apple crisp and apple oatmeal lately.  These are wonderful.  They have a wonderful, flaky, pastry-like crust and a nice crumble topping.  I did make a few changes to the recipe which I will post in italics!  I hope y'all have a wonderful rest of your summer!

Apple Streusel Bars

Our Best Bites

Sweet Pastry:

2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, softened

1 egg, beaten

Apple Filling:

1/2 cup sugar (i used 1/4)

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon (i used 2 teaspoons)

4 cups sliced, peeled apples (i used gala and fuji)

Glaze: (i cut the glaze recipe in half)

2 cups powdered sugar

3 Tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon almond extract (i used vanilla)

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a 9x13 baking dish (i used a 9x9 to have thicker bars...just increased baking time by about 10 minutes).

For the crust mix the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl.  Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two knives until you have pea-sized crumbles.  Stir in the beaten egg.  Gently press about 2/3 of the mixture onto the bottom of the dish.

To prepare the filling toss the apples with the sugar, flour and cinnamon.  Spread over the crust.

Sprinkle the remaining pastry mixture over the apples and bake for 40 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned.

Allow to cool completely and prepare the glaze.  Whisk the powdered sugar, milk and extract until blended.  Drizzle over the bars and allow the glaze to set.

ENJOY!!!

"half-baked"

Well we made it to the HALFWAY mark!  Every time I feel our sweet baby kick, I smile.  Which is a great thing....the last couple weeks have been a little rocky around here for me physically.  I have also really struggled with worry, fear and discouragement.   God is good ALL the time, and I can definitely say that I have been worse.  I'm really trying to enjoy this last pregnancy, soak in all the happy times, and trust in God to take care of my family.  God has reminded me over and over again how blessed we are.  How He always takes care of His children, and that HIS plans are best.  Those little kicks are a constant reminder to me of how amazing He is. 

"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." 

Isaiah 26:3

I have my "big" ultrasound in two weeks....I can't wait to see our little guy in detail!  Of course I will update with pictures!!!

We are excited about preparing for our sweet little boy. Here is a little collage of a few of my favorite things....

My Girls // Summer is hard.  It's hot, we are bored, and I can only do so much physically.  Sometimes I feel guilty that I can't be "super mom" (or even normal mom) to them, but they know that I love them and that's what matters!  I have watched them adapt, and learn to play together.  Brooke is the Mommy, Lauren is the Daddy and Lily is the Baby.  And it's a HOOT.  Whenever the twins see me in pain or sick, they come and put their hand on my belly and tell me they love me.  It just doesn't get any better than that.  

Ralph Lauren // I love when my girls wear their clothes, but I have always gazed longingly into the baby boy section at the store.  It's just my favorite...there was a GREAT sale at the outlet in Texas and I just couldn't resist this cute polo.

Target // I have some pretty sweet friends that are throwing me a little baby shower.  I feel so honored and blessed.  I know this is my FOURTH baby after all.  :)  I registered for a few things at target, and received a great goodie bag with free products and coupons!!!

Boots //  Who knew the North Face made infant booties???  I just couldn't resist...

Diapers // I decided to order some diapers from The Honest Company.  They are plant based, non toxic disposable diapers AND they come in the cutest patterns! I used a 40% off coupon on my first "bundle" and then cancelled my subscription after I received my first shipment.  I'm excited to try them out!

Baby Steals // I'm not sure if any of you sign up to receive alerts from Baby Steals or not, but I LOVE their deals!  They have deals on great products like Aden + Anais, Petunia Pickle Bottom and Ergo!

***name update - we are still debating - this baby will have a name, even if it's after he arrives!***

It's a BOY!!!!

We found out Friday afternoon that baby #4 is a BOY!  I'm still in a little bit of unbelief.  I mean, we had plans for a girl.  Her name would be Charlotte (we would call her Charlie), her hair would probably be red, and her room would be decorated in gold & coral.  :)  Everyone who knows me, knows I have always wanted boys.  God gave us three girls, and that is now my comfort zone.  I was sure #4 was a girl, but I am so elated that it's a boy!  I know that a mother/son relationship is so special and I can't wait to experience it!

Here's my sweet baby boy sucking his thumb.  He did this throughout the entire ultrasound.  When they turned on the 4D, he looked like a miniature Landon.  The twins were playing on the floor oblivious, but Brooke watched the entire time in awe of this little baby moving around the screen.  I can't wait to see their faces when they meet their baby brother.  

A few ways this pregnancy has been completely different:

*The cravings in the first trimester.  I didn't eat much, but when I did all I wanted to eat was meat, chips and biscuits and gravy.  I had to stop myself from driving to McDonalds everyday to get sausage and gravy biscuits.  I'm not a huge meat eater, so I'm thankful those cravings have ended!  

*I am not nearly as sick as with the other two pregnancies.  I'm so thankful as I have 3 girls to take care of!  I found out that the extreme pain I was having is my gull bladder.  If I am very careful what I eat, I can avoid the problems there.

*I felt the baby at 14 weeks.  That is SO early for me!  I love having the constant company though - it's always so reassuring to me to feel those little kicks and bumps!

Such a sweet little face!  I'm so thankful for this blessing that God has given us.  Every little milestone is still so exciting to me - I can actually enjoy them even more this time since I'm not in/out of the hospital and on bed rest!  Our family is complete with two very handsome bookends! I know he will be just like his daddy!

I also want to thank everyone for all your emails, congrats, posts on facebook and especially your PRAYERS. They are very much appreciated!!!

Pregnancy Update (almost) 17 weeks!

Here's the latest "bump" photo.  The ruffles really help disguise my in-between belly.  I may/may not have worn that shirt 3 times last week.  Thursday will bring week 17 AND a Doctor's appointment.  I'm excited/anxious to see if Dr. Baab will be able to tell us the gender!  I'm hoping that baby will cooperate!  Brooke has officially decided that she wants a baby brother.  Of course, that could change tomorrow.  Either way, the girls are going to be the sweetest big sisters to this little one!

A few funny things....

Brooke keeps asking when my belly will get bigger.  She told me... "Are you sure there is a baby in there?  Because it doesn't look like it."  Oh honey - it will get bigger soon enough....

Sunday at church I started getting cramps/stomach pains.  I think a huge contributor was the fact that I stuffed myself into a pair of "normal" pants, and really should stop denying the fact that I need to wear maternity pants.  Sigh.

Sweet Lily, when she sees me sick or in pain, she asks me "Is your baby hurting?".  It's just the cutest thing.

A few not so funny things...

The last week has been a rough one for my physically.  Whenever I start to get discouraged, I try to remember that I've been worse.   I started feeling a lot of pressure/sharp pains/chest pains over the last couple days.  Monday was a very hard day for me, but I did NOT want to miss VBS.  I called my doctor, and they wanted me to come in to do labs the next morning, so I just kept trucking along.  The kids in our group at VBS have stolen my heart....so I forced myself to get to church.  We went to the church dinner, and as soon as we got to our station to receive our group, I started having trouble breathing.  I told Landon I had to go to the emergency room and make sure that everything was okay.  Thankfully, the hospital is just a mile away....I drove myself there so Landon could stay and work.  

They did an ultrasound first and thankfully baby was doing GREAT and bouncing around!!!

All the labs came back great as well, so I felt so silly thinking there was something seriously wrong.  Slightly dehydrated, but other than that everything looked great.  Better safe than sorry, right?  I know I need to slow down a little and take it easy.  

I have been so blessed this pregnancy.  I don't feel great, but like I said I have been so much worse.  In comparison, God has been so good to allow me to feel well enough to take care of my family!

.  

Lily & Lauren turn THREE!

These two turned THREE Monday.  I can still remember every detail the morning I met Lily and Lauren.  They were each their own little person, yet so much alike....

Lily was born first.  She was the smaller, more active twin.  She is still exactly the same...she will most definitely be our sporty girl.  She is shy, sensitive, soft spoken, sweet and loves to touch.  

Lauren came out a minute later.  She was always the twin I had to poke to get a response while she was in my belly.  She is still that way...pretty laid back most of the time.  She is a girly girl, and is Brooke's biggest fan.  She is sweet, sassy, loud, sensitive, dramatic and loves to give hugs.  

It's been such fun watching these two grow up together.  They are no longer babies, but now growing into little ladies.  I love to watch them interact with each other - there is such a special bond between them!  

I'm so thankful God chose me to be there Mom.  God has taught me so much through each one of my children.  These two have taught me how to laugh and enjoy these little years.  

Baby Talk - 14 Week Update

I still laugh out loud when I think about April 1, 2013.  What an epic day.  We found out we were pregnant with Baby #4.  Between a trip to Destin, baby appointments, Brooke graduating from preschool, and keeping up with three cuties, the last couple months have just flown by! 

I'm so glad I took this picture.  Don't mistake Landon's expression as anger - more like utter shock.  Kind of like when I called the Dr's office and asked if three pregnancy tests could be a false positive.  And checked the directions on each test to make sure I read the results right.  TOO.  FUNNY.

Here is a progression of our little baby.  It's amazing to see how much he/she grows every couple weeks.  I cry every time.  It's always a reminder of how amazing God is to create this life within me!  

Here are a few questions I get asked a lot...

"Was this planned???"

Well, it was not in OUR plan, but most definitely in God's plan.  There were many fears that still linger in my mind, but I have to trust that God is going to take care of our family and our sweet baby!

"How are you feeling???"

I'm also thankful for the encouragement and support system I have from family and friends.  My last two pregnancies were pretty hard.  For those who witnessed my pregnancy with twins were especially concerned when they found out I was pregnant.  I have to stay on top of taking my medication around the clock, and watch the foods that I eat. Thankfully, this pregnancy is better so far!

"So are you hoping for a boy???" 

We are hoping for a healthy baby.  I don't have a  strong"feeling" about the baby's gender, but I lean more towards a girl when people ask.  I know we will be equally excited when we find out (hopefully soon!) though!  So far, we have a girl name that we love, and I already have the nursery planned for a girl.  We can't agree on a boy name, and I just don't have any boy design ideas in mind.  lol.  

"Are the girls excited???"

They sure are!  The girls are always talking about the baby.  We have gotten just a few baby essentials, and wrapped them up for the baby.  We plan to let the girls open all the gifts when we get closer to time...they are so excited. They already have the seating arrangement perfected in the car, Lauren likes to kiss my belly and I just know all three of them will be the best big sisters.  

"When are you due???"

November 29th is my official due date.  My doctor will schedule the C-Section for 39 weeks, and we will be home to enjoy Thanksgiving as a family.  I'm so excited about having a fall/winter baby!  I know it will be extra special this year around Thanksgiving and Christmas as we enjoy our tiny blessing.  

I'm so thankful for all of your prayers for our family!  It is so much appreciated!  

His Plans...

When I look at these photographs, tears come to my eyes.  Being a mom of three can be a struggle at times, but the blessings definitely outweigh those hard times.  I am also reminded of how great His plan is for each of us is.  When Landon and I got married, we "planned" to wait a couple years to start trying to get pregnant.  Well, God had something greater for us and her name was Brooke.  Even on birth control, I became pregnant with her soon after our wedding.  That day wasn't full of excitement for Landon and I.  We sat on our couch crying, wondering how we were going to be parents.  It took a few days for us, but we started to get excited about our little "bean".  We also weren't prepared for the horrible pregnancy I was about to encounter.  During my pregnancies I suffer from hyperemesis gravidarum.  I spent several times in the emergency room, and a couple overnight stays in the hospital getting fluids during this pregnancy.  God was so good to us and kept Brooke perfectly healthy.  She is such a blessing to us with her sweet spirit and loving heart.  

We knew we didn't want Brooke to be an only child, but our plan was to have only two children close together.  We tried for almost 8 months, which I know isn't that long compared to many of you, but it seemed like an eternity to us!  We were overjoyed when we found out we were expecting again.  Those next couple weeks were a trial for us as I was extremely sick, and was in the emergency room for a LOT of bleeding.  I went to Tulsa for HCG tests every other day, since there was no other way to tell if the pregnancy was still viable.  At 8 weeks, we waited in the ultrasound room just praying that the baby was alive.  Not only did we see one babies heartbeat, we saw TWO.  God had blessed us greatly, and again we saw that our plans are not always HIS plans.  Our family was about to go from three to five!  Countless emergency room visits, hospital stays, trips to the cancer treatment center for nutrients, many precious prayers and twenty weeks of bed rest later we met our beautiful twin girls Lily & Lauren.  They were born at 36 1/2 weeks and never saw the NICU.  Wow, His goodness, love and strength are so amazing.

Brooke is almost five, and the twins will be three in June!  I can't believe how fast the time has gone by.  I sometimes questioned if we would have another baby in the future.  Over the last six months, I had a peace in my heart that we would not be having any more children.  I was a little sad, but after potty training the girls and selling every baby item we had in our home I knew that I was ready to focus on the girls and our future together. 

 Did I mention that our plans are not always HIS plans???

Rewind to April Fools Day.  I have been having some problems physically (to spare the details) since the twins were born.  Even though I didn't think it was possible, I had an overwhelming feeling to take a pregnancy test.  I packed the kids up in the car and headed to wal-mart.  Yep.  You guessed it.  It was positive.  

Is my husband going to believe me, it's April Fools???

What are we going to do?

We just sold EVERYTHING baby!

What is everyone going to think about us???

Sigh.  Sadly, those were the first thoughts that came to mind.  I called Landon (i wish i had that conversation recorded) and he brought home more tests.  Yep, no false positives.   It took a few hours to get over the shock.  It was a comfort to know that God wouldn't give us anything we couldn't handle, and this was no surprise to Him!  Children are blessings, and I know He is going to give us everything we need to take care of this little one. We saw the doctor a few days later and our little baby was 6 weeks old!  He or she will be here right before Thanksgiving! Believe it or not, Landon is hoping for another girl!  We will be equally excited either way, although I would love to experience that mother/son relationship!

The girls are all of course, expecting a little sister and love talking about the baby!

Thanks to medication, I am feeling a lot better than my other pregnancies.  I have gotten to see our little baby 3 times already, and it never gets old.  Seeing his/her little heart beating is the most amazing miracle.  We have had amazing family and friends encourage us along the way.  I'm so thankful for His blessings, and that His plan that is greater than anything I could ever imagine.  

Our sweet baby at 10 weeks - may be a soccer player - look at that kick!

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a FUTURE and a HOPE."

-Jeremiah 29:11-

Doubly Blessed...

In June the girls will be THREE years old.  I still am amazed daily at the amazing gift God has given us by blessing us with twins.  Sure, they have their moments, but the love that these two share is just amazing.  They are always looking out for one another and are partners in crime.  It's amazing how much they look alike, but how different their little personalities are developing.  

Lily Reese.  We always wanted a boy, but God decided to bless us with three girls, and we are SO thankful and wouldn't have it any other way.  Lily is like a boy.  Wild, free, crazy, sporty and adventurous.  She takes after Landon.  Lily would wear her OU jersey and tennis shoes every day if I let her. She does have a soft side, and loves to touch.  If you are holding her, her hand will be on your face, on your neck, or rubbing your back.  It's just the sweetest thing and she has the softest hands.  Lily was "baby a" in the womb.  She was the wild and crazy one doing summersaults in my belly, and that's why we named "baby a" Lily Reese since Reese means "enthusiastic".  Her name suits her well.  

Lauren Grace.  She is our girly girl...sweet, sensitive, emotional and prissy.  She is Brooke's biggest fan and repeats everything that comes out of Brooke's mouth (good or bad).  She would love to live in a dress and her princess heels!  She is also our little comedian, and will go around the house pulling down her pants and flashing us her bottom (I don't know where she got that from!).  People always ask us how we tell them apart.  Lily has a chipped front tooth, and Lauren has one dimple.  Other than that, I still get confused if I don't take the time to look.

Yes...I get stressed.  I have 2 year olds x 2.

Yes....I get tired.

Yes....I have my hands full (if only had a dollar for every time I heard that)!

BUT, I am truly blessed with three girls who are all amazing in their own and unique way.  

Snow Day #2 {spring-style}

We had a another "snow day" Sunday morning!  It was a very brief dusting that melted very quickly, but the girls were EXCITED!  You just never know what kind of weather you will get here in Oklahoma!  It will be in the 60's tomorrow!  

Brooke loves the snow AND the sun.  My kind of girl (the sun part that is).  We already have our bathing suits packed for our Destin Trip!

Sweet Lily Reese.  I love those chubby cheeks.  She isn't that adventurous, and doesn't love the cold...

"Ok Mom, I posed, now can I go inside???"

Lauren is my little comedian.  She constantly says funny things to make us laugh.  She is trying to catch the snow in her mouth here.  

The snow was a bright spot in our crazy weekend.  I'm thankful for unexpected blessings, family and a God who is sovereign and in control of every aspect of our life!

"As the rain and the snow

come down from heaven, 

and do not return to it

without watering the earth

and making it bud and flourish,

so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

so is my word that goes out from my mouth:

It will not return to me empty,

but will accomplish what I desire"

Isaiah 55: 10-11

"Brooke-isms" {volume II}

It's been over a year since this post.  I can't believe how big my sweet Brooke is getting!  She is a very smart, sweet and beautiful child.  She always thinks about everyone else's well being first.  I'm so thankful for that quality in her.  She is also pretty good at making us laugh these days...

Here are some of her latest "funnies"...

While we were telling Brooke about our friend Melissa who recently announced she was expecting, Brooke replies...

"Why is there a baby in her belly? Why would she EAT her baby?"

Um.....

Landon took Brooke to Lowe's one night and she saw a couple things that sparked her interest...

While walking past the toilets she saw that they carried a bidet...

"That's weird, Daddy it's a little small bath!"

When they got home that night this was her prayer....

"Dear Jesus I pray for Mommy and Daddy,

Sissies, PaPa, Grandma, GiGi and Poppy.

I pray that I would share my toys...

And please let it be my birthday soon

so I can get that Tangled book from Lowe's."

Last week I went to wake up Brooke to get ready for school (soon after the Lowe's Trip)...

"Mommy when I closed my eyes I saw Tangled!"

My favorite sweet moment with Brooke lately....
"Mommy don't cry....Daddy loves you and I love you.  Most of all God loves you and sent His son."

My heart overflows with love for this sweet girl - I'm so thankful for the sweet gift of motherhood God has given me.

My Hope...

"I'm exhausted."  I think I might have said that phrase countless times in the last few weeks.  Like many of you, our family has passed around several viruses since the beginning of December.  We traveled to San Antonio for Christmas and the girls came down with a very bad respiratory virus while we were there.  They didn't eat, didn't sleep and didn't play most of the time we were there. Christmas was just very solemn for my sweet girls.  We made the very hard decision to leave early so we could get home and get them in to their Doctor.  It was a long lasting virus that we gave as a Christmas gift to three out of four of the grandparents.  We have spent a lot of time at home trying to recover, and I thought we were finally out of the woods, when over the weekend Lily developed a terrible wheezing cough and high fever.  Monday morning we found out she has RSV as well as an infection in her right lung.  We did a breathing treatment in the Doctor's office, and took home a machine to continue the treatment every 4 hours for the next few days.  Lily is my strong girl - she is taking it like a champ, and I'm so thankful for that!  In this photo she is comforting Lauren (who is terrified) during her first treatment at home.  Melts my heart!

I have to be honest I haven't had the best attitude through all of this.  I have been sick myself and have felt lonely, discouraged, tired and frustrated. I just didn't know if I could take care of one more person, clean up one more mess or even find the energy to make dinner.  I woke up this morning at 2:30 to give Lily a breathing treatment and just cried...I haven't been seeking my strength and comfort from the only person that can give that to me.  I haven't been embracing my privilege of motherhood with joy even when my children are sick.  I'm thankful for God's forgiveness and the chance to start over again today.  I'm thankful that He will give me strength on only a few hours of sleep and give me comfort when I feel alone or discouraged.  The girls and I sang worship songs all morning and played.  One of my favorite songs was a huge encouragement to me today....

My Hope Is In You (Aaron Shust)

I meet with You and my soul sings out

As your word throws doubt far away

I sing to You and my heart cries, HOLY!

Hallelujah, Father, You're Near!

I wait for you and my soul finds rest

In my selfishmness, you show my grace

I worship You and my heart cries Glory

Hallelujah

Father You're here!

My hope is, in YOU Lord

All the day long

I won't be shaken by drought or storm

A peace that passes understanding is my song

And I sing

My hope is in You, Lord

I will wait on You

You are my refuge

I wasn't able to go to sleep for a while and thought about all my friends and family that needed prayer.  This is such a little trial compared to many of the trials they are going through.  It's for a season and I can choose what kind of attitude I will have.   I'm thankful for the opportunity God has given me to take care of my children (healthy or sick), but I'm also thankful that His mercies are new each morning! I am thankful for all of our friends and family who have been praying for us, called to check on Lily, have offered to help or bring groceries....it such a huge encouragement to our family!

Looking back at 2012...

It seems like just yesterday I was writing this post to review 2011. Here's our year in review picture "collage style"!

January - Landon graduated from college - I am SO proud of such a hardworking husband/daddy!

February - We celebrated Grandpa & Grandma's 50th wedding anniversary - I also had the opportunity to make my first "wedding cake"!

March - My Dad & Mom came up to visit and we were outside enjoying the beautiful weather. We all enjoy when they come to visit since we don't get to see them as often as would like!

April - Brooke played on the "Y" soccer team.  Don't ask Landon how that went...
May - This picture of Landon & Brooke just makes me smile.  If I could choose anywhere to live it would be by the ocean.  The twins don't share that love, but Brooke and I both teared up when we waved "good-bye" to the ocean at the end of the week.  We had a wonderful family vacation to Destin with some of Landon's side of the family.  

June - We celebrated Lily & Lauren's TWO year birthday.  These two just make me smile SO much.

July - We love the USA!  We also spent a LOT of time inside since it was a very HOT month here in Oklahoma.

August - I turned 30!  It's not as bad as I thought it was going to be....

 September - We celebrated my beautiful Brooke's fourth birthday.  She is a very tender-hearted girl - always taking care of me and letting me know she loves me.  I'm so thankful for her.

October - A pretty cute cowgirl and two adorable little indians LOVED all the candy they got!

November - We spent a lot of time as a family this month and I really enjoyed that.  Landon and I spent a weekend away in Branson for our 5 year anniversary and spent Thanksgiving with his side of the family!  I have so much to be thankful for!
December - December we celebrated the birth of our savior.  We went to the Christmas Train which will have to be a tradition for our family.  We got to travel to San Antonio to spend a few days with my parents and enjoyed spending time with them. It was a bit of a rough month for us as most of our family was sick (and very sick on christmas), but we got to spend A LOT of quality time together.  The down time really gave me the opportunity to think about my goals for 2013. 

Blessed....that is how I would describe 2012.  It was a hard year for me personally and spiritually, but God taught me a LOT about His love, strength and forgiveness.  My hope for this year is that I will learn from those trials and grow to be more like Him...which will ultimately help me be a better wife, mother, daughter, daughter-in-law and friend.  I'm excited about this year and what God has in store for our family!  

Our First Surgery

Here we are all "dressed up" and ready for our procedure.  Mommy & Daddy woke us up at 5:15 a.m.   We normally sleep until 9...so we were pretty tired.

The medicine they gave us to calm down before the took us back made us REALLY HAPPY.  :O)

All the nurses loved us and told daddy and mommy that we did a great job!  We even got little teddy bears to take home with us.  We had a lot of infection back in our ears, even after 3 rounds of antibiotics, and large adenoids.  We hope this is the road to better health for both of us!

I'm Lily!  I was tested for my hearing and speech a few weeks ago and didn't do so well.  My comprehension level was above the two year level, but my speech skills are at the level of a 13 month old.  I'm not worried though - since my surgery, I am already trying to say words and repeat the words my mommy says.  I just felt like I was wearing earmuffs all the time!  I will bounce back quickly and I even have my own speech therapist to help me!  :O)

I'm Lauren!  I can say a few more words than my sister, but I am excited to be able to hear more clearly!   My favorite word is "shoe".  You should hear the way I say "Lily".  It's pretty cute.  :O)

Thank you for all your prayers!  We appreciate all the love you have shown our family!

18 month Update

I still have a hard time believing we have been blessed with twins. I look at these girls everyday and am so thankful for the joy they have brought to our lives! I have been given the amazing opportunity to watch them become their own little people...each with their own personality. They have a special little bond with each other...they look for each other when they wake up in the morning and do almost everything together. In a few blinks they will be 2...time is going by so quickly and I am trying to soak in these sweet moments with my "babies".