Vegas baby!

Luke, Carol, Rick, and I went to Vegas last weekend (thurs-Sunday) for Ramsey and Heather Strubes wedding! We stayed at THe Hotel in Mandalay Bay. It was fabulous! However, Luke and I had a hard time recovering from the time change, late nights...etc! When we go on vacation, we don't like to sit around and rest...we like to go and 'see and do'. We gambled a little but not much. We shopped, walked around other holets, visited with our friends, hung out by the gorgeous pool/beach at hotel, ate out, saw a concert and enjoyed all the wedding festivities! We even got to relax at the spa, swedish massages and sugar scrub! The wedding and reception were beautiful and extremely fun! The reception was in the foundation room at Mandalay Bay over looking the entire Vegas strip! One of the most unique receptions! I'll post pics soon!

janjan, Lucy Burrows, papaw, and Grammy stayed home with the babies and Hannah! also, Hannah spent the night with the Fites! We are so thankful for our babysitters so we could enjoy some time away!

We are looking forward to another vegas trip in February for a dealers convention! Yay!

Crawling babies...and pulling up

Ella is 100% crawling everywhere! Jake is pushing up on all fours and rocking, it won't be long for him. (I want him to stay 'put' actually but it probably won't happen). Our life is extremely busy ..even more so now! I can't leave them alone (on the floor) for 2 seconds! No more 'pallet' time. I am researching baby gates and trying to figure out what we can do to insure their safety, and my sanity. Hannah has really been good about making sure we dont drop little things on the floor, like hair clips, or bands, etc.
I have more help help now, and i am so thankful! Ms Lupe helps us three days a week. I am able to pick Hannah up from school, attend field trips, lunch dates with hubby, grocery shop, SHOP etc. Papaw williams helps a lot in the evenings before Luke gets home and Janjan comes one or two days a week. Then, Carol, Rick and Katie and keres help on the weekends. Also, Lucy, Gran, Papa, Sara, BB, Jessica, and Audra are great help too! I am feeling a lot less overwhelmed! The babies can stick to their routine since I have someone helping every day during the week. It makes a huge difference! ;).
Baby Gray Dudley was born on Oct. 8. I visited them in Plano on Tuesday, without kiddos, and I made a few stops along the way! It was so nice! Thank you, lupe!
Luke and I are headed to Vegas next Thursday for Ramsey and Heathers wedding! I am soooo excited! I will be very ready to come home but we all need a little break!

Baptism

The baby baptism was beautiful! We welcomed 24 family members and friends to witness the baptism. Then, everyone came over for a picnic lunch/reception on our back porch!  Luke wrote a testimonial titled "Growing in Faith through Miracles."  Brother Chuck read the testimonial before the baptism.  I don't think there was a 'dry eye' in the church.  It was extremely powerful and described our spiritual growth over the past few years.  I wanted to share....

"I can still remember walking into my first off-season workout at Texas A&M in the spring of 1999.  As I was standing there with the other freshman, there was no lack of self confidence – until the Strength & Conditioning Coach came in and turned our world upside down.  He proceeded to tell us that he was getting ready to break us down – physically tear our bodies down to a point where they had never been – and rebuild us into Championship Caliber athletes.  He told us it would only work if we were committed to the program and for us to believe that there was a method to his madness.  I have thought much about Coach Clark’s words over the past year.

A year ago, I thought I had the bull called “Life” by the horns.  Tasa and I had just received news that we were expecting triplets.  I had it all - a beautiful wife, a lovely daughter, a stable job – a now triplets.  Talk about a Grand Slam.  We had it all under control – An All-American life in the beginning stages.

But on October 21, 2011, we quickly learned we weren’t in control.  It was during a routine visit to the doctor in Dallas that we discovered our babies were in jeopardy.  Tasa was beginning to show signs of labor, and the babies were only 18 weeks along.  If they were born, they would not be viable.  The doctor was very frank with us, the odds were not good.  Only a 5% chance we could make it to a gestational age where the babies would have a chance.

Talk about being “broke down.”  I can remember looking out the window up to the heavens and thinking, “This isn’t how I had it planned.”  Then it dawned on me – we weren’t in control.  It was not our fault, it wasn’t anything we did – it was God’s will – part of His plan.  We prayed in the hospital that night for grace and peace in the days to come.  And, we prayed for a miracle if it was in His will.

Two days later, at home, Tasa went into labor.  We rushed to the hospital, and 30 minutes after we arrived, the doctor came to tell me that Andrew had been born.  She then told me that only Andrew had been born, and that Ella and Jake still looked good.  Could it be?  Was it possible?  Then I could hear the words in my head – “Do you still have no faith?  With God all things are possible.”

This was the point where I began to feel myself being “rebuilt in Faith.”  I found comfort and peace when I relinquished control and gave it up to God.  We fell on Jesus, and he caught us.

Over the next 4 months, Tasa and I felt the presence of Angels around us.  She was on complete bed rest, and I was attempting to play Mom.  But our friends, family, and church family – our God sent Angels - were never far away.  As our faith grew, our anxious feeling began to subside.  We believed God had a plan, and wherever it took us, we were going to be OK.

At one point during a visit with our doctor, he told us that there was no medical reason why Tasa was still pregnant.  He went on to say that he wasn’t our Pastor, but he could be after witnessing the miracle that we were living.

So it was on February 10, 2011 that our miracles arrived.  We have been blessed beyond belief, and we are so thankful to God.  Not only are we thankful for our precious babies, but we are thankful to Him for spiritually rebuilding us through our ordeal – our off-season workout.  Once we committed to the program and believed there was a method to the madness, He allowed us to grow exponentially in Faith.  And for that, we will forever be grateful." 

"its a blessing to be blessed"brother Chuck Huffman

I started a womens community bible study on Thursday mornings! I love it! This past week, i learned to begin writing down spritiual thoughts each day, whether they make sense or not! Eventually, they will begin to come together. I realized i write a lot of thoughts down in this blog....which is a huge source of therapy for me... But i dont always write down spiritual thoughts. I plan to challenge myself to keep track of my spiritual thoughts and moments that I witness Gods presence in my daily life. Also, we started a new study at church called The Story! It's a condensed review of the entire bible in chronological order! I am learning so much! We are still in the second chapter, reading about Genesis! I can relate a lot of my problems with pregnancy to Abraham and Sarah. Then, Issac went on to have twins, Esau and Ishmael. (father abraham has many sons...) Anyway, I am not becoming an expert by any means, just learning more about God's word and building on a foundation.

"Its a blessing to be Blessed! What you do with the blessing it is up to you!....Go change the world for Jesus Christ, don't let the world change you!". bro. Chuck

ahhh...new schedule

As I type, I have two little kiddos crawling (Ella) and rolling (Jake) all around me on the floor.  Ella is very interested in the laptop and pushing buttons.  Jake is more interested in my undivided attention, as he says "ah goooo" and bats his BIG eyes at me...both are developing their own CUTE personality and language!  They know how to get what they want...which is ME!  The great thing is they are becoming more interested in each other and toys like the exersaucer (just got 2 more to keep them stationary, btw.)  :)   I can usually find a way to distract them, for short periods of time.  OUr favorite thing to do is anything OUTSIDE like walk, swing, soccer practice, etc. 
The past two weeks have flown by...but I think we are getting the hang of the school schedule.  It is obvious to me, and everyone around me....I need more help.  Somedays, Luke does not get home until 7 or later so it makes my evenings CRAZY! I am trying to find more help. ;)
Let me try to summarize past two weeks. Hannah loves school, she has made sweet new friends. She started ballet/tap and soccer. She gets so excited about both! First soccer game is sept. 17th.  Luke had 2 tests run for stomach issues...all is clear, perfect health! Stomach pain was just from an infection that is GONE! Ella had ear infection and got shot. Last week, Ella was not feeling better and Jake felt bad too so we went back to dr for another shot and flu shot! I think we are ALL on the mend! Last week was rough! Over the weekend, we worked around the house, in and out, and we went to canton. This week, I went to Hannahs school to do her family project. I talked to her class all about "Hannah" and showed pics of brother and sis, rockport, her hobbies, etc. (All parents in the class will have their turn). I also had lunch with Hannah on Tuesday! Thursday, I started community bible study. Both babies are able to go with me every week!  I think it will be awesome for all of us.
Starting on Saturday, both babies slept all night! We have done really well this week too! I guess I can be thankful for the strict schedule we keep.
THE schedule
6:30 all awake and bottles; Hannah gets dressed slowly, (we pick out clothes the night before)
Fix Hannah hair, etc. Babies play on pallet.
7:30 Hannah and babies bfast (oatmeal, fruit) then Hannah to school
8:00 playtime, walk
Nap time for both babies
9:30 all awake and we run errands....yes grocery store, etc with both babies. They love going!
10:30 bottle
12:00 lunch (2 veggies)
1:00 nap
2:00 bottle,
3:00 pick up Hannah
3:30 homework, playtime
5:00 bottle
Play outside walk, swing, get dinner ready
6:30 dinner FOR ALL
7:00 bath
8:00 babies in bed then Hannah to bed

Do we get off the 'schedule' very much? No not really! Do we go out to dinner, friends house, etc ? Yes, we do, but we stay on schedule! I may bathe the babies early, but they will have their bottles and fall asleep in their carseats if we are at dinner or a friend's house.It works!  Do we get babysitters?yes!! Not a lot but sometimes!  We love our Lucy, Brittany, and Lupe.  :0)

 I feel incredibly blessed that I am able to care for these kiddos each and every day!  For this, I am thankful!  They light up my world!

Start of school and new schedules for ALL

So, the start of school brings a whole new schedule along with it! Luke takes Hannah to school but the babies and I pick Hannah up at 3pm everyday. The morning routine has changed a little considering Hannah and daddy have to be dressed, fed and out the door by 730. Both daddy and Hannah like to fiddle around and wait till the very last minute to get dressed so I always get up early (with one of the babies, most of the time) in order to get hannahs bfast made, lunch if she wants, COFFEE, bottles cleaned, babies bfast ...etc. Then off to fix the littles divas hair which can take a good 15 minutes, with teeth brushing and all! By this time, the other baby is awake ...and daddy! I let them (babies not daddy) suck down bottles to appease them before bfast. (they eat after Hannah and daddy leave at 745). Then, what do I do? Laundry, pick up house, clean more bottles, make more bottles, try to squeeze in a walk, babies take a morning nap....not always at the same time, Then I get dressed (some days I stay in tennis shoes all day). Luke comes home for lunch at 1230, babies lunch, then nap. Then its 230 and time to get Hannah! We go home, have snack, start dinner, hannah entertains babies (i will video) babies nap again, Hannah and I read, homework and/or she watches cartoons. Then, dinner at 630, bath....and babies in bed by 8 pm on a good day! Then, either daddy or I put Hannah to bed with a book.
This sounds pretty good....but this is a schedule for a perfect day! Most days are off
schedule! Especially until we all get used to it! Also, I am trying to increase feeding cereal, fruits and veggies to three times per day! And its hard to get used to! Plus we have dance and tumbling until 6 on Tuesdays and soccer will start soon (2 nights per week). It's a good thing we all like to be busy! Whew....
I am making a personal goal to write another schedule in two weeks from today! Hope we are still on one!
Babies are not sleeping all night. Jake wakes at 2 and I feed both! Ella sometimes wakes up for a paci and jake normally wakes again and pitches a fit! ;) I am sleeping a little better. My body is finally adjusting to interrupted sleep like every 3 hours!
I reread this and I thought it looks like I do all this by myself! I wish I could but it's impossible! Daddy helps a lot! Lupe comes on Tuesdays to clean and keep babies while I grocery shop,etc. Papaw and captain run pickup from dance/school. Papaw will keep one baby at a time somedays! Janjan is here once a week...we make baby food, etc. Cita comes by to help afterwork some days and helps on the weekends. Captain runs the swimming pool. Gran and papa sandlin come so I can have a break for an hour or two (usually to have lunch with Hannah or appt.). Aunt Katie and uncle Keres help a lot with Hannah! Penningtons and calhouns are always helpful and fun company! Lucy burrows is always available when i call...luv her! And the list goes on and on. We are blessed and so thankful!

Baby baptism is set for October 2 at our church, Tennison Methodist! It will be a wonderful day in our lives!

Hannah loves school and Mrs. Sloan! I hope to post pics soon!

6 months old and 6 years old

Ella Clare weighs 20 pounds, 24 1/2 in. long.  She is ALMOST crawling! 
Jake weighs 15 pounds 6 oz.  24 3/4 in. long.  He has two TEETH !

Hannah lost another tooth this week!  (Jake needed them)   

Hannah had the most fabulous birthday !  Cita and Capt took Hannah and Ava to the Barnum and Bailey Circus (Saturday) ! Then, Sunday, we had a BIG bday swimming party at the country club complete with a princess pinata (pics to come).  Monday, we had over to Meli spend the night, visitors and gifts all day.... !  Tuesday, bfast at Hershels, and hotdogs for dinner!  :)   Mommy is SUPER ready for Kindergarten to start but Hannah is NOT !  :) 

Thank you to everyone that made THIS 6 year old's bday so PERFECT and SPECIAL!