A Day in the life of Jenifer

Swingin'

2010-05-03T20:08:00.000-07:00

Can you believe how big this guy is getting?!

He is growing up too fast.

I want time to stand steal!

I don't want to miss a thing.

I feel like I am missing so much.

He is LOADED with energy.

He needs a 30 to 45 minute cat nap

then he is good to go for hours

WIDE OPEN!

He literally wears me out on a daily basis.

I wouldn't change a thing.

I don't know where it came from

he has been nicknamed

"Monkey Man"

since birth.

Little did we know how true that nickname would be.

He is our "monkey."

I sure have fallen for him.

He has stolen my heart.

There is something about a momma and her baby boy.

For anyone wondering.....Aubrey will be blogged about next...... Barrett rarely sleeps so I have more time to take pictures of him ! :)

One

2010-02-24T19:16:00.000-08:00

Barrett - my sweet baby boy. When we found out we were having a boy we were so happy. The closer it got to your due date I became terrified. I was so madly in love with your sister, I wasn't sure I had enough room in my heart for one more.

Tuesday February 24th came. They handed me my 8lb 8oz baby boy and I immediately melted. You fit in our family like the missing puzzle piece.

Your sister fell in love with you at first sight. She has helped so much. You love her just as much - before you could crawl you would get so upset when she left the room. Once you learned how to crawl you began following her all around the house and she loves it. We are so blessed to have you both.

The joy that you have brought into our house is like no other. Your sweet smile and laughter are contagious. There isn't one person that has met you that didn't fall in love within seconds. I pray that you always have this joy!

I pray that God will continue to bless everything your hands do and everywhere your feet take you. That you will allow God to use you however he chooses.... that you fall in love with your heavenly father as much has you have fallen in love with your earthly father.

My favorite part of the day is putting you to bed. Rocking you to sleep - continuing to rock even after you have fallen asleep. Singing & talking to you, praying for you, and just watching you sleep.

In the last few months I have learned to stop, take everything in, enjoy the moment, live in the moment, quit trying to "train" you, quit worrying about schedules and letting you be the free spirit that God created you to be.

You ware me out on a daily basis, most of the time I am 3 steps behind you and you have already unrolled the toilet paper - I don't know why that makes you so happy but it does. Sometimes I let you get to the toilet paper just because I love to see that incredible smile.

I have realized by watching your sister grow up that "this" is only a season and I don't want to miss one second of it. I want to savor every day with you and your sister.

You are now ONE and I can't believe it.

I have enjoyed every second and can't wait to watch you grow....

I can't wait to see what God has in store for you.

As it's been said many times before,

the days may be long,

but the years are short!

Songs

2010-02-05T08:06:00.001-08:00

I know it has been awhile since I have blogged..... who has time to blog when there is Facebook? :)

I was putting Barrett down for his nap alittle while ago, singing his songs like normal when all of a sudden I started tearing up. I sing one of the same songs my mom sang to me. It goes like this

When Jesus sent you to us we loved you from the start
You were just a bit of sunshine from heaven to our heart
Not just another baby for since the world began
There’s been something very special for you in His plan

That’s why He made you special
You’re the only one of your kind
God gave you a body and a bright healthy mind
He has a special purpose that He wants you to find
So He made you something special
You're the only one of your kind

Oh how I pray that both of my children sing the same song to their children one day.....

Andy and I have talked about Barrett being our last baby. I have always said I wanted to have two and adopt two. Now that there is a possibility of no more babies being around the house it makes me want to squeeze mine alittle tighter and pay more attention to the small things that we all tend to forget.

Aubrey was a very scheduled baby, she didn't function well if things were changed up in her day. She is still pretty scheduled and that is mainly because that is how she likes it. She never wanted to sleep in the bed with Andy and I, trust me on the nights she was sick and we were all exhausted I would have done ANYTHING to get her to just lay down with us but that wouldn't happen. I counted my self lucky, she went to bed at 8:00 and Andy and I could have some "us" time. I have to admit it was nice..... we could either collapse on the couch or get some stuff done around the house without a little one at our feet. It feels like I blinked my eyes and my baby girl grew up! Now, if she is in bed before I get home I go get in bed with her for alittle while.... She will only be 3 once..... I don't want to miss out on anything! Just like the song says - Aubrey is Special, one of a kind.

Barrett then made his way into the world a sweet cuddly baby boy who captured this moms heart from day one. I had always heard that little boys and their mom's had a special connection, that is so true! He LOVES to get in the bed with Andy and I, as soon as I lay him down he reaches his hand out and as soon as he touches me, he relaxes. It is the sweetest thing. Used to I would have freaked out about that..... now, I cherish it. He won't always sleep with me, he won't be 16 still cuddled between Andy and I. He probably won't even like us when he is 16! For now, I will enjoy it, I will continue to put him in his bed at 8:00 and most nights get up in the middle of the night when he calls for me, scoop him up, love and kiss on him all the way to our bed, and sleep the rest of the night by our little "monkey man." The best part about the whole thing is waking up the next morning, Andy is gone to work, Aubrey is eating her cereal and watching her cartoons (routine) and I get to roll over to a gap toothed smile, as soon as his eyes meet mine he literally attacks me, climbing all over me and giggling. Today, I will choose to cherish that. Once again just like the song - Barrett is Special, one of a kind.

Andy and I have talked about and planned on adopting since before we were even engaged. That was one of the things on my list for my future husband. I wanted for him to have a heart for adoption like I do. I remember talking to him about it.... actually I think all I said was "before we get to serious I need to know that if we get married you agree to adopt atleast two children." He looked at me kindof crazy and said "Sure." That was all I needed. Before we had children I remember discussing if we wanted to adopt first or try to get pregnant first..... we were still in the process of talking about it when I surprisingly got pregnant with Aubrey. God answered our question. Now, the talk is actually serious. We have had our two babies.... I don't mean within the next year but there needs to be some serious prayer going on for when. There are days that I think, "what if my other children are already out there somewhere?" God please protect them! The mother is definitely already out there. God please protect her! Yes, we know it is expensive. We are trusting God. Yes, we know there are some emotional factors with some adopted children. We are trusting God. We don't have all the answers BUT we are trusting God. God could lead us to start this process within the next year or he may wait for 10 more years. We are trusting God.

No matter what happens next, if we change our mind and have one more baby or if we start filling out paper work for our next child we want to be right in the center of God's plan.

Just because I don't like to blog without a picture.... :)

Pigtails

2009-07-26T09:59:00.000-07:00

She is getting SOO big SOO fast....

I love how she loves life, loves to dance and LOVES to sing

Four

2009-07-20T20:00:00.000-07:00

I can't belive my baby boy is four months old. He is actually almost 5 months old but I am just now getting around to posting. He has grown so much! At his 4 month appt he weighed, 17 lbs, he was 27 inches long and in the 90th percentile in all of the stats.

I have fallen madly in love with this little guy.

He steals the heart of anyone around him.

He loves watching his big sister.

When you pay him attention he gets extremely excited, and squeals with happiness at the top of his lungs!

I just love to see his big smile

When he sees someone coming his way he starts throwing his fist in the air and kicking his feet as hard as he can, it is like he is trying to run to you.

He is so perfect in every way, and has been the perfect addition to our family. Our family is complete with this special little man.

We made the blog...

2009-06-12T14:31:00.000-07:00

So my sweet friend Samantha took family photos of Andy, me, & the kids a few weeks ago and we made it on her blog.... check us out! (click on out, for some reason it is showing up the same color as all the other font.) If you would like to see more then visit her webpage (click on webpage.) click on enter portraits and then go to proofing beside view gallery type in Stewart if you want to see the whole Warren clan. That is right ALL 10 of us. That photo shoot is a story in itself. We had to have the picture taken THAT day because Julia & Ronnie were going back home and Jonathan was leaving in a week. There was a tornado coming literally like 15 minutes away but we HAD to get the shot. My sweet friend Samantha with husband and kids in tow snapped these fantastic shots and some how made us all look like we weren't running around like a bunch of chickens with our heads cut off!!! We will all cherish those pictures forever!! If you want to see the shoot she did a week later of our little family of four then type in Stewart1. I hope you enjoy! While you are there take a look around her site, she is fantastic.

Jen

Is this REALLY my baby girl?!?

2009-05-18T16:39:00.000-07:00

I mean could she look anymore like a big girl?

Speechless.....

2009-05-13T12:38:00.000-07:00

Three

2009-05-11T14:30:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my baby girl is Three! Where does the time go?

I am madly in love with this little girl!

Her love for life and joy is contagious!

I pray that she will grow to be a Godly woman

and that she will always be this full of JOY!

The Singer

2009-05-07T19:26:00.000-07:00

Aubrey got "The Jesus Storybook Bible Every Story Whispers His Name." for Christmas. We read one story at bedtime every night. The other night I was reading to her and although I have read about the sparrow in the bible, to read it at this time in our life and on such a simple level it literally brought tears to my eyes. I thought I would share the story with everyone.

The Singer
The Sermon on the Mount, from Matthew 6,9, and Like 12

Wherever Jesus went, lots of people went, too. They loved being near him. Old people. Young people. All kinds of people came to see Jesus. Sick people. Well people. Happy people. Sad people. And worried people. Lots of them. Worrying about lots of things.

What if we don't have enough food? Or clothes? Or supposed we run out of money? What if there isn't enough? And everything goes wrong? And we won't be all right? What then?

When Jesus saw all the people, his heart was filled with love for them. They were like a little flock of sheep that didn't have a shepherd to take care of them. So Jesus sat them all down and he talked to them.

The people sat quietly on the grassy mountainside and listened. From where they sat, they could see the blue lake glittering below them and little fishing boars coming in from a night's catch. The spring air was fresh and clear.

"See those birds over there?" Jesus said. Everyone looked. Little sparrows were pecking at seeds along the stony path.

"Where do they get their food? Perhaps they have pantries all stocked up? Cabinets full of food?"

Everyone laughed - who's ever seen a bird with a bag of groceries?

"No," Jesus said. "They don't need to worry about that . Because God knows what they need and he feeds them."

"And what about these wild flowers?"

Everyone looked. All around them floweres were growing. Anemones, daisies, pure white lilies.

"Where do they get their lovely clothes? Do they make them? Or do they go to work every day so they can buy them? Do they have closets full of clothes?"

Everyone laughed again - who's ever seen a flower putting on a dress?

"No," Jesus said. "They don't need to worry about that because God clothes them in royal robes of splendor! Not even a kind is that well dressed!"

They had never met a king but, as they gazed out over the lake, glittering and sparkling below them, the hillsides dressed in reds, purples, and golds, they felt a great burden lift from their hearts. They could not imagine anything more beautiful.

"Little flock," Jesus said, "you are more important than birds! More important than flowers! The birds and the flowers don't sit and worry about things. And God doesn't want his children to worry either. God loves to look after the birds and the flowers. And he loves to look after you, too."

Jesus knew that God would always love and watch over the world he had made - everything in it - birds, flowers, trees, animals, everything! And, most of all, his children.

Even though people had forgotten, the birds and the flowers hadn't forgotten - they still knew their song. It was the song all of God's creation had sung to him from the very beginning. It was the song people's hearts were made to sing: "God made us. He loves us. He is very pleased with us." It was why Jesus had come into the world: to sing them that wonderful song; to sing it not only with his voice, but with his whole life - so that God's children could remember it and join in and sing it, too.

Two

2009-04-24T19:53:00.000-07:00

Our little guy is two months old!
I love watching him laugh,

at times I will turn upside down on my head

to convince that little mouth to smile at me.

He has everyone around him wrapped around his finger,
including his big sister!
He loves to lay in Aubrey's bed after nap time and "talk" to us.

I can't believe how time is flying and as much as I

want to see him grow up I also want time to stand still!

Things seem to be moving entirely to fast

but we will enjoy every minute of it together,

as a family of four.

My beautiful family

2009-04-12T16:29:00.001-07:00

The first picture of the four of us together that

I will allow to be on my blog. :)

I couldn't believe that Aubrey was actually looking at the camera,

half smiling, I don't look like I have been wrestling with her,

and we all look half way put together.

I am learning the more I take pictures of her

the harder it is to take pictures of her.

She HATES to have her picture made and

most of the time will not acknowledge me

when I have a camera.

Today she allowed us a few pictures before falling apart.

I just love my sweet little family!

In a few weeks my sweet friend Samantha from His Hands Photographs is going to photograph my whole side of the family. Jonathan is leaving for Afghanistan in a few months so Julia & Ronnie are coming in town for a weekend to spend with him before he leaves. I contacted Samantha and she agreed to a session with Mom & Dad, Julia & Ronnie, Jonathan & Brantley, Me and Andy, Aubrey &Barrett. Whew! That makes me tired just thinking about that. Did I mention the only time that worked out for us is on a Saturday morning at 8:00am AND the same day as Aubrey's birthday party? Samantha, you will never know what a blessing you are for providing my family with your beautiful photographs!

Kris Allen TOP9 "Ain't No Sunshine" [iTunes downloads week night] - American Idol 2009 March 31

2009-04-01T06:40:00.001-07:00

Kris rocked last night!!!!

T-Ball and a TuTu

2009-03-30T20:26:00.000-07:00

Just in case you weren't quite sure if Aubrey was mine.....

She may be all girl but she can swing a bat

The TuTu doesn't even get in the way

She sure knows how to make her mom proud :)

So excited about her accomplishment!

One Month Old

2009-03-30T20:17:00.000-07:00

So our little man is now one month old!!

Can you believe it!?!?
He has changed so much and we love him more today than we did yesterday!

Kris Allen - How Sweet It Is

2009-03-25T20:18:00.001-07:00

I am still a Kris Allen fan but Matt Giraud did a great job tonight! Who do you think did better??

Matt Giraud - Let's Get It On

2009-03-25T20:17:00.001-07:00

So who did better Matt or Kris?

In Love

2009-03-21T09:45:00.001-07:00

We are alittle over three weeks into pure chaos and I have never been more in love than I am right now! My wonderful husband helps me on a daily basis with things that I KNOW alot of husbands just think it is the wife's responsibility. He gets up in the middle of the night and feeds Barrett he plays with Aubrey and keeps her occupied when I have a million things to get accomplished. Today is one of those days. I am working on laundry, trying to get caught up on the million bottles that need to be washed and sterilized, trying to clean this house, although I have come to the conclusion that it many never actually be clean!

While I am cleaning I opened up the blinds to let some beautiful sunshine in and I looked out over my back yard and what I see is absolutly beautiful! A fantastic husband playing with my beautiful baby girl in her play house. A few minutes later I look out again and Andy is cutting the grass while Aubrey is harrassing the dogs (they love her!) Then a few minutes later I look out again and Aubrey is once again playing with her daddy. I just love my little family!!

Let's not forget about Barrett who we like to call our little "grunter", I can hear him from his room laying in his bed sound asleep but making the most awful grunting noise! He has not slept one night in our bedroom because no one can sleep with the loud little boy! He slept in his cradle in the living room with my mom a few nights and then he was put in his own bed! We made it to week three with no colic so the Dr. says we are home free! He is really the best baby, laid back, calm, hardly ever cries! He LOVES to eat and is already getting pretty fat! Have I mentioned that I just LOVE fat, chubby, babies!! He sleeps really well, most nights he takes his last bottle around 9:30-10:00 and will wake up anywhere from 2:30-4:00 take another bottle then go back to sleep until around 8:00.

Although we are exhausted, we are making it one day at a time! If you drop by we may still be in our pajamas and the house most likely will not be clean but I have learned that all of that is ok! I may not be considered the best cook, I may not have the cleanist house on the block, but I have a beautiful family and that is all that matters!!!!

Time to get back to the family!!!!

Just in case you were wondering...

2009-03-18T15:39:00.001-07:00

I hope Kris wins it all!! I know there are some other amazing singers but I am voting for Kris!

Finally!

2009-03-06T12:44:00.000-08:00

So I dusted off my camera and took some pictures of Barrett today! I haven't really gotten it out in months and I am not real sure why. Today Aubrey went to the park and to story time with Andy's mom so I figured it was a perfect time to see if I could get some pictures. It took me an hour and a bottle to get what I wanted but I am happy with my results. I am now working on the Birth Announcement but I will give everyone a sneak peek of my photos.

And just for fun....this is what Barrett looks like when he no longer wants his picture taken :)

One week old

2009-03-03T14:57:00.001-08:00

Sorry That I have not updated my blog and added new pictures of our sweet little guy! To be honest I have not taken that many pictures. I remember bringing Aubrey home from the hospital and wearing out the batteries on my digital camera. This time it is different, maybe it is because I am playing with play-doh, painting with water colors, coloring Dora coloring books, and putting together puzzels with Aubrey in between, feeding, burping, changing, and rocking barrett. There is as much time to sit around and stare at a sweet baby. When he is sleeping that means I have a few hours to keep Aubrey entertained and get ready for the next round.

Thank goodness for an amazing sunday school class who has put together 10 meals over the course of 20 days. Thank goodness for my mom who is spending the night with me and getting up with Barrett for his middle of the night feedings. Thank goodness for Julia & Ronnie who took Aubrey out all day to let her play and give me a break from a talkative two year old. :) Thank goodness for a husband who doesn't mind doing the laundry, putting it up where it goes, cleaning the kitchen up or just doing different things around the house to help out. He is also such a big help with Aubrey & Barrett! I don't know how people do it when they do not have much help from their husband.

One little story from this week and then I need to get off the computer and back to the chaos. :)
Last night Aubrey was bathed and ready for bed and we were in the process of bathing Barrett. He of course does not like this process because he gets cold so he cries ALOT. Aubrey came running in the kitchen and literally freaked out! She was SCREAMING, "Don't hurt my Barrett Momma!!!!" Andy took her into our bedroom to explain to her that Barrett wasn't hurt but she would have none of it and came running back in the kitchen totally traumatized thinking Mom and I were hurting her baby barrett. Let's just say although she is acting more and more jealous of him she is also quite protective of the little guy.

Here is a picture we took today for his 1 week birthday.

Alittle Disappointment

2009-02-23T14:53:00.000-08:00

I checked into the hospital this morning to being the induction, Dr. Hancock was going to be there around 8:00 to break my water and soon I should have been having a baby! Well, we had a change of plans..... when she came in to break my water she said it felt like Barrett's hands were above his head so she wanted to do an ultrasound. I immediatly start asking a million questions, all of my questions were answered when they wheeled in the ultrasound and said that sometime between last tuesday and today he had totally flipped himself around and he was now feet first. Instead of my "simple" delivery that Dr. Hancock and been promising me since 35 weeks I would be going in for a C-Section. I was ok, alittle worried just because no one really wants to be cut on but still I was ready to meet my little guy. After about half an hour passed the nurse came back in and said Dr. Hancock was not feeling well and she didn't want to be in the Operating Room while sick and take the chances of getting me or the baby sick. Since she was sick all the other Dr's were having to take on her clinic pt's so they would not be able to come over and do the C-section. I pretty much begged to just stay in the hospital over night but because of insurance I was sent home and told to return in the morning at 5:30 for a scheduled C-section at 7:30. So they removed the GIGANTIC IV that is probably more painful than labor itself "which my sweet nurse actually asked if she could leave in the port that way they only had to hook me back up in the morning, she was turned down by her boss". But really have you had that IV!?!?! Out of everything that happened with my labor with Aubrey the one thing that stuck out the most was the IV and now I get to have it twice with Barrett.... thanks buddy! So, we will start all over in the morning, sticking me, taking blood, listening to heart beats and then wheeling me to the OR. Barrett will have to be in the NICU for a few hours and I will stay in the hospital an extra day for healing time. I had plans to try and make it to the Moms of Mulitples sale this friday but now I am afraid my plans have changed since I will be checking out of the hospital. Which means, mom, andy's mom, and my sweet friends will have to go for me and fight the crazy woman at the consignment sale :) Hopefully I will be updating with some pictures of our little guy tomorrow sometime..... I can't make any promises because now I will be hooked up to a Morphine pump!!

Please pray that everything goes smoothly tomorrow and also pray for my sweet Aubrey, it will now be 5 days before she comes back home.....I want this to be a smooth transition for her and this just sordof changed all of our plans!

Update

2009-02-14T14:01:00.000-08:00

I just thought I would update everyone....I really need to upload some recent pictures of Aubrey but honestly I just don't feel like it! :)

I have started having this pretty constant pain, I am VERY tired all the time and pretty much mad at the world. :) (Poor Andy & Aubrey) I thought about going to the hospital yesterday because I think I was having contractions. Honestly I am not sure what they feel like since I was enduced with Aubrey. From what everyone tells me it is unbearable and I will definatly know when they are happening. Yesterday it was just an aggravating pain but not unbearable pretty much all day. The last thing I want is to be sent home from the hospital and feel silly. So, I did what any other person would have done I went out with some girl friends to see a movie....who knows it could be my last hoorah for alittle while.

I really thought he would be here by now! If what I am experiencing is contractions then maybe I just have a high tolerance for pain. My next appt. is Tuesday at 8:00am maybe then she will tell me I have made some more progress. Until then I may just only get out of bed when Aubrey insist! For the last two days Aubrey and I have both layed in my bed till 10:00am watching her movies. Although it is not the most healthy thing for a 2 year old I have enjoyed just spending time with her.

I totally forgot to get Aubrey anything for Valentines day, so today while Andy was at Upward I took her to the Dollar Store and told her she could pick out anything she wanted!! Talk about a happy little girl. Isn't it amazing that we think we need to spend all this money on our children, when in all honesty I probably had the happiest two year old in the neighborhood today because she picked out hershey's kisses and curly straws! We finger painted her daddy a card and she was SOOO excited about that! As soon as he walked in the door she screamed "I made you a card today daddy!!" I am pretty sure he loved it as well :)

As much as I talk about being ready for Barrett to be here I am alittle bit terrified! We have gotten in such a good routine around here I know throwing a newborn in the mix is going to shake things up quite abit! So, I am going to try and enjoy this next week, the sleep, the quietness, the simpleness, because on Feb. 23rd. I will check into the hospital in the morning and come home two days later with a new little blessing!

This blog was totally scattered but I am watching a movie and trying to blog and well the two don't mix really well.

Maybe the next time I am updating will be from the hospital, we will see!!!

Update on Barrett

2009-01-26T14:31:00.000-08:00

I went for my 35 week check up today and the Dr. told me that I am 2 cent. dilated and totally ready to have a baby! I KNEW I wasn't crazy and I had been having contractions. I do not think anyone believed me but now I have the proof. :) Dr. Hancock said that I will definatly be able to pick my due date in my 39th week but it was good chance Barrett would be here before then. With Aubrey I was .5 cent. at 35 weeks so obviously things are moving along alittle faster. Now we will just wait and see it is pretty much up to Barrett now....he can pick his birthday!

I will keep everyone posted!

Jen

One year

2009-01-23T13:22:00.000-08:00

A year ago today I lost one of my best-friends, Jason Hall. I wasn't sure I was going to blog about it but as the day has gone on he has been on my mind and in my heart. I couldn't let the day go by without sharing my thoughts. I have wanted so many times to go to his graveside, I have wanted to take some flowers and sit and talk. I know to some that sounds CRAZY, but for me there have just been times I needed to talk. But, at the same time I have not been able to go, I really don't feel like I am ready yet. I know it has been a year.....it seems like just yesterday and everytime I think I am almost there, I have almost accepted it, I start planning a trip to the graveside (it is kindof far away) and then I pretty much freak out and change my mind. Hopefully one day soon I will work up the courage but for now I will just remember the good times and not focus on the fact that he is gone.

I miss him, I miss his smile, his laugh, his care free spirit!

Jason Lee Hall I miss you!!!! I am so honored to have been able to call him a brother!

I couldn't wait any longer

2009-01-10T19:38:00.000-08:00

About half way through the day today I began to sordof panic about everything that needed to be purchased before Barrett arrived. I realize I still have about 6 weeks but that is if everything is on schedule. Let's face it, he is pretty much in control of when he comes at this point and just in case he gets in a hurry I want to be prepared! With the first child people give you showers and everything is pretty much purchased for you. With the second, well unless you are having the same sex and you already have everything, you are pretty much on your own! Although I have registered for family and close friends, I know there are TONS of things that need to be bought! Everything I have is pink! Towels, wash cloths, blankets, burp cloths, bibs, onesies..... I could go ON AND ON! So although Barrett doesn't care what color towel I dry him off with, I do!

This afternoon I sat down beside Andy and sweetly said, "I would be a much more pleasant person if I could just go and buy what I feel like needs to be bought and get it over with!" I was waiting for the "HECK NO!" response but I actually received the "whatever you need to go get just get it!" I am sure he is tired of me walking around stressing out over NOTHING! So now, I will spend the rest of the evening taking tags off of my purchases, getting it all washed with my Dreft detergent, and putting it all up where it belongs! There is still plenty more that could have been bought but I refrained to only the necessities tonight.

Just in case you were wondering how it was going with the potty training.... Aubrey is doing FANTASTIC! She tells me pretty much everytime she needs to tee-tee even when we are out shopping or out to eat. She is still not totally convensed that poo-poo needs to be put in the potty but we are getting there. Most of the time she wakes up in the morning with a dry
pull-up! I would say after 2 weeks she is doing great and I am very proud of her!

Short & Sweet

2008-12-28T20:01:00.001-08:00

Because I am so far behind on everything I will only give highlights of the last week's events instead of drawing it all out into a few different blogs. Unfortunately there are no pictures but since I am off all week this week I will hopefully be caught up with all of that also.

For those who are wondering, the reason I have not posted any pictures of the kitchen is because I have not quite finished it yet. Curtains need to be hung and pictures need to be put up. I still have a few things to go buy, table cloth and center piece. Hopefully that will be finished by the end of the week and I will post pictures of it also.

Christmas was great this year with Aubrey although alittle too busy for my liking. We really didn't stop from Christmas Eve until yesterday afternoon. Poor Aubrey was asking all day Christmas day if she could just go home and play with her new kitchen! Since we got home late I let her stay up that night until 10:30 just so she could play with her new toys. We have decided that from now on either things will be spread out more or we are going to have to pass on some of the holiday festivities. She got alot of great new toys but my favorite is her new Bible that Julia & Ronnie gave her. I wanted something simple that we could read together before she went to bed at night and that is exactly what they gave her! It is called "The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His name" By Sally Lloyd-Jones. We started reading it today and I LOVE it! The story is so simple and just right for her age.

I am going to be selling my camera hopefully soon, I am taking it to Wolf on Tuesday for it's yearly cleaning and maintenance and then I am going to put it up for sell on Ebay. I have found one that I am wanting to upgrade to and I want it before Barrett gets here. So all of my Christmas money is going towards an upgrade. :)

Tomorrow I am staying home all day and working on the potty training again. Aubrey and I have really been talking about it and I really think she can understand more this go around. Tonight we "threw-away" her diapers so when she wakes up in the morning her only choice is the big girl panties. She is normally fine with wearing big girl panties until it is time to go to the bathroom then she pleads with me to put her diaper back on. I of course have not thrown her diapers away so if we seem to be getting no where then we will try again at a later date.

So this blog wasn't really short but I feel like I have caught everyone up. Since tomorrow is potty training then maybe Tuesday I will have time to upload some pictures for everyone!

Just in case anyone was wondering.....I am 31 weeks as of Monday December 29th. That means I am 9 weeks from my due date and 8 weeks from when my Dr. will induce :) Two months away from our little guy being here!

Surprised

2008-12-19T15:52:00.001-08:00

Mom, Dad, & Andy surprised me Thursday, when I got home from work around 5:00 they were finishing up the first coat of paint on my kitchen! I was VERY surprised and happy. :) Aubrey is spending the night with mom & dad tonight so that Andy and I can finish up the kitchen and finish wrapping presents. I know she has already spent the night away this week but I am totally justifying it because of the amount of things that need to be done and, I just can't seem to get it finished with her at my feet. So hopefully tonight the kitchen will be finished and put back together presents will be wrapped and under the tree and all I will have left to do is enjoy Christmas! Then, after Christmas it will be back to getting things ready for Barrett to be here.

I would post some finished pictures of my kitchen but it really want be finished until after Christmas because of all the decorations I asked for as presents for Christmas. So, after Christmas I will post my finished kitchen!

I will post some pictures later of Aubrey & Ainslee making christmas candy today. I don't think I will be eating any of Aubrey's cookies considering about half way through she decided to lick the top of the sprinkle jar. We had alot of fun, I am really enjoying Christmas with her this year. She understands so much more and she is really having fun! I am afraid I am going to have a disappointed little girl when everyone starts taking all of their decorations out of their yard after Christmas. She LOVES driving through the neighborhood and looking at all the lights!

Pictures will come later when I have time to load them to my computer! I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Grateful

2008-12-16T18:41:00.000-08:00

I thought I would update everyone since I was such an emotional wreck last night. :)

To start with my FANTASTIC husband cleaned up my kitchen vacuumed the house and did ALL the laundry (washed, folded, and put up!) for me today. I walked in tonight and I was very surprised and grateful!

Second, Andy met me after work and we went shopping tonight. I am finished with everyone except two people and I know what I am getting them I just need to find it. My in-laws are letting Aubrey spend the night tonight so that we didn't have to hurry home for bed time or have to worry with trying to keep a two year old entertained for a few hours of shopping. Once again.....grateful!

Third, a complete stranger asked a friend of mine if she knew of anyone having a baby boy anytime soon because she had tons of clothes that she wanted to get rid of! I called her today and she already had it together and she took it to my friend this afternoon! I have already gone through it and once again.... grateful!

Thank-you God for meeting me right where I am, even in my little grumbling pit and helping me. Yes, there are still a million things to do and no, I am still not sure how I will accomplish it all. But today I have been reminded that #1 I have a big God who cares for this grumbling pregnant woman. #2 I have a fantastic husband who loves me even in my ill moods! #3 Everything is going to work out, God will provide for our needs for when Barrett gets here just like He has always provided before.

Thank-you to everyone who said alittle prayer for me today :) I am also grateful for all of you!

Overwhelmed

2008-12-15T18:28:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I am officially overwhelmed and I am becoming more and more stressed by the day. I feel like I have fallen so far behind in EVERYTHING I do not think that I will ever catch up. My house is a WRECK.... laundry needs to be done, I have not wrapped ONE present, I still have tons of presents to buy, my kitchen STILL needs to be painted because now I have a test square in the middle of my wall that is driving me crazy! I have a million things that need to be done before barrett gets here not to mention a million things that need to be bought! I have only half way moved Aubrey to her big girl room which means her stuff is spread out between two rooms right now. I still have her decorations up in the nursery and none in her new room. I have not even had time to think about what I will hang on the wall in the nursery for Barrett. Somewhere I need to find the time to potty train Aubrey and break her from her paci, and at the same time I do not want Aubrey to feel like she is being forgotten or passed over because of all the busyness that life has brought us right now.

How in the world did things get so turned upside down!! I have never been a crazy organized person but I normally can keep all the balls in the air that I am juggling. Somewhere, somehow I bit off more than I could chew and I am sinking fast!! This weekend I had some time to get some stuff done and I felt like instead of accomplishing anything I just ran in circles because I had so much that needed to be done. I did get my kitchen cleaned, I even polished my kitchen cabinets but if you were to come by tonight I would be embarrased for you to even go in my kitchen.... how does that happen? How can things get so out of hand so fast? Why is it not easier for me to keep things in order.

So for tonight I am just trying not to cry from being overwhelmed and maybe I will try to figure out a schedule of when everything will get done. 1st on my list, paint my kitchen that was supposed to be my anniversary present! 2nd clean this place up and keep it clean! Maybe I should just start with two things so that when they are finally accomplished I will feel like I am doing good. I think that I will go buy paint tomorrow and get started maybe I can be finished by this weekend so that I will have time to clean.

Sorry for the emotional ranting, maybe next time I will be more joyous but for tonight I think I am going to curl up in my bed and catch up on my tivo and hopefully start my day tomorrow with a new attitude!

Be anxious for nothing,

but in everything by prayer and supplication

with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Philippians 4:6

Our little Munchkin

2008-12-09T15:53:00.000-08:00

This is our little boy Barrett! We had some 4d shots taken today and I just LOVE this stage of pregnancy. They change so much from the 18 week sonogram to the 28 week. He is really beginning to fatten up apparently and the tech made a comment that he has a wide nose and big lips. We will see what he looks like when he is born! Aubrey was 8 lbs 10 oz. and I am alittle worried that this little guy is going to out weigh her. I have started feeling like I swallowed a bowling ball and it is pulling me down! I do not remember feeling so much pressure with Aubrey. The Dr. just laughs at me when I question her about his weight. She is not one to guess a babies weight because lets face it they are never right! I am so excited that things are getting closer and I am ready for this little guy to be here! I can't wait to see how Aubrey does with him. I am almost positive she is going to be a perfect little momma with only a little bit of jealousy hopefully.

If you can't make out the face don't worry the nurse had to guide me around to begin with. It is sordof like one of those picture calendar things that you have to stare at for a minute before you can make out what you are looking at.

I am having to really get myself in gear these days, only 12 more weeks until I am due and I still have a TON to do! Lots of boy stuff that still needs to be bought. I am planning a serious shopping trip to Babies 'r' us after Christmas.

It won't be long and we will be a family of four!

Santa Claus

2008-12-03T17:01:00.001-08:00

If you know me very well you know that I truly love my child when I agreed to take her to see this man....

I think he looks scary and I do not like him!

I don't want to put the same fear in my child's mind so I agreed to suck it up and go with her!

After alittle coaxing with some candy canes she agreed to sit in his lap

and we actually got some great pictures!!

After the photo-session Andy told her to tell Santa what she wanted for Christmas

and her response was

NEW TOYS!

She then jumped out of his lap and ran as fast as her little legs would take her!

I need to now tell everyone that she knows that Christmas is about

Jesus's birth and if you ask her who's birthday it is

she will tell you

Jesus's birthday.

I wanted to share our Santa experience with everyone!

I hope to blog more soon about the Christmas Season and....

hopefully my newly painted kitchen soon :)

She's a big girl now!

2008-12-03T16:45:00.000-08:00

I have been afraid to blog about this, afraid that I might jinx myself. But I think it has been long enough that I can now talk about my baby girl moving into her "Big Girl Bed." Can I start off by saying I can't believe she is old enough to move out of her baby bed! It seems like yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital scared to death and wondering what in the world that hospital was thinking letting US take this baby home! :) Somehow we have managed, I have to admit we have all had to be patient with each other! But in the meantime my precious little baby girl who stole my heart has grown up WAY to fast. We carry on complete conversations, we go on adventure's together, and she is one of the loves of my life! I never in a million years thought that I could love such alittle girl so much!

About 2 weeks ago she decided on her own that it was time to move up to her big girl room and start sleeping in her big girl bed. The first few nights were not alot of fun at all! She woke up a million times and enjoyed the fact that I could now lay down beside her. I tried to convince her that she was not ready to move up to her big girl bed! She would have none of it! So after a few sleepless nights she is now napping her normal 2-3 hours a day and sleeping through the night. We are now working on getting rid of the pacifier and the last thing on our check list before Barrett gets here is to be potty trained. I am hoping to accomplish that on my Christmas break. I have blogged before about our potty training adventure and it didn't go so well, so this time I may just surprise everyone when she is potty trained!

7x7

2008-11-15T16:33:00.001-08:00

I am not sure if you have noticed my 7x7 button on the side of my blog.... if you haven't then you can click on it and it will take you to a link from the Bring The Rain Blog. It is 7 prayers to say over your children through out the day while they are doing every day tasks.

A new kitchen

2008-10-26T12:39:00.000-07:00

I am not very good at decorating my house, I like to start things and then I run out of money and never finish my project. A good example is our bedroom. Two years ago that is what I wanted for christmas from everyone. I was going to re-do the whole bedroom, well I got a GREAT start thanks to everyone in the family but never finished. Now two years later and I am ready to re-do it again. I have decided that I am going to make myself decorate my house one room at a time.

I am starting with the kitchen, don't ask me why. I don't spend much time in there at all.... I am not a cook, I have tried and I have failed many times. I can make a mean potato soup and a few other things here and there but that is about it. That is one of the reasons God gave me Andy. He is not one of those husbands who expects dinner on the table at 6:00 while he sits on the couch and reads the paper... he is a wonderful helper! Most days he has something thawing out when I get home or even better there are days I come home from work and something is already in the oven :) I love him! Anyway, back to the reason for this post. I have decided that for THIS christmas I am asking for things for my kitchen.
( if you are in my family you will be getting my list soon.) I have been looking on-line and walking around pier1 and I think I have decided on a red kitchen. Not bright red but in the red family. I would like for it to really pop. I am hanging curtains I want a new rug for under my table I even want a new light fixture. And if Andy reads this he may have a heart attack but I want a back splash with new floors to match :) I realize that will not come by Christmas but it will come soon enough. I am hanging pictures up, I want new kitchen towels to match along with rags and oven mitts. I want my Kitchen to be so color coordinated it will make you sick! SOOOO.... this week I will be making my way into lowes and getting those great little cans of paint samples they sell and picking out my red. Maybe before Barrett makes his way into the world I will be finished. I will keep everyone posted!

Catching up

2008-10-19T12:21:00.000-07:00

I mentioned about 2 weeks back that mom and I took Aubrey to the park to take some picture of her with her cast. Well her cast is now off and I just got to edit the pictures :) Oh well, I am so glad her cast is off, although she did manage very well! The Dr's had told me that she might learn how to walk with her cast, not only did she walk but she would around the house with that big thing! It may have slowed her down for a week or two but not for long :) I had a few people tell me when she got her cast off that she may not walk for a few days and her leg would be real stiff.... well not only did she walk the same day but she was chasing her friend Ainslee around our couch that night! She did have a limp to her and she would turn her foot out but that is pretty much straightened out now also. Enough about the cast! Thank God the cast is off but here are some pictures a few days before it was taken off.

I just love that precious smile!!

Andy's parents have a neighbor that has the big blow up pumpkins in their front yard. Aubrey absolutely LOVES them! She calls it her pumpkin patch and she loves to go over and look at them. So of course the other day when we went to see Andy's parents I had to take some pictures! She has the BEST time watching those pumpkins.... can you tell by the HUGE smile on her face!

We have changed it :)

2008-10-13T19:28:00.000-07:00

We have now changed our top name to Barrett Mcmillan Stewart. We are still not set in stone but we both agree.... When I go get something monogrammed that is when we will be set in stone. Maybe :)

We finally agree....

2008-10-12T12:21:00.000-07:00

Andy got home to late last night from the Auburn ballgame to talk about names. As soon as I woke up this morning I told him the three names I had thought of and immediatly he said he liked Hudson. I told him to give me a day or two to make sure that is what I want but I am pretty sure our baby will be named Hudson Mcmillan Stewart.

What's in a name?!?!

2008-10-11T18:02:00.001-07:00

Andy and I are having a hard time thinking of a name for our little boy that we both agree on. Aubrey came to us as soon as we knew we were having a girl. We have known since my first pregnancy that if we had a boy his middle name would be Mcmillan, that is Andy's middle name so we have always known we wanted to use that but coming up with a first name is not coming to us as easy. If I love it andy doesn't.... if andy loves it I don't. I think it is pretty funny that with Aubrey we fought over her middle name and with this one we know the middle name but are fighting over the first name :)

Our friends Brent & Christy came up with Tucker Mcmillan Stewart the same day that we found out we were having a boy and I love that name! Of course Andy doesn't :) I know I am only 20 weeks pregnant and I still have 20 more to go but I like to know now! I want to get things monogrammed and hang his name on the wall plus I just want him to have a name.

I have a name that I am really in love with that one of my friends came up with today. As soon as Andy gets home from the ball game tonight I will run it by him. Maybe he will agree!

If you have any good names that go with Mcmillan Stewart leave me a comment! We need your help!!!

The three names that I am leaning towards are ...
#1. Carson Mcmillan Stewart
#2. Hudson Mcmillan Stewart
#3. Evan Mcmillan Stewart

Research

2008-10-04T19:37:00.000-07:00

Since finding out that I am pregnant with a baby boy on Monday, I have been freaking out a little bit. Not about having a boy but once again about starting ALL the way over with vaccinations..... if you disagreed with my last post on vaccinations then please just stop reading.... my mind is made up and you are not going to change my mind. I will not vaccinate my child the way some Dr. tells me to and you go right ahead and do whatever you Dr. advises you to do!

Studies have shown that Autism runs in boys more than girls, which means I will need to be even more careful and study even more about vaccinations this go around. I am praying about what kind of vaccination schedule is safe for my child. I do not believe in not vaccinating at all but I do believe in being cautious, and researching something never hurt anyone. I don't know if I am embarrassed to say this or not but I am thinking about going and picking up Jenny McCarthy's book on autism. If you have not heard her story I recommend you looking her up. Her son began suffering from autism after his MMR shot (which Aubrey still has not had) her Dr. ignored her questions and she took matters into her own hands. She does not say that her son is healed but she does say that he is recovering and has NO signs of autism at this time in his life. I am going to pick her book up this week I will keep everyone updated as I read.

All I ask is that if you have a young child or if you are expecting a child just do your research. Don't just believe what your pediatrician tells you.... in most cases they mean well but when it comes to vaccinations I truly believe it has been so etched in their brain that children HAVE to be vaccinated by a certain age that they are not hearing the screams of thousands of mom's and dad's begging for a different way. This is a paragraph from a website I was reading tonight.... I think I posted this on my last blog about vaccinations but I just can't get over how many shots Dr's are giving children under the age of two!

A 15-member Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices at the CDC decides which vaccines should be on the Childhood Immunization Schedule. It calls for one vaccine, against hepatitis B, to be given on the day of birth; 7 vaccines at two months; 6 more (including booster shots) at four months; and as many as 8 vaccines on the six month well-baby visit. Before a child reaches the age of two he or she will have received 32 vaccinations on this schedule, including four doses each of vaccines for Hemophilus influenzae type b infections, diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis – all of them given during the first 12 months of life. Seven vaccines injected into a 13 lb. two-month old infant are equivalent to 70 doses in a 130 lb. adult.

Why does a child have to have the hepatitis B shot at birth???? I understand if the mother has hepatitis B but for those of us who do not, that is just ridiculous for that precious baby to be born into the world and immediately be stuck with a stupid vaccination! 32 Vaccinations by the age of two.... are you kidding me!!!! I will never forget holding Aubrey down at her 2 month check up and two nurses sticking her like a pin cushion with five shots. Two of the vaccinations were doubled up with something else so she received 7 vaccinations in her little body at 8 weeks old.... if only I knew then what I know now. My little boy will NOT be a part of these pharmaceutical companies making millions off of innocent children who are paying the price.

I am officially on my soapbox and I need to step down before I offend someone. :) There is more to come though so if you don't like it then don't read it :)

Learning,
Jenifer

Drum Roll......

2008-09-29T14:50:00.001-07:00

We are having a boy :)

No name yet though... we do not agree on anything :)

Motivation

2008-09-26T15:07:00.001-07:00

I finished editing Jonathan and Brantley's wedding pictures yesterday and I wanted to show off a few more.... There were a few shots that I fell in love with while I was editing! I bet if there was a camera watching me edit pictures we could win a million dollars! Sometimes I get so excited it is ridiculous :) I guess it is a good thing I love what I am doing since hopefully it will be full time someday.

*On a personal note* I have been really discouraged lately with my photography business because it has not taken off like I thought it would.... I have not been motivated to do anything to help that along because I am exhausted being four and a half months pregnant, working a full time job, and lugging around a 2 1/2 year old wearing a cast! I guess I thought over night that my own business would just explode well surprise, surprise! This is going to take work! I need an energy pick-me-up, something to get me motivated to get my name and my work out there. Something to make me get my rear-end up and WORK!

In other words if you know of anyone that needs a portrait session send them to my website or give them my e-mail address jendee783@aol.com :) Thanks blogging friends!

I hope you enjoy the wedding pictures as much as I have!

Mom and I took Aubrey out for a photo session this morning hopefully I will have them edited tomorrow she cracks me up with her pink cast :)

Water-proof!!

2008-09-15T15:28:00.000-07:00

We took Aubrey for a check-up on her leg today. I was so hoping they would change her cast out into a shorter cast that she could walk in. When we got to Children's South I signed her in and we waited for the x-ray tech to call us back. I began to look around....Aubrey's little broken leg is NOTHING compared to some of those kids. There was a boy who was in a body cast, one little girl who was all bruised up with broken legs and in a wheel chair. Kids were hobbling around everywhere. It was depressing to see all these kids hurting! After they called us back for her
X-ray the Dr. came in a told me that because of where Aubrey's brake is she would not be able to have a shorter cast. The fracture is right below her knee so he said if he puts her in a shorter cast the brake will not have enough support so her leg would not heal. I was very upset because I want her to be able to walk so bad... but the good news was she could have a water-proof cast. She did great, they cut the old cast off which was scary to me but she sat there like a big girl and they put her new water-proof one on. Her leg can now be totally submersed under water, she can take a bath, go swimming, play in the rain, whatever she wants to do! What else is there to do when your baby has a broke leg but she can swim but to GO TO THE BEACH! We are leaving tomorrow and we have probably lost our mind but we are going to have a good time! She obviously can not go to the beach and get sand or salt water in her cast but I don't like sand anyway, we are going to relax and sit at the pool and shop and play! I will post pictures next week!

Playing around

2008-09-12T19:42:00.000-07:00

I got some new templates for my Christmas cards that I am going to make for people so of course I had to try them out on some of my own family shots :) The possibilities are endless with these things! I cannot wait to start making Christmas cards!!!!

Update

2008-09-08T19:34:00.000-07:00

We go to the Orthopedic Specialist next Monday to see if Aubrey can get a shorter cast that will allow her to walk. I am praying that her little leg is healed enough for that. I don't know how many times a day she looks at her cast and tells me "I can't walk on my cast." Like she thinks one of the times she makes that statement I am going to say "Yes you can!" So hopefully she CAN walk on her cast next Monday.

She was not feeling so well last night, I thought she felt like she had a fever but it didn't seem serious enough to fight her to take her temperature. She is on Ibuprofen and Tylenol so I was just hoping they would help with the fever plus I figured some of it was just that she was so exhausted and needed rest. So she and her Momma Dee spent all day playing and watching APT television and she seemed much better tonight. We even went for a stroll around the neighborhood which she really enjoyed! Before bedtime I washed her hair in the kitchen sink and gave her a bath with baby wipes and she hated EVERY second of it but I knew it would make her feel so much better to be clean. When I was finished she sat up and smiled real big and said "All clean!" She is so funny and such a joy, I love that little girl to pieces! Hopefully, if I get time I will add some more pictures soon!

She was showered with gifts yesterday which we all know a two year old LOVES! Her sunday school teachers made her cookies, Uncle Jonathan and Aunt Brantley gave her a new cabbage patch doll, Mrs. Vicki gave her a Monkey stuffed animal, Mrs. Jessica gave her a doll house, Amy & Glen gave her a Minnie mouse backpack with colors and flash cards and stickers inside, Momma Dee & Papa gave her a song book with a DVD to go with it, granna and granddaddy gave her some books and a balloon, Mr. Lee & Mrs. Anita gave her a stuffed animal kitty cat with a book to go with it and a magnetic doll with clothes that sticks to it and an alabama cheerleader uniform. So many people have come to see her and love on her and she is loving every second of it! Loren, Jennifer & Ainslee came over and ate supper and the girls rode around in the wagon and ate dinner in the wagon and watched movies on Mommy and daddy's bed. Needless to say she is beginning to like the cast.... or should I say she is really liking all the attention that comes along with the cast! Once the cast comes off I will have to bring her back down from princess land but for now I am just happy she is ok!

Relaxing in the Recliner

2008-09-06T20:09:00.000-07:00

Could she look any more comfortable with a cast on? Popcorn, Milk, Paci, Quacks and Blanket close by.... sitting back relaxing watching Cinderella in her recliner!

Pretty in pink

2008-09-06T13:35:00.000-07:00

We took aubrey this morning to her little friend Will's birthday party at Jump Zone. She was having a BLAST until I made her slide down the big slide and her leg got between me and the side of the slide. At first I thought her foot was hurt but then I realized she would not get down and walk at all. When I tried to make her walk she wouldn't put any pressure at all on her right leg. I called after hours and they told me to take her to Childrens hospital so off we went....

Two and a half hours later we are home with a beautiful pink cast all the way up to her thigh with a fractured leg. She is not sure about this thing on her leg and keeps telling me to "take it off!" Hopefully she will get used to it sooner than later. It will probably be a long uncomfortable couple of nights but we will make it through.

I will add some pictures later.

Another day....

2008-09-03T20:24:00.000-07:00

Aubrey woke up this morning and decided she would be afraid of the potty. We have had this little pink potty for months now and she has never acted the way she acted today. I don't know if she was just tired of it or what but potty training did NOT happen today. At about lunch time I quit fighting with her and put her diaper on and decided I would try another day. We had NO successful trips to the potty today.

Oh well.....

Christmas Pictures

2008-09-03T14:05:00.000-07:00

If you are interested in booking a session for Fall or Christmas pictures then go to www.jeniferstewartphotography.blogspot.com

Thanks!
Jen

I have a confession to make....

2008-09-02T20:51:00.000-07:00

This morning's potty training was becoming very aggravating for me. Aubrey was fine and enjoying all the juice and cookies, what else could a two year old ask for right?!?! At about 10:30 I was ready to give up (pitiful I know) so I starting searching for tips on potty training on google. It is never a good thing when I start searching on google. I came across a "Potty Train Your Child in Three Days" I read the WHOLE page and believe me it was LONG, I kept waiting for the answer I knew there would be a great trick that would teach my child how to potty train. (Yeah Right!) At the VERY bottom of the page I realized that for one easy payment of $24.95 they would give me all the secrets and promised it would work! At that point I was contimplating it but I knew andy would kill me so I refused and kept searching for something free :) Then, I came across a website about how people are beginning to hire a potty trainer. Can I just tell you that is a WONDERFUL idea! I am sure there are some who disagree but after the potty filled day I have had I am ready to write a check :) Any takers?!?!?

I then read the comments that I had from yesterday's blog and I started setting my kitchen timer. Aubrey and I talked about what it meant when the timer went off and the first couple of times she would get excited and sit on the potty after the 50th 15 minute increment neither one of us were quite as enthusiastic. I do have to say that it did work pretty well but I am not sure that she is understanding the whole concept. I know everyone keeps saying it will click one day but for now I think she just thinks her mom has lost her mind and she better just go along with it. For anyone keeping score we had four successful trips to the potty and four accidents. I think that is a very good day.

On a side note I had the sweetest thing happen today with aubrey that I wanted to share. Every night aubrey and I have the same routine. Bath, kiss daddy good night, then we read Hop on Pop, Marvin K. Mooney, and I love you through and through. Then after that I sing Jesus Loves me, You are my sunshine, and twinkle twinkle. Well, I was playing on the computer this morning and aubrey was playing in her play room when all the sudden I heard aubrey talking to one of her babies then I heard her singing Jesus loves me. I snuck around the corner and saw my precious little girl rocking in her little rocking chair and holding her baby all wrapped up in a blanket singing Jesus Loves me! She looked up at me and said "SSSHHH! The baby is sleeping" I thought that was so sweet.

We will see what tomorrow brings....

Just in case you were wondering....

2008-09-01T19:42:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day of potty training and although none of you really care to read about it, I thought I would keep everyone posted on the progress as the week goes on.

This morning I hung her potty chart in the bathroom and put her stickers on the counter and we talked about how we get a sticker on the chart and one for her shirt every time she goes on the potty. She didn't really seem to care but when I pulled the cookie box out AND the juice out she became a little more interested in all this potty stuff.

So, after hours of bribing and sitting on the potty we were successful! We (including Andy) all cheered jumped up and down and gave high fives! Even Aubrey jumped up off of the potty hands straight up in the air and yelled "I DID IT!" Then she politely asked for her sticker, her cookie, and her juice.

We will see what tomorrow brings..... if you do not care to keep up with the potty progress I suggest you skip my blog this week because whether I like it or not this whole potty thing is going to consume my life this week. If we are successful and close to being potty trained by the end of the week then I will be happy. If you just drop by my house this week, most likely you will find clothes piled up, dust on the furniture, and dog hair on the ground. I realized today that there is no time for regular house-hold chores when I am having to asked every 15 minutes if she wants to go to the potty and then we sit there for another 15 minutes for her to finally say "put diaper back on!"

Join me tomorrow night for another update....until then PRAY! (Is it OK to pray for potty training?) Maybe I should call Mamaw and tell her to add us to her prayer list this week.

Hermie

2008-08-28T19:57:00.000-07:00

Something possessed me while I was at the beach the first of August to buy aurbey a Hermit Crab. I am not sure why.... I do not even like crabs they are ugly and freak me out, I am not sure why I thought a 2 year old would be excited over a crab. Aubrey squeals at him anytime he is out of his cage and it is so cute. Obvously it is a crab so we do not let her touch it but tonight she was so cute watching her crab crawl around on the floor. I had to take some pictures! Andy is great with hermie the hermit crab. He feeds and waters and bathe's him. Yes, I said bathe's him. We have learned SOOO much about these little creatures. They have to be submersed in water once a week for a minute, they need plenty of exercise, they become attached to their owners! I couldn't believe this one but hermie knows when andy picks him up.... he comes out of his shell to greet him. Me not so much maybe it is because I pick him up and if he comes out of his shell I quickly throw him back down and scream alittle.

Needless to say, andy was right to roll his eyes when I came walking through the door proudly with this hermit crab! He knew right away he would be the care taker. Oh well, I am thinking her next pet will be a rabbit. Andy says no, but I am thinking she will need a rabbit for easter, don't yall agree?!?!? :)

Worship

2008-08-27T19:43:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned lately how in love with Aubrey I am? She is such a joy to be around and such alittle firecracker, lately we never know what will come out of her mouth next. Everyday is a new adventure with her and I cannot believe how fast she is growing up. I am so excited for her to be a big sister.... there are days that I am not sure that she is ready to share her life with another baby....but then again there are days that I am not sure I am ready to share my attention with another baby. For the next 6 months I am just going to enjoy spending every moment possible with my little girl!

I wanted to share a few pictures with you tonight, I thought I would give everyone alittle glimpse into our lives. Let me preface these pictures by saying Aubrey is an entertainer. If you put her in front of a crowd she is shy, put her in her living room (her stage) and she will dance and sing all night long! Tonight she asked for some "Jesus music" and well.... this is what followed.

(For those of you who went to the Beth Moore Conference with the Calera Baptist Church ladies, I have to say I do NOT think that Aubrey is going to be one of the "Frozen Chosen!" Look at those little hands in the air!)

It's been awhile

2008-08-26T19:57:00.000-07:00

I know that it has been awhile since I have blogged, I have a ton of things to blog about and to catch everyone up on. For some reason I have just not been motivated to do anything lately. Pretty much I come home, eat dinner sit on the couch and go to bed. I am blaming this on being 13 weeks pregnant.... I need something to motivate me quickly! I have two orders to put in for pictures and one session I have to get edited this week! (Tricia, I am working on your pictures I promise!)

While I am drawing a blank on blogging I have a blog that I want everyone to visit. I heard about it from my friend Michelle and now I have been diving into this amazing blog every night for the last two nights and it is hard for me to peel myself away to go to bed. If you look at my links of Blogs I read go to the blog Bring The Rain. Now there is only one way to read her blog...start back at the very beginning and work your way to now. You have to catch yourself up with her whole story... do not skip one post of hers. Just plan on sitting down and not getting up for awhile. I have now read up to July and I cannot wait until tomorrow to hopefully be caught up. This lady and her family are AMAZING.... over the last two nights I have sat on my couch and cried my eyes out and 5 minutes later I have been dieing laughing.

Hopefully I will be back to blogging soon but for now enjoy Angie's blog and remember start at the beginning and read it all... have your tissue ready trust me you will need it!

Jen

p.s. Next week I am off work all week, I have decided that I will have boot-camp potty training. If I do not have any luck after a week of hard potty training then I am going to put up the potty and try again when I have my christmas break. (Please pray it goes well next week! I really want to get rid of diapers) I really think she is ready, now I just have to convince aubrey that she is ready!

Are you kidding me?!?!

2008-08-05T17:18:00.000-07:00

Where do I even begin? The person that pulled out in front of me had no drivers license and no proof of insurance and according to the police department there is nothing they can do about that! He gets to walk away with not even a slap on the wrist and I get a totaled car, half a day off from work with no pay, and to top it all off the wrecker service wants $320.00 to get andy's car just so we can turn around and try to sell it for scrap metal. How is any of this even legal!!!! Someone from another country can come to the United States drive like a MANIAC and be allowed to continue the same lifestyle while I have to figure out how we are going to come up with the money for a car to drive. I cannot even begin to type out on a blog how TICKED off I am. How does the law allow this to happen to innocent people. Hypothetically I could have been killed in the accident and the law would do nothing about it. I have gone from upset about the whole thing to all out MAD. I got a good cry out tonight after andy left for basketball.... I just don't understand how supposably I am protected by the law but ACTUALLY the illegal people that roam the streets are protected. This whole situation has put andy and I in a bind and what makes me so mad is the fact that I did nothing wrong, I was driving back to work and he pulled out in front of me and I will now pay the price.

Isn't it amazing how just when I thought things were looking up - just when I could see myself being able to be a stay at home mom in the NEAR future..... life has other plans.... I am beginning to think that where I always thought God had called me to be a Wife and Mother maybe I was wrong. Maybe I wasn't listening....

Maybe today I am just an emotional basketcase.... I am pretty sure that is possible considering the circumstances. But on the other hand, facts are facts, reality is reality, and the reality of all of this is we are down to one car and to get back what belongs to us to begin with will cost us $320.00 and rising each day! Even if we get it back it is totaled and we will literally be selling parts off of it.

I keep quoting Jeremiah 29:11 - I know it by heart .... I know He has a plan .....

What's left of the honda....

2008-08-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

Here are the pictures of the poor honda..... :( We are officially on the market for a used, good gas milage car for andy to drive around town and visit customers. Anyone have any good ideas :)

Car Accident

2008-07-31T15:28:00.000-07:00

This afternoon me and a co-worker were on our way back to work from lunch when a car pulled out in front of me and I hit him.... HARD! Andy's car is totaled! Mickey and I were both very shaken up crying and trying to find our phones, I finally found mine and called 911. The police, firemen, and ambulance arrived and I made the mistake of saying my neck and back were hurting.... the next thing I knew they were strapping me down to a back board and putting me in the ambulance. Off to the ER we went....sirens and all. Everything checked out fine... Mickey and I are both fine just really sore and it will probably only get worse before it gets better. Isn't it amazing how something like this can happen so fast, literally in the blink of an eye!

The real reason for this blog was not to inform you of my accident but to complain about how
in-sensitive the world is these days...... my car SLAMMED into someone else's car on HWY.31 in Pelham and do you know that not ONE person stopped to check on us.... cars just kept passing right by....NO one stayed to be a witness to what happend. I had to call 911 no one else called! What has happened to america! Do people only care for themselves these days?!?! How can someone watch this accident happen, pull over into the opposite lane and drive by.... I sure am glad that no one was hurt because who knows how long it would have been for someone to drive by and actually have a heart and call for help! I am just so disappointed with Society.

Andy is going to get some stuff out of the car tomorrow I am going to get him to take some pictures so I can share them will all of my blogging buddies!

My Family

2008-07-05T14:26:00.000-07:00

Before I started taking pictures of everyone's else's kids as a career.... I would take pictures of Aubrey ALL the time. I noticed the other day that I had not been taking as many pictures of my own child, so off to the park we went for a photo shoot :) She was more interested in sliding down the slide and swinging on the swing but I managed to sneak in a few pictures.

Transparent

2008-06-20T19:24:00.000-07:00

The Definition of Transparent - Capable of transmitting light so that objects or images can be seen as if there were no intervening material. Easily seen through or detected; obvious

Am I transparent? Am I capable of being transparent? I have a big mouth and I love to talk.... but does my mouth ever really let anyone know who I am? Am I capable of tearing off the masks and allowing others to see ME!

These are all things I am working on, I will get back to everyone on this subject.

Parents Magazine

2008-06-18T18:32:00.000-07:00

Ok, call me crazy but I have put aubrey in the Parents Magazine photo contest. I have to have ALOT of people rate her picture and I figured what better place than on my blog to BEG for voters :) If you do not mind taking a moment please go to Aubrey...the way the website works is I need you to click on Recommended and click on the five stars..... she has to be recommended the most and have the most five star rating.... for some reason they wanted me to upload 6 photos which means everyone has to go through all 6 photos and recommend and rate EACH photo. I am pretty sure she will not win because there are like 54000 pictures but I thought it would be fun :) If you know anyone that might help me out just pass the website address around.... I would really appreciate the help!

If you can not figure out the website just e-mail me jendee783@aol.com and I will explain it in a more detailed fashion.

THANKS!
Jen

Father's Day

2008-06-17T19:51:00.000-07:00

I know I am a couple days behind.....

Happy Father's Day!!!!

Work

2008-06-16T14:48:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to asked the ladies who know me to be praying for me.... I have some stressful and hurtful things going on at work right now. I do not always handle the situation the right way.... the last couple of weeks I have seen how two-faced and back stabbing people can be. I am very disappointed in the people I work with and in myself. I just want to ask everyone to be praying that everything will be setteled soon or that God would open up another opportunity for me. When I already desire to be a stay at home mom it is very hard to get up and go to work at a place that can be very discouraging. Today was a bad day..... I try to not bring it home to andy and aubrey but days like today I really can't help but to just come home down and discouraged.

Thank you for your prayers.....

A week of first's

2008-06-12T19:06:00.000-07:00

So this week has been an interesting week.... work is CRAZY, and coming home to a two year old is even CRAZIER! I only had to work Mon-Wed this week so I got the bright idea of painting aubreys play room. We started painting tuesday night, it is thursday and it is still not finished.... it is kindof hard to find time to paint a room when I am having to make sure Aubrey is not getting into the paint. Things like this went ALOT faster before a child came into the picture. Thanks to Jonathan and Brantley for coming over tuesday night and helping us get the first coat of paint on, if yall had not come over we would probably still be working on the first wall :)

Back to the original reason for this post..... I decided a couple of months ago to buy a potty so that when summer started we would start working on potty training. I am not going to push aubrey into potty training I am just trying to slowly introduce and hope she takes the bait. Up until this week she has HATED the potty. I have bribed her a couple of times to just sit on the potty but she would only sit down and then immediatly stand back up. Well, mom had told me about a garfield comic book that aubrey liked to read and mom only allowed her to read it while sitting on the potty, tuesday mom and aubrey were up in her bathroom brushing aubrey's hair and getting her ready for the day and mom got a call from Julia.... I am not real sure about the whole story all I know is mom was talking on the phone and aubrey was in the bathroom without a diaper on and mom noticed that something started to trinkel down aubrey's leg so mom said "Oh No!" and aubrey stopped peeing so mom hurried and sat her on the potty, aubrey sat there for a few minutes and finally..... she tee-tee'd in the potty!!!!! Mom said Aubrey got a big smile on her face and sordof Gasped when she heard it in the potty!! I realize this is no where close to being potty trained but you have to start somewhere right?!?!? I am a very proud mom! So the rest of the week I have really encouraged her to sit on her potty.... I snapped a picture I hope no one finds it offensive or inappropriate, I think it is pretty cute :)

The other first for this week is a boo-boo, she has fallen and scraped her knees a few times she even back when she was barely walking fell and had a bloody nose but I feel like this is our first really obvious boo-boo. I am not real sure how it happened, I put aubrey down for her nap this afternoon and I snuggled in to the couch to watch tv for an hour or so and all of the sudden I heard a loud boom and her crying!! I ran into her bedroom thinking somehow she had fallen out of her bed.... she had not fallen out but she had this bad scrape under her nose :( She cried for a long time.... I finally got her back to sleep for her nap, when she woke up from her nap I was afraid it would bother her but she has not even acted like she notices it. Andy thinks it may scab over.... I hope not but if so it will heal..... we just won't be taking any family photos for the next couple of weeks :)

I hope to have pictures of Aubrey's finished play room in the next couple of weeks.... hopefully we will be finished painting this weekend, I guess we will see if aubrey allows it or not :)

I hope everyone has a great weekend and a wonderful father's day!

Beach

2008-05-28T18:54:00.000-07:00

Mom, Dad, Andy, Aubrey & I all went to the beach a few weekends ago.... we have been so busy ever since that I have not had a chance to share any of my pictures with you! I was so hoping to get some beautiful beach pictures of aubrey and some great family shots, aubrey had other plans :) She HATED the beach! She would literally have to be carried from her beach chair to her towel. Needless to say I did not get beautiful beach pictures, maybe next time! We did have a great relaxing time and it was well needed for us all.

Aubrey has been a very scheduled baby from the very beginning.... Andy and I learned very quickly after bringing her home from the hospital that she required the same routine every night before bed time or bed time did not go very smoothe at all. So at the beach she was all off of her routine and by the last day she was literally home sick and ready to get back on her routine. When we walked back in our house she was the happiest kid you have ever seen! I could just picture Dorothy and To-To "There's no place like home, There's no place like home!"

I got some really fun pictures of her while we were there though, we tried pig-tails out for the first time ever.... her hair still isn't quite long enough but it was cute, my baby is looking more and more like a little girl and less like a baby every day!

Galleries

2008-05-23T13:52:00.000-07:00

My galleries are finally up on my website, check them out when you get a chance!
www.jeniferstewart.com

Saving...

2008-05-18T14:10:00.000-07:00

Andy and I have just purchased the book
America's Cheapest Family By: Steve and Annette Economides
I am only on the second chapter and I have already learned TONS of ideas on how to save money.... so this blog is to ask everyone for a favor..... My first favor I am going to ask of everyone is to comment back with your favorite recipe that you cook. One of the things that the family in the book does is only shop at the grocery store once a month, I know I feel like this is impossible also but I am going to give it a shot!! Since I am not a plan ahead type of person it is going to be difficult but I am supposed to put together a menu .... I am going to just start with a menu for 2 weeks and work my way up, but for now since I harldy ever cook at all I need to build my recipe book so I figured what better way then to ask all of my blogging buddies :)

The second thing I was wanting to ask about is would anyone be interested in coupon swapping? The lady in the book talks about how her and her friends pass around the sunday coupons each week.... What they do is each person gets the sunday paper and cuts out whatever coupons they want and then passes them along.... not everyone wants the same coupons so it all works out and if everyone buys the paper then everyone gets the first choice and then if someone leaves a coupon that you really like or that you want doubles of then you get the chance to cut that one out also! I can not believe I am even asking this because I am not good at coupons and spending the time to make out a menu but I figured if I was ever going to be able to stay home with aubrey I better start making some changes..... so if anyone is interested in coupon swapping then leave me a comment and we will get that started next week!

Two

2008-05-11T19:30:00.000-07:00

My little girl is two today....

I can not believe how fast it has gone by,

it seems like yesterday I was getting my bag packed,

trying to get in bed early for one more good night of sleep.

I never dreamed that my life would have changed so much,

I never imagined that one sweet little girl

would rock my world as much as she has!

She is a joy to have and a blessing from the Lord,

I love her beautiful blue eyes,

and her sweet little mouth that loves to sing about Jesus.

Psalm 139:13-14

For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

As it's been said many times before,

the days may be long, but the years are short.

A little girl.... one of the most beatiful miracles in life,

one of the greatest joys we can ever know,

and one of the reasons why there is alittle extra sunshine,

laughter and happiness in our world today.

This is a picture of me on mothers day and my precious little girl on her birthday

and as my mom would say...

It is not terrible two's but terrific two's.

God will make a way....

2008-05-01T20:53:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 3:6

"In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. "

God will make a way,
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me
He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength for each new day
He will make a way, He will make a way.

By a roadway in the wilderness,
He'll lead me
And rivers in the desert will I see
Heaven and earth will fade
But His Word will still remain
He will do something new today.

God will make a way,
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me
He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength for each new day
He will make a way, He will make a way

This particular song has been on my mind today.... just thought I would share!
Have a happy friday!!!

Vaccinations

2008-04-27T16:10:00.000-07:00

What I am about to blog about is a very controversial subject to many but I am just going to put my point of view out there.... you do not have to agree with me!!

When Aubrey was almost 9 months I had a patient at my office come in, I think she had a tooth ache or something. I am not normally a big talker when it comes to hanging around in the opperatory and chatting it up with my patients. I get the room ready for the Dr. hand my patient the remote to the tv and tell them I will go get the Dr. For some reason on this day I hung around and talked and SOMEHOW we got on the subject of autism. I don't know if there was something on tv about it or what but that is beside the point. She had 3 children her oldest two were both severly autistic and she had followed the recommended vaccination schedule. She trusted her pediatrician like we all do. Her third child she had decided to have NO vaccinations until she was two years old and she was perfectly healthy. At first I looked at her like she was CRAZY! but then she began to really share her heart with me and I saw a lady who was hurting because she did not feel like she had been told the truth from her Dr. I became VERY mad that no Dr. had ever shared the statistics with me that this lady who was a STRANGER was telling me. Dr. Stricklin came in the room and the conversation stopped but my brain was going 100 miles an hour. I could not concentrate the rest of the day. I immediatly came home and got on my computer and started looking up Autism and vaccinations and side effects..... WOW! My mom had shared some with me on this subject back before I had Aubrey and I decided against the Vaccination in the hospital but I had really not thought anything else about it until this day. I dont know if I had to hear it from someone who had experienced it first hand or what but this hit my right square between the eyes and I was not allowing my pediatrician to give my child one more shot before she explained to me the possibilites of Autism. Aubrey's 9 month check up rolled around and I took my mom with me :) We got to the end of the appt. and she told me the nurse would come in to give aubrey the shots that she was due for and I spoke up, for some reason my heart was pounding, I was SOOO nervous. I guess I thought she was going to take my baby from me.... which she didn't but she did become VERY defensive and didn't answer my question all the way and told me I could do whatever I wanted to but she was NOT very friendly.... so I told her we would be having no vaccinations that day and I would call her when I was ready. The next day I started searching for a new pediatrican and I decided that day if I had to go through 50 Dr's I would. I wanted answers and I wanted a Dr. who would be patient with me and not push me. I wanted a Dr. who cared about my child! Ever since I met that lady at my office it is like God has put people in my path or shows on tv or even websites that I have just run up on that have opened my eyes to the possibility of vaccinations being a cause of Autism. He EVEN used Jenny McCarthy, WHO KNEW!

Check this out... the rest of this paragraph comes from www.mercola.com.... In 1976, children received 10 vaccines before attending school. Today they will receive over 36 injections. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Center for Disease Control assured parents that it was safe to not only give these vaccines, but that they could be given at one time with complete safety. In the early 1980s, the incidence of autism was 1 in 10,000 births. By 2005, the incidence had leaped to 1 in 250 births, and today it is 1 in 150 births and still climbing. One of the strongest links to this terrible set of disorders was a drastic change in the vaccine programs of the United States and many other countries, which included a dramatic increase in the number of vaccines being given at a very early age. No other explanation has been forthcoming from the medical elite.

That is from a Dr. who has studied this topic and came to the conclusion that there are cases where autism stemmed from a child being vaccinated. I am NOT against having aubrey vacinnated but why does she have to have 6 shots in the same visit when she is 2 months old? Why did they want me to give her 4 shots when she was 15 months old? Why am I looked down up on and get smirks from people because I choose to not allow this? I am not saying she will NEVER get these shots. I am just choosing to spread things out and take my time.

If anyone is wondering where this is all coming from, I had a chicken pox scare today.... Aubrey woke up this morning and she had what looked to me like bug bites on her legs and stomache.... I didn't think much of it she plays outside ALL the time and I just figured she got into some mosquitos or something.... It was mine and andys day to keep the 1 year old class during church so after sunday school I went in there and aubrey looked awful! I pretty much freaked out and thought I had exposed every child in the room to chicken pox!! Andy and I immediatly went to walmart we bought calamine lotion and oatmeal bath stuff and took aubrey home and soaked her in the bathtub and drenched her with calamine lotion and gave her a dose of benadryal! I began to doubt my decision to not have her vacinnated for chicken pox, I have said for over a year now... I had the chicken pox and lived through it... if aubrey gets the chicken pox she will make it. I began to question myself.... and a couple of hours later the bumps began to disappear and aubrey was acting fine.... so I was right this morning when I thought it was bug bites and apparently she scratched them like crazy during sunday school and had it all irritated. Mom gave me the website that I mentioned earlier and I have been on there all afternoon and it has made me feel much better and I know I am doing the right thing for Aubrey. I realize this is not right for everyone and other people have other opinions and I am ok with that. I will do what I think is right for my child and you will do what you think is right for yours and we will agree to disagree :) I hope after everyone reads this (if you make it all the way to the end) that you dont think I am an awful parent. I am just trying to learn as I go..... and I am trusting God to lead me and guide me.

It is time to go now, I may add more later!

The Zoo

2008-04-26T13:33:00.000-07:00

Andy and I thought that it would be a good idea to take aubrey to the free zoo day last sunday. Aubrey had never been to the zoo and she loves animals! The rest of alabama thought it would be a good idea also and all of their kids must love animals also!!!! It was PACKED! We still had a great time and aubrey seemed to enjoy watching all of the people just as much as seeing the animals. Her favorite part of the whole zoo was seeing the ducks! Oh well! It was a good family day and next time we will just pay to go on a weekday so that it will not be as crowded.

Website

2008-04-21T22:15:00.001-07:00

Check out my new website www.jeniferstewart.com

Give me feedback and pass the website around :)

Family

2008-04-15T19:45:00.001-07:00

Learning....

2008-04-14T20:15:00.000-07:00

I feel like all I do these days is practice on photoshop and try to learn new things..... tonight I have worked all night and I wanted to share it with everyone. I know it doesn't seem like alot but it is TRUST ME :) I am pretty happy with the end results though!

Memories

2008-04-13T14:25:00.001-07:00

Andy and I are in the process of turning our front bedroom into Aubrey's playroom and while doing so we realized we had to much stuff, so we are planning for a yard sale next weekend. This weekend we almost got the whole playroom cleaned out and andy started working on getting down yard sale stuff from the attic. He told me I had two boxes to go through that were labeled "Jenifer's Stuff" :) I opened the first and it was just a bunch of disney VHS tapes.... since we do not even have a VCR most likely they will be sold (unless they are worth anything on ebay).
The second box took me straight back to highschool..... it was like a time machine as I sat on my bed and went through old letters and pictures and journals. WoW is all I can say, as I read through the first notebook of letters I had kept from friends and boyfriends it was like I was there all over again. The fun WONDERFUL times with my 3 best friends Stacy, Courtney, and Cindy. The memories I have with the three of them will last forever. I laughed as I read through letters about how one of us would have decided we didn't want to be best friends with the other ones anymore, how petty it was, but at the time how hurt we would feel. Looking back at pictures of us the week after new years that we all four spent together.... the things we thought of to do that week were so much fun I could not even begin to tell what all we got into that week :) I found my trading cards that Courtney and I collected for a year or two.... I don't even know what I am going to do with them all, I have folders FULL of animation trading cards. Does anyone even know what I am talking about?!?! I found my whistles from when Stacy and I worked at the YMCA together, we had sooo much fun getting a tan AND getting paid for it. I also found pictures of Cindy and I in her white car.... I don't remember what kindof car it was but all I can say is Roller Coaster Road, that should speak for itself :) I am blessed to know that although we have all gone seperate ways and have grown up I can still call all three of them my friend. I am so proud of all three..... Courtney I see how successful she has become with her Real Estate and how happy she is married to the man of her dreams Jamie. Stacy graduated college and is now working at UAB in the liver center ... helping the sick, she was always GREAT at being compassionate and loving. Cindy, took in her niece and nephews and gave them a Godly home to grow up in, I can not say I know many people who would take on a such a big life changing thing.... but I know Cindy probably has never even thought twice about it.

I then moved onto my journal that I kept when I was 17 and 18.... I met andy when I was 17 and I went to Summer Beach Project and lived in Panama City Beach for 10 weeks with a bunch of college kids. I am not going to knock beach project because I know of alot of people who have LOVED it.... and I was ministered to while I was there but I did not have a very good summer and I wrote about it ALL in my journal :) I did alot of spiritual growth when I was 17 and I am so thankful I have written it all down to go back to and remember. I have alot of memories with Andy written in the journal, we struggled alot in our relationship starting off.... if you read my journal you would NEVER have guessed that I would wind up married to this guy.... but about mid-way through God intervened and changed his life & his heart! Thank you God! Alittle over a year after he was saved we were married and God has blessed our marriage and given us the most precious gift of all which is Aubrey! It was so wonderful to look back at my prayer request and my concerns that I had lifted up to God..... and he answered so many of my prayers, he changed my heart in so many ways and it is just a reminder that I serve a loving God who cares about me! Even when I was a selfish spoiled little brat 17 year old that did ALOT of complaining He listened and comforted me when I was hurting because I lost my Papaw, He changed Andy's heart, and gave me a wonderful Husband who I love so much! It all reminded me of

Jeremiah 29:11-13

For I know the plans I have for you,"

declares the LORD,

"plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future.

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me,

and I will listen to you.

You will seek me and find me

when you seek me with all your heart.

I am so thankful that He has a plan for me.... when I was 17 I didn't know I would be where I am today.... now I am 24 and I have NO idea where I will be when I am 30, but I know that God has a plan for me. He will not leave me, He will always be with me guiding me every step of the way and I am SOOO thankful for that!

I then finished up my journals and closed everything back up walked out to the garage put it all back in the same box and closed the box up, the next morning andy said "does all this go back up into the attic" and I said "Yes, I am not ready to get rif of ANY of that!" One day I will get to through it all again.....

American Idol

2008-04-10T16:38:00.001-07:00

For those who do not know I am a Reality Tv junkie..... I am alittle embarrased by that but what can I say I love it!!! There are not many reality shows that I have not atleast seen once. I recently discovered that Dish had added the Reality Channel to our package and we do not have to pay any extra! Andy knew this about a week before I did but he did not tell me because he was afraid I would never turn it off. He can not say to much because he is an espn junkie :) ANYWAY.... back to the whole reason for this blog. I am a HUGE American Idol fan I have watched every season except the very first one. I think some great singers have come from the show and some not so great singers have gotten there 10 minutes of fame from the show. Last year American Idol started Idol Gives Back. I remember last year watching it and tears streaming down my face.... I have never traveled very far out of the south and so it has never been brought to my attention the poverty that is literally in our back yard! I get upset when I can not go buy a new pair of shoes.... these people just want to feed their children. When the show was over last year I remember looking at Andy and declaring "We have to send them some money!" He did not object..... he knew that I was not asking if we could I was telling him we would :) I am a pretty up front person but I feel like I have a tender heart and when you show me children who need help..... there is nothing that could break my heart more. Last night was this years Idol Gives Back and they sure do know how to tug on some heart strings! This whole season they have shown where the over 70 million dollars went last year and some AWESOME things have been accomplished and I am honored to say that I am a part of it. I can not believe the things that kids go through over in Africa. If only they had a net to put over there head to protect them from the mosquitos..... They showed 4 brothers who had lost both of there parents to AIDS.... the oldest brother was only 15 the youngest was 3.... I will be totally honest if they had put a phone number up and said call this number to adopt these children.... I would be on my way to Africa to pick up 4 boys who did not ask for the life that they have been given. I am proud of American Idol for realizing the wide span of people that watch the show.... and not just asking for people to watch but for making people aware of what is going on around the world, and for asking people to do something about it! I had to Tivo the show because of church so I watched it last night kindof late and I did not realize that my Tivo did not record the whole show, I woke up this morning and saw alittle video with the 8 finalist singing "Shout to the Lord". I have to admit I was SHOCKED! I am so proud of the contestants and the show.... I shouldn't be, I wish it was normal to hear these songs on the show but unfortunatly it is not normal at all. I thought I would share the video with everyone just in case you missed it like I did. I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Busy Bee.....

2008-04-04T19:00:00.002-07:00

I have been soooo busy the last two weeks and I am not sure it is going to slow down anytime soon. Last week there was not one evening that I was home at a regular time, tuesday night and thursday night Aubrey was in bed before I even got home! This week not much has changed and when I have been home andy and I are working on getting our front bed room turned into Aubreys playroom so there are a million things to do when I walk in the door from work. We are having a yard sale next friday and saturday to try and get rid of some of our junk that we have acquired and piled up in the front bedroom. Last night I came straight in from work at 5:00 sat at the computer and did not get up until 9:45....I was editing pictures the whole time! Tomorrow, we have a birthday party from 12:30-2:00 I am taking pictures for the prom at 4:00 and a wedding shower starting at 5:00 which I will be late to. Sunday we have church and a birthday party from 2:00-4:00 and then church again tomorrow evening. Tuesday night I am having a Mary Kay party at 6:00 pm, (if you can come please come :) I have not sent out invitations I have not had time!) Life is so crazy right now.... I am ready for it to slow down a bit!

I love this time of year..... I love getting home from work and Aubrey being able to play in the back yard for a couple of hours before it gets dark.... I love having friends over and grilling out on the back porch while we watch our kids play....

I love that Aubrey has so many kids the same age as her at the church.... I am so thankful for a church that provides good teaching for my child to grow up in. I am thankful for friends who desire for their child to grow up in a Godly home just as I desire for Aubrey.... I am so thankful that my friends are so much like family. I am thankful that my family are also my friends :)

I am not real sure how I got on the subject of being thankful...... but I am glad I did! Sometimes we all just need a reminder to be thankful!

Have a blessed weekend!

Turn up your speakers....

2008-03-31T15:22:00.000-07:00

I have music now.... enjoy while you read :)

I do not have anything to blog about today.... I have pictures to edit when I am finished with them I will post them for everyone to see :)

Jen

Update....

2008-03-28T19:25:00.000-07:00

Brantley talked to jonathan tonight..... Thank God!!!! This is the most worried I have been the whole time he has been over there.... it is definatly time for him to come home. I dont know how much of that I can handle :)
So glad you are safe for now Jon. Love you!

Worried

2008-03-28T11:23:00.000-07:00

Ok! I admit it... I am worried..... I am trying not to be but I am! It has been a few days since we have heard from jonathan.... a million things pass through my mind, while I try very hard to keep it positive things, things that are not so postive seem to sneak into my mind. How many times a day can someone say... "Get behind me Satan!" Well for me it is quite a few times.... Thank goodness I have a God that immediatly comforts and sends encouraging thoughts....encouraging scripture will automatically pop into my brain.... and I know He is in control, He knows where Jonathan is and what he is doing. When we do finally hear from him or when Jonathan reads mine, mom's, and julia's post he is going to think we are silly.... but lets be honest he isn't sitting at home waiting on our calls from Iraq. He is the one in the middle of War and while he is busy working we are checking our phones to make sure we have a dial tone.... or checking our cell phones to make sure we have service at all times! Or.... checking our blog and his blog to see if there has been a post. We love you jonathan!!!! We are praying for you daily and we can not wait for our "Jon-Jon" to come home!

I love these pictures :)

Spring

2008-03-22T14:10:00.000-07:00

Mom, Amy, and I all went to the University of Montevallo to take pictures of the girls. We had a blast!!!! I took over 300 pictures and I have had a really hard time picking out which pictures to put up on the blog. Everytime I look at them I have a new favorite.... I made add some more later but for now..... I hope you enjoy our Easter/Spring Pictures

An interesting Spring Break....

2008-03-21T20:22:00.000-07:00

The start of my week was not how I had planned it and the whole week has pretty much gone the same, so lets just start at the beginning....

I woke up to my alarm Monday morning at 5:45 and felt my tummy rumbling but thought nothing of it until my alarm went off again at 5:55 and I had to make a mad dash to the bathroom just in time to round the corner and ring the toilet. Yes, everyone once again someone in the Stewart household was sick! This is the first time in years I think that I have actually been throw-up sick and might I remind you just in case it has been awhile for you also.... it is AWFUL! For some STUPID reason I thought I would tough it out and go to work, I only had to work monday and tuesday of this week so I could make it....NOT! I arrived at work on time somehow, I got all the equipment turned on things put in the appropriate place before anyone else arrived and then I went and sat in the break room still thinking.... " I can do this", "I am tough!" The other girls began arriving and I could feel myself turning a beautiful green, the all asked me if I was ok, told me to leave because they did not want it and I still refused..... I was fine! I decided to let the other assistant get the first patient of the day back while I sat down for just a few more minutes, I called my mom she reinforced the fact that I had lost my mind and I should be in bed. About the time I hung up the phone once again I had to take off running for the toilet..... I made it again and I will not test my quickness anymore....."Attention everyone, I am going home!" It is now 7:30, I officially made it 45 minutes at work before I had to turn around and go home. Once I got home it was back in the Pajamas to rest up for the next days work.....NOT! After a nice little nap from 8:15-9:30 the sickness began to come in 15 minute increments, about the time I would get comfortable.... I would once again be racing for the nearest trash can, toilet, bowl, anything! At about 4:00pm, when the throwing up was still going strong I finally decided SOMEONE in calera had to have some phenegran and I would search them out, one person at a time. I called mom, no luck..... amy, no luck.... it was only my 3rd phone call that I hit the jack pot and I said Andy will be there in 5 minutes. I had no idea how I could keep it down but my goodness it WOULD stay in my stomache long enough to work.....so around 5:00pm the throwing up finally ceased and the rest began...... by this point, my back hurts I am laying on a heating pad my stomache hurts, I am hugging a pillow and everytime I looked at myself in a mirror the brown circles under my eyes looked even browner and I looked... and felt like I was wasting away. Talk about a diet plan! I looked like I was about to die, I felt like I was going to die and honestly it is 4 days later now and I dont even think I am exaggerating!

At 10:30 that night I woke up to take another phenegran and andy informed me that I needed to set my alarm clock, "just in case I feel ok to go to work the next day" he said. I smiled and agreed.... woke up at 7:15am the next morning turned my alarm off rolled over and went back to sleep. I then woke up at 10:oo am got up stumbled to the refrigerator to get some sprite, I returned to the bed and proceeded to sleep until 3:30 that afternoon! I was a sick puppy, I wouldn't wish that on my enemy!

Wednesday came and I HAD to find aubrey some shoes to match her easter dress, and I needed to find something to wear so mom took my up to the shopping center we got done what needed to get done and she took me home for one more wonderful nap before Aubrey returned home. If you have not red the blog before this one then scroll down read it and then return here.... that should catch you up on the life of Aubrey :)

Needless to say, we are now on our 3rd night of screaming at bed time..... wednesday night was the worse and it lasted until 1:00am..... I probably allowed it to go on so long because I still felt sick....but I have no excuse for last night, just weakness..... she looks so pittiful crying! So tonight I was strong.... I bathed her, read a book, sang a few songs, prayed with her, kissed her good night and put her in the bed. I then returned every ten minutes for 40 minutes.... then I waited for 15 min. increments... I only had to do that twice and she is asleep. Alittle over an hour and she is asleep and I get to blog :) I am praying and crossing my fingers that she will sleep all night and everything I read says that if I stand my ground this should only last about a week. I will let you know in 6 days how it is going :)

Thursday I took aubrey to the park and we played for about an hour and a half, it reminded me how bad I want to be home with her.... how I want to be a "mommy" everyday and do "mommy" things 8-5 not dental things. I know God will provide, I know everything will work out.... I know, I know , I know.... but there is still that small voice in my head that says, it will never work. So, to update the prayer request, I am working on getting a business license for my photography... as soon as that happens I really feel like I will be able to work my way out of work :) I know I will still be working (ie: taking pictures) but I will love being home more and being able to fix my own schedule..... I will love being able to go to the park, and swim at the pool, on days other than the weekend when the rest of the world is there also. God will make a way..... I know it!

Terrible Twos....

2008-03-15T19:02:00.000-07:00

Where has my daughter gone? There is a 22 month old child sleeping in her bed but it is NOT my Aubrey! If you would have talked to me a week ago I would have gone on and on about how this stage in Aubreys life is my favorite. We are learning to communicate with each other, she loves her momma so much, she loves to hug on me and play with my hair and cuddle and sing, a week ago she was my biggest fan, and I was hers. Fast forward to this week and I can not figure out where my little angel has gone! My precious princess has turned into a whiney, grunting, crying, pictching fits, annoying two year old! I guess it is the terrible twos coming alittle early.... I would hate to know that it will get worse from here. If I look at her wrong, say something wrong, or not agree with Queen Aubrey these days she turns into an angry little girl! I guess I am so shocked by this all because a week ago I thought I was so lucky! I had the best little girl in the world.... now, I am beginning to eat those words. I am not a normal mom, I was not a big fan of having a newborn. It was not that I didn't love her because I did and I was and still am very grateful for the gift that God gave Andy and I when he gave us Aubrey. But with all that said I did not function well with her as a newborn. I always wanted babies... I love babies but when it was mine waking up all hours of the night and screaming and crying and throwing up and pooping 10 times a day I was not prepared for all of that!! I had babysat for people, I had even kept some babies that were pretty much newborn and I LOVED it, but I could go home and mom and dad had to deal with the up all night sleepless nights. So anyway, most new moms just love waking up to their precious little baby and they love spending those early morning hours listening to there little princess cooing and talking, not me! I loved it when we could play and she was sitting up and learning to crawl and learning who I was and who andy was. I love it when I go pick her up from nursery and she is so excited! A month ago I wanted to rock her to sleep and she didn't even want me to she just wanted me to put her in her bed and let her sleep. This last week we fight for an hour just to get her in the bed then it is another hour before she even thinks about going to sleep. I know people say let them cry for 10 mintues check on them lay them back down and walk back out of the room, if this has worked for you please give me a call because all it does for Aubrey is get her that much more fired up! I am not a mom who doesn't believe in punishing for acting up.... trust me aubrey is not a child who has always gotten what she has wanted. I just want my Aubrey back, does anyone know when that might happen? I did see a glimpse this afternoon when I took her in the back yard to play, she has loved being outside since she was a newborn with colic. When she was just a few weeks old we had to buy patio furniture because we were spending so much time outside. We would take her swing out in the back yard and just sit there until the sun went down. So now she is always wanting to go outside and it is finally warming up so that we can spend our afternoons playing on the swing set....below are a few pictures from this afternoon.... dont let the sweetness fool you, as soon as we walked back in the house the whining began again.

It is a good thing she is so cute

She is singing Jesus Loves me in the picture above

Check it out....

2008-03-07T21:02:00.000-08:00

I have a new blog... check it out it is www.jeniferstewartphotography.blogspot.com Please continue to pray that God will continue to open doors that need to be opened and close doors that need to be closed. I am in the process of getting ready to sign up with a printing company which means I will be in business.... they like to see some pictures I have already taken to make sure I know alittle bit of what I am doing. So a photographer friend of mine told me to start a blog and put pictures up of the sessions I have done and that I hopefully will do :) Hopefully it wont be long and I will be able to take orders and deliever professional photos!

Aubrey

2008-03-05T11:57:00.000-08:00

I am home with a sick baby AGAIN! She was up until 2:30am throwing up about every ten minutes, I FINALLY got her to go to bed and she woke back up at 6:00. Fortunatly she has only gotten sick once this morning so hopefully she is over it! I think the final count was 4 pairs of pajamas, three baths, three sets of sheets, eight towels, 4 blankets, and I changed my clothes three times :) So you can imagine what my house looked like and smelled like this morning because at some point during the night we stopped bathing and stopped changing clothes and just decided to sleep in it :) The washer and dryer have been running ALL day to get all the sheets and clothes clean....I got up and decided I am tired of getting sick and Aubrey getting sick so if it can be cloroxed ( is that a word) it is and EVERYTHING is getting Lysol. So NOW can you imagine what my house smells like :) HaHa we have gone from one nasty mess to a totally sterilized house. I still have to vacuum and mop the floor but Aubrey is taking her nap so I do not dare make any noise that might wake the sleeping beast :) ( I will be in trouble for that comment from her Momma Dee) Mom is going to bring her Kirby Vacuum cleaner over so I can shampoo the carpets in aubrey's room because the smell is still lingering. I can not imagine how people do this with more than one kid. I guess it is kindof the same as last night you are just fighting for survival. I felt so sorry for her though she had no idea what was happening and couldn't understand why I wasn't doing anything about it... I am so glad that night is over! Hopefully tonight will run alittle smoother.

Hold on by 33 Miles

2008-02-29T09:30:00.000-08:00

I've been there a thousand times
I've felt the rain like a thousand knives
And it hurtsI know it hurts
I've been there like a fighter plane
Tryin' fly my way through a hurricane
And it's hardI know it's hard
Don't be afraid You'll make it through
Just call out to me and I'll come running to you

Hold on, hold on
When the current pulls you under
And your heart beats like thunder
Just give me your hand
And hold on, hold on
Unitl the storm is over
And I'll be fighting for you
Just give me your hand and
Hold on

I'll give you hope, I'll give you faith
And if it's dark, I'll light the way
For you, for youBy your side, until the end
Until you're standing tall again
I'm here, I'll always be here
And if the tide, sweeps you out to sea
When your strength is gone, and it's hard to believe

Hold on, hold on
When the current pulls you under
And your heart beats like thunder
Just give me your hand
And hold on, hold on
Until the storm is over
And I'll be fighting for you
Just give me your hand

Hold on, hold on
When the current pulls you under
And your heart beats like thunder
Just give me your hand
And hold on, hold on
Unitl the storm is over
And I'll be fighting for you
Just give me your hand
And hold on, hold on

Airmail

2008-02-24T19:14:00.000-08:00

Can I be mailed to Iraq????

PLEASE!?!?!?!

Can I be mailed to Virginia????

PLEASE!?!?!?!

Fine! I can do this on my own!

Ok, I will stay here since I don't have any pants on and I don't know how to put them on myself. But will they come see me soon????

Weekend Trip!

2008-02-23T06:56:00.000-08:00

My week finished alot better than it started, thank you to everyone who encouraged me :)

Andy, Glen, Amy, and I went to Mentone last weekend for a short little get away we left Aubrey and Jenna at home and we had SOOOO much fun! It was good to get away and play card games and just relax. We have been two times before and lets face it there is not that much to do in mentone so we were creative, but before I tell yall about that I wanted to show you some pictures from a little zoo in mentone. We found it last time we were there and we HAD to go back! I am not sure how it stays open and honestly I feel sorry for the animals but I wanted to take some pictures so we did not pay to go back through the "Redneck Zoo" but I did sneak in to see the lions and tigers and snap a few pictures.... check these out!

After we left the zoo we headed up to scottsboro to check out the Unclaimed baggage store. For those who are wondering it is not worth going unless you are just happening to pass by! When we were leaving though amy and I saw a sign for a Consignment sale starting the next day so the next morning we get up and head BACK to scottsboro well it wound up being nothing like we had expected but I got aubrey a real cute jacket and top. I dont think it was worth the hour drive but it was fun!

Everytime we have been to Mentone Glen wants to go find Randy Owen's house well I am like a teenager when it comes to famous people so I was ALL for it so after driving around for about an hour we decided to stop and ask if the lady in the gas station knew where he lived and of course she gave us perfect directions..... Andy could care less about any of this so he was less than thrilled but still he drove us around. So we get to his house and there are a couple of cars in the drive way so I tell andy to pull up to the gate and lets get out and see if anyone is outside well of course andy doesn't stop he just keeps going straight, well when we FINALLY turned back around because I told him I didn't get a good look at the house and I wanted a picture we get to the house and the cars are gone!!!! So andy made us miss Randy Owens! Well this time he pulls up to the gate and lets me take my pictures but he drives off real fast when I say I am getting out to talk into the intercomm attached to the gate! Oh well it was fun!

After we left Randy Owens house we went to Jeff Cook's Sound Studio. Somehow I managed to talk andy into going up the long driveway and he let Glen and I out we went inside the front door and we could hear music playing but there was a BIG metal door and you had to be buzzed in from inside that door. I dont know who but someone was behind that door playing music because they would stop playing and talk for a minute and then start back up. We had alot of fun though! I am not a Alabama fan really at all but Glen is....anyway Amy and I have decided that our next trip will be in October and we are going to go to Brentwood Tennessee because we have heard alot of Country Singers live there. Maybe we will run into a few :)

All in all we had a great relaxing trip and that is all any of us went for.

It is so great to have wonderful friends to spend time with and enjoy each others company! We were all so excited to get home though so we could see our girls.... Jenna was so excited to see Amy and Glen and it is so great to see them so happy as a family after all the prayers and all the tears to see God's little miracle and to once again be reminded of God's perfect timing!

Struggling

2008-02-18T14:06:00.000-08:00

I am going to go ahead and worn everyone reading this I am having a bad day.... so stop reading now if you dont want to hear alot of whining :)

I am really struggling right now at this very moment, I want so bad to be a full-time mom I can hardly stand it and it just seems like I can not see the light at the end of the tunnel. I have 3 different ways I am trying to make money on the side to help supplement to make it easier to come home once we get a few things paid off, well so far we have lost money so I am officially hurting our income not helping in anyway shape or form! We would like to have another baby sometime in the near future I do not want my kids real far apart but the LAST thing I am going to do is have another baby and ask my parents and andys parents to keep the baby every day while I go to work. They have done enough just keeping aubrey..... I did not think I would still be working, when Aubrey was born I figured maybe a few months and I would be able to stay home with her well almost two years later and I am still working 4 days a week. I dont really know why I am spilling all this out there for who knows how many people to read but I am really frustrated and I just wanted to type it all out!
I wanted to blog today about my amazing weekend get-away with andy, glen, and amy and I will probably do so in the next couple of days but it did not take long for reality to hit today that I am no longer on vacation! This all started today from a girl at work being ugly....what can I say there are 6 woman who work together in a small office there are bound to be fusses and aggravations well today something that was said just flew all over me so I smarted back so she smarted back to me and so on and so on until we are now not even talking I know that sounds so juvenile trust me it sounds stupid to me too but I can not help that I am mad I know we will both get over it and move on but today.... right now all I can think is I am giving 110% I am not appreciated and I dont even want to do it! So why am I????? Well then it comes back around to I have to do it .....which brings me back to losing money in all my little ventures of trying to make money which makes me start crying all over again! So here I sit at the computer while the potatoes are boiling on the stove because I am supposed to take a meal to a friend tonight who just had a baby and I have already called amy and she is coming to pick up the potato soup and take it to them because I can not go anywhere looking like the mess I look like right now!

I just read everything I have typed most of yall are going to think I have completly lost my mind.... so instead of me going on and on will you just pray that God will make a way....because right now from my point of view there is no way! I just feel stuck in the mud right now and I guess I needed to get it out so there it is .....I just put it out there for everyone to read :)

Sick, Sick, and more Sick!

2008-02-08T18:27:00.000-08:00

I thought this week would NEVER end!!!!! Aubrey was sick sunday and monday.... so I stayed out of work with her on monday and I started feeling bad monday night but thought it was nothing. I went to work tuesday and about mid morning I started feeling HORRIBLE..... we had a few cancellations that afternoon so the girls at the office thought it would be best if I went on to the doctor so I did. The doctor said I had a flu like virus.... if the doctor ever tells you that just take it that you have the flu. I had ALL of the feelings of the flu but the little cotton swab the stuck up my nose said i was negative of the flu! Trust me I had the flu! PLUS an ear infection in both of my ears.... now I know why Aubrey cries when she has an ear infection it felt like someone was stabbing me with a knife in both ears. So I went home from the Doctor's office and layed on the couch Aubrey spend the night at MarionLynn and Billyjoe's house and I thought I would be fine by wednesday well needless to say it is now Friday and today is the first day I got off the couch or out of the bed! Andy also has been just as sick so my wonderful parents and andy's wonderful parents have swapped aubrey back and forth so that we wouldn't have to take the chance of her getting whatever we had. I finally went and picked her up this afternoon...I sure did miss my baby girl. It is good to have her at home and it is good to be feeling alittle bit better. I dont know what I would have done if I would not have had my parents and my In-Laws in town to help me out because I have been useless this whole week! I have come to the realization that NOTHING comes on TV during the day but that doesnt mean I turned it off I just watched re-runs of Americas Next Top Model. It kept me pretty entertained!

Aubrey is talking more and more these days it seems like everyday she grows up sooo much more! She is remembering things.... I asked her the other day if she wanted to go see Baby Jenna and she said... "Mamie! Gen!... which stands for Amy and Glen so she is remembering when I see Jenna I see Amy and Glen also! There are alot of little things like that, that remind me everyday her little brain is sucking up so much information I just want to continue to fill it with things that Honor God! She has also been working on animal noises and animal names that go along with the noises.... she is picking it all up so fast! I LOVE this stage of her life I say this at every stage I know but this is my favorite stage so far of her life. I will try to write tomorrow to tell you more of what aubrey is doing.... I am mainly telling this stuff for Julia and Jonathan but the rest of you are welcome to read it....
Have a good weekend!!!
Jen

Sick.....

2008-02-04T06:59:00.000-08:00

I am home today with a sick baby :( she woke up yesterday from her nap with 102.5 fever! She has not gotten up yet this morning for me to check it again, I pray that it has gone down so that we dont have to go to the doctor and catch something else while sitting in the sick area....

Making money....

2008-02-01T20:11:00.000-08:00

So I have been hard at work making hair bows for a month now.... (thanks mom and mamaw for all of your help) :) I wanted to have 100 bows for the moms of multiples sale and I have made it to 100 so tonight I ordered 100 more clips! I have had 4 different orders from the hospital....amy showed off some bows that I gave her and so alot of those girls have been ordering..... as a matter of fact she called me tonight telling me she needed like10 more bows! And I did not have any of the colors that the girls ordered so tomorrow I am back off to Hobby Lobby and Michaels! I am not complaining..... just praying this keeps up!

I also had my first photography job (thanks tricia!) I have to admit I was a nervous wreck and I have alot more to learn.... but there is only one way to learn and that is to get out there and do it! I have a photographer friend..... I actually just started e-mailing a photographer in birmingham that I have been admiring for sometime and she has been so nice to e-mail back and forth and tell me some secrets! Anyway she just keeps telling me "Fake it until I make it" So right now that is my motto! So if you need a cheap photographer... I am your girl!

I started this post just so I could show off some hair bows on my new web site :) There are only 4 hair bows on it so far but I just started it tonight and I am proud of myself so I needed to show off! :) check it out if you get a chance! www.jendee783.etsy.com

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

2008-01-29T14:52:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday Jonathan..... I hope you have had a great day even though it is in Iraq! I am so proud of you and all of your accomplishments and I can not wait for you to get home so we can celebrate Christmas and your birthday..... boy are you going to be spoiled when you get home! But it will all be well deserved....we just wanted to tell you that we love you and are praying for you and thinking of you!!!! COME HOME SOON Big bro.!

Love ya,

Andy, Jen, Aubrey

Sometimes He calms the storm....

2008-01-26T19:57:00.000-08:00

All who sail the sea of faith
Find out before too long
How quickly blue skies can grow dark
And gentle winds grow strong
Suddenly fear is like white water
Pounding on the soul
Still we sail on knowing
That our Lord is in control

Sometimes He calms the storm
With a whispered, “Peace, be still…”
He can settle any sea
But it doesn't mean He will
Sometimes He holds us close
And lets the wind and waves go wild
Sometimes He calms the storm
And other times
He calms His child

He has a reason for each trial
That we pass through in life
And though we're shaken
We cannot be pulled apart from Christ
No matter how the driving rain
beats down On those who hold to faith
A heart of trust will always
Be a quiet peaceful place

Singing

2008-01-26T06:37:00.000-08:00

So on a lighter note..... Aubrey has recently started singing and for alittle while I just thought she was humming and jabbering I couldnt really make out the words well the other day she was in her bedroom and I went in there and this is what I heard.....
Je-huh Je-huh jabber jabber (real high voice) ME!
Dis I (real high voice) KNOW

It was the cutest thing ever...... if you cant guess what it is, she is singing Jesus loves me....
I hope everyone has a good weekend!
Jen

Memories...

2008-01-24T19:32:00.000-08:00

Today I have thought about Jason all day! Memories that we shared the laughs and the cries. It seems like just yesterday we were canoeing down some little river and Jason was freaking out because he was afraid of otters..... so of course me being the good friend I am I pushed him right on into the water :) he was not to happy with me but like always he got over it! Jason had weird fears and at the same time was fearless. He was also afraid of " little people".... he eventually grew out of this one but the otters.... he was always terrified! Jason knew how to make people laugh, that is why I loved him so much....he had such a joy for life, he was a friend to everyone Jason didnt meet anyone that wasn't a friend! When Jason was in the room you just wanted to be around him you wanted to know what everyone was laughing at and who they were laughing with!

I remember when he was in the car accident with him mom, I remember dad telling me and I immediatly wanted to go see him it scared me to see how bad of shape he was in. I remember him calling me and telling me they were letting him go home from the hospital it seemed like he was healed in no time! He was ready to take on the world.... he realized he had a purpose..... we all know jason had his struggles but who hasn't? I know without a shadow of a doubt that he is with his brother now waiting on the rest of us to come home to be with him!

I remember seeing how broken he was at his brother scott's viewing, and of course in Jason style he had his wisdom teeth out that same morning..... he picked the weirdest times for things but he was in so much pain physically.... and so broken hearted but he was strong. I wanted to make everything better.... I wanted all of his pain to go away I knew in God's timing He could heal all wounds!

Now I am left sitting here at my computer thinking of all the things I wish I would have said... I should have stayed in touch..... I should have encouraged him more and been there for him more! I should have been a better friend over the last couple of years I shouldn't have let there become so much distance...... I truly believe that God is never late and God is never early, He is always right on time and for some reason this was the time that God chose for Jason no matter what any of us could have or would have done different this was Jason's time.... I do not know the reason now I may never know that reason but I am choosing to believe and I am standing on the fact that God will make good of this.... God will make His face known..... God will get all of the glory!

Jason and I never dated we never had that kindof relationship.... we never wanted that relationship God put us together in our teenage years for one reason I believe and that was purely for joy.... we went through some hard times together and we went through some of the happiest times of our lives together! We grew together we helped each other grow up but at the same time to keep a child like spirit. Whenever I think of Jason Hall I think of happiness, smiles, jokes, CRAZINESS, joy, and of course I will always think of otters :)

Jason today, I celebrate you! I celebrate your life, I celebrate your friendship, I celebrate because I know that one sweet day back in our teenage years you asked Jesus into your heart, I celebrate because I know we will see each other again one day. Today I celebrate Jason Hall!

“I thank my God every time I think of you. (Philippians 1:3)”

I can do all things
Through Christ who gives me strength,
But sometimes I wonder
what He can do through me;
No great success to show,
No glory on my own,
Yet in my weakness
He is there to let me know

His strength is perfect
when our strength is gone;
He’ll carry us when we can’t carry on.
Raised in His power,
the weak become strong;
His strength is perfect,
His strength is perfect.

We can only know
The power that He holds
When we truly see how deep our weakness goes;
His strength in us begins
Where ours comes to an end.
He hears our humble cry and proves again

His strength is perfect
when our strength is gone;
He’ll carry us when we can’t carry on.
Raised in His power,
the weak become strong;
His strength is perfect,
His strength is perfect.

I will praise You through the storm....

2008-01-23T14:51:00.004-08:00

Scroll down and you will see three videos of Rick Burgess.... if you have not heard him speak at his sons "Celebration Memorial Service" then please take the time to listen to it.... yes it is long but it is WELL worth it! I have a whole new respect for this man and for the whole family.

I am alittle numb right now knowing that today my good friend, I guess I could say he is like my brother.... passed away today. Jason Hall.... we had some good times! We had some bad times! I loved him with all my heart..... I would see him at walmart or every once in awhile on the back pew at the church and I just wanted to run to him and hug him everytime! We grew apart after high school I went my way he went his but our memories our good times.... nothing can take those away from me! I remember walking down the aisle to marry andy, and seeing Jason standing there.... he had told me he wasnt coming that he was going to the auburn game I acted like I didnt care but I honestly felt like a part of my family was going to miss my wedding! And there he stood the biggest smile ever watching me walk down the aisle with my daddy! There are so many times I can write about but my teary eyes will not allow it right now. I will really miss him.... this is my first close friend to pass away, it is not supposed to happen like this, I am supposed to see him get married and have kids! I am supposed to run into him in town and get my good Jason hug! I am supposed to see him succeed in life.... far past what he has already succeeded! I watched him be so strong with his brother terry when scott there other brother passed away last may. My heart was so broken then and now I can not even put into words how broken I am. Jason.... I love you, I will miss you!
Terry, you know how much I love you, you are my brother, you were in our wedding.... you have been with me through alot and I will be with you through this! I want to call you but I am afraid I will fall apart and not be the strength you need, so right now, tonight I will pray for you, your sweet little sister and your parents who I know are dieing inside! My pain does not compare to yours I know but please know.... I love you sooo much andy loves you soo much aubrey loves you sooo much! Please let me know what you need when you need it! We are here 24 hours a day and you know it! If you have not watched the Rick Burgess video, watch it! I have been glued to my radio all day listening and I have been so broken about my own personal life.... and my walk.... and then I get home and dad calls and tells me the news, I can not even explain what I am feeling.... but I am going to fight the fight.... keep the faith and just like Rick said.... I am not going to let satan get a foot hold on my life!
I feel like I am just rambling but I have so many thoughts going through my head.... it is just all getting jumbled up maybe I will be clearer later but for now I will leave with this....
"Praise You In This Storm"
I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining
As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes awayAnd I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
I remember whenI stumbled in the wind
You heard my cryYou raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find YouAs the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes awayI lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

Rick Burgess - A Father's Heart part 1

2008-01-23T14:51:00.003-08:00

Rick Burgess - A Father's Heart part 2

2008-01-23T14:50:00.003-08:00

Rick Burgess - A Father's Heart part 3

2008-01-23T14:49:00.001-08:00

Be still

2008-01-23T07:27:00.000-08:00

I have been told I need to blog more.... to be honest I will try to write tonight but for right now I just feel like being silent and listening....
" Be still and know that I am God" so that is what I am doing right now.... just being still.