Had a Wonderful Christmas even though Sam was SOOOOO sick.....

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas holiday, celebrating the birth of our wonderul savior, with family, friends, and good food. We did...... just a little later than most. Sam started getting sick last monday and by Christmas Eve he was the sickest Ive ever seen him, I really do believe we avoided the hospital only because it was Christmas Eve! He was dehydrated, high fever, tonsils swollen so big they were touching with white pus all over them, which made him not be able to breathe, wouldnt eat or drink and was dry heaving. IT WAS BAD, we made several trips to the Dr, blood work and a sick 4 year old dont mix. His White blood count was 18 and should be 5, they came to a conclusion he has mono. Anyways we cancelled Christmas at our house on Christmas day with my side of the family and had that get together yesterday. I thank God my sweet baby is finally feeling some better!!! We had a great time with family yesterday, yummy food, and more presents for Sam to open! He got lots of great new toys, so many he doesnt even know what to play with.
I hope Santa was good to everyone, he sure was to Sam. I am looking forward to this next week, just spending time with my hubby and Sam, now that hopefully we will all stay well and just enjoy spending some time together while Chad is off work!
Thank you to all my friends who have constantly been praying for and checking in on Sam, thanks so much, I was really worried about him!
Next time you read my blog I hope to have it redecorated, time to take down all the Christmas decorations!

~Jennifer (I will post Christmas pics soon!!!!)

Merry Christmas Everyone

Well its been a while since I have posted anything, we have been unbelievably busy! I have so many pictures to post but will wait and make a slide show later.
We have so enjoyed the month of December, we have taken Sam to so many fun Christmas events, and truly enjoyed teaching Sam the true meaning of Christmas this year. He has been so into the story of the birth of Jesus and gets so excited every time he sees a nativity scene, he says "mom, look, look, its baby Jesus, and he has sang away in a manger over and over, I think that is his favorite, its so sweet to hear him sing it. Christmas through a childs eyes is AMAZING. Anyways, unfortunately my sweet baby Sam is sick, he has a horrible throat infection with the great ole white stuff on his throat and cant breathe, he has been on antibiotics since Mon. and I just hope and pray he gets to feeling better soon, so he can enjoy all the goodies Santa is gonna leave for him tomorrow night!!!!!

Well I just want to wish everyone a VeRy MeRrY CHRISTmas!! Hope everyone has a great time with their families and gets lots of goodies from good ole St. Nick! Be Safe if you are gonna be traveling!



Most of all I want to thank you dear heavenly father for all of my wonderful blessings you have given my, I thank you so much for your son Jesus as we celebrate his birth during this holiday season. I pray for all of my family and friends who dont know you, that this may be the Christmas that you draw them to you! We miss PawPaw so much right now, but know he is with you dear Lord, please help MawMaw through these next few days as she misses him so badly! In your precious sons name, JESUS! Amen

Our Elf on the Shelf....... "Dasher"

Meet our elf........ Sam named him "Dasher", its the cutest thing ever to see Sam look at this little elf and talk to him , telling him what to tell Santa tonight when he flys to the north pole to tell Santa about his day! Tonight he told Dasher "please tell Santa Im sorry if I was bad today, Im gonna be good the rest of the day"! Then he said mom does he really fly? Of course I said , you have to believe!!! What fun, the magic of Christmas!!!! If you dont know about the elf on the shelf you have to check out the website www.elfontheshelf.com.
Your elf will come with a book that tells your child the story and then your child names his/her elf and its a tradition every year! Sam just wants to touch Dasher so bad but Ive told him he cant it will mess up his elf dust and he wont be able to fly to the N.P.. Sam stops whining the minute I tell him Dasher is watching and he will report to Santa tonight!

Sam with his elf Dasher in the background sitting on the edge of a frame!


How cute!!!!! Hope everyone enjoys their weekend!!!!
~Jennifer

Finally..... All Decorated for Christmas

Thought I would share my holiday "tweaking"! Im finally all decorated! I love this time of the year!! Now Ive got to get some presents under the tree and Christmas cards out in the mail. Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season, getting in the spirit, and most of all remembering the true reason for the season!

This is something I made last year being that is was the first year without my PawPaw, a poem called Christmas in Heaven, I made several and gave to my MawMaw,mom, aunt,sister, and one for me, just something to help us remember even though we miss him so much he is in a wonderful place having the most joyful Christmas ever!




These are two of most favorite ornaments on my tree, the first one is an angel that was on my moms tree when I was a little girl and I remember it always being on our tree and now its on my tree.
The second ornament my aunt found for me last year, as you may remember PawPaw and I sang you are my sunshine to each other, My aunt said she wasnt at all looking for an ornament, she just walked into Belks last year Christmas shopping, and it was like the ornament on the tree was just shining, like here I am buy me for Jennifer and Christi (my sister), she said it was like PawPaw was talking to her telling her to get these for us, letting us know he was ok and we were still his sunshine! WOW! When she gave it to me and told me that, I lost it! You are my sunshine PawPaw, I miss you!



These pictures are of past Christmas of Sam and Santa, I Love the first one, he was 2 and this was the first time we got him to sit in Santas lap, he wouldnt take his eyes off of him to look at the camera for a picture, but I love it!




Has anyone heard of uppercase living... http://www.uppercaseliving.com . I am addicted to this stuff. My friend is a rep and Im thinking about selling it if I dont get pregnant soon. These are a few pictures in my house of things I did with uppercase living. What do you think?





Just a few more of my decorations.....
I love my nativity scene, this ceramic tree was my grandmas.







Hope everyone has a great weekend, we are going to the christmas parade Sat, and Sam and other little ones from church are gonna go caroling Sat night!

~Jenn

SO Busy......

I have been so busy, there's been no time to blog! I LOVE this time of the year, except for the hustle and bustle of it all, thats what makes it go by to fast!
Wish we could all just slow down and enjoy it more because the holidays come and go so fast. Thanksgiving has come and gone, it was a great one! I sure missed my Paw Paw though, this is the second holiday season without him and it doesnt get any easier. We spent it with family and ate entirely too much! Very proud of myself, I stayed home on Fri. and didnt even go shopping, first time ever! We are completely done with Sams presents now I need to shop for everyone else.......

Well how did all of you BAMA fans enjoy the Iron Bowl, I absolutley loved it!
ROLL TIDE ROLL TIDE ROLL TIDE ROLL TIDE ROLL TIDE ROLL TIDE ROLL TIDE ROLL TIDE!

It snowed here today, Sam absolutely loved that, got some cute pics of him running around in it! BRRRR, its really cold though!

Well not alot to blog about, just felt like I needed to update my page a little.

Hope everyone is getting in the Christmas spirit!

Here are some recent pics from thanksgiving.........

playing a little football after thanksgiving dinner
My sweet MawMaw Daisy and sister Christi
Chad and Sam

Sam and his best buddy in the world, his cousin Wes, my nephew, arent they both cuties

Me and my doodlebug


~Jenn

What a busy weekend........

We had a great short family get away to Nashville this weekend to the Opryland Hotel.
We dont usually go this early, but thought why not go ahead and we had a wonderful time. I needed a chance to get away, because we found out we arent pregnant this month and I had my hopes up so high, but I know that I have to keep the faith and it will happen in Gods time! Dr Rushing has increased my fertilty meds for this month, so you never know it could be a Christmas present, Im trying not to get my hopes up so high this time though!
Anyways back to our weekend! Its so exciting to see the excitment in Sam's eyes this year, he loved all the beautiful Christmas lights, Santa wasnt there yet but I told him he would have plenty of chances to see Santa this year! They had a christmas band there, Rockabilly ? and Sam loved it, he was dancing around and singing all the fun Christmas songs! We had a wonderful time just getting in the Christmas spirit together as a family!

Sunday we spent the day at church, visiting with Maw Maw, grocery shopping, and then home to make the cutest turkey cupcakes for Sam's Thanksgiving party at school today.
Arent they cute????, also some pics from his party today. Sam was so sweet when I got there, he said " hey everyone this is my mom"! "Mom will you sit beside me?" How sweet it broke my heart, Im sure it wont be long before he wont be saying that so I enjoyed it while I could! :) :)





~Jenn

what are you're plans???????

I copied this poem from a blog site that I follow, she had it on her blog today,Im copying her idea :), but this poem is awesome and it really made me stop and think! http://raisingfutureesthers.blogspot.com/, it is a poem by Beth Moore, I had never read it but it definitely put things in perspective for me. How truely blessed I am, and how I must only trust in God to take care of everything, trust in his plan for me not "my plan". So at this time in my life where Chad and I are wanting another little one so bad, we must keep the faith and know our God will take care of us! I never "planned" to struggle with infertility but I know God has a a reason for it, Im very glad I have him and Ive chosen to follow his plan and not one of my own.
Life is never as you see it but even during the times of doubt, struggles, and hardships I can truly see that God has always been there and he has never let me down. Examples in my life 1) Samuel 1:27 for this child we prayed and God has granted us our request , we prayed for our little Sam and what an answered prayer he was. 2) the death of my PawPaw, he was a daddy, a pawpaw and so much more, I always thought I would never make it in this world after he was gone, God used this time in my life to draw me back to him as I had drifted away, without God Im not sure how I would have dealt with the death of PawPaw I still miss him so much today, but have the reassurance that I will see him again one day! There are several things that happened to me after he passed that I know werent little coincidences, they happend because of God and Im so thankful! 3) the most important of all is the plan of salvation that God has given to me and all! All we have to do is believe and except and what a wonderful eternal plan he has for us! Im so thankful for being saved from my sins and my promise of eternity with him!

Enough about me and my plans, what about you, are you following a plan of your own or are you letting God be in control of his plans for you?


The Life I Planned
from Things Pondered


Has someone seen the life I planned?
It seems it's been misplaced
I've looked in every corner
It's lost without a trace.
I've found one I don't recognize
Things missing that were dear
Promises I'd hoped to keep
And dreams I'd dreamed aren't here.
Faces I had planned to see
Hands I planned to hold
Now absent in the pictures
Not the way I told.
Has someone seen the life I planned?
Did it get thrown away?
God took my hand from searching
Then I heard him say,
"Child, your ears have never heard
Your eyes have never seen
Eternal plans I have for you
Are more than you could dream.
You long to walk by sight
But, I'm teaching eyes to see
I know what I am doing
'Til then you must believe."
He's done so much, I felt ashamed
To know He heard my moans
To think I'd trade in all He's done
For plans made on my own.
I wept over His faithfulness
And how He'd proved Himself
How He'd gone beyond my dreams
And said to Him myself,
"No, my ears have never heard
My eyes have never seen
Eternal plans you have for me
Are more than I could dream.
Yes, I long to walk by sight
But you're teaching eyes to see
You know what You are doing
'Til then, I must believe."
I felt His great compassion
Mercy unrestrained
He let me mourn my losses
And showed to me my gains.
I offered Him my future
And released to Him my past
I traded in my dreams
For a plan He said would last.
I get no glimpse ahead
No certainties at all
Except the presence of the ONE
Who will not let me fall.
Are you also searching
For a life you planned yourself?
Have you looked in every corner?
Have you looked on every shelf?
Child, your ears have never heard
Your eyes have never seen
Eternal plans He has for you
Are more than you could dream.
Perhaps you long to walk by faith
But He's teaching eyes to see
He knows what He is doing
Child, step out and believe.

poem by Beth Moore

~Jennifer

Faith not Fear

A blogger that I have been following for a while:
http://our-journey-to-parenthood.blogspot.com/ are in the process of adopting their second child, they are in New Jersey where they have been for the past several days, the baby was born 72 hrs ago and at time to be released from the hospital from the first mother to the new family the first mother is having second thoughts! I can only imagine what an emotional roller coaster they are on right now, please say a prayer for them. They have been waiting for this baby for so long! CHECK OUT HER BLOG!!!

Update on our status........ I dont know if I should be happy or sad! My lab work from Sat. checking my progesterone was 10, now that is low but technically I did OVULATE (which is something I never do). When I first found out I was pregnant with Sam my progesterone was 7.5, so there is still hope. I just want to thank God that I actually ovulated that is a blessing in itself for me! Now I have to wait until this weekend to see if my period starts or not...... its a roller coaster ride! Im trying to have FAITH not FEAR! Please dear father bless us with a healthy pregnancy! I know its in your hands Lord, and your will be done. I thank you for all my blessings and all the ones that lie ahead! AMEN

~Jenn

Update

I go for bloodwork tomorrow to check my progesterone, and this will be an indicator
if the fertility med actually worked and if theres even a chance that I am prego, I wont know if I'm prego for about another 5-7 days, PLEASE everyone keep us in your prayers this would be an awesome gift from GOD and the best Thanksgiving blessing ever! Im keeping the FAITH!
Thanks everyone
~Jenn

Happy Veterans Day

Mommy and Sam



Veterans that are proud they served our country

Sam waving to the soldiers

Im so thankful for all these men and women that serve our country


Daddy and Sam


What a great time we had at the Veteran's Day parade! Sam doesnt really understand the whole meaning of today even though we tried to explain it to him, but he loved seeing army soldiers and all the army eqiupment and especially all the fire trucks and their sirens.
My Paw Paw was a World War II vet and seeing some of those older veterans today it brought tears to my eyes, just thinking about what they've been through in their lifetime and the sacrifice they made for me, my family, and everyone else in this country.
I want to thank all the men and women, then and now, for all they've done for our wonderfull country and our freedom. God Bless You!
Hope everyone has a blessed Veterans Day!

Update on our fertility treatment, my ultrasound looked good last week, like my ovaries had responded to the fertility meds, so I go for bloodwork this Sat. and should know if we are pregnant in about 10-12 days. This is all that I have on my mind right now, I want another little one so bad, Please continue to keep us in your prayers because only God can make this happen!
~Jennifer

Bring The Rain

I love the lyrics to this song by MercyMe, no matter what you go through in life, good or bad, God will bring you through it, and I have to remember to draw near to him in the tough times and never turn my back.......

I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that I've gone through
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You
Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It's never really ever crossed my mind
To turn my back on you, oh Lord
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through these times
So I pray

Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain

I am Yours regardless of
The dark clouds that may loom above
Because You are much greater than my pain
You who made a way for me
By suffering Your destiny
So tell me what's a little rain
So I pray

Holy, holy, holy
Is the Lord God Almighty

~MercyMe

Prayer can move mountains.............

I feel like Im a nervous wreck right now, and thought maybe blogging about it might help. Im so worried about the election tonight that I cant even watch as the results come in, I pray from the bottom of my heart that Gods will be done and I know he will take care of it all. I just dont get our nation and why people are voting one way, yet thats why this is called America that we live in. Im not sure that everyone who's voting for Obama has really researched him and what he's all about because if they have they couldnt want him for our president.?.... Its not too late to pray tonight for the results even though the polls are closing, prayer can move mountains!!!

The other thing on my mind that Ive yet to mention on my blog is anything about my infertility issues. We had to have fertitlity treatment to have Sam but deep down know that he was a true blessing from God, "For this child we have prayed and God has granted us our request" Samuel 1:27 Chad and I have been ready and praying for another blessing for another little angel now for a while! I go to the Dr. tomorrow for an ultrasound and hope to get good news, it does look like we are going to have to go down the same road again with fertility meds and other treatments. So I pray that God's will be done in this situation in our lives as well! I know he will take care of it, and we sure would love another little one, Sam keeps asking for a brother or a sister, and its hard to explain to a 4 year old why you cant give that to him! Please say a little prayer for me tomorrow that I will recieve good news at the DR! I will post how it turns out.
~Jennifer

trick or treat

What a fun time we had this Halloween! My little Sam was an Alabama football player! His daddy loved that! For the past 4 years we have spent Halloween with our friends Butch & Paige. Their daughter Emma and Sam have been having play dates since they were itty bitty babes. We first stopped by Maw Maw Daisy's then to Popa and Granny Sue's and then Sam was off to the party at Emma's. They ate mummy dogs & cupcakes and then took a trailer ride around their neighborhood to trick or treat, Sam had a great time, he would hop off the trailer and just run full speed from one house to the next. What fun, I remember those days! He was so tired when he got home but of course not too tired to eat a little candy. We couldnt believe we even got to see Santa at one of the houses we trick or treated!
I really cant believe that its already November and Thanksgiving will be here before we no it. I love this time of the year, to see the excitement in Sam makes me so happy, but again its so hard to go through this time without my Paw Paw!
Tomorrow is the start of a busy week for me, and Im really getting worried about the election, I just pray that God will send us a Godly leader and the right person will be elected! Hope you enjoy the Halloween pics, untill next time!
~Jennifer