Kailey's 4th Birthday

I can't believe it, but Kailey turned 4 years old yesterday! Time sure does fly! This year we decided to have her party at the place where she takes Gymnastics. (Oh yeah, Kailey is taking gymnastics now. She really likes it alot!). The theme of the party was Hello Kitty. The colors were red with white polka dots and light blue. I ordered the invitations, favor tags, cupcake toppers, banner, candy tubes, Kailey's shirt, mini-notebooks, and tiny sugar cookies from various vendors on Etsy. Everything turned out super cute.

Etsy Shops:

Banner: Celebration Paper
Cupcake Toppers: Traditions by Donna
Invitations and Favor Tags: She's Tutu Cute Btq
Candy Tubes and Mini Notebooks: Three of a Kind Munchkin
Sugar Cookies: hobilerimizz
Kailey's Shirt: bowdaciousbaby















The only bummer was that right when the party started, Kailey started complaining that her throat was hurting. She was miserable for most of the party, and started running fever on Saturday afternoon. I took her to the doctor on Sunday, and she has Strep Throat! I felt so bad for her!

On her actual birthday, she opened a few gifts at home with us, and we had some birthday cake!





And now, I am officially caught up with blogging! Yay!

A Branson Thanksgiving

This year for Thanksgiving, it was our year to spend with Casey's family. Instead of heading to Shreveport, Casey's parents paid for us to all take a trip to Branson, Missouri! Casey and I went to Branson for our honeymoon, almost 8 years ago, and we were excited to get to head up there again. However, it was a ten hour drive! We left here Tuesday, after I got done with inservice, and drove to McAlester Oklahoma to spend the night. Then we drove the rest of the way to Branson on Wednesday morning. The girls did really well! Lots of snacks and movies!

On Wednesday afternoon and evening, we did some window shopping (in the dark, coldness, as you can see!) We also ate dinner at the Hard Luck Diner, which is where the waiters and waitresses sing to you as you eat, which the kids loved! On the way back to the condo, we drove through a Christmas light park, which the girls loved also.





On Thursday (Thanksgiving), we spent the late morning looking around, trying to find some place that was open for shopping and lunch! We finally ended up at The Landing, which is like an outdoor mall area. Most of the stores were closed, but the kids had fun walking around, and we ate pizza for lunch, which was a first for me on Thanksgiving! At 5:30 we went to the Dixie Stampede show, which the kids loved! It was one of those meal shows where you eat while you watch (with your hands!). It was yummy! It was a Christmas show with horses, which was a lot of fun. The girls each got a horsie as a souveneir. On the way home we stopped at a game place for the kids to burn off some steam!







On Friday, we decided to spend the day at Silver Dollar City. Since it was "Black Friday" they were having a special on tickets. Usually it costs $55 per person to get in, but if you got there before 10:00am, it was only $30! We definitely took advantage, but the bummer was, that there was nothing to do except shop...so the kids were not big fans! We took a few pictures, and then left and decided we would come back later that night when things were open!





Later that afternoon, we headed back to Silver Dollar City. The best part was this huge kids area. It was the neatest thing ever! There were about 3 or 4 levels were kids were shooting balls into this big area. The kids on the bottom level were putting the balls in these vacuum tubes that sucked the balls back up the kids that were shooting. Kailey loved shooting, and Makenna was her little helper. She scooped up the balls and handed them to Kailey, so that she would have ammo to shoot! Then when we went to the bottom level, Makenna was fascinated by the vacuum tubes!





We also saw a Frosty the Snowman show, and rode the night Christmas train around the park. It was really fun!

The next day we hung around the condo, went out to lunch, and then let the girls take a nap. We left Branson around 4:30, and then spent the night again in McAlester. The trip home went well too, except for some major traffic in Hillsboro on I-35 (what's new?).

Pumpkin Carving and Halloween

We had our 7th Annual Pumpkin Carving party, the weekend before Halloween. (I think. Man, it really has been awhile since I have blogged!) Since there were so many kids there this year, and since Kailey was actually old enough to somewhat understand what was going on, we added a "Kids Table". I set up a cookie decorating center, as well as crafts for the kiddos. This was probably one of the most fun parties we have had in awhile!






We had some pretty cute pumpkins that were carved this year as well. The scary thing was though, that we were totally under a burn ban at the time, and we totally lit the pumpkins anyway....




For our Fall Fest at church Kailey dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood, and Makenna dressed up as a flower (remember this costume from Miss Kailey bug?). They both had a really good time. Kailey got her face painted, and Makenna loved playing in the little kid area.

Pumpkin Pics 2011

Ok, so I am a bit behind on blogging.

I am going to attempt to catch up on everything that has been going on with us for the past 2months!

Back in October, we took our annual Pumpkin Pics. This year, we didn't go to the same Pumpkin Patch that we usually do, just because it has been pretty disappointing the last couple of times that we have gone. The church down the street from us always hauls in a ton of pumpkins to sell to raise money for their children's ministry. They were really pretty pumpkins and the pics turned out pretty cute!

Faith and Miracles

Warning: This post may be all over the place, with a lot of rambling. I have a lot on my mind.

My faith has been tested this week to say the least. The last time I took a Spiritual Gifts test, it said that one of my gifts was Faith. I have always considered myself the type of Christian that completely trusts God, no matter what is going on around me. Through my miscarriage 2 years ago, it was painful, but I knew that God was with me and had a reason for it. Through Mrs. Baird's horrific car accident, I could see the hand of God in her survival. I knew God had a greater purpose for her life, through her accident. But this week, my faith was hit hard.

My best friend is 18 weeks pregnant, and went in for her ultrasound this past Tuesday. The big ultrasound where they find out the gender of the baby. This ultrasound has also become known in my mind as the scary ultrasound. I have read so many blogs about people who have found out at this specific ultrasound that their babies had a life-threatening disease, so I always wait with baited breath to find out the results.

This day was no different.

When my friends were in their ultrasound on Tuesday they found out that the baby is not urinating, therefore its bladder is full of urine and there is no amniotic fluid. They were told this could mean a number of things. Anywhere from the baby having a blockage, all the way to a chromosomal abnormality, such as downs syndrome. One of the biggest problems is that since the baby doesn't have fluid around it, it cannot move, and its organs are not developing. She immediately had to rush to Houston to have tests run to find out which situation she was in. She was told that if it was a chromosomal issue, there was nothing that could be done, and she would just have to wait on the baby to die. She was told if there was no chromosomal issue, but the baby was a girl, she would not be able to do anything but wait on the baby to die. If not in utero, then at birth. Then she was given a third option, which was for the baby to not have a chromosomal issue, and to be a boy. If that was what the tests revealed, then she could have a fetal surgery to place a stint in the baby's bladder, to remove the blockage.

Well after all the stories I have read about, and seen, I immediately assumed one of the most horrible things would happen to this baby. After all, the chances of the third option were very slim. It is not that I didn't think God could heal the baby, its that I didn't think He would. Its not that I don't believe He cares. I KNOW He cares. I just realize that sometimes God lets really awful things happen to the faithful, so that He gets more glory. I guess in my own mind, I feel as if I am still having faith in God, because I believe that He can heal, and He does care, but that He just might choose not to.

I guess though, this has gotten me to thinking. Am I doubting, because I think about the things God might allow to happen instead? I guess I am. It is just hard for me to get away from thinking about those alternatives. I have seen God perform some miracles in my day. Mrs. Baird is an (almost) walking miracle, for one. But, just because I know God can perform a miracle, doesn't mean He will choose to. That is what I am having a hard time with. It's not even that I am having a hard time with the thought that He might not. I am more angry with myself that I am doubting that He will perform one. ( I told you this post would be all over the place).

So anyway, today my friends went to find the results of their tests. They found out that the baby is a BOY and that he does not have any chromosomal issues! When I got the text today at school, I nearly fell out of my chair! (**Disclaimer. I was NOT texting with students in my class. It may or may not have been during my department planning, excuse me "collaborative" period**) It was like God was looking down at me and saying "See? I am here! I am taking care of this situation, even when you do not think I am going to provide the result you most desire! Trust in Me!". It was just amazing. It was one of the only times I remember being smacked in the face for my doubt.

My friends are not out of the woods yet. They have to get another test done to make sure the baby can have surgery. If they get to have surgery, and the baby makes it to term, the baby could have physical abnormalities, or bad kidneys, etc. It is all very scary. The bottom line is this: God is in control, and His will is going to be done. No matter how much I am scared, or don't like it, He is in control and His will is best.

To make this post even more all over the place, get this: I was looking at facebook, and one of my other friends had her ultrasound on Tuesday as well. They found out that their baby is not developing a brain and is going to either be a stillbirth or die right after birth.

Like I said, my faith has been tested this week in a big way.