pennies from heaven

Remember that time I quit my awesome job?
And then realized insurance cost a bazillion dollars and doesn't cover anything?
And then thought ohmygoshicantbelievewejustdidthat???????????

We had a breakdown last week - the entire fam.
Once we figured out private insurance cost literally as much as our house payment and "more than likely" won't cover anything, we lost it.
Did you know you can't buy insurance that covers pregnancies? Unless you have a group plan...
That's kind of important if you have to have major abdominal surgery to have babies.
(oh, don't worry, the self pay is only like, $5000 or so bucks, no big deal)

I was in tears.
Jared was hacked off.
And CK was laughing and playing with the "boo-ful" girl in the mirror without a care in the world.

Sadly, it took me a couple of days to realize, but I should have been doing the same thing. 

(not really laughing at myself in the mirror, but you get my drift)

It's funny how God can use our kids to teach us so much. 

She doesn't have to worry. 

She knows we will take care of her. 

Why should I worry?

I have someone much more dependable than me on my side. 

Since that day, and even before then now that I look back with a little less emotion and a little more perspective, God has presented us with more "job" opportunities than we can even get done! We are so unbelievable blessed, and I know that the Lord will continue to send things our way. 

"And in your book were all written

the days that were ordained for me,

when as yet there was not one of them."

Psalm 139:16

He's got us covered. 

She's got her tape measure on and she's ready to work if you need anything. 

She is especially great at spilling and then picking up her own cheerios...sometimes.

I only wanna be with youuuuuuuuu

A lot has happened in the past three years. 

We tend to do things fast, I guess, but there's nothing wrong with that.

The four years we've been together seem like a lifetime, 

and I'm excited to spend the rest of my years with you.

Thanks for being my best friend. 

Thanks for being silly with me.

Thanks for letting me know when I am being silly.

Thank you for being honest. 

Thank you for supporting me.

Thank you for loving Jesus.

And thanks for loving me, 

not just the mushy kind of love,

 but the kind that will last forever.

Love you.

Here's a quick wedding recap in pictures for all of you who weren't able to be there-

Please excuse the fact that I am not looking at the camera.

And that fact that my husband looks like the kind of guy you DON'T want your children to be around.

(Don't be alarmed, he is a youth minister)

The pony length hair is my fault - he threatened to shave his head, I said don't touch your hair. 

Be careful what you wish for.

The mustache, however, I had nothing to do with. 

Guess he didn't know there would be pictures the night before????

My BFF's from High School call this the "traveling jacket."

Much like the traveling pants, it has made it to the big day of three of my closest and dearest friends.

There's no reason something this cute (or expensive) shouldn't get to make more than one appearance.

There are far too many little boys in our families to have chosen just one to be a ring bearer, so made them all dress in khaki and white and hand out water bottles. This picture is so cool. The water fountain was at the back of where our ceremony was held.

We had NINE people in our wedding party - on each side. 

All my girls wore different dresses, and they were from Dillards, so totally, 

for real, 

wear again dresses.

We had our siblings stand closest to us at the wedding. We had a Maid of Honor and Best Man, but these two were VIP's too. 

My brother straightened my dress; what a little gentleman.

During the ceremony, our families came up and prayed over us. Really cool. 

Look how beautiful this place is!!! There is a garden and the "mansion." We got married outside, on August 1, in the blazing heat, with no rain back-up plan, and it rained that morning! Thankfully the rain cooled it down a little, to something like 100 degrees.

My family made all the tablecloths, food, and decorations for our wedding. 

They're pretty good at it, aren't they?

If only I had gotten to eat more than one bite of this cake!

The car we drove off in was fabulous, and so went with our vintagey theme!

I'm still alive, thanks for asking!

For any of you who might have been wondering, I am still alive. Although the month of June NEARLY did me in, I made it through. Here is where I have been, oh, the last 11 or so days of my life.

Living every 12 year old boy's dream... working in a big honkin' fireworks warehouse.


And while I was gone, our house went up for sale, all our grass died, my car was filled with fireworks, a trailer was filled with furniture for me to refinish and sell (somewhere...), I got a pinterest, our favorite neighbors moved, and no one kept up with my blog.

Dang. 

When you break it down, we probably all made about $2 an hour, what with the burn ban and drought and all, but we did have fun. 

CK stayed with her Grandy, GrandMike, and Mister all week. I think she had fun. Apparently, she got to boss ... A LOT. 

Here are just a few examples of the things my sweet, sweet child says:

*While riding in the car with my mother and 16 month old through the Dairy Queen drive-thru, CK yells from the backseat, "Gangey, Iwancake!" (translation: "Grandy, I want cake!!!"Obviously while she was with her grandparents they let her eat whatever her little heart desired, which right now consists of chips, cake, ice cream, french fries, and goldfish. 

*Every adult in the house pushed the kid around in her stroller whenever she asked demanded. And sat on the rock ledge when they were told to "seet down". She speaks in the cutest authoritative little voice, it's hard to turn her down.

* One morning my mom called and told me CK was yelling at her to "find it!!!" because they had lost the changer.

We may be in trouble. 

Hope you all had a Happy 4th of July!

How to make it on one income

When I had CK last year, I knew it wasn't feasible financially for me to stay home with her (it still isn't). I had just started a new job, I had only been out of college a couple of years, and we just couldn't afford it. It broke my heart. I would miss her first word, her crawling for the first time, and even those treasured first steps. God really took care of me over the past year. I didn't miss any of those special firsts, and he gave me the blessing of getting to be other kid's "mom,"and I am so thankful.

Around Christmastime, I started worrying about next year. Would I have to miss any more of CK's one and only childhood? While I got to be a part of a big portion of her day, the older she got, the more I felt she knew I wasn't around. It made my heart sad. While there really is no way we can afford to live on one income, the hubby and I prayed about it, and both of us know I need to be here with her. 

I quit my job on Thursday. I can't tell you how unbelievably sad it made me to think I would not be teaching next year. I LOVE my principal, the people I work with, and even the kids (most of the time). I can't believe it's over. The past two years have been awesome and it's hard to put into words the gratitude and appreciation I feel to have had someone entrust me with the privilege of teaching.

 As I drove off crying, I knew I would miss Madison, and even now I second guess myself and wonder if we made the right decision. 

So how do you make it on one income, with no job covered health insurance, $4 a gallon gas, and a hungry babe? 

We just pray and believe that the Lord will provide. 

God has taken care of us this far, and he doesn't take days off. 

I figure we'll be alright.

And instead of teaching sentence structure, I'll be cleaning up after this little corn cob head. I can't wait to play and hear her sweet voice sing "ashes, ashes DOWN" all day!

Parade Day

Thursday we went to the Western Heritage Classic Parade! I love living in Texas - people here will line the streets to watch fancy old cars drive by,  kid's wave from floats, and horses poop. 

We went to the parade with our neighbors and BeBe. It was a blast (most of the time). We accidentally sat on the wrong end of the parade, and since we got there early to get a good spot, we waited an especially long time to see anything. The babies had to get up and walk around a little bit. 

This little doll carries around as many "paisssss" as she can hold, and switches them out randomly. I've already told her when she's two they disappear, but I think we both know that probably won't happen. 

Finally, we saw something. Hohs (horses), yee-hawyee-haws (cowgirls - this one sounds more like a donkey), mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm (cows), and babies (any kid under the age of 4ish). All of the kids loved it, although there were a couple of complaints about the lack of candy! 

Isn't this the most adorable face you have EVER in your whole life seen?

This is Tate, Ck's future hubby. (Also extremely adorable.) 

These two ask for each other all the time, and then when they get together, CK starts bullying him and he has to push back. I think they're in baby love. 

We went and ate at Lucy's. If you live around here and have never been, get up right now and head down Treadaway. They finally got a sign up so if you didn't know where they were, now you can find them. This place is packed ALL. THE. TIME.  And it's delicious. And they have homemade ice cream. And if you're still reading, you didn't get up and go yet.

Then we came home and CK played in the sprinkler. That kid can't get enough sprinkler - we can't get the grass watered because her big kid self moves it. Yesterday, she got me and her dad with it. Then her BFF came over. 

When she tries to say her name it comes out "Ya ya".

I don't know what we're going to do when they leave!

This one's for the ladies (with babies... or children)

Thanks for 

disciplining, 

spit cleaning, 

feeding, 

clothing, 

nose picking, 

rocking, 

picking up after, 

laughing, 

"watch"ing tricks (a million times over), 

holding, 

kissing, 

hugging, 

tucking in, 

talking to, 

yelling at, 

spying,

losing sleep, 

doctoring, 

missing, 

calling, 

and mostly loving.

Mommas truly are a picture of the unconditional love of Christ in full force. 

love you momma, mam, nana, and deb. happy late mother's day!

(i'm so not good at holiday postings!)

I hope you grow up "normal"

I'll be the first to admit, while I think she is wonderful, precious, beautiful, smart, etc., etc., my kid is weird.

Example 1:
Little Baby CK has been getting very little nutritional value in her diet these days. Her favorite (and almost only) food group is crackers, preferably goldfish. But the other night, she found a new love:

Pickles dipped in BBQ Sauce



While this tasty snack also has little to no nutritional value, I let her eat it because, well, it's just funny - and also disgusting. 


Numero dos:
She was unable to play in the water on water day at "school," however when she got home she desperately needed the water hose, and even attempted to drink from it. 

God forbid I get water in her eyes while I'm trying to wrangle her down in the bath and wash her hair.... but apparently if she does it, it's OK. This might drive me a little crazy. 

3:

She sleeps in our bed. I know, I know, I know....

Number 4:

Her favorite thing to do is parade around outside - naked. Or play the piano naked. 

Or mostly just be naked. Anytime, anywhere. Which results in a lot of clean up, but is also hilarious. 

 I worry sometimes that we aren't doing the right things for her all the time, that we let her get away with too much, that we let her eat too much dirt and pizza and cheetos, that we should put her in her own bed... 

I worry that our parenting skills aren't quite as polished as others.

I do hope she grows up normal, whatever that may be, in spite of us and anything we may be lacking.

But more than that, I hope she grows up to know and love Jesus. 

Happy {late} Easter!

The Proposal

I fell in love on "date" 3.
I'm not sure you can even call it a "date" - we were hanging out in his garage watching a movie on the projector. We had been to the video store (that makes it seem like it was a long time ago since we don't have those anymore) and he had tackled me onto the ground. I laughed so hard I nearly wet my pants. I was in love.

When I left his house that night I texted my mom I was getting married.

He never asked me to be his girlfriend, I guess I just assumed I was. And eight long months later he still hadn't told me he loved me, and I was getting anxious. I wouldn't be the first to say it, but he has told me since then he knew.

Dinner that night was not fun. He had made me cry earlier that day and I was just waiting on him to break-up with me. He barely spoke to me the entire time.

Had he been anything but basically ignoring me for the week leading up to the proposal, I might have caught on; I still don't know how I missed it!

When we walked into the Power Shack (the place where we had our "first date" and I almost drowned in the pool) the floor was covered with candles and rose petals. He told me he loved me for the first time, which I originally thought all the to-do was about. He said we had both said it before, but that it didn't mean anything without a committment to go with it. Then he got on his knee and proposed. I laughed. And laughed. And never said yes, that I know of.

I'm not so sure how he could love that face...

When we walked into my house my friends and family were there to celebrate with us. I thought that was one of the best days of my life, but everyday since then has been better.

What's your proposal story?

PLEASE can we go on a vacation?!?!?!?

Not just a vacation as in off work, but the real deal, big time, going SOMEWHERE vacation? PLEASE?

I've honestly been really blessed in the vacation department. My family took us all over the U.S. in High School (although on most of those trips I was playing in basketball tournaments and my family was vacationing). I've even been to Hawaii, and Mexico, and Costa Rica. But those days seem so far in the past....

And don't get me wrong, we still go A LOT of places, but I've got this dream stuck in my head:

me and the hubs on our honeymoon in Riveria Maya, Mexico

And while I know I can't ever talk my hubby into going here again, for fear that my face might blow up (click here to see what the heck I'm talking about)

I do REALLY want to go on a vacation this summer. 

So here's the question of the day:

*What is your DREAM vacation?

(It doesn't have to be somewhere realistic)

* What is your most memorable vacation spot?

*Do you have plans to vacation somewhere this summer? Where? And would you like to take a friend (meaning me)?

I'm going to try and talk the hubs into a little wager - if I can get 50 comments, he takes me somewhere. Hopefully that works out for me - ha!

Sorry about your kid's hair...

Anyone ever done anything REALLY stupid?

Like say, cut your nephew's hair?

Yeah - I did. 

You can imagine how it turned out. I am not a barber, nor am I a hairdresser. One bad snip and it was all over. I wish we could blame it off on him, but he was being perfectly still. (He is still VERY HANDSOME, there's just this one part on his bangs....)

Once when I was asked to do some of my High School friend's hair for Winter Formal my hubby asked me if I was good at doing hair, to which I replied, "Yeah."

" Jar, check out my hair everyday," was what I should have said to this obviously rhetorical question. Could he not see I was awesome at hair? Did he not recall I did my entire wedding party's hair? Come the heck on. 

I cut my bangs, I once cut my mom's hair, I just knew I could cut the Ryk-Man's hair. 

After we got home... after the "incident," he let me know, in his usual, very sweet way, I was overconfident. 

I am officially the Worst Aunt EVER!

He is getting a baseball hat and a toy from his Aunt RaeRae this week, I've got to make my way back up into the ranks of people he is allowed to be left alone with. 

Look at this adorable fella at his first haircut. He will be returning to this lovely establishment for future haircuts after the disaster of tonight, I am sure!

Shout out!

I don't really even know if people say that anymore, but I would like to give a shout out to all the single parents in the world. I honestly have NO IDEA how you manage to do it.

Here's a rundown of the events that transpired over the last two days that totally raised my awareness:

(Jared is out of town having fun watching the State Basketball Tournament while this is going on, mind you)

1. I have to rush to Mother's Day Out from work to pick CK up from school at even close to on time - I was 15 minutes late

2. We had our one year appointment scheduled for 3:45. As we are walking up to the door, I drop my large, lemon berry slush from Sonic all over the ground and it drips on me as I take the trash to the trashcan. 

3. CK wants down in the waiting room at the Doctor's office - I DON'T THINK SO. We wrestle until we are called back to our room, which is at 4:55...

4. Ck wants down in this room of the Doctor's office as well. Continue wrestling...

5. Her ear infection apparently hasn't gone away and she is screaming and twisting and trying to get away from the Doctor as she is checking her ears. And we're still wrestling...

6. I hold her down as she gets 4 shots. Do I need to write "Continue wrestle" again?

7. By the time we leave the Dr. with our prescription it's 5:55. I refuse to go to Walgreen's and rush with the crying baby to the mom and pop drugstore that we love before they close at 6. (no more wrestling, just screaming)

8. After we pick up medicine and dinner and get gas it is 7PM. 

9. After wrestling in bed for awhile, CK does go to sleep pretty early.

10. CK wakes up at 6:15 (that may not be early for some people, but I get out of bed at 7:15, so early in this house)

11. CK won't eat breakfast and won't get down to play while I get ready for work

12. CK is supposed to be playing with GrandMike until time to go to the neighbor who has so graciously agreed to keep her since my usual is out of town, but acts kind of afraid of him and will not quit crying and trying to get ME to pick her up, although her GrandMike is right there

13. GrandMike is scared plus has to go back home, CK doesn't feel good, it's 7:55 and I am supposed to be at work at 8, so CK gets  to go to school since all day and hang out with 8th graders.

14. CK poops her pants. The entire room stinks. On my planning period (which is about 5 minutes later, enough time to diffuse through the air and stink up the whole room) I start getting diaper changing gear out of the bag and realize I have no wipees. (I REALLY need some help at this point!)

15. We drive to a nearby store, buy wipees, head back to school, andddd she falls asleep in the car. So I have to wake her up. WOW!

All this to say, I miss my husband. And I need him. And I am so thankful to have him. And he is never allowed to leave town again.

12 month well check up

Birds and Chandeliers Birthday Party

Here are the pics from CK's 1st Birthday Party!! I probably spent way too much time on it, and I probably ran out of favors from my mom and mother-in-law for awhile since they were here at least two whole days before the party helping me get my house ready. The party was at our house, and thank goodness my hubby built a fab deck and the weather was nice... we had so many people come to see the precious little one year old the party moved outside! This was awesome, until someone told me how cute the decorations were and pointed to the "extra food" table in the laundry room, at which point I insisted we do cake and presents crowded inside the house so everyone could see her cute bird theme! 

For dinner I mad a friend's "Crock-Pot Pulled Pork" OH WOW!! It was so simple and so delicious. All you do is put a pork tenderloin in a crock-pot with a can of root beer for 6 hours, drain, and pour on your fave BBQ Sauce. 

We had such a good time with our family and friends and are so thankful for everyone in our lives. Thank you for coming to celebrate Charlee with us!!