Liggett Life

June 28th 2009 First Zoo Visit

2009-07-02T09:35:00.011-05:00

We've been waiting for a cool day where we could take the kids to the zoo.

Olivia ready to go. We bought this hat from the zoo in May when we took the older kids to visit. Although I was still pregnant with Olivia we bought her a souvenier hat to wear when we could actually take her after she was born. I thought it went perfect with her skirt that her friend Jesstine loaned her:)

Olivia has been practicing her "O's".....we love to see her pucker.

The kids looking at the tigers, which haven't been at the Sedgwick County Zoo in 15 years.

A visit to the zoo wouldn't be the same if you didn't stop to eat lunch while there.

Kristian was not thrilled with the food selection.

June 27 2009 Special Moment For Dad

2009-07-02T09:21:00.004-05:00

Ok, so I have things I can't wait to do with Olivia and for daddy this was one of his moments he had been waiting for. Taking his baby girl to her first trip to the hardware store....lol. He actually asked me if I had the camera with me so I could capture the moment. So, here we are taking Olivia to Lowes to buy a new dishwasher. I think Tracy was excited that we had an appliance go out just so that he would have an excuse to take her. I'm pretty sure dad will have her doing little "honey do" jobs with him before long.

June 24th 2009

2009-07-02T09:04:00.004-05:00

We had a very busy morning. We took Olivia to IMA where I use to work to meet all my friends who were so supportive during my pregnancies. I thought I was so prepared to capture the moment since I actually remembered my camera. Yeah Right! Can you believe I had my camera and got so caught up in the moment with everyone that I FORGOT to take pictures....Ugh!

After IMA we stopped by our fertility doctors office to share our bundle of joy with Dr. VonWald (Daddy remembered to take a picture). She really supported us and was the doctor who put our medical plan into place to get our little girl here safe and sound. Thank you Dr. VonWald! We will always be greatful.

June 16th 2009 Baby Shower

2009-07-02T08:43:00.008-05:00

Our church was kind enough to give us a baby shower after Olivia was born. I felt so honored to be able to share this event with our friend Ashley who gave birth to their second daughter Alina who was born just a little over a week before Olivia.

Even though she had been passed around between all the women of the church she still slept until the very end when it was time to eat and get a clean diaper.

Ashley's baby girl Alina....Also taking a nap.

The ladies at the church blessed both Ashley and myself with a ton of wonderful gifts!

Thank You!!

Go Mustangs!

2009-06-18T22:26:00.005-05:00

This is Joshua's first year playing baseball and he is loving it! After trying football and soccer I think he has finally found the sport that he is really passionate about. He started the season off playing center field because his coach was really impressed with how far Josh can throw the ball. However; as the season has progressed and the coach has seen how fast and how good Josh is at stopping the ball he has been moved to second base.

It's also been a blessing that Tracy has been home so that he can help coach. There have been nights where I have had to make them come in because they will play catch and practice their pitches for hours.

Josh up to bat

He hits

He slides into home!

Tracy waiting to send a player on to second base.

June 14, 2009 First Day at Church

2009-06-18T22:16:00.003-05:00

Going to church for the first time. These were taken after we got home, we couldn't get her to wake up for a picture for anything. We were so happy to get to share her with all the people who have been praying for her for so long.

Sunday, June 7th

2009-06-18T21:59:00.006-05:00

Grandma "Sarah" came in town from Valley Falls with Matt, Georgia and Brody to see Olivia. We are so happy that they can share this time with us!

Brody was so gentle with her! After visiting for a while we were treated to lunch at Carlos O' Kelly's.......Thank you grandma!

Then later that evening our close friends Stephen and Lacie brought their daughter Jesstine to meet Olivia. I think Jesstine and Olivia are going to be good friends! We can't wait until Olivia is old enough for play dates.

Saturday, June 6th

2009-06-18T21:46:00.006-05:00

My First Bath

Believe it or not, she really does like her bath....after the first minute or so in the water.

My beautiful niece Melayna. Love her blue eyes!

My sister Melonie, brother Nate and my mom came over for awhile in the morning and then later on that day my niece Natalie with her boyfriend Matt and my sister Kathy and brother-in-law Larry came over to visit. Natalie and Matt were so kind, they took Emily, Josh and two of their friends to see the movie "Up". Mommy needed the break! Thank You Natalie and Matt!!

Friday, June 5th

2009-06-18T21:22:00.008-05:00

My friend Janette brought her boys over to meet Olivia.

I wonder what is going through his mind. Such a serious look...lol.

Caleb looks like he is a pro at holding babies.
How sweet!
She was really listening to what I had to say.
We say she's smiling.....anyone want to argue?

We had such a wondeful day at home. We just spent the day with the kids. Sitting outside watching the kids play basketball and baseball and then later that evening we took Olivia out for the first time. We went to Braums to get ice cream and ended up running into my friend Celi who totally has her own little miracle girl who will be two in September. We really had an awesome day!

Olivia Comes Home June 4th 20009

2009-06-18T20:44:00.002-05:00

This is a day that we, along with many others have been praying for over a very long time. I just had to have this outfit to bring her home in because of what it says on her onesie

"I'm Mommy's Dream Come True".

Many of you have heard Tracy and I talk about what a blessing Agape'Care Cradle was when we lost Annie and Thomas and how we have just been so touched by the friendship we have found with Shannon and many other people involved with Agape'Care. Back in May I was asked by Shannon, the director of Agape'Care to write an article for the newsletter. I have decided to post my article on here so that hopefully others will know how great God is and how faithful he is to those who call upon his name and trust him to work his will in their lives, and so that I don't ever forget and take for granted the great works he has done in my life.

Three years ago we had the most wonderful spring we had ever experienced in our lives as we stood among thousands of beautiful newly bloomed flowers and before God and pledged our marriage vows to one another. We knew from that moment we would approach spring with a renewed excitement for the season. Little did we know just one year later, as spring was approaching, our joy of expecting our first child together, our daughter Annie Grace, would suddenly turn and bring the darkest cloud over our lives and in an instant cause us to question how there could be anything to ever celebrate again.

Life at that point seemed so unfair, what good could possibly come from our daughter being born too early and only having a few hours with her? Then about eight months later we conceived our son, Thomas William. We felt like God had heard all the prayers that we had cried out to him about our desire to have a child and God was answering. As winter started to disappear and the weather slowly started changing we once again looked forward to spring and having our son. Then just when we thought things were going well we again found ourselves at the hospital giving birth on Easter morning, too early for our little Thomas to survive.

The scripture Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you” declares the Lord “plans to prosper you and not harm you, to give you hope and a future” kept ringing out loud to me. How God? How can your scripture tell me this and how can it be true? How are you giving us a future and more importantly how is there any hope after you have allowed us to lose two of our babies? It seemed like everywhere we went people were celebrating new life with no worries. I envied them; I wanted so desperately to feel like we had not been singled out to suffer by God.

We still had a desire for a child but after talking with the doctors we only received more bad news, it would take a miracle for everything to fall into place and for us to bring home a baby.

Then, slowly and softly God started to speak the answers to my heart. “Believe Me”, just “Believe Me”. “For God will use all things for the good of those who love him and have been called according to his purpose” Romans 8:28. I knew God was speaking this to our family. God was calling us to live and live abundantly regardless of what our circumstances were. He wanted us to “Believe Him” and what his Word was speaking. Believe him to strengthen us, to give us new hope, to renew our love for life.

Here it was the end of fall and God was asking me to live as if it were spring. A few weeks later we found out that the miracle we needed was happening and we were once again expecting. In just a few weeks we will be giving birth to our daughter Olivia Faith.

We know the kind of faith it takes to believe for things unseen, to believe that God is good and that he will never leave us and he cares when our hearts are breaking. We also know the kind of peace he brings in time of trouble, when nothing around you makes sense and no one can understand your pain. Olivia derived from Olive, a symbol of PEACE.

In a couple days we will be celebrating Mothers Day and shortly after Fathers Day. We know what it is like to sit among so many whose flower beds are blooming the most beautiful and biggest of flowers and to look at our flower bed and see our flowers fading and wilting, our petals falling to the ground. God will bring new life and life abundantly regardless of the condition of your flower bed if you are willing to let him water it and your heart is willing to receive the life he has for you this spring.

Olivia At The Hospital

2009-06-18T18:55:00.018-05:00

Emily and Joshua hanging out in the waiting room at Wesley Hospital, they thought Olivia would never come. They got to the hospital around 3pm and then left about an hour in a half after Olivia was born which put them home around 1:30am! Long day!

Kristian was not thrilled to have to wait so long.

The moment I've been waiting for! Finally I get to see the little person who's been kicking my ribs. The dr's drugged me up so bad after surgery to help me with the pain that I could barely hold her. What a wonderful blessing I have in my arms!

Finally daddy gets a chance to hold his little girl. He ended up holding her ALL night that first night. He was so afraid to put her down and afraid of dropping her that by the time morning came his arm was literally locked up.

Just Perfect!

Our first family picture. Well, not quite. I was too busy getting sick to be in the picture. Not to mention I was NOT feeling photogetic! I am so blessed with such a beautiful family!

Aunt Melonie came all the way from Texas to be here when Olivia was born. She was so happy that my labor lasted long enough for her to make the drive. We love you aunt Melonie!

Grandma gets her turn. I have a feeling it won't be long and grandma will be singing and rocking her to sleep.

My friend Janette with Olivia. Her mom kept her three boys overnight so that she could stay until Olivia was born. Thank you Marianne!

Aunt Macil and Uncle Nate and Andrea were also at the hospital when Olivia arrived but I don't have pictures of them with Olivia.....hmmm....not sure why???

Daddy after a LONG first night!

Joshua decided not to go to his baseball game so that they could come back up to the hospital to see Olivia. That was a huge sacrifice for him. Thank you Josh!

June 2, 2009 Olivia Faith Is Here!!!

2009-06-11T16:54:00.012-05:00

Ok, so I hate my pictures being taken but this was June 1st and the last day I thought I would be pregnant so we had to show what 28 weeks of bed rest does to a person. Trust me, it's not something I recommend! Needless to say, mommy will be living at the gym for the next year.

For those of you who don't know our story, let me fill you in. Because I have an imcompetent cervix (a condition where your cervix opens prematurely because of the weight of the baby) which has caused two of our babies to be born too premature to survive, I was placed on bed rest when I was seven weeks pregnant. At twelve weeks I had surgery where they placed a cerclage (basically they stitched my cervix closed).

After many long months in bed my cerclage was removed at 36 weeks. Because I was really having a tough time physically as well as emotionally and because I have such an awesome doctor who is very understanding, I was scheduled on June 1st for an amnio to see if Olivia's lungs were mature enough to induce labor that same day. We were disappointed when the test came back that we would have to wait awhile longer.

The next morning, June 2nd at our doctors office we were informed that a second test was run and that her lungs were indeed developed and induction was safe. So, off to the hospital we went....well, things actually didn't go that smooth but I won't bore you with the details.

Induction started at 1:45 p.m. on June 2nd and by 10:45 p.m. I had only dilated from 3 to 6! Imagine that, all that time trying to keep my cervix from opening and then when we wanted it to it wouldn't! So, off we went to the operating room for my second C-Section. We felt so blessed by God that he kept our little Olivia safe, the doctor informed us that it was a very good thing we did a C-Section because the cord was wrapped around her neck twice and then around her shoulders.....I guess she was trying to be like her brother.

Olivia Faith Liggett made her way into this world at 11:46 p.m. June 2nd. Weighing 6 pounds 8 ounces and 17 1/2 inches....(this is a poor subject with dad though, he is determined the lady measured wrong because when we got home he did his own measuring and came up with 18 3/4 inches).

Big Brother holds her for the first time! He has been pretty taken with her.

Then it was Kristian's turn. She's already begging to babysit.....uh, not quite yet!

Emily was so overwhelmed with emotions that she couldn't stop crying.....she just kept saying "she's so cute and we get to take her home".......what a sweetie!

April 24, 2009

2009-04-24T10:00:00.005-05:00

Okay, I know it's been a while since I've updated our blog but for those who know me, I like to do things in order and I was really having a hard time bringing myself to update without posting all the past events that have taken place since June. But, I've decided to let it go, recap a little and start fresh.

So, as most of you know we found out in October that we are expecting again. This is truly a miracle as we had really decided to leave it in God's hands and enjoy life abundantly as he gives it. We will be welcoming our little girl Olivia Faith in just a few more weeks. This pregnancy has been a true test of not only my physical strength but a test of our faith as we have patiently and anxiously taken one week at a time. We are so thankful that having Annie and Thomas has allowed us to take in and appreciate each new day with our baby even more. Above is a 3-D picture of Olivia taken two weeks ago. She's all smashed up against mommies tummy but I think we can already see she looks a little bit like her daddy:)

Tracy was laid off his job at SKT in December and has been able to stay at home and take care of me while on bed rest. He will graduate from Friends in a couple weeks and will be starting to look for a job soon. So please join us in praying that God will provide something that will not only support us financially but will allow him time at home with the family.

Huckleberry "Huck"

2008-07-10T07:43:00.012-05:00

Well, we finally did it! After years of saying no to having a dog I finally decided it was time for the kids to have one. This is Huckleberry "Huck" as we call him. I know, such a cute name for such a cute puppy...heheheh. He was born March 14th and we adopted him on June 28th. The kids absolutely LOVE him but I think mommy and daddy are getting pretty attached too.

Looking so handsome!

How can you say "no" to those eyes!

Josh and Huck playing with his new toys.

If he's going to be a "brother" to Josh he's gotta learn how to play soccer!

He loves playing in the yard.

They have both had a LONG day.

Field Day May 12, 2008

2008-06-16T13:47:00.025-05:00

Ok, so I'm a little late posting these pictures. This is Joshua's Field Day at Amelia Earhart Elementary May 12th 2008. They always have it across at the Goddard High School football field which is nice because they have bleachers for the parents to watch the field events and the kids get to be on a track for the races and turf rather than dirt and grass for the other events. This was a special field day since it was Joshua's last field day in elementary school. Next year he will be moving up to the Intermediate School.

Josh and his friend anxiously await their turn for the field events.

Josh chose to compete in the 200 yard dash. This was a very hard task since it was extremely windy that day and they were running against the wind. Josh held the lead until the last 25 yards. He came in 2nd place. Great job Josh, this is not an easy task when you have asthma.

Josh and his best friends after the field events. Ryan, Noah, Josh, Drake and Kel.

Josh and Drake give it their all for the annual battle of the classes in tug-of-war. Mrs. Nordhus' class got to the finals and came in 2nd place. Way to go!

Josh and Drake were so excited their class made it to the finals they jumped into a huge congratulations, well done hug.

Josh just barely beats Drake down the last part of the slide.

The kids pose with Mrs. Rust. She was all three of the kids' principal for their elementary years. She is very sad not to have any more of the Wolf kids in her school but we will always make sure and go back each year to give her updates on what the kids are doing now. We will also see her periodically at school events since her daughter attends High School with Kristian. Thanks for being such a great principal Mrs. Rust, we'll miss you!

The family posing for the camera. Everyone is hot, tired and ready to get out of the wind.

"Our Little Einstein"

2008-05-11T08:40:00.007-05:00

Well, as you can tell it's been quite awhile since I've posted. I've been struggling with the fact that I can't post new updates on our baby but instead have to share our story.... On March 17th we visited the high risk doctor and after reporting to us that everything looked good they took a peek and told us we were expecting a son! We were very excited and knew we were naming him Thomas William. A name that has been in Tracy's family for generations.

On Thursday March 20th we were at church watching Emily being baptized when I realized something was wrong. Tracy and I headed to the hospital and they told us I was fully dilated and we would have less than a 1% chance of holding off delivery for several weeks. Easter Morning, March 23rd 2008, our son was born at 17weeks. He weighed 6.5 ounces and was 7 3/4 inches long. Very tiny but everything we could have imagined in a son. Our hearts are so broken over losing another baby, our son!

We have learned though that God is sovereign and he brings healing to those who hurt. As I'm writing this it is March 11th, Mothers Day. Today I grieve the loss of Thomas and of Annie but I am not without hope. Hope that God will bring good things from our suffering, Hope that he will strengthen us and make us stronger than before, Hope that he will bless someone else through our loss, Hope that he will bring us closer as a family through this, Hope that he will bless us with another child. Without Christ we would have no hope but because of him, we can face today and face tomorrow with him who we put our trust in. Thank you God!

These are pictures of our little son..... "There is no foot too small that it cannot impact this world"

Tracy and I would like to thank everyone for all of their support and prayers over the past weeks! We have truly been showed what it means to have faithful friends. We both were so amazed at how many of our friends from work (both at AT&T and IMA) kept us in their thoughts and prayers. Just goes to show that it's not always "out of sight out of mind". Thanks to all of you for your faithful friendship!

Annie's 1st Birthday

2008-03-10T18:53:00.006-05:00

Today was a lot of mixed emotions as we remembered our little Annie and celebrated what would have been her 1st birthday. We bought some balloons and flowers and played "Happy Birthday" on her musical cake grandma made for her. It's so hard to believe it's been a full year since we held our little daughter, I can still remember every detail of her tiny body. Although our hearts are still broken that we didn't get to keep her here with us, we feel very blessed and thankful that God blessed us with such a beautiful little girl who is remembered every day and who touched our lives so deeply.

WE LOVE YOU ANNIE!

Kristian's Freshman Homecoming

2008-02-11T08:44:00.001-06:00

Oh my goodness! I've heard of having class spirit but those socks have to go!

Tracy and Kristian take a picture while waiting for the doors to open for the dance. He came home confident that the "talk" about boys went well.

They could almost pass for sisters

Kristian came home talking about this boy "Dalton" that is a complete stranger who asked her to dance. He just moved here from Tennessee and doesn't attend her school, he was there with his cousin. Then she explained that he has planned to call her the next day so she gets the phone at 2:00...lol. I guess the "don't talk to strangers" talk didn't go too well.

Haircut

2008-02-04T17:12:00.000-06:00

Well, I had made a deal with Joshua that he could grow his hair out until the Super Bowl and then it HAD to be cut.....so, this is what he chose for the cut. He sweet talked the lady at the salon into using a TON of gel and color to give him a Mohawk but don't worry, it's just temporary.

Little Einstein- 9 weeks 4 days

2008-01-31T14:09:00.000-06:00

We had a little scare Tuesday morning when I started bleeding and cramping. Thank goodness we already had a Dr. appointment scheduled anyway so we just went straight there. They checked me out and sent us over for a sonogram. They said everything looked really good and Einstein was being absolutely adorable moving around and showing off for us. No matter how many times you see how big your baby is getting you never stop being amazed! They have put me on progesterone for the next two weeks to get us into our 2nd trimester and a little safer ground, so right now I'm just taking it easy and trusting God to take care of everything. We have another apt. on the 5th and will discuss meeting with the high risk doctor.

Our Little Einstein 8 Weeks 5 days

2008-01-27T19:13:00.000-06:00

I think Einstein looks like a Gummi Bear, Can you believe how much the baby has grown in just 3 weeks! Heartbeat was up to 150:)

Our Little Einstein - 6 Weeks

2008-01-27T18:56:00.000-06:00

Although the baby is small we were able to hear the heartbeat for the first time:) A healthy 130 beats....I love that sound!