June 28th 2009 First Zoo Visit

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!