Thankful

Today I decided to deviate from my usual posting and share what is on my heart.

I stumbled across a blog written by a new father who lost his wife to cancer one month after giving birth to their baby girl. This blog humbled me beyond measure. Needless to say it brought me to tears multiple times but the thing that stood out to me was the faith of this man. He was steadfast and unwavering even during the most difficult loss of his life, loosing his other half.

Unfortunately during hardship my tendency is to turn from the Lord and blame him for my hardship because I deserve better. But the truth is I don't deserve better I actually deserve much much worse because of my sins. I am fortunate that the blood of Christ has covered them but that doesn't mean that my life is going to be perfect, nor will anyone else for that matter. Lately the Lord has been chipping away at the hardness that has been building up around my heart...it has been painful but necessary. One of those things is that I have been dwelling on the things that I don't have and not the abundance that I do have. So on that note here are some of the things that I am truly thankful for.

My husband who is striving to be a godly father and husband above all else

My beautiful healthy baby girl

Our loving and supportive families

Our amazing friends that encourage and refine us

That we have everything that we need

That we live in a country where I can write a blog like this and not get persecuted

lastly for my Lord and Savior who loves me just as I am

oh and for ice cream...can't forget the little things

7 months & Sitting up

Emrie is 7 months today and she just started sitting up unassisted a few days ago. Sitting up has afforded her some new opportunities like riding in the front of a shopping cart.



I have tried to get some pictures of her sitting up by herself many times and in the process learned it is best to be on the ground while taking the pictures or this will happen when she is trying to look up at the camera.





here we go...



Her expression on this picture leads me to my next thought. My once photogenic daughter has started to anticipate the flash of the camera. I have one that has a little red light that goes off seconds before the flash and once she sees this she starts to squint anticipating the burst of light that is about to hit her face and we end up with pictures like this.



Arrr Matey!



No flash photography please...

Another thing that she likes (and I have no idea why because I hate it) is to be startled. Her dad will jump out from behind things and scare her, she will jump and just start laughing. She has also started anticipating this when kyle does it multiple times. When she knows it's coming she will start blinking her eyes wildly right before he does it. I love it and think it is the most precious thing ever.

Since she hasn't figured out that I can take a picture with my iphone I can still get some cute pictures from that.

My little food spitter

So Emrie has started spitting her food and it just gets the best of me sometimes. I actually have to wear an apron now while feeding her. I have discovered that she does it when she is either full or just doesn't like what I am feeding her...which is mostly her vegetables. So for the first time ever I have been telling my daughter no, trust me I know it won't be the last. We have been working on sign language since we started solids at 4 months,like more and all done, but it seems we are still a long way off from that so in the meantime I tell her no when she spits and cheer when she doesn't. Don't you wish you were a fly on my wall. Anyway here is a video of my darling daughter spitting her food...and chewing on her table. Enjoy.

Please note the food splatter already on the table and that I don't usually laugh.

4th Festivities

So Emrie had her first airplane ride on June 30th and needless to say I was a little nervous. Luckily we were only flying to Dallas so it was a short flight. We got on the plane and the only seats that were available were middle seats and let me tell you when you have a baby you get a lot of "seats taken" looks. So I just picked a spot between two ladies (figuring they would be a little more sympathetic to a crying baby) and it ended up being a good choice because they were very nice. Emrie did great and didn't cry at all just a lot of happy squeals and she really enjoyed reading the newspaper with the ladies on either side of me.

Emrie and I hung out with the Livingston side of the family the first part of the week and got to go to "resort" Lifetime fitness. Let me tell you that place is amazing. Here is Emrie hanging out with her Mimi by the pool.



Emrie riding a horse and "sitting up".





Emrie loves her Aunt Lou and Uncle Cody even though Uncle Cody made her cry...but it is okay because so did Uncle Dan. :)



For the weekend we went and stayed at the Wardlaw house and got to see lots of family and go swimming in the pool. She wasn't a big fan of the float I got her but hopefully she will be as she gets bigger.










Emrie also got to meet her new cousin Tyler. Even though he was born 2 pounds bigger than Emrie he just seemed so tiny. It was hard to imagine that she was ever smaller than that. Here are all the aunts and uncles (minus Andy).



Cousin picture. Hannah, Tyler and Emrie.



All in all it was a great 4th of July with wonderful friends and family. We are so blessed.