• Flashback Friday: Welcome Home Girls

    Welcome Home Brina and Karlie from Hospital Flashback 2005

    Girls packed up and ready to leave the hospital NICU and go home for the first time!

    Today’s Flashback Friday is the girls last day in NICU as they are bundled up and ready to come home.  They spent about a month in the hospital NICU.  The main reason they were there so long is that they were growing and learning how to suck and swallow.  They weren’t as excited about coming home as we were, ha!  By the time we got them bundled up in their carseats they were ready for a nap.  Thankful for the amazing nurses, doctors, and people who helped us during our stay in NICU.

    My parents and two youngest brothers were visiting the week that the girls came home from NICU.  It was nice having the extra help around the house and with the girls.  Thankful that we were able to get settled into home even if that meant we were on house arrest for the next few months.  They were itty-bitty when they were born (Brina 4.9 and Karlie 3.15)!

    D'Argo was waiting for usc

    Welcome Home sign hung up on the front porch with Dargo sitting on the porch waiting for us to come home.

    At home in our own crib (Brina and Karlie)c

    First nap together in their crib – Brina on left and Karlie on the right!

    Grandpa Russell Snuggling with Brinac

    Grandpa Russell and Brina taking a nap!

    Uncle Josh holding Karliec

    Uncle Josh rocking Karlie!

    Uncle Lee with Karlie and Uncle Josh with Brina trying out this whole feeding thingc

    Uncle Lee feeding Karlie and Uncle Josh feeding Brina.  It use to take them almost an hour to finish one small bottle with only 2 to 4 ounces in it.  They have come a long way!

    Grandma feeds Brinac

    Grandma Penny helping with the girls!

  • Flashback Friday: Giggles & Sweet Cheeks

    All Smiles - Brina and Karlie (7 Months, Spetember 2005)c

    Brina and Karlie all smiles!

    Today’s flashback Friday takes us back a few years to 2005 when the girls were only 7 months old.  They had the cutest pinchable and kissable cheeks during those early growing years.  When they were not exploring, eating, or learning new activities they were giggling.

    It was adorable when they would make each other laugh over something silly.  After 12 weeks bedrest, a month in NICU, and 5 months on house arrest it was nice to get out and explore with the little ones.  Although leaving the house with two infant carriers, diaper bag, purse, stroller, and all other little necessities at that age was quite an adventure in itself.

    At that age they didn’t have much hair so we would use washable Elmer’s glue to stick their little bows to their heads, ha.  When we gave them a bath it would come right off!  It is difficult to believe that these giggling 7 month olds turned double digits last month!  Time goes by quickly when your having fun.

  • Song: Me Without You by TobyMac

    Thankful for the opportunity to go through this awesome journey of life with one stronger and wiser than I am.  I have been blessed with a wonderful gift of saving grace, but life also dishes out plenty of difficult times too.  During those tough times I am especially grateful He is there to see me through as well as remind me of His faithfulness and goodness in my life.

    Raindrops rollin’ off my brim
    Streetlights got the pavement glistenin’
    Touchdown, I fall into Your arms
    Right where I belong
    Your everlasting arms

    And where would I be
    Without You…

    I’d be packin’ my bags when I need to stay
    I’d be chasin’ every breeze that blows my way
    I’d be building my kingdom just to watch it fade away
    It’s true
    That’s me without You-ou-ou-ou-ou-ou
    That’s me without You-ou-ou-ou-ou-ou
    That’s me without You-ou-ou-ou-ou-ou
    Don’t know where I’d be without You
    (Wooooah, without you)

    Flashback, step into the scene
    There’s You and there’s a very different me
    Touchdown, You had me at believe
    You had me at believe, You did

    You rescued me
    You are mine, I am Yours
    You rescued me
    And I am Yours forever
    You saved me, remade me

    And where would I be

  • Flashback Friday – General KaDargo

    General KaDargo

    Dargo sporting some Christmas wrapping paper!

    Today we are flashing back to Christmas 2004!  General KaDargo was the first dog Jake and I had together after getting married.  We called him Dargo for short.  His name was taken from a character on the Farscape show.  We got Dargo a couple years after we had been married.

    He was a big black lab, but a real sweetheart.  In this picture Jake had wrapped him in Christmas wrapping paper.  He was being good sport while silently begging me to help him get it off!  The kids were pretty little when he got cancer, but we have a lot of great memories with this wonderful dog.  It is amazing how quickly animals can become one of the family!