Must've been a beautiful Baby!!

How did my sweet girl get to be almost 4 years old?? oh, if I could do it again..i would. I love her so much and she is such a fun little girl full of energy and laughter. Everyone tells you how fast time goes when you become a Mom, but you don't believe them. I just booked her 4th birthday party and a piece of my heart hurts because she is really growing up way to fast. Praying time will slow down a little ,trying to love every single minute with her ( even when she isn't being so sweet :) )

It was a very Merry Christmas 2008

This is how our Christmas was spent...
Christmas Eve: Paul, Mary Claire and I went shopping for some very special little boys and girls who live at a local shelter right now with their famlies. I talked to Mary Claire all day about giving and how much it makes Jesus happy to give to others on his Birthday. I want her, our sweet girl, to be a giver of her time, money, and good deeds. Then we went to Christmas Eve service at our church. It was really special. Mary Claire was so good and she loved the candles. This was the first time we shared communion with her. I will never ever forget it. We tucked her in to bed and told her that Santa was coming in the morning and we were going to celebrate Jesus' birthday.

Christmas Day: Mary Claire woke up to Paul saying Ho, HO, HO in the living room. The sound of her excitement was so wonderful. She just kept saying " oh, my goodness- i love that, Thank you mommy and daddy" The sweetest little girl. We adopted the 3 gift rule just like Jesus got 3 gifts. She was so happy with what she received.
We got ready and went to the shelter to drop off the toys. We sang Happy Birthday to Jesus. She makes me Happy. She freely gave those toys away and I think she understood why. We spent the rest of the day at Cookie's house. Paul's family is amazing. They are so loving and we had the best day.

Friday Dec. 26th- I am blogging and remembering this online to share with Mary Claire one day. My parents should be here any time to spend the weekend. I am so thankful.

Wishing it would Snow!!

It is really coming down outside, that is freezing rain. I am so wishing we could get some snow for my sweet girl to play in. She is really talking about snow a lot lately since watching all the Christmas movies.

Thought I would share some pictures... this is my newest outfit I made for Mary Claire and bow. She is going to look like one of Santa's little helpers. I am so greatful this holiday season to try to see everything through her eyes. She is excited about everything!! I am just holding on tight to this little girl that seems to grow bigger everyday.

Mary Claire loves Santa

Paul and Mary Claire went to a pancake breakfast at our local community center to meet and have pictures with Santa. I am so sad that I couldn't go ( I was working) , but Mary's sweet Daddy took her and they had a great time.

I also wanted to include a picture of our home at Christmas. So fun having christmas decor with a 3 year old around. Every morning she says " mommy, wake up the Christmas tree:" She is adorable. We are working hard to teach her the real reason behind the season and reminding her that all of our blessings come from Jesus!!!!!

I also want to blog that I have accepted a job at Baptist Health again. I have stayed on their agency staff, but I love that hospital so much and I am going back " home". So excited about this!! I start back 32 hours per week in early January!!

Small Group Christmas Party 2008

This Friday night we had our small group Christmas party at our friend's the Brighton's house. We had a lot of great food and fellowship. I am so very thankful for our small group. I can't imagine my life without a single one of these people. I wish I had pictures of all of them. Paul and I are so blessed to call them family. I thank Jesus for Clint, Hannah, Allison, Tyler, Rebekah, Grant, Bart, Amanda, Chasity, and Darby and for our babies Mary Claire, Blakely, Addison, Chloe, Madeline, Pratt, and soon to be Tucker.

Here are a few pictures taken, thanks Allison for sharing them with me since I forgot my camera.

Getting ready for Christmas!!! 24 more days to go!!

We are having so much fun decorating for Christmas at our house. We put up our Christmas tree and I decorated our mantel. Paul went to the store and bought new lights for outside the house. I love watching Mary Claire enjoy the season. She gets so excited about everything. This Mickey Mouse Christmas countdown was given to us by Paul's grandmother before Mary Claire was born and it her favorite thing to put the # ornaments on each day. By the way, the cute shirt she has on is from my friend Ryann's business http://www.personality-personalizedgifts.com/ She has a lot of fun stuff on her website, but if you contact her you can go see all the wonderful gifts she has to offer.

Thankful

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. We started out Wed. night at Cookie and Pops' house. We had a great dinner with them and they were so kind to invite my parents to join us. Mary Claire had a lot of fun putting up Cookie's Christmas tree and playing with the train. We went to Grammy and Craig's house on Thurs. night and they surprised us with movie tickets. We went to see the new movie Bolt. So cute by the way. Mary Clarie loves going to the movies or " Big Show" as she says. I am so very thankful for the love of family and friends. The Lord has us in his hands, and I trust him.

This one is for our Grammy!!!

This picture is for Grammy... we just talked and she was saying how she loves to see pictures of her Mary Claire. She looks like such a big girl in this picture. I am so thankful for my daughter and my husband and for our extended family and friends. We have so very much to be thankful for this year. Looking forward to yummy food and the good times we will share with our family. HAPPY EARLY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE!!!!!

Fun Weekend

We had a great weekend. We spent it with my parents in Jonesboro and we went to Blytheville for my mom's parent's 50th wedding anniversary party. Mary Claire had fun playing with her cousin Ella Katherine and helping Granny with their presents. We also visited Uncle Jim and Aunt Sara. Sometimes we really wish we lived closer, this is for sure one of those times. Thanks MoM and Dad for taking such good care of us this weekend. We had a great relaxing weekend.

PS- do you like Mary Claire's outfit? I made it for her- yes I am bragging =) It's okay to do that sometimes right? oh I love that girl!!

ABC Blog

cute blog I got from Hailey. Starting to feel better today. I went back to work and honestly it was easier being there then at home. Not too much time to be sad.

ABC's
Pass it on...A is for age: 28
B is for burger of choice: grilled
C is for the car I drive: white altima
D is for your dog's name: no dogs
E is for essential item you use every day: mascara
F is for favorite TV show at the moment: biggest loser
G is for favorite game: dominoes, we play at work at lunch sometimes.
H is for home state: AR
I is for instruments you play: None
J is for favorite juice: apple
K is for a habit you'd like to kick: slouching, i was just doing it.
L is for last restaurant at which you ate: bbq shack
M is for your favorite Movie: madagascar 2- so cute
N is for number of piercings: 1 in each ear
O is for overnight hospital stays: 3 with mary claire c-section 1 eight days later due to complications from c-section
P is for people you were with today: work folks and my sweet family
Q is for what you do with your quiet time: Hot Bath
R is for biggest regret: ???? not going further in college i have an associates degree some days i regret that.
S is for status: Married, Mommy
T is for time you woke up today: 6:15 am
U is for what you consider unique about yourself: I think I am a very good friend, i try to stay in touch and close to all my friends.
V is for vegetable you love: sweet potatoes
W is for wedding date: March 16th, 2002
X is for x-rays you've had: ankle broke it first day of cheerleading camp in 9th grade.
Y is for yummy food you ate today: Paul's chicken fried rice
Z is for zodiac: gemini

:(

i had a Miscarriage Monday, well I guess it is still happening. We are pretty sad, but we feel a lot of love from each other and from family and friends. We know that Jesus is in control and that gives us comfort. Please keep our family in your prayers.
ps-
i am keeping the post here below when i announced that i was pregnant- one day i will look at it and smile and remember how very very excited we were. I trust that sweet baby soul is in the arms of Jesus tonight.
"What we have once, we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes apart of us."
Helen Keller

Yay!!!! Mary Claire is going to be a Big Sister!!!

We just found out that we are expecting a baby, maybe in July??? yes, we know it is really early to be sharing, but We are too excited not too. The Doctor doesn't want to see me until dec. 3rd so I won't know any real details until then. Please keep our tiny baby in your prayers that everything is good and healthy!!!

Great Weekend

We had a great weekend in Branson this weekend with Paul's family. 16 of us met there and shopped all weekend, went to a show, and enjoyed each other. Paul's family is so great, they are really close and they really love each other. They welcomed me with open arms when I met Paul in 2000 and I feel incredibly blessed to have this huge extended loving family. I wish I had pictures from this weekend to post. =( Mary Claire had so much fun shopping with us. I was so proud of her this weekend, she is really getting to be a very big girl!!!

a beautiful day to share pictures

Just thought I would share pics of my beautiful family. I am thankful.

Rest in Peace Anne Pressly

I am so sad for the family of Anne Pressly. I can think of nothing worse than the loss of a child, especially the way they had to lose their sweet daughter. I did not know her, but I am very touched by her life and death. I am so very happy that today she is not in pain or in fear but in joyful happiness with her Savior. Rest in Peace beautiful girl.

Last night we had trunk or treat at our church. Mary Claire had a wonderful time with her friends. She ate way to much candy and had a hard time going to sleep. Paul went and got her and brought her to bed with us and I held her really tight all night. Thinking of Anne's mom, knowing she wishes she could still hold her sweet daughter. Jesus, be with the Pressly family tonight and always.

Lots of Fun!!!!

This weekend has been a lot of fun starting with getting our mums planted and watered then having fun splashing in the water... then race for the cure ( don't have any pics of it =( ) the race was great this is mary claire's 4th year to go and ride in the stroller..... then off to the pumpkin patch............ then finally our 2nd Annual halloween party for mary claire and her buddies. I think they really had a good time. We also got surprised by a visit by Pops and Cookie ( paul's grandparents) before the party, they just had to see mary claire in her costume. Enjoy the pictures from our exciting weekend.