Monday, March 30, 2009

She's a TEENAGER!!!

She is growing up fast! She loves zebra and hot pink.

She is almost as tall as her Momma!
But a jokester like her Daddy!



Four generations. Aren't they all adorable?



Our baby of the four turned thirteen this past week!!!! Unbelievable. I cannot understand where the time goes. Life as my sweet baby girl has changed forever. Well she is still my sweet baby girl but “thirteen” invades her body sometimes. My dad summed it up best when he called to tell her happy birthday and informed her that she needed to be prepared – “When you are thirteen your brain just leaves your body sometimes!” He should know he was the only man in the house with my granny, my mama and my two sisters and me. It is any wonder his brain cells still work! He survived and we will too. We survived with the other three (two boys and one girl) and that all went by way too fast also.
Some days I just wish I could hold time still. I know that sounds like such a cliché especially when she is so anxious for everything ahead of her. Her daddy and I are too, I just wish the time past had not been so fleeting. I wish I had savored more of the moments that maybe I rushed through or that I didn’t truly appreciate until they were gone already. She is such an easy, enjoyable child – I know that can change in a nanosecond – but right now she is easy. I never have to tell her to get up in the morning because she sets her alarm for 5 and gets up without hesitation ever! Fixing her hair is important right now so she needs time – I can so relate. She does her homework, studys hard and is more organized than any other person in our house. With the exception of her dresser drawers – that is a constant battle – so I guess she is a normal teenager. I hate saying that - teenager. I already dread the day she leaves for college. When I left home my daddy says my mama lay on the bathroom floor and cried for two hours. I said, “Why the bathroom floor? That is ridiculous!” He said, “That is where you spent all your time!!” I have a feeling my bathroom days will be here much faster than I want them too. Until then I will try not to be so mad when I can’t find any of my stuff because she has taken it to her bathroom and for all my ranting I simply get, “Oh sorry mom” and out the door she goes. I will try to savor the moments that she gives me space to enjoy. She still likes her Momma being around but I sense that changing too.
It just seems like the blink of an eye that I was crying over our oldest moving to college. Now he is a daddy. It is never the same after they move away to school. I think I will enroll our baby at OLU. On-line University!!!!!



























Sunday, March 15, 2009

Siesta Memory Verse 6!!

Psalm 37:4



"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."

There are many desires I have. Personal desires, family desires, monetary desires, relationship desires. I could easily rattle off the old cliche "Anything your heart desires....." as a justification for the things I desire. But then I am reminded that the Bible tells me the heart is deceitful. Could I be deceived by my own desires? Genesis tells us Eve was attracted to the forbidden fruit for to her it was good, pleasing, and desirable! As I commit this verse to memory and really ponder on what it means, I am asking the Lord to be my delight so that my desires will be His desires for me. What could be more delightful than that!

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Birthdays, New Days, and The Ancient of Days







Really, could he be any sweeter!!! Today is my oldest grandson Connor's second birthday and my youngest grandson will be two weeks old tomorrow. It seems as though that gap flew by with Connor. Where did the time go from when he was this little? I was reminded today of all the thoughts I had when I looked at Connor at this age. What will his voice sound like? What kind of personality will he have? Will he look like his momma? Will he love us? (crazy, but don't tell me for a minute any other grandmas out there haven't thought it too!). Every day is new and they look different and you cherish every second of every minute as they change so rapidly. What will their future be like? What kind of men will they become? Will they love Jesus with a passion and lead their families to do the same? I hope so, oh I pray so. Like mad I do.
Then I am reminded that The Ancient of Days knows the answers to all these questions and even questions I haven't yet thought to ask. He numbered the hairs on these sweet little boys heads. He knows who they will become and what they will be. Yet I am still reminded of our responsibility to them. Teach them, nurture them, share what He has done for us so they will know How Great is our God. And more than anything, pray like crazy over them. I am beyond thankful to be a grandma to these precious ones that He has entrusted to our children. Grateful for the privilege of praying for them.
I look forward to many birthdays, new days and one day coming face to face to thank the Ancient of Days for how He worked in their lives.


Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

Momma and Daddy were excited to be reunited at the hospital after the weekend.
Graham missed his momma!

Told you he was one suave and dapper dude!


So handsome!



Those are some cheeks created to be nibbled on.




Happy and content.





Jonathan Graham

The past week has been crazy!!! Last Monday night Jeremy and Laura checked into the hospital at 10pm and they began the induction the next morning. We were all geared up for our baby to arrive that day, however the baby had another plan! Laura's dilation seemed to just stay at the same place all day so they did what is called a serial induction. They shut everything off at about 6:45pm and let Laura get something to eat (she was starving) and take a shower and get a good night sleep, and start all over again on Wednesday. She progressed really well that day and by 4:30 was ready to start pushing. Jonathan Graham didn't make his arrival until 8:20!!!!! My daughter-in-law is my hero. She is one tough momma. Graham weighed 8lbs. 5oz. Big baby. Beautiful baby. Gift from God baby. They were all prepared to go home on Friday evening and I was going to stay with them to help them out for the weekend. When Laura left the hospital she had some swelling from all the fluid pumped through her. Saturday was a pretty good day except Laura was unable to rest anytime she laid down. About 6:45 that evening she got up and said she couldn't rest because everytime she lay down her chest felt tight and her heart felt like it was pumping really hard. She took her bp and it was high so she called the on-call doctor and they made her come to the ER asap. It was the saddest thing I had ever seen for her to tell her brand new little boy goodbye to go back to the hospital after being there for a week already. God is so gracious and good. Laura had been nursing since he was born but when they left the hospital the nurses gave her about 30 prepared bottles of infant formula. Jeremy and Laura were appreciative but didn't think they would need them. Because of the providence of the Lord and lots of praying over baby Graham by his Gigi, he took his first bottle of formula and everyone after that like a champ. He didn't get one upset stomach and he slept between every feeding. He is such a good baby. Gigi was feeling ever bit her age since it has been some time since I have been by myself with a newborn doing round the clock feedings! But we had a sweet time of bonding , Graham and me.
They ended up having to admit Laura back in the hospital on Saturday night to try and get some of that extra fluid off and they thought her heart may be enlarged and it was a little out of rhythm. They thought she might have a heart condition some pregnant women get as a result of preeclampsyia that lasts about six months but after a series of tests and many prayers that came back negative. She will have to be on medication for awhile.
I kept Graham until Monday morning when his daddy (who is my new hero also) came to take him to his first doctors appt. and I went to the hospital to sit with Laura. After the appt. Jeremy brought Graham to stay with his momma at the hospital and I have never seen her so giddy as while she was waiting for her baby. I think the only other time I have seen her act that way was right before she walked down the aisle. It was a great reunion and they all got to go home yesterday. Laura feels fantastic and says she is probablythe only woman to take the same baby home from the hospital twice.
My kids have faced some major trials this past week and have had to learn that to have great faith you must excercise great faith. My husband and I could not be more proud of them. God is always in control even when it seems life is spinning out of control.
I have lots of pics of Graham to upload but my computer just decided to start working again this am. Be on the lookout for pics and prepare yourself - he is one handsome dude!