Friday, December 25, 2009

Week 26: 365

Week 26!
December 19, 2009: On Saturday it snowed over 2 feet! It was so nice to be snowed in with my family, especially since Mike made some delicious chicken noodle soup! Here he is making the preparations.

December 20, 2009: After Mike spent the morning digging the cars out, I went and finished up some Christmas shopping. Here are the first presents put under the tree! Surprisingly, Weston didn't try to rip them to shreds! He left them alone all the way up until Christmas Eve when there were so many presents under there, he was bound to get curious!

December 21, 2009: With the new snow, I thought I'd test Weston again, to see if he liked it this time around. He did cry at first when I put him down in it, but after a while, he got to checking it out and in the end, decided he liked it....if he wasn't sitting in it...

December 22, 2009: This was a picture taken for Facebook, with the camera on Mike's Mac. How cute does Gray look!? His shirt says I'm the King of the Playpen. Of course, you can only see the "I'm the King" part which fits just as well! Haha.

December 23, 2009: We had our Sunday/Christmas Eve service on Wednesday (since Sunday was canceled due to snow, and they were originally calling for more snow on Christmas Eve and Christmas) Anyway, I took the opportunity to get some pictures of the family in front of the tree at church. I just love how this picture turned out!

December 24, 2009: We spent part of Christmas Eve with my Grandmom and the other part with Mike's dad and step-mom. Here they are with our boys! Weston is not too fond of sitting for pictures these days.

December 25, 2009: Merry Christmas! My favorite tradition going is telling the Christmas story to the boys before we get to all the presents and hub-bub of the day. We did it last year with jsut Weston, this year with both of the boys, and plan on keeping it up for years to come!

Friday, December 18, 2009

Week 25: 365

Week 25!
December 12, 2009: We took the boys to Westminster Town Mall for our church's outreach. While we were there, I had the boys picture taken with Santa. It went pretty well, as you can see...haha

December 13, 2009: I just love this table in our nursery at church! It's hardly ever totally filled but this Sunday lots of the kids wanted to eat at the same time! So cute!

December 14, 2009: Jacqueline (our youth pastor's wife) came over with Wyatt and Selina so we could get a picture of the staff's children for the church Christmas card this year. After lots of crying (from the kids) and sweating (from me!) we finally got a few good pictures. This was my favorite! Even though Gray isn't looking...I think this is just adorable.

December 15, 2009: We decided it was time for Weston to move up to a big boy bed since Grayson is definitely over the weight limit for his bassinet and will need to start sleeping in the crib. Here's Weston reading his book and looking so sleepy!

December 16, 2009: Fingerpainting! Weston's more apprehensive these days about getting his fingers all dirty but he did like to pick out his colors and watch mommy fingerpaint!

December 17, 2009: We had our staff Christmas party at the Sulcer's on Thursday and took some pictures by their beautiful tree! I wish I would have had this picture for our Christmas card this year. Oh well...

December 18, 2009: Another Christmas party! This one for the young families of our church. Isn't this picture just so precious? Selina loves babies so I thought she would like to hold Gray (with my help). Of course, she looks like an absolute doll in this picture! Almost makes me want a little girl.....almost. ;)

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Week 24: 365

Week 24!
December 5, 2009: The first snow of the year! I wasn't home when Weston first went out into the snow, so I had Mike text me a picture. How cute!

December 6, 2009: This was a hard day to pick a picture for. Not only did we put up our Christmas tree and have some awesome fun with Weston and a string of lights, Grayson ate rice cereal for the first time! While the pictures of Gray are super cute, I couldn't resist this posting this picture of Weston checking out the Christmas tree. I love that he can actually enjoy Christmas this year!

December 7, 2009: My first cup of hot chocolate this season! Doesn't it look SOOO yummy?? It was!! :)

December 8, 2009: I thought it would be fun to let Weston play in the snow on our deck. At first he was smiling, and then he fell and got snow on his gloves and it was downhill from there...poor baby.

December 9, 2009: I thought I'd see how Gray did playing in the bouncy seat that Weston never really played in. He loved it! Look at that smile!

December 10, 2009: Not really sure how a picture escaped me this day...I think my battery was dying in my camera and I couldn't find the charger...who knows but I'm going to try to track down a picture somehow. We had a potluck lunch for the bible study I attend on Thursday mornings, and also Ben and Becky hung out with me and the boys while Mike was downtown leading worship at First Apostolic. Somebody had to have taken a picture somewhere in all that...

December 11, 2009: Sorry about the quality of this picture. It was taken with my phone. :( But this is Grayson opening his first Christmas present at the Luber's Christmas Party! Ms. Dreama got him a stuffed reindeer. So sweet!

Friday, December 11, 2009

Week 23: 365

Week 23!
November 28, 2009: The end of our vacation in Luray. I love my parents new home. It's so beautiful. Here we are on their porch right before getting in the car and heading home.

November 29, 2009: Now that Grayson is finally showing some interest in toys, Weston feels the need to make sure he has his options on which ones to play with. I'm just glad that Weston is finally showing some interest in his little brother. :)

November 30, 2009: Wall Art. Weston thinks my house is his own personal notepad. Besides drawing with chalk in the stairwell and decorating my couch with pen, he decided this wall needed a little sprucing up as well....not cool. :(

December 1, 2009: Yes, that is my 4 month old sitting up. Since this picture, he sits up a lot more straight as I'm sure you'll see in upcoming pictures. He's still using his hands for balance but I'm still thoroughly impressed with his balancing ability.

December 2, 2009: We went over to the Sulcer's to make Gingerbread houses. Weston had no interest in helping me decorate the house but he certainly enjoyed eating the decorations.

December 3, 2009: My cat pretty much thinks she's entitled to every comfy spot in the house including Grayson's Boppy.

December 4, 2009: Happy Birthday Mark! Mark turned 31 this year and we celebrated at Red Robin. Here is Will, Chris, Kristin and Mark as we are enjoying the cake. :)

Monday, November 30, 2009

Week 22: 365

Week 22!
November 21, 2009: I've been wanting to get a storage organizer for a while so I could put Weston's toy box up in what will be his new room. Thanks to my wonderful mother-in-law, we were able to get the organizer! Doesn't it look wonderful?

November 22, 2009: I promise I didn't lay on Weston. I lifted my head for a second and he scooted underneath of me and stayed there for a while. I'm thinking he was feeling a little jealous but it made for a cute picture with my boys! I especially love that Weston's hand is blocking my double chin! Haha.

November 23, 2009: Weston makes up for all the torture he throws at Ginger by moments like this. He loves his big sister.

November 24, 2009: We had pizza night early this week since it's one of the only things I can cook without Mike's help. :) (Mike was at church for a meeting) Grayson joined us at the dinner table and I'm glad I was able to capture this picture. He stares at Weston frequently with such love in his eyes. It's absolutely precious.

November 25, 2009: We bought Weston this Magna-Doodle to occupy his time in the car for our ride down to Massanutten. It worked! It kept him content for most of the ride.

November 26, 2009: Happy Thanksgiving! Dinner was awesome but so was spending time with my dad fishing afterward. I didn't catch anything but Mike did.

November 27, 2009: I'm so glad that Weston is finally starting to pay attention to his little brother. This is the two of them at my parents house in Luray, Virginia. Weston was being a good boy and giving Gray his ninny.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Week 21: 365

Week 21!
November 14, 2009: Weston just won't stop climbing all over everything. I've decided I need to put the straps back in his high chair since he scares me half to death every time he stands up like this!

November 15, 2009: Another wonderful Sunday afternoon. We had lunch at Olive Garden with my mother in law. She was so awesome to hold Gray so I could eat my food!

November 16, 2009: Haha! He was actually watching TV like this! Too funny.

November 17, 2009: Like, I said, Weston's climbing all over things. That new thrill combined with the his new obsession with flipping switches equals this dangerous maneuver. (Not too dangerous to capture a pic of real quick ;)

November 18, 2009: Today was Mike and my 3rd year anniversary. We weren't celebrating until the next day since we both have to be at church on Wednesday nights. It's been such an amazing 3 years. I can't wait to celebrate many many more!

November 19, 2009: To celebrate our anniversary Mike and I went to The Melting Pot. It was absolutely amazing. Here's Mike trying to finish off his shrimp. He was determined not to waste one piece of food. :)

November 20, 2009: Here is Kristin, Adelle and me at 2:30 a.m. after seeing the midnight showing of New Moon! It was so much fun! I'm glad we did it and I can't wait to do it again when Eclipse comes out! :)

Monday, November 16, 2009

For Better or For Worse

As Mike and I approach our 3 year anniversary and I look at all we've been through, I'm so thankful that when we said "For better or for worse" we meant it. Trust me, we've been through worse. We've trucked through. Sure, maybe it's hasn't been the worse that could be but it was by no means easy. And yes, three years isn't that long and I'm sure we'll face even more struggles. All I can say is that I'm glad I serve a God who loves. A God who forgives. A God who doesn't give up when things get hard. My husband loves me and it's by God's grace that he puts up with me and all the "crap" that comes with me. And the same goes the other way around. We take our marriage day by day. Most days are easy but then there are those rocky days where we have to work. Those are the days that count. The days that make us learn. I'm glad that I'll be able to look back at those days and be glad that we pushed through and didn't give up. It's those days that make us stronger. I love Mike more and more. It's hard to believe that this love can get any stronger but then it does.

However, I'm also forced to think about a number of our peers who have given up on their marriages. At least 4 of our couple friends are no longer together. I have to ask myself, when and why did the words "For Better of For Worse" lose their meaning to so many people. I'm appalled at the lack of sincerity that these words hold for so many of my peers. I'm broken hearted and grieved more than ever. All of these couples have a child. All are Christians. All made the same vow. All have given into the lies of the devil! All have given into the world's view that divorce is an acceptable outlet when things get hard. When did the phrase "When the going gets tough the tough get going" turn into "When the going gets tough....See ya!"?

I know the reasons behind 3 out of 4 of the divorces of our friends. I know that in at least 2 of the 4 it was the woman who gave in. Do we not understand that life is hard? That men have struggles? That they need God's grace as much as ours? That they need our support? That they are human!? When they made their vows they thought that they had a partner that would stick with them through thick and thin. That wouldn't give up on them. How wrong they were! I'm almost ashamed of my gender in this respect. Why is it that we have given into the world's view of having to be perfect, beautiful, flawless? When our husbands don't feed into that idea the way we need him to, we get so offended. God tells us to not be offended! Our beauty, our worth lies in Him. Not in our husbands! They are only human and prone to sin just as we are! Why do we take that personally? We can't blame them totally. (I'm not saying it doesn't hurt) We need to realize and rebuke the Liar behind it all! Don't let the Devil steal your joy! Show him who's in charge! Stick by your husband through all the Devil presents him until he can no longer break through! For Better or For Worse...be there for your husband in every sense of the way. Emotionally, Spiritually, and Physically!

Please don't think I'm judging these couples or making their struggles seem simple. That's not my point at all. I'm simply analyzing what's going on in this world and the sacredness of marriage. I'm just using these events as examples because it's what I have to go off of. I'm sick of the Devil discouraging people. I'm sick of the "fate" he's laid on young couples. I'm sick of seeing young divorcees with children, and what their children are going through. I've always believed that when you set your mind on something (something that God approves of), that something will come to fruition. So if you have in your mind "I can handle anything that comes our way in this marriage", you will work that much harder to see that that's exactly what happens. If you think that everything is going to come at you easy as pie...you're setting yourself up for failure. The devil comes to steal, kill and destroy and you are no exception! But be prayfully prepared, mindfully prepared (Both of you!) and you will push through. You will see better days. You will be triumphant. And you will stand by the vows that you took before God, before loved ones. For Better of For Worse.

Did you mean it?

(I'm sorry if I rambled and vented a little too much but I just needed to get this off my chest. I know the devil is a liar. I rebuke this "trend" from my life, and the life of my friends. My prayer is that the devil will not continue to take joy from young married couples-that one day "For Better or For Worse" will actually mean something when "For Worse" actually comes around.)


Sunday, November 15, 2009

Week 20: 365

Week 20!
November 7, 2009: We had a lunch and shopping date with Kristin and Adelle. Kristin so nicely played dress up with Weston while I shopped! Look how cute this outfit is! It was so hard to resist buying this hat but I knew he'd never really wear it.

November 8, 2009: After dinner Mike and I just sat at the table and talked for a little while. Weston was so cute just sitting in his seat and listening to us talk. He seemed genuinely interested in what we were saying.

November 9, 2009: I went to get Weston from this room in the morning and this is how he looked! Too funny!

November 10, 2009: Grayson first rolled over all by himself on Thursday, November 6, 2009. I didn't get a picture of it then and now he's a pro! Here he is mid-roll! Go Gray, Go!

November 11, 2009: Following in Daddy's footsteps! Wednesday night, Weston took a little time to explore the stage at church.

November 12, 2009: Pizza Night! Weston was waiting (not so patiently) for the pizza's to be done. He was hungry!

November 13, 2009: Mike and I took the boys to Owings Mills mall on Friday to do some shopping. We stopped at one of the wishing fountains and I tried to show Weston how to throw the coins in. He wasn't so quick to throw the money away (again...following in Daddy's footsteps :)! (The lights in the fountain were messing up the clarity of the picture but I think this looks pretty cool anyway.)