Good Times Taylor

Tru love (a birth story)

2020-06-25T11:37:00.001-05:00

Well, I thought it was time to shake the cobwebs off and take this ole girl out for a spin.
Nothing like the birth of your fourth child that encourages you to go back to documenting for the world wide web!

Everyone loves a birth story.
Not sure why, since all of us who have been born...has one. But, i find that i love hearing other peoples recounting of the birth of their children, and i know i'm not alone.
so here is one for you.

Our little Truett Grant Taylor made his earth-side debut on Tuesday June 9th at 11:45 am.
a short 30 minutes after I put my body on that labor and delivery bed.

He is a dream.

His birth was almost the opposite.

I consider myself a tough girl, aside from labor pains. I blame Eve. WHY?!?!?
I have zero toughness when it comes to birthing children. I am a huge fan of the modern medicine and the pain relief it brings.

so, here is how our Tru made his entrance...

I started to feel contractions on Saturday.
nothing consistent and nothing too uncomfortable
just a tightness every 30 minutes or so.
i'd drink water, lay down and they would ease up
Grant and the boys were in Lafayette for a baseball tournament so i was in no hurry to have a baby without them here.
also, I was only 38 weeks a few days and have never gone into labor that early.
I slept terribly all weekend. I was uncomfortable and just had the strong urge to clean the house- even at 4am.

Sunday, the contractions continued.
Grant made it home!!!!
We hosted teen church with 30+ teenagers and I really did feel ok that afternoon and evening, just had the irregular contracting and insomnia.
Monday mid-morning, i was like- Ouch! they started getting pretty uncomfortable.
Grants parents and brother were at our house and i finally said something.
I didn't tell GT or my mom (who had stayed home with me over the weekend) about the contractions on Saturday or Sunday morning because what good would that do?
except have someone asking me how i was constantly (no thank you).

anyway....Monday, they continued and became uncomfortable enough that i'd have to stop what i was doing and breathe through them. but there was no increase in frequency.
Monday night, i was having to get up from our Scrabble game to walk around during the contractions, but felt fine otherwise.
Before we went to bed, we made sure our bags were packed and ready to go. my mom was on standby for the kids.

i slept very little, but got a few hours in.
Tuesday i finally got up at 6 and took a shower.
GT woke up and was like "do what?". i rarely shower in the morning and rarely get up before him.
so he knew something was going on.
contractions picked up on the pain scale, but still no increase in frequency. maybe every 10-30 minutes. and my back was aching consistently.
I finally had enough! I said somethings go to happen...this is getting old.
but, i did not want to labor at the hospital and be stuck to a monitor and bed.
been there, done that.
no fun sir.

GT encouraged me to walk the drive way.
so i did.
he sat on the front porch and filmed me.
i did not have the extra energy to tell him how i felt about that decision.

(mid trashcan pull contraction photo. thanks honey)

after a few laps up and down the driveway, pulling the trash can in, i decided to do some laundry.
well, i had one contraction that never seemed to end and put me on the floor.
i told GT, "i don't know if this is it, but i can't sit here at home hurting when i know theres an epidural across the river at that hospital"
so, he called my mom and we told the kids bye.

Townes was making pancakes and giddy with excitement.
He asked, "are they going to cut the baby out of your stomach?"
I told him no and that i thought we had already talked about this (?)
He then asked, "will it come out of your mouth?"
I replied, "i'll tell you when i get home"
Judson needs a little more time to process things and to prepare.
He was a little less happy about our quick departure and needed a little reassurance. Sweet boy.
Kirby Jane cried.
luckily, my mom had it totally all under control so we loaded up and headed to Monroe.

as we pull out of the driveway, GT gets on a work call (do what?!?)
He said it was already scheduled for 10:30, then told the party on the other line that he had about 15 minutes before he got to the hospital with his laboring wife.
i had no comment (well, one that would be nice anyways)
We get about halfway there and my discomfort with a contraction becomes clearly audible and his call ends.
He clicks on the flashers and starts speeding down the road.
i reach over and turn them off, not wanting all the extra flare and drama.
he tells me, "you handle the passenger side, i've got the drivers side"
it was a pleasant drive.

once we get to the hospital, i tell him that i want to walk in from the parking garage, thinking i need the extra walking to just make sure i was in labor (ha!)
i did NOT want to get to L&D and be dilated a 1cm.
in fact, after we got our temperature taken, masks donned, checked in and made our way up the elevator i told him that if i wasn't dilated to at least a 4 when they checked me, someone was getting punched in the face.
so sweet and precious.
i just wasn't in the mood to be sent home or told this wasn't it.

well, they usher us into a room after seeing my discomfort and start the whole process.
after voicing my concern over my progress, our sweet nurse checks and declares i'm at a 6!
hallelujah!
i think this was around 11:15
then i promptly and excessively discuss my desire for an epidural...STAT!
our nurse was awesome and started making some swift moves to make that happen.
unfortunately, my labor progressed rapidly.

by the time Anesthesia showed up, i was in so much discomfort i had zero regard for all the rambling he was doing and either needed him to pop needle in my back or to make his exit.
right after he left to go see if my lab work was back, i started making it known (apparently to multiple rooms around me) that i was progressing very quickly and someone needed to help.a.girl.out.

somehow a couple of other nurses appeared (GT said he has never heard that level of screaming or noise from me before) after i continued to let them all know that the baby was coming and that i was sure i could not do this.

at this point i was on my side gripping the side rail, but really knew i needed to push. also i knew that i did not want to.
so i told everyone present.
they encouraged me to "just breath"
ha!
i rolled on to my back and was told that the baby was just low.
i said, nah sir, he is coming. but also, i may pass out and couldn't do it (so much extra drama at this point).
they told me that if i would just push, i would deliver him.
so after a pause and considering my options, i decided to believe them.
i pushed once and there he was!
and the immediate physical relief.

it took me minute to want to look at him because i was overwhelmed with it all. in shock basically.
when i did, i saw our sweet, tiny, little baby and praised God that he wasn't any bigger than he was (given the lack of epidural).
oh yeah, and my Doctor didn't make it in time.
the nurses were there and they were amazing!!!
so prepared, professional and reassuring.
they complimented the umbilical cord over and over again saying how beautiful it was.
GT said, "is that a thing? a pretty cord?"
i said, "i'll take it!"

my doctor arrived probably 10 minutes later and said that wasn't much warning!
to which i agreed.

after some time with just me, GT and our baby boy, then nursery nurse came in and weighed him.
5 pounds 14 ounces.

y'all. he is the sweetest, little love bug.
he is our smallest baby by far, but his feet are super long and quite impressive.
i have no doubt he will grow into them quickly.
we had to stay an extra night in the hospital because his bilirubin level was slightly elevated.
we were more than ready to come home on Thursday, since we weren't allowed any visitors and i was missing our other 3! (thanks, no thanks, COVID)
It was rather strange being in the hospital with no visitors. Just me and GT.
we didn't get to go on our 10th anniversary trip to New York, as planned.
So, we counted this little 48 hours with 1 child as a little celebration... jk.
we'll go on that trip eventually (surely it'll be easier to plan with 4 kids, ha!)
we did manage to watch the 4-hour, with commercials, showing of Saving Private Ryan.
so, theres that.

When we were finally released, we were welcomed home by the best welcoming committee ever!

balloons, cookie cake and grand parents galore!
proud and eager big brothers.
happy and slightly confused big sister.

we are settling in to the routine of more children nicely.
i feel (relatively) great, aside from some postpartum Hypertension and a persistent headache until i got some meds.
currently, i'm taking a multivitamin, Ibuprofen, blood pressure meds and a stool softener.
can't decide if i'm an old man or just a postpartum mid-30's mama.

Here goes life with little Truett!

(had some difficulty getting photos in their correct spot. so, here is a smattering of photographic documentation from our hospital stay)

GT can not get enough of this kids feet.

they are quite impressive.

i think i'll call him "skis"

long, lanky fella

always take your pack-mule

thanks for hanging in there with me...
until next time, i'll be snuggling this precious babe

spirit of discontent

2018-10-14T16:18:00.001-05:00

we have just remodeled our home.

if you are friends with me on any form of social media, you already knew this.

we started at the beginning of April and moved back in sometime in July, i can't remember exactly when.

People often ask, "are you done?"

to which i reply, "no, we still have x and y to complete, but we're living there"

each time i answered this question, i was revealing a small part of my attitude i had towards my life.

and in me was brewing a feeling that i was not aware of.

one of discontent.

i started to feel unsettled. about everything.

our house. my job. our marriage. our church. my friends. everything.

but i couldn't quite put my finger on it.

i tried to talk to GT about it, but couldn't quite articulate what this feeling was that i was having or why.

after one particular conversation, he said that it sounded like i wasn't content.

and it was like i was ungrateful for so many of the things i had prayed for or had wanted.

i had no response.

he was right.

after that conversation i began praying and asking God to give me a heart of contentment

of gratitude

of awareness and perspective.

GT and i talked a lot about this

i made a deliberate decision change my attitude

about our house

about our family

about my friends

about our church

in Philippians, Paul talks about being content in any circumstance.

and, no, i don't think he meant for me to learn to be content with my old couch in our new living room until we get a new one.

He was content in any circumstance by knowing Jesus Christ

and i do think it's that simple.

knowing Jesus

knowing peace

knowing grace

knowing hope

knowing JOY, true JOY

that's enough to outweigh any circumstance

whether it's a broken friendship

a dwindling bank account

an unstable job

a quarrelsome church

whatever it is. knowing Jesus Christ and all that HE provides is enough to bring contemnent

Here are a few practical things that have helped me daily in being content

3 things to combat a spirit of discontent

1. service

it ai't about me anyway

first, stop thinking about yourself.

look around and find ways to help someone else

2. an attitude of gratitude

cheesy, i know. but sometimes it's all it takes.

a deliberate change in attitude

start listing the things you're thankful for.

look at what you prayed for, asked for a year ago, or 10 years ago and see if you have those things.

be thankful for them.

3. stop comparing

quit looking at other peoples stuff. their relationships. their Instagram photos.

they're wanting what someone else has anyway.

simple steps

(but not that easy)

this is not new

and i know i'm not the only one who has felt this way

Paul wrote about it over 2,000 years ago for crying out loud!

you know i love the bible for it's practicality and ability to be relevant to all people at all times.

we are not the first generation to feel oppressed (for whatever and anything)

the first church family to have discord

the first culture to have crazies

the first nation to have political unrest

we are not the first family to feel overwhelmed

i am not the first mom to feel guilty or not good enough

this is life, this is people, this is a broken world

we will never feel happy with or fulfilled by ANYTHING people or this world has to offer

that is why Jesus is it.

the only way.

if you are only looking to find satisfaction in how people act (even leaders) or by things (even nice things), it won't happen

when you start feeling unhappy with something or someone

start at number 1 up there.

find someone else who might need something you've got.

your heart. your hands. your time.

that's what Jesus did.

He served.

and i guarantee, not once, did He feel discontent

He knew his purpose

in serving others and knowing His purpose, He gave us ours

3 months with sister girl

2018-08-12T09:39:00.000-05:00

3 months.

1/4 of a year.

what!?!?

Kirby Jane is just sweet as pie.

She has been laid back from the beginning and that continues to be the case.

I think that's part of her sweet disposition and one of the millions of reasons that we continue to fall for her daily.

her brothers ADORE her
every single time she sees Judson, she smiles. every time. a guaranteed smile

she is definitely not short on attention and love

and hair accessories

Townesy, literally, can not get enough of her.

he is in her face constantly

she tolerates him

kind of

she is easy to get to sleep for the most part and sleeps all night!
she starting to break out of the swaddle, so perhaps we'll switch to just a sleep sack soon.
she still sleeps in our room, as we haven't completed her nursery just yet since the remodel
she is a great, efficient eater and stays pretty much on a 3 hour schedule during the day

she is "talking" like crazy.

she can be sensitive when surprised and will throw that bottom lip out in a heartbeat.

if she's fussy, she is typically either sleepy, hungry or gassy.

or wants me to hold her.

She is already very aware of who is holding her and prefers her mother (not complaining one bit as i know this only lasts for a short while).

Her smile transforms her entire face and you can not help but feel joy from your head to your toes in return.

She likes to sit up, almost on my hip, so she can see what is going on.

Already, if i'm cradling her "like a baby" she is doing a sit-up trying to look around.

when she is really sleepy, she will press her face right up next to mine and rub her nose back and forth.

i really can't seem to get enough of her.

neither can her dad or brothers.

or the rest of the family.

we simply adore her.

the other day GT said, "Kate, you're just smitten, aren't you?"

yep. unashamedly.

he also asks which headband she will wear when i'm dressing her.

it kind of makes me melt watching him with a daughter and care that she has matching accessories.

what did we do without this little dose of sweet in our family???

she has the BEST big brothers.

they are always wondering where she is if she isn't right beside them.

when they see her, they reach up to give her a kiss and a hug. even if they did 3 minutes before.

we rarely call her Kirby Jane, but have fallen into the habit of saying "baby girl" or "sister"

Townesy calls her snuggle bug, sugar bean, pretty princess or kooky.

when he addresses her it's with a breathy, "heeeyyyy sister. how's my snuggle bug. heyyyyy"

it's quite hilarious.

Judson looks at her and just says over and over, "i love my sister. i love my sister..."

my cousin, Korie, said it best, "she's quick to give a smile"
and she is!

we love our sweet girl and thank God daily for this gift of sugar in our family

from a Tuesday at home.

2018-07-20T14:46:00.001-05:00

the boys are in Tyler with my mom

having the time of their lives with their cousins

yesterday before they left Townes told me that they were going because, "me and Bubby have never seen Beau and Luke in lots of years". so they went

it's just me and baby girl.

and Woodrow and Poe Dameron (Townes' fish that he got for his birthday)

and Rosie, the Roomba, who sounds very much alive right now. bumping into everything and driving Woodrow crazy.

sister girl just ate, so she's incredibly relaxed and making the best company for this rainy, overcast day.

i went back to work last week.

let me clarify.

i'm working a few hours during July.

Nothing crazy.

Just getting back into the swing of things and helping out at the clinic.

but, it's along enough to miss Kirby Jane and the boys.

so i'm enjoying this slow morning at home.

although it's been a productive morning so far!

currently, i'm staring at our home and the insurmountable task of putting it back in order.

we moved back in last Wednesday.

well, we didn't move everything back in. we started sleeping here.

there is still a lot of stuff/clothes at my parents that i need to get.

we are slowly putting things away, cleaning, sorting, throwing away, selling, etc.

bit by bit, i suppose.

although i'd really like it all to *poof* be magically completed.

do you ever feel so overwhelmed by a task at hand that you do nothing?
i do.
a lot.
and that's kind of where i'm finding myself lately.
mostly, in relation to the house.
so i just start with one pile of stuff and move on to the next.
or one room.
the kitchen is clean, so i move on to the boys room, then to our closet, then the laundry room, and so on.
the hardest part is getting started. and not losing momentum.

i also feel this way when i hear of hard things that are happening.
i watched the news the other day.

i don't do that often, hardly ever.

my news source is Facebook, unfortunately and GT.

like most people, i felt overwhelmingly discouraged, angered, helpless, sad after watching the news.

so much tragedy, hatred, injustice, sadness in this world.

i thought how far removed i am from all of it.

as i sit in my home with my family, safe. protected. nourished. loved.

worried about my STUFF.

i could go (most likely) my entire life pretty sheltered from what i see on the news.

but, i don't want to.

i want to be aware of what's going on in our world.

and not aware to simply know.

but to be spurred to do something.

but how?
what does it look like to help or be involved in world issues when i'm home with my kids?
seriously, i'm asking this question.
i can justify my not doing anything right now by saying, "i'm raising little world changers", but how will they know how to if they don't see it demonstrated.

well, that's all i have for today.
probably not, but i'm stopping.
i don't have a solution to my rambling thoughts. they're only thoughts.
i'd love to hear your thoughts or ideas. seriously...

why do i worship?

2018-06-08T07:13:00.000-05:00

i grew up in the Church of Christ

acapella worship

and i loved it. still do.

there's nothing more beautiful than the sound of a hymn being sun in four-part harmony.

last year, we started a second service at our church that uses instruments during worship.

i love it.

the implementation of instruments within the building has brought in many new people. unfortunately, it has been the reason for some to leave our fellowship.

i won't discuss that here.

what i would like to discuss is my heart for worship

and that it is not determined by the use of or lack of instruments

i'll tell you why.

it's because i love the people

and i love what the Lord has done in their lives

when i watch people that i love worship, i witness their outpouring of love for their God and of praise of what He has done for them.

I get to see people who have known hurt and pain live with joy and peace because of the hope of heaven.

when i watch people worship, i can't help but do the same.

because i follow a God who changes lives.

i don't determine if i can worship by the quality of the music being played, or if the lighting was right, or if they play songs that i know.

it's sitting by the elderly woman who has lost a child and a husband in her lifetime.

as she sings,

"when peace like a river attendeth my way

when sorrows like sea billows roll

whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say, it is well with my soul"

only accompanied by the other voices, no instruments

she taps her tightly-clenched fist on her leg, eyes closed

because she knows, even in the midst of terrible pain, it is well with her soul.

she personally knows the God who has given her peace to sustain her.

and she can't help but praise Him (however quietly) each time she sings those words of reassurance and comfort.

or sitting next to the young guy who had never stepped foot in a church building until a few years ago when he was required to attend a recovery program within the walls of the church.

he learned about the grace of God and has found forgiveness and hope.

and as he sings,

"i am redeemed, i've been set free

so i'll shake off these heavy chains, wipe away every stain

i'm not who i use to be. i am redeemed"

to a full band, lights dimmed. his hands are raised and he is on his feet.

because he had no hope and now has hope

he was guilty and ashamed, now we has no shame and has a new identity in Jesus Christ

when i witness these two very different-from-the-outside kinds of worship, my response is the same.
usually i'm crying.
emotionally, i am overwhelmed with love for others and the joy i feel in watching them worship.
i am in awe of the power to sustain and the power to change that comes from knowing Jesus.

so, it doesn't matter whether i attend a service that has a band or just has the voices of those in attendance.
what matters is the relationships that i have with those behind the voices and the music.
it matters that i know the One who changed their life.

Josh & Kristen. (alternately titled: A new sister!!!)

2018-06-07T16:23:00.000-05:00

(first of all. let me note. these are all out of order. my computer won't cooperate for long, so organizing them in order of events just ain't happening)

now...tada!

they're married!

the wedding and reception were absolutely GORGEOUS!

the wedding was at Royal Lane Baptist church and the reception at the Adolphus downtown, where we stayed

the flowers were exquisite

and all of the details were just perfect

we really had a wonderful weekend with our family

GTs parents came in town to help with the kids, along with Garrett and Cristie

and they were a HUGE help!

i seriously could not imagine doing the weekend without them.

they had the boys since GT and I were both in the wedding and doing bridesmaid/groomsmen things all weekend. baby girl just hung out with me and the girls.

i have the absolute best in-laws ever. the end.

i so wish Kristen were in this photo!

trying to feed the baby at the reception, but Townes can not leave her alone, ha!

framer

all of the crazy grand-boys

Kristen looked amazing!

getting ready with the bridesmaids and Kristen

and watching the Royal Wedding

my cousins from North Carolina came in!

we always could use more time together...i love being with Memory

and Debbie

the rehearsal dinner was at Campisis downtown

it's dark, but Josh looking at Kristen while talking about her. he was a crying mess. it was adorable

you're welcome for the photobomb x 4

looks good on you, Josh

cutest little ringbearers

bridesmaid luncheon was at the T-Room in Forty Five Ten

sisters!

Kristen was so sweet talking about her relationshp with each of us, her family and Josh

this girl, y'all

she's too much with that smile!

sweet grandmothers

i am eager to see the official photos from the weekend!

it really was an all-around wonderful weekend.

not only was it all beautiful, but it went smoothly and they're married!

I gave a tiny little toast at the rehearsal dinner.

and besides being an emotional wreck (which i quickly blamed on the 1.5week post-partum hormones), i talked about my relationship with Josh.

as a sister, you know a lot about your brothers. you know how annoying they can be and what buttons to push to really make them mad.

but, i've also watched Josh become a really good man.

a man that has worked incredibly hard in his education and profession.

he is an unbelievably loyal friend. with friends all over the country that he accumulated as he gained 2 masters degrees and a doctorate degree while living Mississippi, Texas, and California and Tennessee.

He seeks truth and understanding. He is quite hilarious and a gifted artist. He is a ridiculously good and natural athlete and loves to compete.

I so so strongly wanted him to marry a woman who knew these things about him and totally appreciated him for it.

and he did.

Kristen adores him. and she puts up with his quirks (rambling, to name one).

She is his perfect match and a super-awesome new sister-in-law.

Josh adores her.

it's been fun and slightly awkward to watch him show affection and be all lovey-dovey with her.

as much grief as i've given him over the years, I sincerely only want the absolute best for him.

and ya know, he got it.

mom bod (a machine)

2018-05-30T10:40:00.002-05:00

lets talk about postpartum body recovery. shall we?

doesn't that sound exciting and glamorous?!?!

i gained 37 pounds with this pregnancy.

i'm down 20.

this has happened with terrible eating habits (poptarts, cereal, DDP) and no exercise (except being a mother to young boys).

so, i feel like, with moderate exercise and healthier food choices i will see some results.

i'm not reaching for a number on the scale. but i would like to fit in my white jeans.

more importantly, i have humans to keep up with that require a substantial amount of energy and agility.

side story: last week i thought i'd wear said white jeans.

they are a boyfriend-ish style and were kind of loose pre-pregnancy, so i thought there was a chance that they'd slide on (terrible idea).

so, here i was in the closet doing the trying-to-get-pants-over-my-hips dance.

Judson was in the room observing.

sweetly, he says "mom, i think those are too small"

yeah, i know. hush.

sweet, cherub Judson, "those are like Kristen's size"

if you know my newest sister-in-law, she is adorably petite and might have to get a size 0 altered.
she is also approximately the size of my 2nd grade body.

i love my son.

moving on...

where was i?

oh yeah, the postpartum body....

my hips and back ache

the hips- because a human had to fit through them.

the back- because i carry a human(s) all of the time and i know my posture suffers from it.

also, at times, we have 5 people sleeping in our bed.

so you have to contort your body to avoid kicks to the ribs, elbows to the face and falling off of the bed. and a nursing newborn.

so, a healthy body that feels good and can perform well.

these are my goals

not a ripped body and low body fat. although that would be a nice subsequent outcome.

here's what i've been doing since about week 2.

stretching.

mostly in the morning and at night after i shower.

my plan is to keep this up.

it feels good and the results (less aches and pains) are felt almost immediately.

as i progress, i plan to add in more strength training...using my body weight. i.e. yoga.

eventually i will start running again.
most likely that will start after the hot-as-blazes summer ends.

the reason i called the mom bod a machine is because i am amazed at what God created the woman's body to do.
grow a human, get that human out of the body, then be the sole provider of sustenance for that human after born.
isn't that amazing???
so i do feel like my body is a machine, sort of.
i've got to keep it well oiled so that it can function.
not for me, but for my children!
mostly the one that is getting EVERYTHING she needs from my body.
and the boys because they don't need a mom who is too unhealthy to play with them.
pretty good incentive, i think.

i'll keep you up dated as i get the machine in top working order

WEE school graduation

2018-05-29T16:09:00.001-05:00

We will miss WEE school and the sweet ladies at First West so much!

I asked if they can just keep the boys at least until 8th grade, but no dice.

The boys both started there in Mothers Day Out and we have loved this sweet place for 3 years!

I am so thankful for the women who have spent hours loving on and teaching our babies.

our awesomely supportive fam showed up to celebrate our guys!

with sweet 3 day old baby sister!

sometimes waiting is SO HARD

Townes has grown tremendously this year.

he stood on stage and sang every word during their program.

we could not have imagined him doing this 6 months ago...and he walked down the aisle by himself with a smile on his face!

i was so proud of him and how big he acted. He said it's because he's a big brother now!

Judson is more than ready for Kindergarten. I think he will thrive in that environment and we are going to love watching him learn.

He is a natural leader and always eager to see his friends.

He likes to know the plan and have some structure to his day.

Watch out big school...these boys are coming for you!

this mama, not so ready. but, luckily we have a whole summer to prepare (emotionally and mentally)

2 weeks with baby girl

2018-05-21T08:01:00.000-05:00

our sweet Kirby Jane is 2 weeks old today!

and what a busy 2 weeks she has had.

let's start at day 3.

when she went straight from the hospital to her brothers preschool graduation

we really haven't been home much since she's been born

i think we've left the house for one reason or another every day, except one.

she has been awesome!

she sleeps and eats and is really easily consolable (so far...fingers crossed this continues)

1st doctors appointment

out to lunch with the girls for Mamaw Lous birthday

she's been to the mall twice

because her mother didn't get everything for her brothers wedding before giving birth

last weekend, the Tyler crew came over!

lots of sitting outside and visiting

she loves being outside!

we went to church for Mothers Day!

such a special day with my littlest sweetheart

and big sweethearts

and cousins!

she "watched" her first oyster shucking

and lobster/crab boil

she gets LOTS of love from her brothers who are always ready to hold her

and not always be calm and safe while she eats

so mom has to find entertainment for them so they stay alive

she went to a graduation party and looked super sassy

and she has "watched" numerous Astros games with the boys

mostly, she is just getting loved on a lot

she had to get a hip ultrasound to check for hip dysplasia due to a hip click found on her exam with their Pediatrician

we head to the orthopedic hospital this week to find out if she will require any treatment or if we'll just watch it

she was perfect during the US, except for pooping all over her clothes, blanket and the hospital linens

she's a lady

she has been to 3 of her brothers tball games and slept through them all!

but i think she's his biggest fan

she has traveled to Texas

so of course a stop at Buc-ees was in order

her maiden voyage

we went to Dallas for my brothers wedding

the first night there, we stayed at Garrett and Cristies, since i only booked our hotel for 2 nights

and I really do love staying at their house!

they are the ultimate hosts

Cristie welcomed baby girl with gifts, brownies and the most beautiful peonies!

i will post a separate blog of Josh and Kristen's wedding (baby girls 1st wedding!)

on one hand, i can't believe our girl is already 2 weeks old!

on the other hand, it feels like she's been here for months...considering all that we've done with her.

she is so so sweet.

these newborn snuggles are the absolute best and neither of us can seem to get enough.

i know it's super cliche to say this, but i simply can't remember life before her or imagine it without her.

i never imagined just how sweet life could be with our daughter.

i know we're only 2 weeks in, but if these weeks are any indication of our future with her, then we are in for lots of delightful and joy-filled days ahead.

Kirby Jane (baby girl)

2018-05-16T08:39:00.000-05:00

our sweet Kirby Jane was born 9 days ago

May 7, 2018 at 3:11 in the afternoon

she is more than I could've dreamed or imagined

we started our Monday morning out as a family of 4, not really expecting to end the day with an additional member (but certainly hopeful)

the boys were SO SO SO excited

when we ran home to get our stuff in between doctors office and hospital, they were talking and jumping and asking a million questions about "baby girl"

when we walked in the door, Townes said "baby girl is coming out today!"

then asked "is she going to be our new grandma?"

after i answered in the negative, he said, "well, what is she going to be when she grows up?"

i told him that she'll always be his little sister

to which he replied, "we'll have to get her a big bow"

i said, "oh, for her hair?"

he clarified, "no, to shoot deer with!"

naturally

I was at the doctor at 9:15, the hospital at 11 and ready to push at 3

It all went incredibly smooth and dare i say, uneventful (except for the part of actually having a baby)!

a sincere "thank you" to anyone who has been praying for this. seriously.

baby girl was diagnosed with mild hydronephrosis in-utero, so we had multiple ultrasounds along the way with my OB and with Maternal Fetal Medicine

but NOTHING compares to seeing and holding your baby for the first time.

it really is the most overwhelming emotion i have ever felt in my life

absolute relief and incomparable joy

(brace yourself for the photo overload)

these boys LOVE their sister

i mean, can not get enough of her

from the first second they saw her they have been slightly obsessed

and i'm absolutely certain that there is no way i could have prepared my heart for that

thank you Lord for these good and perfect gifts

best friends really know the way to my heart

we had so many sweet visitors, i wish i had taken pictures with everyone!

we didn't give her a first name until after she was born

i had to meet her first, ya know?

we've just called her baby girl ever since we knew she was a she

her middle name is Jane, after my dads sister

we now share that name

Kirby is my maiden name

one that has always been in my mind as an option for a baby girl

after i saw her, i knew that was perfect for our little sweetness

this guy is officially done for

he even asked if she had a headband to match her outfit (heart eyes)

ready to go home!

i always bring my pack mule

i still can't believe that she's ~~mine~~ ours

Taylor boys (awaiting baby girl)

2018-05-04T14:59:00.004-05:00

this week has been pretty great.

my first full week home with the boys in i-don't-know-how-long.

i really don't realize how much i miss while i'm at work.

sure, they're in "school" 3 days/week and i work 3 days/week, but it's those few extra hours that i don't normally get with them that have been pretty sweet.

i love watching them interact (more so when they aren't fighting or whining) and play along side them.

they really do love one another and get along surprisingly well...except for when they don't.

i really do pray that they always value and treasure the gift that is a best friend as a brother.

we're closing in on our days of the 4 of us and me being surrounded by boys.

i know that adding our sweet baby Jane will only add to the magic (and/or chaos) of our family.

Judson is 5 and 1/2.

He is growing more and more independent daily.

Townes would live in my hip pocket if at all possible.

He is definitely growing up, but would likely prefer to stay with me forever.

The other day I was able to join them on a field trip and we really had so much fun.

Townes hung tight to me and wanted me to go everywhere with him.

Judson found his best buddies and took off. He didn't seem to care if i was there or not.

At one point, i asked his friends dad if he had seen him.

He told me where he was. I then said, "he doesn't even care if i'm here, ha!"

to which friends dad said, "i actually think he does care, he just doesn't act like it"

thanks, little friends dad.

i think he's right.

so i went and found JR and asked him to sit next to me on the next hay ride.

and he did.

gracious....these boys.

last night, i was reading in bed.

Townes came in and asked if he could fall asleep next to me.

of course i said yes.

he looked like he was asleep,

then opened his eyes, smiled and whispered

"one more week until baby sister is here"...then fell asleep.

we are all eagerly awaiting her arrival and probably underestimating the amount of change she will bring to our family...but we are ready!
the boys talk about her quite a bit and genuinely seem excited.
i don't doubt for one minute that they will be great big brothers.
now, t-6 days (of course i'm counting!)

God, you're so good

2018-04-27T08:37:00.002-05:00

Last week during worship I was holding Townes

We were singing "What a beautiful name" and he started singing along. All of the words.

I knew that he knew the words, because we listen to that song a lot. but, he had never sang out loud in church before.

I was completely caught off guard.

I couldn't stop the little tears that started forming in my eyes.

Perhaps i'm way off here, but hearing your child sing those words is enough to send a mama into a fit of thankful-praise-crying-hysterics.

pretty sweet.

I was standing next to GT, who was holding Judson as we started singing the next song.

Amazing love

That welcomes me

The kindness of mercy

That bought with blood, wholeheartedly

My soul undeserving

I couldn't help but think that yes, God is so good to me.

I am standing next to my husband and my children. overwhelmed with the goodness of this life.

that does make me grateful.

but when i think of how GOOD my GOD IS because of what HE did for me, that's when i can’t help worship who HE is. Because it’s not dependent on how “good” these earthly things are going for me, but entirely because of the goodness of our Father.

of course, i am thankful for our earthly blessings and i know how much i have been given in this life.

but, beyond that- i have hope. I have peace. I have joy.

only because of what He did at calvary.

I am undeserving of anything in this life. and certainly anything past this life.

but, because of the goodness of the Lord...

I am blessed, I am called

I am healed, I am whole

I am saved in Jesus' name

Highly favored, anointed

Filled with Your power

For the glory of Jesus’ name

God, You're so good

Oh God, You're so good

God, You're so good

You're so good to me

Behold the cross

Age to age

And hour by hour

The dead are raised, the sinner saved

The work of Your power

God, You're so good

God, You're so good

You're so good to me

I am blessed, I am called

I am healed, I am whole

I am saved in Jesus' name

Highly favored, anointed

Filled with Your power

For the glory of Jesus’ name

And should this life

Bring suffering

Lord, I will remember

What Calvary has bought for me

Both now and forever

God, You're so good

God, You're so good

You're so good to me

Our life: an update

2018-04-24T12:58:00.003-05:00

Mic check

Tap tap

1,2...

1,2,3....

Hello?

Is anyone still there?

So it’s been quite a while since I’ve visited this space.

I could toss out several reasons why.

Like, Instagram ate my blog

My computer is full and I can’t download anymore pictures

It’s also super slow

Also, I just haven’t felt like it

Anyway, we are in the middle of quite a few life changes.

And I just thought I’d wake up the ole blog for documentation purposes!

We started a major remodel and addition on our home about 3 weeks ago and I am so excited! It is coming along quite nicely. At least I think so...I have no frame of reference for the timing of these things.

We are living at my parents (which is actually pretty awesome) and I am incredibly thankful for the convenience of being next door.

We are also about 2 weeks away from welcoming our baby girl!

Ahhhhhh!!!!!

I am definitely in between several emotions.

1. I am kind of over being pregnant.

The constant need to occupy the lavatory. Restless legs. Hip discomfort. Audible noises when trying to stand up. always hungry/always feeling full. Breaking out in a sweat when trying to put on my compression socks for work so my cankles aren’t huge at the end of the day.

You know...all of the end of pregnancy glamorous things that you’re never prepared for.

2. I’m not ready for the actual part of her transition from in-utero living to the outside world living. I’ve not had the most awesome experiences with the boys so I’m slightly anxious about getting this chick out. I’d appreciate prayers for smooth labor, delivery and post-partum. Seriously.

3. I can’t wait to meet our baby girl!!!!! I do not take lightly the blessing that is a baby. We had to wait a bit longer to get pregnant with her than the boys (almost a year), so we seem to be a bit more grateful for the miracle that is life growing inside of me. Isn’t it amazing?!??

My brother is getting married!

Josh (my oldest brother) met Kristen in Dallas, where they both live, and I am so thrilled to have her for a sister.

She is absolutely wonderful and she puts up with Josh (i kid, i kid, calm down).

His wedding is less than a month away. We are all so excited to celebrate them!

There are three of our life events that are keeping us occupied these days.

Aside from that, it's the usual- church family, kids school, t-ball, extended family, work, 2 boys, 5 chickens, a cat and a dog.

I'm hopeful that I will be using the blog more often, but i'm also realistic...so perhaps i'll see ya soon...or it may be another 6 months.

either way, I'd like to say "it's good to be back"

Judson Ray is 5- He has what it takes

2017-10-25T13:41:00.002-05:00

My sweet Judson Ray is 5 today.

He is pure joy and I am overwhelmed with gratitude for his life.

He is kind, thoughtful, full of energy, confident, tender, observant, happy, purposeful (intense), inquisitive, and eager. He makes each day more fun and full. He doesn’t waste one second of the day and is always ready for whatever is next.

I can count on him to be happy and helpful.

Truly, he is a gift.

Often I get overwhelmed when I think of the task of raising him.

Keeping him safe, protected.

But more than, I want to foster the maturing of his sweet spirit.

To provide the environment, the fertile ground for the growth of his gifts- of joy, of encouragement, of passion.

That’s heavy. To me.

Last night as I scratched his back and he was falling asleep, I asked God to protect him.

That he would always feel comforted when needed. And ultimately know the comfort and peace that only comes from knowing Jesus.

Then, this morning as we were driving to his birthday breakfast at the donut store, a sweet new song played that I downloaded last week.

and I was reminded that it's not up to me. or GT and me, his parents.

I am not solely responsible for his maturity, his spiritual growth, his life (ultimately).

this takes a huge weight off.

Thankfully, Jesus knew I wouldn't be perfect- especially in parenting (hallelujah!)

so he gives us grace

he gives us mentors

he gave us the Holy Spirit

and that is what Judson needs

not a perfect mom.

He isn't perfect either.

and he will someday understand his need for a Savior

just yesterday, he said, "Mom, did you know that Jesus is always in your heart?"

He is hearing this from a host of people we entrust him to-teachers, friends, grandparents.

The weight of raising him is lightening up as I remember it's not up to me.

He has what it takes.

You have what it takes

If you ever wonder

If you’re made for more

Yes, you are

More than this world

Can afford you or tell you

You're capable of

And there's a mystery inside you

So let define you

And you can move mountains because

You have what it takes

Your heart's a river wide

Not by power, not by might

But the spirit of God

He's living inside you

And you have all you need

And you need only to believe

That when Jesus fights for you

Nothing can stop you or stand in your way

'Cause you have what it takes

If you ever wonder

If you're gonna make it

You will

Even though you'll feel like

You're going under with pressures

That all seem so real

-Christy Nockels "You have what it takes"

No way Jose Altuve

2017-08-14T10:56:00.002-05:00

If you know GT at all, you know of his love for and devotion to the Houston astros.

If he's on his phone- 10 times out of 10, he's listening to, watching, or reading about the Astros..or the Longhorns.

This may be a slight exaggeration, but probably 7 out of 10.

So, naturally, Judson is a big fan.

He knows all of the players and even prays for Carlos Correa every night (short stop who's been out for thumb surgery)

They watch the games together, discuss wins/losses, and just both love the game of baseball.

My favorite player is the 2nd baseman, Jose Altuve.

He's a little guy who doesn't let his size dictate his stature.

He's leading the MLB in batting average and seems to be liked by everyone.

We went to the Rangers vs. Astros ballgame Friday night while in Dallas.

It was a bit painful...the Astros got beat.

And It was also hot as blazes and humid. Or as Judson once described "it feels like it's raining, but it's not".

Of course, we had a great time anyway.

The whole fam went and we all sweated together.

Even got to ride on a bike taxi

A family divided

As luck would have it, we were staying at the same hotel as the traveling team, the Astros.

We didn't expect to see them, but one can always hold out hope (and linger a bit too long in the lobby when you think it's time for the team to be loading up the bus and heading to the stadium).

Saturday afternoon, the boys and I were walking to the pool.

I saw a nice-dressed, smaller stature gentlemen with fancy large headphones walking towards me talking on his phone.

I quickly recognized him.

Then I waited until he ended his call then super calmly asked if he would mind taking a photo with my boys. After all, he is "our" favorite player.

He said sure.

What a guy, huh?

I could tell Judson didn't recognize him since he wasn't wearing his uniform. So I told him it was Jose Altuve and I watched as Judson's face got a little red and he stared a bit starstruck.

Ole Jose was super nice and offered a high five to Townes and asked if he wanted to get in a photo, too.

framer

He went on his way and Judson and I high-fived and had a few giddy seconds.

Well, the Astros lost again Saturday night.

Sunday morning, we were in the lobby about to check out of the hotel.

I couldn't find JR.

As I walk around the corner, I see him casually talking to Jose Altuve and two other players.

as if this is normal.

When I walk up to him, the guys are all laughing.

So I say hi and ask what my son said to them.

Altuve said, "he asked,why did y'all lose again last night?"

Um.

I told him that I didn't know who the kid was but that I would help him find his mom.

Jk. I apologized and then laughed (with them, thankfully).

We wished them good luck, then Altuve told Judson that they would definitely win

and they did!

Maybe all they needed was a little accountability from a random 4-year old who wandered away from his mother and confidently confronted a stranger in a hotel lobby.

TW turns 3!

2017-07-17T23:06:00.000-05:00

our sweet little Roo turned 3 last Saturday!

we started the day with a donut run, just me and Townes, in our pjs.

GT drove all night Friday from Round Rock. He got in at 5am, so we let him skip the donut store trip.

Grammy and PaPa drove in a few hours later. and Garrett had already come in the night before.

we spent the day playing outside, prepping for the party, and loving on our boys.

that evening, we had a fun party at my mom and dads

all of his parties, so far, we have incorporated some form of water (hello July birthday!)

best cousin-friends!

what a guy, huh?

we only had family come to the party

so, a small gathering of roughly 40...ha!

Sweet baby Ben turned 1 the day before!

so we celebrated him, too!

he really is the best baby. always happy and super silly!

bless it. GT was worn out. but, no rest for the weary says Townes!

we had so much fun celebrating Townes Wesley, my little Roo.

He has turned into a certified big boy over the past few months.

but, is still pretty happy when i hold him and he tucks his head into my neck.

sometimes, i just don't know what to do with all of my emotions when he hugs me or just looks at me with his smile... goodness, this kid melts me.

He and Judson, or "Bubby", are the best of friends

seriously, they get along really well and enjoy being together.

of course they fight. they're brothers!

but on the the whole, they are great playmates and keep each other entertained.

i love watching them interact and often catch my breath at their love for one another.

Townes is quite a character.

He is silly, sweet, sensitive, and often feels ALL the emotions within a few seconds.

he is rather unpredictable in the way he will respond to any given situation.

but, everyday, i am more and more proud of how he matures and learns to handle himself around others (using manners, being kind, obeying).

if i say "ouch" or anything indicating that i might be hurt, he comes over to me and puts his hand on me and asks "are you ok, mama?"

he still loves his "little guys" and always has at least 2 little characters in his hands (current obsession is Tsum-Tsums)

He can't pronounce a "f", so he has "hingers" instead of fingers and we go to GTs "oppice" instead of his office.

He is officially "thlee" years old and likes to keep up with the big boys... until he wants his mama.

He is learning that he is very good at making us laugh and is silly most of the time.

He is actually pretty funny! (says his mom)

Townes is easy to fall for.

He loves big and is full of surprises.

I just can't get enough of him and am so thankful to be right along side him as he learns about life.

He is and will always be the sweet to my heart.

Kirbys take Breckenridge

2017-07-10T22:14:00.000-05:00

Judson was confused as to why we got to go on the "Kirby family vacation" since we are Taylors.

after i explained that my last name was Kirby before I married his dad, he was relieved and geared up for a mountain vacation with the Kirby crew.

it was quite the change in pace, weather, clothing, and elevation from Cabo!

I'm so thankful that we are, no only able to, but get to enjoy vacation with both the Taylor and Kirby sides.

We are blessed, indeed.

starting from the plane ride, the entire trip was smooth and fun!

the drive from the Denver airport is always breathtaking!

my dad rented a beautiful house for us to all stay in

during the day we hot-tubbed

climbed a 14,000 ft mountain one day!

hiked with the kids

strolled the streets of Breckenridge

got ice cream (x3)

cooked at the house

ate pizza (x2)

watched LSU play

played cards

attempted a mountain run

and soaked up the clean mountain air

having our Mamaws on this trip was the cherry on top

they take such good care of us and are always game for good conversation and coffee

(and they rub my back and play with my hair!)

and of course, we took family photos!

Josh's girlfiend (eek!!), Kristen, came for a few days and we loved having her with us!

also, GT attempted to walk across a shaky 2x6 "bridge" on top of tires in a pond... WITH TOWNES.

they didn't make it.

so we walked around town with a shirtless GT and pants-less Townes (thankfully it wasn't the other way around) until Jamie found some of Bens pants for Townes...still barefoot.

neither of them were bothered by this one bit.

except GT wished one of the tourist/souvenir shops sold dry underwear.

the day that we chose to hike Quandary Peak was clear, crisp and beautiful!

the hike was actually pretty tough

but as always, the view at the summit was worth it.

seeing Gods creation from that point of view is truly breathtaking.

can you even handle this baby and his cuteness?!?!?!

the sweetest, that baby Ben.

Cabo Wabo!

2017-07-01T13:37:00.000-05:00

Our first Taylor family summer vacay to Cabo!

huge thanks to Cristie and her family for allowing us to stay in their beautiful house.

she and Garrett were the hostesses with the mostesses and made everything just perfect for all of us.

We stayed for a full week and I do not feel like we wasted a minute.

The boys were just as excited for the flight

We enjoyed hanging out at the house

playing in the pool

lounging

playing 42 (of course)

riding jetskis

going to the beaches

eating at delicious restaurants

taking a boat ride

going to the market

sleeping in (sort of)

and all the other loungey things you do on vacation with your family!

the adult kiddos got to have a date-night out, thanks to super Grammy and Papa!

one night, us gals went to a beautiful place called Flora Farms

a little oasis that the guys would not have appreciate as much as we would like

also, GT lost a bet

re: the cat-thing playing with the dream-catcher tattoo.

thank you, Garrett

and is it really a family trip without color-coordinated family photos?

the answer is no.

one morning GT and I took Judson to look for seashells

probably one of my favorite things we did

ready to go back!

sweet times in Sugar Land 2017

2017-05-31T15:50:00.000-05:00

our annual trip to Sugar Land!

what's a trip to Houston without a trip to see the Astros?!

these two LOVE each other!

and so do these two.

best friends

we had a wonderful trip to see the Waldrons

we ate out, saw things, did stuff, but the best part is just waking up slowly and lounging around together.

taking it easy and catching up on life.

sweetest little friends

these two spoil our boys

and made everything so much fun!

i loved getting to spend time with this sweet girl

it was so much fun braiding her hair and listening to her sweet voice

beautiful Sloane

these kiddos sure do love each other

and i love their parents

too bad i didn't snag a pic of us adults!

i wish that we were able to see them more often.

but, it makes the times we get together so much more meaningful

as always, Brice took care of everything down to a "t"

making us feel perfectly at home, and taking care of the details so that we could soak up every second of being together.

I'm thankful that Tommy and GT became friends 30 years ago, so that we can enjoy our awesome friendship today

and watch the sweet friendship grow between our children.

Friends visit

2017-05-31T14:48:00.000-05:00

We make it to Dallas quite often.

If not once per month, then every 6 weeks.

Two of our siblings live there and i still have some of my best friends there.

So, we have plenty of reasons to visit.

for a little change,

My sweet friends came to visit us in May!

We absolutely loved having them and letting them have a bit of country living for the weekend.

including crawfish and gator rides.

Buzz and Judson are BFF.

she was such a trooper at saying "yes" to every single sword fight or baseball game Judson asked her to play. love her.

Rachel and James brought their pup, Coach.

this picture is not to scale. that is one large dog.

but super sweet and lovable. and has no awareness of his size, ha!

worn slap out from all of the fun

sweet Ruby! (and Rach, of course!)

we adore that sweet baby Ruby

she is always happy and so fun to be with. just like her parents!

i was not the only one who fell for Ruby

14 years i've been knowing these people.

well, 8 for Rachel.

but still! a long time!

and i'm forever grateful for our friendship.

and i'm thankful for their love for my kids and the effort that they all make to keep our friendship going.

we just get each other and can chat about all the things and laugh for days on days.

what a gift!

now, y'all come back now, ya hear!

Harding Homecoming 2016

2016-11-30T15:30:00.000-06:00

GT and I really enjoy making a visit to our alma mater.

This Homecoming was a special occasion, as many of GTs former football buddies would all be there.

They were honoring their coach who was retiring, so we decided to make the trip and soak up a beautiful Arkansas fall weekend

the boys loved staying in the hotel, of course

especially since it was on campus, which was actually really nice

we also got to eat at Burrito Day

my good friend, Kari, and her husband own and run this awesome restaurant!

it was wonderful

especially since we got to go with our friends, Kellye & Dan (friends since freshman year...2003, yikes!) and their cutie son, Cohen

JR loved all things Harding

and basically followed the mascot around asking for hugs

i honestly couldn't tell you who won the game, but i did get to see a lot of friends

so that is a win!

that night they had a reception/ceremony and a whole bunch of football players were there. GT and I both got to catch up with so many people that we haven't seen in years. People that were so much a part of our lives when we were at Harding. Even though we didn't know one another at HU, we have some wonderful relationships with many of the same people.

i didn't take as many pics with people as i should have, but we do have some great memories etched in our hearts.

a weekend at Harding always leaves us thankful.

thankful for the people who poured into us

for the memories made

and for the memories to come

it truly is great to be there.

Thanksgiving week 2016

2016-11-27T21:32:00.000-06:00

Halloween 2016

2016-11-05T14:53:00.000-05:00

we super celebrated halloween!

we had parties at school, then trick or treated at the Lees on actual Halloween, then had church trunk-or-treat.

we ate more candy than anyone should

but, i think the boys wore all the costumes that they wanted and had a great time

halloween at school!

JR and his bestie, Oliver.... are they not the best duo!?!?

Trunk-or-treat at church

my mom, Darth Vader

what a grandma wouldn't do for her grandkids!

Judson Ray turns 4!

2016-10-24T21:53:00.002-05:00

for his birthday party, Judson wanted his whole family to come over and play a baseball game.

and so, we did!

His wish for a party is perfectly reflective of him.

He loves loves loves his family and loves loves loves to play any kind of anything....

baseball, soccer, super heroes, rodeo, races, etc.

he's always up to play, especially with his family.

I absolutely adore this kid.

and we were all so excited to celebrate him.

he is happy 99% of the time

is up for anything, lets things roll off of his back, never runs out of energy, is easy to be around, he's very observant, talks all of the time, is really appreciative when given something, asks one million questions, and as my Mamaw Jo has said from the beginning, "he has a strong sense of purpose"

GT and I are constantly amazed at the things that come out of his mouth!

we are overwhelmed with gratitude for the gift of raising Judson Ray

now, on to the party!

setting out the bases

sweet baby bulldog, Ben

baseball "tattoos" before the party

these two are quite the duo

best friend/cousins

i love this baseball player

Judson is a kid who knows what he wants and is very good at verbalizing it.

he asked me what kind of cake we were going to have. I told him that i was just going to order a cookie cake with a baseball on it. He quickly let me know that he would like one with all the icing on top and some baseball plays on it. ha!

i should've known that he knew exactly what kind of cake he had in mind.

he was not being bossy, or rude, but rather matter-of-fact.

a few nights before his party he told me that he didn't want everyone to sing "Happy Birthday" to him, because he didn't like it when he turned 3 (true story. cried through it)

but, that he would rather the whole family sing "Be Strong and Courageous" together.

so, we did both and he sang loud and proud.

we all loved it and it might become a new tradition.

his 1st bike. and he has asked to ride it every minute of the day since.

costumes were a popular gift item, because Judson is constantly changing in and out of them, becoming whoever he pleases throughout the day. i love that part of his imagination

Judson has been fired up about turning 4.

mostly, because he gets to go upstairs at church for his bible class.

I can totally believe that he is 4.

he is very much an old soul and we often have conversations that seems more appropriate for someone twice his age (8! ha!).

Watching him grow and learn is one of the greatest joys of my life.

and also one of the most humbling parts of my life!

He is constantly challenging me, but i am thankful for that.

his strong sense of purpose makes me excited about the kind of man he will be.

GT and I pray for Him to be strong, courageous, kind, a leader and to love God and love everyone.

forever grateful for my thoughtful, energetic, happy, curious, rule-following, sweet Judson Ray.

sweet September

2016-10-15T15:25:00.000-05:00

I love September

not only is it birthday month for GT and me, but it is that beginning of a new season

although September still feels like summer, with 90 degree+ temps, everyone goes ahead and starts the transition to fall.

I wanted to document some of the month of September...so here are 60ish photos (ha!)

most of them are of the boys at home, which is my favorite

GT was out of town for about 10 days and my parents were gone for 9 days

their trips overlapped a good bit, so it was just me and the boys at home (plus 10 animals!)

i'm happy to report that everyone was fed and watered daily.

Del, my mom-in-law, came in town to help me with the boys for a few days while i worked...she's a life saver!

she and Mark came back for another weekend to celebrate GTs bday with us!

i love for them to be here with us.

so sit tight as we go through some photos to document a pretty great month

i've purchased new and longer pants since this. i know you were concerned

Townes with his future wife, Sage, at church

we had so much fun celebrating Bella Boo turning 14!

they love each other

Josh came in for Labor Day!

we went out to Mamaw Lous for lunch and some fun at Camp

1st day of school for the boys!

Judson started WEE school

and Townes Mothers Day Out

JR picking up some chores while dad is out of town

we were all SUPER SUPER happy to have him home

he drove through the night from Wyoming just in time to pick up the boys from school

after a ridiculously long trip home after his trucks engine blew up

and he ended up having to just trade it in for a new vehicle so that they could get home

(a very long story for another time. but, we apparently are now the owners of a very sought after diesel engine...it is very loud)

the next Friday night, we decided to have a little family outing

we rarely go out to eat for supper, so it was a fun treat

then played some putt-putt afterwards

betchya didn't know that ole West Monroe had such great entertainment delights!?!

and i betchya didn't know what Judson was doing behind that tree

Saturday errands with GT

spending some time at the feed store

on this particular Sunday morning, Judson asked if they could go stand on their rock for a picture.

to which i replied with a dropped jaw and huge head nod

then Judson did this.

i have no idea

JR started soccer and loves it!

after practice that evening, we headed out to Korie and Willies farm to celebrate their official adoption of Rowdy!

it was so much fun and he was so cute soaking up all of the love from the fam

the party was awesome!

celebrations continued as we came home to a cookie cake that GT had bought for my birthday

i love that he loves that i love cookie cake

more parties at work since i also shared a birthday week with my boss and another one of the NPs

then we had a fun dinner to say goodbye to Sadie and Korie before they headed out for the Live Original tour!

the next weekend, Mark and Del, Beau and Luke (mom brought them over from Tyler) came in for more partying!

these two rascals were in heaven

of course, our Saturdays begin with Cracker Barrel

in this photo, Townesy is pouting because of something i wouldn't let him do

he went running to his Mamaw Lou...ha!

my handsome man on his birthday.

the big 35

Judson loves to dress up

and Townes is starting to enjoy it, too

as many days as there are left between now and Halloween...is how many different costume ideas he will have for trunk-or-treat

Judson picked out their clothes for school on this day

our chickens are still doing well and i still love them

sweet bedtime with my guys

soccer jumps

because i think they're cute

one week, GT had to go to Texas for a few days

I had to work then had an event on Saturday

so he offered to take the boys to his parents so they could be taken care of.

so, they were gone Wednesday-Sunday (a long time!)

i was offered a spot on the little plane going over to watch the 1st stop of the Live Original Tour in Dallas on Thursday.

so, it worked out well and I got to go!

i was so thankful

and so proud to watch the cousins share with thousands about their hope in God

and how they've overcome various things

it was powerful and encouraging. and a lot of fun, too!

that Saturday, my mom held a bible study conference called "Deep"

it was awesome.

the women who shared were so vulnerable and real about reading Gods word

Shellie Tomlinson is my spirit animal, ha!

I love her hilarious stories, but more importantly her heart for Jesus and loving other people

i was thrilled to see my guys driving up that driveway Sunday afternoon

super dad after house church

the boys helping Pa pick some plums

this is a super cheesy selfie, but i wanted to document such a sweet moment with my baby (who isn't really a baby anymore. except that pacifier...)

sweet peanut at the doctor

then our weekly library stop

most of our time at home, the boys are outside riding one of their toys or the scooter

we went out to OCS to have lunch with the big cousin early in the month

after CB one Saturday, heading into the Ike Hamilton to watch roping, or penning, or something

September was a wonderful month!

it's still hot here, but we've got our mums and pumpkins out and are ready to welcome fall whenever it shows up.

October is shaping up to be a great one, too.

Judson turns 4 in ten days!!!

and we're all excited to celebrate him!

i'm forever thankful for this life we live

but i am constantly reminded of just how broken this world is

watching those that we love hurt and watching our culture continue to lean towards evil just keeps me longing for heaven.

even though this life is pretty great, i'm so thankful that my hope is not in this world or in anything the world has to offer.