Some of my favorite pictures of Cora were taken when she was six months old so we have tried to take six month pictures of all our babies. I love having them all documented at the same stage. It worked out to take our family pictures at the same time and, like always, Gina captured Annie and our family so perfectly. Here are a few of my favorites.

You can see more from this session over on Gina’s blog.

Gina and her husband, Adam, have also started offering Family Films as an optional add-on to your photo session. They asked if they could put together a film for us during our photo session…um, yes! I can hardly believe this is my family. I love these people so very much.

Click here for more information on Family Films. Thanks, Adam and Gina. You guys are the best!

I finally got Annie’s birth announcements ordered and almost all mailed out. Everything seems to take a little longer with the fifth child. Or maybe I am just a little more chill the fifth time around and realize that it is okay if the birth announcements don’t get ordered the day after baby is born. Three months later works just fine too. Ha!

When I started looking for announcements I fell in love with the Big Script Birth Announcements from Minted. I loved the simple design and the script made Annie’s name look so cute. I’m all about a good font. I love the black and white with Annie’s newborn photo. For a limited time Minted is offering free matching envelope designs and recipient addressing.  I have never had addresses printed on my envelopes but decided to give it a try and took advantage of the offer. Once you upload your address list you can select all the addresses or go through and select which ones you want printed on the envelopes. This is the best thing…and so easy! Not only did it force me to finally get organized and put all my addresses in a spreadsheet (I am all ready for Christmas cards now!), all my envelopes arrived with the addresses printed. Amazing. This is such a time saver! When the announcements arrived it was so easy to just stuff the envelopes, add my return address and a stamp, and send them off! Annie’s birth announcements gave me the perfect excuse to buy the cute Rifle Paper Company postage stamps too. Have you seen them? So pretty! I wish they would have had these stamps for my wedding invitations.

I love seeing my kids’ names written out, don’t you? Some of you have asked how we chose Annie’s name. We actually chose Annie’s name on the day of my sonogram when we got the sweetest surprise and found out we were having a girl. I had been keeping a list on my phone of girl names and boy names that I liked. I read the list of girl names to Joel as we drove home and he said no to every one. I thought it was going to be impossible to agree on a name. Then I remembered Annie. I had mentioned the name Annie when we were deciding on a girl and boy name for Jake but it got crossed off the list early on. I decided to throw it out there again. Joel liked Annie and her name was Annie from then on. We never even made another list or discussed any other names. She is the cutest little Annie girl I have ever seen.

We dedicated Annie on Mother’s Day and here is what we shared about her name at her baby dedication:

Annie Kate is named after her Auntie Anne and Grammy, Kathryn. The name Annie means gracious and merciful. We chose Psalm 103:8 for her, “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” It is our prayer that Annie would come to know and understand her need for Jesus and His saving grace in her life and that she would also grow to be a woman whose life is characterized by graciousness. The Lord has given Annie three awesome big brothers to grow up with so we might need to pray that she becomes graciously tough as well! Annie has the sweetest, most easygoing personality and we all adore her. She has brought so much joy to our lives as well as a renewed girly flair to our home. Annie’s life is a constant reminder of God’s unchanging goodness and faithfulness to our family.

That is how Annie got her name. I started going through my blog archives and had to go back and find my boys’ birth announcements. I don’t think I ever posted Cora’s birth announcement on here. If you are interested you can go back and read about how we chose our boys’ names and see their birth announcements as well: Levi (and here), Griffin, Jake.

Oh, and I have to show you the back too. We had to include Annie’s cute big brothers on the announcement. Of course. They are so proud of her! You can’t see it very well on this photo but right under the boys we included the verse we picked for Annie.

I love how these turned out!

The photos are from Annie’s newborn session. I’ll have to show you those in my next post. I have documented all of my babies on this blog and I am determined to catch up and document Annie’s first year here too. It must happen. Besides, she is too cute not to share with you all!

Annie Kate McClenahan

2.17.2018

8 pounds 11.5 ounces

19.5 inches

We couldn’t love her any more. Annie is such a precious gift from our good, good Father. Thanks for rejoicing with us!

I am hoping to add more updates soon (no promises, though!) In the meantime, make sure you are following me on Instagram (@jessmcclenahan) where I post regularly because it is so much easier!

I could never find the right words to finish that post.

As you know, sonogram day came and went and all of a sudden pink is entering my life again. In fact, pink is entering my life very soon as my due date quickly approaches.

Maybe the words for the post never came for a reason. Ever since losing Cora I have tried so hard to make sense of God’s plan for my family. I was sure that Levi, Griffin, AND Jake were all girls. SURE. Not because I have great motherly instinct–obviously I don’t–but because I thought that surely we were ready for another girl. I remember when we got pregnant with Jake up until the day he was born thinking that two boys and a girl sounded like a pretty perfect plan. And if I am really honest with you I thought we deserved another girl after losing Cora. That feels really embarrassing to admit but it’s true. I have done a lot of wrestling with God over the past almost nine years. I have poured out my heart and spoken my desires. I have cried out both in confusion and with a completely broken heart. I miss Cora like crazy and sometimes I still fight so hard to try to understand.

Last fall we actually thought we’d be welcoming our fifth baby in May 2017. I went in for my 10-week appointment and was shocked to find out that I was only measuring at six weeks. I had either miscalculated something or I was miscarrying–I knew that day that I would miscarry. A May baby had seemed so perfect for our family and we were heartbroken. We weren’t even sure we wanted to try to get pregnant again. Going through more loss sounded too hard.

I don’t know why I always try to take the reigns and figure things out on my own. While we were preparing our hearts to be done having babies, God had other plans. Early this past summer we found out we were expecting again. We trudged through those weeks before the appointment very timidly trying not to get our hopes up. We made it to the 10-week appointment and everything looked great. Praise the Lord! I was thinking all along we would not find out gender but the Mac boys (including daddy) all wanted to know, so we decided to find out. Boys usually win around here. Haha! The gender vote was 5-0. We all thought it had to be another boy. This time even I thought it was a boy for sure. I heard Levi tell one of our friends, “We all are kind of hoping for a girl but we all think its probably a boy!” Isn’t that the cutest?! And honestly, while I would have loved to have another daughter, I thought four boys sounded pretty awesome too. I hope you know me well enough by now to know that I am crazy about my boys. I can’t imagine life any other way. Each one has been the perfect addition to our family. God’s plans are always better and I love being a boy mom!

We walked into that sonogram room ready to hear “Boy!” and instead found ourselves saying, “For real?! Are you sure it’s a girl?” I was so excited and so shocked…and I have to admit a little confused. I had tried so hard to figure out for myself why it just made sense for us to have another boy; even convincing myself that God could use our story in a more powerful way if we didn’t have a “happy ending” of a girl. I was taking the reigns of my life again. Putting myself on the the throne and trying to figure things out in my own way and my own timing.

I just finished studying Romans 8 in Bible study and was reminded again that whatever situation I find myself in God has placed me there for my good and His glory,

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Those can be hard words to swallow when we find ourselves in the middle of tragedy and difficulty, I know. But as believers these words offer us great security. A promise we can live by. We may not always feel or see that God is working for our good, but we know with certainty that He is. What do we know? God is working in all things–He has all things covered. As we continue reading this verse in context (read all of chapter 8!) we see that God’s “good” doesn’t mean getting what we want and it doesn’t mean that the things he uses for good in our life are always good in themselves. Verse 29 tells us that the “good” is being conformed into the likeness of His Son. He is changing us from the inside out. Even when our plans seem good to us, God often has something better in mind. We can be confident that God is at work in the center of our very worst times, our very best times, and even the very mundane times in our lives. He was working for the good of my family when Cora died and continues to work for the good of my family as we are just weeks away from holding our second daughter. I don’t have to understand, but it is my prayer that I would always give my heart and mind to trust His perfect purposes.

All God’s gifts are good, but, oh my goodness, this little girl feels like a very special gift from the Lord. We have had our seasons of mourning, and as a friend so sweetly reminded me, this season is definitely a season for rejoicing. We are praising God for the life he continues to bring to our family. We are so undeserving of His kindness to us. It is my prayer that as we continue to share parts of our grief as well as our joy, that you would see that God is both completely good and completely sovereign all the time. The end of Romans 8 reminds us that nothing can separate us from God’s love for us. Will you trust God’s perfect purposes with your circumstances today?

So here we go. Our family’s story has looked so different than anything I could have planned or imagined. I am thankful for God’s patience with me as He continues to gently remind me that He is on the throne. He is so good. Just a few more weeks until we re-enter the girl world. This boy family may not know what hit us as the pink starts to find its way into our home but we are so ready to love on this little lady like crazy!

*photos taken by my sweet friend Ashley of Ashley Opliger Photography

Kelly Ratiliff! Congrats, Kelly! You should have an email from me in your inbox today.

For those of you who didn’t win the giveaway there are some great deals still going on at DaySpring. Make sure to check out the newly added items to the Christmas Sale, Ornament Sale, BOGO Mugs, and Calendar and Planner Sale.

Here is a little gift idea that I shared on Instagram. I stacked up the Flamingo 18-month Agenda Planner (which is marked down to $15), the Live Original Jumbo Notepad, tied it together with a cute ribbon and tucked in a gift card on top. This would make a fun teacher gift or gift for a friend who loves cute office supplies.

I was so excited to see that the Manger and Star Wooden Cake Toppers are part of the Christmas Sale! Yay! These Cake Toppers are marked down to $4 (originally $10). They come in a cute little box and you could easily tie a bow and cute tag around them and have the perfect, meaningful gift that can be used year after year. I am so excited to gift these to all of my friends. We will be adding this to our birthday cake for Jesus this year too!

DaySpring is also offering you an exclusive discount. Use code SHINEHISLIGHT to get $20 off any $60 purchase + free shipping. You can combine this offer with the Christmas Sale…load your cart up with 15 cake toppers, get $20 off + free shipping and you will have 15 gifts ready to go for just $40! Or, grab a few cake toppers, maybe a cute planner, and finish up your Christmas shopping using the discount code. Happy shopping!

The last giveaway is one of my favorites. Actually all the giveaways have been my favorite, but if you would love to capture the beauty of your days through photography this giveaway is for you!

I took Ashley’s SnapShop Online Photography course to learn to use my DSLR camera. This course taught me how to shoot in manual and I have never turned back since. I am so glad I learned how to use my camera. So glad. Since taking the DSLR course I have also taken the phone course and I continue to learn so much from Ashley as she adds new material to her online course all the time (Ashley is the best teacher!). Whether you would love to learn how to use your big camera or just how to take better photos on your phone, this online course is packed with the tools to help you do both!

Ashley is generously giving away  2 – 1 year SnapShop memberships (one for you and one to share with a friend). It is always more fun to go through a course like this with a friend! Here’s how to enter:

Giveaway Details:

2 – 1 year SnapShop memberships

ONE winner chosen at random

ONE entry per person

Giveaway ends Friday, December 8th at 10PM (CST)

To enter, leave a comment on this post telling me who you would give the extra membership to if you won. That’s it!

And if you are ready to start taking the course today or would like to give a membership to SnapShop as a Christmas gift you can use the code JESS15 to get $15 off the registration fee through Sunday, December 10th. This is such a great deal for all the material you will have access to! There is a $5 monthly fee to keep up your membership and you can cancel at anytime.

*disclaimer: affiliate links used

For Unto Us a Child Is Born Framed Wall Art

I hung this sign next to our Christmas tree and I love it so much. This verse is one we have memorized as a family and it is such a good reminder to have on our walls.

Nativity Wood Blocks

I love having kid friendly nativity sets around the house. I added this wood block set to my collection and it is so adorable!

Manger and Star Wooden Cake Toppers

I was so excited when I saw these on DaySpring this year. I love the simplicity of them. Wouldn’t these be the perfect addition to a birthday cake for Jesus?! TODAY ONLY (11/28) you can get these wooden cake toppers free with any purchase. Check a few items off your Christmas list and snag these for free! Just add items to your cart and then select the ‘Free Gift’ prompt during check out.

Make sure to check out these great deals as well…

Cyber Week Markdown Specials

BOGO Weekend: Everything on this page is Buy 1, Get 1 Free

DaySpring is generously giving away all three of these items to one of my readers. So fun! Here is how to enter:

Giveaway Details:

Framed Wall Art, Nativity Wood Blocks & Wooden Cake Toppers

ONE winner chosen at random

ONE entry per person

Giveaway ends Friday, December 1st at 10PM (CST)

To enter, click this link to sign up for DaySpring’s newsletter then leave a comment on this post telling me that you are signed up. That’s it!

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram (@jessmcclenahan) for more giveaways later this week!

Hey guys! Next week I am teaming up with some of my favorite shops to host five days of giveaways. These five shops are generously giving away some amazing prizes so you aren’t going to want to miss it! I wanted to give you a sneak peek of what is coming up because all of these shops have great sales going on this weekend. If you are checking off your Christmas gift lists this weekend make sure you check out these deals…

Katygirl Designs | Katy has a 4-day sale going on Friday through Monday. Make sure to check out KatyGirl Designs to get some great deals this weekend. I love her Scripture calendar, teacher gift set, and she has some great Christmas photo card designs if you are needing a Christmas card!

SnapShop Online Photography School | If you haven’t registered for Ashley Ann’s SnapShop Online courses you need to! Or if you have a friend who would love to learn how to use his/her camera better this would be the best gift. Ashley also just put out a great photography gear guide for those of you with photography gear on your wish list. I have taken both the DSLR and phone courses and would recommend them to anyone! Use the discount code GEAR2017 for $20 off your registration. Offer ends 11.25.17

Star Kids Company | My boys are big fans of Star From Afar. This will be our third Christmas using this interactive nativity set and it is quickly becoming a tradition around here. Friday through Monday you can get your Star From Afar set shipped for free. No coupon needed.

DaySpring | DaySpring has a sitewide Black Friday sale going on today. Use code FRIDAY17 for 30% off any purchase. Make sure to check out the Markdown Specials (you can use the 30% off code on top of the sale price) as well as the BOGO Weekend sale. Here are a few of my favorites for Christmas. You just might some of them as part of the giveaway next week (hint, hint).

Glory to God Porcelain Christmas Ornament

Nativity Hurricane Candle Holder Trio

For Unto Us a Child Is Born Framed Wall Art

Nativity Wood Blocks

Manger and Star Wooden Cake Toppers

Sarah + Abraham | If you need adorable Christmas labels for all those gifts you will be wrapping up, check these out. Now through Monday, Sarah + Abraham is doubling all label orders. No code necessary. I can’t wait to get these tags to top our gifts with!

Don’t forget to check back next week to enter the giveaways. I am @jessmcclenahan on Instagram where some of the giveaways will be hosted as well!

*disclosure: some affiliate links used

Ashley’s DSLR course is the only reason I know how to use my camera. She is the best teacher! With your SnapShop membership you have access to so much great instruction. You can learn at your own pace whenever you have time to squeeze it in your busy schedule.  If you have been wanting to learn how to shoot in manual this is the class for you! The best part is Ashley adds new content all the time…I love that! I am still learning so much.

I have taken the phone course too and it is just as great. Even if you don’t own a DSLR you probably take photos with your phone. If so, you will love the phone course and learning how to better capture your family and your everyday. Ashley teaches so many great tips and techniques. The best part is you have access to BOTH courses!

You can register by clicking here. Use code FALL50 to get 50% of the $50 membership fee. After that it is just $5 a month as long as you want to keep up your membership. You can cancel anytime. Trust me, this is such a good deal for how much information you will have access to. Go learn how to use your camera now!

It’s a…

GIRL!!!