Fun Fall Times

I love fall...it's pretty much my favorite season. I love the smells, the leaves changing colors, mums, and apple crisp, just to name a few. We took Abby to an awesome place called Right Choices. You can view their website here

She had so much fun....here are just a few pictures of things you can do there.

Abby playing in the corn box

On the cow train

playing in the pumpkins

I would highly recommend you checking this place out!

"When my world is shaking"

"When my world is shaking, Heaven stands.
When my heart is breaking, I never leave Your hands."

I guess you could say this has become my motto recently. I'm not going to lie, we've had a rough week. Some of you may know that Jared has been in the application process for a new job for about a month and a half. We were feeling pretty confident that he would be given the position. It would have been a wonderful job for Jared not only in a raise and the best working hours since we've been married, but also in challenges he would encounter.
We received the phone call Monday night that he was not chosen for the position. We were crushed...literally to the point of our hearts breaking.
For me, it meant no end in sight for nights alone in bed, for Jared, continuing to do the same job he has had since high school with a college degree and only 1 semester left on his Master's. We were devastated.
I was angry at God...so mad I didn't even want to think about asking Him for anything again. I have NEVER prayed for anything this hard, or poured out my heart to Him this much and I was crushed...very much feeling that God hadn't taken any heed to my numerous prayers.
As I was sitting in our hotel room (we were in Tulsa for a mini-vacation when all of this happened) the words to this song came to mind. I googled the complete lyrics and cried as I read them because every single word in the song seemed to speak to me and give me comfort.

This week has been rough on us emotionally, but I believe we are stronger now than we were a week ago. We have lost the sense of despair and are now filled with hope for potential possibilities. As always, we would be forever grateful if you would keep us lifted up in prayer.

Here are the complete lyrics to the song:

Your Hands by JJ Heller

I have unanswered prayers
I have trouble I wish wasn't there
And I have asked a thousand ways
That You would take my pain away
That you would take my pain away

I am trying to understand
How to walk this weary land
Make straight the paths that crookdly lie
Oh Lord before these feet of mine
Oh Lord before these feet of mine

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave Your hands


When You walked upon the earth
You healed the broken, lost and hurt
I know You hate to see me cry
One day You will set all things right
One day You will set all things right

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave Your hands

Your hands
Your hands that shape the world
Are holding me, they hold me still
Your hands that shape the world
Are holding me, they hold me still

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave Your hands

Catching Up

So, we've been pretty busy lately which hasn't left me much time to blog.

Abby turned 1 on July 29th. She and Jared share the same birthday, but I'm pretty sure it will be more about Abby than Jared on that day from now on!



We had a party out at the lake and attempted to make homemade ice cream, but it was SO hot the ice cream wouldn't freeze so we had milkshakes instead.

We had family and friends there with us to make the day even more special. I even attempted my first real cake decorating experience...I think it turned out just fine!



Abby has started walking more. She will walk across the room now, but if she really wants to get somewhere, she drops and crawls the rest of the way. Her obsession with ducks has waned somewhat, but she is now obsessed with bubbles. Blowing bubbles, watching bubbles, and having bubble baths...she's all for it!

A week ago we had to take Abby to the ER at 11:30pm for a temp of 104.3. Blood work and a chest x-ray showed the beginning stages of pneumonia, so she was on antibiotics for a week and has been doing just fine. She just gave us a good scare, but we are so thankful it wasn't anything more serious.

So, all in all, it has been a very eventful but enjoyable around our house. We are hoping for things to slow down soon, but I rather doubt they will!

Getting Started

Well, it has happened....I have finally given into the blogging world. We'll see how long it lasts!
This will serve as an update for our family, and for us to use as a bragging board for Abby!

To start off on that note, she is walking! She isn't completely confident in herself, but she is getting braver. It is hard to believe that she will be celebrating her 1st birthday in a week. My little bitty isn't so bitty anymore.

She is OBSESSED with ducks right now. Her favorite books are the ones with ducks in them, she loves her ducky for the bathtub, and she will crawl around quacking like a duck. It's really pretty funny. In the past week she has also developed an extreme interest in books, which she calls " bops". At bedtime the other night we read not one, two or three, but four books and she was extremely upset when we quit after number four. I really can't imagine where she gets her love for books...