Mother...

...Lover! I sure do love my moma and couldn't pass up the opportunity to write a little blurb about her and the other amazing women in my life! I must admit that I've not always had a very close relationship with Moma, but what teenage girl does? Now that I'm older, teach children, and have children, I have a new found respect for my mom. She has never said to us, "One day you'll understand-when you have children of your own." I'm pretty sure she thought it many times, though. I do understand, Moma, the love you have for me and Madz. I'm beginning to understand the hurt you felt when we hurt, and I'm sure I'll understand sooner than later that it really does "hurt you more than me" when correcting or disciplining your children. For all of that, I am extremely thankful. Thank you for loving me when it seemed like I didn't love you. Thank you for sacrificing yourself in order to provide things for me and Madz as we grew up. Thank you for teaching me self control, respect for others, and respect for myself. Thank you for taking things away from me as a form of discipline, and thank you for sticking to your guns in that discipline. Most of all, thank you for raising us in church!!!

You see, my mom and I (and Madz) talk to each other DAILY! Yes, daily. Even if it is just to call and say "I love you", we talk every day. One night this week, Moma and I were talking (as I was cleaning under my washing machine), and somehow we got on the subject of prayer. What a powerful subject to talk to your mom about!! We both confessed to each other that we have thought for a long time that your prayers have to use big words and be very eloquent. Over the years and through certain circumstances in our lives, we've learned that you don't even have to have your eyes closed when talking to Jesus! At least, we better not have our eyes closed when talking to Jesus while driving down the road!! That's a far cry from what we previously thought about prayer.  We also revealed to each other how we knew Jesus always answered prayers, but we have never experienced it so personally until just recently. I told her of a very recent experience I had with a prayer being answered. I was returning from a trip to Tuscaloosa a few weeks ago when Hayden had begun to cry with about 15 miles to go. No wait! Not cry- SCREAM! She was hungry and tired of being in the car. I had sung every hymn that I could think of until she'd had enough and continued to scream through my singing. I did the only other thing I knew to do. I called Daniel and asked him to go in the girls' room, kneel beside Hayden's bed and "pray me home". He never hesitated. Five minutes after I hung up the phone, SILENCE! Thank you Lord!!!

During our times of "trying", Daniel and I had some dark days for sure, but we never lost hope because God's word says He has plans for us to prosper. Why would He say that if He didn't mean it? He wouldn't! So, how did we get through those dark days you ask? PRAYER!!! I can remember (prepare to laugh out loud) days when Satan was after me, and I'd do what I call a Jesus dance in the privacy of my home. The dance basically consisted of me kicking Satan out of my life. I'm sorry, but Jesus is here and there ain't no room for you, Satan!!! None at all. When Daniel and I would feel ourselves losing our grip on faith, we'd get on our knees before God asking Him to continue provide strength and patience. Time after time, He'd do just that! We'd also thank Him for answering our prayers- even the ones we had not yet voiced. So, you see, prayer is awesome!!!! I must give the credit to my amazing parents for being fearless and raising me in church. I also must thank the other women who continue to encourage us through life's roller coaster. We would not be where we are today without great Sunday School teachers and mentors. Thank you all so much for "praying us through".

Happy Mother's Day, Moma! Happy Mother's Day, Madz! This new mom loves you both very much!!!

Trashy...

This will be a pretty silly post, but I really do love trash day. I can't stand clutter. In fact, it makes me anxious. So I throw away things away a lot! I have been known to throw away a birthday check once. Sorry Oma! Thank goodness she loves me enough to write another one. She also loves me enough to write a sweet note that says "Don't throw this one away." Love that Oma!!! Anyway, back to why I really love trash day. It allows me the chance to throw away things that are cluttering up my house and I don't have to ask permission. If Daniel knew all of the things I threw away, I'd probably be in trouble. So, shhhh! Our little secret. Happy "trashy hump" day.

Vest free

This past Tuesday Granny and Pop came over to keep the girls while I went for a second opinion on my heart stuff. I went to a different cardiologist here in Jackson just to make sure the "plan" for improvement was the right thing to do and more specifically to ask about my ejection fraction and the vest I was wearing. Remember? The defribilator??? Well, turns out I don't have to wear the vest and my ejection fraction had improved!!! Not a great deal of improvement, but not stagnant either! Praise the Lord!!!

Whew!!!

It's certainly been a while since I've blogged. I'm hoping to keep up with it at least once a week. Even if it's something short and sweet each time. So, to catch things up- the baby girls have been born. What a glorious day February 20, 2012 was! Addison Ray came into this world weighing 7 lbs 10 oz at 10:53 a.m. and her sister, Hayden Banes wasn't far behind her. One minute to be exact- 10:54 and weighing 6 lbs 15 oz. Both are doing very well now at six weeks old. Six weeks passes very quickly just in case you didn't know. I was diagnosed with postpartum cardiomyopathy two days after we brought the girls home. I was admitted to ICU for two days, and now I wear a portable defibilator at all times. It's not fun, but there's a small chance that my heart could go into V-fib. I'm exercising daily and taking blood pressure medicines in order to get my heart back to normal function. Slowly but surely! Maybe tomorrow I'll find time to upload some pictures. For now, I'll say my prayers and catch some much needed "shut eye".

Thanks be to....

Usually we say, "Thanks be to God", but today not only am I saying this, but I am saying, "Thanks be to my husband!" Thank you Daniel for listening to all of my venting today! Right off the bat I was in a poo poo mood with my crunchy toast and then I was ready to punt Noel out the door when she vomited on the floor that I just mopped this weekend! I decided to go grocery shopping at the new Kroger in Madison to boost my spirits and get into the Thanksgiving spirit by getting all the "stuffings" for the stuffing, pecan pies, sweet potato casserole... You get the point. Well, little sweet lady in front of me in that big ol' store decided to stop in the middle of the aisle to take a look-see at a two year old pushing buggy her size with her own groceries. I was not there to socialize or watch a little girl push around her groceries with mommy. MOVE LADY!!!!!!!!!!!! (Yes, my pregnancy hormones are in full swing.) Finally, I'm at the check out counter, and I feel the need for a coke. While I'm getting my coke, a clerk grabbed my buggy and said, "Hey ma'am I'm going to take your stuff over here and get you started." He took my buggy to the self check out and completely does it all for me. THANKS DUDE!!! After all of this, I probably should have just gone home, but I had to run to Wal-Mart to pick up a few things. Anyone knows that when you go to that store, just picking up a few things means you always leave with more bags than you intended to leave with. Same here! I got up to the counter, yet again, and accidentally threw something on the counter. I apologized to the cashier who thought nothing of it. I, then, bumped my funny bone on the counter which is NEVER a funny thing to do. Did I mention that I should have just gone home after Kroger???? Yes, I did! Well, I paid for my "more bags than I intended..." and nearly walked out without any of it. I kept telling the cashier I needed to start over, and of course, I repeated this when she came running and yelling after me to remind me that I did NOT have any of my bags. Thanks lady!!!!!!! I would have been sad and frustrated if I had gotten home without all of what I went to get. Thanks Daniel for listening to my venting about all of this stuff and helping me laugh at it all. I love you and am very thankful God made you just for me. Boy, did He know what He was doing?! I never doubted it, but times like today make me appreciate it more and more.

"Mind Your Own Beezwax..."

I try to stay out of "Facebook business" such as all of the commenting on how "horribly we (the state of MS) voted" yesterday on Initiative 26. This time I feel the urge to share my opinion on this matter. It infuriates me to know that people think I voted "horribly" when I voted NO on defining a person. I am very much prolife or I would not have tried for almost 5 years to have children, but I didn't feel this "change" was the best thing for our state. I, like many others, did tons of research on the Initiative. Not only did I search the internet, but I talked to friends, discussed with various attorneys, and talked to both of my doctors- ObGyn and fertility doctor. I also consulted the Great Physician all BEFORE making my final decision. I felt and still feel that this initiative left too much room for question. I voted NO yesterday, and I have absolutely no doubt that Jesus will still welcome me into heaven when He calls me home. I have not and do not plan to judge those who have voted YES. So, please don't judge me for my choices either for without invitro fertilization Daniel and I wouldn't have had the opportunity to become parents.

Tardy...

I know I'm behind in the updating of our pregnancy, but when I come home most days and crash on the couch after work until Daniel comes home with dinner, I don't feel like accomplishing much at all. The sad part about all of this is that "work" for me now consists of supervising and helping the students one on one while my student teacher teaches away! I am very thankful to have her this semester because otherwise I don't know what I'd do.

On to all things baby!!! We are currently 19 weeks and counting, down that is. At our last appointment, our dr. said we are half way through the pregnancy for twins. Woah!!!!!!!! Where did time go??? We had a great check-up last week, and are proud to say we have two healthy baby GIRLS on the way. When the sonographer confirmed the sex of the babies, Daniel asked if we could have a boy dog. I think he's feeling a little out numbered already. That's ok because I know he already loves his girls and they will have him wrapped around their little fingers in no time, if they don't already. Both babies were measuring great and had great heartbeats. That's my favorite part of going to the dr for check-ups-hearing that "thump, thump, thump" of their yittle hearts pounding away. What a miraculous sound?! I've always wondered what it would "feel" like to be pregnant, and I told someone just recently that God said, "Here ya go times two!" We've had appointments every four weeks from the very beginning, and each time Daniel and I could see the babies just a moving around, but I couldn't feel any of that movement yet. Well, all of that has changed! In fact, tonight Daniel and I were sitting on the couch watching tv (being normal couch potatoes) when I told him that I really needed to go wash my face, brush my teeth, and go to bed, but the girls were moving and I didn't want to get up. I knew that as soon as I got up to go do all of that stuff they'd quit moving-almost as if I would be rocking them to sleep as I moved around. I didn't want that feeling to stop. I eventually got ready for bed and sure enough, they stopped moving. As soon as I put my head on that pillow, though, there they go again!!! Aghhh!!! What a wonderful and reassuring feeling?!

Now, I'm up (at almost 2 a.m.) for my routine "snack" of Froot Loops. Usually it's one bowl, but tonight or this morning, shall I say, it was two. I decided to blog as I chowed down on the fruity circles drowning in milk. (Milnk- just for you Madz!)

This has been and continues to be such an amazing journey. I look forward to everything God has in store for us in the very near future. I have a feeling it's going to be just a few sleepless nights in Gluckstadt in the next few months, but just a few because our babies will sleep through the night very soon, right????? Right.................... :)

A Look Back: Our IVF Timeline

April 2011- called Dr. Isaacs to get started, gather all info. we needed, and began birth control and Synthroid

May 27- began taking a baby aspirin daily along with Synthroid, birth control and vitamins.

May 30- met w/Dr. Isaacs to get schedule and order all medications (even for Daniel)

June 2- appt. for ultrasound & blood work (all was good)

June 6- stop birth control

June 10- appt. w/Dr. Isaacs for ultrasound & blood work. Began shots daily (2/day)-Daniel begins his antibiotic twice daily for 7 days. Me: off of caffeine.

June 11- shots and I told Daniel I’d be glad to make his antibiotic into liquid form so he could have a shot too and not feel left out. J He politely declined.

June 12-13- shots and other meds

June 14- shots, other meds, and appt. to check follicles (at least 20 or more present and all were measuring 11mm or below). Also had blood work done to check estrogen level (high- reduced meds in shots)- began a shot of Ganirellix to keep from ovulating.

June 15- shots and Ganirellix

June 16- shots, other meds, and appt. to check follicles (24 total & all measuring 10mm-16mm) Daniel gave shots as usual this day, but for some reason it seemed like he was stabbing me. He always looked at me with puppy dog eyes and asked if he did ok. When I’d respond he’d always say, “I’m sorry. I love you. Thank you for going through this for us.”

June 17- shots and other meds

June 18- shots, other meds, and appt. to check follicles- Begin Lupron @ 10 p.m. ( I know we said we weren’t going to do Lupron, but the nurse assured us that this time it wouldn’t be as strong and not have the same side effects.)

June 19- no regular shots, but last Lupron @ 10 a.m.

June 20- egg retrieval (28 eggs!)- pretty bad cramping afterwards and very bloated feeling. Gas pain was HORRIBLE & couldn’t comfortable enough enough to sleep until about 3 a.m. Daniel rolled over just after I’d dozed off and kneed me in the rear, not on purpose, but oh how painful it was?!

June 21- take Estrace a.m. and p.m. Liz called from the lab to tell me the success of fertilized eggs. 14 ICSI and 10 fertilized; 14 conventional and 10 fertilized. These are awesome results, but not to say they’ll continue to grow. Liz will call me daily to discuss the progress of the embryos with hopes of transfer on Saturday.

June 22- 18 embryos today 2 looked abnormal yesterday w/3 nuclei and that leaves us with 18 embryos. Liz says they’re doing really well.

June 23- feeling more like myself today. I guess laying around all day yesterday helped. All 18 embryos still growing & ½ of them look great. I even went for a short run and it felt great!

June 24- All 18 still growing with transfer tomorrow @ 9 a.m.

June 25- Valium @ 8 and a full bladder. Transfer was a breeze. Transferred 2 embryos and have a picture. Bed rest today and for the next two days.

June 26- bed rest, lots of TV, reading, and napping.

June 27- bed rest and same as yesterday – a bit of a meltdown today due to a bad case of the “what ifs”

July 1- blood work looks great. Progesterone:30 and they wanted it to be at least 20; Estrogen was 227 and they wanted it to be at least 200.

July 5- blood work @ 9 a.m. Beta HcG 489; Progesterone: 36. WE ARE PREGNANT!!!! I pulled out old pregnancy tests from so many years of trying and took one. J It was fun to see it say “pregnant”.

July 6- took another pregnancy test- still pregnant. J

July 7- blood work today- #s look great! HcG should double every 48 hrs: Today it was 1,280. Keep growing little ones!

July 9- We went home to Meridian today to take Moma and Poppie a “house warming” present and Daniel’s mom an early birthday present. When we told both our parents, I read our intro into our journey & allowed them to open their presents. Both were shocked and ecstatic!

July 10- Madz was having a not so great day today and had accidentally dropped Stephen’s grilling plate that Linden gave him for Father’s day. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to travel to have a long visit with her in Tuscaloosa this summer so I decided to make her “not so great day” a little better. She kept asking me to say it again so she could make sure she heard me right.

July 13- Beta HcG: 23,489; Estrogen 699; Progesterone 29 (I’m still taking the progesterone shot nightly.)

July 21- 1^st ultrasound to determine how many embryos took. TWINS!!! Hearing and seeing both heartbeats is the best sound ever! No more Dr. Isaacs. We will miss them!

August 10- ultrasound with regular OB. All went well! Still two heartbeats (178 & 181).

August 19- no more progesterone shots. NO MORE SHOTS period!!! Yahoo!

August 22- ultrasound… all is well. Heartbeats were great (168 & 171) and babies are growing and MOVING great.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow….

Memory Lane

Before we began this whole IVF process, Daniel and I had to do some serious praying because we didn’t want to be doing this because we wanted it so bad, but we so desperately wanted and still want to do what He wants us to do. Sometimes it’s hard to distinguish between your own feelings and what God is trying to tell you. We also had to save our pennies. A lot of them! We knew going into this that it would take a toll on us both emotionally and financially. December 2009, was a scary month for us since I was on a Lupron shot in hopes of “killing” any endometriosis that was still there. Lupron made me a completely different person. A person who no longer wanted to be around anyone else and a person who even had a thought of taking her own life. That is NOT me! So with that being in the back of our minds, we decided to pray our way through this process.

We promised each other that if Lupron was going to be in the picture for IVF that we’d be ok with not following through. We also promised each other that we would continue to let God use this to bring us closer to each other, but more importantly, closer to Him instead of letting it be a wedge between us in our marriage.

In the beginning of the process, Daniel and I took a beach trip with my sister, Madz, and her sweet little family. As we were on our way back home, we were listening to K-Love radio and “Blessings” came on. That song really hits home with me because what if trials of this life are our mercies in disguise? Makes you think, huh? Another song came on the radio by Third Day, “Cry Out to Jesus”. This song makes me want to kick myself because how often do we think and try to do things on our own, but just when it doesn’t work out the way we had planned, we cry out to Jesus? We cry out and say we’re sorry for not trusting Him in the beginning, but if we are truly sorry wouldn’t we simply trust Him in the first place? I need to follow the advice I give my students all the time when they say “sorry” for doing wrong. If you are truly sorry, you wouldn’t do it again.

Now that I’ve given you a brief introduction to our journey through this, I hope you enjoy taking a trip down our “memory lane”, and we ask that you continue to pray for us. By no means is this journey over. So, we ask that you pray specifically for strength, encouragement, faith, hope, and love.

In a rut???

Do you ever get in a "what's for dinner?" rut? I know I sure do. I have my favorite meals to cook all year long, but as my sister and I say, spaghetti and chili are made only in the winter time. Or it's too hot for lasagna, let's just have hamburgers on the grill. Well, you can't have "burglers" on the grill every night can you? Of course not! To keep me out of the rut, Madz shared something brilliant with me not long ago. So.... I'm going to share it with you! We have signed up for daily emails from www.kraft.com . These emails have yummy meal ideas for you to cook. Even better, they have the recipe with everything you need from the grocery store. Personally, I think most of the ideas are good with the exception of a few weird ones. I usually try to improvise and use what I have in the pantry that I can supplement for something I don't have that the recipe calls for.
Now, if you're sitting there reading this and saying to yourself, "I don't want to get emails everyday!" That's why this is perfect for you! You can set it up to email you ONLY on the days of your choice and you can even choose what kinds of meals to send out.

Try it out and get out of your kitchen rut. Happy dining!!

Hobby to business...

When I first started playing around with the cakes about two years ago, I just wanted to learn how to make my icing smooth. Now, there are many more things I want to learn how to do, such as master the art of my petit fours or learn how to defeat the weather when it comes to certain kinds of icings. For now, I'll just stick to juggling teaching and baking, both of which I enjoy doing and keep me busy! Here's what I've done in the past couple of months.


MS Twirl Stars: French Vanilla Pink and Lime green tie dyed cake with buttercream icing and fondant batons.

Alf: Red Velvet cake with cream cheese filling. I did this cake for an OLD college friend who just joined the 3-0 club! Why Alf? Long story short, he had to share his Alf cake with a girl when he was little and was very upset about it. His wife thought it would be very appropriate to recreate the Alf cake for this milestone birthday.
Cap and Gown: Everyone needs a cake to celebrate the end of long hard hours of their college career and the start of the rest of their lives.

Who Dat?/Geaux Tigers: I'm a Bulldog fan myself, but, who doesn't enjoy football season even if it's not your team? This time of year is something I look forward to every year; hanging out with friends, yelling at the TV for our favorite team to win, and most of all, making precious memories! This cake was for a 3 year old whose parents are Louisiana fans through and through. The endzones are a dead give away, huh?


Bully: Like I said before, I'm a bulldog fan. So, this birthday cake was "a piece of cake" for me to whip up. I baked this for one of my sweet students. His parents bleed maroon and white just like me, and of course, this has rubbed off on their son who likes to kid around with me at times. I do have to confess though. I told him(jokingly) that if he didn't behave himself in class that week that I'd be forced to make a "red and blue" cake. Needless to say, he was an angel like always.


Chocolate Petit Fours: A couple of weeks ago, Daniel and I made the trek to our hometown to help my parents move some of their heaviest furniture out of their old house and into storage until their new house is finished. Moving 30 + years worth of stuff really works on my sweet tooth. I thought these would be fun to snack on while we pushed stuff around.

Train up a child in the way he should go

Remember when I blogged about a very special friend of mine and I titled the post, "Miracle x 2, God's perfect plan"? Well, this weekend I was honored to be the one baking Hudson's and Hayes' christening cake. When Suz texted me not too long ago asking me if I had anything on my calendar for this weekend, I didn't tell her, but it wouldn't have mattered if I did have something on my calendar. I would have made a way for this cake to be baked.

I've always felt it is very important to have God as the center of your marriage, but even more important to rely upon Him for all of your parenting guidance. Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it." What great advice, but how do you know "in the way he should go"? That's the part where you wear your knees out asking God for direction in how to steer your children in the same way that is according to His plan. Chip and Suz are very blessed with two sweet boys, and we are blessed to be able to watch them grow up in the Lord! After all, it takes a village to raise a child.

99 years ago...

99 years ago on February 27th, my great-grandmother, Rosa Frances Pettey, was born. No, I don't remember her then, but I do remember the summer days we used to spend together in the kitchen making lunch for everyone. Usually, every Monday all of the working folks in our family would stop by for lunch at Granny Pettey's house. Lunch was different every week, but one thing remained the same. It was some kind of good!!! I can also remember the times I used to spend in the garden with Papaw Pettey picking all sorts of vegetables. One memory that really sticks out in my mind is the way they both treated one another and others they came in contact with. They truly followed the Golden Rule. I remember a time when Granny was going to "The Fitness Center" and I was to ride with her. As she was backing out of the carport, I was putting my bike away. For some reason, I thought she was backing out too much and was going to leave me. When I ran up to the car and got in, I laughed and said that I thought she was leaving me, all while calling her a "silly goose". (I was young.) Needless to say, she didn't think that comment was very funny. She corrected me by saying that we don't call people names. I love my great-grandmother and will always cherish the times we had together. I guess this is why I felt so honored to be the one making her 99th birthday cake!!! Here are some pictures from the party! Enjoy!!!

Tardy...

I know. I'm a little behind in my blogging. In my defense, I've had lots of fun things happening that have prevented me from keeping up with my blog. One of those things being the fabulous birth of my sweet nephew, Linden Reed! He's the most precious thing in the whole wide world. He loves hanging with his Auntie Em, Uncle D, Poppie, and Gran.

On the Menu

Only because some of my closest friends know I cook dinner 6 out of 7 nights a week and have asked me what I cook each night because they seem to get in a rut about deciding what to cook for their families. I cook for many reasons. The main reasons are because I love to cook and love the smell of my house with a hot meal on the stove or in the oven. I also cook because it's way healthier than going out to eat and much easier on the pocketbook. So, with that being said, here ya go friends!!!

BBQ Chili

1lb of ground beef
1cup of chopped onion
1 can of baked beans (pork 'n' beans) undrained
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can of tomato sauce
1 or 2 cans of mexicorn
1 tbsp of chili powder
1 tsp of ground cumin
1 cup of BBQ sauce

Brown meat and saute onions together. Mix all other ingredients in a large bowl suitable for the stove top and add meat/onions. Let it simmer for two or three hours. Serve with fritos, cheese, and/or sour cream.

ENJOY!!!

Peace, Love, and Softball...a little Christening too!

One afternoon about two weeks ago the 3rd grade teachers were setting up for their annual "Greek Day" when one of the sweet 3rd graders who had been helping with the set up came into my classroom to "order" her birthday cake. She proceeded to tell me in a very adult like voice that she wanted three different cakes- 1 chocolate peace sign cake, 1 strawberry heart cake, and 1 yellow softball cake with red stitching. I asked her to tell her mom to come talk to me just to confirm that a birthday party was really in the works and that they wanted me to do the cakes. It was confirmed- three different cakes just like the little girl described. That's exactly what I did! After baking and icing these funky cakes, I finished up a Christening cake for a dear friend of mine since all four of her children were being baptised today. Their cake was a surprise to them and I was very honored to do it (even though it cracked down the middle when I delivered it). She just asked for a cross cake that was vanilla almond with almond buttercream icing. She also wanted the lace on top with flowers on the cake too. This is what I did for her.

Miracle x 2= God's Perfect Plan

Over the years I've been blessed to teach with some really wonderful people, but never have I encountered such a Godly woman until God allowed my path to cross with Suzanne! She teaches the "little ones" at our school- first grade and I teach the "older ones"- fourth grade. This being said, you'd think our paths wouldn't cross so much because she'd be on the first grade hall with all of the other first grade classes, but instead she ended up on the third and fourth grade hall. Boy am I glad! She is a fine woman from Natchez with just as fine a husband. They are both, what we call in the south, just plain good people! She and Chip struggled for quite some time with infertility and seeing many doctors coupled with spending lots and lots of money left them with many questions about why they couldn't concieve. Their diagosis? Unexplained. This is NOT what any couple would want to hear especially for a couple who "does everything right". Also, besides her wedding day, what does any little girl dream of from the time she can walk and talk? That's right! She dreams of the day she becomes a mommy. Suzanne and I had many discussions about this very topic since Daniel and I are going through the very same thing. We would talk about how tired we were of hearing "It's just not God's time yet." or "You're trying too hard." or the age old statement from many people who've never experienced this, "It'll happen when you least expect it."

Now, don't get me wrong. I know all of these comments are meant with the most kindness that one could share, but I have to admit that it's extremely difficult to hear these words when all I can think about is all of the thousands of dollars we've shelled out or the time we've dedicated to this one thing that is NOT in our hands in the first place. I've always signed my letters and cards with "In His Hands" because I've always believed that our lives are truly in His hands. Why didn't this register before now? Not sure, but the day Suz told me she was pregnant... with TWINS it reminded me of how I sign letters and cards- In His Hands!!!

After all that time spent on trying to accomplish what THEY wanted, Chip and Suzanne reached a fork in their journey. They had a huge decision to make. One that would change their lives forever- invitro fertilization or letting go.

They chose to let go.... and let God. Boy what a leap of faith that is! Matthew 7:7 says "Ask and ye shall recieve, seek and ye shall find." This is exactly what they did for six and a half years, but it was not until they were completely surrendered to His will that "they found." So many times we find ourselves claiming faith in God, but how many times do we actually take that leap? Not many because we are scared. I'll be the first to admit that the teacher in me wants to have control of my life and living in a "right now" society doesn't help either. Suzanne and Chip's testimony has really spoken to Daniel and me. I pray that it speaks to you as well.

As an extra to this amazing story, of course, I have cake pictures to post for this super sweet family! The first grade team at our school hosted a baby shower one afternoon for Suzanne and asked me to do the cake. I decided to do something fun I'd seen on another friend's blog. So, here's what I called "The expectant mother" cake.

This summer Suzanne's sister, Kathryn, asked me to do the cake for a shower she would be hosting at her house. She sent me the invitation and I tried to match it in the best possible way. I was given the freedom to do whatever I wanted as long as I used blue and brown and the cake was strawberry. So, we had a pink (inside) cake with blue and brown icing!

Labor Day fun!

Last weekend, Daniel and I traveled "home" to Meridian to spend some quality time with our family over the three day weekend. The plan was for us to hang out with my folks Friday night and then join Daniel's folks for some post wedding festivities. As many of you know, Daniel's brother, David, met the love of his life several years ago and popped the question this past New Year's Eve! After much planning, the happy couple decided to head on down to Jamaica for a destination wedding just the two of them. (This makes me want to sing..."Just the Two of Us"). While they were down there getting hitched, they had a wedding DVD made which was our after dinner entertainment Saturday night. Every detail was perfect including reciting their own wedding vows to one another as well as the exchanging of rings.

Oh and they didn't even leave out the part when the preacher announced them as "Mr. and Mrs. DANIEL Culpepper"!!! I laughed until I cried. You see this happened to us during our wedding except the roles were reversed and we were announced as "Mr. and Mrs. DAVID Culpepper". Daniel and David grew up in the church where we were married four years ago and the preacher knew them well. It was just a mispronounciation boo boo. :) Kind of like when your mom calls you by your sister's name because she's in a hurry to get your attention and forgets who you are for a split second. It always makes us silently ask, "Don't they know who I am?", but then laugh about it in the end.
All of that happened Friday and Saturday night. Then Sunday, all day, we went to moma and daddy's deer camp. They've been wanting us to go out there for a while to see where they hunt and, more importantly, eat a cheeseburger at the truckstop that is real close to the deer camp. I love outdoors and nature and always have. So, I snapped away while everyone laughed at me for taking pictures of the "fancy" restrooms, the hay bales, and lots of other cool stuff. Here are a few cool pictures I came home with from our fun time with the parents! By the way, if someone can tell me what kind of flower this is in one of my pictures, I'd appreciate it.

Something pink...

I always enjoy it when someone asks me to do a cake for them, but says just do what I think is best. This past week Mrs. Deborah asked me to do a birthday cake for her 1 year old granddaughter, Sophie. She said it didn't matter what was on it as long as it was pink and had the number 1 on it somewhere/somehow. I was a little pressed for time so this is what I did. They took it straight to Memphis for the party Saturday morning. I think a fun time was had by all.

Would we need pink or would we need blue?

"Would we need pink or would we need blue? 12 months ago none of us knew! It's hard to believe our little boy is turning 1! Staton is having a BLUE birthday-it will be lots of fun!"

These are the words on the birthday invitation for a sweet little boy I know. His name is Staton and he has the sweetest parents. You see, I taught school with his precious moma until she decided it was best for their family for her to stay home with this little ham! By reading the invitation, you can figure out that they didn't find out if they were having a boy or a girl when she was pregnant. All of thier baby showers were decked out in gender neutral colors due to this fact. So, when it came time for his 1st birthday, Summer and Drake wanted it to be "all boy"! She asked me long ago to do the cake and she knew then that whatever we did, she wanted it to have LOTS of blue. I went over to visit one afternoon and we brainstormed many blue ideas. Finally, we came up with the idea of making Staton's smash cake a 3D number 1 iced in blue buttercream icing with blue fondant dot details. The cake was homemade chocolate. Then we decided cupcakes would be fun. I baked a dozen vanilla cupcakes and a dozen chocolate cupcakes both decorated in white buttercream icing and blue fondant dots on the top. I hope he enjoys every bite!!!