Snow Day!

Let's see...Bently came down with the stomach bug Friday night that lasted through Saturday. This made for a weekend inside, watching movies, snuggling, and cooking. Come Monday, I was ready to get out of the house. It was warmer and the boys were able to play outside before this "snow storm" was supposed to hit. School was cancelled yesterday so we ran to the gym first thing because they were closing everything at noon for 2 days! The boys were excited to know it was supposed to snow. They waited so patiently for it yesterday. We spent majority of the day watching movies and cooking! Notice a pattern? I may be stir crazy and 10 lbs heavier come Friday! :) Well, the snow finally arrived last night just at their bed time. We waited to go out until this morning. Believe me, I would've felt very guilty had there not been any left this morning, but it wasn't worth getting all dressed last night!

They woke early (as usual) and we gathered a few warm things and headed out! It lasted all of 20 minutes! Fine by me..I was already freezing! So they settled with hot chocolate and sausage biscuits! Mark is headed home and they are ready to go back out. We love looking at the beauty and it's nice to have here and there, but we all like warm (not hot) weather better. All I can think of is a beach with a warm breeze and the sound of waves crashing...ahhh!

Side note, Baby Benjamin did have surgery yesterday and came through well. He had a stable night last night. Just praying that infections stay away, his raw skin heals, he is able to gain weight, and continue to be the little warrior he is!

Stay Warm!

The boys last snow together. Spring 2011

Sweet little face!

Update

I just wanted to update on a post I had written this past weekend...

Chris had little Benjamin Sunday. So far he is remaining stable. Specific prayer requests are that his white count will come back up and that there be no infection. He lungs continue to get stronger. His heart continue to heal with medication and not require surgery. For the doctors and nurses that will be taking care of him daily. For God to continue to be on his side and heal him like only God can do. Chris is home and they are trying to adjust to what will be the new normal.

Emily had Baby Oliver Monday! He was a healthy 6lbs 11oz. I talked to her at 10 that morning and she mentioned nothing of labor but rather she felt funny that morning. She went to the hospital at noon and he was here 3 hours later. I stopped by after school today to pick something up and got to sneak a peak of him. Pure preciousness! Thank you for the prayers for both of these families.

As far as us, we are ready for the weekend. The boys are tired and I am grouchy because they are grouchy! You know how it is! ;) Thankfully Mark is at the very LAST interview dinner of this season and will be off the weekend, so hopefully we can have a little fun and be productive too! Please keep him in your prayers as he has begun sending out applications this week for fellowship. Interviews won't begin until late spring/summer, but we are believing in God's plan. Where he leads we will follow. I'm already nervous of the expense of all of this, but I must believe that it will all work out.

Have a fabulous weekend,
Amber

Is he really 4?

I took Bently for his 4 year old check-up this week (yes, fashionably late!) Speaking of fashion, I guess that describes him best! He weighed 36. 2 pounds which put him in the 45% for weight. He was 39 inches tall which put him in the 15% for height. Bless his bones that he will probably not be an MBA player. He has 20/20 vision and passed the hearing test. Sad part of the day...he needed 3 shots. He was scared, but Anderson did NOT want his brother to get a shot. He wanted to leave then. So yes, both crying over a shot at the same time...I was done! Lucky me, Mark got off early and met us there. He walked in just as the nurse did with the shots. Sometimes God knows when you need an angel!

At the age of four,
* He loves drawing & coloring & cutting & being artsy.
* He loves to pick out his clothes and dress his best.
* He loves going everywhere I go.
* He loves school.
* His best friends are Lacy, Lilly, Liam, Randall, and Bennet.
* He is a good eater.
* Loves to help me cook.
* Loves checking the mail.
* He can add simple things up to 10.
* He spells out words everywhere we go.
* He is going through a sweet phase of wanting me to be fast. He doesn't want to be left long. at the
   gym, church, school. He even cried when we left with the sitter the other night.
* He has such a big heart and very spiritual at this young age.
* He can't wait to be 5!

We love you Bently McGregor and can't wait to see what the future holds for you!

At his check-up getting this blood pressure checked.

All dressed up for church this morning!

When you don't know what else to do, just PRAY!

I have to admit that this past week was an emotional roller coaster. It started out last Sunday at church. I pray multiple times daily, but it was on how prayer changes YOU! We trust and pray to a God that we can't see and wait for his timing to answer prayers. God's time is always right. Yuck, this is hard to understand sometimes. I want to ask why? how? are you sure? But yes, he is sure. He wants the best for us. He wants to bless us, heal us, lead us. I didn't know how much this would affect me this coming week.

Last Sunday afternoon three of us friends went visiting. I jokingly said we looked like church visitors out and about. Our first stop was to drop off dinner and visit with a friend that is 24 weeks and has placenta abruption. She seemed well as she had just come home from the hospital and is on strict bed rest. Next, we went to the hospital to visit a friend that just had a baby at midnight the night before. Healthy, precious, and all were doing really well. The last stop was to another friend to drop by dinner and a gift. She is currently 37 weeks but was in the hospital for about 6 weeks before being released at 34 weeks for preterm labor. All that said, lots of new babies will be here this spring and lots of prayers have been prayed for these three women. Fast forward to Wednesday morning...Chris called asking me to share with our close friends that her water had broken. She needed prayer. Now anyone that knows me, knows it doesn't take much to make me cry. So crying, I left the boys out playing and came to my knees to pray on her behalf. That God would surround her and that baby with his healing hands. Doctors didn't make us, but God did. I truly believe that he has the power to heal. Doctors help and do what they can to the best of their knowledge. Things didn't look so positive that day. I just couldn't imagine. Long story short and countless prayers, she has made it to 24 weeks today, Praise God! If you would like to join me in praying, please pray for 26 or more weeks.

This all hit home too in that it was my due date this week for Baby Shrub. I'm better, but still couldn't help but think and wonder what he/she would've looked like? Miss that I didn't have a big belly this month. So many emotions, but I know that God has a big plan for us. It just takes patience, prayer, and trusting his plan.

My brother-in-law also left for Afganistan Wednesday. He will be gone 4-8 months I believe. Emma is back home at moms but as this will be an adjustment, I just can't help but pray for them all. His safety, courage, and skills to make the right moves over there. I'm thankful for his bravery as well as all of the other military that fights for our freedom. God bless'm!

Our God is an awesome God!
Amber

Tis the season to be with family!

We had a great trip back home last week. It was busy, but enjoyable. We started the week off with Christmas at Moms. Had a family favorite for dinner, then gifts, then cards with the "younger" generation! It was fun and we stayed up way too late! Tuesday we headed out to the Bankses for the day. Both of Mark's brothers were able to make it with their whole families. It was nice and we had traditional Christmas food then. It was cold, but the kids rode bikes and played so well with each other. We made our last Christmas stop at my dad's Thursday night. The boys love going out there too. They never want to leave wherever we are. We had yummy bar-b-que and Jeffrey introduced them to pool! Once again we were blessed and showered with way too many gifts! Thank you, thank you!

I finally got to meet Addy-Grace last week and fell in love. I can't say enough how precious and what a doll she is. Not only is she cute, but a great baby. Slept all night for me, never cried unless she was hungry, just perfect in my eyes. I wanted so bad to hide her in our suitcase and bring her home. She would've fit right in here!!

The boys got a chance to ride Pops' horse while home and spend a night with the cousins. They also made it to the camp with Papaw. The only thing I can imagine they would've wanted to do was stay longer. Bently started crying Saturday that he didn't want to leave come Sunday. That was hard. I hate for my boys to be sad or upset about leaving family. So with that said, we are hoping mark can find a job a little closer to home. We are fine moving away for fellowship because that is only a year, but a job will keep us wherever a little longer. He is in the process of applying now and will interview come summer, so please keep him in your prayers. He deserves a big spot somewhere at a big place (that is what I believe) so I am praying for guidance and the perfect school. He was just asked yesterday to be Co-Chief for the next year and half. I know he's really proud and very deserving of the position. It has taken some time and patience and prayer, but we knew something good would come out of last June.

We all started back to school yesterday but with a 2 hour delay for the cold weather. It was nice to be back and get on a schedule. Happy New Year to you!

Amber