Giggles with Daddy

Is there anything cuter than hearing your little one giggle? I think not. Watch-enjoy:)

Shout out to all you stay-at-home-mommies

I have to admit that since having Ava I find myself struggling with questions like, "Am I really doing anything with my life? Am I going to be successful? Shouldn't I be doing more? Is changing diapers, doing laundry and cooking meals all that my life will consist of over the next 20 years!!" Anyway, last week I listened to a radio broadcast my mom sent me, on stay-at-home-moms. Before I knew it tears were streaming down my face because what I was hearing was so validating. I didn't realise how tender this place in my heart had become over the last 4 months, but it needed tending to:) I hope you find it encouraging to know that you are more than a stay-at-home-mom, you are a nurturer of eternal souls!!

http://listen.family.org/daily/A000001778.cfm

http://listen.family.org/daily/A000001779.cfm

Valentines

This holiday will forever hold a special place in my heart. Last year at this time Jas and I got the most wonderful Valentines surprise. We found out that we were pregnant with Ava!
I remember that I had decided to come home from class because I felt sick for the second day in a row, ( the first of many days:) Jas was at home when I got there, but was just leaving for his class. I said goodbye and assured him that I probably just had the flu and I would be fine. An hour later He walked back in the door, claiming that he had skipped class, stopped at Walgreen's and would I mind taking a pregnancy test or two? So I did and I was, and I knew immediately that we were having a girl and her name was Ava*

Here we are at our Favorite restaurant in Des Moines called Tandoors. (Not sure if thats how it's spelled) Thanks for taking us out Mom and Dad!
Lest you think our whole valentines revolved around out little peanut, Jas and I did go out after this and had a great evening reconnecting and celebrating what God has done through our love*


Showing off her Valentines outfit. Too cute!


Givin' mommy some love


Happy happy Grammy and Gramps.

Happy chewin' on daddy

New Sounds

So Ava is finding her voice. At first I thought it was really cute, but after several days of hearing it, I'm starting to change my mind. It's not quite yelling, but it's not really talking either. It's more of a loud whine. What is cute is how pleased she is with herself. She know's she's on to something new, and she's not letting up:) Maybe it is cute*

Our new car!

Hey everyone, really great news. We finally bought another car. Yay for me! I can't believe how
liberating it is to have transportation. I feel so free and happy! I didn't realize how much I missed being able to "get out" whenever I feel like it. As you can imagine, this week has been pretty exciting for Ava and I:) She really loves going out too. She gets this little gleam in her eye
when I start talking about leaving. I put on her jacket, her hat, her little pink Ugg boots, then up go her little friends on the car seat, ducky and froggy.

I think she likes the car just because of them! She get's

to smack them and squawk at them as much as she

wants! 

Now more on the car. I thought I knew exactly what I wanted, a Toyota Rav4 or a Honda Crv. But honestly, those cars had about 100 thousand miles on them in our price range! But...I knew what I wanted. So the day before we went up to Mn. to buy the 2000' Rav4 I wanted, we found out it had sold! We had been watching this car for a month, and then the day before we go to buy it, it sells?! I was definitely disappointed. But Jas reminded me that we had been praying about this car and that obviously that wasn't the car for us. I am so glad that God is involved in stuff like this, because what He had in mind for us was way way better than what we were expecting. The car we went with is a 2004 Pontiac Vibe with only 41 thousand miles on it and a warranty up to 100 thousand miles. I know this is a lot of detail about a car, but we didn't have to spend any more than we planned and we got a way better car! I just feel so blessed about the whole situation. 

Honestly God is just nice. 

Time with dAddY

Hi everyone, I am officially entering the world of blogging!
I have been putting it off for these past three months and I don't want to wait any longer. I don't want to forget any of these first few precious moments with Ava. Grandma Diane gave her the cutest little booties for Christmas that say "Mommy's lil' joy" on the side. Doesn't that just say it all? She is a constant source of joy for both Jas and I, such a blessing from God.
I chose this picture because it really is where we're at right now. Counting down the days we have left with Jas before he has to leave for military training. He will be gone for 5 months, from April-September. He will start in Oklahoma and finish in Arizona (Why does he have to be so far away!!)
We know that it's going to be really hard for us now that we have a little one to love and nurture, but we also know that every time we've been apart, God has come through for both of us in amazing ways. It's one more situation that forces us to trust Him, which we've had a lot of over this past year. But I can truly say God has really come through and I know He will continue to do so. The hard stuff is so worth going through to be able to say that and believe it!
*Bek