Eli and I spent today celebrating our relationship as mother and son. First we had a pajama party this morning complete with homemade cinnamon toast. After breakfast we headed to my friend Ashley's yard sell to help her daughter Emma with their Chuck-E'Cheese fundraiser, a Lemon-Aid Stand. Anything for a good cause, right? We then headed to view this year's St. Jude Dream home before heading to lunch at Chick-fil-A. This is a weekly stop for us because it's Eli's favorite place to eat. We know this because it is the only place where he doesn't throw his food on the ground. Anyhow, Tina, Owen, Jill, and Mason joined us at this point. We continued our little outing by stopping my Kiddos, a local consignment shop where I bought bows! Don't worry, they weren't for us. Eric's cousin is having a little girl in a few weeks. From there we went to WKU Football's Family Fun Day. In theory the event was awesome, but in reality it was too darn hot to be fi

Tonight Eric, Eli, and I headed to the last Friday night Hot Rods game of 2010. I think we made it to four this year which is a major feat with an energetic one year old. Anyhow, prior to the game we met up with The Adkins family to do a little eating at Moe's. We then headed to the ball park to catch some action. It was a beautiful night for baseball, but by the 6th inning Eli was getting cranky which brings me to my prayer request. We have another ear infection. Double ear infections, in fact. We meet with the ENT next week. Please pray for us as we start the process of getting tubes. All in all, it was wonderful way to enjoy the Hot Rods Games

Within each of us the Lord has placed a passion that will glorify his kingdom. For me it is the special needs population. My heart is with them and for them. My prayer is to better their lives, lighten the burden of their loved ones and to witness to their families. Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!" - Matthew 25:40 At an event for the special needs community I was introduced to this video. I watch it a few times a year and each time the Holy Spirit speaks to my soul. If this man can love his son so much, imagine how our Father must care for us! I wish I could expound, but there are no word to portray the depth of this love. And although this video depicts the image of this love, our minds will never truly know or conceive that our Father has done for his children. Since I am short on words, I will say... Hallelujah... MY REDEEMER LIVES!!

My boy is a social little thing. When we go out to eat he will literally stand up in his highchair to get another baby's attention. He waves at everyone he meets and blows them kisses. I thought I would include a few pictures of him and his friends: My prayer for Eli is that throughout his life the Lord will surround him with relationships rooted in Him, filled with laughter and joy...and many wonderful Friends.

This post is LONG, LONG overdue. However, here is a look at Eli's first birthday party...as you can see, we had a Yo Gabba Gabba theme: Eli wore a special outfit and loved his Brobee birthday hat! After all the guests arrived it was time for Eli to eat his cake. Here are some pictures of how things progressed... Since Eli needed a bath after the cake episode, we decided that swimming was a good idea! I hate that these pictures are of him in a diaper and not one of him in some of his cute swimming trunks, but it was his day, and he hates wearing the things. In any case, he and Owen had an awesome time! After a little swimming it was time for presents!! At the end of the day Eric and I were exhausted, but a certain little almost one year old was hyper thanks to too much cake. Ha! It breaks my heart to think of how quickly time flies, but I am excited about all the fun times we will share with our boy. Thank you to our friends and family who helped us celebrate Eli's First B

The Lord has used the blog world as a source of encouragement to joy to me over the past couple of months, and now I want to give back in the only way I can....by praying. I know I only have a few followers, but for all fourteen of you and those of you who come across this randomly...please pray....fourteen people can change the world. My friends Tyler and Micheal Daugherty from college have a precious baby boy who is fighting for his life. At around twenty weeks doctors discovered that Owen's kidneys were not forming correctly. After two surgeries and several weeks of monitoring, doctors decided to put Tyler in the hospital for the remainder of her pregnancy. Owen was born weighing a wopping 5 lbs & 14 oz. His parents are some of the most faithful people I know, and continue to trust God for Owen's healing. Please follow their journey and remember them when you hug your kids today...and Please Pray! http://knowinowen.blogspot.com/

Progress Report: Last week went fairly well considering I was insanely busy! I got some form of activity in every day, but am not doing as well on the program as I would like thanks to my horrible eating habits. So I wipe the slate clean and forge ahead to week three! Monday: 3 min run / 2 min walk (4x) / Abs Tuesday: Abs and Weights Wednesday: 4 min run/2 min walk (3x) / Abs Thursday: Weights & Abs Friday: 3 min run / 2 min walk (4x) / Abs

I have mentioned before that I am a recovering pageant girl. By recovering I mean, well, you just have to be a pageant girl or former pageant girl to get it. Anyhow, I reconnected with my old director today via Facebook. A lot has changed since the days of high heels and lipstick. Ok, maybe not so much, but it was good to hear from him. It took me back to a time when my life revolved around the crown. A time when I lived to be Miss Kentucky, when every loss was the end of the world and every win was the triumph of a lifetime. To tell you about my pageant experience would take a book, and maybe I'll do that one day (it would be a best seller I think) but until then, please know pageants were my world. (Please ignore the video and listen to the song) Had I stuck it out one more year I would have performed the song Gold. I wonder if when all is done Anyone heard my voice But from the start we have no choice Our journeys just begin I'll never know if I was right Did I figh

Last week was a very tough week for me because Eli wasn't sleeping well. I was lucky to get my housework done much less workout. The good news is that I did get some physical activity in every single day. The bad news is that I didn't stick to the program. I am happy and proud that I stuck it out even in the face of shear exhaustion! Because I am training my body to run again, I will need to accomplish each milestone before moving to the next. For that reason, I will repeat week two! Monday: Run 2min/walk 2 min (5X) Tuesday: Weights & Abs Wednesday: Run 3/Walk 2 min (5x) Thursday: Weight & Abs Friday: Run 2min/Walk 2 min (4x) I'll keep you posted...

As most of you know, I have been going through some MAJOR sleep deprivation and it doesn't seem to be bringing out the best in me...HA! This past year has been the most wonderful year of my life but also the most stressful. I am constantly trying to rouse the strength to be a better mom, wife, daughter, employee and the list goes on and on. I finally hit rock bottom this week and went to our Lord in prayer pleading with him for strength and peace. In the past two years I have graduated college, gotten married, started a career, changed a career, bought a house, lost the house I grew up in, and had a baby. Through all of it I was strong. I was posed. I was calm. I was in charge...HA! Then, this past week it all caught up with me. I hit rock bottom and for some reason I wondered why. I'm not a weakling. I am a strong, tenious, go getter, full of independence. WRONG! That is when the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart. I am none of those things. I am an exhausted, weak, sinne

So, it should be Wordless Wednesday for me. I had intended to post pictures of Eli's first birthday and his party. However, I have a much more pressing issue and I need your help. We haven't been sleeping well at my house. In fact, I feel like we haven't been sleeping at all! You see, we have a one year old who never sleeps . Just last night we had a go-a-round that ended with me sitting OUTSIDE on the front porch in the middle of the night wearing my robe and listening to my i-pod! You may think I'm crazy, and that's ok because I AM...thanks to sleep deprivation! This is how is goes: Eli slept like a gem from ten weeks on. In fact, after a bath and nighttime feeding I would lay him in his crib and he would sooth himself to sleep. Fast forward to Christmas when we get Thrush. Sleeping through the night comes to an end thanks to the illness. It takes two weeks of sleep training and we are back in the swing of things. In March, Eli got his first ear infect

Eli turns one year old today and there are so many emotions I'm afraid that I'll fail to articulate them. This has been the most life changing year possible, and not just because of our little addition; we have experienced some life altering moments in more ways than one. With a new baby in tow, Eric and I packed up and moved into a new house in October, my parents lost their home in February, and I started a new job in March. Add six ear infections, daycare, and teething to the mix, and you have a year of shear chaos. These events have caused countless nights of sleep deprivation, marital change, financial adjustments, and emotional moments. I never thought it possible to be so exhausted physically, emotionally, or spiritually. I have found joy in my new role, but have also had my share of frustration, impatience, moodiness, and overall lack of adjustment. I could have handled this past year much better in many circumstance, but felt overwhelmed more times than not...not al