7 month Leah Bear and Drewber Smooch

Oh my goodness! What a busy time in our lives! We have been going here, and there, and everywhere! We would not change it for a second and thank God for everything He has given us. I hate that I grumble about my life sometimes because it could always be worse. I need to once again list everything the Lord has given me and remind myself how BLESSED I truly am.
 So, here goes:
-my handsome hubby
-my 2 healthy, happy (most of the time) babies
-my job
-Aaron's new job
-the opportunity to stay home next year! (This is I sooo excited about!)
-the blue whale (aka-my mother in laws van, that they have let us borrow for the year because they are in England)
-our house
-my wonderful parents, who will drop anything to help us and spend time with their grandbabies!
-my awesome in-laws, who love us and our children unconditionally and support us in anything we do (we have paid for a sitter once, this is how great my parents and Aaron's parents are)
-our community group, who has come together to support and pray for us in the past couple years and no matter what will help out one another
 -Dana and Trey Bowen, who are always there for us, in any and every circumstance
-Kim Probst and Jessica Wickersham-who have watched our children last minute because Aaron nor I could stay home
-my friends,who are there to always talk me through a situation or just listening ear
-manicures and pedicures
-date night with my hubby :)
-modern medicine
-food to eat
-a church that we love
I know there are more people and things that I havent listed..but this is a great reminder. :)

What is happening with our family...
-Any day, Baby Bowen is arriving (we want to know who this baby is!)
-Aaron graduates May 12th!
-Aaron starts new job on May 21st
-My last day of work is on June 1st
-June 2nd is my first day as a stay at home mom! (well, if you know me, I will be getting out often:)
-We welcome a new Lovelace baby(not ours, Jackson Paul, our nephew) early July
-Aaron takes the bar at the end of July
We have a lot going on!!!
We are so thankful for all of these changes and slightly nervous, but know everything will work out just fine! :)




What is happening with our babies... Drewber Smooch (this is a nickname that Aaron has given Andrew...he even calls himself that)
Things he is doing lately:
-having a conversation with us
-self entertaining
-being demanding and then asking nicely right after we correct him (2? I think so!)
-understanding that when people leave, they will come back
-singing, singing, singing! The amount of songs he knows is crazy and he sings in tune. Makes me proud. :D
-putting on his shoes, he gets really mad when he cant get them on correctly (2? I think so!)
-telling secrets: I tell him, "You're my favorite boy and I love you soooo much", he says, "can I tell you a secret?" and then whispers, "I love you soooo much"- we always have a moment of sweetness where we are both smiling really big, which I love
-he loves wrestling with daddy and knows this is a daddy only tradition

Leah Bear (this is her nickname for now :)
Things she is doing lately:
-eating veggies, fruit, and oatmeal cereal like a champ, you cant feed her fast enough!
-rolling from her back to stomach to grab a toy
-sitting completely by herself and reaching really far for toys
-babbling
-grunting, grunting, grunting-she doesn't cry for the most part, just grunts (very lady like :)
-grabs anything and everything
-notices people, noises, and anything that changes in her environment
 -sleeping in her crib
-sleeping through the night for the past week- 7:30-6:30 or 7! :)
-wanting to be held, or played with, or entertained (i don't know who she gets this from) ;)

Aaron and I absolutely love being parents and are so thankful God has allowed us to have them! They enrich our lives, make us crazy (at times), and are answers to our prayers! I do pray they come to know Christ because I know that He gives me purpose, direction, comfort, peace, and forgiveness. I want this for them!

Here are some pics of our lives lately... :)

Fun with hats! :)
                                                

My hubby is a goober. :)

Fun day with friends at the Arboretum! :)

                                                                      Kisses for Sissy!

Reading before bed...the Bible is his favorite, as well as, Ten Apples Up on Top. :)

DJ Drew

 Hangin with my babies :)

 My son really loves his toys, even at nap time! :)

 Andrew and Buddy eating lunch and watching The Lion King. :)

 Sweetie Pie. :)

Lots of pictures!  I am so glad we get to chronicle our lives with pictures and blogs. :)

Happy Easter!!!

We had a wonderful time with family this weekend! Uncle Jeremy, Aunt Ari, and Cousin Sami came for a visit. We hunted easter eggs, had a birthday party for our niece Sami, and went to church. It was great hanging out with them! We also had fun visiting my parents to eat and play. We are beyond blessed to be in Dallas and I am so excited we will be staying here after graduation!!! Aaron starts his new job at the end of May! The Lord has heard our prayers and answered! We have also made the decision that I will stay home next year with the babies! We are both anxious and excited to begin this new chapter! Thank you to all of our family and friends who have prayed with us throughout law school. We could not have done it without yall!!!

Here are a few pictures from the weekend...
Our family...Drew was so thrilled to take a picture. Typical 2 year old...

Andrew Asa- Easter 2012

Leah Kathryn- First Easter 2012

Checking out his Easter basket goodies! :)


Cousins! Another baby, Jackson Paul will be added in June or July! (not us, Aaron's brother :)



Jeremy, Ari, and Sami :)

Aunt Mel and Sami Gail

Easter Egg Hunt! Andrew was done after he figured out that there was stuff inside. He caught on really fast though. :)



Fun at Grams and Pawpaws! Drew recognized their house when we pulled up! He always says, "My Grams and Pawpaw" :)



Before...:)

After...:) Love Him! My best friend! :)

Leah absolutely adores her daddy! So sweet!

Thanks for letting me use your sink for a bath Lovie and Pop Pops! :)

Thank you for your son...thank you for your sacrifice!

Jesus dying on the cross absolutely blows me away! I can not imagine giving my child over to be to be mocked and die for someone else. That would devastating to the least! Honestly, I do not think I could do it. The Lord loves me that much to give his only son to die for me, which many people believe to be unbelieveable. But I know through the comfort, peace, and pure freedom HE has given me in great times and in awful times, it is true. This all brings to mind:

Ephesians 3:
16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Through this passage, there is so much to be learned:

-Things to do...have faith, be rooted and established in love, be with other believers, be filled with the fullness of God

-Things that HE did...gave Jesus over to die for me and cover my sin

-Things He will do...strengthen me with power through his Spirit, dwell in my heart, love me more than anyone else, fill me with the fullness of God


I just want to be worthy to stand before the Father at the end of my time on Earth. I could never do this alone, but will be able to because of JESUS CHRIST! Nothing on my own will allow me to enter Heaven, only through God's only son can I stand before Gos and be without sin. Thank you for your son...thank you for your sacrifice.

One last passage I was reading this morning (while my boys slept and Leah was cooing and talking)that really made me remember and be brought back to a place of humility :)

Colossians 1:

The Supremacy of the Son of God
15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of[g] your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

Lord, my heart is absolutely overwhelmed by the love You have for me...I am nothing special...I am just like everyone else...a sinner who is selfish and in need of a Savior. Thank you for your son, who covers me and loves me.

I am posting pictures of my children because it is a reminder to me of what God gave up for me...



I am so thankful for my children and praise Him for entrusting me to be their mom here on Earth. I must remember, they are on loan to me. What a gift! I am so thankful that Jesus paid the price for my children too! I pray that Aaron and I can be good examples and show our children the way to Jesus! :)

Thank you for your son...thank you for your sacrifice.