A Chance for You...

To give back!

TheMomJob has posted an amazing opportunity for you to donate to Children's Hospital of Alabama! For every post she'll donate 10 cents to CHildren's and she has EVEN put a donation button on her site (top right) so you can make your OWN donation! (SHE'S FABULOUS! I KNOW!) We will definitely be donating soon! And we will definitely be making that a tradition each Christmas! Just click on her name" TheMomJob" at the begining of my post (it's already linked to the post) and read her awesome (shortened) story of her sweet baby boy! God is SO good!

As many of you know Children's Hospital plays a VERY important role in my life as a mother. You can read some of Reagan's story here. But just like Children's saved my friend, Amanda's son, Chase...they also saved my baby girl's life and I am FOREVER AND ALWAYS thankful. As I told Amanda, they will FOREVER be on our Christmas Card Address List! lol. Children's definitely holds a special place in my heart and my husband's. We spent countless hours next to Reagan's bedside...countless hours waiting on visiting hour to come back around...countless tears...I could go on and on, but I digress. God is SO faithful and SO sovereign! He amazes me daily and I feel SO blessed to have this life He has so graciously given me. The husband he has provided for me. And the children He has entrusted with Chad & I.

*This is Reagan's very first day home at almost 3 months old!

If you don't donate to any charity this year (I know how hectic this year can be with soo many charities asking for some money almost nerve-racking) please donate to Children's Hospital of Alabama. Do it for Chase...Do it for Reagan! :o)

I'm SO Proud!!!

I FINALLY got a stinkin phone call lastnight from my husband! (I just L-O-V-E saying that!) anyways...He's doing GREAT...except for being sick...he thinks it a sinus infection. Anyways....after finishing decorating our Christmas Tree my phone rings..it's a 706 area code!! (woooo hooooo!!!!) I answer in excitement and say "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" LOL....he replies with.."You have no idea!"

He goes on to tell me that he got his marksmanship badge! (YAY!) and they just completed Red Phase!! (Thank God!) ANNND the most exciting...the Drill Sergeants made him into a "Team Leader" ...Which is GREAT news! I was SOO proud of him. He seemed very accomplished and proud of himself when he told me. They got to eat Burger King the other day at the PX lol..He said he drank Dr. Pepper and it totally freaked him out! LOL. and they were about to have a pizza party! (haha! I felt like he was in Elementary School when he told me that. haha!)

I am SO proud of all his accomplishments thus far! 12 more weeks to go and he'll be done! BUT! 4 MORE DAYS and...*sings in the tune of "I'll be home for Christmas!"* He'll be hooome for Christ-mas!....

I'm ecstatic! as you can imagine. I have planned a romantic evening of just the two of us...ya know...because I'm a good wife! :o) There's no surprise factor on his behalf because I just blurted it out last night all our plans! LOL. oh well...it will be SO FUN!

BTW....YAAAY FOR MARK INGRAM GETTING THE HEISMAN!!! ROOOLL TIIIDE!!! :O) Bama BEATS Aub, for the 2nd time...Bama TAKES the SEC...Bama gets their first Heisman!...Bama goes to National Championship!!! WHAT A GREAT YEAR!!

I'm never lucky enough to win anything SUPER cool! BUUT.....

MckMama is giving away an HP TouchSmart 600 desktop computer! It's SUUUPER cool! (and it looks GREAT in her FABULOUS red living room!) You can enter to win it too...but I'm not going to wish you good luck (I'm sorry...I'm an aweful friend) but this would DEFINITLEY save me a bunch of money on buying a new comp. to have for when my husband gets deployed! :o)

SOOO...Have fun! Go! and enter in the giveaway! You have until Christmas Eve!!!

Hello Lovah Boots!

'Ello 'Ello! Glad you finally arrived!

*Please excuse all the wires and junk..I'm at work! :o)

1 Boot, 2 Boots. Where Boots? TARGET!

I would like to announce the newest member to my shoe closet.....!:o) And for ONLY $29.99 you can enjoy these lovelies too!! Target.com baby! I am SOO excited about them. So here's my story about these boots....

So..I was walking around Target lastnight, (last minute decision to go "Target Shopping" after work yesterday) browsed ALL 2 racks of clothes in the wimpy Maternity section and of course...those 2 racks just so happen to be right next to the shoe section! soooo...I began my browsing of the shoe racks...LO AND BEHOLD I find this one boot just hanging out all by her lonesome (see boot above). She was a size 11 and dying for me to just try it on. I was curious anyways because my WHOLE life I have not been able to wear tall boots because my calves are just too dang big (that's what all those 13 yars of cheerleading will do for ya!) When I slipped it on...IT WENT OVER MY CALF! Can you imagine my excitement!?!? My FIRST pair of tall boots that ACTUALLY FIT! So I began to scrounge around for anymore because this one boot was a size 11...and it did NOT have a match ANYWHERE...(I couldn't help but wonder, "Did big foot come in here and still this poor boots match or WHAT!?) I began to think someone was playing a joke on me and when I couldn't find not only the MATCH for this size 11 boot but I couldn't find any OTHER sizes...I began to get FrUsTrAtEd! I slammed the shoe down...(not really, I didn't want to cause a scene in Target for Boot's sake.) [haha I know...I'll be here til 11!] and stormed off to grab some diapers and an address book and L-E-F-T!

I JUST happened to remember that precious, poor ole' lonely boot and logged onto Target and FOUND THE BOOTS! not just ONE boot by her lonesome...but a matching PAIR! and..IN MY SIZE! :o) then...I looked at the price...$29.99...ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? ....

They'll be on my doorstep around December 10th-14th.

18 DAYS....eh,who's counting?

I AM! 18 more days until my husband is FINALLY home for Christmas! We are SOO blessed to have him here for the Holidays! AND..he'll be here for a WHOLE 2 WEEKS! :o) My heart is absolutely fluttering with excitement!

He is doing soo well! They are still in the 1st phase of OSUT (which is Basic Combat Training [BCT] and AIT mixed all together!) I forgot what AIT stands for...soo just pretend you know what I'm talking about! :o) He does have a torn ligament in his knee but he's still able to do everything just a limited amount of it. So PLEASE pray it gets better ASAP! He also hurt his back a few weeks ago and we are praying that's nothing serious. I'm just glad he finally went to the doctor..he didn't even want to go at first...but besides all of that and the usual soreness from doing strenuous exercises DAILY..he's doing good and SO ready to come home for 2 weeks! :o)

He got to call me on Thanksgiving day and it was SO good hearing from him! It seems to lift his spirits more when he gets to talk to me! I try to encourage him and let him know how proud we are of him every chance I get! I FINALLY got his mailing address so I can FINALLY send him some letters and pictures! He was really wanting some pictures of Reagan and me. haha That's soo cute...I KNOW! :o) So as soon as I get them printed out I'll be sending him some pics! Speaking of pictures...I NEED A NEW CAMERA...I have a Cannon something or other digital cam. and for some reason it just doesn't work at all..it won't charge...it won't turn on...it won't do anything! SOO..I need some tips on what to look for. I need to get one for Christmas...preferably before Christmas! So shoot me any suggestions or reviews! THANKS! :o)

I broke down on Thanksgiving...I have been doing good up until that night on my way back home...I just started thinking about our conversation we had on the phone earlier that day and how sad he sounded when he told me he really misses us....it just broke my heart that he couldn't be here for Thanksgiving. but PRAISE JESUS he'll be here for Christmas! I am doing MUCH better now knowing he'll be here in 18 DAYS!

Anyway...Keep praying for his strength to get through this training! Pray for my strength to get through this part of life without him. Pray for wisdom for when I have to make family decisions and pray for Chad's health and his injuries!
God is so good and I am SO thankful for the life and the family he has given me! Praise be to God for THE GREAT things He has done!

Bless you all and thank you for the prayers! :o) I leave you now with a photo collage I made on picnik.com! These pictures were taken by a friend of mine for our Christmas card! :o) I LOVE them! I hope you do to!! :O)

It's the Army Wife Life for Me!

Well...he's officially gone!....to Basic Combat Training (BCT). My heart is FULL of emotions. I'm soo sad that he is away from us but SO proud of his decision to join the Army and fight for our country. I don't believe I have EVER felt this much pride for someone in my life. I'm so new to this Army way of life and still getting accustomed to all of the military jargon and etiquette and rules...it's seriously like a WHOLE OTHER CULTURE...I have read where some other fellow Army spouses started blogs where they would post the letters they received from their soldiers telling about BCT and just the whole experience! I think I might do the same (with hubby's consent of course) but it would be neat to get ya'll involved in our life! Especially since we will be traveling a lot more these days. (Which means, I REALLLLY need to keep this thing updated! haha!!)

Living at the in-laws while he is away isn't as bad as I imagined it would be. I guess not really being their child they don't really get in my business like they did when Chad was here...soo that's GREAT! I'm thinking I won't be able to move and be with Chad until later than expected...which means, if I am still in town by the time Will (baby # 2...remember!? haha) gets here then I *MIGHT* get an apartment orrrrrr move in with my mom in Florida...All in God's plan/timing....All I can really do is just pray about it and trust him....which I have NO problem with AT ALL!! :o) I'm soo excited to see where we will be stationed and when we will get to go! (I think in the back part of my mind, other than the fact of just being with Chad again, I am MOST excited about decorating our new home!! haha Is that super silly or what??...It's my thing...I cant help it!)

BTW....The cyst they found in Will's brain..IS GONE!! PRAISE JESUS! We were soo thrilled to hear the ultrasound tech. say, "Those spots I saw last time are gone...I dont see any of them at all!" SUCH A BLESSING!

SO for now...or until I get my first letter...God bless & have a GREAT day!!

P.S. I think I am going to start a whole new blog just devoted to Army updates!? I will post the link to it on here so you all won't lose me!! :o)

umm...so...Hi! I'm Rachel, and I am SO NOT new here but where the stinkers have I been?? lol seriously, I am sorry.

I mentioned in a couple of posts down that Reagan was about to be turning ONE! ...well she is almost 15 months old and I have YET to show you how CUTE she was on her birthday! soo...drumroll please....

There she is! ... I know, I know! shes beautiful! :o) THANKS! Her birthday was a blast. We ate LOTS of cake and LOTS AND LOTS of chicken and cheese buffalo dip...YUMMO! Her cake was super duper cute.

Ok...on to baby news! IT'S A BOY!! Wilfred Charles IV is on his way! We will call him "Will". At my "big ultrasound" the OB found a Choroid Plexus Cyst on his brain.........Don't panic. He told us it was nothing to really worry about and they usually go away before the baby is born and don't normally cause brain damage. Ok, is this a test? This is definitely something I am having to place in God's hands or I would be a NERVOUS WRECK! God has granted me peace, and I am greatful! I will be having another ultrasound on November 6 just so they can keep watching it and depending on how it's changed, if any change has occurred, they may/may not send me to UAB to get a better ultrasound done...I love Birmingham, but I would rather not spend an afternoon up there for that reason. So please pray specifically that this cyst some how miraculously has dissappeared already or if it has changed that it will be a good change! I will def. keep you guys updated as soon as possible! I am excited about being able to see our little boy again! With my insurance we only get 2 ultrasounds but now I just get extra because of the cyst. Aweful circumstances, but I feel blessed nonetheless. I wish I had a scanner so I could show you all Will's ultrasound pictures...HE'S SO CUTE! but I dont...and I am sorry! :o(

My husband goes off for basic training for the Army in 11 DAYS!! :o( I am soo proud of him! I am also very nervous and anxious...SO MANY EMOTIONS I really don't think I can name them all. I am mostly excited about where our new life as a family is heading and how God will use us wherever we go! Please pray for my husband as he gets shipped away to training! Pray for strength, courage, perseverance, and most of all that he will stay strong in God's word DAILY and be a witness to his fellow soldiers! I really am excited to see how God will use him during this time. I will get to see him during Christmas time for a week! and then Reagan and I will be moving to our new duty station hopefully in February! (Right before Will gets here!!) Pray for my sanity as I am being left behind to live at my in-laws home until FEBRUARY....Pray for my patience with them and jsut pray that everything will just happen smoothly...HOOAH! Our family will be taking Christmas pictures on Halloween...(CRAZY! I KNOW!) but it's the only way to get Christmas cards sent since he will be gone! I'M SO EXCITED!!! :o)

Oh gracious. It's only 2:30 and I am exhausted from being at work and ready to see my baby girl and my sweet husband!

Feliz Cumpleaños!!

...so, shamefully, I had to Google how to say "Happy Birthday" in Spanish. Seeing as how I was NEVER required to take one spanish class my entire highschool career and that I live in America and never once stepped foot on Mexican soil...Google is my friend.

Anyweiners, Today is my hubby's birthday! The big 2-7! We went out to eat lunch today at a YUMMY local Mexican Restaurant and...HERE IS THE BIRTHDAY BOY MAN!!

He looks soo excited! I know! haha :o) I had to leave lunch early to be back at work, so His dad took this pic and emailed it to me.

SO Happy Birthday Honey!!! Hope this year is as wonderful as the last...or maybe, the year before that....scratch that! Hope this year is better than EVER!

baby news...or not!?

I am so anxious to get back to my next OB appointment I have had NO actual sickness.....Nauseated? HECK YEAH! but never get sick. I am not sure if that worries me or if I should rejoice and thank the pregnancy gods (or how about the ONE & ONLY God!) that I haven't gotten "sick sick". Cravings seem to be the same...hamburgers, sweets, lettuce and tomato...PLAIN! sometimes tomato wrapped in the lettuce...hmm, new recipe!? Maybe so!? ...HMM..

Lettuce Tomato Wraps

-Some lettuce (preferably chopped from a head of lettuce...

it's just fresher!)

-Some slices of tomato

Directions:

Lay out lettuce place tomato slices in lettuce & wrap!

VOILA!! ;) Pregnant girls dream...well maybe just mine!

ENJOY!

Seriously...I was kidding...but it really is yummy! Anyways...on with my life.

Reagan is growing like a FLOWER!! (not weeds...weeds are ugly and unwanted. haha) She is about to be 1 year old and I am so excited about planning her birthday party...Zebra print and pink and would you believe that I actually found zebra print and pink paper plates at Hobby Lobby this weekend! I was SOOO excited! :o) I was really not expecting to find ANY kind of decor with zebra print on it for a birthday party...especially not plates & napkins...oops! forgot to mention the napkins! My aunt is even going to make her a zebra print dress! and I can't wait to show you all what it looks like!! :O) It's cute...I can definitely tell you that much!! ;)

Have I mentioned that my husbands birthday is this week!? He's excited about being old...haha! We are going down to the beach for his birthday. He's excited...I'm excited...we are all so excited! WE LOVE the beach! :o)

Anyweiners....I guess thats all I got for ya today...nothing too terribly exciting has been going on so no excited blogs...OOH! EXCEPT FOR MY NEW RECIPE ENTRY TODAY! ;)

Wishlist Wednesday!

I got this from a blog I follow and it looked like fun and with a brand new baby on the way I figured I could share my NEEDlist wishlist! so..sit back, take out your debit/credit cards and enjoy!

Edit: Checks made payable to Rachel, thanks!

*I LOVE this stroller! How AWESOME will it be to have to little girls ones in this stroller cruising around the mall/neighborhood/apartment complex/post....wherever we end up going! ugh...man. One day I will have this! I promise...this one is not so far outta my reach, but it's still on my need wish list!

*I really want to decorate a baby room! Once hubs and I finally move into a more permanent residence, I pray I will be able to decorate like I want. Pretty bedding and all! The 1st picture is for a boy (which I LOVE THE PAPER LANTERNS!!) and the 2nd picture is obviously for a baby girl! I would LVOE to decorate Reagan's room better too! I love the striped walls in the girl's nursery! SO CUTE!

*This technically is not baby-related...but...ya know, a girl's gotta dream! I would KILL for an outdoor kitchen similar to this! how FABULOUS would it be!? drool with me........ok, now STOP! you are getting it on my brand new stanless steel grill and stone walk-way! :) hehe. (picture compliments of kitchen.com)

I am so sure there are LOTS of other things...but this is all I felt like doing for now. I hope you guys enjoyed!

BTW, I am a paypal acct user. ;)

Baby on Board!

So..I do apoligize, once again, for my lack of updates! But I was waiting to post about this one particular thing....

WE ARE HAVING ANOTHER BABY!! That's right peoples...ANOTHER one. Let's just pray that this child is less dramatic after it's born than Reagan was! I really would not like to go back to Children's Hospital for anything but check-ups for Reagan.

So we are super excited! and naturally Hubs is really wanting a boy...I, on the other hand am not a fan of the name we "HAVE" to give him so I am rooting for another girl!

I am 8 weeks pregnant and doing fine! Despite a little bit of nausea and gassy-ness (ha! Sorry if TMI!) soo stay tuned for updates! My next OB appt. is on August 13th! (Reagan's birthday!!)

Pray for a healthy baby!!

Giveaway, compliments of themomjob.net!

Awesome giveaway, guys!!

Visit www.themomjob.net for a chance to win some great garb for your little ones!! :o)

Free personalized customizable clothes for your babies! Definitely feeling the game day appliqued dress, Amanda! (ROLL TIDE!)

Future Cheerleader!

Speaks for itself...As a former cheerleader of 12 years you can understand my excitement that this moment was caught of Reagan throwing up her "We're #1" finger!! :o)

The picture of me was taking with my cousin at her sister's cheer camp....my cousin and I got excited and took cheerleading pose pictures! haha :) Just call me "AUNT Rico"!!

Future Army Wife....yep, thats me!

So, after lots of prayer and talking it out, my Husband has decided to join the Army! I am THRILLED! This new lifestyle will give us the opportunity to travel and see places I have never seen and probably would NEVER see, and that makes me the MOST excited about the Army way of life!

Chad is in MEPS today and will be home later this afternoon! He took his ASVAB yesterday and did EXTREMELY WELL! I am SOO proud of him!! :o) We are running into an obstacle that is holding him back from enlisting early, so if you don't mind, PLEASE pray for that! I know everything will work out, it's just taking a while to get everything in order. He is supposed to go to Basic in October and if all goes well that will happen! I'm just praying for that really hard right now. He seems real excited about joining and definitely ready to have that extra income that we don't have right now. We are definitely following God with this one!

*HOOAH!*

...and it continues!

well I think I pretty much covered the craziness in my last post...but here is your conclusion. I know you guys have been sitting on the edge!

So....we made it home Sunday afternoon around 12 pm. MIL and SIL went to church and took Reagan with them. FIL stayed home from church to rescue us if we needed it! Chad and I took showers and got cozy and just chilled at the house. Nothing too exciting happened while we were at home for the night, but it was a relaxing Father's Day for the hubs, I think he enjoyed it!

Happy Father Days to all the daddys out there! [Better late than never! ;) ]

last 30 min.....

Of work, that is! I cant wait to go home and be with my family!

Yesterday, as you all may or may not know, was Father's Day! It was the Hubs first and of course, he ate it up! I Reagan got her daddy the cutest card with a little girl that had red hair! It was perfect. He seemed to really love it! Other than that...this weekend was RIDICULOUS!!! So fun!

We started off on Friday...I got off work, headed to wal-mart to pick up some last minute things for our planned a week in advance trip to Columbus, GA to visit the hubs' bro and his wife. Well, as I am walking toward the cash register to check out my hand-full of items, Hubs calls and says "We are not going to Columbus......" and begins to explain why we "are not going"! Naturally because I am JUST LIKE MY MOTHER I flip out b-c we had planned this trip a week in advance and for someone to change their mind the DAY OF really irks me. So, in a fit of rage without embarassing myself in public I throw down my hand full of items on the shelf below a stack of turquoise and magenta colored towels and storm out of Wal-mart. Hubs ended up calling me on my way home and asking me to pick up some formula for Reagan....soo, I HAD to go to Wal-mart again, it was the closest store on my way home, and NO I did not got to the same one. The first one was in the ghetto the second was in the country... major difference in merchandise and people groups. Anywho...I get her formula and hubs calls me in the middle of my shopping frenzy on the baby aisle and says.."Well we are going to Columbus, so come home and pack..." A little irritated that I drove all the way to this secondary Wal-mart and had to go back home, I checked out, asked the Cashier lady that I wanted to purchase a Children's Hospital balloon thing and she forgot to ring it up, as did I as I was walking out of the store, and got in my car and headed home. Home....where I find my father-in-law trying to fix the A/C [that's been out since last month and he refuses to call anybody except the ONE guy he ALWAYS calls...and he's sick, so we are stuck in a 85 degree house all the time when it's only 10-20 degrees hotter outside! ...] Home...where I find hubs washing cars. Home......finally, I'm home. [FYI: It's now about 2:30...I got off work at 12!] I begin packing my clothes for Columbus....I help my FIL "fix" the A/C by yelling out of our bedroom window for hubs to "TURN IT ON!" and then yelling "OFF!!!!" ( the WATER HOSE....yes, FIL was squirting A/C with the water hose...do not ask me what he was doing...I was just helping.) After that fiasco....water is all over the hallway, in the bathroom, and FIL is dripping from head to toe with either sweat from the house being 95 degrees or water from the water hose... At any rate, I proceed to the packing of my bags.

Hubs and I get the car loaded and off we head to Columbus...we got 15 miles down the road and our piece of crapolla car started stuttering and we pulled off to the side of the road....35 minutes later FIL comes and rescues us. We then conclude that Hubs and I will ride on one of the GAZILLIONS motorcycles they have under the carport and the In-laws will ride behind us in their not so crappy car....worked GREAT! UNTIL...Hubs and I headed home FROM Columbus....We got all the way to Opelika...after being lost on the way home...pulled off for gas tried to crank the bike up and nothing happened..so hubs pushed it off to a parking space in front of said gas station and we head over to McDonald's..PRAISE JESUS there was a McDonald's next door...It was 9 am and I was without shower and without food. (we left early to make it back home in time to shower and get ready for Father's Day church....so much for that!) We ate some biscuits and I had a Mcafe' iced Mocha....with burned coffee it was DELICIOUS!.....Hubs walked back over to the gas station and got the bike cranked up...and we headed home!
...Thsi escipade continues later... About to go home! :o)

who needs BOTOX when you have PAINT?

I just want to turn your attention to my facelift I just received. (As if you haven't noticed) I hope you like it! I decided on a new name as well. Lots of things are changing in my household. I am no longer a single mom. (God is merciful and can change the hearts of the wicked!) So, therefore, given my new-found un-singleness, I decided to spice up my blog a little. How did I make that AWESOME banner, you ask? WELL..let me share with you.

*Gather around children and let me tell you a story of a FABULOUS mom known as The Mom Job.*

I was getting bored with my blog, the way it looked anyway, and remembered that I read a blog post a while back about how to spice it up using PAINT…well my banner anyway! Ya'll...even the most computer illiterate person could probably do this. Here are STEP-BY-STEP instructions provided by The Mom Job. (Go ahead and click on that link after you finish stalking reading my blog! I made it easy for you.)

After completing the steps The Mom Job provided, you yourself can have a FABULOUS new banner like mine! :o)

Something's Cooking in My Brain.......

I have some ideas that you will hear about soon! I just have to get things settled on the home front and I will begin to really dive into my ideas and bring them to REALITY! I am so excited about it though. and I think/hope/pray that you will be excited as well!!

Remember those FABULOUS shoe paintings I did back when I redecorated my bedroom? Let me flare up your taste buds a little.....

I have gotten SO many compliments on just those paintings alone. A lot of my family had NO idea that I was so talented, and honestly I didnt really know it either. I just know that I love to make and draw cutsey stuff like those shoes! SOO....Stand by for more art that I will be painting/drawing , but THIS time, I wil paint for YOU! I'll be back with details soon! PROMISE!

I got my toes in the water..*hiney* in the sand!

Edited on June 1, 2009

I FINALLY got to go to the beach this year!! It was VERY MUCH needed and we had so much fun! I wish I was still there today...on MONDAY morning....instead, I'M AT WORK. It's days like this that make me wish I was a SAHM. oh well....One of these days, people, one. of. these. days.

so..for now, I leave you with pictures from Reagan;'s 1st Beach Trip!!! :o) ENJOY.

Snap Shots from Florida!...nope! not the beach!

*Reading Cinderella!

*She does this smacking thing with her mouth now...it's soo funny!

*HAHAHA! This picture absolutley CRACKS ME UP!

Hello...Blog to Rachel...WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?

I apologize sincerely, y'all! I have been busy with so many things! I am actually "house hunting"!!! GET EXCITED...I am looking to rent, actually, not ready to buy just yet! But I am SOO ready to get out from under dad's roof. I feel like I am floating back down from wherever I have been the past umm....what? 2 weeks? <---wow...I feel ashamed. ha! Anyways...Can I just tell you guys how AMAZING MY JESUS IS! I keep talking about Blessings in Disguise....and he just keeps pouring them on me! I am doing this daily devotional called "The Frazzled Female". Let me just say it is a GREAT devo. if you are looking to "find God's peace in your daily chaos". I am on week 2 and already feel peaceful about my chaos going on! This book talks about having a positive attitude, the longing of your heart, and hearing when God speaks...and then gives you room at the end of each little session to reflect and write out prayers. It has really been great for me here recently! I actually bought this book a few months ago and started on week 1, day 1..and wasn't really feeling God move through it. Almost like it wasn't time for me to be digging into his word with that particular devotional at that ;point in my life. BUT NOW...now I cant seem to put it down. I try to do 2 devos in 1 day..or at least read 2 and reflect on the 1st one and then reflect on the 2nd one on the next day b-c I don't want my thoughts to be similar in the journaling section when I look back at it in the future! Anyways...I definitley reccommend this one if you feel you are in the middle of CHAOS and don't know where to turn for peace in your life. It will definitley give you a better outlook on your life!

Sent from Rachel Lynn's Smartphone.

"Sippy Cups Are Not For Chardonnay" & Mother's Day!

If you cant read the title of the book by this picture just look up at the title of this blog post! The author is Stephanie Wilder-Taylor. If you are a mom, especially if you are a mom of a little one, you have GOT to invest in this book! (go ahead click on the link!...I made it easy-shopping for you!...you can thank me later.)This book is absolutley hilarious. Literally I got to page 2 and was ROFLMBO! This book is very relatable to my life and learning how to care for a child. I assure you, you too will thouroughly enjoy this one.

My mother's day was FANTASTIC! It was my 1st and I must say I have never felt more loved in my entire life. Even though Reagan is not big enough to actually tell me she loves me or to make or buy me precious gifts...I felt loved. It was a very simple day...Church, home to feed baby, Off to Grandmama's house at the lake. There, we took a boat ride..Reagan's 1st! SHE HATED THE LIFE JACKET! :(

So..sorry I didnt get to tell you yesterday....but HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to ALL the mommy's out there! I hope it was FILLED with love & laughter!

Mother's Day is just around the corner...and I GET TO BE CELEBRATED! :o) It's exciting! As a first timer at this, I can not wait to spend the day with my baby girl and my family.

My mom lives out of state and said she wasn't coming to Alabama this year, so I will not be spending the day with her, but I will definitely be calling her and wishing her a VERY happy Mother's Day! I actually talked to her yesterday and she told me, "I think Mother's Day is just a holiday for the greeting card companies." (followed by a giggle) She is so silly. I do believe this is true, but I am SO looking forward to be rewarded for being a mommy for the 1st time!

On that note, I wanted to just reflect for a minute about what I have learned in the (almost) 9 months of motherhood! (Side Note: I can't believe she's almost 9 months old!!)

Having Reagan, as you all may know by now, has been a difficult and trying journey. She was born with difficulties and we pretty much lived in Birmingham for 2.5 months after her birth date. God has so graciously saved her and allowed her to be with us this far and I am so eternally grateful for this precious miracle he has given me! It's amazing to find out all that I haven taken for granted through the years. Reagan has taught me patience and the value of sleep. Even through frustrations and impatient-ness God has shown me how to love the only way a mother knows how!

So, not to get too deep for you, I am just VERY VERY thankful for the life I live. Completely imperfect, and COMPLETELY not what I saw myself doing at 21 years old...God has been glorified and is STILL receiving FULL glory for ALL that he has done. I love my life and am still excited about what lies ahead

**Father, Thank you for this life.
Thank you for being so real to me. God, I pray that you will continue to lift me
out of the rubble that you allowed me to be buried in. I am beginning to see the
surface and I am SO thankful for that! Thank you for this day, though dark and gloomy, yet beautiful in all your glory! I love you forever & always!

Edward Cullen....

One night I rented some movies from the closest Movie Gallery with a friend of mine. After a short search for the *perfect* movie...I stumbled across, none other than, Twilight!

First of all, I have to say this. I am not one of those girls who read the books, much less even knew what Twilight was about until my younger cousin had to fill me in. See, having a baby and "growing up" I have fallen quickly out of the "I know everything about EVERYTHING" crowd and lost touch with society.

Soo...here I was, standing at the check-out counter at Movie Gallery with Twilight in my hands and a smile on my face. I was SO excited to see this movie. [I really just wanted to see what all the hype was about] Got home, loaded my DVD player up with the disc and got cozy on my ugly blue grandmama couch that my step-mom gave us that actually came from her parents because THEY got NEW furniture...(SERIOUSLY?..can you tell I am bitter about that!? haha) I digress....

I'm snuggled on my couch, pushed play, and commenced the watching of this pandemic of a movie..kinda like the swine flu. HA! ... and I have to say....I LOVED IT! It was actually a very good movie. The new movie comes out in November! and, I am STOKED!! (yeah, I said stoked... see! I am cool! SEE BLOG POST.) I just have to read the book before I watch the movie.


Now, after watching the movie, I have been DYING to read the books...SO! My WONDERFUL best friend bought it for me as a surprise...and I love this person for that! I am already on Chapter 4 and can not put it down. [except when I'm at work, on the potty, in the shower or taking care of my child of course! haha] The only downfall is that I really LOVE to make up my own characters in my head. But picturing the Edward Cullen that Hollywood has used...is just FABULOUS! ... So..yes, NOW I can say I am, in fact, one of those girls...

Yes, people, I swoon over Edward Cullen!

Diet Coke::my anti drug.

Addiction?.....definitely possible!

Sent from Rachel Lynn's Smartphone.

Cookies and Pianos!

So..I talked about how AWESOME my weekend was in a previous post...(See "Anxiety, Blessings, & Passion!") BUT...Silly me, I failed to mention how Miss Reagan's weekend was..well...HERE are some AWESOME pictures just to show you, first how big she is getting, and second, how much fun she had at Aunt Cindy's!

*This is an attempt at taking a picture of that ADORABLE tooth she has coming in! :o) (LOOK REAL close under her tongue on your right.)

*ABSOLUTE preciousness!

*Reagan has discovered COOKIES!! :o) SHE L-O-V-E-S them!!!!!! haha (as you can tell.)


*and then, she learned how to play the piano! :) (YES...I will be taking her to piano lessons when she turns 3?..or the earliest age I can take her.)

Silly girl!

On our way from work/daycare...I moved her sunshade in just the right spot to shade the sun....next thing I know, I look in my rearview mirror and found this! :o) soo silly!!!

Sent from Rachel Lynn's Smartphone.

What an amazing day! I am,however, still here at StadiumFest...just got done listening to Alabama's finest...Rush of Fools! They were AWESOME! God has really moved in this stadium today! Rick gave an awesome message..as well as Bubba! And thenn my FAVE, Louie Giglio!! He is just awesome! Ill go in more detail when I get at an actual comp.:o) I hope all of you had an amazing Saturday! It was SUCH a beautiful day here in Alabama!
Here are a few pictures....sorry if they are blurry...the ones where its dark is Rush of Fools ! ...ENJOY!! & go Bless!

Sent from Rachel Lynn's Smartphone.