Changes...

Wow- have things changed! As I look back at my November & December posts about being so happy, content, and just all around settled. Funny how finding out I was pregnant turned my world upside down! We had hoped and prayed for this, and are very excited to add a new little one into our family, no matter how rough the road. I don't want to ever sound ungrateful for this pregnancy, because God has blessed me beyond measure...but oh how life has changed.

I had forgotten just how debilitating pregnancy sickness can be. Life has pretty much come to a standstill for me - I can't eat much of anything, I don't sleep at all, it is extremely hard for me to be the mother I want to be for Max, the house sits unclean, the laundry stacks up - I'm just stuck. Sitting in the house counting the minutes until one day is over and the next begins, only feeling hopeless about a new day starting. Because I will feel the same- sick. So sick that at most given moments I'm just trying to hold the gagging back in my throat. So sick that it is hard for me to read to my little boy each evening before bed. My whole body trembles constantly in pain and fear.

Feeling like this is so isolating...I can't really go out and do ANYTHING, interact with anyone, and my poor husband and son are stuck to deal with me. I am hoping it begins to ease within the next few weeks (as my first trimester ends), but am not getting my hopes up. I realize that some people will be offended by this post, that I'm complaining when God has blessed me with a baby. Please understand that I am only stating how I feel at this moment - and I know there will be times during this pregnancy that my heart leaps for joy and I won't be able to contain my excitment:) I just keep reminding myself to praise God thru this storm...I would have NOTHING without HIM.

Ok - to rewind a bit, I want to get caught up on the end of December & early January with photos! On New Year's Eve we ended up having my mom & dad, and my two cousins with their significant others over to celebrate, since I knew I wouldn't be getting out and doing anything. We had a really great meal (thanks Jessica) and then played the Wii for awhile, ended the evening with lots of laughs and 4 empty bottles of sparkling grape juice:) Earlier this week I was able to drag myself out of the house to take Max to Jasper to watch the Harlem Globetrotters - it was super cute and Max thought it was the funniest thing ever:) We had a nice evening with Gabe's parents & sister & brother-in-law and it was good to get out among other people - here are a few photos from that night:

Thanks for listening...and sorry about the whining! haha!

I saw this on another blog and thought it was the sweetest rendition of the Christmas story I've ever seen:)

5th Annual Christmas Cookie Decorating Party...

Last night we headed to Washington to participate in our annual Christmas cookie decorating party at my cousin Chas's house - it is so cute to see how much the kids grow from year to year...

2007 2008

2010

Max had a really great time with all the kids (he is used to playing by himself)...and the mama's had an awesome time getting caught up and just laughing about silly things:) Thanks Mom, Chas, & Steph! We ended the night with yummy Fat Boy's pizza and took home a tin full of cookies with oodles of sprinkles on them:) Here are some photos of our fun night -

Somehow I missed getting an individual photo of Nick and Katie - sorry guys:(

Of course we had to get the only 2 boys to do some posing in front of the tree - they are pretty sweet if I do say so myself:) Merry Christmas!

Christmas cheer...

Talk about some Christmas cheer - these two boys are full of it:) This is Max and one of his best buddies, Lincoln.

The annual Christmas party at my Grandma's for the Farley side of the family was yesterday - so nice to be with family and catch up with what is going on in everyone's lives. Before we left, Papa was teasing Max about Santa being at the party (every year someone dresses up as Santa and pays a visit to the party) and Max just looked at him like he was crazy. He said "PAPA - it's just Nick dressed up as Santa!" He has it all figured out - and he just looked at Papa like he was the craziest person alive:) I love that little boy - too smart for his own good.

Max with my cousin Jessica, who found out on Friday that she is having a little baby girl - we couldn't be more excited:) She will be a wonderful mama!!

Tonight we are getting our first significant snow - I'm lovin' sitting in our cozy home, looking out the big picture windows at the huge snowflakes and watching our Christmas tree lights reflecting off the glass. All presents are bought and wrapped, sitting under the tree. Merry Christmas, everyone:)!!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

It's only the 4th day of December, but our month has started out so peacefully. I've just been taking time to enjoy the birth month of our King, my new hubby, and my amazing little son.

Today we had our first real snow of the season, so Max thought he needed to go out on the porch and write his name - so sweet!Earlier in the week, Uncle Clay invited us over to make some "Auntie Ann" pretzels from a make-it-at-home kit. Max thinks Uncle Clay hung the moon - and jumps at any chance to hang out with him. He wants to wear what his uncle wears, fix his hair like his uncle, and even wants to be a teacher one day like his Uncle Clay.Tonight we are snuggled up in our favorite chair, admiring our Christmas tree and watching Scooby Doo...it doesn't get any better than this:)

Max's 1st Thanksgiving Program

Max goes to preschool at our church, Odon Christian Church - he absolutely LOVES it and is excited to go each Tuesday and Thursday! Last Sunday he had his first program with his preschool class, and I videotaped a lot of it. Here is my little ham, reciting some Bible verses. I was so incredibly proud of him, he knew all the words to the verses and songs, and all the motions:) He was not nervous at all, and had his famous grin on his face the whole time!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone:)!! We all have so much to be thankful for!

Day of shopping...

Friday after school we headed to Edinburg, In. with Gabe's mom, dad, and little brother to do some Christmas shopping at the outlet malls they have there. When you have two little boys in a hotel - what is the first thing they want to do? SWIM!! So we let them splash around in the pool for awhile, Gabe brought us Arbys for supper, and then it was time to settle down for bed.

Must-do List for a Hotel Stay:

#1: Jump on the beds, and from bed-to-bed!!

#2: Eat chocolate in bed...

#3: Wake up at 5:45 a.m. because you are just soooo excited...

there is no sleeping in for me, EVER:(

The next day we TRIED to go shopping - but the boys had different ideas. They decided to whine, cry, beg, fight, - do I even need to go on? Anyway, I did end up getting some shopping done and I'm now about 1/2 way done with Christmas shopping. The boys wanted to buy these:

but we made an executive decision that the world was just not ready for these two boys and their silly hats!

Best purchase of the day? Cracker Barrel Buttermilk Pancake Mix - which I put to good use tonight for our yummy supper:) Hope everyone has an AMAZING Thanksgiving week!