Wedding Weekend, First Soccer Game, and Peace

Friday night before the rehersal :)
Of course he had to make a mean one too!

Yah, I don't think either one was happy I was taking pictures already!

Standing up with the his "cowboy friends" Brandon and Roman.

After the rehersal it started storming on the way to the dinner. We were starving and it was pretty late (already 9pm!). The food was delicious though. We went to McKinley's Orchard. When we pulled up there was a rainbow :) It actually was a double rainbow and the bottom one kept getting brighter- the brightest rainbow I've ever seen!

not a great picture

We didn't get home until after 11pm and had to be up bright and early for B's first soccer game. All I have to say about that is... HILARIOUS! We're def. taking the video camera this week! It was really chilly Sat. morning too!
he really can kick the ball!

he's such a goof--- winking :)

and thumbs up too... :)

he was concentrating so hard on running fast he ran right into the back of his team mate! :) I was actually just taking his picture running down the field and somehow caught this on camera!

After the game we had to rush home and all take showers and get our clothes on and rush to Vincennes for the wedding pictures to start! We were very pushed for time, but we made it! Brycen was such a good boy all day!

B and momma before the wedding

B w/ all the guys and the beautiful bride, Megan!

B watching Lilyan while they were taking other pictures. He is such great big brother material :)


B and Lilyan walking down the aisle! They did so good! Lilyan doesn't talk much, but everytime she sees Brycen she screams "BBBBBBBBBB" as loud as she can! It is so cute!

such a ham

standing up with the big boys during the wedding!

can't get much cuter than that :)
he held a cowboy hat while they did the dollar dance :)

We didn't get home until after 11 Saturday night either so we were very very tired! We went to church Sunday morning and thankfully the guest speaker was very loud, so he kept me awake ;) Sunday afternoon we just stayed home and lounged around... Sunday evening we went to my parents and I made meatballs for supper. We all ate too much and then sat outside and visited. A lot of the grooms' family and friends were here from TX and we got to get to know all of them so that was fun. Some didn't go back until Tuesday so it was nice to visit after the wedding too.

This week has been pretty slow with nothing on our agenda's... it has been nice though b/c Ryan has worked late every night. B's practice got cancelled on Tuesday and that was really the only thing we had going this week! Yesterday Amber Manor rehab (physical therapy) came out to our house and my grandma got on B's four wheeler with him and all the therapists got around them and they took pictures... it's going to be on a bill board in town! lol. She goes there for therapy on her knee that she had replaced. It should be fun to see B's face when he realizes it is him up there! I'm not sure when it will be done.

Today seems to be taking forever... probably b/c I woke up thinking it was Friday for some reason!

Oh yes, this story took place awhile back, but when I wrote about B being good big brother material it made me think of it... and I want to get it down on here before it gets lost in my bad memory! One evening we were talking about Andon and this new baby and I asked B if he knew what Andon was (I was wanting him to say "my brother") but anyway, he said, "yep, he's the sweetest baby ever!"... I about cried! I was afraid that maybe Andon wouldn't be very real to him, especially as time moved on, but it seems that that's not the case and that makes me so happy.

I debated about not putting this next thing on here... but something just kind of hit me yesterday. You ever have a "DUH" moment?? Lately, I don't want to say I've been "struggling" with this, but it's just been on my mind... I read a couple blogs on other parents who have lost babies (around the time we lost Andon) and some of those people just still seem so lost... never leave their houses, have lost their friends, etc etc... I kept wondering if there was something wrong with me... I know that everyone grieves differently, deals differently, etc... but ya know, there was just this voice in my head at times thinking there is something wrong with me... maybe I didn't love him enough, maybe I don't care enough, etc... okay, that's so the devil putting those thoughts in my head, b/c obviously I would love to have Andon here and I couldn't possibly love him anymore than I do... Well, yesterday, I heard a verse on tv... one that I've heard a hundred times before... Phil. 4:7 (NIV), "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." I have no idea why that verse hit me differently yesterday that any of the other hundreds of times I've heard it before, but it did. It was like my answer was right there the whole time... I've SOUGHT out the peaceful feeling I have. I've prayed to feel peace, I've prayed to be able to go on with life, and not forget Andon, but to live my life here and to live it for Jesus, I've prayed for peace... and God has granted me peace... peace that surpasses all understanding. No wonder I've been wondering about myself, I can't possibly understand the peace that God has given me... but I feel like now I can accept it as the gift it is and quit worrying that my feelings aren't "right". I feel like the Lord has blessed me with being able to be strong through Him. And I praise Him.

Only a boy...

I have a bunch of pictures and fun updates from the wedding B was in this weekend, but I don't really have time for that post today so I thought I'd leave you with what B said to me last night while we were laying in bed. We were talking... and praying... and then Brycen says,

"Momma, do we toot in Heaven?"

Okay, maybe that is only amusing to me, but it just made me giggle... and I didn't have an answer... thankfully he went on jabbering about other things and I didn't really have to answer, but it just goes to show you how into bodily functions he is right now, such a boy! :)

~Here's a teaser of the pictures of my precious baby boy from the weekend. He looked so handsome in his tux.~

Okay, and now I just read what I wrote about the picture and my comment about my "baby boy", this weekend he said, "Momma, don't call me baby boy, it is embarrassing!" I tried to explain that I didn't mean he was a BABY that it was just something I called him and he just kept saying, "well it is embarrassing and I'm not a baby!". I asked him what he preferred for me to call him then and he said, "You can call me just boy, or just kid, or just child, but not baby boy!". lol, it really must bother him! I caught myself saying it all weekend... I didn't realize how often I said it!

12wks and 3 days and Our week so far

Wow, that doesn't sound very far along... 12 wks and 3 days. I feel like I have been pregnant FOREVER... I can probably chalk that up to a couple different things... 1) I was only NOT pregnant for 4 months or so... not much of a break for my body and 2)I have already had so many appointments that it feels like I have been pregnant much longer. I have twenty-six weeks left to go to get to the point when they say they will take the baby. I'm praying I can get there. I had a check up yesterday with my regular OB (whom, I love so much!). I just can't give Dr. Reisinger as much credit as she deserves. She truely cares. We talked a long time yesterday, just about random things really... talked about delivery and how things should be much different this time around! Anyway, check up went just fine. All my labs came back from my thrombophilia (sp?) panel and I have no clotting disorders... I guess that is to be considered a good thing, but it also leaves us just as clueless as before as to why this happens to me. All my other pre-natal labwork also came back just fine. My hemoglobin was at a great level which made her happy since I had to be given so much blood and blood products back in February. She said it is a good thing I'm very healthy otherwise because for the trauma my body went through I have healed remarkably well! I haven't had any weight gain so far, but my body has def. changed shapes! I look pregnant--very pregnant! My blood pressure was 100/60, so that still looks great. When she went to find the baby's heart rate he/she was being stubborn again... kept moving every time we'd hear the heart beat the baby would move so she couldn't get a rate on it. She finally got it, but I won't go into the details of that b/c it was pretty uncomfortable. The heart rate was 183. I keep freaking out because it is so high, but she said 183 at 12 weeks along is perfectly normal and that it will slow down some here in the next couple weeks... I go back to her in 3 weeks for a regular check up. And then three weeks after that to Dr. Fitzpatrick (the specialist). She first said "come back in 4 weeks" and then she said, "no, since you go to him in 6, come back to me in 3 so it will be in the middle so maybe that will make you feel better about hearing the heartrate and not going so long." See, she really is just so sweet to think of my every little need. She also said if I need to hear it before then to come down and we'll listen. I need to go back and read on my posts, but I think I was about 14 or 15 weeks when I started feeling Andon so here in a few weeks maybe I'll start feeling baby move! That would give me some relief I think. My nerves really haven't been as bad... but maybe we've been too busy for me to think about things... plus I'm feeling better so I know that helps. Courtney asked me about belly pictures... and I know I took a lot with Andon. I really have meant to with this baby too, but I just never get around to it... or when I think about it, the camera battery is dead, or I look like poop... but enough excuses. I took one with my phone here at work this morning (it's okay I'm the only person in the office today). It's def. not the best quality, but I thought I'd share it and I'll try to do better! I really do want to celebrate this pregnancy, because it feels like a miracle... :)

12 weeks and 3 days

I can't remember what my last post was about... I'll just update on this week... Monday I made a big supper when I got home because I knew it was going to be about my only chance this week. We had pork chops, fresh green beans, corn on the cob, and crescent rolls. YUM! I also got caught up on laundry and rested with the boys... I think we watched a movie on polar bears. Tuesday we went to Ryan's parents to put away corn. We did 90 pints that evening. I was worn out, but sooo glad that job is done for another year! That corn is for us b/c his parents had already done theirs. My mom came along and did corn too, she is excited b/c she always loves my corn and wants me to bring it for practically every meal :) Yesterday morning I went and had my hair highlighted. Brycen stayed w/ my grandma while I did that... it only took an hour. Then him and I spent a few hours just hanging out at home. It was rainy, then not rainy, then rainy, then not rainy... annoying! We watched a movie and cuddled :) I had to get ready for my dr's appointment and my friend Jenn came to keep B while I went to that (I had to have my yearly stuff done and really didn't want to take him to that, he would be traumatized, lol!). He loves playing with Jenn :). After my appointment I had time to kill before I could pick up his tux for the wedding he is in on Saturday so I went to the mall and looked around... I thought about getting some leggings and big shirts (how eighties, early ninties is that??) I wore that stuff when I was little! Anyway, I tried some on, and they really are a good fit for a pregnant gal, but then I decided I wasn't sure how good the spandex leggings would be looking in a few months... big shirt or not! haha. I went and had myself a pretzel instead ;) I went to pick up B's tux for the wedding and finally headed home. We had a quick and easy supper and then watched some tv... B and I went to my friend Skyla's for me to borrow a dress for the wedding on Saturday. I am passing out programs and don't want to look too frumpy! The dress is cute, but simple and flowy so I hope it looks alright! I think Skye would tell me if I looked gross... we've been friends since I was 6 and she was 5... more like sisters now! She went to IU for nursing so I'm sooo glad she is home for good now! She works at St. Mary's in Cardiac Telemetry, I'm so proud of her! Anyway, then we went home and B had to get a bath and try on his tux in case something didn't fit... ummm well, everything fit except the black long sleeve shirt... I'm pretty sure it is about 5 sizes too big! ugh! Today after work I have to take B to get his hair cut and then we're having supper at my parents... my brother moves to college tomorrow :( I don't even want to talk about it!

The upcoming weekend is busy with wedding stuff, hopefully I'll some cute pictures of my cute little boy who is the ring bear :)... that is if he cooperates!

First Day of School & Scoops & Soccer Practice

Brycen on his first day of pre-school

and just to compare-- this is Brycen on his first day of pre-school last year. It makes me soooo sad, he looks so much older this year!
showing off his new motorcycle backpack... The picture is foggy looking b/c it was so steamy out Monday morning my camera fogged up.

I was so nervous b/c Brycen was starting his new pre-school on Monday. This week has went so well though and he seems to like it. I asked him on Monday if he made any new friends b/c he didn't know even one other child that was going there and he said, "well I made friends w/ my teachers!". haha, too funny! I asked him if he played w/ any of the other little boys and he said, "No, I talked to them, but I didn't want to play with them." ! Who knows about him! I was a little concerned that he wasn't making friends, but yesterday when I picked him up they were playing outside and he was pulling a little girl in a wagon. I was so glad to at least see him interacting with another child! He has always had tons of friends at his old school so I didn't understand why he kept telling me he didn't here. I asked him yesterday what the little girls name was that he was pulling in the wagon and he said, "I don't know, but she is allergic to food!" Too cute... he is at least paying attention to SOMETHING!


Tuesday evening B had soccer practice again. He really loves it!

pretty sure you can tell he does by the look on his face here!


I'm glad he enjoys it so much! He begged to play, but I wasn't sure if he would like it... and PC didn't have soccer until after I had graduated, so I'm a little out of my league when it comes to knowing anything, but I'm learning along with him! He starts games next Saturday (the 22nd!). He should be interesting! It is so cute to watch them out there (all the kids are 3 & 4). The coach calls it "organized chaos". :)

Tuesday night Olivia came up from Owensboro to spend the night so she could spend the day with us on Wednesday. We were in bed Tuesday when she got there, but Brycen couldn't wait to wake Livy up Wed. morning! We just hung out around the house and then went to Washington to get lunch at Mason's and eat some ice cream at Scoops :) Two of my favorite places! It was such a beautiful day Wednesday! I was so glad. We played outside when we got home and then took naps.

B and Livy at Scoops

Wednesday evening B and I went to Vincennes with my mom to Kohl's. We had a coupon for 30% off your total so I thought I'd go check it out. I got Brycen a new pair of jeans and a few shirts for fall-- which he really needed! He is really in between sizes right now and it's hard to shop for him! I also got him a new pair of brown shoes for fall/winter.

He has been cracking me up with words and things he has been saying... For example, he doesn't call the other kids at pre-school "kids" he calls them children. I.E. Brycen says, "The other children still have to hang their name up." (they have a sign in w/ their name on little tags) I have no idea where he got that unless it was from his teachers, b/c I say "kids" not "children". He also has started substituting the word "frightened" for "scared". He was telling a story about a deer and said, "And then the deer was frightened!". It is especially funny to hear it coming out of a little boys mouth.

Last night we didn't do much- just stuff around the house. Tonight we're just staying at home because tomorrow I have a full day. I have Kayla's baby shower for Kaydee Mae in the morning and then a bachelorette supper tomorrow evening in Evansville.

Hope ya'll have wonderful weekends ahead!

Weekend (in reverse order)

Well, this post is going to be in reverse order b/c I messed up my pictures... blogger picture upload is ridiculous!

Sunday morning we went to church and then headed to Jasper to eat at Applebee's w/ Ryan's parents. We hadn't had anything for Ryan's birthday or my birthday so we had dinner for one of ours... we still can't pick whose it was for :) Doesn't matter b/c we both like the place! Ryan did pick it though! After lunch we went home and swam all afternoon. I was exhausted by the time we got out, but it was nice that the pool was finally warmer! We went to Rich and Melissa's after supper to visit for awhile... Greg and Lela and Shawn and Audrey and the girls came too. Brycen enjoyed playing w/ Isaac, as usual. We got home and had to go to bed right away b/c Brycen had to get up on Monday bright and early for his first day at his new pre-school (post on that to come later!).

Saturday morning we slept in a bit since we had a late night the night before. When we got up Ryan had to go to Montgomery to help his dad put electric fence around the big corn patch at the cabinet shop so the coons wouldn't get it. They worked on it ALL day long... I was excited to wake up feeling NOT nauseated! Yay! It lasted all day long too! I got my whole house clean and all my laundry done and still felt great! I was so excited! Tired though! lol. Brycen and I then just layed around in the pool... well okay, I layed in the pool and Brycen jumped around :) Then he played outside and I watched him and read some. Our back deck gets a great breeze and my swing is hung up back there so I love sitting there and reading!

Brycen loves this tree- it's short and great for a little climber :)
I asked him if he was a monkey... he said, "no, i'm a sloth!"... yah, someone had to explain that to me. It's off Ice Age I guess!

He plays like this for hours :)

Saturday evening we decided to head to Washington and go to the block party! My parents were working a popcorn booth and we thought B would enjoy it! It was fun! Brycen loved looking at all the old cars and enjoyed the toys, popcorn, and a snowcone :) can't say I didn't enjoy those things either-- well with the exception of the toys :)

Brycen waiting in line to do the race bouncy thing. Maybe I'm just a proud mom, but he is so patient and good about waiting his turn- other children I saw, not so much! I feel bad for him b/c he just lets kids cut in front of him. I tell him he doesn't have to let them, because I don't want him to be a pushover, but I am proud of him that he doesn't act like that! (okay sorry for the bragging!)

he loved this-- he did it about 3 or 4 times in a row!

the bouncy house :) he also had fun in this!

After the block party we headed to Mi Pueblo to eat supper! YUM! Plus, we had a gift certificate from Christmas that we kept forgetting to use everytime we were there so we used that, score! I even had some yummy fried ice cream! Ryan and B don't like it b/c of the coconut stuff in it so I didn't even have to share ;)
Trying to take a picture with my baby boy, but he is more into making "mean" faces now!
I think he's still pretty cute though!

After Mi Pueblo we had to make our weekly Wal-Mart trip... I won't go on and complain like I do every week, but just say I was glad to get it done!

Friday evening my parents, Ryan, B, and I piled in Ryan's truck and went to Owensboro to meet the Hamilton's for supper. We had to pick up some furniture I was storing at their house that I had got at the Executive Inn-Owensboro sale and we thought it was a good excuse to get together! I miss these people like crazy! They are my second family. We ate on an outdoor patio-- it was good food and we had so much fun!
Ryan and B waiting on our food :)
Olivia Brooke, me, Erin Marie, and Brycen Hunter :) Aunt Olivia and Aunt Erin loveee B and the feeling is mutual!

Mel and B at Chilly Billy's... it was a snowcone place-- YUM!
They bought a really really old house on the river and are restoring it (it's amazing!)... but they have SPIDERS! Brycen was hunting the spiders down (with Aunt Jordan's headband that he at first thought was a spider trap!)
I think he looks like rambo... :)

He takes his job very seriously :)

Hank got caught licking B's face!

We had such a fun evening, but on the way home we got caught by an accident so it was really late when we made it home to our beds! I hadn't been up that late in a longggg time!

It was a great weekend! It was the first weekend in a couple of months that I have felt like doing much of anything or actually enjoyed what we did and felt good! I am so thankful for finally feeling better! Our next couple weekends are busy too... I know I'm going to be worn out, but they are things I can't skip out on like showers, bachelorette dinners, wedding rehersals, and weddings! It is mostly all things I am looking forward to though!

Kelly's Wedding Tour~Show Us Your Life

Kelly over at Kelly's Korner has been hosting "Show Us Your Life-- Wedding Tours". I haven't participated the last few weeks because we don't have hardly any digital photos of our wedding. I was going to try and scan more in than what I had, but I never got around to it. I'll try to do a bigger wedding post when our anniversary rolls around in September. These pictures are poor quality b/c they are scanned.
Our engagement picture, July 2005. I had just turned 20 and Ryan had just turned 23.

One of my bridesmaids, Lacey, and I at my bridal shower. August 2005.

Ryan and B at our dress rehersal.

Me and B at our dress rehersal (he was almost 9 mo. old).

My Papaw Richard, me, and My Grandma Judy before my wedding

We went to Cancun on our honeymoon.


view from our hotel room-- we stayed at the Cancun Palace

This is really blurry, but it is us at the outdoor mall (Plaza de la Isla, was the name I believe). I got my hair ALL braided there. It was much easier to deal with the rest of our trip. My hair was sooo long then.


Lol- this is after we got back from our honeymoon- my Aunt Misty and I took all my braids out and I looked like THIS! Scary!

This is out of order-- but it is at our reception.

Sorry for the terrible quality of pictures- hopefully on our anniversary post I can post some good pictures!