That N' This

From that...

To This...



From That...

To This..

From That...



To This...



From that...

To This...

Just wanted to share a few recent projects. The first one is my craft room, and I can't take any credit for that. My hubs did that one. Let's just say a craft room was a part of the negotiation process that took place when we moved here! It has been a work in progress for two years. It is so nice to have a place for everything and to be able to leave things out and not worry about a mess.

The closet, again, my inspiration but all the handy work done by Chad. We needed a little extra storage and did not want to splurge nor have the room for an armoire for Maddox.

The patio furniture, well it just needed to be updated. It was blah and making me depressed.

As was the belly.

I am certainly liking the this in my life!

One Month!

Ok, so obviously I am catching up on our blogging on this rainy Friday! Five weeks ago I was in hospital, naive to the world ahead of me. Chad and I have learned so much. We used to be expert parents...until we became parents, ha! I have learned very quickly to put my expectations of how things will go aside and take them as they come.

Some things I have learned in the past month:
1. I hate hospitals.
2. If you tell the hospital staff you are going home, they will discharge you, despite their "recommendations"
3. When people tell you to "sleep when she sleeps", listen.
4. Babies have a way of crying every time you are on the phone, it's like the opposite of the ol' take your car to the mechanic and it works perfectly adage.
5. Babies also have a sense of timing while changing a diaper. She literally excretes every time we change her.
6. It is possible to project poop so far that you need carpet cleaner when you are done changing a diaper.
7. A shower is now like a spa day before. Five minutes=total refreshment, and ready to keep on going.
8. Time really does fly when you have kids. Again, one of those statements I always heard but never understood.
9. You can never start getting ready too early.
10. Adding one person to the family logically means increasing the laundry load by approximately 33.33%, however, a mathematical phenomenon occurs when you add a baby, and it actually increases by 500%.

Baby Dedication

"Train a child in the way that he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it." -Proverbs 22:6

This Mother's day we had the honor of dedicating Maddox to the Lord. It was such a great day and a beautiful gift on my first Mother's day.

Each set of parents read a scripture over their child. Ours is our deepest prayer for our precious baby girl.

"When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your heart as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." -Ephesians 3:14-19


I will never be able to comprehend the love of God, but having a child has made it all the more real that He sent His Son, once a precious baby, to die for my pitiful undeserving self. Amazing love, how can it be?

A month in review...

This is the start
This is your heart
This is the day you were born
This is the sun
These are your lungs
This is the day you were born

And I am always yours

These are the scars
Deep in your heart
This is the place you were born
This is the hole
Where most of your soul
Comes ripping out
From the places you’ve been torn

And it is always yours
But I am always yours

Hallelujah!
I’m caving in
Hallelujah!
I’m in love again
Hallelujah!
I’m a wretched man
Hallelujah!
Every breath is a second chance

And it is always yours
And I am always yours

A Completely Inappropriate Introduction

This isn't your typical introduction of a new baby, but I'm far too tired for that post. That one will come, no worries. But this, was worth the lack of sleep. Maddox Mae is healthy, beautiful, and growing already. Chad and I are enjoying our time with her and she is falling into a schedule very beautifully. She is really a good baby.

She's such a stinker, watch and see!

So without further adieu...




Maybe we're just tired and simpled out, but this was a moment most definitely worth sharing! I think the funniest thing is probably papadaddy's reaction more than anything.

Random Happenings...

Due-under engagement as to time; expected to be ready, be present, or arrive; scheduled

Not true in our case! We are still waiting the arrival of our little one. My dr. likes to let his patients go one week past before inducing labor. I can honestly say I did not think a week past was an option, let alone possible. It seems like everyone I know is being induced days or goes into labor before "due date", not after! So, if this baby doesn't make his or her appearance before Monday, April 12 then an eviction notice will be served! An epidural wasn't really my idea of the cocktail I'd be having on my birthday, but hey. I do have mixed emotions about sharing my birthday with my child. As a mom, there are very few days to herself. Chuck-E-Cheese isn't really my idea of my birthday dinner! But, on the other hand I can see great traditions on the horizon. And, what a great lesson for our child (and myself) about sharing. On my side of the family April is that month. I can think of 5 April birthdays and I am sure there are more. The diamond birthstone is nothing to complain about either!

While we have been waiting we have stayed quite busy. Chad and I are enjoying our last few days of being just the two of us. We can't wait to welcome our little one, but there is something bittersweet about closing this chapter of our lives. We have had an amazing four and a half years of marriage, travels, and ups and downs. We not only still love each other, but we still really like each other. So many things are changing and right now it is hard to picture it any other way. I know this will diminish and we won't be able to picture our family without our new addition. I was talking with a friend about my struggle with letting go of the two of us and embracing the three of us and she spoke so beautifully on the topic. She reminded that our child is God's symbol of the two of us becoming one. The transition phase of becoming parents is tough, not knowing what to expect, and waiting. But, this week my prayers are with the women who struggle to conceive. Because, while becoming unpregnant is tiresome, overwhelming, and painful, it is nothing compared to not being able to become pregnant. I knew the Lord was calling me to be a mother and when I finally responded I prayed that he would make it happen quickly and show Himself through that. He did. It wasn't so much of a challenge to Him, but rather I needed to know that this was the calling on my life. Because He breathes stars, calls them by name, and I am still, at times unable to put my trust in Him.

36 weeks...


40 weeks about to pop!

Baby Flood!

Last Saturday, Baby Brown was flooded with gifts. It was such a humbling experience and we are a blessed family. I really enjoyed having all of the special people in our lives together for one day! I know most of these occasions are called "showers" but I'd really like to say that it was no shower, rather, a flood of love! Chad and I cannot thank everyone enough for all that was done for us. Kye or Maddox is all set. Here are a few pictures from our special day...

The table


The cake that Dana made! It was perfect and very tasty! She is going to have to start a business soon.


The wonderful hostesses, minus the wonderful Della, our photographer!


My lifelong friend Meagan and her precious girls, they wore pink, hoping for our little one to play dress up and dolls with! The Wells family is so special to us.


Me, Tasha, Madeline, and Baby Brown. If you know Chad and I, then you have heard about our best friends Reid and Tasha. They have a little miracle baby, Madeline, on the way just 6 weeks behind Baby Brown. Isn't God's timing perfect?!


Opening gifts!


The tool belt Sarah made for Chad. Thanks Sarah, now I am going to have to call you when Chad tries to walk out the door with it on! A great gift for the father to be! He has been such fun to watch in his excitement of becoming a dad. He had to have his own special baby bag and has already specifically dedicated each pocket and pouch to hold supplies. I cannot wait to watch his heart melt when our little one gets here.


Thanks so much to everyone who made our "flood day" so sweet and memorable. We could not ask for better a better family, friends, and church family.

And Thanks Lindsay for all of your help with setting up a blog! You are so sweet! My intuitions for Baby Self were wrong, so now I am wondering if my intuitions about ours could be too!?!? He really threw me for a loop!