First Outing!

Abel Kenneth is here!

The past two weeks feel like such a time warp to me. This time two weeks ago, I thought I had the stomach flu. Two days later I had an emergency c-section, and at 10:28 PM on January 16th: a little boy! Of course I will go back and share his birth story and my recovery, but I don't want to miss out on other things I want to post until then-- I have a feeling it will take a little while to type up all that has happened.

And all that really matters now is that both Abel and I are home safe and sound. God is so good to us! It is amazing to me that when life seems so out of control and worst-case scenarios pile up, God is not surprised. In fact, He was the one that planned it that way!

After nearly 2 weeks of only being at either the doctor's, the hospital, or home, by Tuesday the 26th I really wanted to go out into the 'real world.' I had been in so much pain- and throwing up- since coming home from the hospital, that going out wasn't an option before that. I wasn't even sitting up for long periods of time for a week after Abel was born! But the first day I felt like I had any strength at all, I wanted to go somewhere!

That morning, Abel and I both had doctor's appointments, back to back. I had been hoping to go to Wal-Mart after those appointments, but I was in tears from exhaustion after just going to the doc's. So, Reed vetoed my plans :) But after having a pretty good day, we (okay, Reed) decided I could try again that night. Reed wrapped me up in my Moby Wrap (a baby sling/carrier) at home, because he wanted me to make sure before we left the house that I could carry Abel without hurting my incision.



We went to Wal-Mart first. This consisted of me sitting on various benches throughout the store, while Reed ran around to fill the basket. This was great because I was able to tell him where everything was, and I was able to go out, but I didn't have to walk around too much :) A few different people stopped me to ask about the baby, and I was thankful that no one tried to touch him (he was only 10 days old!). Reed picked me up at the door, and then I decided I could handle Starbucks! I figured sitting and having coffee does not involve walking around, and we could leave as soon as I wanted.





When we walked in, I almost cried! It smelled so good and felt so cozy! I am in Starbucks (where Reed works) almost every day; sometimes I just bring a book and sit for hours while he is working. I know this sounds weird, but it was honestly so awesome to be there after having been away for so long. And, we were able (pun not intended) to show off Abel to some of Reed's co-workers.





When I watched baby Michael, I would bring him in a sling to Starbucks when he was tiny. I loved having his sleeping baby company while I read and soaked up Reed's company from afar. I am so excited that now I can bring my baby with me. I have wanted that for so long!


This trip though, was more of a date with Reed :) Abel slept while Reed and I enjoyed hot drinks and each other's company. We sat and talked for a long time- I so throughly enjoy my hubby's companionship. It was such a blessing to sit in a quiet place, with yummy drinks, and focus on my husband. Reed even showed off the baby to a couple 'regulars,' which I know was fun for him.





I wonder where we'll go next? I think I could handle another little outing :) But, they are calling for snow this weekend so we'll probably just stay at home. Reed is even off of work this weekend!

I just love spending time with my boys!

Blog Party!

I am still learning more and more about this blogging world, and one thing I've just stumbled across is this Blog Party. I know that lots of you who read my writing (mostly old friends and family, I think!) do not blog yourselves. This Blog Party is a way to introduce my blog to like-minded bloggers, because we all list our sites on the blog that is hosting the party. You can check out the hosting site, and look at the other blogs that have linked up here.

The host of the Blog Party, Lynnette Kraft, has posted 20 questions for participants to answer about themselves as an introduction to new visitors. Here are mine!

1. What is your favorite thing to snack on while you're blogging?
A latte I picked up from my hubby when I visited him at his job-- Starbucks!

2. What is one thing you wouldn't want to live without?
God's grace; it has changed the way I live, what I hope to accomplish in life, and the way I view myself.
Romans 5:1-2 "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

3. Beach, Mountains or Farm? Where would you live if you had a choice?
I live in the mountains now. They're little, but I love them!

4. What's your least favorite chore/household duty?
Folding the white laundry. Endless undershirts and socks with no matches!

5. Who do people say you remind them of?
No one in particular, but people say I act like a mom and teacher... which is fine by me!

6. Prefer parties and socializing or staying at home with the fam?
I love spending time with my husband, and would choose alone time with him over a party. But we enjoy socializing together.

7. What's your all time favorite movie?
Honestly, Toy Story. I don't think that will every change!

8. Do you sleep in your make up or remove it like a good girl every night?
Every night? No way!

9. Do you have a hidden talent or a deep desire to learn something that you've never had a chance to learn? What is it?
Reed bought me a sewing machine for my birthday this year, and I can't wait to master it! I think that might take a while, though.

10. What's one strange thing you're really good at?
Finding my way out of a town we're completely lost in. At least, I'm better at it than Reed is!

11. What first attracted you to your spouse?
Reed's desire to live for God attracted me to his life before I was attracted to him. I told my friends that he was the exact type of person I wanted to marry, even though I wasn't attracted to him yet! Then, within the year, I knew he was for me.

12. What is something you love to smell?
A warm house filled with yummy food. And newborns.

13. Tell something about you that you know irritates people.
I bite my nails, and that bothers a lot of people. Particularly, Reed and my grandmother.

14. When you have extra money (HA!) what's the first thing you think to do with it?
Pay off the ridiculous amount of student loans that Reed and I owe, for sure!

15. Are you a silent laugher or a loud laugher? What makes you laugh the hardest?
I hope my laugh isn't obnoxious, but I think I am a loud laugher. Silly kids, story telling with friends, and enjoying genuine fellowship make me laugh.

16. Where is your favorite place to shop?
I love T.J. Maxx.

17. What's one thing you'd do more often if you had more time?
Practice on my sewing machine.

18. Are you a big spender or frugal?
Frugal! Trying to grow my frugal skills with every week.

19. Who is your favorite character of all time (from a movie or book)? (Can't be real)
After wasting way too much time trying to think of someone, I'm just going to say that I'll have to come back to this one.

20. Would you want to be famous?
Nope. I have enough trouble trying to please God and my husband. I don't need millions of others judging my actions and choices!

Bar-B-Shoot

The Laslie's from our church invited everyone out to their family's farm for a BBQ on this beautiful day. But in addition to the food, they also had a little shooting range set up. I had never been around guns before, and it was pretty neat. It was great to see men and women enjoying something in a safe and respectful way that can be used in such an terrible way when not used properly. The kids even had a chance to shoot because Keith (one of the elders at our church) took the time to brief each child on the safety and responsibility necessary when shooting a gun. What I thought was going to be scary (hearing gun shots all afternoon, with kids running around) turned out to be an educational experience. Reed said that he thinks when children (and grown ups!) have the opportunity to use/see guns in a controlled environment, in real life, it takes away a lot of the misconceptions from TV, and also takes away the fear and mystery behind guns.
The weather was beautiful, the fellowship was encouraging, and the whole thing just felt so Southern to me :) I love, love, love living in Lynchburg and attending church with my family at Redeeming Grace!



The Croteau kids (Danielle and DJ) and myself



Alpacas!!



Ann instructing Danielle how to be a safe gun observer


Do you see his ears? Danielle put the ear muffs on the poor practice deer.




Today was Danielle's 9th birthday! Happy Birthday, Danielle!



Little Libby being cute while her momma and big brothers learned how to shoot.


Libby's brothers, Christopher and Jonathan, (with Ken) recieving a safety lesson from Keith.



Jonathan was so proud after he shot the gun (with Keith's help).



Reed recieving the same lesson from Keith before he shot :) He hit the little target twice! Yay, Reed!

Happy Birthday, Reed!

On Friday, the 11th, my best friend turned 23! Happy Birthday, Reed!

A few months back, we had decided to go to Nags Head when the rates dropped, which just happened to be on his birthday weekend. So, we left on Thursday morning, and came back Saturday night. We had a such a good time! Reed and I had only been away for 1 night together since our honeymoon (on a mini-trip to Charlottesville earlier this summer, which was also awesome) and we really enjoyed going to the beach together.


The hotel we stayed in had a very large bird named Sabrina that lived in the lobby. She was pretty neat, and the door to her cage was left open. There was a huge sign behind Sabrina, warning us that she bit. But as we walked up to her, she balanced herself on one leg, offering me the other. So, of course, I picked her up and of course, she bit me. The lady at the check in counter yelled at Sabrina and tried to spray her with water so Sabrina would let me go, but she got me instead.


The first night, we spent way too much $$$ on a seafood buffet. We both really wanted to get some good seafood (okay, me more than Reed, but he's a nice guy) though afterwards decided the money would have been better spent at our favorite Italian restaurant here in Lynchburg. You live and learn!

The second day, I woke up to Reed reading his Bible in the corner, and he handed me some coffee when my head popped up. (At home, he hands me tea:) I was enjoying some Food Network while Reed read, and then his phone rang. It was his parents calling to wish him a happy birthday, I could hear over the phone. I felt so terrible! I had forgotten! I mean, I had only been awake for maybe a half an hour, but I had made such a big deal about his birthday the night before. When Reed got off of the phone, he told me that he had forgotten it was his birthday too, until he opened up his Bible reading plan and saw the date. He said maybe if I had read my Bible instead of watching Food Network, I would have remembered too :)

After figuring out that it was Reed's birthday, we went out for a drive. We ate a snack at Duck doughnuts, went to a few shops looking for a charm for my bracelet, and then ate at a local bagel place for lunch. Though it was overcast, we put on our swim suits and hit the beach with our books in hand. We ended up staying much later than we meant to, and both of us are now crispy from the sun that decided to come out.



Toni reading on the beach
Reed reading on the beach


That night we grabbed a pizza for dinner, and hung out in the room. We had planned on going back out and flying kites on the beach, but I had migraine # 1 out of 3 on this short little trip that night, so we just stayed in.

The next morning, after packing up our room and saying goodbye to Sabrina, I had another migraine. I tried to be tough, so we went and got fries after checking out, in spite of the migraine. This was a bad decision, as the fries I ate ended up all over the parking lot in my attempt to throw up in the grass. Ugh.

We had wanted to eat at a pancake house we spotted in town, but I was too scared to eat before we got in the car for 6 hours (during which I had another migraine!!). So, we took some pictures in huge beach chairs instead:









Goodbye Nags Head! We had a great time! We'll be back!

Life in Pictures

I realized that I'd like to have more day-to-day things on my blog, as a way to keep my friends/family in touch with what's going on in our lives. I sorted through my recent pictures, and decided on a few that should give a peak into our ever so busy but fulfilling lives :)

Since pregnancy has been a pretty big topic this far in the blog, I'll start there. This is what my poor tummy looked like on one side after maybe three or four of the blood thinning shots I have to give myself while pregnant. Apparently, your whole stomach looks like this by the end of pregnancy. Yikes!




The weekend we lost our little one, we had the wonderful chance to go visit Reed's family in Tennessee. What a great distraction, and chance to be with family as we mourned our baby. We spent some time with Reed's folks, who were in from Korea (we hadn't seen them in a year).









We also met our newborn nephew Anderson and played with his big sis Maddie:



When we got back from Tennessee my brother Clee came to stay with us for a week, while he was on Spring Break. He hung out with Michael, the baby I watch:While Clee was here I took sweet Sophie, one of the other kids I watch, to a birthday party at a local (awesome!) children's museum:


On Easter, Reed, my brother, and I left Lynchburg very early in the morning to make the Easter service at our church in Maryland. Afterwards, my dad, his wife, my mom, Clee, Reed, and myself went out for coffee:
We went to my grandparent's house for Easter dinner before our drive home, but I don't have any pictures. :(

Of course, these pictures are in no way an exhaustive itinerary; I don't have any pictures of us in school, or Reed at work, or me with the other 4 I babysit, or church activities.... etc. I need to break out my camera more often! I will leave you with some cute pictures:

This is a cake I made one night when we had company. I thought it was pretty cute!

This one cracks me up! We have these espresso mugs (that Reed's parents brought us from China) which look like mini coffee mugs. Michael is always trying to grab my coffee out of my hands, so I thought I'd give him a little (empty!) mug of his own. He was having a drool-y day, so it looks like he spilled his drink down the front of his shirt!



Okay, I've got a soft spot for this big, crazy haired baby (and all the kids I watch, really). This is 4 month old Michael working on sitting up. I spend more time with this kid than anyone else in my life... Reed included. He is so precious!