Monday, December 21, 2009

5.

5 years ago today, Rob and I walked into the delivery room of a 15 year-old girl in Virginia and met YOU, our long awaited son for the first time! After 3 LONG years of heartache, God gave you, Samuel Arnold, to us! Oh what a joyous day it was! One I will never forget! And it was just the beginning of a journey in parenting that has held many ups and downs, but one I would not trade! Samuel, we have watched you grow in so many ways and we are so proud of the boy you are becoming and we anticipate the man of God you will some day be! We love your smile, your deep sense/need for justice, your protective heart, and your imagination that knows no bounds! Happy 5th Birthday son! We love you, and Jesus loves you best! ~Mommy & Daddy


Our first meeting!

4 days old on Christmas, still in Virginia!


3 months old at a baby shower given by friends!



My arms are full!


1



2
(ignore the date on pic; see pic in background)


3


4


5















Friday, December 18, 2009

10 Memories for 10 Years of Marriage!

So here it goes...10 memories of our 10 amazing years of marriage! They are in no particular order (primarily b/c I uploaded the pics in the wrong order and don't have time to redo/fix them)! I love you dearly Rob and can't believe 10 years have flown by so fast! You are my best friend, closest confidante, Prince Charming, and knight in shining armor all wrapped into one amazing man...And YOUR MINE!!! Oh I can't get over the grace and kindness of the Lord in YOU!!!
#1
You on one knee singing, with words in hand,
Stephen Curtis Chapman's "I will be here"
song before proposing marriage! What an amazing day!
The first of many!
#2
I remember our first year of marriage and how much
we fought. Broken closet door, and red Miate
taillights speeding down the road...my, by God's grace, how far we have come!
#3
I remember, and can now laugh about, living in seminary
housing and enduring roaches in our bed (on me, of course) 2 times!
Then we bought thoseplug-in bug repellent thingys and they worked!!!!
#4
The night we came home from the hospital after
I lost our first baby and I had surgery...I remember you
carefully walking me into our house (the parsonage in Kopperl)
and a bird that was nesting under the ledge flew INTO the house!
Makes the memory funny and less painful! You closed me
into our room and then shooed it out with a broom! My hero!

#5
Boy #3's birth: Asher Stephen
It was the best delivery yet!

#6
Birth of Boy #2: Joel Aaron!
My water broke in bed the night before and we drove
the 1 hour to Ft. Worth to welcome Joel the next morning!
Long night but so amazing to have you by my side!

#7
Our rainy day in DC visiting the Holocaust Museum.
Memorable b/c the museum was amazing and because
it was probably the first time I wanted to read as many
of the exhibit as you did! ;)


#8
Trip to Gettysburg...
I completely surprised Rob on his birthday weekend the year
we were in MD. He never saw it coming! Babysitter all
set up, gas in the car, navigation system for his gift, and bed and breakfast
room reserved and awaiting!
And we drove a covered-bridge tour on the way! So fun! So memorable!



#9
April 8, 2005...Samuel's adoption day!
So cool to share in such an event with you!


#10
Samuel's birthday...quite a memory indeed!
This picture was taken the morning we left the hotel
to go to the hospital where Sam was to be born THAT day!
I'm surprised we didn't look more tired...not much sleep was had
the night before!


Oh how I love you Rob!
And yes, Jesus still, and always will,
love you best!!!!








Thursday, December 17, 2009

photo shoot!

At the end of November my dear friend, Christi MacNelly, was kind enough to endure 2 hours of photo taking with our rambunctious family of 5! She took over 200 pictures and ended up with about 46 good shots! Below you will find a few of our favorites! Enjoy and yes, family, you are getting a print for Christmas!






















Tuesday, December 8, 2009

November trip to G & G's!

The first weekend in November (sorry this is so late) we made a quick trip down to see Grandma and Grandpa's new house in the country! Boy is it country, but boy is it nice! We had a blast and the boys even more so! They got cowboy boots from G & G and didn't want to take them off! So cute! They loved all the animals and all the room to explore, dig, and just be boys! Can't wait for our Tombrella Christmas there in just a few weeks!
Waiting for breakfast at Grandma's...pancakes, of course!

Assuming the stance, even at Grandma's...fingers in mouth and
other hand down pants...ah, boys!

The neighbors' horses, come for some mornin' carrots!


Joel, too scared to climb on the plane, poses
with G & G!



TOO cute!


Up on the jet (Sam & Daddy) while G & G
hold Asher!






Wednesday, November 4, 2009

mystery solved.

So, a few weeks ago I bought Asher yet another package of socks. All his seemed to be disappearing. Well, the NEW package started disappearing too, once he wore them and I couldn't figure out where they were going. I did laundry Monday and folded only 5 pair of socks, only 3 being from the new packages. He should have about 12 pair. Where in the world have they all gone?...

Well....today I was attempting to rearrange the furniture in Asher's room and pulled his bed away from the wall. Lo and behold a whole pile of little white ankle socks appeared! He has made it a new habit to remove his socks while in bed and it seems, to also drop them down over the side between the wall and his bed! Silly boy!

Mystery solved indeed!

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

girlfriend

So today as we are getting in the car after school, Sam announces to me that he has a "girlfriend"! I am utterly shocked. He then proceeds to tell me how "sweet" she is. He says, "Yeah mom, her name is Suzy; (not her real name, I honestly can't remember it) you'd like her. She is wreely sweet." I then fumble with my words and somehow get out, "Oh, you mean a friend that's a girl, right?" "Yes," he replies. (Not that I really feared he understood the real meaning, but I felt relieved just the same!)
Of all my boys, I honestly did not expect to hear that from Sam first. I think I was really thinking it might actually be Asher to say those words to me first! ;) Funny. And both funny and scary how fast they pick up things from other kids. He certainly did not get the "girlfriend" idea from us. But I think, for now, I will rest in the innocence and cuteness of it, in the reality that it was Sam, and be VERY thankful it wasn't some other announcement like, "I punched so-and-so today.", or "So-and-so is mean so I beat him/her up." (Neither of the boys have shown any indications that they would actually DO such things at school, but a mother's imagination can get the best of her sometimes!)
And speaking of imagination, I am now caught in a vortex of the realization of how fast time flies and much sooner than I think ALL my boys will grow into men and one by one begin to announce to us their real "girlfriends"/wives. Then I will officially have been replaced. Ouch. But that's the way God set it up to be. And God is good.

Lord, protect those young girls, whoever and wherever they are, and may they grow to be godly women, wives, and mothers for my boys and future grandchildren. And may my boys learn from Rob and I how to love and serve you first, and how to be godly men, husbands, and fathers. For your glory and your name, not ours. Amen.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

the pumpkin patch

Here are a few pics of our day at the "Big Orange Pumpkin Farm"! We had a blast being together and enjoying the fall day as a family! A fun memory to be sure! We ate lunch, fed the animals, went on a hay ride, and picked pumpkins! The boys seemed to really like it, though near the end, Asher started to "meltdown"! Enjoy the pics!

Our picnic lunch...the big bubbas

Joel checkin' out the little hay maze!

Gettin' into the ropin' pen! Go Sam go!


All my boys! And looking at the camera too! ;)



Having a taste of the mud. Yum...I mean yuck!


Enjoying the hayride!


The blondies!


Too cute for words...!




Wednesday, October 21, 2009

a good recipe...

So my Kodak Easyshare is not behaving so easily today and won't let me copy my downloaded pictures onto my computer. Therefore my hopes of a post on our day at the pumpkin patch are left empty! Sorry! Instead I thought I would share a new recipe I tried tonight and loved! It is from the Kraft Food & Family magazine (it's free...sign up online!) which I love and use all the time! If you're like me, sometimes you feel like you get in a "dinner rut" and anything new and good is like a breath of fresh air!! So here ya go! Try it and see if you don't like it as much as we did! It's super easy too...a must for a mom of three like me!

Parmesan Crusted Chicken in Cream Sauce (w/ Rice)

2 cups Instant Brown Rice, uncooked
1 can fat-free chicken broth, divided
6 Ritz Crackers, finely crushed (I needed a few more)
2 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
4 small boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1lb)
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1/3 cup Chive & Onion light cream cheese


COOK rice as directed on package, using 1 1/4 cups of the broth and 1/2 cup water.

MEANWHILE, mix cracker crumbs and parmesan cheese on plate. Rinse chicken with cold water; shake off excess water. Dip chicken in cracker mixture, turning to coat.

HEAT oil in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add chicken; cook 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Place chicken on serving plate; set aside; keep warm. Add remaining 1/2 cup broth and cream cheese spread to same skillet. Cook on meduim heat until mixture just comes to boil, stirring constantly. Simmer until sauce thickens. Spoon over chicken. Serve with rice and your choice of vegetable. Enjoy!

Makes 4 servings.

Friday, October 16, 2009

five for friday...

It's been a while, so here goes:

1. We are all moved into our new home!!!! We absolutely love it, and now that it is not raining, we are getting to enjoy our porch and backyard! This house is so much more than I ever dreamed possible and I am SOOOO thankful to the Lord for it and his obvious blessing and kindness towards us in it! Can't wait to make lots of memories here!

2. Rob is taking me on a date tonight! Yeah! No pressure Babe, but I hope it's good! I need some fun and relaxing! It's been a long two weeks indoors outnumbered by very active boys!

3. Asher is into EVERYTHING!! And I mean EVERYTHING! He loves the kitchen cabinets, opening them,that is and pulling out whatever is inside. He loves pulling on drawer knobs, even if it means the entire table may fall over on him! AHHH! Oh, and his new favorite thing is to step/climb up on things and stand. He climbs up on the boys stepstool in the bathroom while one of them is on it....it's so cute! He obviously can't wait to do the things that they can!

4. Sam was "Chapel Angel of the Day" yesterday at school and he was beaming! He couldn't wait to show me when he came out of class and then tell his Daddy about it as soon as he got home! I nearly cried as I watched him tell Rob all about it, why he got it, and how all the other kids gave him a high five on the way out. We are so proud of him and how he is really maturing and growing! He absolutely loves school! And he really is getting good at communicating all that he did during the day and what he is learning! I am so thankful!

5. And there's our sweet Joel-er Bear! No matter how big he gets, I'm afraid he will forever be my Joel-er Bear! He is doing well in school too and loving it! He likes to tell me all about his friends and who he ate lunch with (his life revolves around meals)! He still struggles a bit with studdering, but it really seems to be improving. I am going to call the public school next week and see about getting him evaluated though...I'm sure with a little help he will improve greatly and not get frustrated when he is excited and wants to tell me something (and neither will I)!

Thursday, October 15, 2009

relationships...the good, the bad, and all worthwhile


In our care group we are going through this book (see above)(excellent, and I recommend it) and I was struck by several things during our discussion on chapter 5: "Agendas". The authors use and reference Ephesians 4 as the basis of the chapter. They make the case that all too often we have a "self-interested" agenda at the heart of our relationships. What's in it for me? Does this relationship make my life easier, better, or happier? Now, don't get me wrong, God intended us to be in relationships with one another for our good and as a means of joy and grace, but he didn't promise they would be easy. Why is it that we think if it's not easy, why bother? I call it in my life, "idol of ease". I want my marriage relationship with Rob to be easy, and I want my time with and care of our boys to be easy and fun for me. How foolish am I when I am surprised when they aren't?! So, last night Rob made a comment about a quote deeling with fatigue and exhaustion in relationships and relating it in physical terms. "If you quit at the first sign of fatigue when you exercise, you miss the chance to become more fit. Exercise after exhaustion is the most efficient and productive time for physical fitness. This is true of relationships as well." How true and sobering in light of our relationship with one of our sons. We are, on many occasions, utterly exhausted of all the work it takes. My heart wants to give up sometimes. But that is when God is really accomplishing his purposes and doing some heart work in me and Lord willing, my son too. And then the gospel screams back at me that God didn't give up on me, instead He sent His Son to rescue me! Whoa!!!!

At the close of our meeting I was encouraged by this quote Craig shared with us from the end of the chapter:
"What vision for relationships is the Bible painting for us? According to Ephesians 4, it is that the highest joys of relationships grow in the soil of the deepest struggles. Struggles are not obstacles, but instruments in God's hands. Every struggle is an opportunity to experience God's grace yourself and give it to the other person. ...If you look at your own character, some of your deepest growth has been born out of great stress and trial."

So, though relationships, even the ones that mean the most to us, are hard, the Lord promises grace for it and that he is "working all things together for our good". It really is "a mess worth making"!

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Asher turned 1!

The "cake"!

Devouring his cupcake!

His bath after cake...too cute!


(Sorry, out of order) Stripped down and awaiting
his cake!



Balls!!!!




Love that face!


My little man!


Well, after many weeks of saying, "I need to post about Asher's birthday.", I am finally doing it! Our lives have been a bit crazy since then (more on that to come), and well, it is true what they say...he is my 3rd child....sorry Ash! We love you tons, but life with three boys gets a little hairy at times!



Anyways, enough excuses. We celebrated Asher's birthday the weekend of his birthday (which is Sept. 6th), just two weeks after having Joel's birthday! We mainly invited family and a few close friends who are like family to us! Cherith was kind again, once again, to allow us to host the party at her home since we were still living with her at the time! My parents came (aka Nana and Pop) and Rob's brother and his family, who now, to our joy, live in Ft. Worth, only about an hour away! It was low key but a lot of fun! We let Asher open presents after his nap (can't miss those!) and then we enjoyed a brisket bbq lunch together! For dessert, of course, were cupcakes, which Asher devoured completely! That's our boy! ;)



Over this first year of his life, Asher has grown from a tender, loving baby, to a rough-and-tumble, happy-go-lucky, into-everything little BOY! He is such a joy! His smile continues to melt our hearts and his laughter can brighten any day! We are so blessed that the Lord gave him to us and that we get to watch as God's plan for his life unfolds day by day before our very eyes! Thank you Asher, for being Mommy's "little man", loving me unconditionally, as only a son can, and for brightening nearly every day I spend with you with your joy and sweet spirit! And thank you Lord, for knowing what we needed, even when what we thought that was a little girl. You truly are a kind and loving Father who gives GOOD gifts to his children!

Saturday, October 10, 2009

"Super Mom" 101


You know you have "arrived" as a mother of boys when stuck in traffic, a son announces he needs to go pee pee, and "super mom" instructs him calmly to get out of his seat and come pee in the empty Sonic cup that is thankfully still in the cupholder! (I even held the cup for him!) And then "super mom" casually opens the door and dumps the contents of the cup out.
Another disaster averted. Peace is restored once again! Another save for "Super Mom"!

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

happy birthday jeanna!

To my dear friend Jeanna,

Happy, happy birthday to you! I wish I could be there to celebrate you this day, but know that my thoughts and prayers are always with you, even across the miles!
It's hard to believe that we've been friends for over 11 years now...my time really DOES fly! I value your friendship just as much today as when we were young college girls muddling our way through college, heartache, and life decisions! Though I haven't gotten to watch first hand, I have seen the Lord grow you to be a godly woman, wife, and now mother of two! Your example of laying down your life for your husband and children is a continued reminder to me to do the same and model our Lord and Savior just as you do! Your faith, even in the midst of trials, big or small, has always challenged me as well and one I, again, want to model! And thank you for always being one of the truest friends I have! I love you Jeanna and pray that today, especially, you are reminded of the love others have for you, and the indescribable love your Savior has for you as he sings over you in delight! Happy birthday!
(And counting the days until we get to relax together with our husbands in Mexico as we celebrate the Lord's goodness to us in 10 wonderful years of marriage!!!!!)
Jeanna and I in '05 a few months after Joel was born!

Again, us in '05

Jeanna, Justin, and Karis, with us and
our two boys!

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

girls' night out!

A few weeks ago my dear friend Amanda, who now lives in Sequin, came into town to celebrate her birthday! We had a small "girl's night out" to rejoice with her and have some fun! We began with a delicious dinner at Cheesecake Factory followed by cheesecake, of course, and then we headed back to Holly's house for some coffee and games! We had a blast just being together, acting silly, laughing, dancing, and playing cards! For the evening we weren't moms or wives or career women, we were just girls.... A break we all should take from time to time! There is much to be said for laughing and having fun! I believe it is a sweet gift from the Lord!
Here are a few pics that captured a bit of our evening! I miss you Amanda and was blessed to be a part of your b-day and spend the evening having fun with you! Your friendship, even across the miles, continues to be a blessing to me! I love you friend!

The birthday girl, Amanda, and I!

Another sweet friend, Erin, who is not only a great friend,
but a great hairstylist as well!

The beauties!


...hey, we all need to be a bit silly at times!
(I struck the best "Sam's mad" face I could muster!)



The dealin' birthday girl in action! ;)


Proper ladies...pinkies up!