Yesterday.......

I am so thankful that yesterday is officially "yesterday". Pardon my French, but it was one hell of a bad day.

First of all, my husband and I had some important business to take care of, and we did. It was something I had been envisioning now for a long time, and now that it is happening, it is so surreal. This refers to a few posts back when I told you all that we had something big coming up, and I asked you all to pray. Please, please continue to do that for us.

Another extremely surreal thing happened today. After I stayed up all night worrying about the above topic, I finally dozed off to sleep around 5am. At 6:30, my cell starts ringing, and I was surprised to see my husband's work number on the caller ID. He called to tell me the sad news of his cousin, Morgan.

Morgan is a heart transplant patient. Seven years ago she received a heart just in time, and made such a remarkable recovery. I didn't know her until three years ago, but my husband said she was the healthiest she'd ever been. She began having unexplained seizures the day after Christmas. She had some at home, some at Huntsville Hospital, and then some at UAB where she was sent due to her heart condition. The UAB staff ran many test to figure out what was causing the seizures, and in the process determined that her heart wasn't functioning up to par.

Morgan passed away on the morning of December 30 at the age of 25.

She was such a good-hearted person, and she was so wonderful with my babies. She made TONS of good pictures of them (her new hobby was photography, and she was amazing at it). Brody was ALWAYS asking to go to Morgan's house. It just doesn't seem possible that she isn't with us anymore. I don't know what I'm going to do when I get a brilliant photo op idea, because I used to immediately get on Facebook and send it to Morgan. And, within a week or two, she made it happen.

Please keep Morgan's parents, her three siblings, and all of her family in your prayers.

Scarlett's Miracle

Baby Scarlett now has a Facebook group supporting her and praying for her miracle. You can find it here. Join it to show her family support.

I hear of tragic stories all of the time, but for some reason Scarlett's story sticks with me so much more than any other. I guess maybe part of it is because she is so close to the age of my baby and I think, "That could have been us."

Pray for Scarlett Grace

This blog & the story behind it came to my attention on my birth board. This baby is a few weeks younger than Brantley and has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. Pray for a miracle for baby Scarlett.

http://brandiandchris.blogspot.com/

Not Ready To Make Nice

I have something that I need to do that is so very difficult for me. Although I will not go into details about it now, I hope to have an absolution very soon. Pray for me to have the courage to do what I need to do, the ability to find the right words, and for others to have a generous heart and do what is right.

I always knew one day I would have to do this. I just never knew how difficult it would be.

I hope to have a great update on this in the next few weeks.

Wash It Away

My babies love their bath time. Right now, since there really isn't any playing outside....not much going outside with it freezing cold.....we do baths every other night. It is just so relaxing to them as well as to me. I love it.

We turn the small heater on in there for about ten minutes before we take them in, and it's so cozy by the time we all go in there. Usually, Robert gives Brody his bath in the regular tub while I bathe Brantley in his baby tub in the floor.

Tonight, though, Brantley had another plan.

As soon as I put him in his baby tub, which I just spent a ridiculous amount of time filling with a cup, he pooped in the water. I was so flustered about having to wash his tub & fill it back up as he was naked and freezing, I just threw my hands up and said, "Fine! We'll just get in the big bathtub!" And so we did.

Brantley loved the water, and Brody loved having "baby brudder" in there with him. Oh, the simple things :)

An Early New Year's Resolution

It has been for-ev-er! I love reading blogs, and even writing them........I just always find something else to do! So I just told myself, "Nikki.....you will regret not writing this blog! Just do it!" I plan on doing just that.

My early resolution for the New Year is to write on this blog at least twice a week. Even if all I do is post a picture and write a caption, I'm going to do it. My babies (yes, plural. THAT'S how long it's been since I posted!) are growing way too fast not to document their lives.

Speaking of my babies.............how can I possibly love two little humans so much? I just can't grasp it. They are so perfect and precious.

Aren't they?

Not a day goes by that I don't ask myself what I did to deserve them. They truly are the best children. (not just because they are mine!) I've been around a lot of children, and they both come from a different mold. They are so precious that they even have my husband, the "two-kid limit guy", saying, "I really don't think I want this to be our last baby." In quite a few years, I don't either.

Anywho, we have tons to do tomorrow. We are getting some really cute pictures made for Robert's Mawmaw of her five great-grandbabies, four of whom were born within the past year. (This should be interesting......four babies and a three-year old) I know she will love and cherish these pictures. Robert is working overtime (YAY for overtime!) so I'm flying it solo. The little people are bathed and asleep in their matching PJs, so I better get some sleep, too!

Goodnight, friend.

Happy Birthday Brody!

Dear Brodyman,

You are three years old today! (Technically not until 3:02 pm) Today is your BIRTHDAY!

This is you asleep on the couch just after midnight. You are absolutely the sweetest little boy I've ever met, and the most handsome too. I can't imagine what my life would be like without a sweetheart like you in it.

We have a BIG weekend planned that is ALL about you! Today we are going to each lunch with NeNe & Papa. Then I plan on taking you to GiGi's cupcakes, and to Party City to pick out your fireman party supplies. Tomorrow, we are taking you to your first NASCAR race in Nashville. I can't wait to see what you think of the real-life Lightning McQueen! I sure hope you love it as much as Daddy and I do! Then, Sunday is FINALLY your party. I can't wait to see your big wooden swing set all put together! More so, I can't wait to see YOUR face when it's all put together! I'm sure you will have MANY years of fun on it.

I am so blessed to have a baby as sweet & intelligent as you. Although I don't want it to happen, I can't wait to see the little man you will become. I promise to always be the best Mommy I can be to you and I will ALWAYS support any path you choose for yourself.

I love you Brody. Happy 3rd Birthday!

You're My Angel

Brody has a new phrase.

"Mommy, you're my angel."

I don't think I've ever heard words so sweet. No, he didn't think of them himself. I say that to him all the time. But, they're still just as sweet as if he would have come up with them on his own.

Also, we are now 17 weeks pregnant. We go to the doctor tomorrow. Pray that everything is great! Our next visit should be the BIG one. Boy or girl? I haven't got a clue!

Does it EVER end?

Do parents ever really stop worrying? I already know that the answer to that is NO! For the past few days Brody has had a slight virus. He has been running a fever and coughing, snotty nose, all that good stuff. Well, of course I take him to the doctor and he acts like it is no big deal. I think he is finally better, since he hasn't had a fever for a day and a half, but now I think I have it. I have a slight fever, only around 99.5, but I'm worried to death about it hurting the baby. I called my OB/GYN and was told just to take Tylenol and drink lots of water. I am praying so hard that it will go down soon! I've only known about this baby for a little over a week, and I'm already worrying about it. It truly never ends, but they are so worth it :)

It's been a while..........

Well it's been a long while since I've had the time to post to my blog. Student teaching is finally over, and I have graduated from Athens State University. Robert switched from working 3rd shift and being gone all night long to working 1st shift (thanks sweetheart) and I am really loving it. Just when I thought everything was slowing down and we were about to FINALLY get into a little married routine, something unexpected happened. Last Saturday, January 23rd, I had a gut feeling that I may be pregnant. So I took an at-home test, and sure enough, it said pregnant. Still, it didn't seem real. So the next day I took another test, and sure enough, same result. Every since I have felt VERY pregnant. I am sooo excited, and so is Robert and Brody. We go to the doctor on February 11th so then we should know a for sure due date and all. I can't wait!