Blessings Abound

In a month filled with painful memories, November can be difficult for our family to face.  For many years, just turning the page on the calendar brought forth tears and anxieties, as we relived the painful night of losing our son all over again. 

We've learned to face the month in gratitude instead of grief.  

Focusing on what Austin was known and loved for, his kind heart, encouraged us to do random acts of kindness and a RAK movement was born.  For the past decade, RAKs have grown from one day to an entire month focused on sharing kindness.  And from more than just our small family but to friends and even strangers helping others and remembering a life cut short by tragedy.

Our RAK project this November has been to produce yard signs in hopes of canvasing our county with the message of sharing kindness.  The money raised will go to local charities.

As I turned the calendar tonight, noticing the scripture and special dates, I had to pause in pure thanksgiving of the many blessings God has given us recently.  This November seems a turning point of many positive changes for our family.  Changes we have prayed fervently for and, in His timing, will take place this month.

Tim and I both start new careers this month. 

For the past few years, Tim's health has suffered and we've spent many sleepless nights without answers as to why.  While I stood in prayer and belief that God would lead us in the right direction, in the meantime we did what we could to improve our well-being.  Both of us have transformed and are in better shape than we've been for some time!

This summer, God led us to a doctor who has provided excellent care and solutions to the many symptoms from which Tim was suffering.  Complications from our wreck became the common denominator in his issues and, while there is no cure for what he's facing, we have managed to minimize and reduce them with his help. 

Then news came for an opportunity for Tim to have a new career which allowed more flexibility, better hours, less physical demands, and to leave third shift.  This girl is giddy to have him back home at night!  The only downside was losing medical...

Enter my job offer.  Just two weeks after Tim begins his.

With every twist and turn, each mountain and valley, God has seen us through beyond our expectations and has provided in ways we never imagined.

Neither of us saw a career change at this point in our lives.  When we turned the calendar last January, we knew this would be a milestone year, but expected to prepare for becoming empty nesters.  Settling into expected routines.

Instead, we are facing the new year with different and exciting paths and... the surprise added blessing of becoming grandparents! 

In fact, this month, we may well know if Baby Blair will be a boy or a girl.

God is good.  All the time...

Faithful Friday: Fall Fotos

You'd think having a week off would allow me to write a FF post on time...

I'd say I was sorry but from the start of this blessed vacation I decided to live in the moment.
Be spontaneous.  Make the most it.

Usually fall break is a mix of productivity and relaxation.  I normally deep clean, swap out the closets for cooler weather, and begin sprucing up the house for fall. 

My closet at least got weeded out.  The kids rooms got cleaned (by them!).  We did pull out what was salvageable for fall decor.  And the deep cleaning...well, I decided that would be a good "productive" project for unemployment.

Although we never did make it out with my kids to do some fall photos, I did get to spend an afternoon with three of my favorite littles.  Capturing the essence of these sweeties is never an easy task but thanks to my sister and momma, as well as prop master Noah, we made it through.

And have this to show for it...

 

and this...

and these sweet spots you just wanna kiss...

 

and these...

three kids all cooperating at once....puhleez!

Miss Rae was having NO part of this basket.

And she "kicked" Allen, 

which he later told me was the reason he didn't want to pose like that again.

Through the tantrums, posings, juggling, outfit changes, breaks for snacks, 

and all the cute chaos in between, 

we caught more than a few extra special moments.  

Snapshots in time of the blessings and JOY these babies are.

 

  "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above." James 1:17

Faithful Friday: Beautiful Blessings

Thursday was a tad stressful, or rather, inconveniently scheduled chaos I guess.

It was a busy, busy day at work and my ear was numb from back to back conference calls. In the midst, I juggled taking Noah to his ortho follow-up at lunch. From those back to back calls and lack of time to recharge my phone, I found myself in the exam room with a blinking red battery light. Just before it went black my sister began calling me repeatedly.

Instantly I knew that meant baby news!?

But right now??! My phone was about to die, the doctor was on his way in, and I was looking a long night helping my hubby with a benefit at the fire department.

Borrowing my son's phone, for the short time he allowed me to pry it from his hands, I was able to call sis and get the details. Water broke and hospital bound! And I was temporarily stuck.  Poo!

 Noah had to toss me his phone so many times from the texts and calls he finally gave up and relinquished ownership until we were back at the car, where the chargers live.  The good news is that on our exit Noah left crutch-less.  He is now able to bear weight in the boot!  Although the fact that he's not walked on that foot for many weeks made for slow and scary steps.

After a few more hours finishing up work details and yet another long conference call, we were out the door and headed to the department.  My husband was a bit dependent on me and my years of event planning experience to help, or rather boss everyone into place.  All joking aside, I was very impressed with the teamwork of his department and how smooth the night went, despite the busyness.

BDFD hosted a Bike Night, something they hope to do weekly next spring/summer.  Last night's benefited one of his firefighter's wives, who is battling cancer.  We were amazed at the response!  73 bikes, two bands, big crowds and lots of food made for an awesome event.  Can't wait to present this wonderful family with the proceeds.  Blessings!

But I was chomping at the bit to get to that itty bitty baby.  ...Turns out at 3 weeks early and 8lbs she's not so itty though!  The first chance I had, as the crowd started to head home, I was hightailing it out of the parking lot and to the hospital.

The moment that precious little girl was placed in my arms, all the troubles of this world just seemed to fade away.  How sweet she is...and what a blessing for our family.

Welcome to the world, lil miss Elaina Rae.  

I prayed for this child, and the Lord answered my prayer. 

He gave me this child.  1 Samuel 1:27