My little miracle baby turns 1!!!

This is where I was last year on this very day.....Baylor Hospital- Garland in the NICU hanging out with my preemie. Addison Parker was born on February 16, 2008.....10 weeks premature. Everything about her is such a MIRACLE to me. The doctors said she would be possibly 2 pounds....she was 4lbs. 8 oz. They said she would have to be in the NICU for 7-8 weeks....try 3. They said she wouldn't be able to nurse when she was a week old because she hadn't developed that reflex yet....she did, first try. They said she probably wouldn't catch up on her weight until she was atleast 1 but probably more around 2 years old....she did at about 4 months. I could go on and on about the miracle of this little girl, but I thought I'd show you instead. : )

Is this not the picture of on healthy baby?? (In case you are observant, yes, that is my 6 year old in the background pushing my almost 4 year old in the infant swing....you never know about those two).

I think this view shows her "health" off even more. hee hee. : )

Yep, "health" hanging out all over this sweet thing.

First taste of chocolate cake....perfect end to a great first year!

Happy 1st Birthday, Addy!

We've got to pray just to make it through the day.....

Although I was trying to come up with something Valentinesy (I don't think that's a word, but it works!) to post, but I couldn't come up with anything....so I decided to use red font. : ) Does anyone else ever have one of those moments where you can see the power of prayer and the power of God so vividly? Yesterday, Trey and I had both been praying all day for this little situation we had. It was kinda weighing on me and every time it came to mind, I prayed. Don't get me wrong, this was not a life-threatening, life-changing thing but more of an inconvenience. Well, our prayers had not been answered the way we were hoping and I was doing my best to not let my bad attitude show about the situation....my family might differ on this point! : ) In fact, I was praying that God would show me how to make it positive. Well, right as the inconvenience was about to take place, GOD ANSWERED OUR PRAYERS!! Between, this and our Bible Study we are doing at church (The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian), it really got me thinking last night....What if I really prayed for everything like I did my little inconvenience yesterday? What if every time I thought about my kids and my husband, I fervently prayed? I mean it is one thing to say "Lord, please help them have a good day" and the regular stuff prayed, but what if I lifted up all the little details of our family even more? I'm pretty sure that I want to find out what will happen.

How about you? Yep, all 4 of you. : ) Have you had a moment like this recently where God used your prayers to show himself to you even more? I'd love to hear!

Couldn't make this up.....

All right, here's the story of the morning that got my blog wheels turning. Seriously y'all, I couldn't have dreamed the following events up. Last fall, one morning I was feeling quite motivated so I told Trey that I would take the girls to school (I'm so LUCKY that I don't have to take them and pick them up most of the time since he works there!). I was going to drop them off and hit the gym (because prior to this morning I had been using my gym membership mainly to drop off the kids in the childcare and go layout by the outdoor pool....horrible, I know, but I sure did enjoy my quiet time!).

So, I get all 4 kids loaded up---early I might add-- in the car (our new car we had less than a week....new to us, atleast!), and it won't start. My new car won't start! Wasn't this why we got a new car because our old one wouldn't start?!?!? After making several FRANTIC phone calls to all the men in my family and knocking on a few neighbors doors, which none of them answered, I remembered the guy we bought the van from gave us a battery because he said he might need it soon. Even though we are careful to check and double-check lights, I'm sure one was left on. Hmmmm....."is there any way a girl who doesn't even know what the battery looks like or where it goes could change one", I thought.

I went to work. My AWESOME brother-in-law Ben talked me through it on the phone. Although what probably would have taken him or anybody who knows anything about cars 15 minutes took me a good 1 1/2 hours.

I finally get all the kids in the car....run into grab my coffee and realize we had a dirty diaper situation. No big deal...we are already REALLY late, what is 5 more minutes? So, I quickly take Addy back in the house and change her diaper and whole outfit (yep, it was one of those), wipe down her carseat, and we are on our way.....unfortunately the story does not end there.

I walked the girls into school....partly thinking maybe I could brag to someone about my new auto mechanic abilities. I noticed Addy's booty was a bit damp, but I had to wipe down her seat pretty good, so I didn't think twice. I get the girls signed in, say "hello" to the principal (which is my hubby's boss) and she asks to hold Addison. No big deal, except for it was at that moment, I realized that I forgot to put a diaper back on my sweet baby. So, that damp feeling was not from the washcloth at all. So, no I couldn't let my husband's boss hold her and yes I had to explain why.

All the impressed looks about the car battery quickly turned to pity...since I was now the mom who couldn't remember to put her baby's diaper back on. Seriously, I have NEVER forgotten to put a diaper on a child in about 7 years straight....to be honest, I'm still not sure about the logistics of putting her clothes on without one. : )

Has anyone else ever had one of those days where the SUPERMOM feeling quickly turns to complete embarassment????

Meet the family

All right, I thought I would take a few minutes to introduce the rest of the gang to y'all. These are the people who I cook for, clean after, grocery shop for, clip coupons for, do laundry for, just generally love on, and am so proud to call my own family.

Trey....he is my sweet & gorgeous husband of 8 years. I am so thankful God gave me everything that I needed in a husband in him. He is an AMAZING father to our 4 children....his parenting skills have put me to shame time and time again. He is a physical education teacher at our older girls elementary school. He is so faithful at working out & eating healthy....once again putting me to shame. : ) He is a great head of our home and I am so thankful for him!

Maggie....she's our oldest. She 7 and in 2nd grade. She is SUCH a first-born. She enjoys soccer, talking, reading, talking, basketball, talking, sleepovers with her friends and did I mention talking??? We are so proud of her and all that she is!

Saylor....she is 5 and in kindergarten. In fact, this pic was her first day of school this year. She has become our little social butterfly. In a nutshell, she likes sports, friends and fashion. She is already very picky about making sure everything looks just right....can't wait til the teenage years. ha! Pretty much on any given evening in our house, you can find our girls in some dress up wrestling with their dad and brother.

Tag....He is 3 and our 1 boy in the bunch. His "boyness" makes up for all the girls in the fam. He loves sports. He likes football first and then all other sports as well. He wears his football pants and a jersey just about every day...I somehow find a way to pry them off for church and special events. He thinks he is Tony Romo...or Brett Favre, depending on the day. We actually potty-trained and got rid of his pacifiar by telling him that football players do it that way. Right now, he is really loving Tim Tebow, which as far as role models go he's about as good as it gets for a little guy who loves football and God. : )

Addison....our little miracle. She is 11 months old and being the 4th and FINAL...she might be a little bit spoiled. : ) She was born last February 16, but she wasn't due until the end of April. In a long story, which I will get into on another posting, she has grown actually be bigger than most kids her age....we are SOOO thankful for her health. She is crawling all over and eats everything...I mean everything...paper, dog food, really anything in her path goes into her mouth.

Well, sorry for the extra long posting. I guess that's what happens when you have an extra large family! I hope all you fellow bloggers out there are doing well....I enjoyed all your comments!

First blog ever...

All right so I am jumping on the blog bandwagon. I've actually been thinking about doing this for a few months....really, ever since an insane day I had last fall and a friend of mine told me I should be blogging about all the crazy things that happen to us. : ) I guess this crazy life of mine comes with the territory of having 4 kids 7 & under. The reason I am just now getting around to it is because it literally took me months to come up with a name. I would decide on something cute and catchy that had to do with being a mommy, then I would decide that I wanted it to be more about our home, then I would decide a something with a more Spiritual meaning, but I finally decided on "A Lovely Life."

I have to admit, there are some days when I am not feeling too lovely or it just doesn't feel like too lovely of a day, but God is constantly reminding me of all that He has given me that "lovely" really doesn't even begin to describe. Just when I start to feel like I have it even a little rough, He ALWAYS reminds me of all that I have to be thankful. Just to name a few....my salvation through Jesus Christ, my amazing husband of 8 years, my 4 beautiful and healthy children, my church, and all my great friends and family. I also like the name "A Lovely Life" because it is what I hope to live everyday....first of all for Jesus, but also to be the best wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend that I can.

Well, I hope I have as much fun as it looks like everyone else has been who is already in blog world....maybe catch up with old friends, meet new ones, and just have a good ol' time. : )