Heartbeats and heads under water - another month of miracles and milestones...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  3 years, 2 months 21 days

Age of Baby T:  10 weeks and 5 days (the size of a Kumquat)

Family,

And a good afternoon to you from the Queen City, where a whirlwind May is now in the books and T

eam Taylor is poised for a June that will see this house and our lives transformed.  How's that for an opening, huh?  Let's get amongst it, shall we?

General update - at the moment, my daughter is UBER into dresses.  Seriously - every single day is a dress at the moment, with the top choices always being either Ladybug dress #1 or Ladybug dress #2.  I will talk more about K's fashion sense further down, but suffice it to say that t-shirts are NOT the weapon of choice at the moment.  Also, she does NOT want shorts - even if it's 14,000 degrees.  I give a lot of credit to JT, as K is finally starting to see the value of wearing shorts vs. pants during a Charlotte summer, but it's been quite the journey.  I mean, we are talking a girl mandating pants even if it's 90 degrees out - insanity!  It's all about the "sparkle pants" that she likes so much.  It's funny - one mom did make the observation that "sparkle shorts" might be the antidote.  Why didn't I think of that earlier...but I'll tell you one thing that's just SO CUTE:  anytime she puts on a dress, she says to Jenny, "I want to go show daddy how pretty I am."  She then runs into my office (she's normally dressed before I start calls) and presents herself.  For me, I get a) to see my super cute daughter dressed and ready to start the day, and b) a big hug, so it's a pretty awesome way to steel myself for facing corporate America. :-)

5/4 - during prayers this evening, we asked K who she wanted to pray for.  Without missing a beat, she said, "This bed."  I mean, you gotta roll with it, right?  And so there we were, saying, "Father, please bless this bed, that K can have a good night's sleep and be well rested...in Jesus Name...Amen."  What's even cuter - she's now doing it herself.

5/5 - K's first swim lesson as a Little Froggy!  So on the whole it went really well!  She met her new teacher (Mr. Ryan), who was impressed for a first lesson and said that she was "a breath of fresh air."  It's her and three boys, and she does seem a bit more willing to listen (and a little less likely to go off piste and start splashing) than the Y chromosomes, which is part of why I think he likes her. :-)  That being said, she did a really good job with the kick board, with floating, and with at least putting her face underwater.  Staying under longer was what Mr. Ryan said to focus on, so that's where we turned our attention in subsequent swims with her.

5/6 - Stroller Stride!  So this was a new concept for us, but it's essentially moms getting together and exercising with their kids.  The kids can either participate or ride along in the stroller, so it's a good chance to get some fresh air and exercise - all without needing a sitter!  This one was at Birkdale village, and K seemed to have fun.  I got to swim with her that afternoon at NOMAD - we swam for 65 minutes!  I will talk more about swimming later in the post, but let me just say that her progress (in my admittedly biased eyes anyway) has been positively meteoric as of late.  A lot of credit goes to Jenny, as she takes her swimming at least once a week outside of class.  I am trying to do it as well, as a) that gives me some time with her, b) reinforces the skills, and c) gives Jenny a bit of a break.  Daily we are seeing progress, and she's getting more and more fearless in the water (including jumping in it).  I will say that, as of the 6th, she was still not a fan of wearing goggles.  But times, they are a changin'...

Oh, and on this day (7 weeks pregnant), Baby T was officially the size of a blueberry.  And in case you're curious:

Week 6 - size of a lentil bean
Week 5 - size of a poppy seed

Going forward, I'll give these updates in the weeks where the milestone is crossed.  Out of the gate, however, I needed to play a bit of catchup. :-)

My favorite of the 3 pics from the William's house.  Eli took a chair up those stairs, and K just
plopped down like it was the most normal thing ever.  LOVE.  THAT.  KID.

5/7 - Over to the Williams clan - so this day Team Taylor rolled over to JP and Lindsey's for dinner.  They are friends from church (ran my life group this time on Boundaries with Kids) with 3 kids and live in the neighborhood.  We met them at a ServeCLT event back in December and thought they were great (I can confirm they are :-)).  We grilled out that afternoon, and K had a BLAST running around their backyard.  I was actually inspired as well, as seeing all of their toys (and their new fence) gave us some ideas about how to get more out of our backyard.  Update on that - we were so inspired by their view of the golf course that just today (it's June 1 as I type this) we ripped up 34 bushes so we'd have a clear view of the fairway! K  had a blast running around and playing with their kids, especially Ryan (she's 6 - K pretty much followed her around everywhere and did everything that she did - too cute).

5/8 - Mother's Day!  So the beginning was a bit ominous, as K started out quite fussy (I even had to stripe her in the morning.  The side note is that I did a lot less striping in May, and I do feel that I've seen better results from just the "threat" of it at this point - more about discipline later in the post).  However, as the day wore on, it got much, much better. :-)  We had a terrific church service and grilled out to celebrate Mother's Day, and on the whole it was one of relaxation and family time.  Oh, and the cutest thing that night - As K was laying in bed, she kept singing the chorus of "God is on the Move" by 7th Time Down.  She just kept shouting (we're talking no tone):  "GOD IS ON THE MOVE!  ON THE MOVE!  ON THE MOVE!"  Rinse/repeat - I mean...pretty darn cute.

5/9 - THE MIRACLE - So let's call it like it was - Team Taylor woke up ELECTRIC on this morning, as it was our appointment with Bradford.  It felt different - all the symptoms were there, the energy in the house was different, and I am being completely honest when I say we KNEW that Baby T was going to be healthy and show a heartbeat.  There were, of course, those jitters - ESPECIALLY when we went into the ultrasound room.  This time, however, it was different.  Because this time - we "struck the ground."

Some back story here - a few weeks before, I watched a sermon from Mike Griffin (Jenny had

already seen it) about "raising your prayer to God in the morning, waiting expectantly, and then striking the ground - not two or three times, but five or six or even seven times."  The point of striking the ground was to show your faith that God would hear your prayer and grant what you had asked if your heart was obedient to him and focused on him first and foremost. Now anyone who's read all three (and now four volumes) of Raise Kids with the Taylors will note the rather dramatic change in my perspective on, well, EVERYTHING since joining Freedom House.  One of the most profound areas of change has been in prayer and in a desire to submit to the will of the Father.  As James says:  "The fervent, effective prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much," and I want to be that righteous man who's prayers serve as arrows in the hands of the Almighty.  Jenny and I had been praying daily for a healthy baby, a healthy mommy, and a healthy pregnancy, and as we pulled into the Bradford clinic, I wanted to leave no doubt that I was trusting God and believing in his infinite grace.  They say "God always delivers on his promises," and let me go ahead and tell you, sports fans - he sure did this time. :-)

BABY HAS A HEARTBEAT!!!

So there we were at the Bradford clinic, getting out of our car and trying to contain the jitters.  I got out, walked over by the dirt and the trees, said a quick prayer, and then slapped the dirt - seven times. We then walked in and waited for just a few minutes before they took us back to the ultrasound room.  It was the moment of truth.

I remember it quite vividly.  Jenny and I weren't saying much.  We just waited until the lights dimmed and the ultrasound monitor was placed onto Jenny's stomach.  There was a flicker, but no sound.  I wasn't breathing at that point, desperate to know the verdict (even though I already knew it).  And then the technician said, "You won't hear anything because it's not a vaginal ultrasound, but that flicker is a heartbeat!  Baby is showing 134 - good and strong."  And then there were tears.  Lots and lots of tears. :-)

We confirmed that there was just one in there, and then came my favorite part.  They asked Jenny how far along she thought she was, and when she told the gal, she said, "You should be 7 weeks and 3 days."  She then proceeded to measure Baby T, and what do you know - SEVEN WEEKS AND THREE DAYS.  Again - RIGHT.  ON.  SCHEDULE.  God is good.  God is GREAT.  And that day will always be remembered as the first time we saw our "rainbow baby."

K was so cute throughout the entire thing.  She kept saying "Is there a baby in mommy's tummy?"  She kept touching Jenny's stomach and kissing it - too cute!  She has already told us that she wants a brother and believes that's what's growing inside Jenny.  Oddly enough, JT and I think the same thing.    It's all truly miraculous, and all glory and praise be to Jesus, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit for this truly amazing, incredible, miraculous blessing.  For our part, we were just in shock (and elated, of course!).  The shock is transitioning to pure joy and excitement at this point, but there's still some of that "I can't believe this is happening" lingering in our brain cases.  And to think about the testimony Jenny is going to have in Peru - I cannot WAIT to hear what transformational, transcendental experiences await on the other side of that trip.

5/11 - The surprise visit from Aunt Pattie - It was a bit last minute, but Pattie decided to drive down and watch her old school (Radford) play in the Big South conference tournament.  It was down in Rock Hill, so she got the chance to watch them play and hang out with her friends before driving up to spend the evening with us.  K LOVED it - they had a blast!  They played together for a good 3-4 hours, most notably on the red exercise ball.

5/13 - Criss-cross apple sauce - so this was another "so glad she's in pre-school" moment:  I noticed she was sitting on her knees (which is apparently bad for children), and so I said, "can we do criss-cross applesauce?"  Now in times previous that wouldn't get much traction.  This time, however, she did it almost instantly!    That was really cool to see.  Also, she can now put her nightgown on all by herself!  This evening was the first time I'd seen her do it - growing up!  Also, she's pretty much 100% self-sufficient going potty now.  She can get herself on the adult potties, go pee, wipe, then climb on her stool and wash her hands - nuts!  Now I will say two things:  1 - she really doesn't like to wipe, and it's been a challenge to ensure she does that (although I've noticed it's been better lately), and 2 - it's a little tricky for her to keep her balance and pull a small bit of TP from the holder.  But all in all, she's just knocking off milestones left, right, and center!

At this point in the month, the shows were pretty much consistently 30 minutes of either Frozen or Rapunzel both morning and night.  Also, I did note that she was really, really whiny this day.  Truth be told, after a bounce back in April, we're starting to see a lot of whining and pouting as of late.  I have since started writing down "House Rules," and I'm trying to be much better at telling her when there are rules and what the consequence of violating that rule will be.  As I indicated earlier, I have tried to utilize the "Boundaries with Kids" concept of empathizing with K but explaining that the rule is the rule, with my job being simply to enforce the rule (even though I always tell her I don't want to discipline her, which is true).

The good news - she swam GREAT this day at NOMAD.  Progress is almost daily at this point.  Also, she's really taken a shine to the book "Boo."  My favorite part is toward the end when she tries to pronounce "trick or treat" (she's got it memorized as per standard) - she says "Fwick or fweet."  Love that kid!

JT at 8 weeks.

And on the Baby T front - this was the 8 week mark, making him or her the size of a kidney bean.  I could go into how meteoric the development is week on week, but suffice it to say that the development and what happens to something that's an inch long is just more proof to me that God exists and has a grand design for everything.

5/14 - a triumphant return to Lake Norman - So this day saw us back at GC and Melissa's on the lake, where we were hopeful K would fare better than the previous go-around (I remember it as one of her most profound meltdowns EVER, largely due to her discomfort in the life jacket).  Well, I am THRILLED to report that this particular venture was a HUGE success, as she had a blast.  She swam in the lake twice (it was cold but not unbearable, and she kept calling it the river), had tons of great food (I mean, that kid can KILL some ice cream), played around in the hot tub (she got in twice - that was her favorite part of the whole day, as she would say, "Can I get back in the warm water, dada?", and LOVED the boat ride!  The water was choppy, and she thought the "big waves" spraying over the side was about the coolest thing ever.  I thought she wouldn't enjoy it, but she LOVED it!   She and Caden were really cute on the boat, as they were in the front, screaming at each other and making each other laugh.  Also, she was simply adorable laying on the hammock with Georgia, both girls happily swaying in the breeze with their thumbs safely ensconced in their mouths. :-)


The highlights:

The girls being treated like royalty, courtesy of their servant GC.

K swimming in Lake Norman...and LOVING IT.  

But then she found the "warm pool..."

And the rest was history...until we noticed she was turning into a lobster.

On the Baby T front - we told the "Loan Solutions crew on this day."  They had just said, "we don't have any more babies to play with"...and then BOOM WENT THE DYNAMITE.

5/16 - JT told her Life group about the pregnancy (she told Dawn as well).  The life group called her

"anointed," and one girl even asked her to lay hands!  Dawn told her that she knew she would be pregnant when she told her in January about Peru.  I mean, the pray energy emanating from these people is just amazing.  We are humbled, touched, and eternally grateful.  For my part, this was all the answer to a pray, as it gave Jenny a lot of strength and confidence with regards to her testimony and praying, as she led the life group in their closing prayer.  I had asked God to give her increased confidence in her ability to pray, and you could just see the confidence when she returned home that night.  Thank you, Father!

5/17 - She recited "Frozen - a New Reindeer Friend" all the way through for the first time.  That's a long one, so that was quite impressive!

5/18 - JT's belly. :-)  I mean, let's go ahead and say it -JT is POPPIN' OUT EARLY this go-around!  It's been crazy how much quicker she's "popped" - there won't be any hiding this soon!  Her belly button is almost gone already, and there is definitely a bump.  JT and I think she was probably 20+ weeks before she was at this point last time - insane how the body remembers and just settles in!

This evening K said her own prayers, and that was just too sweet.  After every person, she would say, "In Jesus name."  Also, we let her play in the backyard on her own for the first time.  She did enjoy running around out there - now we just need to give her a few more accoutrements to play with (that is a work in progress, but we have a list of options :-)).

5/19:  K unfortunately had a temp over 100 (we later found out it was a virus) and had to miss pre-school on this day.  That was too bad, as it was the end of school year ice cream party!  However, my wife made sure she didn't go without - K got her own here at the house. :-)  I will say that she's actually already sounding better, but all the same I'm glad we weren't "those parents" and still sent her to school.

5/20:  This was a milestone morning for K, as she took her nightgown (Ariel) off all by herself...and quickly!  I really didn't think she could do it, but then BAM!  Nakey baby TT! And on the Baby T front, the little nugget rolled 9 weeks today - the size of a grape.

5//21 - BOMB DROPPAGE!!!! So this day was OBVIOUSLY one for the ages, as we let the parents know this day!  Obviously we wanted Jenny to tell her folks first, and she told them early afternoon.  She drove down, walked in, got K settled, and then changed out K's shirt.  K then ran in with a shirt that read "Promoted to Big Sister Effective December 2016."  AMAZING!  Obviously her parents were thrilled, and then a notification to Kim via FaceTime (for the shirt, of course) was a fast follow.  I was outside Asheville doing the Black Mountain Monster, so I didn't get to call anyone until about 5:30 (which is how I wanted it, as I wanted to ensure JT told her folks first).  For mom, I had the photo of K ready to send, and so I called Mom and then said, "I have a photo from today that sums up everything."  However, the bloody photo would download onto Mom's phone!  Honestly, I chuckle now remembering how I told mom - we chatted about an hour, and for the first half hour I tried to drop subtle clues about things.  Why we were changing vacation plans, why Jenny might not go to Vegas, etc.  But then, finally, when the photo wouldn't go through as a text, I pulled over and sent it via email.  Mom got it a minute or two later, and she instantly got choked up.  I then did something I've never done before - I shared my testimony.  I specifically focused on the tithe and the amazing events at each point (especially this year), and I tried to relay how apparent it was to us that Baby T was an absolute miracle from God (she agreed :-)).  It was a wonderful, emotional conversation, and she was thrilled about it all.  Dad was, too (I got the chance to tell him later in the evening).

The shirt that connects and angel with a miracle.

Now a lot of this is in my Encounter Log, and I think I've probably related the tithe story before.  However, there is one other component that we might not have relayed before now, and I definitely want to share that.  The shirt K wore originally said, "Promoted to Big Sister Effective December 2015," as we'd purchased that when we were pregnant with what ended up being our second miscarriage (Baby was due some time in December).  We actually had the miscarriage and D&C before the shirt even arrived, and understandably Jenny didn't want to look at it when it did come.  However, something told me that, rather than tossing it, we needed to hang onto it.  And so I took that small, unopened package, and stored it in my office desk upstairs (it was this mauve/purplish
shipping package with the shirt folded up).  At the time it was just important to me that we kept it, as it, coupled with an ultra-sound photo, were likely to be the only reminders we had of a child that we'll never meet here but I firmly believe we will meet in Heaven.  Little did I know that, even then - there was a plan.  I mean, the ONLY WAY POSSIBLE that shirt could have ever been re-used from a size or date perspective was the following December, and lo, and behold - But God.

What I will say - when Jenny realized that she could re-use the shirt (before she'd even opened it) - her smile was a mile wide.  Truly, there is a grand design to everything.  I could wax quite spiritual here about all we've learned during this process and how these experiences have transformed us, but let me just simply say that we are humbled, our cup runneth over, and glory and thanks be to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

5/22:  A little news:  So this day started with a bit of a harsh tone, as Jenny checked the CDC website in an effort to calm her mother by showing her that ZIKA wasn't in Peru...only to find that on that very day Peru had recorded their first in-country transmissions.  Now readers - for those of you reading this 20 years from now, you may have NO IDEA what ZIKA is or was, but at the time of writing it's an epidemic that has swept the Americas.  Basically it's a virus transmitted by a certain type of mosquito.  And while the virus is largely harmless to everyone, there is circumstantial evidence that it's devastating to unborn babies, causing a condition called microcephaly (among other things).  Admittedly this was rattling to us both, but at the time we agreed that we would just pray on it and see where the Lord directed us.

On a happier note thinking about progress in general, K is actually opening her closet door, picking out her own outfit (she steps on the chest that holds the ski gear), taking it down from the rack, and then dressing herself!  Seriously - she's been doing this for a week now - it's AMAZING!  Here favorite thing to wear is dresses (there is no close second), and her favorite dresses are two ladybug dresses that Vol Nana procured for her.  Oh, and she LOVES to wear her sparkle pants.  How much does she love them?  So much that we can't get her to wear shorts - even when it's a basquillion degrees outside!

Also, she's got a new nightly ritual now where she takes 2 seashells from her bathroom, puts them behind her back, and then walks into her bedroom saying, "Can anyone guess what I'm holding?"  And while it's all fun and games, we actually caught that little stinker hiding them in a drawer in the room and then getting them out after we'd said good night and sleeping with them behind Big Bear in the bed!  We finally had to monitor it (but she pulled it off on multiple occasions - even after we were aware she'd been doing it!). Clever girl!

Muffins for Mom!

5/24 - This was K's last day of Pre-school for the year (except graduation) - HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?  Looking back, we are so glad we did it and so glad we enrolled her there.  She had several great teachers, and her growth from a social interaction and confidence perspective is just amazing.  She's much more at ease around other people now, is much more willing to stand up for herself, and is definitely getting better interacting with others.

Just too sweet.

On the Baby T front, I can confirm that Bumpies are officially a weekly activity!  What's crazy is that Jenny's week 8 bump was about the same as her week 20 bump last time!  It's just amazing how the body remembers and then pops out - so cute!  Jenny looks great.  She's feeling really tired, eating tons of salt (NO SWEETS - WHO IS THIS WOMAN?), and sneezing her head off ALL THE TIME.  But hey - it's ALL worth it - no complaints here!  On the mission trip front - the Zika cases (3 of them) were confirmed in the far north, on the border with Ecuador in the rainforest (hundreds of miles from Lima).  We reached out to the prayer team today to get thoughts.  Lindsey and Carrie seemed to be in the "no" camp, and JT reached out to the outreach team to understand options on refunding/holding the money.  We were still raising it to God daily at that point, knowing that God is in every detail.  Our struggle was one of wanting to ensure we heard God's voice and did what he commanded.  We  didn't want to misunderstand and put our baby's life in jeopardy, but we didn't want to walk away from something JT felt called to do.  JT was a warrior researching and looking into the virus, the new feeds, and the situation in Peru.  I mean - that girl was talking to everybody and reading everything.

5/25:  K drops some great quotes:  So K has a nightly ritual of looking at photos on the iPhone while we put lotion on her.  Well, given that most of the photos are repeats, she's taken to saying the same things (largely copying us) as she flicks through them.  Some of the best ones:

1.  Anytime she sees one of her sleeping:  "Dat me PAAAAAAAAAAASSED out..."  And here are some of the classic pics showing that very thing:

2.  When she sees the spoiled meat we returned to BJ's:  "BAD MEAT!  I like Bad Meat!"  She will then proceed to show it to each of us and say, "Bad meat, mama!  Bad meat, dada!"  HILARIOUS!

Also, she's now doing the prayer by herself, and after every person (including the bed) she's saying "In Jesus' Name."  And another milestone - first dance class today!  It was a free class, and she must have had a blast.  We also hit the farmer's market for bounce houses and food (YES - it was a full day).

5/26 - Pre-school graduation (say WHAT?!?!?!?!?) - so this was a first for us:  the first time we've

My little "fisher of men."

seen kids go through any type of graduation ceremony.  K's little group was GREAT, as they walked out with little fish strapped on them and sang "Fishers of Men" (K actually still sings it quite a bit).  All the performances were cute, but then the 4 year olds (the graduates) started their performance, and let me tell you - I. JUST.  LOST.  IT.  I don't know what I expected, but suddenly here are these kids dressed in caps and gowns, with this gorgeous song playing, and I was blubbering like a baby.  I mean, she'll be RIGHT THERE in 2 years, and those 2 years will go by in the blink of an eye.  K was an angel and say in her mom's lap throughout the performance, and I just spent a lot of time looking at them and thinking about how quickly it all changes.

One great teaching moment today:  Jenny went to Goodwill shopping for toys for the mission trip.  K went with her, and when Jenny explained what they were doing, she said, "Kids don't have toys?"  Just Saturday she said "Daddy, is mommy in Peru giving toys and candy to the kids there because they don't have any?"  I am thrilled that she heard that message at such a young age, and I'm very much looking forward to reinforcing that with volunteer activities and other mission work in the future.

Last pic with Ms. Tara - she was great
for K this year.

Also, after much praying, this was the day where we decided God was calling Jenny to go to Peru.  We had prayed and prayed, and prayed on it up to this point (and obviously planned to continue doing so).  However, after much deliberation, we felt that Go was calling her there and telling her that's where she was supposed to be.  And as our friend Brian said, "There's no safer place than right where God wants you to be."  There's a lot I could say here (and it's jotted down in the Encounter Log should you fancy some supplemental reading), but let's just say we've seen too much and experienced too many miracles to not believe that God would protect her down there.

Oh, and on the K front, she's started wearing her hair in a ponytail.  It's TOO CUTE!  It also makes her look SO much older - my little Munchkin is growing up before my very eyes!  Also, she announced on this day:  "I wanna be a police."  She took that from graduation, where each of the 4 year olds said what they wanted to be.  It was pretty darn cute.  And speaking of what she's saying, there are 3 things constantly on repeat right now:

1.  "Why?"  I mean...it's.  Just.  Endless.  But she's still pretty cute.

2.  "When I grow up I can (insert whatever the task is I'm helping with) all by myself?"  I have gotten into the habit of always saying yes, but Jenny had to correct me when it came to standing in the cold pool, as she can't even do that! :-)  But it is pretty funny - it's always either "when I grow up" or "when I'm a big girl..."  Just stay little, wee one!  Don't grow up too fast!  It's a one way street!

3.  "Where we gonna go in the morning?"  I mean, we get this one at least 457 times a day.  As with why, I've started replying "Where do you think?"  Normally I get the correct answer...and a sly smile. :-)

Baby T at 10 weeks.

Side note for Baby T - 9 weeks on 5/27.  The size of a grape!  Holy Moly that kid is growing fast!

5/28 - Neighbor Karen's surprise 50th b'day party:  This was over at their house after church, and K KILLED some Mexican food!  This was a great day overall - church was terrific, the day was fun, and K was an ANIMAL in the pool!  Seriously - it was her fourth day swimming in a row, and she was phenomenal on this day.  We had 45 minutes of her streamlined and kicking, and then we had another 25 minutes of her floating on her back and even doing some backstroke.  And most exciting - she wore her goggles the entire time!  It was like a switch just flipped or something, as this was a meteoric improvement (but don't get me wrong - that kid is doing GREAT and progressing quickly.  Her private instructor asked me on Sunday:  "How old is she?"  When I said 3, he said, "She's doing pretty good for that age."  I like him, so that's a great sign. :-)

5/29 - Baby Qberry Shower in Floyd, VA - we left CLT about 9 AM or so on this day and made the trek up to Floyd for Cousin Marc & Kim's baby shower.  Those two have been trying to have a child for several years now, and so this child is truly a rainbow baby.  We are SO excited for them and wouldn't have missed this for the world.  The party itself was great - the food was incredible (K quite liked it all), there were cows in fields, dogs swimming in ponds, wagons to ride in - you name it.  K had a BLAST running around the house, and she also loved playing Duck, Duck, Goose with her cousins!  She even got read to be one of the adults (they did a kid's story time, and K was mesmerized).  It was just a really fun day, and we spent the night with Megan's parents.  K slept in Auntie Cici's room, which was good (she did sleep all night straight through) except for the fact that she woke up like a shot at 6:30 AM and instantly started calling out, "Mommy!  Daddy!  It's morning time!  We got down there as quick as we could, and luckily they have a HUGE basement with a basquillion toys.  K played with this little farmhouse for a good hour.  It's actually been neat to watch - she's really starting to play with doll houses, farm houses, etc, and she takes great care to set each piece up.  I even noticed this in child watch on Saturday, as she was very meticulous with each piece she selected and then pondered where to place it in the house.  Too cute.

5/30 - Gout started on me the day before, but I didn't realize it until later this day.  It was a REALLY tough day for me (as I could barely walk), but K and Jenny had a blast.  K played with balloons and ran all around the cabin (she LOVED playing with the boys).  A cute story came this morning when Maurice (Megan's dad) was sitting with us down in the basement.  K decided she needed to pee, so she just grabbed ducky potty, pulled it right in the middle of all of us, dropped her drawers, and then proceeded to fill that puppy up.  Maurice said, "We might need to teach you a little about privacy."  Too funny!

Also, the sweetest moment - when K noticed I was hurting, she asked me why I was walking funny.  I told her my foot was hurting, at which point she kissed it and asked if that made it feel better.  And then, later than night when I couldn't walk back into her room to give her a final hug, she asked, "Can you crawl in, dada?"  I mean, how do you say no to that?

The Floyd Highlights:

Because you don't actually need a body of water to enjoy an inner tube.

"Asked women..."

Great shot of the "cousins..."and K in a posture of COMPLETE DEFIANCE.

Storytime with cousin Jessica - these kids were mesmerized.

Lunchtime!

And my personal favorite, henceforth known as "Life in Appalachia."

5/31 - Lifegroup Dinner - It was just the Taylor clan and the William clan, but we had a blast hanging out with them to celebrate the end of the life group semester.  K stalked Ryan the entire time, mimicking everything she did and said.  Their cutest moment was when they walked out together under a blanket like they were hiding from us.  I mean...those are pretty cute kids.  Just sayin'...

My little hippie...

...and my little princess Rapunzel.

The life group really was a tremendous experience for me.  Not only did I learn a great deal about parenting, but I also feel I've made 2 new friends right here in the neighborhood (saw Lindsey jogging today, in fact!).  Lindsey and Jenny have definitely bonded, and Lindsey has really been a prayer warrior and great source of wisdom and advice over the last few weeks.  I feel truly blessed to have been part of their life group and feel very lucky that we'll continue seeing them, both at church and around HC.

Ok, there you have it!  May was, simply put, INCREDIBLE.  There is so much more I could (and should) write, but ultimately some of it just has to remain either in my head, in the Encounter Log, or on the cutting room floor.  And since it's taken me so long to pen this one, I now have to turn my focus to starting the June blog!  I need to "pull a Joshua" and stay the sun for a bit!

That's all the news that's fit to print.  Chat soon!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

From Easter to Encounter - and all the miracles that go with it...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  3 years, 1 month, and 17 days

Family,


And a good afternoon to you from the Queen City, where the Bull is well north of a month kicking off the fourth volume of this adventure.  I have so much material that I barely know where to start, so let's get amongst it, shall we!  We'll resume just before Easter Sunday and move through April - yikes, I've got a lot of ground to cover!

Shot of the Munchkin captured by Pastor Penny on Easter Sunday.
Just...simply...perfect.  

3/23 - This was K's Easter Egg hunt at pre-school, and she was quite the cutie.  I mean, this girl ended up having something like 4 Easter Egg hunts by the time it was all said and done, all of them ending with copious amounts of chocolate added to our stash!  But the good news - we had plenty of treats for when she went potty!  Ah, every cloud has a silver lining...

3/25 - This was a big day, as K had a GREAT swim lesson.  She even swam to JT for the first time ever WITHOUT THE NOODLE!  As we'd had a few ups and downs with lessons prior to that (which is tough at $25 a pop), this was great news and definitely encouraging.  It was with this lesson that I think her bond with Ms. Sarah (the instructor) started to gel, as she always recognizes her when she goes to NOMAD now (and is still with her, as I'll get to later).

Seriously - STOP THE CUTENESS!!!

Also on this day - we started more chores with K.  We introduced some basic concepts like "don't throw your bib," "clean the bonus room before we'll let you watch a show," and "set your plate at the sink before you watch a Bible Adventure" (I got the last one about the plate from my life group).  While K was quite resistant out of the gate (especially with the bib), I've actually seen a herculean turn on this.  Speaking more than a month out, she's now GREAT about the bib and ALWAYS hands it to us.  She's also great to clean her room or whatever area we need her to focus on.  Given that she's outside a lot of the time now, we actually haven't been in the bonus room much (and hence haven't had a need to clean it), but she's been great about cleaning up her room at night when asked.  Looking back over my notes from last month, I noted that I was "worried about towing the line so as not to stifle creativity."  Judging by the fact that she's running around with a ribbon in her hair acting like she's Rapunzel, I think we're probably in the clear. :-)

3/26 - This was the big Easter Saturday blowout at Freedom House, and K had fun (most of the time, at least).  There were slides, a petting zoo, a food truck, good music, and a 10K easter egg hunt!  K was again super cute in her approach.  Rather than grabbing as many eggs as she could, she would instead grab one, walk it over to us, open it, inspect to confirm chocolate, and then either a) ask for the chocolate or b) try to open it herself.  It was truly work to get that girl back into the fray to collect more eggs!  Too cute - the difference between boys and girls...


The Prosperity Pre-School Egg Hunt Highlights:

JACKPOT!

"See these, mama?  This is chocolate for my next 12 poopies."

"High Five, Moo Moo!"

And now the Freedom House Easter Festivities:

When all else fails, just dunk the bean bag.

10 THOUSAND EASTER EGGS.  Seriously.

K sharing her Bible - too sweet.

Two tough moments from this day.  The first is that, while watching the older kids do their Easter egg hunt, K started running down our very steep hill.  She did fall, which scared her (and hurt her a bit).  I felt like a TERRIBLE parent in that moment, as I really should have been down in front of her from the outset.  I know that a part of me was wanting to ensure I didn't get injured right before my race, which basically kept me from sprinting down that Hill to catch K.  Bad form!  Luckily, all was well.

Also, as we were adjusting the curtains in her room, K accidentally fell on the case for the electric screwdriver, slicing her foot open.  I didn't realize this until we noticed blood on the curtains and the carpet!  Luckily, JT swooped her up and got her into the bathroom, where we could clean the wound and get K to calm down.  And while it was a tough 20 or so minutes, she soon was thrilled with the reality that she got to wear not one but TWO bandaids!  Seriously - she would NOT take these off for love nor money over the coming days.  We basically had to bribe her to switch them out!

Happy Easter!!!! (and yes - that's K in an apron).

3/27 - EASTER Sunday.  Given the effect that Freedom House has had on us and our lives, Easter means so much more to us now (and has really both last year and this year) than in year's past (I am speaking of my own experience, at least).  With that context, I can say that not only was it the best Easter ever from a spiritual perspective, but it was also the best Easter ever from a family perspective.  For starters, the Easter Bunny showered the munchkin with gifts...and SUGAR.  Holy Moly this kid ate well - bunny cake at lunch with Nole Nana and Grandpa, her very first full-size Cadbury egg (also courtesy of Jenny's folks - K LOVED IT), donuts at church (K was fixated once we selected one and would have done anything we asked - we're talking climb Everest without O2 on command - to secure a bite (she got several :-)).    Add in the mini Easter egg hunt in the Bonus Room (courtesy of the Easter Bunny), all the sugar she got a church, and the other presents, and K likely thought it was the best day ever.  Oh, and mom & Steve sent her an apron and some bunny ears - she wore the apron all day!  It was adorable.  No, seriously - adorable.

One thing I have to record on this day.  Multiple folks told us that K was an angel in daycare on this day, but aside from being proud that our daughter behaved, we didn't think much of it.  Fast forward to the middle of the week, when JT got a text from a friend.  One of our senior pastors had posted a picture of K on her instagram account, saying:  "This is why we do what we do."  Sure enough, there was K (in black and white), eyes closed and hands folded, praying to Jesus.  Honestly, readers - it was just about the sweetest thing I've ever seen.  AMAZING (in so many ways).

4/1 - we drove to TN this day, as Sammy the Bull was Knoxville bound to slay a dragon:  the Knoxville Covenant Health marathon.  This race had been staring me in the face, taunting me like Goliath for several years, and so several months ago I resolved that I was going to concur both the Charlotte and the Knoxville marathons within the calendar year.  To that end we left Friday morning, rolling to TN in about 5 hours.  K was good, and we went over and crashed at Nanny's after seeing moments new addition to the house.  Benny, Kay, and Charlie came over that night, and we all had pasta (Kay was running a half marathon at Bays Mountain the next day).  I have to say - Charlie was AMAZING playing with Kaitlyn.  That kid is so sweet, and he was great dancing with her, running up and down the halls with her, and just generally being really sweet.  Simply put - he's a much better kid than I was at that age.  Full marks to him.


Side note here - Kaitlyn LOVES NANNY'S HALLWAY.  Why is this important?  Because SAMMY LOVED NANNY'S HALLWAY as a kid.  Seriously - JUST LIKE ME - that girl ran up and down that hallway for the better part of 3 days.  It was like looking in the mirror watching her go up and back.  And then Charlie taught her how to bear crawl, which was even cuter.  Hilarious!

4/2 - This was Vol Nana's birthday, but like any good son, I abandoned my mother on her birthday to drive to Knoxville.  Taking it one step further, I not only abandoned mom, but I also asked her to keep Kaitlyn.  I know, I know - all class.  Jenny and I did get to see the Rice clan that night, which was great.  I had pasta, and they had steak (which was AMAZING - I had a taste).  I was also having an AFD, and Rice looked at me with utter disgust. :-)

That's right, K.  Remember that your dad was (semi) cool once.

4/3 - For the record - Sammy the Bull ran a 3:54:39, beating my expected time of 4:03 or so.  It was perfect weather, and I had a great race.  I felt strong the entire time, and finishing as part of the marathon was WAY better than finishing as part of the half, as there was no one to push you off the field after you finished.  I actually got to lay down in the end zone for about 20 minutes, just stretching, looking up at the sky, and thanking the Holy Spirit for powering me through and thanking God for the opportunity to run the race.  It was then down to Calhoun's (I had to walk about a mile), where I met JT and the Rice's for a celebratory lunch.  Talk about a perfect day!  All was well until we got back to Nanny's.  K was thrilled to see us, but as soon as she took off to run, she tripped on purse straps and fell in the kitchen.  This sent her into a dizzy that led to THE BIGGEST MELTDOWN we have ever been party to.  We are talking TWO HOURS STRAIGHT, and she was absolutely inconsolable.  It really affected Nanny, so much so that at one point mom had to give her a valium.

K with Baby James in ATL.

Looking back, I have to think it was a combination of exhaustion and fatigue (we'd been traveling for the last month), no nap that day, being away from home, being embarrassed at the fall, fighting a cold, and just the general protests that come from being a toddler.  We spanked her 4 times, put her in timeout twice, and tried honestly everything we could think of to first discipline her, and then later just calm her down.  Ultimately, she went to bed without a bath, as we knew we wouldn't be able to control her in that tub.  Mom's quote (and the look on her face) said it all:  "Wow.  You were never like that." :-)

4/4 - The drive home was actually really uneventful.  K was great - it was like the day before hadn't happened.  The cutest moment (which has continued to this day, and it's May 1 as I type this) - that night during prayer time, K requested prayer for her friends Emmi and Marlowe.  Two things to note: a) she also requests prayer for mommy, daddy, and TT, and b) lately she will pray the standard prayer ("Now I lay me down to sleep") with her eyes closed and hands folded.  However, when we start doing the prayers for her friends, she starts crawling around all over the place.  And then, when we finish, she always says, "Will you say a prayer for me?"  We consistently remind her that we just did, at which point she climbs into bed and all is well. :-)

Side note here:  lately K has refused to pray during meals.  She won't even hold our hands or fold her hands?  So we have started "laying on hands."  I peeked and notice that, while she is sitting still, she actually won't say a word and has her eyes open.  It's a rather interesting protest, and for now I'm trying to not make a big deal of it.

The next week was largely a blur, as I was in VEGAS, BABY and JT went down to Atlanta to visit Kim and James.  Bob and Jan went down with her, and by all accounts everyone had a good time (even if the sleeping arrangements weren't ideal).


4/11 - K's 3 year appointment:  I am happy to report that K got a GREAT eval from Dr. Knutson.  It was a little rocky getting into the doctor's office, as K went BESERK in the parking lot - I had to stripe her THREE TIMES between the car and the doctor's office!  The staff was great and tried to get her to smile - ultimately the bribe of a sticker helped calm her down.

She doing it by the numbers:

1.  Weight - 38 pounds (90th percentile)

2.  Height 3 feet, 8 inches high (75th percentile)

3.  BMI - 85th percentile (DIESEL, BABY)

4.  Blood Pressure - 100/52 (it was adorable to watch them take it).  And while I know it's early, I was THRILLED to see those kind of numbers in my child!  I hope and pray she gets Jenny's BP!

Now the qualitative - Dr. Knutson said that she was doing great and was very healthy.  K was shy and didn't answer many of her questions (which is hilarious because she'd already answered all of them with Jenny beforehand), but Dr. Knutson knew how to get her to do certain things to confirm learning, aptitude, and overall health.  The funniest part of the whole thing - they asked K to get undressed and offered her a gown.  However, since she didn't want to wear it, she just took off her clothes and was naked when Dr. Knutson came in.  Her response:  "You can wear panties if you want." :-)  Guess we didn't need her to be a jaybird.  :-)

One interesting piece of advice from Dr. Knutson as we talked about discipline - let her win on occasion.  Discipline has obviously been a recurring theme in recent posts, and I'm even reading a book and participating in a life group about how to be the best parent possible in terms of disciplining and teaching K how to behave.  This advice resonated with me, as coming into that moment a) K had been really tough to deal with lately, and b) I had been feeling a lot like a dictator in the house.  Walking out of there, I did soften my stance a bit, and I will say that the last 3 or so weeks have been much better.  I am trying to give K a bit more freedom, capitulate on issues/items that don't really matter, and make her feel that she does have more influence and control on her life.  Now she's been tough today and yesterday, so perhaps that's starting to backfire.  Only time will tell. :-)

In looking at some of my other notes, I saw another reference to 4/11 that I'll record her - I said, "It's like a switch has flipped, and my daughter is very sweet again."  Another thing that I noticed around this time (and am still noticing) is that K's coordination has improved markedly.  She's becoming a much better jumper, and her hand-eye coordination seems really fantastic (much like both of her grandfathers).  K does a really good job catching balloons and balls, but she is LIGHTS OUT good at catching animals in her room at night. I usually through 5 or 6 at her in the evenings (some lofted, some quick, etc), and she catches almost all of them on the first go-around.  And if she does miss one, she throws it back to me - with her LEFT hand!  At this point, I'm pretty sure she's a lefty, as she uses that to eat, throw, etc.  Oh yeah, baby!

Going beyond coordination, K is using bigger words now and actually starting to have real conversations.  She's eating more at meal times, she's smiling a lot more.  It's just as if she's matured overnight!  And the favorite game (of which I have some terrific video) - K will ride in her cozy coupe while JT rides the joybay.  They race down the cul de sac, and they hit some hilarious bumps along the way!  The first couple of times it really stressed me out, as I was afraid K was going to go flying.  However, knowing that she needs to cultivate that sense of adventure, I tried to just let it all happen.  I'm pleased to report that all is still well and all body parts are still intact.  Plus, the racing game is really, REALLY cute. :-)

4/12 - The morning started great with a dry diaper, but she went into meltdown .00000007 seconds later because the pee she'd left in froggy potty the night before was no longer there (JT had rightly dumped it the night before).  Side note on this - it's AMAZING to watch that kid's memory in action. Before she goes to sleep, she always says, "Can we (insert whatever book or activity you want here) after I wake up?"  We will say yes, and even if it's nighttime and she sleeps 12 hours, it will be THE FIRST THING she asks for upon waking.  Truly incredible!

So other things to note that really kicked off on this day:

1.  "Watch this, dada."  So K is now saying this ALL THE TIME.  I'd always noticed other kids saying it (usually older than her), but she's now joined the club.  Consequently, Jenny and I have had to start saying, "I will sweetheart, but mommy and daddy are talking."  I view this as a good thing, as it gives us an opportunity to teach her about the importance of not interrupting.  The biggest thing K likes for me to watch?  Her taking a cup in the bath and turning it into a "waterfall."  Too cute - have I mentioned how much I love this kid?

2.  "Why?"  That's right, sports fans - THIS HAS STARTED.

4/13 - I had this written down as "The end of Ducky Potty?", as K pretty much only uses the adult toilet these days.  It's amazing, as she's now tall enough to shimmy onto the seat and do her business. Now granted, she still LOVES froggy potty, but Ducky Potty is a bit hit or miss and is now more often used as the stool for the sink in the powder room.  That being said, he's still around (was used twice today, in fact).

This day was amazing because, for the first time ever, I basically watched K do the entire bathroom ritual herself.  She used her chin to hold her dress, allowing her to get her pants all the way down (I had to turn her since she as already on the stool, but that was it).

The highlight on this day was after she poopied downstairs.  Her quote:  "I'm steamer dropping in the boom boom room!"  LOVE THAT KID!


Group Lesson Highlights:

Ms. Sarah taking her out to practice kicks.

The noodle, baby!

K learning to float.

4/14 - This was K's first group swim lesson, and I'm pleased to report that she did GREAT!  She was able to enroll with the same person who did her individual lesson, which I think was a big help.  Through in the fact that Ms. Sarah a) has stickers, b) has stamps, and c) that K now has a Sharky kick board, and you've got an aqua devil in training!  Seriously - it was a hit.  There is obviously some waiting around, but by and large it was great for K, as she got some water time AND learned about kicking by watching other kids.

4/15 - ENCOUNTER.  Ok, so I want you to prepare for this section.  If you're not sitting down (can't think of why you wouldn't be), then please do, as I'm about to switch out of historian mode and share something much more emotional - my testimony.  As we've alluded to earlier, Freedom House has changed this home and our lives in ways beyond imagination or description (Volume III was dedicated to them).  This day marked the next moment in that miraculous (truly) journey.  I have jotted down the notes in my "Encounter Journal," which is where I have started recording moments where I've experienced God.  And while there have been many encounters, this one must be recorded for posterity.

So to set the scene:  last year Jenny and I started going to Freedom House and in the summer agreed to give 10% of our income to charity.  We did NOT at the time plan to give 10% to the church, but rather a mixture of the church  and the charities we support.  Less than a month after that decision, I got a new job and a 10% raise.  To quote Pastor Troy:  But God.

At the start of 2016, we decided to tithe 10% directly to the church.  At the time, the church was doing something called the "90 day tithe challenge."  The premise was this - you tithe for 90 days, and if you don't see a miracle in your life, the church will refund your entire tithe.  We didn't sign up for this, as I personally didn't like the idea of anyone (especially God) thinking that my tithe was conditional upon him giving me something (as we are already blessed beyond measure).  However, after THE FIRST TITHE, I received my bonus letter, and it was the biggest incentive I'd ever received.  But God.

Fast forward through our second tithe - we completed our taxes, and the refund was THE BIGGEST ONE WE'D EVER RECEIVED.  Again - the money given away continued to find its way back to us. But God.

And while all that was amazing, it was nothing - NOTHING - compared to what happened next.

Fast forward to April 15 - this was the 90th day from our 1st tithe (we tithed auto-draft on the 15th of
every month), and it was also the night of evening worship at our church called Encounter.  It was also supposed to be the day Jenny got her period...but it never came.   That's right, sports fans - I will record it more going forward back in the chronology, but I needed it said here for everyone to see:  GOD HAS BLESSED US WITH ANOTHER BABY!!!!!!!  Three miscarriages, all the efforts trying to do it on our own, but ultimately we just needed to realize that you have to step back and give it all to God.  As James says:  "Every good and perfect gift is from above."  We went to church that night hopeful - oh, so hopeful.  And as each day has passed, it has become more and more amazing.  I could go on and on and on here, but let me continue with the story, as it just gets better and better.

4/16 - stepping back into the day to day, K climbed onto our potty today and went!  It was another day of great conversation, and you can tell that her imagination is really starting to come to life.  It's funny, when we don't have something available or we tell her she can't do something, she'll usually say, "Can we pretend (insert whatever here)?"  I actually read to her for 90 minutes today, so we had some GREAT father/daughter bonding time.    Also, today we decided to start the new game of "not sucking our thumb," and Jenny mentioned that there could be prizes involved should she break free.  Truth be told, I've seen a HUGE change so far - she's not sucking her thumb watching TV anymore, which is DEFINITELY a step in the right direction.  I even watched her start sucking her thumb once but then quickly take it out, and now I'm seeing that, if you mention it to her when she's doing it, she instantly quits (unless she's trying to be obstinate, at which point she just looks at you :-)).  More to come, but as I type this I give Jenny a TON of credit for moving the dial so quickly on this one. And the other big activity today (other than the first ever food truck rally over by Bi-Lo) - K actually opened the fridge by herself!  It's amazing to see how strong this kid's getting.  At night when we are cleaning her room, it is hilarious to watch her carry mountains of books.  And some nights she'll carry a basket full of stuff that weighs more than she does - too cute!

Stepping into the miraculous on this day, Jenny did a pregnancy test.  And again - it was something out of a movie.  She did the test, but nothing appeared. We were surprised, but simply put we REFUSED to believe that she wasn't pregnant.  Sure enough - JT went back upstairs a bit later to do something else, and...wait for it....wait for it....THERE WERE FAINT DOUBLE LINES!!!!  It should be noted that JT has since tried it again, and the lines were DARK.  Amazing.  Simply.  Just.  Amazing.

4/17 - The day started with church, and after service we went to meet Carrie Griffin (she'd emailed us another another topic, and we said we'd introduce ourselves).  Side note on this - Mike and Carrie Griffin are FH leaders, and I view them as role models for me and Jenny.  Mike actually works at Bank of America, so his ability to be such a leader in the church and in business is truly inspiring, and suffice it to say we hold them in very high esteem.  Well, Carrie had asked for stories about tithing, and Jenny had replied with the new job and the bonus check stories. However, that day, as we were talking about it with her, I just felt the Lord tell me, "Tell Carrie about the baby."  And so, throwing caution to the wind, I did.  At that point the dam just broke - Jenny was crying, I was fighting it back, and all the emotion just spilled out.  Carrie (who really is amazing), gave us some very practical advice:  "Just start praying right now - speak life over your wife and your baby."  And readers - that's what Jenny and I have tried to do.  Ever since that moment, we have tried to be positive and speak only life, remembering the words of James when he says "the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much" (5:16).  Carrie added us to her prayer list, and I can't tell you what a lift that gave us - knowing that people whom you hold in high regard are praying for you and for the miracle for which you are believing.

On the K side, I got to see her swim that afternoon, and she was a ROCK STAR!  Seriously - that girl is treading water like a beast and even went 50 yards by herself with her kick board!  One thing that's been cute to watch (I jotted it down this day) - whenever she gets home, she instantly takes off her shoes and says, "Can you 'mell my 'tinky feet?"  We then bend over and smell each of them, yelling "PEEEE-YEW!!!!!!" as we smell each one.  She loves it!

K reciting "Disney Frozen" - in plank.  Standard.

Also, she can now recite THE ENTIRE FROZEN BOOK from Aunt Kim - AMAZING.  We've got it on video, and it's just the cutest thing ever - especially her pronunciation of "king and queen."

4/20 - the creation of the prayer team:  So I'd had life group the night before, and when folks asked about prayer, I mentioned Jenny, but only in the capacity of being confident in her testimony and when praying for others in Peru.  Lindsey (one of the life group leaders) said that she definitely wanted to talk to Jenny, as she had some ideas that she thought might help.  Knowing that Jenny would absolutely welcome counsel, I told her to text her whenever.  The next day (4/20), Lindsey texted her and invited her over, and they had a bit of a play date.

During that session (at the duck pond), Jenny told Lindsey about the pregnancy.  Lindsey suggested that she tell just a small group who would pray for her.  I am now calling this group (which is about 8 deep plus me and Jenny) the pray warriors, as there is NO DOUBT that their love and prayers are helping us right now.  I mean, Jenny's belly is growing, she's got the little hard spot, and she's sneezing all the time (which apparently comes from increased levels of estrogen and progesterone).  All good signs!  Plus she's been whipped lately (as have I), which everyone says happens with number 2!

4/21 - I actually went to the swim lesson this time, and it was AMAZING to watch how much she's improved.  the instructor said that, if she can get her face in the water and blow bubbles, she'll move up to the next level (she's currently a rubber ducky, questing after the title of little froggy).  Best of all, K seems to really, really like it.  That does my heart good, as it's such good exercise, is low impact, and is something that she can carry with her all her days.

4/22 - this was the next pregnancy test, and those lines were DARK, BABY!!!!!  BOOYAH!!!!

4/23 - I was in Wild, Wonderful West VA with dad and Pattie this weekend, but Jenny and K went down to Mindy and Craig's to hang out.  It was K's first sleepover, and the girls LOVED IT!  Seriously -the photos were just too cute, and Jenny said it was a riot.  She said the first night the girls just kept talking to each other and laughing, and then the second night they were jumping on the bed and just screeching with excitement about getting to sleep in the same bed and same room.  They played on slides, in pools, went to bakeries, had a cookout - I mean, it was EPIC!  Jenny also had to refuse wine, which meant that two more prayer warriors got added to the team!

Sleepover Highlights:

First Sleepover!!!!

Someone's excited...

I mean...WHO IS SUPERVISING THESE KIDS?!?!?!

CANNONBAAAAAAAAALL!!!!!

Hayden's ride is a little fancier than our cozy coupe.

4/25 - JT went down for blood work at the Bradford clinic on this day.  The original plan was to test her for both progesterone and check her HCG levels, but we decided against the second test.  Honestly, HCG levels do nothing but stress a person out (at least that's been our experience), and truth be told we knew that we didn't need to inspect it.  God has blessed us with a miracle, and we are speaking life into this child.  As part of the removal of self doubt, we declined the test.  I am SO HAPPY we made that decision.

4/28 - K had a great swim lesson today.  So good in fact, that SHE TESTED OUT!!!  That's right, sports fans - our girl is no longer a rugby ducky.  She's now a little froggy!  BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE!!!!  The bad news is that she'll no longer be with Ms. Sarah, but the good news is that she's progressing and seems really excited about the next level.  She'll start with Mr. Ryan on her next lesson (tomorrow!).  Not sure if I mentioned it above, but it's been really cute watching her figure out about all the different levels.  There's a huge sign when you enter NOMAD showing all the levels, and lately she's been asking Jenny if she's going to move up and go through all those levels.  She was genuinely excited about the prospect of testing out, and you could tell in our last swim before the group lesson that she was really trying hard to get her stroke down, put her face in the water, and all that jazz.  Exciting!

Test out time, Dada!

Just like Michael Phelps - game face on, listening to L'il Wayne.

Guess who just tested out of Rubber Duckies!!!!
I'm so proud of my Little Froggy!!!!

Side note - K started to push some of her boundaries again this day.  We've let things slide a bit lately, but I fear it's time to start holding firm on the limits again.  She's been given some additional power and freedom, and you can tell that she's starting to try and flex her muscle.  Oh well, that's part of it, right? :-)

4/27 - "Excellent."  This single word was what Dr. Bowles used to describe JT's progesterone levels when they sent us the results back.  JT was not only in the normal range but was very high in the normal range, and Dr. Bowles sent us only that single word in her comments.  AMAZING!!!!!  That was HUGE news for Jenny and a HUGE MIRACLE (as it all has been), as the relief on her face was palpable.   Following on from here - the change in Jenny has been incredible since this news.  Not just physically (which is very noticeable already at this point), but she really has cast self-doubt aside.  She is embracing the joy and the miracle, and her excitement is infectious.  Add in how well training has gone for my race and all the funds that Jenny has raised for Peru (in addition to a million other miracles), and you've got a recipe for one seriously happy family.

Also, the night before we had prayed again about speaking life into our little miracle.  Well, not only were the test results the answer to a prayer, but Jenny also started having uterus cramps again (a sign of expansion).  Jenny had started to get worried about a lack of symptoms, and so this was another blessing.

The last week has been a lot of fun, even if challenging at times.  K's definitely fighting an infection (the snot's been green), but by and large she's been able to stay very active.  She's starting to paint more and really enjoying that (she LOVES to pain the characters from Rapunzel - especially the "mean mother").  She's also playing with the play-doh more and getting better at making shapes, squeezing stuff through one of the apparatuses, and just handling the putty in general.

And since her hand eye coordination has been improving, we actually started playing a little "baseball" in the driveway on May Day.  Now, when I say baseball, I mean we threw a beach ball to her, and she used a toy broom as a bat.  That being said, she still seemed to enjoy it. :-)

Oh, and tonight's prayer request was one for the ages:  "Can we pray for Emmi and Marlowe and Mommy and TT and Daddy and this bed?"  I mean, at least I came before the bed.  That's worth something...

K at Liberty 2016.

Thinking about the month in general, it's been miraculous to say the least!  On the K front, she's starting to brush her teeth a lot better, is getting more creative, and seems to be responding to the increased freedom positively for the most part (i.e. she likes running up the stairs when we get home and playing by herself for a bit).  She is LOVING Rapunzel right now - we basically watch it every night before dinner, starting at the "boat scene" where they send the lanterns in the air.  We then dance to the song at the end as a family - it's pretty darn cute (and I need to learn the words).  Oh, and another sign of her creativity - she's got a pink ribbon that she holds to her head all the time and pretends is her seventy feet of Rapunzel's hair - too cute!  But more than that on the imagination front, she's doing a lot of "can we pretend this is... (insert whatever here)?"  LOVE THAT KID!

And on the Baby T front - I mean, what more is there to say?  A. MIRACLE. HAS. HAPPENED.  We are just so blessed and so amazed and so thankful right now.  I'm trying to take in every second - with Jenny, with the pregnancy, and with the Munchkin.  The house is just on fire with life and energy right now, and I've never felt better.

Okay - MAN, it feels good to get all that committed to the server.  That's all the news that's fit to print.  Chat soon!

Love,

Sam and Jenny