Who Says White People Can't Dance??

Yesterday, I got on Facebook and found out that our worship pastor had posted this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTBdqs5wipo

His comment was "This is Chris as a five year old."

Other people then posted their comments like "I bet this is the dance that Chris and Emilie did when they got to bring Charis home."

You guessed it. We are secretly thinking of auditioning for "So You Think You Can Dance." Be sure to look for us next season. :)

The Jury Is Out...

Charis posing with Chris' baby picture and my baby picture
Charis at three weeks
Mckinley at three weeks


I think the number one question around our house is "So, who does Charis look like?"
Some days I think that she looks just like Chris, and others I think maybe, just maybe she looks like me. What do you think?

Mckinleyisms...

Life has definitley been an adjustment over the past week. Charis is a great baby. She sleeps all the time! Mckinley was in shock when she came home from school to find such a sweet surprise. Things were going great until she realized that I actually had to care for Charis too. Here are some of the things that she has said this week that have really given us all a good laugh.

1. Mckinley to me as I am holding Charis "Put her down mom. It's my turn to eat."
2. Mckinley to Charis as she is crying "It's okay sweetheart. Mommy pix (she can't say the letter "f") you."
3. Mckinley to me when I asked if she wanted a spanking (she has been asked that NUMEROUS times this week: "It's okay mommy, I don't do spankings."
4. Mckinley to both of us as we were trying to get her to bed: "I need go to the hospital. My nose is broken, (meaning she couldn't breathe out of it).
5. Mckinley to Charis the first time she saw her (Charis was still in NICU at this point): "What in her nose?," referring to the feeding tube the poor thing had to have for a week and a half.
6. Mckinley telling other people what is wrong with her Aunt Sarah "Her lung broke. So she in hospital." Sarah got admitted this week for a pulmonary embolism. Good times!!
7. Mckinley to Chris when he told her that he loved her "Okay dad. I lub you for thirty minutes."
8. Mckinley talking about bugs: "I don't wike bugs. Their diculous (ridiculous)."

Life sure is fun with two girls!! :)

Recent Happenings...

Mckinley getting ready to go into her class!
Chris and Mckinley getting ready to eat Thai Pepper!
Our little peanut getting ready for her ride home!
Leaving the hospital!


So much has happened since my last post! Wow!!

The last post attempt (which includes only a title) is in reference to the fact that Mckinley started Parent's Day Out this summer. My title was going to say "Parent's Day Out is not supposed to equal sleep deprivation." But it did. Not for Mckinley. But for me.

The first few times were really rough for both of us. She cried so hard on the way to school. Then she went through every member of our family that she thought would come to her rescue. She would yell out "I need Gigi, I need Grammy, I need,"..well, you get the picture. Her "school" as she calls is, took a two week break in between the summer and fall session. This week she started back, and she was not too thrilled. However, I am in need of a break because of the newest addition to our family.

Charis was not supposed to arrive until September 3, 2009. However, she is already showing us that she has a mind of her own. On August 10, 2009, I started having really bad contractions. I didn't really think much of it since I had all ready had experienced this during my pregnancy. It was around 11:00 a.m., and Chris and Mckinley were both requesting ice cream (from two different places.) Chris had a legitimate reason for wanting a milkshake because he had three teeth filled that morning (communication was definitely interesting;)). So, we all piled in the car, and drove to ChicFilA and Sheridan's House (as Mckinley calls it...she really thinks a girl named Sheridan lives there and makes all the frozen custard!). On the way home, I could hardly drive because I was in so much pain. I came home and called the doctor. I had to leave a message. I waited for a hour, and didn't hear anything. At that point, I felt like a bomb had gone off in my stomach. Chris talked me in to going to the hospital, so we grabbed a few things and left. The only thing I remember about the car ride is waiting at a light at the Marsha Sharp Freeway for approximately 92 minutes, and the fact that we parked in the wrong place so I had to walk at least a mile to get to the Family Birthing Center. Lovely. We got checked in, and they hooked me up to some machines. We then found out that I was having contractions every three minutes.

After about 12 hours of labor, I was finally wheeled into the O.R. for a c-section. Chris and I were both excited and nervous. Charis arrived at 11:18 p.m.. She was 4pounds and 11oz, and 17 and half inches long. She was immediately rushed to NICU because she was not breathing properly. After two long weeks in the NICU, we finally got to bring our sweet baby home. I could not be more thankful for the Lord's great faithfulness through this entire experience. There were times during the past two weeks that both Chris and I were reminded that we are not in control of our life. While our daughter was in great hands with doctors and nurses, we knew that the only one who could see us through this time was our Heavenly Father. We prayed, and we asked others to pray. Now, thanks to answered prayers, we are home as a family of four. I couldn't be more excited and blessed.

Parent

The Tale of a Pastor Super Hero....

I just realized that it has been about six weeks since I posted last. Opps! I don't even know where the time has gone. All I know is that it has gone somewhere...FAST! April and May were packed with Easter, a visit from Gigi, a sonogram letting us know baby number two is a girl ( sooo pumped about that!! :)), the last Life House meetings for a month, and of course the annual couple trip that Chris and always take in May. 

This year his parents built a lake house on Possum Kingdom Lake, so we decided to take full advantage. Mckinley was packed up and shipped off with Grammy to Uncle Beau and Aunt Kimbo's house. While there, I am sure that she had a grand revelation that they are going to be much cooler parents than the ones that the Lord has blessed her with. Chris and I loaded up the car, and left on Sunday after church. We arrived and were so excited about our week of rest. The first two days consisted of eating, laying out by the pool, reading, and napping. We also managed to squeeze in a trip to Fort Worth to shop and eat. It was great to go back since we had not been there in almost two years. It was during all of this "relaxation time," that I realized why in the world my parents enrolled me in a three week camp every summer. I mean don't get me wrong, I had the time of my life at camp. However, it was totally a vacation FOR THEM! How thoughtful!

Anyhow, on Tuesday night, Chris and I watched a movie and then got ready for bed. We both feel asleep faster than could blink. Exactly four hours later, I awoke to SOMETHING making noise outside. Now, I am the lightest sleeper I know. And I am ultra paranoid person at night as well. Perfect combination. I know. So, I laid there for a minute listening to see if I would hear it again. I have learned to not wake Chris up, and go make him check the house unless I am absolutely positive that we are under attack. So, there I am with my eyes as wide as they would go, and my ears listening for a hint of anything. All of the sudden, I hear it again. My heart is pounding. Thankfully, I look over and the noise woke Chris up too. "What was that?" He asked. "I have no idea." We keep laying there. Waiting. It happens again. Now, me and my man have talked about, sermon illustrated, and thought about this exact scenario millions of times. Chris looked at me and said "you stay here, and don't move." He rolled off the bed, hit the floor, and popped back up with his assault rifle. He crept up to the door, and popped around the corner like he was going in for the kill. He walks down the hall, gun in his arms, and the trigger ready to be pulled. Out into the living room, where he promptly turns on EVERY light that exists on the property. He then circles the living room 1.2 million times, stopping at every window to see if the intruder is visible. Finally, he comes back in the bedroom to find me asleep on the bed. "Em, why are you asleep? Aren't you worried?" He asked. "Well, you're the one with the gun, and its not like I can take someone down by myself." I responded. So, like any protector, he spent the next three hours of his life circling the house, aiming, and making sure that ANY intruder that was possibly interested in coming in the house would loose interest real fast. 

The next day, he called to tell his parents about his first hand " ranch experience." "I mean, it had to be something big, " he said. "At first, I thought it could be a person, but what person would stick around after I turned all the lights on, and they saw the size of my pecks? So, then I narrowed it down to an animal. I am thinking a fox, mountain lion, maybe even a bear. "

So, that's when my instinct kicked in. "Let's go look for footprints," I said. So, we checked the entire perimeter of the house to find nothing. "I am pretty sure a mountain lion would leave some sort of mark." "Well, whatever it was, it had to be big because of all the noise it made," he replied. For the next two nights, we didn't hear a thing. His parents came to stay at the house the day we left, and they narrowed our intruder down to, you guessed it, a possum or a raccoon. Hence the name Possum Kingdom Lake. 

Oikos part II

This past weekend, Chris did his final series on Oikos. He talked about the importance of embracing the circle of people that are in your life. The group of friends, family, and neighbors you are surrounded by aren't by mistake. Rather, as some people put it, you might be the "only Jesus they ever see." 

I totally take this opportunity way too lightly. I guess my main struggle would be that I stay at home with Mckinley, so I feel like my "circle" is limited. However, after doing some thinking, I realized that the Lord has still placed so many people in my life for a very specific reason. However, I also realized that I need to be more intentional about making use of the opportunities that He entrusts me with. I am so thankful for reminders from the Lord. 

On a much lighter note, I think that I experienced one of the most embarrassing moments in my life this past weekend. My face probably looked identical to the picture of Mckinley. So, I thought it was an appropriate illustration for the story. So, the service was about to end, and I knew that I had some cash I wanted to place in the offering box. I had Mckinley in my lap, and so I reached for my purse. I dug around until I found my extremely large black expand a file that encases all of my cash for the month. I always put my tithe money in the very front pocket. So, without really looking at what I was grabbing, I reached into what I thought was the very first pocket, and pulled out the money. The service ended, and I gathered up Mckinley, myself, and all of stuff. We started making our way towards Chris, and passed the offering box. I quickly took my cash, and dropped it in the box. As I was doing this, I noticed that there were several large bills that I was pretty sure was not in my tithe money. I immediately walked over and pulled out Mr. Expanda-file. That's when I made the discovery. I had accidentally placed our grocery money in the tithe box. Oh no!! So, I made my way over to Chris, and told him what happened. His compassion level equaled about zero. He told me to go talk to Justin, the executive pastor. So, I found him, and asked him if there was any way I could switch out the money. Of course it ended up being no problem, but I still felt incredibly embarrassed. I guess you could say that is ONE of the major downfalls of the cash-only system. I am glad that I was able to experience it first hand. 

First Name Basis...

Mckinley and her grown-up self has decided that it would be best if she called Chris and me by our first names. Every morning she wakes up and asks for "Chris." When she needs me, she yells "EM!!" Also, if we are really annoying her (say with persistent tickling), she will boldly declare "stop babe!" I think that she got this from me as this is my normal response to Chris when he is bothering me. Too funny. 

She has also decided that jelly beans may be the Lord's greatest invention. She can't get enough. 

This past weekend, we ended up going to see my mom for a really quick trip (I mean less than 48 hours.) It reminded of me when I was in college, and I thought it was fun to be in the car that much over the span of three days. Anyhow, we had so much fun. We stayed at Gigi's country house, and went to a huge antique show on Saturday. Mckinley did great (minus the part of her rolling on top of me one night as I slept on the lower trundle bed.) She also received a carrot baseball bat from an ever so gracious Gigi. Mckinley thought this was the perfect spanking tool, so she looked for the perfect target. She picked none other than... GIGI. You can't give a two year old a bat, and expect them not to swing it. Even if it is as a "spanking." 

I am doing great. I am seventeen weeks pregnant. I can't believe that it has gone by this fast. I am so thankful that the Lord has provided a really easy pregnancy! What a blessing. We find out in another three weeks if we are having a boy or a girl. I think either one would be so much fun! 

Chris is gearing up for this years Easter celebration at church. The weekend will consist of an Easter egg drop, and four services. I am so excited to see what the Lord does that weekend. I know that it will be so great. The Lord keeps reminding me that He has gone before us and prepared the way. Where would we be without Him??? 

I hope everyone is doing just wonderful!! :)

Reckless Driver!

I am fearing the day this girl turns sixteen. 

Mckinley's fashion advice....

Me to Mckinley: "Mckinley, is your daddy fine?"

Mckinley: "NO!"

Me: "Mckinley, is your daddy hot?"

Mac: "NO!, and his jacket is ugly too!"

I almost fell over from laughter when she said this. Chris pretended like he didn't care. However, five minutes later he took his jacket off. :) 

6,7,8....

These are Mckinley's favorite numbers to say out loud. I have tried one million times to work on 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. For some reason, she just doesn't think these numbers have any worth.  So, she goes around the house all day long say 6, 7, 8 as loud as she can. Good times. :)

We have not really been up to much else. We found out in December that we are expecting again. We are so excited and nervous all at the same time. Everyday I ask Mckinley if she wants a brother or a sister, and she responds with "baby Jesus." Seeing as that is not an option, I am hoping that she will cope well with the major change that is about to take place in her life. I think it is going to be so interesting. I know that she will be a great big sister. I am sure that she is hoping that her new sibling will have a "teachable spirit." 

Mckinley spends most of her days changing shoes approximately one million times. Talking on the phone (for real or pretend), making every activity into a form of chase, and putting on "make-goat." 

Today, one of her friends came over to play. Her name is Emmie, and they seriously have a grand time. Well, Jennifer ( her mom) and I were sitting in our living room while the girls played in Mckinley's room. All of the sudden, Emmie ran in and shouted "Mama, Kinley pooped!!" So, we both automatically got up to run into Mckinley's room. When I walked in the room I found Mckinley standing in the corner with no diaper on. This immediately made me nervous. So I looked around the room, and saw a dirty diaper clear on the other side of the room. Jennifer and I died laughing. We have no idea how Mckinley got her diaper off. I guess that means we have two really creative two year old's on our hands. 

We hope everyone is doing just fabulous!! Talk to you soon!