No Words

I'm TOTALLY in LOVE with this little baby lady... and her dad isn't too bad either. Gosh how did i get SO blessed. 

Thank. You. Jesus! 

Love The Weekends

We had a great weekend visit with my parents we went to Branson and it was my mom's first time to see the lights along with my sister and step dad. Olivia LOVES SDC this year and LOVES Santa! It's a BIG change from last year when she did not want to even be close to him! 

Here's a few pictures from Saturday :) 

Taking her picture with Santa and telling me what she wants for Christmas <3 

We have been working on getting some traditions for the holidays all together of stuff we will be able to do with both of our kiddos next year I'll have to share those ideas and fun things we have been doing this year so far! Kids make life so much fun!! :)

Hope everyone had an awesome weekend <3

Every Shooting Star Needs a Wish

Last night was a moment I hope Olivia treasures for a long time, I know her daddy and I sure will. We decided to go lay out a blanket and watch the meteor shower... After laying out there together we decided to come in and get Olivia. It's SO amazing the LITTLE things God's gives us to show us the PRECIOUS things in life... Olivia was AMAZED by all the shooting stars and how many wishes she got to make... She was in AH... and it was such an amazing moment to just sit and reflect on how much she has grown and how PRECIOUS our time is with our babies because they grow up oh so fast.

After last nights event and just listening and watching her with her daddy and taking in the moment I shed a few happy tears of how blessed we have been since the day she was born my little miracle baby who is now sooo smart and kind and growing TOOO fast.

Today's tragedy in the elementary school really made my night I had last night that much more special to me we are never promised tomorrow. I can NOT even begin to imagine the feelings the aching the mourning that is going on in Conn. It breaks my heart into pieces thinking of each precious baby who lost their life today. Innocent children who just wanted to learn and go home to play and love on their parents have gone to heaven to be with our amazing God...  Just like that it happened. Where are we safe anymore? It's scary and really makes you spot and think.. I held it together today at work until i got home and started listening to some of the news stories especially from other teachers and it just broke me down and all i could do was cry and hold my sweet Olivia and pray to God to keep her safe always.  And to provide comfort for the families who have lost an innocent baby :(

I'm very heavy hearted about this situation and I'm praying and praying for this country.

Martha Vs. Mary Preparation Vs. Purpose

This past weekend was full of fun. I went to my annual DC Christmas Tea party with all the girlies. I got to get all dressed up, be served, and listen to some funny improv and Tosha speak. I look forward to this night all year long just a night to myself to chit chat with friends and forget about all the crazy Christmas stuff that needs to be done although this year has seemed a lot less stressful.


 Saturday we did our annual CAC volunteering it's so nice to be able to go and teach Olivia the meaning of helping others and it not always be about us but others. Also on Sunday our Angel Trees at church we got to get two kiddos off of it and Olivia helped Jeff wrap up the kiddos presents and we talked about how we would be helping the kiddos who aren't as fortunate as others and they would love their presents we picked out. She got SO excited and she doesn't even mind we have a ton of presents under our tree and only two belong to her (grandparents spoil her, so we go easy on gifts)

Our sermon at church Sunday stood out to me and I wanted to share a little from what was talked about along with the podcast if you are interested in listening our sermons are posted each week.

The sermon was about Martha and Mary **Luke 10: 38-42

At the Home of Martha and Mary

³⁸ As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴² but few things are needed—or indeed only one.^[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Preparations are okay as long as they don't distract you from the Purpose.

Quit telling Jesus what He needs to do and Listen to what He might be trying to tell us.

1. The Purpose is the Presence of Jesus
   * Luke 10:42 "There is only one thing" Matthew 6 "Seek first the kingdom of God"
2. You Control What Controls YOU
3. Prioritize the Presence of Christ

Who are you more like? Are there things we can change?
It was interesting after church to sit down and talk with my husband about how we think our lives are compared to this and how we do with Olivia on prioritizing the things we do. We are def. blessed.

Podcast:

Preparation Vs. Purpose

Jesus Put a Baby In MY Belly

In the sweet words of Olivia, "Jesus put a baby in my mommy's belly-because we prayed for it" It is the sweetest words that have ever come out of her mouth that she understands that Jesus provided for us. He led me to get a procedure done and gave us the finances to pay for this surgery to only find out the next month we were blessed with a little bitty baby sister or brother. What an AWESOME God!

After trying for almost a year a half and praying and praying in GOD's TIME-- He provided us with the chance to have another little Rawson. I am SO SO thankful.


I found out on October 11, 2012. It was a Thursday and Olivia had been getting sick all morning since we had taken Jeff to the airport to go on a work trip to California. We said our goodbyes and Olivia did not like this much at all, but daddy promised as soon as he arrived he would call. Well in the time it took him to get to California i realized i hadn't started my period for the month (even tho i had taken a digital pregnancy test on Monday and it was negative and I had a huge pitty party and was so upset) I decided since i hadn't started and i was kinda feeling yucky I would take another test just to be sure. Well when i went back to the bathroom I had a flooded of emotions come over me as i read the test PREGNANT. I couldn't believe it I screamed, cried, and laughed and then realized the one person i wanted to call was on an AIRPLANE!!


I couldn't believe it so i went back to the store and bought the ones with lines just to double check and sure enough that test was NOT lying! I thanked God over and over and over for this blessing i just couldn't believe it. When Jeff finally landed in Cali he said he was going to go to the beach and let us see the ocean and how pretty it was so i knew i had to come up with a plan to be able to tell him about the baby while he was sitting on the beach in a beautiful place that God had made.


Here's how we told Daddy even tho Olivia didn't find out then.... We waited to tell her because she's not very good at keeping secrets ;)

On November 13, 2012 we took Olivia to Ultrasona, which is a place other than the dr you can go to to get your ultrasounds done and they allow your children to come in and get to experience the blessing with you. She had no idea where we were and when i got up on the table and she started scanning my belly and our little bitty baby Rawson popped up on the screen the girl explained to her what it was and everything it was one of the MOST blessed times in my whole life just watching her face light up. We even got some pictures of Baby Rawson to bring home and no worries Olivia made sure she carried them and kept saying it's "my baby" As we were walking out of the clinic Olivia turns to me and says "Mommy Jesus put a baby in your belly and I'm not sad no more-- I'm SO happy are you too mommy" and I'm pretty sure I may have shed a tear along with Daddy it was the sweetest thing she has ever said and it is forever in my heart! She is SO excited to be a BIG sister!

Thankful

I am SUPER stoked to be heading home in just a WEEK to celebrate Thanksgiving! I LOVE being able to go spend time with family and enjoy some good ol' food :) YUM-O! I'm SO thankful we are able to travel and go see our parents and get to hang out for the weekend and of course can't forget to the thankful to have a girls shopping night/day on Black Friday.... We are never really after anything particular but always have SO stinkin' much FUN!! And this year my sister is going to come too which is SUPER exciting!!! :)

I have SO much to be thankful for this year as i look back over the year and the last few years things are looking amazing for my little family... The thing I'm MOST thankful for this year is my JOB. Although there are times when it's frustrating and times it's trying... I am SOOOO super blessed to be able to work part time and be a mommy which to me is the BEST job anyone could EVER have. I get to go to work with Olivia and then we also get days we get to stay at home and enjoy each other which is awesome and i am forever grateful that i have this opportunity. There is nothing more important to me than my family and spending as much time with her now is VERY important to me because she's growing so fast and she won't always want to "hang out" with mom all the time. 

I believe in the fall she will be starting Preschool half a day but still thankful i will be able to be with her when she is out and be able to have her around all the time, but at the same time help provide for our family. 

Forever Grateful for this season of life... It's been SO amazing and can't wait to see what next year holds for our family. <3  

What are you most thankful for this year?! 

It's SO nice to be able to sit and reflect and thank God for all of his awesome blessings. 

Happy Halloween A little behind

Olivia was a lady bug for Halloween this year and we decided to make our own little lady bug costume because most we seen were either priced to high or weren't very tasteful... 

Here's my little Lady Bug...

Along with Halloween the last few weeks we have been participating in soccer and tumbling and it's SOOO much fun being able to watch Olivia play and enjoy both of these... Soccer ended this past Saturday and she got her first medal and she was VERY excited!