2024 is going by quickly. So much has happened in a few short months. Let me tell you.
Pics taken on Christmas Day of 2023. In these photos, I didn’t know it yet, but I was in the early stages of pregnancy. My oldest daughter, who was/is only 3yrs old at the time, told me a few days before taking this picture that I was pregnant. I thought she was observing the pudge in my stomach. I kindly let her know that I wasn’t. She looked at me after I explained to her in detail as to why I might look pregnant after birthing four babies but was assuredly not haha. She listened and then said with more emphasis, “You’re pregnant, Mama,” before running off to play. Welp, she was right! I just didn’t know it yet.
Me with my GORGEOUS sister-in-loves. We went to a nice gala January 1st to bring in the new year. The food was amazing. The vibe and music was on par with what I like. And my husband and I were able to be back home at a decent hour that didn’t interfere with my bedtime haha.
This past February, my husband and I celebrated our 9 year marriage anniversary! My mama called and came over to watch the kids while my husband and I grabbed some lunch. Still in my first trimester, I felt quite sick in this photo. I actually ended up grabbing a box of cheese pizza after we left the restaurant to help my stomach settle. That pizza did the trick! Funny how pregnancy impacts the body in different ways. It was a sweet day.
In late February 2024- a polar vortex hit the south. It brought frigid temperatures, snow, and ice. We stayed in the house for a week. We were so thankful that our power didn’t go out and that we were able to fix our heat before the storm hit. As you can tell, our kiddos had a BLAST during that week.
Taking my oldest daughter to her ballet class. At this point in my pregnancy, I was beginning to “show” a little bit more. My daughter enjoys making silly faces.
My husband had a speaking engagement in Nashville. We decided to make it a family trip and take the kids. Months later and our kids still request to go back to “that hotel with the waffles.” Such a sweet memory. In this photo, they had just finished their meals and were anticipating eating their fudge brownie and ice cream (highly recommend this vegan restaurant called “Graze” in Nashville).
We didn’t see this one coming. We live in a townhome and our neighbor had a leak. Well our neighbors were out of town and the leak drifted into our home overnight. We had to get all of our floorboards removed throughout our entire downstairs immediately. For those who understand the nuances of dealing with home insurance, you know that it’s not always a quick process. Thankfully, we worked with an efficient agent. But even still, we were out of our home for about 5 weeks. It was a VERY challenging time. We were staying with my parents at first until one of the kiddos got a fever. Then we switched to a hotel and then the stomach flu swept through myself and all of the kiddos. Taking care of kiddos, in a hotel, pregnant, while cleaning up things coming out of both ends for multiple kids including oneself—I wish upon no one. More challenges came along the way during those 5 weeks, and I could talk at length on those, but I must pause to say that so many blessings came from the leak. One being that we got new floors! Our new floors are simply stunning. We chose a lighter color and the color has made our home feel more open and lively. Because we had to move everything out, I was forced to reorganize the pantry and all of our cabinetry—perfect timing before the baby comes in August. Going through that process made/makes me so thankful that my husband and I have a beautiful home to raise our children in. SUPER GRATEFUL. Many families have temporary residences, live in and out of hotel rooms, or cars—with small children. Honey, you won’t catch me complaining!!!!
Easter Sunday with Family! I was definitely feeling tired in this photo. We were still out of our home at this point due to the leak. I thank God for my mama who HELPED A TON in making sure all of the kiddos had their outfits ready for Easter.
MOVING IN DAY! Look at those gorgeous floors!!
The day after we moved back into our home, we celebrated both our sons’ birthdays. My oldest son had been talking about his birthday for months and we wanted to make sure he still felt celebrated in the midst of so much we had going on. THe Lord is so faithful. With the little preparation I could do, the birthday party turned out better than if I had months to plan. Here’s a pic of my husband and I after the party.
My youngest son, who was turning one, also received his first haircut prior to his birthday party. See pic below.
Us celebrating Mother’s Day. For those who made it this far in the blog post, thanks for reading! I look forward to posting more updates in the months to come.
Always Remember: God is Faithful.