My Little Scooter Bug

Today is my baby sister's 24th birthday. She's the official baby of our family - even though we have a brother who is 7, and she has a neice that is 1 - she's still the baby and always will be. Ruthie is a precious one who loves everybody. She is always trying to keep the peace in our family and sees the good in everyone. She is a lot like our mom...not only in personality, but in her mannerisms. She can't dive into a pool to save her life, but ask her to sing the part of Meg or Raoul from Phantom of the Opera, and she'll be there. Ruthie brings fun to every room she enters. Anyone who knows her will probably tell you she is hilarious. She and Troy have an ongoing competition as to who is the funniest in our family. Believe me, I'm right up there with them in hilarity :)....but, Ruthie is by far quicker, and wittier than any of us. She loves on people like no other. She shows the character of Christ daily by giving of herself and her time to other people. She is the best combination of our entire family....rolled into one beautiful girl.

Ruthie was there when my daughter, Kate, was born. She stayed with me several nights nights in the hospital after Kate was born because I was very sick. Kate had to stay in the nursery under the sun-tannin lights because she was jaundiced. Ruthie woke up with me every 3 hours to wheel me down in the wheel-chair to the nursery to feed Kate. She even got to feed her a bottle a couple of times herself. It was so precious. It's one of those moments that you want to wrap up in a little napkin and keep in your pocket for a rainy day. Ruthie loves her neice, Kate, very much and I couldn't ask for a better Aunt Scoot.

We are very fortunate to have a close family and Ruthie is very important part of that. It's fun when your very bestest friends are your sisters and brother.

Happy Birthday, Scoot. I love you very much and can't wait to see you this weekend! Whoo hoo!!

Happy 1st Birthday Kate Elizabeth!!

As I sit here at my laptop, I smell a waft of old vomit coming from my skin. Today is Kate's birthday....her very first birthday, in fact. In a meager attempt to celebrate this big day, we went out to Gloria's Mexican Restaurant with our dear friends Annette and Carl. About a quarter of the way through our meal, Kate decides to throw up all over herself and her mother. Now, I'm not talking about a little spit up....I'm talking about a head to toe throw up - on both of us. Fun. So, I went to the bathroom to clean us both up, an impossible task, I found. Where it is cute and appropriate for a baby to walk around without a shirt on, it is just not ok for the mom. I tried to clean up in the bathroom, but it just wasn't working. I ended up rinsing off my shirt in the sink and putting it back on. It felt soooo good to put on a vomit/water covered t-shirt. Gross. We are now home and we have both changed clothes 5 times. Happy Day. Now, I sit here writing, smelling the vomit, thinking about a shower, but wondering what good it will do when I will probably be thrown up on again.

One year ago today, I was huge, uncomfortable, and ready to get this baby out of me. My ankles (cankles) had swollen to the size of my head - I'm not kidding. My body just hurt....it was time. Ruthie and I pulled up to Medical City Dallas Hospital around 7am. After laying in a hospital bed all day, the doctor decided I wasn't dialating fast enough, so she decided to do a c-section. Kate Elizabeth was born on Friday, April 25th, at 7:40pm. At first, she scared me. I hadn't been around many babies - especially newborns. I wasn't the one people called when they needed a baby sitter, if that says anything. But....it didn't take me too long to fall completely in love with this precious girl. When I found out I was pregnant, I thought I had no reason to go on - I felt I had ruined my life. But, God's gift of Kate has allowed me to experience life in a way I never thought possible.

Today, Kate took her first steps! 5 steps in a row! She is an amazing child. She engages people in a way unlike I've ever seen. She never meets a stranger and will wave and give a smile to anyone that will look her way.

Next weekend, Kate and I will fly to South Carolina and celebrate her birthday with our family. I can't wait!! I'm sure we will have lots of pictures to share.

Broken

I read this blog today and it was really powerful. Good stuff. Too good not to pass along. I appreciate those people who are willing to be authentic, even in their struggles, and also willing to admit that Christianity is not about me.
http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/imonk-101-when-i-am-weak-why-we-must-embrace-our-brokenness-and-never-be-good-christians

My Little Angel

It's too hard to believe that this little precious girl will be 1 year old this month. Can't believe how quickly time goes by....too fast. What a change this little girl has brought to my life and my heart.