Showing posts with label Memories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Memories. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Life a Little Further Down the Road

It’s been awhile.  

Just over 2 years to be exact.  In that time there have been growing kids, multiple moves, new adventures and new friends.  Some days it feels like a lifetime other days I literally feel like I blinked. 



My kids were ages 3, 2 & 1 at that time.  4 toddlers!  I literally have trouble remembering what my life was truly like back then!  



Now, at 5, 4 & 3 many logistical things like going places by myself with the kids or getting them all dressed are so much easier!  They understand they need to hold hands and watch for cars.  They can dress themselves!  (CAN I GET AN AMEN?!?!?!)  Things like discipline and all of them talking loudly at one time are more difficult.  Some days I think I’d trade those days of lining all 4 of them up to change diapers and put pj's on and being awoken in the middle of the night for the newer challenges of the whiny voices, strong willed defiance and lots of differing opinions on every evening’s dinner. 

What I've come to understand is that each season comes with fresh blessings as well as fresh challenges.  I also understand that as I become accustomed to one season another is fresh on its heels.  God has grown and challenged me.  God has put me in my place.  God has blessed my ever lovin’ socks off. 




Here’s to an older version of The Houtz House Party.    

Here’s to continuing to record this story of ours so that J and I are able to look back and be reminded of the moments of our lives that seem to move faster and faster with each step. 

But most of all, here's to little boys who NEVER outgrow those plaid ties.  


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Thursday, February 14, 2013

Christmas in February

I'm sharing our Christmas 2012 in February.  Either I'm behind the curve or I like to draw out the holidays into Valentines Day.  Oh, Happy Valentines Day by the way!

REWINDING back to December we spent this Christmas with my parents back in Ohio.  The kids had a WONDERFUL time with Mamaw and Papaw and aunts, uncles & cousins...especially Uncle Clay & Rachael.  We just love getting to spend these special times in Ohio and can't wait for our "Ohio Vacation" in June!  Can anyone say zoo, aquarium, park, picnics and FUN?










So what, you ask, is with the antlers?  It's a Christmas tradition in the DuLaney household!  We also hide a pickle and the one who finds it first wins a prize.  Anyone else have funny family traditions?

And what Ohio Christmas trip would be complete without getting to play in the snow?




Not sure Julia was AS thrilled about the snow time.

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Sunday, December 30, 2012

2012 Year in Review

Hello everyone! 
Welcome to the 2012 Year in Review Link Up! 

My co-hosts and I are excited to have you all here at the Covered in Grace- YIR Link Up! We pour our hearts into our blogs. Our time, our energies, our creativity...they are all the tools that build our unique places on the web. Why not highlight our blogging gems from the past twelve months? Let our communities know what we're really proud of putting out there this year.

The Prompt: This year in blog posts…choose a favorite post from each month of 2012 and share. 

The Linkup: What are you proud of writing this year? Link up your posts below! Linky will be open for two weeks!



January -  found me 36ish weeks pregnant with our 4th blessing!  A little lady that would be named Julia.  She was born at 39 weeks at 12:16 pm and weighed 5 lbs 7 oz.  She had a LOT of dark brown hair and slept and ate well from the get go.  BLESSED beyond measure by our sweet lady.  My blog however, was not yet born.




February - 9th was the beginning of this blog, The Houtz House Party.  Which truly described our life then and continues to fit well now.  4 little people age 4 and under.  At the time I started this blog Ian was 2 1/2, the twins had just turned 1 and Julia was about 3 weeks old.   You can read my FIRST EVER BLOG POST here.  You can also read a little bit about my SAHM journey herehere & here.

March - came a very important to me blog post.  Something I pray my daughter can read one day and truly understand.  I felt welcomed here in this blogland and felt so truly blessed to be able to share our life with other moms, family far away and establish a space our children will be able to reflect on one day.  I prayed that this space would help them to understand their mama and how much they are loved.  

April - I shared J and I's engagement story.

May - I confessed I would like to be part of a commune in this post.

June - left me rambling in a vlog.  And for the record, NO i did NOT run over anything or anyone with my car.

July - I shared a little summer outfit "attempt at fashion" post.

August - I wrote a post sharing the adoption journey of my cousins Justin & Katy.  They are absolutely 2 of my favorite people in the whole wide world and their heart's feel for God's children as He feels for them.

September - I shared how I was limping along.  My prayer is that it encouraged at least one person.

October - I shared with you about having grace when life just seems ridiculous.

November - left me pondering the direction of my blog and some next steps as to how I feel called by God.  How exactly it all goes together I was unsure and I encouraged you to pray those BIG prayers.

December - FINALLY accepted and outlined a plan to follow what it is I feel called to do in my life right now.  I am going to continue my blog and focus on encouraging women and mothers.  I have a heart for women and encouraging and uplifting them in their walk through wifedom, motherhood and just being a girl.  It's a tough world out there.  

Starting in January I am staring a series called "A Day In The Life Project".  I've called upon bloggers and women I truly LOVE to share how they are called to schedule their days with children.  There will be mothers from different walks of life, ages of children, interests, even homeschooling mamas.  I pray this will be a place for all of us to glean positive encouragement and ideas for our daily lives.

I am in the early stages of a new business with Mary Kay.  This business fits in so perfectly with how I feel God has called me to serve women.  When I stumbled upon a video of National Sales Director Julia Burnett's speech at the COMPANY SEMINAR sharing her testimony glorifying God through her work (to hear that specific part fast forward to about 6 minutes into the video) I felt so strongly that this was something I needed to be a part of.  I want to be able to reach out to women like that too.  Don't you just LOVE how God works in so many different avenues of life?  



PS:  Because I LOVE you so very much I'm having a Buy One Get One 50% off sale!!!  HURRY HURRY!  It ends 12/31/2012 at MIDNIGHT! Head on over here to get your shop on!!!  (I'll adjust your order to reflect the 50% off item(s) prior to processing your card.  Easy peasy no worries.  :))




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Tuesday, December 11, 2012

50 Shades of Stupid – A conversation in the car

A recent conversation between my husband and I went like this:

J:  “What’s your favorite Christmas carol?  Mine is ‘O Holy Night’.”

Me:  “Oh, um, mine is probably ‘Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer’.”

J:  “Really?!?”

Me: “Oh, oh…OR ‘Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer’.  The version with the call backs…(ya know Rudoph The Red Nose Reindeer – Reindeer.  Had a very shiny nose – like a light bulb, etc etc).”

J:  "Wow…you are deep."


50shades

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Monday, December 10, 2012

Party on Sesame Street

Just a few photos from the twins 2nd Birthday!


I just LOVE that the mantels in this home make for ENDLESS possibilities for ALL occasions! 


Note the little guy in the bottom right of the above photo.  They had a very hard time being patient waiting for those Elmo cupcakes.


Marshmallows for eyes & tic tacs for a nose.


 
Toy Story Mr Potato Heads & retractable swords were the highlight of the present opening portion of the evening.


It seems Elijah was not in fact a fan of the candles...or was it the Big Bird birthday hat?



 
Until next year...
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Thursday, December 6, 2012

2! - The Birth Story of my Twin Boys


I am so blessed to be co-hosting the Tell Your Story link up today with my good friend Andi from The Hollie Rogue.  This link up is a chance to tell YOUR story whatever that may be.  There aren't a lot of rules for this one.  This is an opportunity to share what's on your heart, what's going on in your life,,,the good, the bad and everything in between.  I can't wait to read what you all have to say!

You can read more about this link up here.

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I always used to joke about how I thought it would be super cool to have twins…

When Ian was about 9 months old we decided it would be a good idea to start thinking about having another baby.  Good thing we thought that because it turns out I was already pregnant!  A little surprising but EXCITING too!

We went to the OB at about 8 or 9 weeks to get a sonogram and checkup.  I will never forget this day or the emotion as long as I live.  I was laying down, Dr Martin started the sonogram and joked about twins, we all laughed and then there was silence and she moved the computer monitor towards her with a funny smile on her face.  Then then turned the computer monitor for us to see…

TWO little people in there!!!  She said, “Maybe I shouldn't joke about twins!”

My leg started to shake and I couldn't breathe.  All I could see were dollar signs and all I could think about was that “other people” have twins!!!  Regular people don’t have twins!!!  I have no idea why “other people” are not “regular people” BUT this is EXACTLY what I thought!  (And yes I was thinking in ALL exclamation points!)    

I find all of this hilarious now.

Neither Mamaw or Meme believed us at first & both Papaw & Pop Pop were shocked and excited.

Working full time, having a toddler (who was a late walker & didn't sleep through the night until well after a year) and being SICK as a dog pretty much the entire time made most of the pregnancy a blur.

We found out at 18 weeks we were having BOYS!  Daddy was thrilled and so was I!!! 

At about 23 weeks we ran into some complications with the pregnancy.  I was referred to the neonatologist at a larger hospital in the area and went for bi-weekly visits that turned into weekly visits that turned into at home bedrest at 30 weeks that turned into hospital bedrest at 33 ½ weeks.  Our sweet Elijah McKee wasn't on the charts and they didn't like what they saw.  I was lovingly taken care of by all my dr’s and nurses and we will be forever grateful for the wonderful care we received.

At 35 weeks I went into labor about 10 pm on December 4th and delivered the boys at 4:50 and 4:54 am on December 5th

Elijah McKee was 4 lbs 1 oz and is the older of the 2.  He reminded us SO much of Ian.  Jacob Dean was 4 lbs 10 oz and had (and still has) bright red hair. 

Jacob was able to come home with me the very next day while Elijah was in the NICU for 3 weeks.  We were blessed to bring him home on Christmas Eve. 


Elijah is no longer that little tiny baby.  He is a big strong sweet loving boy with the sweetest smile you might ever see.  Jacob Dean has such a silly disposition!  He keeps us laughing most of the day every day.  He is SUCH a giving little guy and is (almost) always more concerned about Elijah than himself. 


My sweet boys Elijah & Jacob are 2!!!  Some days I can’t believe how far they've come since those days.  I love them oh so much! But isn't that the same for all of us mamas?  

The Hollie Rogue
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Wednesday, December 5, 2012

In The Word Wednesday – Happy 2nd Birthday boys!

Today is our twin boys 2nd birthday. 


Elijah and Jacob I am so blessed to be your mama.  I am so proud of the little people you are. 


As I go through Scripture this week I can’t help but look at my reading in reference to things I want to ensure you know from God’s word.

Elijah & Jacob, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13).  I pray you never waiver.



“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).  Love people and be kind my sweet boys.  You have no idea what is going on in someone else’s life.  I know sometimes it’s hard to do even when you don’t agree with that person or that person has hurt you but I promise you when you look back at your life you will be happy you did those things.  I pray you learn that lesson earlier in life than I did.  And don’t forget that even if someone wrongs you are commanded by God to forgive them the wrong. 

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[g]
23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold[h] was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.[i] He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” – Matthew 18: 21-35



Elijah and Jacob lastly, today I encourage you to use the talents God gave you to serve people in LOVE for that is what we are called to do in Galatians 5:13.

Remember boys…

How much do I love you?  



SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much!
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What have you been learning in the Bible?  Please join myself and these fantastic ladies for this encouraging linkup!  

Sarah at Fontenot Four 
Falen at Upward Not Inward 
Kelly at Exceptionalistic 

Tales of Beauty for Ashes

Into the Word Wednesday Blog Hop Rules:
1. Write a post about what God is teaching you this week.
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