Growing pains bring lots of gain!

Where to even start? When I decided to start this post my first thought was I reeeallly don't want to sit still long enough to do it(Kindergarteners' HIGH activity level rubs off on you after a while I guess haha), my next thought was whhhyyyy did I wait so long AGAIN, and my final thought was what a true blessing that life in general has kept me too busy to think long enough to type anything!!!

We have had lots of amazing and some hard things going on all at the same time lately, we are so thankful to have a loving God who provides abundant blessings and holds our hands through trials. We are also so happy to have you all to share this with! Here goes.

1st things 1st - Tripp update!

- 18 months old now!!!

- In addition to the previous list of words he says: Bible, God, working on Jesus, Whooooa!, WOW!, juice, eye, nose, baby, Ouuuch!, no has turned in to NnnnnO!, pig, cow, horse, trash, truck, No ma'am!, What's this?(every 2 seconds), Bleeentet(blanket), up, hot, Papa, Meme, grape, nana(banana), and just the other morning said "no more ball!" after it rolled under the bed....that was THREE words all together, very clearly...we were so proud and I almost cried but held it together :)

- Signs - more, please, eat, thank you, and working on drink

- LOVES music and "shakes his booty"

- Knows and points to - ears, eyes, nose, mouth, hair, and belly button

- Holds his pointer finger up when asked how old he is
- Gives LOTS of kisses and hugs
- Helps and does a surprisingly good job with brushing his teeth, combing hair, pulling on and taking off shirt/shoes
- Sings ABC's to letter D
- Starting to help sing "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep" - his favorite

- Has randomly recognized the letters - I, O, and R

- Helps clean up his toys each evening and loves getting a bath afterward
- Is now making the dog, lion, pig, cow, sheep sounds, and when asked what Mama says he responds with "No, no, no, no!"
- Uses utensils and is working on using a regular cup

- Loves helping with laundry and runs to get inside the dryer before I can stop him(thanks a lot, Papa...)

- Has three favorite books that we have to read MULTIPLE times a day - Baby's Story Bible, Little Blue Truck, and Big Red Barn....if you ever need me to recite any of the three just call....I can do it on command now with out missing any words. His collection of other books is really ridiculous and I have been forbidden to buy any more for a few years. Don't worry I have a box in the closet that has more than enough at different levels to last until he's 5! hahaha

- Since he now REFUSES to cry or stop misbehaving after a good ole spanking(he wouldn't dare give you the satisfaction of correcting him!) he has had his first few official time outs - that seem to be quite effective....for now anyway. We have THAT child and love him to pieces! Don't worry...we are consistent AND very persistent so he WILL get past this stage and be well behaved someday.

- Something that has really surprised us lately is how he plays very rough with adults and other children his size but anytime a baby is around he feels he must be exceptionally gentle, hug, kisses, pat them, or rock their carrier. He is so sweet with them and it just makes us so proud to watch him being kind and aware of others needs!

February:

This month wasn't too crazy we had fun and seemed busy though....maybe we were and I just can't remember! Anyway we did go to Slayde's ONE YEAR birthday party and had lots of family time I guess.

2/6/2011 - We had to go out and see/feel the HUGE snow flakes!


2/14/2011 - We don't get to see our friends Sterling and Heather enough but we were able to meet up with them after church. Their little boy Guy is such a sweetie and Tripp loves playing with him so much!

March: WAS NUTS!

- went to Jack and Noah's ONE YEAR birthday parties(are you seeing a trend)
- went to a couple of baby showers
- took Tripp to a "big" park
- went to visit Daddy Max and June at the lake
- Tripp had his 15 month check up and it went very well. He's right on schedule and did great getting shots.
- had SPRING BREAK
- AND Levi got in to EMT school!!! Woohoo! That is the first step toward the Fire Academy. He will take the EMT courses over the summer and if all goes well and he is officially accepted will start Fire Academy in August.

3/13/2011 - Before heading to Jack's party we spent a little while at the park...Tripp went down the big slides and climbed through the equipment with NO fear!






3/14/2011 - Taking a nap on his big boy mat at Daddy Max's!

3/21/2011 - Since the weather warmed up we have had lots of fun playing and having snack outside


April:

- had a wonderful Easter celebrating....our Savior is RISEN!
- I had a great girl's trip to Round Top, Texas with my sweet Aunt Alicia
- Tripp got his first skinned knee :(
- Lots of fires - the Welch VFD have been very busy putting out grass fires due to the dry conditions in this area so please pray for RAIN! Since there have been so many fires Levi had been praying about and was getting concerned about the lack of gear for the department. God answers those prayers because after a big fire they were able to work with the county to get some new, safe gear for each member!!! This makes me feel much more comfortable when he gets called out knowing our wonderful volunteers are better protected!

4/10/2011 - First skinned knee....I know it's not even bad and he didn't cry I just had to have a pic!

4/11/2011 - Tripp loves helping me in the kitchen so we baked cookies together

Most of it ended up on the floor and his face hahaha

Enjoying the final product!! He kept saying..."Um, um, YUM!"

4/24/2011 - EASTER 2011

He loved dying the Easter eggs....

and hunting them!!

"Let me see how this thing opens!" - "Oh, oops, it doesn't...just cracks!"

He loves "playing" the piano at Meme and Papa's

That brings us to MAY and our plans for this month are to survive the end of school and get our SUMMER started! Levi and I are also looking forward to our 4 year anniversary on June 2nd!



5/1/2011 - It was really hot and I guess he decided Roarbert needed a drink, too! So sweet!


5/2/2011 - If it gets really quiet around our house Tripp is either destroying something or "reading" in his chair!





5/3/2011 - Several of my students play baseball or softball and Tripp and I have been going to some of their games...this is what he does most of the game...I have no idea what he is yelling but he really gets in to it! Can't wait until he's out there playing! :)


5/6/2011 - One of his new favorite things is getting this plastic snake and wiggling it towards your face so you will scream and act scared then he CRACKS UP and does it until you are both rolling! ALL B-O-Y. Need I say more?

Precious.


5/7/2011 - Grandma got to come home and is doing very well!!!


5/8/2011 - Papa is his best bud

Can you tell they have lots of fun together? Melts my heart!



Tripp and Meme were playing catch and she will probably kill me for posting a pic of her pj's hahaha

Our pride and joy.


Now to the stuff I really don't want to end such a great post with but it is part of what's going on in life and occurs for reasons we will never understand. Susie had a severe stroke that has taught our family a lot and created a whole new normal. It has been hard, emotional, and changed Levi and I in ways we can't describe and given a whole new appreciation of the abilities God graciously allows us to use each day. I want to encourage everyone to take care of/be grateful for your body and the time you have with loved ones. Those loved ones may not always be perfect or what you want them to be but use every minute to love those imperfections and make memories that might never be made again! To all those thinking about, praying for, and helping Susie...you are very special to us and we can never sincerely thank you enough.

And more that most of you know...Levi and I have been through some very difficult changes over the last 2 years but nothing could ever prepare us for the pain felt from losing a baby. Most of you see me avoid this topic with a smile but right now tears stream down my face and I can almost literally feel my heart hurting because I know we can't just leave this out, make it come back or go away, and need to give glory we are not always sure how to give. We know in spite of the "whys", EVERYTHING is from and of God and for a more miraculous plan than we could ever dream of or pray for. We trust that He loves us enough to take what could have been a baby who's needs we may not have been able to fully meet or comfort. We trust that this loss was to teach, guide, and help us grow in Him. We trust that our sweet, tiny, loved, and longed for baby is now more perfect than imaginable and in the one place we are all trying to get to. We also trust and cannot wait for the day that we will hold, smell, kiss, comfort, play with, sing, and give all the love we have trapped in our hearts to our little one. That miracle was a life lost, a piece of us, and a gift. Some days we are thankful and at peace and others we are sad and unsure but the bottom line...Trust God. He has a purpose and whether we understand it or not, whether it's painful or not, we can only trust and aspire to be great servants. God shows his love and awesome work to us every day through Tripp Ray. If His will is for us to someday be blessed with another precious miracle we will be more humbled and grateful than words can begin to describe. Please continue to pray for our hearts to heal and God's will to be carried out in our lives.