Pink Or Blue

So the plan for this late night post was to say...there's another baby coming tomorrow in our family!!! Sonya and Dra were all set for an early 5 am induction...BUT JUST NOW I got "the call" from Dra saying they are on their way NOW!!!! Pink or blue we don't know yet- but we will soon...and oh I just can't wait to hold that baby! With all of the grief they have experienced in the past year, we are so ready to share this joy with them tomorrow. Please keep my sweet soul sis and Rich's best bud in your prayers as they welcome this sweet new baby into their family. Livi is READY to be a big sis again!

PS- My last vote, for the record, is GIRL!!!

The best things in life...

So for months now, our family has been counting down weeks, days, "sleeps", and finally just HOURS until we were all going to be reunited again.That's right, Joe and Court and their gaggle of kiddos :) were supposed to be coming home tomorrow (as in MONDAY, the 13th!!!) night. We've skyped about how excited we are with them, planned all the fun things we're gonna do while we're together. On this side, we've sat around the pool and talked about how much MORE fun it will be when they are all here. Tiffany and I have literally said about a hundred times that we couldn't WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE to see our sweet sis, Court and spend a month making memories again. We'd even planned funny ideas for how we could show up at the airport and make a big scene for them...bottom line, friends, this has pretty much been the number one thing we've looked forward to for...well...7 months...since the day they left! :) But the point is, we were counting down until "Monday, the 13th, at 6 pm!!!!"

So how did I snap this picture TONIGHT...


...of my sweet ray of sunshine, Briley, holding my newest love, Jude Warren for the first time????

The answer: BEST SURPRISE OF MY LIFE!!!

See, last night, my Dad had planned a big birthday party for my Mom. I'd thought it was a little odd that he kept asking people to bring their kids...I thought it was weird that he kept saying we'd swim after dinner...a little out of the ordinary that GAVIN was coming all the way in town for it...and oddest of all that he invited several of OUR best friends, along with our family...for "Mom's party". Well it was her party, but just as we'd all eaten our fill of Nathan's delicious ribs, I noticed another car pulling down the driveway. I didn't recognize it, but that wasn't that suspicious. I was in conversation with my cousin so I really just kinda glanced at it and kept going. Then my Dad said, "Ok can I have everyone's attention one more time??? This is the REAL SURPRISE of the night pulling up!!!"...and as if perfectly cued for that moment, that car door flew open and out came a Briley, a Braxton, and a Bear running across that field. It was so surreal and I was taken aback by my own flood of emotions as I BURST into tears and took off running toward them myself. It was truly the BEST SURPRISE EVER!! We actually ALL took off running because my Dad had actually KEPT THIS FABULOUS SECRET from ALL of us (except Gavin who never would have come to the party otherwise :))...so there we were- me and Tiff squeezing little Courtney (sorry to disappoint, people, she's still as perfectly teeny tiny when she left!!!) to death, Nathan was jumping up and down with Joey, Rich got to Brax first and almost squeezed the life out of him...we just ran around in circles like a bunch of wild indians crying and laughing and absolutely not believing our eyes. Too good to be true. But true! Dad and the South Africans tricked us all.

And when I lay down my head last night (after Courtney and I text JUST BECAUSE WE COULD -which was technically the same as our daily black berry messaging, but felt better because we were actually "texting"), I couldn't stop smiling again that one of my favorite memories probably of my whole life got to happen on that day. That's why I love surprises. Real surprises sneak up on you and make you so happy on a day that you just didn't even know you were gonna get to feel that way...you know what I mean? That was yesterday. And I realized that the BEST things in life, the really BEST things like surprises and family and deep love...are FREE. Absolutely free. Isn't that GREAT???

We spent today with them... and we'll spend every minute we can with them over the next month. If I have learned ANYTHING over the past 7 months, it is that we cannot take for granted the time we have with each other...to squeeze each other's bodies while we're together :)...to be able to just sit and talk...to just hold each other's babies and soak in the summer sun together and really SOAK it in, every minute. Because there have been so many days gone by this year that we could not...and so WE WILL!!!!

So excited about this next month of memories and joy...and so thankful tonight for the gift of surprises! So happy that my Jadeybug will get to really know her 4 cousins she's just come to know on a computer screen. So happy Court will get to see me struggling as a new mommy of 2 and be able to BE with me as she gives me her priceless advice. In person. Gotta love that. So happy Joey will get to stop in and visit Rich and Nate and sit across the desk like they have a hundred times before and just BE together...laugh and talk about senseless stuff like they do...

Just happy tonight. So happy. So thankful....

Please Help!!!

Today I am posting on behalf of my dear friend, Hayley (also Courtney's wonderful sister!). Anyone who knows her probably knows that she and her sweet husband have embarked on the journey of a lifetime, following Jesus' call to adopt EIGHT precious children. It's been so challenging to all of us who know them to see them just step out in faith, and so amazing to watch God provide one more stepping stone at a time as He has continued to provide all of the answers to the HUGE questions!
As my sis-in-law, Tiffany, and I started praying about how WE could help, we decided the best way was rally as many friends as we could get the word out to and try to round up CLOTHES for the kids. Obviously, this task is HUGE in and of itself, but we are trusting God to help us, one donation at a time...and we need YOU (yes YOU!) to help us get the word out, too!!!

This Saturday, June 4th, is the drop off date for any items you have...from 10 until 2 pm. We will be set up in the parking lot of Brentwood Baptist church. They are adopting 7 boys and 1 girl (10 yr old but wears size 6). For the boys, they basically need everything from size 10 and down. These are the items that would be most helpful:
SHIRTS
SHORTS
PANTS
DRESSES
SOCKS
SHOES
BELTS
PLAY CLOTHES
DRESS CLOTHES
HAIRBOWS :)
UNDERWEAR
* ranging in sizes from 18months to 10 in all clothes
*shoe sizes range from toddler 7 to a kids 4.5


The Lord has been so good to bless them with the bunkbeds that were still needed when we sent our first email. Things like towels, linen sets, and OUTSIDE toys (like bikes!) are still needed.

We are all praying that these kiddos make it home in the month of June. Please join us in this prayer for this sweet family... and especially their 8 precious children who are almost home!

How can YOU help???
1)By PRAYING for this sweet family. We are praying that these kiddos make it home in the month of June!!!
2) By gathering any donation items for these kids- both new and gently used are gonna be soooo appreciated!!!
3)By passing this info along to neighbors, friends, family and coworkers...anyone! Send an email out if you know of people who have children these ages who may have the clothes they need. We hope to make this drive an incredible blessing for this dear family!

For anyone in the Spring Hill area, you are welcome to drop your items by my house Thursday or Friday to save yourself the trek to Brentwood on Saturday. Please leave me a comment, email me, or call me and we'll get a plan.


Thank you so much and PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD!!!!

Say Cheese!!!

I know I haven't been the best, new proud mama about keeping pictures updated on here...truth is, it's hard to find the TIME when you have a little "leach" attached to your body every three hours, day and night. And, did I mention that our camera broke a couple weeks before he arrived? That said, we've been snapping cell phone pics every chance we get...and here are some of my favorites!


Going home from the hospital...

So excited!!! The sweet "welcome wagon" in the background arrived right away from his Nanma and Grampy in San Francisco packed full of all kinds of boyish goodies! His sissy has, to say the least, taken over the wagon itself and it now totes around many a doll! We are so thankful for such sweet parents (and grandparents)!

Very thoughtful...and I love how this one shows how blonde he is! I'm telling you- he's COVERED in sweet white fuzz!

This is, perhaps, one of my favorite memories of the past two weeks. My Grampa came all the way from Dickson and spent a couple hours just sitting and holding his great-grandson (we couldn't figure out just how many he has at this point...40-something grandkids and somewhere in the 30s for great grandkids!!!...and praying the sweetest prayer over his life. I love this guy more than I can say. I have so many memories spent with he and my Grandma Barb and I was so blessed by the precious time he shared with me that day...

And our first trip to see Dr Brooks must be documented, of course. We love our pediatrician and are so thankful for the wonderful care he takes with our kids!

Hoping big for a new camera soon...and more pics to come! We are doing really well...adjusting to life with a new little person around...and feel so blessed. Thanks for all the prayers and encouragement!

You are...

Sweet baby boy,
I know too well that in a blink you will change so much and these first sleepless days and nights will all be a blur in my mind...so today, I want to remember that you are...

...covered in the sweetest peach fuzz from head to toe...especially on your back and cheeks.

...winner of the longest big toe award in the Andrews family, hands down, from the day you were born!

...not as big as I thought(ok, FEARED!) you were going to be. My belly seemed so much BIGGER and FULLER this time, so I just knew you were gonna be a heavy weight like your Dad (whose mother still hasn't forgiven him for his 10 lb, 24 (yes, people, T-W-E-N-T-Y F-O-U-R!!!) inch entrance into this world!), but you weren't much bigger than your sister. An 8 lb 12 oz, 21 1/2 inch package of heaven-smelling goodness is how you arrived and I think every single cell is PERFECT!

...MUCH louder than your sister was! It took her weeks to make even a peep...you came out screaming and make yourself much more known! Oh we have laughed and laughed at how fired up you can get...and can both agree you get it honest!

...more "Lankford" in looks. Everyone keeps picking another brother of mine that you resemble most...Uncle Joe just told me on skype that he took out his baby pic and thinks it might be him. Nonni agrees. (And he did want me to let you know that could mean a receeding hairline is in store for you...:))

...a lazy eater, unlike the rest of your family. You take twice as long as your sissy to take in 1/2 as much, so that all I have time to do is feed, feed, feed! But oh the sweet times you and I are having, day and night, getting to know each other...YOU, my boy, have the sweetest little spirit in this world and are stealing my heart piece by piece. I love you, Jude.

...going to love well. Two different men in our life who walk close with Jesus came and prayed over you in the hospital...the same prayer, Spirit given, that you would LOVE this world. We prayed so many times over my belly (while you were still tucked inside) that you would be bold in your faith and profession of Jesus Christ. And now we pray that you would bre given a heart full of love for those who need the love of Jesus. You're gonna be a WORLD CHANGER, we believe it!

You, my son (so HAPPY I have a SON!!!!), are so, so loved...

xoxo
Mama

It's a BOY!!!!

Friends...
Introducing you to the new love of my life, JUDE WARREN ANDREWS!!!



Oh the joy in my heart is uncontainable and I now understand how a mother's love does not divide, but rather MULTIPLIES in an instant! More pictures to come, but for now...a couple pics of this first day with our precious son...


It was, perhaps, the sweetest moment of my life to watch Rich hold his son those first few seconds...and he's not put him down much since!

Our little man...we think he's PERFECT!

"Give thanks to the Lord for He is GOOD...His love endures forever!"

We are so thankful to God for this blessing of another child...please keep us in your prayers as we embark on this sweet journey as a family of FOUR!

NESTING

Nesting:
Feeling the need to prepare for the arrival of the baby by cleaning, organizing, etc. Often happens toward the end of pregnancy.

I guess you could possibly say I have been nesting... Within the last two months I have felt the need to clean out and reorganize every single cabinet and closet in the house (Thanks, Mom for your help!), wash every single thing in the house, ask my husband to build a cabinet (and paint it!!) to better store things in our house, clean out my car multiple times (again tonight), dig up bushes, plant other bushes, weed everything by hand :) (Wendy, I know you thought I was crazy...), clean grout, deep clean....yeah, I think I've been nesting lately. And last week when Rich got home, look what I'd decided to do that day...




Paint the kitchen. REALLY needed a change of color, don'tcha think? Suddenly. :)

The nursery is truly almost ready, minus a few things still needing to be hung. Literally, I think every single other item on my "to do lists" are all checked off...and I am STILL WAITING for this baby...

Trying to enjoy these last few days with a baby inside my body, but it is getting harder and harder since it's wanting to be out HERE, with US! :) Loving every second, still, with my firstborn little lady and soaking in our last few days, just us...

Would so appreciate your prayers for our little brood as we "anticipate" (sometimes during the wee hours of morning!) this major change that will come to us in the next week or so...so much joy, some pain (yikes!), and inumerable blessings.

The nest is ready. Come on baby!!!

By the way, to answer the question I am MOST asked these days: I have felt like I was having a boy toward the end of this pregnancy...until this week. Starting to see pink again, people! Oh how I'd love a boy for Rich...oh the thought of another little girl melting my heart again! Couldn't even make the choice if I had to- so THANKFUL God knows JUST WHAT WE NEED!!!! :)


Here's my 38 week belly silhouette...so what are YOU thinking it is? Come on people, let's get the votes in...time is TICKING here!!!!

Our Easter In Pictures

We started by getting ready for Mr Whiskers...and told Jade to put her basket right where she left milk and cookies for Santa this year...she loved that!



Much later :) we looked outside and apparently Mr Whiskers visited Mr. Joe and Mrs. Greta!!!

Early riser the next morning---we could hardly catch up with her as she ran for where she had left her basket the night before...

...but all that was left was a pile of jelly beans??? (Actually MUCH better than a basket, she thought!!!)

The trail of jelly beans, however, did lead her right to where that tricky rabbit had hidden her basket...

Bubbles, a book, a new Elmo toothbrush (Which I happened to see on sale the day before at TARGET for $1.88, Mr. Whiskers!!!!), trail mix, and fruit snacks...oh what a delight for this little lady!!!

And if one hidden basket were not enough, our doorbell rang and Mr. Joe had another one waiting for this girl!

This was the only picture I got of Jade in her Sunday best...at Walmart, before lunch, and RIGHT BEFORE she somehow dropped the world's juiciest red strawberry all the way down the front of her Sunday Best!!!! Oh dear...what kind of Mom would hand her child a juicy red strawberry while wearing a white dress, anyways? ...That's what her daddy said!!! :)

We enjoyed such a wonderful lunch at the Watson's home...we've spent the last few Easters with them and it's so nice for us to all be able to get together and have fun! Mrs. Connie put on a super fun egg hunt, and after 3 practice runs this girl actually got the hang of picking up eggs and putting them in her basket!!!

And this Easter, of course, wasn't the same without the rest of our usual egg hunters...but we were so happy when their mama remembered to send us a picture that arrived right during our lunch...so at least we could see their sweet faces!


This was such a wonderful Easter Sunday for our little family. Hard to believe next year there will be two baskets...two kiddos...


...and one smaller belly during the egg hunt! :)

He LIVES!!!!

Matthew 28
Jesus Has Risen
1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has RISEN, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.



I remember a sweet little story that we used to listen to (on cassette tape, of course!) every Easter when we were kids called "The Empty Egg". It was about a group of kids who were all lined up for a local egg hunt. They were consumed with the eggs, the bunnies, the candy... But as they wandered farther and farther from their parents looking for MORE eggs, they found themselves at the mouth of a cave. They heard tiny little voices that lured them further in until they found themselves in the midst of a chocolate factory run by hundreds of little...bunnies! The "boss bunny" was named Mr. Whiskers and as these skeptical children begin to converse with Mr. Whiskers, he begins to show them a carton of eggs- each filled with another element of the TRUE Easter Story...where Jesus gave His life for them...for US! My favorite part was at the end when the children, who have begun to see Easter for what it really is, opened the last egg that was....E-M-P-T-Y!!!! They were astonished that the "grand finale" egg didn't have anything in it, and sweet ole Mr. Whiskers explained that this was the GRANDEST EGG OF ALL! It was the "emptiness" of that egg, symbolizing the emptiness of the tomb, that gives us our hope! As the children raced out of the cave and back toward the laughter of the other children hunting eggs still, they carried with them an all new understanding of the Cross and the wonderful gift of salvation that God gaves us through it.

As we tucked in our Jadeybug tonight, even though she's so young and can't understand a whole lot yet, we told her that Easter is all about Jesus and that Easter Sunday is even more special to us than CHRISTMAS...because it was this day, Resurrection Sunday, that He Rose! And hopefully by next Easter, she will know this sweet song that Mr. Whiskers sang to those kids in the cave...herself!



It's EMPTY, it's empty inside
A tomb full of empty
A Savior ALIVE
They found empty
With the stone rolled away, I know
Christ crucified
But now He's ALIVE
In ME

Happy Birthday Friend!

Tonight, this group...



...turned up at Cozymel's to celebrate this friend's...


...birthday!

We were way outnumbered by kiddos and realized that next year when we celebrate her again...we'll have 1, 2, 3, 4... F-I-V-E more kiddos!!!! That's right, all 5 of us (Ash left before the top pic was snapped, Daddy J-Walk representing here...) are expecting new bundles of JOY in the next year!

Love raising kids and celebrating life with such wonderful friends...

Happy Birthday, Teri! So thankful for your friendship, and so happy these girlies will be sweet friends, too!

All for you, Court!

Went to Chili's again tonight for a friend's wedding shower...Jenny was also there....and we shared your favorite dessert...all for you, Court! We wouldn't have done it to ourselves otherwise, but WE LOVE YOU THIS MUCH!!!!


Can't wait until YOU have that other spoon in your hand!!!!

Buddies

Say, Say Little Playmate
Come out and play with me
And bring your dollies 3
Climb up my apple tree
Slide down my rainbow
Into my cellar door
And we'll be jolly friends
Forever-more, more, more!


(Jadeybug and Brad having a playdate last Saturday...I snuck a pic b/c she LOVES Brad!)

...and our new baby's first little playmate (and Brad's son!) Mr. Brantley James Davis! Jadeybug LOVES this guy, too!

Reflecting

9 months we will wait for you.
8 months gone already.
7 days between Dr. appointments now.
6 (million) baby names to choose from...only 1 PERFECT for you! :)
5 times I wake up each night now, on average...
4 weeks until your due date, as of tomorrow! :)
3 very excited people waiting for you at home.
2 years between you and your big sister.


(ahem!...drum roll please...)


1 VERY BIG BELLY reflecting back at me!


Hurry sweet baby!

First boyfriend....

So we're at the park the other day and I look up and see Shaelyn Jade getting friendly with a little boy we don't know...truthfully, he didn't really give her the time of day...But I snapped a quick pic and sent it to her daddy labeled "first boyfriend"...


This is what came back QUICKLY across my phone with a message, "Please show this to that boy!!!"...




Classic. What a good Daddy.
Poor Shaelyn Jade someday...

Beach Bums

Well...we're here. At my favorite place. The beach. Needless to say, I find MANY other things besides computers to keep me busy while I am at the beach, huh? Oh how happy I was last week when my Mom said she and Dad were headed south...and asked our little brood to come too! We got Nanma off on her plane Tuesday afternoon and all headed out about 6 pm. Arrived late night as always to the sounds of waves and smells of salt water and could hardly sleep dreaming of this white beach and our, well, white legs that would soon be tan! :) Rich, of all people, was the only one to burn to a crisp on the first day so he spent the rest of his days in t shirts, baby sunscreen, and under the umbrella. Always happens to at least one. :) The second "wave" of good news came a couple days into our trip when we found out Mom and I could stay a few extra days at a house across the street...and that two of our favorite girls were coming to join us. Oh what a week it's been...words can't do it justice, so I'll just share some pics!


Early morning kite flying... Another Seaside Bike Day...Jadey's favorite!!! So thankful these dudes like to hang together...they have to do it a lot! :) Happy girl! Love Birds...still! A cool morning on the beach... Our last "family of 3" pic on the beach... You can't imagine how much fun this girl had with her Daddy all to herself, all day, every day!!! A drip castle for Courtney...she always makes them on our Florida trips, so we "built" one in her honor this time...we thought this was such a cool pic Rich took!

Non and Jade played in the sand on our crab night...
Lookin' for crabs...


Not a single carb spotted, but still a fun time!
If you can't take a late night ride on a golf cart when you're on vacation, when can you??? Been lookin' forward to this picture all year...my sweet girl in her two piece on the beach! Ahhhhh I love her!!

...and her best friend came to join her for these last few days...

You Know Nanma's Here...

...When you find your 22 month old drinking hot tea each afternoon!!!

Oh we've had the best couple weeks so far with Nanma staying with us. It's funny how you get used to life just the way it is...for us, with Rich's parents living 3000 miles away year round. We miss them always, but we all get "used" to it. Having Nanma here for an extended stay has reminded us of just how MUCH we miss her being around every day. She is truly the sweetest hearted person and so easy to get along with...you know, it's not just any ole mother-in-law that one could have staying for two 1/2 weeks! This lady is so fun to have around, so HELPFUL (especially at this point in my pregnancy!), and so loving to both us and our sweet Jadeybug. I told Rich just last night how fortunate I feel that when it's time for her to leave on Tuesday, it will not be relief that I feel, as goes the jokes toward mother-in-laws...I will TRULY miss her, so much more, after these treasured days together.

Nanma, (and Mum!)...you're a gem and I am so thankful you took so much time out of your very busy life in California to come love on your Tennessee kiddos. We needed it and we have L-O-V-E-D it! We will always cherish this visit when Jade got to know you and love you so much...and you and I got ready for another baby/grandbaby! THANK YOU!!!!!


More pics soon of our almost-finished nursery!!!