The Captain.....

Our traditional Christmas photo of The Captain and kids via webcam.

I am thankful...

• My husband has a wonderful job that provides for our family.
• My husband is alive & well.
• My husband filled my stocking with things I love. I was so surprised!
• My husband loves me despite my MANY short comings.
• My husband is a fabulous "daddy" to our 7 kids.
• My husband looks HOT whether in his pilot or farmer uniform.
• Mostly for my salvation & that God orchestrated this amazing family for me to be a part of.

MERRY CHRISTMAS MY LOVE! We miss you!

Wish you were here to be snowed in during this blizzard with us!

Merry Christmas Friends!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FRIENDS!!
May you all have a blessed Christmas & rejoice with us in celebrating the birth of our Savior-King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

Loss of a Father to 11-just 2 days before Christmas...

I got some very sad news this morning...

The Lord has gained one of his "special ones" today in Glory Land. Derek Loux-brother-in-law of dear friend Tracie Loux was tragically killed in a car accident today. Derek has joined his son Josiah in heaven for Christmas.

Derek was father to 11 children (1 in heaven). He was an adoption and human trafficking advocate & was very involved in IHOP (International House of Prayer). A year ago they returned home with 3 special needs boys from Eastern Europe. I LOVED following Derek & Renee's journey while they were there, it was amazing to watch.

If you feel led, go to their blog, leave a note of prayer and encouragement for Renee and their 10 children.

AND HOLD THOSE YOU LOVE CLOSE THIS CHRISTMAS!

Our littlest one...

Here is our little sweet one at 10w2d! I can't believe I will be 11 weeks tomorrow. GOD IS GOOD! Praising Him for our CHRISTMAS MIRACLE! It was SO NEAT to see those little arms and legs flailing all around and hear the miraculous heart beating at 176bpm!

When The Captain's AWAY....

ALL HECK BREAKS LOOSE!!!

When The Captain is away working every other week-this is ALWAYS the times when the crisis' hits.

Monday night Bean cracked his head open at basketball practice and required 3 staples. I had a friend sit in the car with the other 5 littles at the hospital and watch a movie while I took him inside. Thank you Lord for FRIENDS!
We had a huge snow storm yesterday so we decided to do crafts and watch Christmas movies! Our creations....This is what the snow looked like out our side door at 6:30pm last night.And at 8:30pm once the 40mph BLIZZARD winds kicked in....

We are snowed in while The Captain is away. We don't mind. We always find something to do. We are greatful for heat, food, God and each other.

BTW-my morning sickness has been fairly hard to deal with. My energy level low, nausea level HIGH.

Bit But has been wearing that striped sweater since church Sunday (today is Wednesday people). Praying I will muster up the energy to bathe everyone tonight-its been since Saturday that I bathed them-SO NOT ME! I know it is only temporary and this new baby is a MIRACLE for our entire family and that is what is important....family...NOT A CLEAN FAMILY!

TRANSFER DAY!

October 22, 2009. A miraculous day!

I left my house at 4:09am for the KC airport! I met my friend Crystal there. The Captain & I decided that it would be best for him to stay home with the 6 littles. It's just difficult to leave them with anyone that doesn't know their daily routine and I knew I would be much more relaxed having him home with the kids. AND I WAS!

We arrived in L.A. around 9:15am. We got our rental car and we were hungry. We headed to get some FAMOUS IN-N-OUT BURGERS .Here are our burgers "animal style." I have dreamed about these burgers since..and the fries are cut & fried fresh to order-AHHHHHHH!

The traffic was fairly MOBBED getting out of L.A. and we did just fine in our HOT Dodge Caliber. We listened to a variety of 80s oldies since we couldn't find a K-LOVE station .

I drove the hour to get to the fertility clinic. I wasn't too nervous until I walked in the door. Then I felt EVERY MUSCLE tense up in my body. I paid the transfer fee $2200 and was taken back for the "mock transfer" and transvaginal u/s. The mock took about 10 seconds and the u/s looked PERFECT! 13mm lining and trilaminar. No free fluid or cysts. YAY!! Called The Captain to report :)

I was then moved into the transfer room pictured here.I called The Captain again and undressed, put on the ugly booties, took 1Valuim and was joined by Denise-my acupuncturist & she put the needles in. I normally am very relaxed by acupuncture but not this time. I was a nervous NELLY. I cranked on some calm Daniel Eric Groves worship music but was still agitated. I tried deep breathing and the Valium didn't to squat. BEFORE I KNEW IT, it was transfer time!

Dr. K came in and gave me the report on my 2 sweet embies. The one that was thawed on Wednesday is graded 5AAA and was already hatching out. The one thawed that morning was graded 4AAA. It was at THIS POINT that I got emotional and broke down. IT WAS REALLY HAPPENING! I apologized as the tears remained flowing quietly.

The 2 babies were loaded in a very tiny cathetar and ready for transfer. He said I would see a "flash" on the screen when the babies went in but I didn't see it really. They are so small (the size of a pin head). When he was all done. Dr, K gently rubbed my arm and said "You have jumped through many hoops to get these babies and you have done everything I have asked of you & the good news is, it could not have gone any more perfect." I then asked him what my percentage was of pregnancy. He said "70%-80%". Then I asked him what the percentage for twins was and he said "35%." That 35 saddened me. That there was a 65% chance our 2nd embryo would not survive. It was all in God's hands. I was then re-united with Crystal and wheeled out to the car for 48 hours of bed rest. My BSIC AMIE over at WILD OLIVE TEES sent me this tee to wear on my special day. She said God laid it on her heart that THIS was the shirt she was to send me. The front says "UNFLODING" The back has this verse on it

"He who began an good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6 AMEN!!!!!Crystal drove to our hotel on Ventura beach-we took a couple pictures & grabbed something to eat. Since she is a nurse she was also able to give me my daily injections WHEW!It is said that Pineapple's core contains bromelain, which can aid in implantation of the embryos so the chef at our hotel cut up an entire pineapple core for me and I ate the entire thing-IT WORKED! I then retreated to our room. I took another Valium around 6pm as I opened the balcony door and listened to the waves, I drifted off to sleep. I woke up at 11pm to go potty and write in my journal & pray then went to sleep until 6am. A good 12 hour sleep is just what the babies and I needed.

For The Captain :)The only time I got up was to go get a massage, go to the bathroom or go eat. We ate at some fabulous places & only tried things we hadn't before. I did a lot of this.....AND THIS....Hand on my new little ones.The morning we left, we decided to take a scenic drive up to Grant's Park at the top of the mountain after watching the surfers for the last time. Our hotel is the tall building in the distance.The Padre Serra Cross was the perfect place to say a prayer and blessings over the sweet ones in my womb. Crystal prayed with her hand on my belly for these 2 little lives to grow and "make it" and I promptly BAWLED like a baby.
We ate breakfast at a 5o's style diner before leaving. Crystal was QUITE upset about the sign behind her.Before I knew it we were back on the plane to Kansas- wreaking havoc to all around us. We had a FABULOUS TIME together! Thank you so much CRYSTAL!I took a Dollar Tree HPT (home pregnancy test) 5 days after my little ones were implanted & got my first POSITIVE! I took one every day after until I got my first positive beta blood test on November 2nd. I know it sounds nuts but 1.-they are $1 and 2. when you have dreamed of this moment for years TEST ALL YOU WANT if thats what it takes to keep you sane!Isn't it all just a miracle?

It is still VERY SURREAL to me. I still cannot believe Me, I am pregnant!

The Captain & I could not be more ecstatic that God has blessed us with yet another miraculous gift!

"Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him."

Psalm 127:3