Thursday, December 30, 2010

Joseph's Promotion!

I just realized that I never posted pictures of Joseph's promotion.  I am just so proud of him! He worked so hard through OCS and TBS.  Joseph was promoted before Christmas, but with the busy times (and Blake's sleep strike) I never got around to posting the pictures.  

Blake and I were allowed to come to the ceremony to pin him 1st Lt.  As I was holding Blake and attempting to change his pins, Joseph's CO asked to hold Blake.  So, I pinned Joseph... and Joseph's CO got to play with Blake.  It was very funny.  

Here are the pictures I took. 

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Before his promotion

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After! 

Christmas pictures are coming.... This site won't let me upload anymore pictures (I hit my max), so I am trying different sites.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Merry Christmas to My Boys

 I think everyone thinks about their lost loved ones during the holidays.  We missed our boys this Christmas.  They would have been a year old.  I got these ornaments last year for them.  I love how pretty they are, and that we have a reminder of them for our tree.   


We went to visit the boys before going to my grandmother's house.  When we got there, we found this....


 I can't even begin to tell you how good it made me feel that someone thought about them enough to put this out there.  My grandmother bought it, and my mother put it out for our boys.  I am so happy that people still remember them enough to do things like this.  My family looks out for our boys.  Their bow kept falling off this year (note the right one), and my parents put it back every time.  They put flowers out for them every holiday and season.  They visit them.  They remember them.  They remember their birthday, and they made sure to give us the support we needed during that hard time.  They are walking with us in May (my grandparents aren't, but they will be thinking about us I am sure).  They are going to try to raise money for our team.  My mom designed the t-shirts for everyone.  For all of this, I know that they care, they understand our loss, and love them (and us).

The holidays are hard, but all of that ^... let us know that we aren't alone and that we are loved.   

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Walking To Save Babies

After losing Ethan and Jacob, I have always wanted to help prevent infant loss.  I wanted to help families dealing with premature babies, loss, and all the horrible emotions that are involved.  When the boys passed away, we took donations for Bethesda NICU where Ethan was cared for.  We took them bags of blankets, hats, CD's, and mittens for the premature babies.  It helped my heart to know that our boys helped those families and babies.  Their lives meant something.   

So, next year we are walking.  We are registered for a March of Dimes walk in Wilmington in honor of Ethan and Jacob.  Our goal is to raise 2000.00 to help premature babies.  I am so excited about this, and being able to honor our boys.

Here is our team page-
Team Ethan and Jacob

If anyone is interested in giving, you can on our page.  I am also going to add a link on the sidebar of my blog.  

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Perspective

It is amazing the perspective losing a child (let alone two) gives you on life.  My perspectives have changed.  I have learned that life is too short to be angry over petty things.  I have also learned that life is too short to sweat the small stuff.  The important things are Blake and Joseph, everything else will fall into place or fall out of my life.  The little things just don't matter anymore.  Losing your children so young just makes you not care.  Don't get me wrong, I care about the important things.... but how many times do we waste time arguing, worrying, or being unhappy over trivial things?  I look back and wonder how many times my day was "ruined" over something rediculous. 

After watching Ethan and Jacob fight for every second they had, the small stuff doesn't matter.  Life is too short.  I try to cherish every single second I am given on this earth, and I lose a lot of respect for people who don't.  My boys fought to be here.  They deserved to be here.  They were taken too soon.  Because of them, we should all cherish our time here a little more.  

It is shocking how many things I have learned from my boys.  It is also amazing how their lives taught me so much, in such a short amount of time.  They were truly special. 

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Christmas Decorations

The past week we have been decorating our house for Christmas.  We got our tree, Blake met Santa, and hung our stockings.  I ordered new stockings for us this year.  This Christmas is going to be a special one, as Joseph will most likely be deployed for next year's holidays.  It is sad that Joseph will miss a Christmas with Blake, but the good thing is that he won't remember Daddy being gone. 
We still aren't sure what the deployment dates are, or where they will be going.  It seems to change weekly, and we are just trying to ignore it until the official word is passed.  We are enjoying the time that we have together.  Joseph's school is a refreshing break from the busy schedule he has had since he classed up at TBS.  He is able to come home for lunch, and he is home at a decent hour each night.  Blake loves having his Daddy around.     
  
Happy boy!
Look who found his toes!

Santa's sweetest elf!
Our Christmas tree!
Blake was putting up decorations
Daddy helping Blake decorate the tree

Hanging out with Daddy
This is what he thinks of all of these pictures.
I love his eyes
Santa reading Blake's list
Blake and Santa.  Santa isn't quite as excited as Blake was.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Jumper

 Blake has learned to jump in his jumperoo!  He is very excited about it.  Here are some videos of him jumping and looking at the lights.  It is so funny to watch his little face light up as he jumps.  Our little man is such a happy little guy.    







Thursday, December 2, 2010

Laughing!

We have been taking a ton of videos of Blake this week! It seems like he learns something new every day.  It is amazing how much he changes.  

Here he is laughing.  He thinks Joseph is just so funny!  

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Blake's Baby Dedication

Last Sunday was Blake's baby dedication.  Joseph and I promised to raise Blake in a Godly home in front of the entire church.  He did really well during the ceremony, as did the other three babies.  Kipton (Blake's baby friend) was up there with him, so neither one of them were scared :)   Here are the pictures!
He is right.... His auntie is awesome
Family Picture
Love my little man
Kipton slept the entire time
Hey buddy!
Buddies already
Kipton was super excited once he woke up
Little Joseph and little Daniel...
Their first fist pound
The Aunts!
Mom in the process of saying woooooo
Sigh.... Caught in action.  They did not follow instructions :) You have to look at the camera while Joseph makes Blake smile... if you look at him smiling, you get this picture.
Much better!

Monday, November 29, 2010

Thanksgiving...

 Our Thanksgiving was wonderful! We spent the day with family.  There was a lot of eating, laughing, and football watching.  Blake got to meet his second cousin, Isabela... who is a cutie! It was a good visit, and time went way too fast.  While we were home we had my sister take some family pictures for us.  Blake was not in a mood to smile, but they still turned out OK.  


His face in this one is awesome
Blake was not enjoying the picture taking!
I thought this one was funny....
Not a huge fan of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles....
Look at this face.....
and look at his pants here.... That's right, he just pooped on Carly, and we had not noticed yet.
Blake and Isabella