Apple Hill!!!!!

 The Big event that we did was Apple Picking! It was Brennan's 1st time and he was pretty enthralled by it. I'll see if I can upload the video I took of it :) 

 The first picked apple! He was so proud! 

 This is the way Makenzie spent most of her time there!

 The rest was with Miss Brooke! We were so glad she could come with us :) 

 Mattress trampoline :) Brennan couldn't jump on it because when the 5 monkeys jump on the bed, they fell off and bonk their heads. We've recently been over that we don't jump on beds, so he couldn't do it in good conscience :) We're getting somewhere!!!

 She was awake for about 10 minutes max the whole trip, but she was still SO cute :)

 Family photo at Larson's picnic area. Poor Makenzie wasn't included since she was asleep....

 ....in the sling with Brooke

 But she woke up for some Apple Pie! ... well.... she'll get hers later :)

Eating pie slices that were WAY TOO BIG for a single serving... we should have split pieces.. but Brennan ate his whole slice. I couldn't believe it! 

Dandy Giveaway

Cream-Lace-Romper1.jpg

I love Think Pink Bowtiques products and this week Dandy Giveaway is giving away a pink petty lace romper with a matching headband. I've bought a couple products from ThinkPink before, but I would love to get this giveaway. I'm also wanted to let you know about it too. Thanks Dandy Giveaway for the opportunity to try to win this cute product!

Here's the link to the giveaway if you're interested!http://www.dandygiveaway.com/2012/09/17/giveaway-think-pink-bowtique/

Brennan's 2nd Birthday

Makenzie was included in the birthday celebrations at the Houghams Combined August Birthday Party. It was really sweet :) Katelyn, Ross, and Makenzie all share the same birthday week :)

Then Brennan's birthday came along the following week :) Due to his obsession with Curious George, it was pretty fitting to "invite him to the party" :) 

 

And I think due to the following picture that Brennan's enjoyed himself :)

It was special to have Grandpa and Grandma Gerth there. I love this precious shot of Grandma doting on Makenzie.

The pics got out of order when I was uploading them, but this is Brennan the morning or two after we came home from the hospital. He LOVES her to peices and can't wait to see her in the morning. I love it when he greets her with "Hi Sweetheart!"

 He really is doing well with the transition... the boppy pillow is especially a favorite because it's one of her things that he's actually allowed to touch... the pacifiers and the bouncy seat are off limits :)



My sleeping beauty



 Ok...back to the birthday boy.

Coming downstairs the morning of his real birthday to open a present

SUPER happy about his soccer ball and net that we got him. He's still learning how to play, but he loves anything sport :) A good thing since he got a soccer net, a set of golf clubs, and a basketball hoop for his birthday - with the t-ball set we already had, our back yard now looks like a sports arena :) 

Pretty oblivious to most of what's going on, but she looks cute doing it :)

The next day was Sunday and we dedicated Makenzie in church that morning.

 Now the family party begins :)

Thank you pinterest for the cool table setting idea. The plates and cups were all planned to look like the hat of the man with the yellow hat :)

Also thanks to pinterest for the cake idea... I like their cake's trees better... mine turned out floppy, but it's close enough :)

And that is Brennan's birthday and the happenings surrounding it :)

The Birth of Makenzie Kate Hougham

 We're home.... with our baby girl! 

God is so good in allowing us to have her! My due date was August 28th, but due to an enormous amount of dizziness, inability to sleep, and struggling to breath (all because of her size), the doctor allowed me to be induced 1 week early.

This is the exact outfit that I came home from the hospital in when I was born. Mom found it for me and it was so special to bring my daughter home in it too. :)

We weren't sure what day it would be since the inducement was technically an elective. Others were taken before me as priority cases, so for two days it was stressful being on constant standby. Wednesday morning they told me to come on in, so I ran out the door and headed to the hospital. I checked in at 8am and was on petocin by 8:30. Ryan arrived shortly after since he took care of Brennan while I was checking in. Epidural was in by 10:30 or so and we completely relaxed until around 2:45pm when it was time to start the pushing process. It was pretty difficult since she was positioned face up, but a half an hour later, she was in my arms! All 9 pounds 2 oz and 21.25 in long. We couldn't be more thrilled and with her!

Meeting Grandpa, Grandma & Uncle Ross. Brennan was staying with them while we were in the hospital, so when they came to see us it was a party! :)

Brennan was so sweet to her... kissing her over and over.... then he found the aspirator and played "hammer everything in site" for the rest of the time. :)

One of the nurses was in a good mood or something and came in with this super cute bow hat for Makenzie. She was literally the Belle of the Ball. All the other nurses were completely mesmerized by it. We were too :)

Daddy's Little Princess :)

Meeting the Schroeders

He's super excited about her. Can't wait to watch him with her around the house over the next few weeks.

Cute welcoming sign from Aunt Katelyn

Nana & Papa arrived! They'd been in LA visiting Rich and Michelle's new baby girl, but we were happy to have them back.

The special Gregory family vases! They've been at every family birth for 54 years. So glad they made it to the hospital since the last two family births were so close together. :)

Can't wait to see what God has in store for our special little girl.

Memaw's Funeral

Two weeks ago today we got the news that Memaw would not live through the night.

We all scurried to make arrangement to get there for her funeral. However, the Lord was gracious to us and let us make it in time to see her again before she died.

Facing the reality that Memaw, a woman I have been held by and loved, is with Jesus has been overwhelming to me.

I think I often consider heaven to be a far off reality. One that I will eventually face when my assumedly long life is over.

But seeing Memaw enter into the presence of God has made me extremely aware of the reality that heaven is something to think on daily. Not just something for my future.

There is a home that is being built for me RIGHT NOW in heaven! God has prepared a place for me in His home.

So often my focus is consumed with the things of this world. But He has given me an inheritance far greater than anything of this world - and it's one that I cannot lose.

It's been a marvelous challenge to me to keep "seeking the things above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Setting my mind on things above, not on the things that are on earth." Colossians 3:1-2

Especially because 1 John 2:17 says, "The world is passing away, and also it's lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever."

I need to live with eternity in mind daily, allowing the glories of calvary and it's resulting gift (of freedom from sin and the promise eternal life to those who believe) to change my heart and my life into one that will glorify the Father.

Another verse that has been impressed upon my heart through this is 1 John 2:28-29.

"Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him."

We were able to rejoice over Memaw's passing. It was such a joy to watch her walk from this world of pain and suffering into a world where there is no more night and no more pain.

I am so grateful to be confident that she is before the Lord. My heart would break if I had reason to believe that she was in the place reserved for those who reject Jesus Christ as their Savior.

However.... Titus 3:3-7 promises

"For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, decieved, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one other. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing or regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

Memaw's testimony shows obedience to Isaiah 45:22 - "Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other."

Praise God for the promise in Romans 8:1 saying that "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

PRAISE THE LORD FOR THE EARTHLY LIFE AND THE ETERNAL LIFE OF MARY LOUISE BRIGGS!