Annual Trip To Huber's

A few weeks ago the Barnes & the Holloway families took their annual trip to Huber's Pumpkin patch. This has been a real trip for us the past few years. It's so much fun to see how the boys have grown each year. It's a fun way to mark them growing up.
For example, last year Davis rode this little train ride (little carts pulled by a tractor, painted like a cow), he called it the cow train. It takes the kids on a little ride around behind the barns & inflatables. Davis was able to ride it b/c you have to be old enough to ride alone. This year Spencer was also able to join the fun & ride along.

We've tweaked our visits each year. The first year we went into the restaurant to eat. It was good food, but stressful b/c we had 2 small children (Spencer was 3 months old & Davis was 16 months old). The following year we decided to eat at the grill outside. We had hot dogs & chips. It was pricey & not very good. Plus Davis doesn't eat hot dogs. This year we stopped at KFC & brought our own picnic. That seemed to work out well for everyone. I think we'll do that again next year.
We had a really good time & the boys picked out some really nice pumpkins. Davis, of course, wanted the biggest one he could find.

REWIND

OK, I just realized I never posted about Davis' 1st day of school. We had a wonderful day planned to make sure his 1st day was special.  
We started our morning w/ a trip to McD's.  We thought it would be a treat to have breakfast out for his first day.  However, all Davis could do was rush us through breakfast b/c he didn't want to miss school.  It was cute!
We pulled into school & he walked right in.  He was a bit nervous, but we had prepared him for this day for the past few months.  He never cried.... I can't say the same about myself!
He only went for 1 hour that first day.  We picked him up  & took him to waterfront park downtown & had lunch at Tumbleweed on the river.
Just as a side note- he still loves school & even Mommy is starting to like it! HAHA

Davis Earns His Keep

Finally, Davis is earning his keep around here! You see, normally when Danny cuts our grass, Davis follows him around w/ his little lawn mower. Today, Davis insisted on using Daddy's 'mawn mower' all by himself.
It was really a cute site. I was busy in the house, but had to sneak out for a couple pictures!
It's been awhile since I blogged. The good news is I found I have more readers than I thought! People have asked where I've been or if I've quit blogging. To tell you the truth.... my mind is constantly thinking "oh, I should add this to my blog", but then time gets away from me & I forget.
Davis is really growing up. He's officially 3 1/2 & will gladly tell anyone who asks him his age! For some reason, he wants to be 4 so badly he can't stand it.
He started school & soccer in September. He loves loves loves school.
It's so cute & he's really learning so much. He knows the Pledge & the Pledge to the Christian flag. He thinks we need to say it every morning at home, too! So, we've started doing that at home. We have a mini American flag, but are on the look for a Christian flag. If anyone knows where I can find one, please let me know.
Danny & I really would appreciate everyones prayers right now & we're searching for the Lord's direction in our lives. We're daily seeking his will & guidance right now.
I'll post more pics & stories later.

My purse

Last night as I was blogging & reading other blogs that mean so much to me, Danny asked if I'd blogged about my purse. HMMM... funny question, I mean I love my purse , but enough to blog about it?
I rolled my eyes & went on reading the other blogs. I went to a blog, that I have been following for quite some time. It's a wonderfully God fearing lady who has been through so much & I feel like we're best friends. One of her latest blogs just happen to have a pic of her Coach bag. Now, this caught my attention.
You see, I've been wanting a Coach purse for a long time. I've wanted one every Christmas & birthday for the past few years. My problem was I couldn't find one that I wanted badly enough to pay that much money for.
For Mother's Day & my birthday, Danny gave me money to spend however I want. I was having trouble finding clothes that fitted me, were my style, etc. I was walking through the mall alone one day & stopped in Coach. I fell in love w/ their new line of bags.
Long story short, I am now the proud owner of a Coach bag!
Her entry wasn't about showing off her new bag, but about sacrifices & a lesson God put in front of her for her 3 little girls.
Something she said really made me think. She said that she knows God cares more about her & how she lives her life than what kind of purse she carries. She doesn't believe owning a Coach bag makes her less of a Christian, nor does it make her a better one.
I love my new bag, it's so cute, so pink, & mine. I don't have to share it w/ diapers, Hot Wheels, & sippy cups. I get it all to myself. That is nice, but what was better was the reality check of her blog.
So, in short I got a new purse! HAHA

We've adopted!

OK, so maybe that title is a little misleading. But, we have adopted... we adopted a soldier. I am so excited!!
He is stationed in Kuwait & I will be his 'angel' during his deployment.
He has emailed me once to thank me for caring enough to sign up for this. I emailed him back, have written a small letter & sent him a package.
His care package isn't much, b/c I'm not really sure what all he likes, wants, & needs. I sent some trail mix, baby wipes, toothpaste, toothbrush, raisins, tissues, gum, & some other misc items.
I also sent a little survey that asks all kinds of questions about himself & what he has access to & likes. I had downloaded it from the site I signed up for.
I had been looking for a way to pen pal & support our troops that were over seas. Every outreach I found allowed me to send packages or make donations, but none allowed me to know my soldier. I believe w/ all my heart that God has lead me to him. It's exactly what I need to keep me busy & my mind off babies.
I'm also so excited that I can be his prayer warrior! That makes me happy knowing that I'm committing to pray for him every chance I get to go before the Lord. That is so humbling!
I checked the temp in Kuwait for tomorrow & it's going to be 106! SHEWWW.... I guess I have less to complain about than I thought.
If anyone would like to get involved w/ this outreach, please email me. I'd love to share the details w/ you. Also, if you can't commit to sending care packages, they need people to write letters to the troop while they wait to be adopted.

Long time, no blog....

So as usual, it's been awhile since my last blog. I have so much in my head I want to say, to document, to remember.... it's fleeting & I find it hard to put pen to paper (if you will).
On May 21st we should have been celebrating a very exciting time in our lives. In a perfect world we'd be in the hospital w/ our new baby. Instead it was a very sad day for us. Danny stayed home w/ Davis & me, which was really nice. A very dear sweet friend ordered a beautiful peace lily from a local florist for us.
That potted plant was exactly what I needed. When someone asks me how they can be praying for me, which I think is one of the sweetest questions anyone can ask, I ask that they pray for our peace. Peace w/ possibly having only 1 child, peace w/ the fertility options laid out in front of us, & peace w/ the option of adopting.
My hardest days are when some unknowing excited friend or neighbor announces so happily that that are having a baby. I smile & try to remember to say 'congrats', but leave feeling sad.
I'm trying my hardest to be patient, find peace, & work through these issues. I can say that I am so happy for my friends who are pregnant. I love to share in their joy & can't wait to meet the babies. It's just hard when the news is broken to me. Once I have time to process the info & have a good cry, I'm OK.
Hopefully the next entry won't be so far between.... Till then

Some Aunts should just stay away...

Early this morning around 1 am my least favorite aunt came for a visit. There had been warning signs, so my body was expecting her. I guess I should have called my heart.
For some reason, this is one of the hardest non pregnant cycles yet. It's been over 2 years that we've been actively trying for a baby to bring home. This was our last chance for a 2008 baby. I'm getting closer to that big 3-0. Davis is getting so big & maturing so fast. These are all reasons why my heart is breaking so bad this cycle. I just KNEW w/ everything in me we would bring a baby home in December.
Yesterday I was doing some spring cleaning to keep my mind off things. Danny & Davis were outside doing whatever it is that boys do. I kept listing to Mercy Me 'Bring On The Rain'. In the song he sings:
Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain
I just kept listing to that song & crying. I want so badly His glory over my desire, but this is so hard.
A guy Danny works with told him for me to just relax.......Yea, we tried that, didn't work! NEXT IDEA? I'm not sure if I've said this before, but if someone has cancer do you tell them to relax? No, b/c they have a medical condition that a bubble bath won't help, guess what? So do I.
Also, to add to my day, I checked in on another girl's infertility blog I browse from time to time. Well, she's no longer barren. Deep in my heart I'm happy for her, happy for this experience she's going through. But, when I read it all I could do is cry!
For now, if you could, please pray for peace. I'm just want peace.